Paul coyte is here with the latest from the world of sport and some canoeing work, canoeing news, i cant say canoeing news, Rugby World Cup last night england saw off japan. It wasnt down to hands, wasnt down to feet. It was actually down to joe millers head. Actually down to joe millers head. But ill tell you more head. But ill tell you more about that. Okay, look forward to that. Okay, look forward to that. And as always, you can join in any our discussions, email in any of our discussions, email us gb gbnews. Com you us gb views. Gbnews. Com or you can at. Gb news. Well can tweet us at. Gb news. Well the top story this morning is urgent investigations are being launched by the bbc and channel 4 in the wake of allegations of Sexual Assault, including rape against Russell Brand. But concerns have also been raised over how long the broadcasters knew about the allegations. Owns knew about the allegations. Owns the comedian and actor has been accused of attacking women between 2006 and 2013. On when he was at the height of his fame, now launched their own investigation. The metropolitan police has asked victims to come forward and speak to them if they believe theyve been assaulted. No how long ago , how well no matter how long ago, how well their interviews were voiced by actors in the channel programme. You may find some of the content distressing. Content distressing. Hes grabbing at my underwear , pulling it to the side. Im telling him to get off me and he wont get off. Im like holding me up against the wall, pushing himself in me. He grabbed me and got me on the bed. I was fully clothed and he was naked. At this point i was like, oh my god, he raped me i i i was m i was crying. And he said, i was crying. And he said, oh, i only want to see your mascara run. Anyway i phoned and somebody asked what it was regarding and i said, thats regarding and i said, thats regarding Russell Brand being a sex offender. Now sex offender. Now now social media brand has denied these allegations. He said his relations ships have all been consensual. All been consensual. Well, midst this litany of astonishing , rather baroque astonishing, rather baroque attacks are some very serious allegations , ones that i allegations, ones that i absolutely refuse suit these allegations pertain to the time when i was working in the mainstream, when i was in the newspapers all the time when i was in the movies. And as ive written extensively in my written about extensively in my books, i was very, very promiscuous. During that promiscuous. Now, during that time the time of promiscuity, the relationships i had were absolute always consensual. Absolute, always consensual. I was always transparent about that. Almost too that. Then almost too transparent. Im being transparent. And im being transparent. And im being transparent about it now as well. Well lets speak to the host of protect and serve podcast and former Police Officer oliver lawrence, who joins us in the studio. I mean, you only have to look at the front of the newspapers. This and once again, he this morning. And once again, he is splashed over them, is splashed all over them, i suppose whats different in this particular sex particular kind of celebrity sex scandal as he says, scandal is that, as he says, there he was well known to be a lothario. He was well to lothario. He was well known to have a a drink a have a sex, a drink problem, a drug problem. This may not come drug problem. This may not come as a huge surprise, but nevertheless, theres too many people coming out with the same story. Now, isnt there . Now, isnt there . There is very much so. And i think as we see the metropolitan police have asked for victims to come can be come forward so this can be investigated and investigated robustly and allegations looked allegations can be looked in, because moment, these because at the moment, these are allegations he allegations is so obviously, he has an entitlement to a presumption of innocence at this moment in time. Obviously, moment in time. But obviously, its for now, its important for victims now, hopefully, empowered hopefully, to feel empowered that have come that other women have come forward, come forward, that they may also come forward, that they may also come forward similar forward and report maybe similar or like stories. But as say, or like stories. But as you say, the front papers dont the front page papers dont paint a very good picture this morning for sure. Paint a very good picture this mo um, for sure. Paint a very good picture this mo um, and sure. Paint a very good picture this mo um, and are. Likely to see um, and are we likely to see an in the coming days . An arrest in the coming days . Why do you think this will play out . I think were quite away from that i think that at the moment. I think theres areas here, victims theres two areas here, victims may actually come forward to may not actually come forward to police. Two things here. Police. Theres two things here. Theres justice and theres criminal justice and then justice then theres social justice victims at moment will feel victims at the moment will feel empowered. Control of victims at the moment will feel em|situation. Control of victims at the moment will feel em|situation. This control of victims at the moment will feel em|situation. This is control of victims at the moment will feel em|situation. This is partntrol of victims at the moment will feel em|situation. This is part ofol of the situation. This is part of the situation. This is part of the healing process for them coming weve got coming forward. Weve got to remember our criminal remember that our criminal justice a very poor Justice System has a very poor reputation convicting reputation in convicting people of this type. So of allegations of this type. So they may see that this is what theyre pursuing. Is this social justice, recognition theyre pursuing. Is this social justithis recognition theyre pursuing. Is this social justithis pointcognition theyre pursuing. Is this social justithis point of|nition theyre pursuing. Is this social justithis point of being this this point of being listened public about listened to by the public about allegations which theyve been silent for a very long time. Some of the allegations relate to incidents happening in another here in the relate to incidents happening in anotwhat here in the relate to incidents happening in anotwhat happens here in the relate to incidents happening in anotwhat happens in1ere in the relate to incidents happening in anotwhat happens in ine in the relate to incidents happening in anotwhat happens in in thatthe uk. What happens in in that case, are there sort of rules around statute of limitations or any of that impact on on this particular person . Yeah, no limitation of time with this. And i think most important thing is obviously the metropolitan if they are metropolitan police, if they are the Police Service which takes this work this forward, can work for organisations united organisations in the United States allegations to states where allegations seem to be from can can be coming out from and can can collate statements , collate witness statements, victim statements, various different parts of the investigation any investigation and support any investigations which happen outside the country. So can very much in that full, much support in that full, complex environment. I what we know i suppose what we know historically , whether somebody historically, whether somebody is celebrity not, is that is a celebrity or not, is that actually allegation of actually from an allegation of rape or whatever it might be to conviction is very, very low conviction is a very, very low rate. And thats often for rate. And thats often for a number of reasons, victims often rate. And thats often for a nunwantingeasons, victims often rate. And thats often for a nunwanting to ;ons, victims often rate. And thats often for a nunwanting to go ;, victims often rate. And thats often for a nunwanting to go through; often rate. And thats often for a nunwanting to go through the en not wanting to go through the whole of a trial. And whole process of a trial. And i suppose, you know, you can look at the whole Cross Section of other big names that have been in kind of sex scandals. In similar kind of sex scandals. And cases have all been and those cases have all been dropped. There a big dropped. So there is a big question be asked about question to be asked about whether or people be whether or not people should be so publicly have these so publicly named. Have these trials media before the trials as by media before the evidence presented a Court Evidence is presented in a court of law. And just to go through those big names, were talking about paul Cliff Richard, paul gambaccini, Cliff Richard, kevin , john leslie and kevin spacey, john leslie and Harvey Proctor, who will be speaking to later in the programme this morning without doubt, one of the greatest challenges this generation is challenges in this generation is social and the 24 hour social media and the 24 hour news media cycle terms of news media cycle in terms of facing allegation allegations like and being to like this and being able to respond in of what respond to them in terms of what we say now is around the world very, very quickly. As youve pointed out, and as as youve pointed out, there been number of there have been a number of individuals profile who individuals of high profile who have of very have been accused of very serious equally have been accused of very seriouhave equally have been accused of very seriouhave gone equally have been accused of very seriou have gone through ally have been accused of very seriou have gone through the those have gone through the court havent reached court or havent even reached court or havent even reached court because theyre quite complex. The elements are significant and sometimes victims ability victims dont have the ability or through that or they fear going through that entire so it is entire process. So it is important that people are entitled that presumption of entitled to that presumption of innocence things to innocence before things go to court and they are found guilty through our judicial system, which important. Which is critically important. People are critical a lot of people are critical about Investigative Journalism in and what role in all of this and what role does Investigative Journalism have to play . Channel 4 cleared the schedule on saturday Night Entertainment night for a 90 minute docu commentary. For instance , before the sunday instance, before the sunday times and every other newspaper in the land printed headlines on the sunday. The media has a very important part to play in this, not only in communicating and empowering victims to have that control and power over particular matters , but to be particular matters, but to be able to get these stories out, which in the publics which are in the publics interest. Important get interest. It is important to get these to be able to these stories out, to be able to demonstrate what is going on, because broader issues because there are broader issues here is aware of here in terms of who is aware of these going on. Is there these issues going on. Is there allegations against broadcasters where were working . Where people were working . There are here to be are broad subjects here to be covered, i think its really covered, and i think its really important these do important that these stories do get that we can have get out so that we can have these discussions can these discussions and we can look into them with greater detail now. Its worth always hm well, its worth always reiterating course, reiterating that, of course, russell does these Russell Brand does deny these allegations. At moment allegations. And at the moment the bbc indeed channel 4 and the bbc and indeed channel 4 and a number of other newspapers and organisations all doing their own investigations at this time, including i should say, the metropolitan police. Metropolitan police. Lawrence, thank you oliver lawrence, thank you very indeed, sir. Keir very much indeed, sir. Keir starmer has said he will attempt a major rewrite of our brexit dealif a major rewrite of our brexit deal if labour wins power in the next election. Speaking to the financial times, the labour leader said that he would put closer relationships with brussels at the heart of his plans for government. Well, lets go to gb news Political Correspondent olivia utley. So correspondent olivia utley. So doesit correspondent olivia utley. So does it really matter what keir starmer wants . What does Europe Starmer wants . What does europe want . Well , i want . Well, i think thats a very, very important question. Its not a huge surprise that keir starmer has come out and said that he wants to renegotiate britains relationship with the eu. We know that as soon as britain voted for brexit, keir starmer essentially wanted to rejoin fronted a big rejoin the eu and fronted a big campaign arguing forthat. Campaign in arguing for that. Hes obviously backtracked from that since he now says that he wouldnt want rejoin the wouldnt want to rejoin the customs wouldnt Customs Union, he wouldnt want to Single Market, but to rejoin the Single Market, but he would want to renegotiate the deal Boris Johnson struck deal that Boris Johnson struck in 2021. Well thats all very well, but brussels interested well, but is brussels interested in renegotiation . It is true that Boris Johnsons brexit deal comes up for review , as they comes up for review, as they call it, in 2025, but as far as the eu concerned is concerned , the eu concerned is concerned, thats just a matter of sort of ironing things out. Whether they would prepared the would be to prepared open the negotiation again when of negotiation up again when of course in 2021, when the negotiation was being made. Eu businesses across the whole of the states had a lot of the 27 states had a lot of uncertainty. Be waiting to find out what that deal would be. Would they prepared to would they be prepared to go through that in through all of that again in order for starmer to get a new deal . At all. Deal . Its not clear at all. And i suppose its interesting that he feels bold enough to sort of tie his colours to the mast or pin his colours to the mast or pin his colours to the mast or pin his colours to the mast as were, colours to the mast as it were, because of because he will have lots of people conservative at people who voted conservative at the election the last election for traditional voters, but traditional labour voters, but they voted specifically on a brexit he now saying brexit issue. Is he now saying that thinks a lot of people that he thinks a lot of people think that brexit isnt working and has been a failure . Well i think essentially what and has been a failure . Well i thinisaying essentially what and has been a failure . Well i thinisaying andentially what and has been a failure . Well i thinisaying andertiesy what and has been a failure . Well i thinisaying anderties into at hes saying and it ties into what he saying last week, what he was saying last week, last he was saying that he last week he was saying that he wanted have a new migrant wanted to have a new migrant deal with the eu whereby britain would in a quota would take in a quota of migrants from eu, which migrants from the eu, which would essentially signing up would essentially be signing up wholesale eus deal on immigration. So it is a clear sign that that he seems to think that the electorate believes that electorate now believes that brexit was mistake. Is he brexit was a mistake. Is he right about that . I mean, presumably he the people around him have been doing lots and lots focus groups, and lots of focus groups, lots and lots of focus groups, lots and lots of focus groups, lots and lots of polling, etcetera. But i wonder if thats going to play well country. The well in the country. The conservatives will be conservatives certainly will be quite it. Quite gleeful about it. Its a good question. Again, its a good question. Olivia to put that to olivia wed like to put that to our viewers and listeners today. Youre ready for. Do you think youre ready for a change in the brexit rules . Gbp views a gbnews. Com let us know throughout the programme this morning and we will reflect those. Those. And just lastly, olivia, you know , are we seeing the sort of know, are we seeing the sort of head of steam being built up by sir keir starmer . Hes been on a sort of global stage the last few he seems to be doing few days. He seems to be doing sunday newspaper exclusive. Last weekend tim shipman weekend it was tim shipman in the times. Today, down the times. Today, big sit down with and obviously weve with the ft and obviously weve got the labour conference coming up. Making up. But i mean, hes making headunes up. But i mean, hes making headlines never before. It headlines like never before. It could be argued. Certainly absolutely. Hes certainly trying himself as a trying to portray himself as a prime in waiting. And Prime Minister in waiting. And it be working. It really seems to be working. Hes this meeting hes had this meeting in montreal with leaning montreal with with left leaning Party Leaders from around the world. Hes meeting Emmanuel Macron next week, which is pretty astonishing, really, given that macron only ever meets with people from his own centrist family. As he puts it, opposition leaders from his own centrist family. Making centrist family. So hes making headway the international headway on the international stage. You say, back stage. And as you say, back home, conference is home, labour conference is getting attention than it getting more attention than it ever before. It really feels ever has before. It really feels as though were gearing up to a general and it feels general election, and it feels as people at home as though people both at home and rightly or wrongly, and abroad, rightly or wrongly, think they know the result think that they know the result of election. Of that general election. An believe that he to an i believe that he wrote to president r