gb news. >> and a very, very good evening . compliments of the season. it's 7:00. it's gb news. this is a two hour farage special taking you through to patrick christys at 9:00. we have got an action packed two hours in the first houn packed two hours in the first hour. the big debate of the last few days. will they won't they? will they have it will they aboush will they have it will they abolish inheritance tax ? have we abolish inheritance tax? have we heard this all before? is it a bit a familiar debate we'll bit of a familiar debate we'll be getting into that with my special in the studio and special guest in the studio and getting to. here's getting your views to. here's another big topic prison sentencing. we have more sentencing. should we have more of less of it is community of it, less of it is community sentencing working or not? all of that big, big topic. another great guest . and yes, it's great guest. and yes, it's almost the new year, the new year ahead 2024. we'll be looking ahead . what to look looking ahead. what to look forward to, what to be sort of focussed on possibly what to be worried about. and we have got some extraordinary festive farages, but first of all,

before all of that, it's the news with polly middlehurst . news with polly middlehurst. >> richard. thank you. good evening to you. well the great clean up began today in greater manchester after trees were brought down, roofs were ripped from houses and residents were forced to leave their homes. it's thought around 100 properties were after properties were damaged after a localised tornado ripped through stalybridge on tameside . no stalybridge on tameside. no injuries were reported but resident gareth moody said one of his children had a very lucky escape. >> the youngest son in the front bedroom, he was sat under his cabin bed when the ceiling came through so the better saved his life and my, uh , my other son at life and my, uh, my other son at the back, he was on a computer at the chimney stack from the neighbour's house has come through our bathroom. decimated that the scottish highlands 3000 homes without power, homes are still without power, and 1500 are expected to be cut off overnight after strong winds and heavy snow damage . and heavy snow damage. >> the electricity work there

yesterday . ssn say welfare vans yesterday. ssn say welfare vans have been set up providing hot food and drinks to customers without power. travel networks were also thrown into chaos, with rail services suspended or cancelled and roads closed because of the weather. three men who were inside a 4x4 vehicle that plunged into a river in north yorkshire, have died after river levels rose following storm garrett. firefighters pulled the vehicle from the river esk near glaisdale on the north yorkshire moors this afternoon. another man who tried to help the victims was pulled to safety from the river and has been receiving medical treatment at in lancashire today. reports of a fire at the top of blackpool tower turned out to be a false alarm . what was presumed to be alarm. what was presumed to be flames licking from the top was in fact orange construction site netting blowing in the wind . netting blowing in the wind. videos on social media appeared to show flames at the top of the landmark, and firefighters were

immediately deployed to the scene. lancashire police, though, flew their helicopter over the tower and confirmed there was in fact no fire. one man has been arrested on suspicion of breach of the peace . there are calls today to reduce jail sentences to help ease pressure on britain's prisons. a house of lords committee says overcrowding has now reached crisis point and ministers are being urged to make better use of community sentences . peers say short sentences. peers say short prison terms are providing more or less a university education in crime. inside commemorative coins celebrating sir winston churchill at buckingham palace and the rnli will be launched next year. they're among five new designs unveiled by the royal mint celebrating key anniversaries with a £5 coin for buckingham palace . the annual buckingham palace. the annual set will also celebrate future events like the 2024 paris olympics and paralympic games , olympics and paralympic games, as that's the news on gb news

across the uk on tv, in your car, on digital radio and on your smart speaker by saying play gb news. this is britain's news channel . news channel. >> thank you polly and welcome to farage for this two hour special. this thursday evening. well, first of all, we're going to talk about something that we keep hearing about from the conservatives. they say they're going to change it. they're going to change it. they're going abolish it. might going to abolish it. they might halve knows. frankly, halve it. who knows. frankly, the have we heard the question is, have we heard this often? we've just given this so often? we've just given up understanding but up understanding it. but let's really dig to what's going on really dig in to what's going on here. and i actually have experienced the whole issue of inheritance tax because i lost my parents some years ago and it's a moment of deep, profound grief , of it's a moment of deep, profound grief, of real family sadness for the children, for extended family, and for friends. but all of a sudden , you're into this

of a sudden, you're into this issue . have you got to do paid issue. have you got to do paid death tax? somebody will call it, actually, and i agree with them. a grief tax because you're at a moment of grief and yet all of a sudden you're under pressure to get things sorted , pressure to get things sorted, to sort out the finances , to sort out the finances, probably to sell the family home and other assets in order to pay this , this inheritance tax . and this, this inheritance tax. and the thing is, this surveys have consistently shown that it's probably the most hated tax, even from those actually, whose families are most unlikely ever to likely have to pay it. and i think the reason for that is that it's perceived as double taxation. you've worked hard, you've paid your taxes , you've you've paid your taxes, you've paid your dues , you've saved up, paid your dues, you've saved up, you've tried to do the best for your children and possibly your grandchildren , and they're all grandchildren, and they're all of a sudden , sadly, you pass

of a sudden, sadly, you pass away . and it's like having away. and it's like having taxation without representation , taxation without representation, for heaven's sake. i mean, you've passed away, but you've got no say in what happens to the tax that your estate has to pay- the tax that your estate has to pay. it feels to me completely unfair for, and i repeat, my own personal experience . it really personal experience. it really was a grief tax . and then the was a grief tax. and then the other thing is a hole . industry other thing is a hole. industry has grown up around avoiding this grief tax. you've got accountants, you've got valuers , accountants, you've got valuers, you've got lawyers and all the great stuff around it . and the great stuff around it. and the truth is, it's pretty unproductive. it doesn't create anything. it doesn't make anything. it doesn't make anything . it's just all about anything. it's just all about legal tax avoidance. surely all those people, those brains could be used doing better, more creative, more sensible things than just how you avoid the death tax. there's another swathe of people in the civil

service in the probate department, the government's valuation office checking. you're not trying to rip them off and you're checking they're not trying to rip you off. and the whole thing just goes on and on. why not just abolish it? just get rid of all of that so that people can just grieve in peace. and the truth is , peace. and the truth is, relative to the overall taxes raised by the government, it's just another drop in the ocean . just another drop in the ocean. so that's my question to you. this evening. we've run a twitter poll on it as well this afternoon. we'll get to those results later. so do you want to aboush results later. so do you want to abolish the death tax? would you like just to halve it or would you keep it as it is? you like to keep it as it is? well, i'm delighted to be joined you like to keep it as it is? wethei'm delighted to be joined you like to keep it as it is? wethe studio ighted to be joined you like to keep it as it is? wethe studio byted to be joined you like to keep it as it is? wethe studio by the to be joined you like to keep it as it is? wethe studio by the well joined you like to keep it as it is? wethe studio by the well known in the studio by the well known journalist author ross clark ross. journalist author ross clark ross . a very good complement of ross. a very good complement of the festive season. and good evening to you too. um, you write about a lot of things and you wrote just a few days ago about this issue that has cropped up in the news again ahead of an election year. the

government potentially looking at giveaways, tax at sort of giveaways, these tax cuts their base, uh, cuts for their their base, uh, voters and potential voters that they need to keep or attract. what are your thoughts on this? you've heard my monologue there. where are you on this really important topic ? important topic? >> well, i'm going to disagree with you on this, richard, and agree with those, um, conservative backbench mps who have, um, called on rishi sunak not to bother with inheritance tax at this juncture , but to tax at this juncture, but to concentrate on reducing income tax because what we've had over the past couple of years is this huge stealth tax on incomes on low incomes in particular, where the income tax thresholds have been held frozen and are going to be frozen until 2028. that has sucked enormous numbers of people into income tax, into higher rates of income tax . and higher rates of income tax. and i think if the conservatives or if any government went into to an election , um, having raised

an election, um, having raised income tax at the same time as they're saying, we're going to reduce or abolish inheritance tax. so you're saying would be a disastrous. >> so you're saying that's just very bad politics. it's a terrible look, i get that. and i'm with you. in fact, i'm actually the guy that has said we should increase the starting point for paying any income tax from 12,500 pounds way up to £20,000, and that you pay for it by cutting out the vast amount of wasteful government spending. so i'm absolutely with you on that. i'm not that it's an that. i'm not sure that it's an either or. i think a well managed principle and government of a conservative philosophy could say, well, actually we should be doing both. we should be encouraging hard work. we should be helping the lowest paid, the least well off. but also rewarding success as people get to the end of their life and avoid double taxation. surely there's a way of not being a an either or there. ross well, i find it bizarre. >> at the moment we're just talking about tax cuts, not spending cuts . talking about tax cuts, not spending cuts. i mean, you back

pedal to 2010 when david cameron first became prime minister and formed the coalition with the lib dems , both the conservatives lib dems, both the conservatives and the lib dems, that absolute focus on reducing the deficit , focus on reducing the deficit, which george gordon brown had left behind about £160 billion deficit. now we've got a deficit that's nearly that high at the office of budgetary responsibility, expected to be 124. >> it's unbelievable . that's >> it's unbelievable. that's right. you've got a huge deficit. are we just talking about tax cuts and not spending cuts because. well, i think you should be talking about both actually, of them should be talking about both actu help of them should be talking about both actu help growth of them should be talking about both actu help growth . of them should be talking about both actu help growth . and of them should be talking about both actu help growth . and it's hem should be talking about both actu help growth . and it's one will help growth. and it's one of big criticisms of the both of my big criticisms of the both main parties is that actually there's no growth in the system. in fact, the latest ons numbers show that growth actually in the last couple of quarters is not only is flat, but actually in the second quarter of this year has been downgraded from up a little bit to being flat. so all of the growth numbers are dire. yeah. >> and one, we're told that, um ,

>> and one, we're told that, um, you end austerity , government you end austerity, government spends more money. it'll expand the economy. well, that hasn't exactly worked, has it? you know, as the state has expanded enormously over the last few years, government spending never been higher since some the end of the war. and yet , where is of the war. and yet, where is growth? it's right on the floor, which i mean, just things. well, generally, i mean generally businesses, the private sector is always going to be more productive and at productive and better at creating growth and activity and brilliant ideas and motivation and employing people than the rather sort of less creative , rather sort of less creative, more lethargic state sector, the pubuc more lethargic state sector, the public sector where productivity, frankly , in the productivity, frankly, in the last 20 years has has gone the square root of nowhere as far as i can see. well, i absolutely agree with that. the private sector is better at generating ing growth. you know , since the ing growth. you know, since the last 25 years, productivity in the private sector is up about 30% in public services. it's absolute flat. we're just back where we were when tony blair

became prime minister. that's how disastrous it has been. some expanding the state in terms of economic growth. >> so we're ending up sort of trying to say it's an either or between getting rid of inheritance tax that is the most hated tax. do you agree with me that double taxation . that it's double taxation. you've tax through your you've paid tax through your life when you pass away life and then when you pass away you've got to pay again. if you reach that certain threshold of no, i think a fallacious no, i think that's a fallacious point because all money is taxed double, triple , quadruple as it double, triple, quadruple as it passes through the economy . passes through the economy. >> you know, you pay your, your, um , plumber to do your kitchen um, plumber to do your kitchen and the plumber has to pay tax and the plumber has to pay tax and whatever the plumber spent his money on, they have to pay tax and so much of the money that's being inherited at the moment is in the form of capital gains on main homes, which are tax free. so you know, a lot of the money that's been inherited has not been taxed at all. it's been sort of spirits ed up in the air in the form of capita gains, which have never been taxed. yeah but but almost most

people paid people have bought and paid for their and for their their homes and paid for their mortgages their homes. mortgages on their homes. >> though. no, but they've >> gain though. no, but they've paid through it of taxed paid through it out of taxed income. they've been taxed income. so they've been taxed all way through their all the way through their working they're working life. and then they're saving , they're making progress. saving, they're making progress. whatever they invest in, whether it's a family home or whether it's a family home or whether it's stocks and shares or a business, whatever. um, then when die, they've to when they die, they've got to face, if they the face, if they reach the threshold , another of threshold, another raft of taxation and it is it's very upsetting for the family. i mean, i've been there. i just know it's a sort of it's just a horrible process to go through. >> mhm . well i'm, you know, >> mhm. well i'm, you know, except you don't want to pay tax when you're grieving. but i don't think it states the sort of sorted out before the funeral . are they. mostly though it's you know months , years, months you know months, years, months later. be years later. later. can be years later. >> but but that's exactly my point that it's, it goes on and on and on. you're still battling away with with hmrc. if you abolished it then you've got none ongoing sort of. none of that ongoing sort of. it's just a constant reminder of your passing when you your parents passing when you actually want to move on a bit.

>> yeah, well, if you're in business, you're battling with hmrc business, you're battling with hm i c i business, you're battling with hmic i don't want business, you're battling with hm i c i don't want to battle >> i know i don't want to battle with them again and again. >> no, absolutely in favour >> no, i'm absolutely in favour of taxes. absolutely. of low taxes. absolutely. against don't against punitive taxation. don't want punitive taxation on inherited debts anything inherited debts or anything else. personally i think else. but personally i think everything should taxed the everything should be taxed the same think it's same. i think whether it's earned, whether it's from earned, whether it's coming from of gains or of investments, capital gains or inherited. so you want to simplify the whole tax structure more sort of are you a sort more of a sort of are you a sort of a flat tax almost. >> i hesitate to use the word flat earth, but a flat tax, i'm a flat tax. >> so personally i think there should be a two rate tax, should be a two rate flat tax, you 20, 40% on everything you know, 20, 40% on everything over , you know, it simple, over, you know, keep it simple, keep it really simple. but the trouble is, i mean, so trouble is, i mean, it's so obvious thing to do, but there isn't never happens is because, you know, all this accountancy profession they've got you know, all this accountancy p|vested n they've got you know, all this accountancy p|vested interest. they've got you know, all this accountancy p|vested interest. tisystem ot you know, all this accountancy p|vestas interest. tisystem ot you know, all this accountancy p|vestas complex tisystem ot you know, all this accountancy p|vestas complex astisystem ot you know, all this accountancy p|vestas complex as it'>ystem ot you know, all this accountancy p|vestas complex as it was. n ot being as complex as it was. and wasn't it a joke , you know, do wasn't it a joke, you know, do you remember the office of tax simplification that was created in the early years? >> it should be renamed the office of tax complication as

far as i'm concerned, abolished now, but in the time existed the tax code went up like that. >> it's completely ridiculous. >> it's completely ridiculous. >> unbelievable. the tax code, ladies it's over ladies and gents. it's over 20,000 pages long. i think hong kongis 20,000 pages long. i think hong kong is less than 500 pages. maybe we've got a lesson to learn from someone like that overseas. ross, thank you so much . we're going to be seeing much. we're going to be seeing you later in the hour. we're going to be talking about, uh, uh, solar farms and, and also wood burners. another interesting we might wood burners. another intere�*orig we might wood burners. another intere�*or disagree. we might wood burners. another intere�*or disagree. widon't ht agree or disagree. again, don't go anywhere. uh, that's ross clark coming after the clark now coming up after the break. we've just had break. well, we've just had a committee from the house committee report from the house of lords on community sentencing. be digging into sentencing. i'll be digging into that. we being too lenient? that. are we being too lenient? are we being too strong on sentencing? and where are we going to put people in prisons when we've run out of prison spaces? oh dear. it's not spaces? dear, oh dear. it's not easy for the new year. don't go anywhere. on

>> you're listening to gb news radio . welcome

radio. welcome back to farage on gb news. >> well, the result of the twitter poll are in, and i have to say, it's pretty convincing. aboush to say, it's pretty convincing. abolish the grief tax. the inheritance tax . get this 77. inheritance tax. get this 77. wow harvard says 8. keep it as it is. says 15. i have to say thatis it is. says 15. i have to say that is a pretty convincing poll, albeit obviously it's slightly selective on twitter, but nevertheless that i think actually backs up surveys. i've read that it is amongst the most hated of all taxes. yes, all taxes are not exactly enjoyed. let's get the audience reaction to the question , of course, is to the question, of course, is do you want to abolish it harvard or keep it? paul? he says , i don't believe any says, i don't believe any politician who claims that inheritance tax affects a tiny minority of wealthy people. my working class mum , if she passed working class mum, if she passed away today, would incur . away today, would incur. a £40,000 inheritance tax . bill £40,000 inheritance tax. bill not if i have anything to do

with it, says paul. that sounds like he's got an army of advisers lined up. um, lindsay says, hi, richard. so many taxes are unfair . i says, hi, richard. so many taxes are unfair. i think there are higher priorities than cutting inheritance tax, raising the tax thresholds a priority. thresholds should be a priority. i with you, lindsay, but i agree with you, lindsay, but i think that actually a well run government well run, government with a well run, efficient civil service could actually do both. i don't think they to be either or . they have to be either or. maureen says agree . it's maureen says totally agree. it's an abuse to the dead and to the remaining living. i an abuse to the dead and to the remaining living . i also object remaining living. i also object to vat, but that's for another day, says maureen. well, there we are , lots of views there. we are, lots of views there. incredible results 77% of people in that poll say they want to aboush in that poll say they want to abolish it completely . do you abolish it completely. do you remember the conservatives talking about this back in 2008? 15 years ago? let's wait and see in the new year. so much to discuss now, a new lords report is out today and that's calling for the prime minister to fix community sentencing. we know now that basically the prisons

across the uk are full. they're building a couple of more prisons, but that is going to take some time. and so there's pressure to increase this community sentencing for anybody who otherwise might have been sentenced to prison for under 12 months. but the report says that community sentencing currently falls significantly short of their potential. but that's the crucial word with the right investment intensive community, sentences can succeed where short prison sentences fail. well, i'm delighted now to be joined down the line by a former prison governor of one of the toughest prisons . uh, vanessa toughest prisons. uh, vanessa frake , who is with me this frake, who is with me this evening? vanessa. thank you so much for being with us to share this thoughts. i'm sure that, uh, you have read this report with great interest . indeed. you with great interest. indeed. you may well have, um, may well have contributed to it . what are your contributed to it. what are your thoughts? i mean, we know that

prisons essentially give or take, are full, but equally, we know that shop lifting offences are at record highs. i think some 200,000 shoplifting events. try that again. shoplifting offences last year have basically gone , uh, under , not basically gone, uh, under, not covered, not not detected. we know that knife crimes going through the roof, it feels to me that we've got to find a deterrent. but maybe this this isn't it. something's not working, is it? vanessa >> um . good evening. richard. >> um. good evening. richard. well this this this goes back to sort of 2010, when , uh, cameron sort of 2010, when, uh, cameron and george osborne started draining money out of the justice system in this country. and we are where we are today because of that. um a lot of what happens with prisons is based on politics, because every single party labour concerned liberal democrat, they've all wanted to be the party of law and order and lock prisoners up.

and, you know, strong sentence for any crime committed. and because of that, we are where we are, where we're 90 odd thousand prisoners locking up probably it's likely that in 2027 we'll . it's likely that in 2027 we'll. reach 106,000 prisoners. um, you know, we lock up more prisoners in this country than any other country in western europe . are country in western europe. are rates of reoffending in this country are worse than any country are worse than any country in western europe. so clearly something isn't working . clearly something isn't working. but that's the point. >> surely? surely. vanessa, the definition of madness is, is to keep on doing the same thing and to expect a different result . to expect a different result. and i think the data from the report shows that communities three sentences in 2022, two were about 70,000, less than half of the 159,000 back in two 2012. so we've got many less

community sentences . we've got community sentences. we've got more people in prisons . and yet more people in prisons. and yet actually , this report admits actually, this report admits that communities sentencing isn't doing the job. it's not a deterrent . deterrent. >> no, it's not a deterrent , but >> no, it's not a deterrent, but also the use of the community services isn't isn't being used. you just said 70,000 less. so we're locking up prisoners for petty crimes, first time offences is nicking a bottle of wine from tesco's giving them three months. out of that three months they'll do six weeks when we release them back into society. they've probably lost their job. society. they've probably lost theirjob. they may society. they've probably lost their job. they may have society. they've probably lost theirjob. they may have lost theirjob. they may have lost their home, they may have lost their home, they may have lost their relationship. um but they've spent six weeks in a jail with hardened criminals learning how to do it properly . learning how to do it properly. so that is the issue in this country , you know. but 50 grand, country, you know. but 50 grand, 50 grand per prisoner place, locking them up is not the answer. but investing in why prisoners are , uh, committing

prisoners are, uh, committing crime education. um, look . at, crime education. um, look. at, um, addictions to drugs, to alcohol , to things that things alcohol, to things that things like that and addressing those, those issues are what is going to help reduce the reoffending . to help reduce the reoffending. and we all want a crimeless society, surely, because for sure. >> but you use that example of sort of going to prison for three months for for, stealing a bottle of wine from tesco's, but as we understand, actually , you as we understand, actually, you can get away with multiple shoplifting offences without any real deterrent, any real threat of being sent to prison and therefore that's actually arguably one of the reasons why shoplifting offences has increased so much, because there's that lack of deterrent . there's that lack of deterrent. >> um , but it depends what you, >> um, but it depends what you, what you want of a deterrent. it you know, what do you want to do, sort of flog them in the, in the market square it to, to undo . and why that person is continue shoplifting. is it

education. is it because they haven't got a job. is it because they haven't got a home? you know, these are these are issues that have to be addressed. and doing that within the community is far better than doing that in prison. in a six week, um , prison. in a six week, um, sentence. it'sjust prison. in a six week, um, sentence. it's just not going to happen. so that is why our prisons are in the state. they are. yeah, actually. >> so i'm presenting a show on saturday when i've got someone from a charity that's involved in rehabilitating prisoners back into jobs the moment they leave prison so that they can hopefully not reoffend . but is hopefully not reoffend. but is there a almost like a midway solution where actually you do take regular offenders straight off the streets ? but picking up off the streets? but picking up your point, vanessa , you your point, vanessa, you immediately educate them. you get them fit and healthy and you start to rehabilitate them and hopefully encourage them. then not to reoffend. it feels to me we're almost we've got the worst of all options at the moment. nothing's working . nothing's working. >> absolutely. couldn't agree with you more, richard. absolutely nothing is working

thatis absolutely nothing is working that is why our justice system needs a whole overhaul and removing the politics out of it. removing the. because look, we as a society , we half the half as a society, we half the half the people in this society, we think that prison is too harsh, half think it's too soft. somewhere in the middle. we have got to meet and address it. otherwise we are just continually on this roundabout of completely reoffending. reoffending and reoffending. >> vanessa , thank you so much. >> vanessa, thank you so much. i'm sure that we will be talking about this for some time to come. it will no doubt be a part of the law and order debate within the general within the next general election, which expect to be election, which we expect to be next that's vanessa frake, next year. that's vanessa frake, who is a former prison governor and very experienced in this field. thank you indeed. come up after the break. well, what are the festive farage that'll entertain you? and a look ahead. what to look forward to and what to be worried about. possibly in 2024. go anywhere. it's 2024. don't go anywhere. it's farage. it's

gb news radio.

>> welcome back to farage. now this is a two hour festive special in the second hour we've got to talk about, i'm afraid, politicians and safety, particularly going into an election year, which could be fairly divisive. we've also got to talk about yet another attack on the greatest britain. in my view, winston churchill, and also we need to look at some extraordinary things going on in ukraine, usa elections next year that all in the second hour. but i promised you a what the festive farage this is. i tell you what, this next thing frankly would be one of the best christmas cracker jokes because according to the transport secretary , mr mark harper, no secretary, mr mark harper, no less , driverless cars could be less, driverless cars could be rolled out in the united kingdom by 2026. here he goes. they're actually passing some legislation in order to enable this to happen. hey folks , don't

this to happen. hey folks, don't you think we've got some more important things to talk about? like my previous segment about actually how we deter people from committing crimes, how we make communities sentencing work, build prison work, how we build prison sentences. is sentences. all of this stuff is surely what you should be focusing on. i mean, we can't even get smart motorways to work. how earth are we going work. how on earth are we going to get driverless cars to work? we can't build a train track. i mean, it's hard enough building it to birmingham. for it to birmingham. as for manchester, well, got manchester, well, that got scrapped. likelihood of us scrapped. the likelihood of us doing cars is the doing driverless cars is the square root of zero. and if it does happen, you can bet your bottom dollar it'll be a catastrophe. that is a christmas joke. now now, second up though , joke. now now, second up though, talking of transport, yes , train talking of transport, yes, train delays. i suspect many of you watching and listening have been travelling this christmas, either by road that are very crowded or you might have trusted the trains. well, how did that go folks? because we've had train cancellations, delays . had train cancellations, delays. you just. it's a complete lottery. whether the train turns

up, the driver turns up, the guard turns up . we've got more guard turns up. we've got more storms than you can name a stick at, and we've got storm garrett. we've had storm babet i mean, it's just quite extraordinary. all these storm names. but the train disruption , when does train disruption, when does anything actually work ? work in anything actually work? work in this country anymore ? that is my this country anymore? that is my second. what the farage moment . second. what the farage moment. but third one, the storm but the third one, the storm names. now what do you think about all of these? naming of storms? i mean, it seems to me the odd sort of significant breeze all of a sudden now with the woke met office has been rebrand as storm. it's very scary. so all of a sudden we've got all these names. i mean, look at them. agnes, kieran, debbie, ellen, we've had babette, we're in garrett at the moment. henk, aisha . nicholas. moment. henk, aisha. nicholas. olga. piet. regina stuart, tamika. all these names to look forward to. don't mention a storm, richard. by the way . but storm, richard. by the way. but there we are. i mean, it seems to me we've sort of internationalised some of this stuff. is it a good thing? is it

a bad thing? i'm far from convinced. i think we're becoming complacent of it. one thing not, though , is thing we're not, though, is complacent is coming complacent about what is coming up yeah complacent about what is coming up year. in 2024. it is up next year. in 2024. it is going to be a huge, huge year in so many respects. so i'm delighted now to be joined to look at the whole year with political predictions. the good, the bad and probably the ugly by henry hill, who is the deputy editor of conservative home. henry, very good evening at this this festive time. thanks for joining me. so this is an extra ordinary year ahead. i think it's a record year for elections around the world over 2 billion people. that's like 25% of the world's population are going to the polls. i mean, this is extraordinary. the us, the uk, india , the eu, bless their india, the eu, bless their cotton socks and 64 other countries or so . pretty countries or so. pretty significant year, isn't it? >> yeah , absolutely. sort of the >> yeah, absolutely. sort of the democratic super bowl and some of those countries, some of those countries obviously are going more significant going to be more significant than the global stage. than others on the global stage.

but american election is but the american election is absolutely fundamental. in absolutely fundamental. and in terms things in terms of the shape of things in asia, the indian election as well modi re—elected or well will modi get re—elected or will an alternative will there be an alternative government there? so absolutely, a yean government there? so absolutely, a year, election, a hugely huge year, an election, super bowl. >> then you look at the >> and then you look at the elections the elections here in the uk, obviously we've got rid of the fixed terms. parliament act. so the of when to have an the gift of when to have an election , which could be as late election, which could be as late as january 2025. but i think the prime minister has ruled that out. no one wants an election over christmas. um, it's endunng over christmas. um, it's enduring enough as it is, but. so general election so we'll have a general election next also got london next year. we've also got london mayoral elections, which is really out the 2nd. so really out on may the 2nd. so what's your prediction ? first of what's your prediction? first of all, henry, when do you think is most likely that we'll have a general election ? general election? >> october, november, october, november for sure, you say? well, no almost talk, folks. almost certainly. i'll worry that back a little bit. it would make a lot of sense for the conservatives to have it in to may coincide with the local elections. right. it would save a lot of seats for them otherwise they'll an

otherwise they'll get an absolute local absolute kicking at the local elections and it will elections in may and it will mean more of the party is mean that more of the party is out and also may is out campaigning and also may is generally a better time. there's less bills, less pressure on energy bills, less pressure on energy bills, less pressure on the nhs, but but the but realistically, the prime minister to go to minister is not going to go to the when he's 15 points the polls when he's 15 points behind and don't really see behind and i don't really see the government changing that by, by may. they miss may, by may. and if they miss may, it's because it's october november because as you be mad, you say january would be mad, right. be campaigning over right. you'd be campaigning over christmas. you'd dragging christmas. you'd be dragging people the people out to the polls in the winter. your observation winter. so your observation really is that they sort of want to on and hope, frankly, to hang on and hope, frankly, that something turns that's that something turns up. that's what occurs if what some good news occurs if you're to lose, might you're going to lose, you might as hang to a great as well hang on to a great job that all the trimmings that goes with that all the trimmings that goes witiyou can see that that is >> you can see that that is historically what happens in this country without the fixed tum. >> parliaments act major went from labour went from 92 to 97. new labour went from 92 to 97. new labour went from 5 to 10. governments that are behind and the way out are behind and on the way out they the fifth year of they use the fifth year of a parliament. otherwise they don't. >> but you not think that >> but do you not think that actually you've polls actually when you've got polls as they do you not think as they are, do you not think that voters get more and that voters may get more and more that they want more frustrated that they want change of rule by

change after 13 years of rule by one party, that if one political party, that if they of keep hanging on, they sort of keep hanging on, when bluntly, the when actually, bluntly, the writing's on the wall, that writing's on the wall, does that not mean that actually the result even result could be even worse? i think you're alluding that. think you're alluding to that. >> oh, there are huge risks. i mean, you've got another waiting over summer you have over summer means you have another channel another summer of channel crossings. obviously that's another summer of channel cromorey. obviously that's another summer of channel cromore months bviously that's another summer of channel cromore months iniously that's another summer of channel cromore months in which that's another summer of channel cromore months in which the's six more months in which the world can something at world can throw something at you. situation in the you. with the situation in the middle ukraine, there middle east, in ukraine, there could shock. could be another energy shock. uh global lines, uh hit to global food lines, which which raise prices. it which are which raise prices. it means hundreds of thousands more people fixed rate people coming off fixed rate mortgages and locking in a higher every higher cost of living every month, like there are huge risks. if you're there in risks. but if you're there in downing the downing street and it's the opfion downing street and it's the option of do i hold on and just hope happens, or do i hope something happens, or do i give up all of now? give up all of this now? >> because the other big of >> because the other big bit of data that out at the data that is coming out at the end may, i think could end of may, which i think could be significant, is the be really significant, is the next round of immigration next round of legal immigration numbers we know that numbers by the ons. we know that the round november was the last round in november was obviously news 745,000 obviously very bad news 745,000 net immigration in the year to june 20th. sorry in the year to december 2022. so i and they've

sort of pledged to try and get that down. but those numbers could be catastrophic again. but equally , i suppose if something equally, i suppose if something turns up with with the boats, if they make some progress either with rwanda or someone else or do a different deal with france, maybe that could be a seismic shift for the prime minister >> i mean, my personal hunch is that if they actually get the rwanda bill through, they'll go for an election in may. because even rwanda works the even even if rwanda works the best in the world, even if best will in the world, even if it it won't stop the it worked, it won't stop the boats. will the first step boats. it will be the first step towards stopping but towards stopping the boats. but it the boats. whereas it won't stop the boats. whereas if fails and the house of if it fails and the house of lords blocks it, they can spend the campaigning and the summer campaigning and saying stop saying the house of lords stop them bill right. them passing the bill right. >> okay, so you don't subscribe to the view that if it fails in the of lords, the prime the house of lords, the prime minister well, minister said, then says, well, who governs britain? is the who governs britain? is it the house or the house of house of commons or the house of lords and goes to the country on that basis? i mean, could that basis? i mean, he could i don't he will because don't think he will because he'll still far behind. he'll still be far behind. >> rwanda is the >> i don't think rwanda is the kind election that the kind

kind of election that the kind ofissue kind of election that the kind of issue unlike brexit, it's not the of issue that will win the kind of issue that will win an if he does an election. and if he does fight and lose an election on that basis, he's done the cause of controlling immigration, enormous the left enormous harm because the left will it was will be able to say it was rejected the ballot box and rejected at the ballot box and so other issues we've got so the other issues we've got the minister's five the prime minister's five pledges of pledges from the beginning of 2023, calculation, i think 2023, by my calculation, i think he's passed one of them. >> has halved. inflation has >> he has halved. inflation has been halved. whether that's thanks is thanks to him or others is a debating point. but got debating point. but he's got four so far four where basically so far we're being generous. it's serious progress. he's serious work in progress. he's going he get going to hope he can get the economy but the economy growing. but all the signs at the moment that signs are at the moment that it's going other way. debt it's going the other way. debt is going hospital waiting is going up, hospital waiting lists are flatlining at record highs. i mean, he's got got highs. i mean, he's got he's got to to make some to really go some to make some progress four progress on those remaining four pledges. progress on those remaining four ple and. progress on those remaining four ple and again, i think that >> and again, i think that realistic if you're a conservative strategist, you're almost going lose conservative strategist, you're alm next going lose conservative strategist, you're alm next election,|oing lose conservative strategist, you're almnext election, barring lose conservative strategist, you're almnext election, barring some the next election, barring some absolutely event . and absolutely unforeseen event. and so is how you so the question is how do you prepare best for that prepare the ground best for that election? do you set traps election? how do you set traps for labour? how do come for labour? how do you come up with package measures in with a package of measures in the is going to be

the budget, which is going to be in early march, to try and shore up your vote as much as up your core vote as much as possible? those waverers possible? woo those waverers people vote people who don't want to vote labour are so disenchanted labour but are so disenchanted with the tories. >> that early march date >> and so that early march date for the budget is quite significant because that's earlier normal. are earlier than normal. people are saying that's given him saying that that's given him additional manoeuvre for saying that that's given him a

>> okay. so looking overseas because issuesare obviously >> okay. so looking overseas because issues overseasisly >> okay. so looking overseas because issues overseas that are massive issues overseas that are affecting two affecting us all. we've got two regional conflicts ukraine is relentlessly, sadly grinding on and on. uh, i'm going to be talking about it later in the show, but no sign that that's coming to an end any time soon. we've then obviously got the conflict in the middle east with gaza again . again, no real gaza again. again, no real optimism that that could end any time soon. i mean, that's and lots of people are seeing huge sums going . from the uk and sums going. from the uk and other western nations to both of those conflicts on humanitarian aid, on on weapons. none of that is good news. and then i guess there's other risk, which is there's the other risk, which is another conflict blows another regional conflict blows up. for example, china, taiwan , up. for example, china, taiwan, who might use the global destabilisation in to their advantage. i think china, china, taiwan is maybe a few years away , like the sheer amount of military build up in china would be very noticeable before they invaded taiwan. >> but the other obvious one is venezuela, a guyana. now that

would be very difficult for the government because of course, guyana former british guyana is a former british colony, a member of the colony, and as a member of the commonwealth and america, commonwealth and for america, it's now, commonwealth and for america, it's if now, commonwealth and for america, it's if nicolas now, commonwealth and for america, it's if nicolas maduro's now, commonwealth and for america, it's if nicolas maduro's regime, uh, if nicolas maduro's regime invades guyana, are going to invades guyana, are we going to get into another get sucked into another conflict? this comes conflict? but i think this comes down the most important down to the most important election the american election is the american election, awful lot election, because an awful lot of depends vast of this depends on the vast expense american money. and expense of american money. and donald more donald trump is much more sceptical joe sceptical about that than joe biden is. >> that's and that's >> that's right. and that's really significant. be really significant. we'll be touching on that because, i mean, trump, he's mean, donald trump, he's basically solve basically said that he can solve the ukraine conflict in a matter of , not years. he won't say of days, not years. he won't say how, but i think most people assume that that doesn't involve, uh, significant extra funding. in fact. exactly the opposite. essentially, he's going to force them to the negotiating table in some way or other and do you see trump as the most likely winner now of the most likely winner now of the us election ? the us election? >> yeah, i'm really hesitant because america is a crazy place. but yeah, i based on the polls that we have at the moment, i would say that donald trump is probably would beat joe

biden he became the biden if he became the republican based republican candidate based on the and the current polling. and how would he force ukraine to the table? actually, it's by threatening pull the funding. threatening to pull the funding. right. like the ukrainian war effort is absolutely dependent on biden's been on western support. biden's been failing a package through on western support. biden's been fa trump a package through on western support. biden's been fa trump says,a package through on western support. biden's been fa trump says, get ckage through on western support. biden's been fa trump says, get tonge through on western support. biden's been fa trump says, get to the through on western support. biden's been fa trump says, get to the table h if trump says, get to the table and negotiate a ceasefire or i'm pulling american support, i mean, really know what mean, i don't really know what opfion mean, i don't really know what option would have. and option kyiv would have. and actually, , that actually, politically, that leaves eu leaves the uk and indeed the eu very exposed . very exposed. >> america , which is >> because if america, which is obviously providing the vast bulk of all the funding and the weapons to ukraine, if they say we're done with this funding , we're done with this funding, there's got to be a settlement, there's got to be a settlement, the best terms you can get then. i mean, that leaves us sort of frankly, floundering in the wind, doesn't it ? wind, doesn't it? >> well, it's exactly what happenedin >> well, it's exactly what happened in afghanistan. and america was to america decided it was going to pull afghanistan. we said pull out of afghanistan. we said it a bad idea, it didn't it was a bad idea, but it didn't matter. america was leaving. and so and think the so we left, and i think the problem that european countries have and have had for decades is we've we free ride on american money. you know, none of us invest money in to invest enough money in to defence our talk. so we defence back up our talk. so we expect americans to do most

expect the americans to do most of lifting we of the heavy lifting while we sort these bold poses. sort of strike these bold poses. now, in favour of the united now, i'm in favour of the united kingdom helping ukraine, but the fact that wanted to fact is that if we wanted to keep it, we'd need a much keep doing it, we'd need a much larger industry than larger defence industry than now, couldn't do it if now, and we couldn't do it if the us pulled out precisely. >> got two primaries >> so we've got two primaries starting primaries in >> so we've got two primaries startto; primaries in >> so we've got two primaries star1to late primaries in >> so we've got two primaries star1to late january. primaries in >> so we've got two primaries star1to late january. so naries in >> so we've got two primaries star1to late january. so withinin mid to late january. so within a month of henry, going month of now, henry, we're going to know the winners of those first primaries, which will first two primaries, which will set tone in sense the first two primaries, which will set political in sense the first two primaries, which will set political year, sense the first two primaries, which will set political year, won't the first two primaries, which will set political year, won't it? the first two primaries, which will set political year, won't it? in; us political year, won't it? in terms of who's making progress aside from donald trump. >> yeah , precisely. and none of >> yeah, precisely. and none of his contenders currently seem to be breaking through. think the be breaking through. i think the most just in terms most credible, just in terms of the right was ron the american right was ron desantis. he has desantis. you know, he has actually governed a state and he's florida from a swing he's turned florida from a swing state conservative state into a deeply conservative state. actual policy state. lots of actual policy solutions, donald trump's solutions, which donald trump's not very at. he hasn't not very good at. but he hasn't cut none of the others cut through. none of the others have i think have yet cut through. so i think that something remarkable that unless something remarkable happens has happens and of course, trump has all of those outstanding prosecutions, unless something remarkable happens, i think trump the primaries. >> let's try finish on >> so let's try and finish on optimistic note. henry in the

uk, what's going to some good uk, what's going to be some good news next year? are we going to win the world cup or some other economic good news? >> uh, well i suppose the good news the for the country as news for the for the country as a whole, maybe not for, a whole, although maybe not for, for of the in it, is for some of the people in it, is that labour? the one thing labour i believe, labour have said that i believe, is that they're going to start building houses. building an awful lot of houses. and the housing crisis is the single this single biggest thing making this country poor. if labour country poor. and if labour actually through and actually followed through and built houses, would built lots of houses, it would make of people make an awful lot of people better off. >> uh, watch this space. i have to i'm not an optimist. to say, i'm not an optimist. knowing planning and knowing the planning regime and the building, knowing the planning regime and the let's building, knowing the planning regime and the let's watch building, knowing the planning regime and the let's watch the uilding, knowing the planning regime and the let's watch the space., knowing the planning regime and the let's watch the space. henry but let's watch the space. henry hill, you much for that hill, thank you so much for that fascinating look at 2024. what to excited about, what to be to be excited about, what to be worried not good worried about. not much good news there. but anyway, uh, news out there. but anyway, uh, there coming there we go. now, coming up after break, going to after the break, we're going to be talking about another interesting issue wood burning stoves. they for stoves. are they helpful for the environment? good? are environment? are they good? are they bad? what do you think? are they bad? what do you think? are they environmentally sustainable or and or completely the opposite. and also farms is a big one also solar farms is a big one coming near you don't go anywhere. it's farage on .

gb news. welcome back to farage here at gb news. well, that was a fascinating insight. look out to 2024. goodness me , over 2024. goodness me, over 2 billion people going to the polls across the world. really, really significant electoral year as as henry said, it sort of like a sort of election super bowl. absolutely extraordinary. i say it also extraordinary. do you remember when we were told that diesel cars were a good thing and were going to help reduce emissions, and we should all get one, and we all listen to the government. well there may have been it again may have been at it again because we were told that wood, boilers and wood burners and stoves were also a good thing. and very nice and very sustainable to , to use instead sustainable to, to use instead of gas boilers and the like. and you could actually get some form

of renewable heat initiative incentive for this. but now people are beginning to ask questions . i mean, personally, questions. i mean, personally, i think actually they're very nice. they're very warming of a room. you feel sort of very sustained while you're using season kiln dry wood. they create a great atmosphere and can be very cost effective. but some people are concerned about the impact on what's called particulate emissions of a certain size. and the critical number here is 2.5. i won't get too technical, but some of you might use them, might love them, but other people have got their concerns , including my earlier concerns, including my earlier guest , one ross clark, the guest, one ross clark, the journalist and author who again, ross , you wrote another article. ross, you wrote another article. you've been pretty busy over christmas. did you not take any time off? um, you wrote an article saying that actually the foul truth about wood burners. i read the headline and nearly fell i thought , you know, fell over. i thought, you know, these lovely these things were lovely and lots of people them. lots of people liked them. i know i mean, i was enjoying one over the christmas period. i

thought it was absolutely fantastic. walked up the street in and no concerns . in the village and no concerns. what's not to like? >> yeah, a lot of people love them, let us just start off them, but let us just start off with a stat, shall we? i know people don't like stats much people don't like stats too much , but you were talking about, um, pm10 2.5. they're tiny particles , no more than 2.5 particles, no more than 2.5 microns across . yes, soot to you microns across. yes, soot to you and i. but nasty stuff gets in your lungs and, you know, it's implicated in heart disease, lung disease and so on. um, now , lung disease and so on. um, now, if you have a gas boiler , um, if you have a gas boiler, um, the exhaust stream of a gas boiler there, it produces is a nought point one grams per tiny possible impossible to measure per possible impossible to measure per gig possible impossible to measure per gig . um, okay. per gig. um, okay. >> you know . >> you know. >> you know. >> yeah, but but what's wrong with burning a nice bit of kiln dned with burning a nice bit of kiln dried wood? yeah, per gigajoule of energy . that's a 0.1 if you of energy. that's a 0.1 if you have an oil boiler , it's six have an oil boiler, it's six grams. if you have a wood burner , it's nearly 400 times. that is

how much more particulate pollution is being chucked up in the air by these wood burners . okay. >> but so i mean, there's been obviously lots of studies done. imperial college , which is imperial college, which is famous for these sorts of studies, they've done study in studies, they've done a study in 2021 and 2023, which actually i, i read a glance through today. i mean , they're saying actually in mean, they're saying actually in london, which you would think might be, uh, one of the worst areas saying that the, areas they're saying that the, the of particulates the percentage of particulates from these 2.5 particulates from wood burners , i mean, it's less wood burners, i mean, it's less than 10. so there's 90% of other things going on around that. in a sense , creates the a sense, creates the particulates that you're worried about. so it's less than 10. what's to worry about? >> well, london is supposed to be a smokeless zone. it's been that way since the, you know, horrendous smogs of the 1950s. um if it's these are a wood burners producing 10% of the particular air pollution in london, that is a very, very serious business suggests that those smokeless rules are not

being, um , enforced over the being, um, enforced over the country as a whole. it's something like that same study said 38% of particulate pollution now comes from burning wood. >> that bit i don't get because i don't understand how you could have in rural areas , you know, have in rural areas, you know, where you've got huge areas of countryside, how you can have more particulate emissions from wood burning stoves , um, that wood burning stoves, um, that cause more concern and dramatically increase the overall percentage. i'm a bit worried about the data, if i'm honest. ross. >> no, no, that's the that's the percentage of the overall particulate pollution, obviously out in the country where the air is hopefully a little bit cleaner than it is in the city. there'll be less particulate pollution generally, but a huge amount rural areas amount of it in rural areas comes from burning wood and but it's sustainable at night. comes from burning wood and but it's sustainable at night . and it's sustainable at night. and you you know, it's a horrible thing. okay. >> talking of horrible fuels, i couldn't believe what i read. again, it's been a pretty weird christmas for news. um solar park, the biggest solar park in

the whole of the uk is now going through the planning process. just starting 7000 acres of solar park near newark. i mean , solar park near newark. i mean, this is enormous of agricultural land. all in the name of, of saving the planet and 1.5 million solar panels . this can't million solar panels. this can't be a good use of productive agricultural land when we should be producing more of our own food. surely >> no. i agree with you. i mean, i'm not against solar panels. i've got them on my own roof. they work very well when they're, you know, attached to a building. they take up all that sort wasted roof space and sort of wasted roof space and industrial estates and so on, them there. but actually on productive , you know, productive farmland, you know, you're making us more reliant on imports . and this is the basic imports. and this is the basic goes back to the basic problem of net zero in that it is a surely it covers only territorial emissions . those are territorial emissions. those are physically spewed out in britain. if we export our , um, britain. if we export our, um, export our food production , we

export our food production, we export our food production, we export those carbons. if we get to the solar target by in the next ten years, we need half a million acres. >> unbelievable. coming up in the second hour, we're going to talk about politicians safety, the attack again winston the attack yet again on winston churchill , the attack yet again on winston churchill, ukraine, the attack yet again on winston churchill , ukraine, the usa. the attack yet again on winston churchill, ukraine, the usa. but first of all, folks, it's the weather. >> looks like things are heating up boxt boilers sponsors of weather on . gb news. weather on. gb news. >> good evening. i'm annie shuttleworth and this is your latest gb news weather update. there'll be some sunshine on friday but it will be still quite breezy , but a little bit quite breezy, but a little bit calmer than it has been recently. low pressure still in charge though, and that will be pushing through this weather front throughout the evening. that more that will bring a more persistent spell of heavier rain to areas . that should to southern areas. that should clear through the second part of the it's further the night, but it's further north we see the most north where we see the most persistent rain. still some heavy, showers heavy, gusty, blustery showers to through throughout much to come through throughout much of night . we've also got

of the night. we've also got a northerly wind bringing in colder air to the far north of scotland, we'll some snow scotland, so we'll see some snow over hills at first, but to over the hills at first, but to lower across the lower levels across the north—east morning . north—east by tomorrow morning. further south, it will further south, though, it will stay and dry, the stay clear and dry, but the breeze will hold temperatures up. start up. so another mild start tomorrow. could see some tomorrow. we could see some sunshine, mainly across central and areas the and eastern areas throughout the morning on friday, not a bad morning on friday, so not a bad day to be getting out and about through the morning, cloud through the morning, but cloud will thicken the afternoon as will thicken by the afternoon as well heavy showers well as some heavy showers developing that developing from the west. that could persistent across could be quite persistent across coastal areas as well as northern areas of england and the scotland. the far north of scotland. staying a cold staying very cold. a cold feel tomorrow, in the tomorrow, particularly in the wind. i think it'll be a cold start to saturday as well, but cloud will thicken through the day next spell of wet and day as the next spell of wet and windy weather arrives from the west. as that wet and windy west. and as that wet and windy weather northern weather pushes up into northern scotland, bring some scotland, it will bring some hill snow, some sleety for hill snow, some sleety snow for a time saturday, so some more a time on saturday, so some more unsettled on unsettled weather to come on saturday. day on new saturday. a blustery day on new year's eve, new year's day year's eve, but new year's day looks little bit drier looks a little bit drier but colder . see you later . colder. see you later. >> brighter outlook with boxt

>> a brighter outlook with boxt solar sponsors of weather on . solar sponsors of weather on.

gb news. welcome back to farage. >> yes, we are just coming into the second hour of this two hour special, and in the second hour we've got a look at some other really important points as we face an election year in 2020 for very safety , the for the very safety, the physical safety of our politicians and candidates is a serious, serious issue. we're also going to be talking about winston churchill under attack. again, we're going to talk about ukraine and the usa, and also just the right to protest include the right to bully and to intimidate and to close shops. mhm. lots to talk about

in the second hour. but first of all it's the news with polly middlehurst . middlehurst. >> richard thank you. and good evening to you. let's start this bulletin with some breaking news for you . coming from yorkshire , for you. coming from yorkshire, i can tell you that a good samaritan who is trying to help a stranger who died after a car hit a crowd in sheffield yesterday, has been named by south yorkshire police . police south yorkshire police. police are saying 46 year old christian marriott saw a woman lying unconscious on the street after an altercation between her and a group of people in burngreave . group of people in burngreave. he left his wife and two young sons to try to give first aid to the woman before the car, then hit him . the woman and a number hit him. the woman and a number of others . two men were arrested of others. two men were arrested yesterday in relation to that incident. it well, in other news today the great clean up began today the great clean up began today in greater manchester after trees were brought down,

roofs were ripped from houses and residents were forced to leave their homes. it's thought around 100 properties were damaged after a localised tornado ripped through stalybridge on tameside . no stalybridge on tameside. no injuries were reported but one resident, gareth moody, told gb news his children had a very lucky escape . lucky escape. >> the youngest son in the front bedroom, he was sat under his cabin bed when the ceiling came through so the better saved his life and my, uh, my other son at the back, he was on a computer at the chimney stack from the neighbour's house has come through our bathroom decimated that. >> meanwhile, in the scottish highlands, 3000 homes are still without power this evening. and 1500 are expected to be cut off overnight . two after strong overnight. two after strong winds and heavy snow damaged the electricity network there yesterday . ssn are saying yesterday. ssn are saying welfare vans have been set up in communities providing hot food and drinks to customers who will be without power . travel be without power. travel networks also disrupted , with

networks also disrupted, with rail services suspended and cancelled and roads closed because of the weather and three men who were inside a 4x4 vehicle that plunged into a river in north yorkshire have died after river levels rose following storm garrett. firefighters had to pull the vehicle from the river esk near glaisdale on the north yorkshire moors this afternoon. another man who attempted to help the victims was pulled to safety from the river and has been receiving medical treatment at in lancashire, reports of a fire at the top of blackpool tower today turned out to be a false alarm. what was presumed to be flames was in fact orange construction site netting just blowing in the wind. videos on social media appeared to show flames licking the top of the iconic landmark. firefighters immediately deployed six fire engines to the scene , but engines to the scene, but lancashire police flew their helicopter over the tower and confirmed there was in fact no fire. one man has been arrested

on suspicion of breach of the peace. on suspicion of breach of the peace . and commemorative coins peace. and commemorative coins celebrating sir winston churchill. buckingham palace and the rnli will be launched next year. the rnli will be launched next year . they're the rnli will be launched next year. they're among the rnli will be launched next year . they're among five new year. they're among five new designs unveiled by the royal mint celebrating key anniversaries with a £55 coin for buckingham palace . the for buckingham palace. the annual set will also celebrate future events like the 2024 paris olympic and paralympic games . that's the news on gb games. that's the news on gb news. across the uk on tv in your car , on digital radio and your car, on digital radio and on your smart speaker by saying play on your smart speaker by saying play gb news as this is britain's news channel . britain's news channel. >> welcome back my friends. well, here we are in the second hour of this show and the first segment, we've got to talk about something that frankly, i'd rather not talk about. it's the safety of politicians. and i'm going to take you back to 2019,

just about the start of the general election campaign in the autumn. and i wrote to the secretary of state for the home office asking for protection for the leader of the brexit party. i was the chairman and i felt that we were under threat and our safety and security was at risk . well, it was deferred to a risk. well, it was deferred to a minister who wrote and says thanks, but no thanks . yes, thanks, but no thanks. yes, within a matter of days we had anti—terrorist personnel in full hazmat suits in our offices testing a dodgy looking envelope that had come from northern ireland. so we were pretty concerned , that's for sure . concerned, that's for sure. since then, tragically , we we've since then, tragically, we we've lost sir david amess who was murdered in his constituency kc in 2021 by an individual who was

also seen seen around the constituency office of mike freer, who's the mp for finchley and golders green. and let's just take a look at what happened to mr fryer's constituency office on christmas eve . eve. >> um, at night, am i going to be, you know, survive the day? you do get stressed by, you know, having to keep if you like looking over your shoulder. is it worth the risk, not just to yourself but also to your family and importantly , my staff. now, and importantly, my staff. now, if i on the pavement and i'll if i am on the pavement and i'll wear a stab vest if i do my what i call supermarket surgeries , i call supermarket surgeries, where the door of where i stand in the door of a supermarket, basically i wear a stab vest. the that stab vest. the fact that our politicians accessible , you politicians are accessible, you know, i kind of advice surgeries are almost unique. we just have to be sensible and take extra precautions . precautions. >> so there you are. that is mike freer talking to patrick

christys on gb news last night. the concept of having to wear a stab vest . now the concept of having to wear a stab vest. now a the concept of having to wear a stab vest . now a few weeks ago stab vest. now a few weeks ago i was up in burnley doing for radio any questions. there was a senior government minister there was a senior shadow minister, there was myself, some low , there was myself, some low, lowly wannabe fine . there were lowly wannabe fine. there were about 15 pro—palestine demonstrators screaming and hollering and shouting outside of the venue. the police weren't interested, didn't show up. luckily thankfully, the bbc always have their own security team who did a brilliant job. no complaints whatsoever. it was a cold night. they soon disappeared . but i have to say, disappeared. but i have to say, coming up to an election year, i don't think the signs are very good. so some of you might have been doing some online shopping on boxing day or whatever, looking for things that you didn't get for christmas. i found myself doing some online

shopping for a for a stab vest. interesting research. it was two. if you want the budget option, it's about £70. if you want the expensive option, maybe a bit more lightweight, you could spend up to £400 and arrange in between. i have to say, the first time i've ever done that , it's like buying done that, it's like buying a fire extinguisher. you hope you'll never have to use it . and you'll never have to use it. and then, heaven forbid, if you do, you don't really know if it's going to work. you don't really know if it's going to work . maybe you need to going to work. maybe you need to test the stab vest on a mannequin to see if it works or not. i mean, i know it's a bit sort of gallows humour, but but you get my point here. there's huge divisions in our society. we've seen extraordinary levels of anti—semitism, very aggressive. we're seeing shops being shut by these protesters. are we talking about that later in the show? but i have to say, i think it'll be an absolute

miracle if we get to the other side of the uk general election and we're all safe and sound with no injuries or or grief and that's a pretty worrying place to be. so my question to you is, what's more important? is it vital to retain open constituency access to your mp , constituency access to your mp, even if actually it poses a risk, possibly serious to their security? that is my question . security? that is my question. what's more important or maybe they're both important. retaining access to your mp , retaining access to your mp, even if that exposes them to more risk. you know the email address. get in touch and i'll get back to your views a bit later. i'm delighted to be joined in the studio by my regular friend of the channel peter bleksley, former metropolitan police detective peter. around the peter. you've been around the block times the block a few times with the greatest respect. you've been greatest of respect. you've been seen the whole issue of protecting mps politics as senior figures . how concerned

senior figures. how concerned are you, given where we are in in the uk, what's going on in the world relative to previous election periods, or am i overdramatising this and i'm just going to add that i've also provided close protection to high net worth individuals in the commercial sector. >> having left the police . so >> having left the police. so security is very much my bag. i think essentially this is going to have to come down to the decision of the individual mp . decision of the individual mp. of course, so many of them pride themselves on their accessibility and i'm sure that many would not want to surrender that in any way shape or form. after all, if they're not accessible and they're not engaging with the public, how are they going to hear about the issues that affect us all? that said, let's not forget jo cox in 2016. cox, when , of course, she 2016. cox, when, of course, she was murdered by a white supremacist. now prior to jo's murder , there hadn't been an mp murder, there hadn't been an mp killed for 26 years. and those

previous murders of mps were by irish republican terror lists. so a 26 year gap then jo cox tragically lives loses her life and five years later, sir david amess . amess. >> so two mps murdered murdered within a five year period indicate dates that actually things are getting more divided, more . there's more anger and the more. there's more anger and the situation is getting worse . and situation is getting worse. and then we've had regional conflict in gaza. uh, the whole palestine issue. and we're already seeing something . so open access is something. so open access is important. it'll be interesting to hear what the audience think about how do we get the about this. so how do we get the best of both worlds? how do we protect those politicians , owns protect those politicians, owns the mps while retaining that access ? access? >> quite simply, you can't . and >> quite simply, you can't. and i know that sounds like an unpalatable answer, but whilst there is no such thing as absolute security, proper security creates a distance

between the principal and anybody who may cause a threat and to do that properly, to provide real close protection to guarantee as much as you can, somebody safety. you need to consider the number of close protection operatives. >> and so would that. so if you, let's say you said, well, we need some protection , you can't need some protection, you can't provide absolute protection. i suspect we all all get that . um, suspect we all all get that. um, so do you think that realistically would come from the police? they're obviously under massive pressure in terms of resources or actually , could of resources or actually, could you rely on private security contractors to provide a hundred operatives for the most exposed, the most vulnerable mps, for example ? example? >> yeah. well, of course, our police are already protected royalty. they protect the prime minister and other significant politicians . i think there would politicians. i think there would be some pushback against protecting constituents , mps. protecting constituents, mps. i'm sure they'd be very swift to advise about the safety and security of their premises, their staff and them as

individuals . but if we're going individuals. but if we're going to have protection rolled out across far many more mps than the provider of that, i'm sure will be the commercial security sector and these operatives are not cheap. i'm not talking about the kind of cosmic bodyguard that we see celebrities having. they have an expensive handbag draped on one arm and a huge, enormous , great bodyguard on the enormous, great bodyguard on the other . well, generally speaking, other. well, generally speaking, that provides a very, very limited protection for the most professional operatives are highly trained at some considerable expense and they do not come cheap. no you will pay or and in a sense, that's the question whether whether voters , question whether whether voters, taxpayers are willing to pay more for the security of those who put themselves up for election and things like, i think of writing saying that mps now can get alarms installed in their in their homes and other

advice and measures . advice and measures. >> i mean, things like stab vests. is that a useful, um, risk reduction? let's put it like that. >> it's dramatic and it's quite appalling . it says a lot about appalling. it says a lot about the state of our nation when a democratically elected mp has to resort to wearing a stab vest and quite frankly , if somebody and quite frankly, if somebody got that close with a bladed instrument with a knife, with a weapon, any kind of security has failed because you want to ensure that no such person could get close enough to inflict harm. >> it's like protection of last resort, i guess. >> yes, it is , and it's very sad >> yes, it is, and it's very sad to hear mike freer having to resort to that. >> i mean, it really is. and i just wonder i mean, i think most mps would, would sort of be be horrified at the thought of reducing their access. but equally, i know that some have been targeted, particularly from the labour party. uh, they've had demonstrations at homes recently elected mps, they're children have been harassed going to school . they're

going to school. they're terrified and worried about that . but and you just think actually this is not going to end well unless something changes. >> but when those situations happen, we want prompt, professional road bust policing response . so anybody that is response. so anybody that is threatening or intimidating an mp or their family are arrested , mp or their family are arrested, charged, put in front of a court and suitably punished, that will be a good deterrent. but of course it will not affect the troubled mind. the murderers of jo cox and david amess. sadly, those people deeply troubled minds , radicalised, intent on minds, radicalised, intent on murderous behaviour, are very challenging to stop and looking for weaknesses in the system essentially , and obviously, as essentially, and obviously, as long as the horrific regional conflict in the middle east continues , as those divisions , continues, as those divisions, that angst, that anger will continue alongside it. yes, i'm sure they will. and we ought to be thankful that we've got

security services and counter—terrorism police who 24 over seven, 365 days of the yean over seven, 365 days of the year, are on red alert to this radicalised nation and do so much to stop terrorism plots. they largely are unsung heroes and for them we owe them a great debt. >> peter bleksley. i'm sure we'll be coming back to this, but thank you so much for your thoughts and your experience on this difficult subject. i'd much rather be talking about it rather not be talking about it at all. well, from talking about physical attacks on current politicians to written attacks on on the former, in my view, great britain, sir winston churchill , great britain, sir winston churchill, we'll be coming up to that next. don't go anywhere. it's farage.

you're listening to. >> gb news radio . welcome >> gb news radio. welcome back, my friends, to farage here on gb news. >> well, the audience reaction

is in to that question. should we to retain open access to our constituency mps ? that's very constituency mps? that's very important. but how do you balance that with the risks to their their safety and security? so a jazz says unfortunately, and this is really interesting actually very different views. jazz says unfortunately due to successive bad governments and politicians with open border policies, the general public are unsafe 24 over seven and therefore i think is inferring that politicians are unsafe too. kevin says . i think it's very kevin says. i think it's very important to ensure the safety of mps access to the public is paramount in a democracy . each paramount in a democracy. each mp needs to decide what kind of protection they need to suit them, and he says the government will have to come up with the costs. and in a sense, that's the price of having a democracy. i suspect that's a very balanced thought. it's a grim topic. it's a difficult topic, but i know that many, many mps are really, really concerned about it. well, that's the issue of current

physical risks to politicians . physical risks to politicians. what about revisionist written risks to former politicians? former leaders, and indeed sir winston churchill? he's probably had more books written about him, frankly, than than probably any other leader in any other political leader in the uk. there's a new biography out , uh, of the uk. there's a new biography out, uh, of sir winston churchill by the author walter reed, that , um, really does reed, that, um, really does attack churchill on many, many counts . and this was given in a counts. and this was given in a review in the telegraph by the historian andrew roberts, a one star review . uh, walter reed star review. uh, walter reed said that, uh, churchill's attitude towards india was malign, cruel and obstructive and selfish. pretty strong words, i have to say. well, i'm delighted to be joined in the studio by, uh, a historian of military historian who's written seven books and is writing a book about winston churchill, which is due out next summer.

great to see you. thank you very much for joining great to see you. thank you very much forjoining us, peter. so this is, uh , is it just a way of this is, uh, is it just a way of guaranteeing to sell more copies of books to maybe those on the left who don't like churchill by by attacking him ? is that what by attacking him? is that what this is about, or is this a genuine reassessment of what really went on in churchill's mind and around him when he was making decisions? >> there are lots of , um, sort >> there are lots of, um, sort of revisionist and ipsis of winston churchill coming out at the moment, but all from very specific, different grounds and i think what's happened here is they've all been piled up and this is an an attempt to sort of garner publicity at the time of year when more books are exchanged and sold than any other time. >> um, i've read the same review that you have, and i'm inclined to agree with andrew roberts , to agree with andrew roberts, um, that, uh, you know , um, that, uh, you know, churchill is, uh, is uneven sometimes , um, he changes sometimes, um, he changes political parties , for goodness

sake. >> yes. um but on the whole , he >> yes. um but on the whole, he is not malicious . um, when is not malicious. um, when things happen on, uh, to people's detriment , um, things happen on, uh, to people's detriment, um, and people's detriment, um, and people suffer for, um, it's not necessarily because he wishes it. >> i mean, it.— >> i mean, it's it. >> i mean, it's pretty strong stuff. uh, that the walter reed says, he says that churchill displayed a disingenuous and unprincipled opposition to any initiative which might edge india, however slightly out of the clutches of great britain, even though actually churchill was nowhere near power, he wasn't even in in government at the time. in the early 30s, those were in his so—called wilderness years in the 1930s. >> um , and we've got to remember >> um, and we've got to remember that winston churchill is a 19th century, was born in a 19th century, was born in a 19th century when the standards and the, um, ideas were different . the, um, ideas were different. but he's a statesman of the 20 20th century, and we're judging him by 21st century terms . um, him by 21st century terms. um, so we have a problem now because he's born into the era of the great power game, when india is

all about defending india against russia . um, and that's against russia. um, and that's and he as a young man in his the very early days of his military career , went up and was career, went up and was defending in what is now afghanistan and pakistan , the afghanistan and pakistan, the khyber pass against not really local tribespeople , but the local tribespeople, but the possible incursion of russians . possible incursion of russians. uh, if the local tribes left. and that's how he sees it. um, and so to, um, give india its independence in his mind, he's probably thinking, gosh, we're going to surrender this to soviet russia because of all the negatives. >> you know, you could read out quite a long list of positives that occurred in india under british rule, which included the railways, mass education, irrigation projects, law and order, common language, common language, relatively , uh, language, relatively, uh, efficient administrative system , efficient administrative system, sort of civil service. i mean, a great democracy. kc universities, newspapers, uh,

telegraphic communications and uncorrupt legal system. medical advances. i mean the list is frankly, as long as your arm seems to be completely forgotten by by mr reed . seems to be completely forgotten by by mr reed. but it seems to be completely forgotten by by mr reed . but it does sort by by mr reed. but it does sort of just seem that. so we're approaching the 150th anniversary next year of winston churchill's birth. that he's just looking for a way to gain attention . i my view is very attention. i my view is very clear . i attention. i my view is very clear. i think he was he was the greatest briton who saved this country. and frankly , the world country. and frankly, the world from brute dictatorship. at a moment when he stood alone, almost literally alone, when even those around him were suggesting a sort of compromise surrender with hitler . surrender with hitler. >> totally. but i don't have a problem with the book appearing and i think it's, um, in a way it elevates churchill even more, because if we can examine these criticisms, pick them apart and say, actually, they're really not relevant or they're wrong, um, or they don't apply anymore, then all of a sudden that makes churchill an even greater man, especially when he's doing this

out of office. so he's not benefit in any personal way at all. >> so i think this is a really important point about this issue of precedence. was actually he having incredible foresight. so he was concerned ed about an overhasty rush to indian self—government and what that would mean for the, uh, for the religions , for with the hindus religions, for with the hindus use their numerical advantage over the princes dominate the muslim minority and, and, and essentially sort of , uh, cement essentially sort of, uh, cement the, the caste system. so these were real concerns that actually are relevant to today because we've seen in the last 20 years when western leaders think you can impose a democracy just almost overnight in places like iraq and libya , the result has iraq and libya, the result has actually been disastrous . actually been disastrous. >> and i've served there and i've seen it for myself. and the same in the balkans. churchill of course, had served in india as a young man, and he'd seen the work and the the caste system at work and the different religions and understood that if you hurry this it could

this along, it could be a disaster, which, frankly, it was when we finally leave in 1947. >> and that in itself, that process in 47 ultimately was it was rushed. >> it was it was indeed and sadly , millions died in that rush. >> i mean, it is a really significant but i think lesson for us all that where you've got dictatorships , some form of, of dictatorships, some form of, of governing rule that's not a democracy. if you try and try and impose a democracy too quickly, then then it can end very badly indeed. and we've seen that we have seen that all over the world. >> yeah. but i mean, churchill is, is thinking in the 1930s when, um , and he is, you know, when, um, and he is, you know, he's reluctant to let india go at a time when the mood is moving towards indian independence . um, so we can't independence. um, so we can't describe everything to, to winston all the time getting absolutely correct, of course. >> and none of us do. none of us can. uh, but but i guess he got

it right at the most critical moment in our own country's history. and frankly , the history. and frankly, the world's history. um, thank you so much. indeed. peter. peter caddick—adams, historian, author and writing a book as we speak on winston churchill that will come out next year. now, coming up come out next year. now, coming up after the break. so the right to protest is vital in a democracy. of course . but does democracy. of course. but does that give you the right to bully, to intimidate , to bully, to intimidate, to frighten, to shut shops, to close down businesses? all of that. and also maybe, maybe some of these protesters should pay for some of the cost of policing that that could get pretty spicy with toby young. don't go anywhere.

gb news radio. >> welcome back, my friends, to farage on gb news. >> well, that was a fascinating discussion about winston churchill, and that's a book to look forward to, i think, by

peter caddick—adams in the middle next year. i'm sure we middle of next year. i'm sure we will then. now in a will review that then. now in a democracy like ours, the right to protest is of course, sacrosanct. very important . sacrosanct. it's very important. i've been on some myself off. but does that actually give you the right to bully other people ? the right to bully other people? doesit the right to bully other people? does it give you the right to intimidate , to strike fear into intimidate, to strike fear into other people? does it give you the right to shut down shops in shopping centres on private property? essentially depriving businesses of the right to operate ? really? is that what operate? really? is that what it's all about? i'm not so sure. frankly, it's on private property. these businesses , property. these businesses, they're employing staff, they're worried about protecting staff. what we saw either side of christmas day was pro—palestine . christmas day was pro—palestine. protesters outside side shops like zara , essentially shutting like zara, essentially shutting or forcing them to shut down for hours and hours. there's some

pictures here, including on oxford street and i'm just not sure that is actually part of the right to protest. but it's a really interesting topic . we're really interesting topic. we're in sort of almost like uncharted territory, giving the levels of division and anger about this issue. and someone who knows this topic and debates it and discusses it probably more than anybody, is the director of the free speech union, one toby young himself, who joins me down the line. toby, thank you so much for joining the line. toby, thank you so much forjoining me. look you much for joining me. look you heard my thoughts there, toby. you're a very, very powerful advocate of free speech, of the right to protest. you understand all of the issues and you've probably seen it and been involved in legal cases more than anybody . how comfortable than anybody. how comfortable are you with what we were seeing either side of christmas? i can't recall seeing those sort of protests in private shopping centres . shutting down shops is centres. shutting down shops is that acceptable or is that actually overstepping the line ?

actually overstepping the line? >> well, i think i should begin , >> well, i think i should begin, richard, by saying, um, i would certainly defend the right to protest. i think that's a very important right in a democratic society . and one way to look at society. and one way to look at it, richard, is imagine if jeremy corbyn had won the general election in 2019. um the same events that unfolded on october 7th happened, and instead of supporting israel, the british government led by corbyn was now supporting hamas and had designated the idf a terrorist organisation. a proscribed terrorist organisation. i think you and i would still want to protest that we'd want to enjoy the right to protest about that on our streets and defend israel's right to defend itself . so right to defend itself. so that's one way to look at it. if the tables were turned, uh, even though we don't sympathise or i certainly sympathise with, certainly don't sympathise with, uh, many of the pro—palestinian protesters, i would defend their right to protest because i would want to enjoy the same rights if the boot was on the other foot.

but i like have but i do, like you have some misgivings far , far misgivings about how far, far these protests have been taken and how often the pro—palestinians have been out there protesting , disrupting there protesting, disrupting traffic, particularly in the run up to christmas, making it hard for people to do their christmas shopping. and obviously shopping. and this is obviously a important time for most a very important time for most retailers. a lot of hospitality businesses, this is when they make losses they've had make up the losses they've had to rest of the to suffer over the rest of the yeah to suffer over the rest of the year. so i certainly sympathise with and i do think they with them and i do think they have gone a little bit too far. my have gone a little bit too far. my solution would not be to ban any more pro—palestinian protests , any more than i would protests, any more than i would ban extinction rebellion or just ban extinction rebellion orjust stop oil, but i would say, look, i'll defend your right to protest, but it has to be a static protest. it has to be in a particular place and you have to cap the numbers. so by all means, protest in trafalgar square. but no more than 20,000 people allowed to people should be allowed to protest , it should be time protest, and it should be time limited . and in that way, we're limited. and in that way, we're not we're not interfering with their right to protest, but we're containing it to make

we're just containing it to make sure it doesn't interfere with the rights of people to go the rights of other people to go about day business. about their day to day business. >> right, because, of >> and that's right, because, of course, with just stop oil, we saw them essentially stop. so many people carrying out many people from carrying out their day to business, their day to day business, whether it's taking children to school, to gps or to school, sick people to gps or to hospitals, people going to work, we saw that for week after week, month after month and really and truly, the police were sort of constantly on the back foot. that's a very interesting sort of halfway house solution that you've put there. and toby, what is the legality about protests on private property? i mean, if i was involved in the ownership of that shopping centre, i suspect you're probably going to have that retailer, someone like zara , they might be going to the zara, they might be going to the owner and says, well, you didn't protect our premises on private property. i've suffered losses. i'm going to deduct that from the rent . so you've to pay. the rent. so you've got to pay. i mean, what's the law in terms of protesting on on private property ? property? >> well, i think you can protest in shopping centres , um, which

in shopping centres, um, which are open to the public after all. um, but i think, um, uh, i think, uh, shops , shop shop think, uh, shops, shop shop owners might have a case, um, uh , for some compensation . um, if , for some compensation. um, if people actually protested inside their shops and made it impossible for them to carry on trading. well essentially, that's what they did. >> they had to shut out. >> they had to shut out. >> yes, yes . >> they had to shut out. >> yes, yes. uh, and i think, like you, that that's unaccept able. um, i mean, i think that if, if the british government tried to do what javier milei has announced in argentina , has announced in argentina, whereby he said as i think you said yourself, introducing this item, he's going to charge protesters for the costs of policing the protests they organise from now on. i think if a british government tried to do that, that could be successful, be challenged in the supreme court, because i think it's probably a breach of articles ten and 11 of the european convention on human rights. but importantly, those articles in the european convention do allow

for interfering in restricting protest . if those protests are protest. if those protests are going to result in curtailing the rights of others. well, again, and i do think that these protests certainly have done that, and they've certainly had a very intimidating, uh, harassing effect on other minority groups, not least , harassing effect on other minority groups, not least, um, britain's jews. i think . britain's jews. i think. >> so let's just let's just clarify in argentina, the new president, he's imposed some significant economic reforms , significant economic reforms, massive process of austerity. that's created all sorts of protests and he's saying, basically those who who go on the protests have got to pay for the protests have got to pay for the costs of policing. think of your halfway house solution in there, toby. maybe you end up with a solution where you say, well, you can protest for free for a month or so, but if you're going to protest weekend after weekend after weekend for six months, maybe it's a bit like a netflix subscription. you get sort of one month trial for free, and then after that you've got to start paying and coughing

up because why should the rest of us taxpayers keep on paying for likes of just opera, for the likes of just opera, which i gatherjust o'boyle alone has cost £20 million? yeah i like that idea. >> richard . i think that, um, >> richard. i think that, um, you know , if, if, if a if you know, if, if, if a if a group want to organise a protest which is to be seriously disrupted , give to ordinary disrupted, give to ordinary people going about their day to day lives, then let them do that once. let them make their point. let them let them articulate their arguments in the public square. bring to the public's attention a particular issue they think is very important, and they're concerned about. but if they want to do it over and over and over again , it begins over and over again, it begins to look like not just put a burden on the taxpayer and interfere in others, other people's rights to go about their to day business. but their day to day business. but it like almost a it also looks like almost a subversion of democracy. you know, if you lose the know, if you if you lose the argument at ballot box . um, argument at the ballot box. um, and often see this after and we often see this after election particularly election results, particularly when conservatives win, you when the conservatives win, you see protesters out on the streets disrupting traffic

sometimes, um, causing other kinds of civil unrest, which seems like a very anti—democratic response to a democratic result that they just don't happen to like. similarly when just stop oil, extinction rebellion tried to disrupt the distribution of newspapers , distribution of newspapers, that's an interference in the freedom of the press. just because you don't like the way people have voted, you don't like how democratically like how the democratically elected the united elected government of the united kingdom responding to an kingdom is responding to an international don't international crisis. you don't like what's reported in the like what's been reported in the newspapers. give like what's been reported in the newthe)ers. give like what's been reported in the newthe right. give you the right. >> don't think it feels to me >> i don't think it feels to me you've got to have some undermine government. you've got to have some robust police thing on leave a vacuum on this. if you leave a vacuum of on these protests, of policing on these protests, then actually things spiral then actually things will spiral out of control. i mean, just to clarify, oil clarify, the just stop oil protests to have protests are believed to have cost the police some £20 million in extra overtime , the in extra costs and overtime, the pro—palestine protests. so far and counting is a similar figure. another £20 million. i mean , very soon. this adds up to mean, very soon. this adds up to serious taxpayers cash at a time when actually government finance is are under massive threat and

i think there does have to be a proper discussion, a proper debate about it and a and a half way house that that as you say, protects the right to protest. but also that doesn't give you the right to break the law , to the right to break the law, to bully, to ruin businesses and the like. that's, that's a step too far. >> yeah. and i think another thing to bear in mind, richard, is that if the police are spending all these resources on policing these protests, um, they're not going to be able to spend resources on protecting people from crime, from burglaries, from auto theft, from assault. you know, it's zero sum. the police haven't got unlimited resources. they're always , uh, in some cases, always, uh, in some cases, justifiably complaining about how little they've got. and if they have to spend what little they've got on policing these protests, that means much less to spend protecting the rest to spend on protecting the rest of us from predatory criminals. >> my view, that's not >> and in my view, that's not acceptable . toby young, director acceptable. toby young, director of union. thank acceptable. toby young, director of so union. thank acceptable. toby young, director of so much union. thank acceptable. toby young, director of so much for union. thank acceptable. toby young, director of so much forjoining n. thank acceptable. toby young, director of so much forjoining usthank

acceptable. toby young, director of so much forjoining us andk you so much forjoining us and sharing those thoughts there and arriving, think, quite arriving, i think, at a quite a sensible of question. yes, sensible sort of question. yes, we can do it. coming up after the break, we're going to change tack. we've got to talk international issues. the elections next year across the world. what's going on in ukraine, the impact of the us election could be absolutely seismic . all of that don't go seismic. all of that don't go anywhere. it's

gb news. welcome back, my friends, to farage. this two hour special dunng farage. this two hour special during this festive period and to finish the show, we're going to finish the show, we're going to talk about obviously, international issues , the impact international issues, the impact of the regional conflict, the war in ukraine and what that may mean in terms of the us elections. we've got the first republican primaries. we've got huge funding issues to do and to talk about . and also what's talk about. and also what's really going on in under sort of

under the covers, so to speak, within in ukraine, because the president zelenskyy is coming under significant pressure and responding in, in a certain way, i'm delighted to be joined in the studio by robert amsterdam, an international lawyer who acts for the ukrainian orthodox church and, uh, tell us, robert, it's great to see you. thanks for your first time in the studio. you're obviously very familiar with this horrific war. you've been acting for the ukrainian orthodox church that has been supporting the government, supporting the president . correct. um, but president. correct. um, but something very strange has happened recently. tell us. yes the rada in ukraine, their parliament has voted recently to ban the oldest orthodox church in the region, the thousand year old ukrainian orthodox church, in favour of a four year old state church that they've managed to set up and. and why do you think they've done that? i mean , this orthodox church has

i mean, this orthodox church has supported president zelenskyy. what's if he was sitting here today ? what would he say to today? what would he say to defend his decision ? defend his decision? >> well, the camouflage he would use is he would talk about out the past connections with with moscow, the moscow patriarchate . moscow, the moscow patriarchate. but that was cut years ago . so but that was cut years ago. so the real reason is a political reason, a crass political reason , the right wing that he needs to win the next election is heavily nationalist . and along heavily nationalist. and along with changing the language law, they've demanded that our church be essentially destroyed. contrary to every established rule of law. >> and he's coming under significant pressure politically and also militarily . uh, they're and also militarily. uh, they're really struggling on the counter—offensive, sort of grinding into complete stalemate on the front line between russia and ukraine. and he's now being criticised very heavily by the overall head of his defence forces. uh general valery. uh

zakochani. i think i pronounced that right. and also the mayor of kyiv vitali klitschko . so of kyiv vitali klitschko. so klitschko. so he's under real pressure for the first time i think since this , this war think since this, this war started well. >> he's under tremendous pressure here in part because the west has not come through. and his entire campaign has been based on belief that the west would deliver the jets, deliver the armaments that they'd promised. so in a way , he's in a promised. so in a way, he's in a bit of a catch 22. >> and in a sense , that is >> and in a sense, that is that's restricting his ability to win on the front line. and he's obviously you have to be authoritarian as a leader in a wartime . he's imposed martial wartime. he's imposed martial law in your view, is he going over the top? and is that why he's coming under the criticism from, uh, from the general and, and the mayor >> absolutely. i think there regime right now controlling 70% of the economy, control ,

of the economy, control, trolling the media, trying to destroy this church , uh, destroy this church, uh, rebuilding, sort of a siloviki like we see in russia. uh putting tremendous power in the hands of the executive. it's completely inconsistent with democracy. it's in consistent with the values they're fighting for. and people on the street in ukraine understand that. so obviously we've got the elections that we're attaching earlier. >> i mean, 2 billion people around the world are going to the polls next year. it's like a sort of, uh, electoral super bowl. and including it in the, in the us in november 2024. there's a significant likelihood that the donald trump will be the republican nominee may well win the election. uh, so where do you think this goes? because he says that he can solve this war and end it in a matter of days? >> well, i think, quite frankly, it's one of the tremendous

pressures on zelenskyy that he's got to come up with either a new counteroffer of when the american jets get there in a few months, or he's got to completely reconfigure his game plan in terms of potentially negotiations . negotiations. >> and do you think that actually, that pressure to renegotiate, to negotiate some form of settlement, do you think thatis form of settlement, do you think that is ahead of trump potentially being elected ahead of the us elections, or does he wait and see as to the outcome of that? if he can hang on, if ukraine can hang on that long, you know, these these are all issues are that are just issues that are that are just speculative. >> i think as is the >> i think i think as is the election of trump, we just saw trump thrown off the trump being thrown off the ballot in colorado . so, you ballot in colorado. so, you know, everything in the know, everything is up in the air now. air right now. >> what is your take on that? >> so what is your take on that? we've got the first two primaries in iowa on january the 15th. new hampshire is on january 23rd. a month january the 23rd. in a month from now , we'll a fairly from now, we'll have a fairly interesting insight to how interesting insight as to how voters feel about donald trump on the republican side in the republican primaries against the

candidates campaigning against him, the likes of ron desantis and nikki haley. what's your sense as to how those are going to go? you spend a lot of time in the us. >> there is no lawyer that could tell you that donald trump isn't in serious trouble with this 14th amendment issue. the idea that because he led the january sixth insurrection, he may be banned from running, that may be his number one problem. uh absolutely. >> but equally , i mean, some say >> but equally, i mean, some say that he could still run for president from prison. >> well , you know, he's got no >> well, you know, he's got no one knows. he's got die hard supporters. but a lot of the cases he faces often , uh, cases he faces often, uh, mitigate some of his attractions. so we just have to wait and see. >> and actually, it really exposes both the european union that's recently approved a diminished funding package because hungary said no. it also exposes the uk with our continuing support, because basically, if trump wins and in a sense pulled the plug, or if the plug was diminished before

that, then that leaves both the eu and ourselves frankly, floundering in the wind doesn't it? >> it's a tremendously difficult situation, and it's one where there's got to be the type of planning that i haven't really seen from this government yet . seen from this government yet. >> absolutely right. i think it really does expose us. i think it's difficult . and i think it's very difficult. and i think that the pressure on zelenskyy that the pressure on zelenskyy that we touched on will grow and grow. robert amsterdam, thank you coming in your you so much for coming in your first of gb news. first experience of gb news. i hope you'll come again on your next phillips visit. absolutely brilliant. now course, brilliant. now of course, the great christys comes up great patrick christys comes up next. good evening patrick. evening, richard. um, we've been talking about all of, talking about all sorts of, including the right to protest it. your experiences it. and given your experiences protesting where you had some interesting encounters, let's put it diplomatically , i did. put it diplomatically, i did. yeah, i'm sort of interested in in your thoughts on that. the idea that shops could be forced to shut through bullying and intimidation, i think is appalling. yeah i think it's actually turn when actually also taking a turn when it comes to politicians and mps as . as well. >> i attended one of those

>> now, i attended one of those protests outside a labour mps office green. have office in bethnal green. have also what's with also seen what's happened with mike obviously we mike freer. obviously we don't want conclusions mike freer. obviously we don't wawhat's conclusions mike freer. obviously we don't wawhat's happened|clusions mike freer. obviously we don't wawhat's happened there,ns mike freer. obviously we don't wawhat's happened there, but to what's happened there, but yeah, is strong yeah, there is strong speculation. um, that is speculation. um, i think that is an incredibly sinister turn about this country about mob rule in this country and whether or not certain communities feel overly empowered be able to empowered in order to be able to take to streets and take to the streets and therefore like shut therefore do things like shut down shut down down streets, shut down businesses, after mps, i businesses, come after mps, i think deeply sinister. think is deeply sinister. >> think it's sinister and >> i think it's sinister and actually the right protest actually the right to protest test, which is essential in a democracy my view, does not democracy in my view, does not include right to break the include the right to break the law, intimidate to law, to bully, intimidate and to essentially force significant damage on other businesses. >> it also raises the serious question about two tier policing, right? if you're going to have the right to protest, absolutely. fair enough. we need the to protest, because the right to protest, because one that be us, right? one day that might be us, right? but should also be dealt but um, it should also be dealt with even handed manner. with in an even handed manner. and seen too often, and we have seen all too often, in my view, one getting in my view, one side getting away things another away with things and another side being clamped down on massively. that's problem. side being clamped down on ma i;ively. that's problem. side being clamped down on mai mean, that's problem. side being clamped down on mai mean, it'sthat's problem. side being clamped down on mai mean, it's a at's problem. side being clamped down on mai mean, it's a mad problem. side being clamped down on mai mean, it's a mad world.3m. side being clamped down on mai mean, it's a mad world. in. >> i mean, it's a mad world. i found myself online found myself literally online shopping yesterday, not for

christmas that didn't christmas presents that i didn't get, genuinely at get, but looking genuinely at the stab vests out the range of stab vests out there right . that between there right. that range between £70 for a cheap and cheerful one that may or may not work. no two, 3 or £400. depressing is that deeply, deeply depressing , that deeply, deeply depressing, i unbelievable. was sort i mean, unbelievable. i was sort of doing it. and then thought, of doing it. and then i thought, this just, just shockingly this is just, just shockingly awful . awful. >> but that's what it's come to. >> but that's what it's come to. >> that's what it's come to. anyway. let's hope you get one. no jury's out. it no no, i'm the jury's out. it might a new present to might be a new year present to myself. what's on your show? on a more optimistic day? look. >> loads come. bbc >> loads to come. the bbc apparently nation >> loads to come. the bbc appabiasy nation >> loads to come. the bbc appa bias woke nation >> loads to come. the bbc appabias woke guff. nation >> loads to come. the bbc appa bias woke guff. we've on >> loads to come. the bbc appabias woke guff. we've got with bias woke guff. we've got trans kids being cut trans kids being urged to cut their off tiktok their parents off by tiktok activists, which i think is incredibly concerning. i speak to a manchester tornado survivor that just cheated death, vorderman versus mercer, as well as kicked off round one. that really has kicked off, hasn't it? really kicked off? >> i mean, and actually you don't want not only do you not want to take on johnny mercer, but you don't want to take on his wife, felicity. >> no, i'm also convinced >> no, i'm also not convinced i want take on carol vorderman

want to take on carol vorderman ehhen want to take on carol vorderman either, because she does an want to take on carol vorderman eitherof ecause she does an want to take on carol vorderman eitherof followers.3 does an want to take on carol vorderman eitherof followers.3 dcthere's an army of followers. so there's going an interesting going to be an interesting discussion. i've loads discussion. but i've got loads more on well. loads more on. more on as well. loads more on. tune in. >> absolutely. be >> absolutely. it'll be fantastic. this whole, >> absolutely. it'll be fantthis:. this whole, >> absolutely. it'll be fantthis sort this whole, >> absolutely. it'll be fantthis sort of this whole, >> absolutely. it'll be fantthis sort of the is whole, >> absolutely. it'll be fantthis sort of the angst, e, >> absolutely. it'll be fantthis sort of the angst, the uh, this sort of the angst, the anger amongst politicians, the divisiveness of divisiveness ahead of an election 2 billion election year. imagine 2 billion people next year in the people voting next year in the polls. absolutely extraordinary. people voting next year in the polls. go solutely extraordinary. people voting next year in the polls. go solutely eyfolks. inary. don't go anywhere, folks. patrick up next. but patrick christys up next. but first, though, looks like things are heating up. >> sponsors of >> boxt boilers is sponsors of weather on gb news >> good evening. i'm annie shuttleworth and this is your latest gb news weather update. there'll be some sunshine on friday but it will be still quite breezy, but a little bit calmer than it has been recently . low pressure still in charge though , and that will be pushing though, and that will be pushing through this weather front throughout the evening. that will bring a more persistent spell of heavier to spell of heavier rain to southern clear southern areas that should clear through part of the through the second part of the night, further night, but it's further north where most persistent where we see the most persistent rain still, some heavy, gusty, blustery showers to come through throughout much of the night. we've got northerly wind we've also got a northerly wind bringing to

bringing in colder air to the far north of scotland, so we'll see some snow over the hills at first, but lower levels first, but to lower levels across the north—east by tomorrow further south, tomorrow morning. further south, though, it will stay clear and dry. but the breeze will hold temperatures up. so another mild start could start tomorrow. we could see some sunshine, mainly across central and eastern areas throughout on throughout the morning. on friday. so not a bad day to be getting and about through getting out and about through the cloud will the morning. but cloud will thicken by the afternoon as well as showers developing as some heavy showers developing from the that could be from the west that could be quite across coastal quite persistent across coastal areas as northern areas as well as northern areas of england far north of of england and the far north of scotland, staying very cold. a cold feel tomorrow, particularly in the i think it'll be a in the wind. i think it'll be a cold start to saturday as well, but cloud will thicken through the day as the spell of wet the day as the next spell of wet and windy weather arrives from the that wet and the west and as that wet and windy weather pushes into windy weather pushes up into northern scotland, will bring northern scotland, it will bring some some sleety some hill snow, some sleety snow for time on saturday. so some for a time on saturday. so some more unsettled weather come more unsettled weather to come on a blustery day on on saturday. a blustery day on new but year's new year's eve. but new year's day looks a little bit drier but colder. see you later. a brighter outlook with boxt solar

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gb news. >> very good evening. it's 9 pm. and this is patrick christys. tonight you can be in my family if you needed to go. >> no contact or limited contacts . contacts. >> this creepy man is telling people to go. no contact with their parents and speak to him instead. is this what your children are looking at online? should adults be telling kids that they are trans? and the bbc is feeding the nation a diet of woke bias? apparently constant bilge about slavery, colonialism, misgendering , not a colonialism, misgendering, not a lot about grooming gangs though, is there? is the beeb intentional trying to indoctrinate the nation elsewhere? a tornado ripped through manchester. we talked to a man whose family just about

cheated death