the gambling commission over a bet about the timing of the election. russell george — who is a member of the welsh parliament — has "stepped back" from his party's shadow cabinet and says he will "co—operate fully". wikileaks founderjulian assange leaves prison in britain and flies to an american territory in the pacific after reaching a plea deal with the us. he will not face further prison time after pleading guilty, and he will be free to return to australia, his home country. at least five people are shot dead in kenya as police crack down on protests against tax increases. the kenyan government has announced that the military have now been deployed. and a former fujitsu engineer who helped design the horizon it system tells the post office inquiry that he thought the software worked well, most of the time. garethjenkin gave evidence in the pivotal 2010 trial of seema misra, who was jailed while pregnant. the wikileaks founderjulian assange will land this hour in the us territory of saipan, the largest of the northern mariana islands, where he is due plead guilty to to one count of espionage. these are the pictures this afternoon of assange arriving in bangkok aboard a privatejet that later transferred him from thailand to the south pacific. we are told that once in court, assange will admit that in 2010, he conspired to unlawfully obtain and disseminate classified national defence information. for that, he will be sentenced to 62 months injail, but of course will be freed immediately to return to australia, for time served at the belmarsh high security prison. it brings to an end a iii—year saga that surrounded one of the biggest leaks of classified material in us history. washington long maintained that the lives of intelligence agents were put at risk because of wikileaks disclosure — a claim assange's lawyers have disputed. the former us director of intelligence, james clapper, who was in post in 2010, had this to say a little earlier. this came up as well. i think critical to this was his plea of one count of espionage. i think the law enforcement community and the intelligence community wouldn't have bought into this without that. —— this came out pretty well. but he's served essentially seven years of incarceration in the ecuadorian embassy in london, was released from that and the brits arrested him, and that he did 62 months injail — hard time in london. so, he's sort of paid his dues. let's talk to our panel. chris, it's such a fluke that you're here on this particular day. it is relevant to a former intelligence officer. i imagine you could look at this in two ways. first of all, the risk thatis two ways. first of all, the risk that is created for intelligence officers you probably knew, but on the other hand, likejulian assange, you are sued by an american president and government and could have been extradited on a fairly serious account. how do you feel about what you're witnessing here? high, christian. trying to depersonalize it, i think it's important that whistle—blowers in general to come forward —— hi, christian. if there isn't that sort of mechanism for it, that does risk — in fact, what happened here, julian assange and his supporters ended up serving the interests of a hostile foreign power. on one hand, i agree that it's very important that whistle—blowing is not punished when it's just an that whistle—blowing is not punished when it'sjust an handled in the right way, there should be support. but on the other hand, what's all bsolutely cardinal, especially intelligence work, sources' lives were put at risk. that set off a spiral of conflict. this ended up with wikileaks being manipulated and exploited by the kremlin. d0 with wikileaks being manipulated and exploited by the kremlin.— exploited by the kremlin. do you think peeple _ exploited by the kremlin. do you think people died _ exploited by the kremlin. do you think people died as _ exploited by the kremlin. do you think people died as a _ exploited by the kremlin. do you think people died as a result? i l think people died as a result? i think people died as a result? i think it's highly likely, and even if they didn't, people �*s lives could be made of misery when they've been exposed. could be made of misery when they've been “posed-— been exposed. what about the flip side that your _ been exposed. what about the flip side that your own _ been exposed. what about the flip side that your own personal - side that your own personal experience of being pursued by donald trump, by people closer to him and the threat of extradition you faced? i him and the threat of extradition ou faced? ~ him and the threat of extradition you faced?— you faced? i think it was hot air, to be honest. _ you faced? i think it was hot air, to be honest. it's— you faced? i think it was hot air, to be honest. it's obviously - to be honest. it's obviously worrying personally, buti to be honest. it's obviously worrying personally, but i did nothing wrong and didn't break any laws. i certainly didn't go about revealing who sources were or so on, unlike some people in congress and in the trump administration who did precisely that. let in the trump administration who did precisely that-— precisely that. let me come to you, susie. do precisely that. let me come to you, susie- do you _ precisely that. let me come to you, susie. do you consider— precisely that. let me come to you, susie. do you consider him - precisely that. let me come to you, susie. do you consider him a - susie. do you consider him a journalist?— susie. do you consider him a journalist? susie. do you consider him a “ournalist? ., . , , ., . journalist? no. journalists do what christian was _ journalist? no. journalists do what christian was talking _ journalist? no. journalists do what christian was talking about - journalist? no. journalists do what christian was talking about to - journalist? no. journalists do what| christian was talking about to some extent _ christian was talking about to some extent -- _ christian was talking about to some extent —— chris. whether you like him or— extent —— chris. whether you like him or you — extent —— chris. whether you like him or you don't, you will go through— him or you don't, you will go through it. _ him or you don't, you will go through it, and your work is owed to the people _ through it, and your work is owed to the people in your subject to ethical— the people in your subject to ethical regulations in different jurisdictions, and legible is... in the united — jurisdictions, and legible is... in the united states, where some of your viewers are, if someone, if the whole _ your viewers are, if someone, if the whole family— your viewers are, if someone, if the whole family was murdered, i could io whole family was murdered, i could go and _ whole family was murdered, i could go and report quite happily the views— go and report quite happily the views of— go and report quite happily the views of a _ go and report quite happily the views of a neighbour that said he was a _ views of a neighbour that said he was a lovely man and never thought he was _ was a lovely man and never thought he was a _ was a lovely man and never thought he was a bloodthirsty murderer. could _ he was a bloodthirsty murderer. could put— he was a bloodthirsty murderer. could put that in the paper and no problem _ could put that in the paper and no problem at — could put that in the paper and no problem at all. you can't do that in the united — problem at all. you can't do that in the united kingdom because it might as you _ the united kingdom because it might as you just— the united kingdom because it might as you just a future jury. we do things— as you just a future jury. we do things differently. that's how journalists behave. you have an editing — journalists behave. you have an editing process and you have a legal team, _ editing process and you have a legal team, you _ editing process and you have a legal team, you have ethical concerns, you try not— team, you have ethical concerns, you try not to _ team, you have ethical concerns, you try not to do — team, you have ethical concerns, you try not to do anything that will get other— try not to do anything that will get other people in trouble. it's been very little — other people in trouble. it's been very little mention in the footage about— very little mention in the footage aboutjulian assange very little mention in the footage about julian assange about chelsea manning. _ about julian assange about chelsea manning, the actual whistle—blower, who put— manning, the actual whistle—blower, who put their life on the line and was locked — who put their life on the line and was locked up for a very long time by the _ was locked up for a very long time by the american military because they didn't have exactly the legal protections that christopher was 'ust protections that christopher was just talking about. i think what julian— just talking about. i think what julian did — just talking about. i think what julian did was journalism. just talking about. i think what julian did wasjournalism. i think he was _ julian did wasjournalism. i think he was persecuted forjournalism and that shouldn't have happened, but i do not _ that shouldn't have happened, but i do not think he was a journalist. so do not think he was a journalist. s: was it do not think he was a journalist. was itjust... do not think he was a journalist. sr was itjust... was it the fact that the documents that he released weren't sufficiently redacted as they probably would have been had they probably would have been had they come from a newsroom that you and i work in? they come from a newsroom that you and i work in?— and i work in? you, i am loads of otherjournalists _ and i work in? you, i am loads of otherjournalists around - and i work in? you, i am loads of otherjournalists around the - and i work in? you, i am loads of| otherjournalists around the world reported — otherjournalists around the world reported the things that julian assange put out there. none of us went— assange put out there. none of us went to _ assange put out there. none of us went to jail~ — assange put out there. none of us went to jail. that's it. that's the proof— went to jail. that's it. that's the proof of— went to jail. that's it. that's the proof of the _ went to jail. that's it. that's the proof of the pudding. if he hadn't fled sweden 14 years ago to avoid those _ fled sweden 14 years ago to avoid those rape charges and stayed in sweden — those rape charges and stayed in sweden to answer the rate charges, that country has a better, less pro-us — that country has a better, less pro—us extradition deal than that uk. pro—us extradition deal than that uk he _ pro—us extradition deal than that uk. he more likely would have spent the last— uk. he more likely would have spent the last 14 _ uk. he more likely would have spent the last 14 years being a free man and clearing his name and walking around _ and clearing his name and walking around the — and clearing his name and walking around the world doing whatever he wants _ around the world doing whatever he wants one — around the world doing whatever he wants. one of your previous excerpts. _ wants. one of your previous excerpts, a chap in the us said he served _ excerpts, a chap in the us said he served times in the embassy for several— served times in the embassy for several years. served times in the embassy for severalyears. he served times in the embassy for several years. he locked himself there! _ several years. he locked himself there! he — several years. he locked himself there! he shut the cover and locked it from _ there! he shut the cover and locked it from the — there! he shut the cover and locked it from the inside. that's not the kind _ it from the inside. that's not the kind of— it from the inside. that's not the kind of thing journalists do. no, kind of thing “ournalists do. no, “ournalist kind of thing journalists do. no, journalist like _ kind of thing journalists do. i»!;r>, journalist like you and me didn't stand outside the ecuadorian embassy for seven years! jessica, we're watching these pictures and we don't have a saipan bureau, but i understand the plan that set off earlier today was full of journalists. we're expecting the plane to arrive in the next four five minutes. the guardian has spent a lot of time supporting his campaign for release. i want to put this to you. we spoke to the new york timesjust a this to you. we spoke to the new york times just a short time ago, who say the fudge here, the plea deal that they've come to sets a very dangerous precedent because it can't be challenged in us courts. he will go home to australia, but the precedent for journalists who want to report on classified information or on government documents is now very different. it's the first conviction of its kind in the united states. they worry about that. i think that's the really interesting thing _ think that's the really interesting thing about— think that's the really interesting thing about this, _ think that's the really interesting thing about this, what _ think that's the really interesting thing about this, what precedentj think that's the really interesting i thing about this, what precedent it sets _ thing about this, what precedent it sets you — thing about this, what precedent it sets you can— thing about this, what precedent it sets. you can make _ thing about this, what precedent it sets. you can make those - thing about this, what precedent it. sets. you can make those arguments about _ sets. you can make those arguments about whether — sets. you can make those arguments about whetherjulian_ sets. you can make those arguments about whetherjulian assange - sets. you can make those arguments about whetherjulian assange is - sets. you can make those arguments about whetherjulian assange is or i about whetherjulian assange is or isn't a _ about whetherjulian assange is or isn't a journalist, _ about whetherjulian assange is or isn't a journalist, and _ about whetherjulian assange is or isn't a journalist, and i— about whetherjulian assange is or isn't a journalist, and i think- isn't a journalist, and i think as he made — isn't a journalist, and i think as he made some _ isn't a journalist, and i think as he made some very— isn't a journalist, and i think as he made some very good - isn't a journalist, and i think as - he made some very good points, but i think what— he made some very good points, but i think what we — he made some very good points, but i think what we should _ he made some very good points, but i think what we should all _ he made some very good points, but i think what we should all conscious - think what we should all conscious of is what — think what we should all conscious of is what this _ think what we should all conscious of is what this means _ think what we should all conscious of is what this means for - of is what this means for journalists _ of is what this means for journalists going - of is what this means for journalists going forward of is what this means for - journalists going forward who want to release — journalists going forward who want to release classified _ journalists going forward who want to release classified documents, . journalists going forward who want| to release classified documents, to report— to release classified documents, to report on— to release classified documents, to report on them _ to release classified documents, to report on them and _ to release classified documents, to report on them and to _ to release classified documents, to report on them and to do _ to release classified documents, to report on them and to do so - to release classified documents, to report on them and to do so in - to release classified documents, to report on them and to do so in the | report on them and to do so in the public— report on them and to do so in the public interest _ report on them and to do so in the public interest. that _ report on them and to do so in the public interest. that is— report on them and to do so in the public interest. that is something i public interest. that is something that we _ public interest. that is something that we all— public interest. that is something that we all might _ public interest. that is something that we all might want _ public interest. that is something that we all might want to - public interest. that is something that we all might want to do - public interest. that is something that we all might want to do in. that we all might want to do in the future _ that we all might want to do in the future if— that we all might want to do in the future if we — that we all might want to do in the future if we felt _ that we all might want to do in the future if we felt that _ that we all might want to do in the future if we felt that there - that we all might want to do in the future if we felt that there was - that we all might want to do in the future if we felt that there was a l future if we felt that there was a significant — future if we felt that there was a significant reason _ future if we felt that there was a significant reason for— future if we felt that there was a significant reason for doing - future if we felt that there was a j significant reason for doing that. future if we felt that there was a i significant reason for doing that. i think— significant reason for doing that. i think that's — significant reason for doing that. i think that's why. _ significant reason for doing that. i think that's why, although - significant reason for doing that. i think that's why, although some i significant reason for doing that. ll think that's why, although some of these _ think that's why, although some of these organisations— think that's why, although some of these organisations who _ think that's why, although some of these organisations who have - think that's why, although some ofj these organisations who have been campaigning — these organisations who have been campaigning now— these organisations who have been campaigning now for— these organisations who have been campaigning now forjulian - these organisations who have been. campaigning now forjulian assange's release _ campaigning now forjulian assange's release have — campaigning now forjulian assange's release have tempered _ campaigning now forjulian assange's release have tempered their- release have tempered their celebration, _ release have tempered their celebration, because - release have tempered their celebration, because there i release have tempered their. celebration, because there are release have tempered their- celebration, because there are two ways of— celebration, because there are two ways of looking _ celebration, because there are two ways of looking at _ celebration, because there are two ways of looking at it. _ celebration, because there are two ways of looking at it. had - celebration, because there are two ways of looking at it. had assange| ways of looking at it. had assange been _ ways of looking at it. had assange been extradited _ ways of looking at it. had assange been extradited and _ ways of looking at it. had assange been extradited and going - ways of looking at it. had assange been extradited and going to- ways of looking at it. had assange . been extradited and going to prison, therefore _ been extradited and going to prison, therefore any — been extradited and going to prison, therefore any reporter— been extradited and going to prison, therefore any reporter is _ been extradited and going to prison, therefore any reporter is handed - therefore any reporter is handed this document _ therefore any report