tv Britains Newsroom GB News December 29, 2023 9:30am-12:01pm GMT
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gb news. >> it's 930 on friday, 29th of december. this is britain's newsroom on gb news with me, ben leo and pip tomson on. >> previously classified government papers reveal the former labour prime minister tony blair, wanted to hold asylum seekers in a camp on the isle of mull in a bid to reduce numbers . numbers. >> a man who was killed as a car collided with a crowd of people has been described as a good samaritan christian marriott, a father of two, was run over as he tried to help a stranger lying in the road. we'll have the latest on the un, says an estimated 150,000 palestinians
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are being forced to flee areas of central gaza as israeli forces expand their ground offensive, as some world leaders continue to put pressure on israel to introduce a ceasefire in its war on hamas, a reporter , in its war on hamas, a reporter, charlie peters, will bring us up to date. >> and of course, this show is nothing without your thoughts. what you think on all the topics we're talking about, we're also discussing new year's eve . is it discussing new year's eve. is it completely and utterly overrated? it's a bit naff, isn't it? well is it if you had have you had some new year's eve disasters ? i think i've had disasters? i think i've had plenty over the years. i don't know about you, but i'm always a bit of anti—climax. bit of an anti—climax. >> i said with stephen and >> i just said with stephen and ellie pay so much to get ellie you pay so much to get into a venue, you spend long ellie you pay so much to get into twaiting you spend long ellie you pay so much to get into twaiting yo aspend long ellie you pay so much to get into twaiting yo a spend and ng ellie you pay so much to get into twaiting yo a spend and you time waiting for a drink and you start new year feeling a bit start the new year feeling a bit worse for wear. but am i wrong? no you are absolutely right.
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>> year >> always start the new year feeling you do feeling really grumpy. if you do that, know what you that, let us know what you think. vaiews@gbnews.com. you may totally disagree . we'll get may totally disagree. we'll get your thoughts on air. let's get your thoughts on air. let's get your latest headlines. here's . aaron. >> it's 932. good morning to you. i'm aaron armstrong, a police say they're determined to secure for justice a police say they're determined to secure forjustice a good samaritan who was killed in sheffield on wednesday . chris sheffield on wednesday. chris marriott died when a car hit a crowd of people in the burngreave area of the city. the 46 old was walking with his 46 year old was walking with his wife young sons when he wife and two young sons when he went to aid of a woman who went to the aid of a woman who was the was lying unconscious on the street. believe she'd street. police believe she'd been altercation been involved in an altercation with of people. two men with a group of people. two men are in custody after being arrested suspicion of murder arrested on suspicion of murder and attempted murder. arrested on suspicion of murder and attempted murder . meanwhile, and attempted murder. meanwhile, forecasters are warning of more severe weather just days after storm garrett hit the uk, causing widespread damage . causing widespread damage. around 100 homes in greater manchester are still dealing with the aftermath of a
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suspected tornado. a strong winds swept across the country and three men died when their 4x4 got stuck in the river esk near glaisdale on the north york moors in scotland, around 1500 properties were without electricity for a second night. power companies, though, are confident they'll restore the network by the end of today. weather nathan rao weatherjournalist nathan rao says there'll be little improvement in the conditions heading into the new year. >> now uk met office has >> now the uk met office has said that the irish met office. met office, met eireann might name this storm on saturday as storm henk because it's coming in a deep, low pressure system from the west across ireland first, which will take the brunt of the winds and then into the united where there'll united kingdom where there'll be rain significant hill rain and some significant hill snow in scotland. because as that storm comes in and bumps up against cold air, that is going to some hill snow. so up to bring some hill snow. so up there where they've heavy to bring some hill snow. so up there from, they've heavy to bring some hill snow. so up there from, they storm heavy to bring some hill snow. so up there from, they storm garage snow from, from storm garage already, to watch. tony blair's government >> tony blair's government considered sending migrants to a scottish island with newly released documents revealing the
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proposal was part of nuclear proposal was part of a nuclear opfion proposal was part of a nuclear option being examined to tackle the issue. in 2003. it the asylum issue. in 2003. it would have seen the creation of a camp on the isle of mull, with illegal migrants being sent there with little or no right of appeal. the scheme also suggested people to suggested deporting people to regional safe havens in countries like turkey, kenya or south africa . donald trump's south africa. donald trump's been disqualified from maine's state ballot for next year's us presidential election. it's the second state to bar the former president over his role in the capitol hill riots . president over his role in the capitol hill riots. in january 2021, maine's secretary of state ruled donald trump incited an insurrection when he spread false claims about voter fraud, describing the decision as atrocious . trump's campaign says atrocious. trump's campaign says it will appeal . we'll have more it will appeal. we'll have more throughout the day here on gb news. or you can visit our website right now gbnews.com that's it from me. now it's back to ben and pepper.
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>> good morning . right, so the >> good morning. right, so the remote isle of mull in scotland is known for its wildlife, culture, scenery and outdoor activities. but if labour's tony blair and his government had their way, it would have been a holding camp for thousands of asylum seekers, according to newly released official papers from the national archives . from the national archives. >> the plan was part of a nuclear option for tackling the asylum issue , which would have asylum issue, which would have seen migrants put seen illegal migrants put straight back the plane. they straight back on the plane. they arrived on with little or no right of appeal. arrived on with little or no rigiohf appeal. arrived on with little or no rigioh yeah,�*al. arrived on with little or no rigioh yeah, sounds familiar of >> oh yeah, sounds familiar of course, echoes debate. course, echoes the debate. still, taking place more still, still taking place more than around rishi than 20 years later around rishi sunak plans to deport asylum seekers to rwanda. the files also reveal that tony blair was warned that the number 10 press office had lost all credibility under his communications chief, alastair campbell . alastair campbell. >> well, joining us now to discuss this is gb news political correspondent, olivia utley olivia , a very good
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utley olivia, a very good morning to you . well, there's morning to you. well, there's plenty there's plenty to digest here with these files . but i here with these files. but i guess the most surprising one is that tony blair considered sending migrants to a remote part of scotland . well absolutely. >> i mean, surprising and really fascinating. obviously, the parallels with today are, are very, very clear indeed . and very, very clear indeed. and essentially what these documents show is that tony blair thought that the asylum system, as it currently stood back in the late 90s, was completely mad. those were his words. and his senior aides very , uh, very high up aides very, uh, very high up people in the labour movement at the time came up with brainstormed. if you like some alternative ideas about what to do with illegal migrants, one of those ideas was to send migrants to the isle of mull. now that idea was taken out of the australia playbook. lord powell, who at the time was the chief of
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staff in downing street, said that australia had had great success by keeping migrants detained all in one place at the same time . and he said that has same time. and he said that has proved a big deterrent for migrants arriving in australia, and he wanted to copy that system and do something similar in the end, there was a kibosh on plan because the 2000 or on that plan because the 2000 or so residents of the isle of mull obviously did not want their island to be overtaken with perhaps, you know, up to tens of thousands of migrants. perhaps, you know, up to tens of thousands of migrants . other thousands of migrants. other ideas that were tabled in these documents were sending migrants to the falkland islands, something which has been an idea which has come up again in recent years , years, and perhaps recent years, years, and perhaps the most nuclear option of all. lord powell even suggested whether having an asylum system at all was necessary. he pointed out , as lots at all was necessary. he pointed out, as lots of at all was necessary. he pointed out , as lots of conservatives out, as lots of conservatives have pointed out recently, that anyone who comes to the uk seeking asylum has, by definition , travelled through a definition, travelled through a safe country . given that britain safe country. given that britain is an island, they have at least
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travelled through france and if thatis travelled through france and if that is the case, then perhaps by definition , their claim to by definition, their claim to asylum is not valid. now that's something which conservative mps on the very right of the party have been saying in recent months, and years. but what is so fascinating about this is it isn't just a few fringe backbenchers on the right wing of the tory party who are airing these ideas. it's the very upper echelons of the labour party . echelons of the labour party. >> olivia lee anderson tweeted a few hours ago, saying that i was hounded by the left when i suggested the orkneys in scotland. but it turns out new labour were on to this 20 years ago. what is keir starmer's, uh, reaction to this going to be? what are labour going to say when it turns out, in actual fact, the tories are just repeating the policy that blair had years ago . had some years ago. >> well, it's a really interesting question because it does put keir starmer on a pretty, um, sticky wicket, if you like. not only was other conservatives essentially
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rehashing plans that tony blair came up with in the late 90s and early 2000, lee anderson is absolutely right. labour's plan to idea anyway to deport migrants to the isle of mull is very similar to what lee anderson suggested, which was sending them to the orkney islands. not only are there islands. but not only are there very stark similarities between the labour government of the late 90s and the current conservative government also conservative government but also tony blair himself is meeting with keir starmer pretty much every week to discuss all sorts of policy ideas, including illegal migration and how is keir starmer going to go if he if he wants to? how can he possibly get any distance between himself and tony blair when he has essentially modelling , when he has essentially modelling, modelling himself in the image of tony blair? i think what we're likely to see from keir starmer over the next few days and weeks on this story, is complete silence, but it will be really interesting to see over the next few months leading up to general election, whether to the general election, whether keir policies on
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keir starmer's policies on immigration start to bear any resemblance to those policies aired by tony blair's closest advisers in the late 1990s, and in fact, that might already be happening previously , keir happening previously, keir starmer always said that he was entirely against the rwanda plan . he said it was cruel and that even if it was working, he wouldn't allow it to be implemented. but in recent weeks he's changed his tune little he's changed his tune a little bit. saying that a bit. he's now saying that a labour would consider labour government would consider offshore processing of migrants . offshore processing of migrants. is that something he's picked up in those little tete a tetes with former prime minister tony blair? >> we should also note olivia, that that this was talked about behind closed doors under blair's government. the difference is, is that it didn't actually become a government policy. but let's just touch on something else that's come out in the in the blair files as we're calling them. um, blair thinks that the elgin marbles , thinks that the elgin marbles, the parthenon sculptures, sculptures could be a bargaining chip for the olympics . chip for the olympics. >> well, absolutely . it turns
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>> well, absolutely. it turns out that tony blair was an advocate of returning the elgin marbles , but very much with marbles, but very much with strings attached . but one thing strings attached. but one thing that was suggested in these documents is that tony blair and some of the advisers closest to him to see the elgin him wanted to see the elgin marbles return to greece on a long terme loan basis in exchange, if you like, for greece backing london's bid to host the 2012 olympics. so it was a pretty transactional message . of course, that never message. of course, that never actually came to pass. like so many of the policy ideas revealed in these documents. and as we know , the elgin marbles as we know, the elgin marbles remain in the uk and the battle with greece rumbles slowly on and olivia, um, alastair campbell was named in these files because apparently tony blair and his office, uh, deemed that he'd lost all credibility running his comms operation in government. >> towards the end of his tenure. can you tell us some more about that ? more about that? >> well, yeah. really really
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interesting. there's some quotes from, um, lord hayward currently lord hayward, uh, who who suggested that under alastair campbell, as you say at labour's press office, had become absolutely uncredited. uncredited and apparently there were senior journalists from legitimate organisations who just took what number 10 was saying with a huge pinch of salt. lord hayward even went as far as to say that the effect that alastair campbell was having on the number 10 press office was designed oestrus for tony blair's own office. so it was a really very stark warning there about the spin, as lord hayward puts it, coming out of lord campbell's , uh, number 10 lord campbell's, uh, number 10 press office, and i think also, uh, campbell suggested that setting the lawyers on the bbc that because he was so upset with their coverage of the iraq war and interestingly, tony blair as well, also revealed to have written to the chief of radio four at the time, pretty much moaning about again about the way in which he thought the
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coverage was biased out against blair and his government. exactly. i mean, it was an ugly spat at the time, but now all of the details have come out. we've seen just how nasty this row between lord campbell, uh, and tony blair was with the bbc. again, it is fascinating . the again, it is fascinating. the parallels with today . we have parallels with today. we have often seen conservative ministers suggesting, sometimes implicitly , sometimes more implicitly, sometimes more explicitly, that the bbc has been biased against them . there been biased against them. there were lots of theories that the bbc was biased against brexit. for example , so these parallels for example, so these parallels just show that the same thing happens again and again. history is repeating itself, and the idea that any of these , uh, idea that any of these, uh, arguments will be put to bed at the end of a conservative government is really for the birds. if tony blair was having these sorts of arguments with these sorts of arguments with the bbc about bias and was having these sorts of conversations with his, with his senior advisers about illegal migration, i expect we can migration, then i expect we can expect exactly the same from a
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keir starmer government. >> okay, olivia utley political correspondent, thanks very much for going through all that with us. fascinating. us. absolutely fascinating. >> it's almost like nothing's changed, hasn't it? the government complaining about the beeb seekers to beeb sending asylum seekers to processing places offshore , and processing places offshore, and it just shows that no government has yet cracked the issue. yeah, yeah. has yet cracked the issue. yeah, yeah . decades on. yeah. decades on. >> uh, now the government must fix the dire dire in quotation marks justice system to make the overhaul of sentencing work . overhaul of sentencing work. those are the words of former home secretary lord blunkett . he home secretary lord blunkett. he says the prime minister's plans to punish low level criminals, such as burglars, thieves and drunk drivers with community sentences rather than putting them in overcrowded jails, would fail unless there was a rethink to strengthen alternatives to prison . prison. >> yes. joining us now is former prison governor rhona hotchkiss . prison governor rhona hotchkiss. morning, rhona . essentially, morning, rhona. essentially, this comes down to the fact that there aren't enough, uh, prison spaces for, for convicts , hence spaces for, for convicts, hence why the government wants to turn
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to community sentences at least for those who would be sentenced to 12 months and under um , to 12 months and under um, excuse me for being a little simple, but why can't we just build more prisons as so? >> yes, that that is one option. it's actually the tory government's preferred option. it's just that the cost of it, um , is prohibitive. it costs um, is prohibitive. it costs hundreds of millions to build the kind of prisons that the tories are talking about. in fact, they had a plan to increase capacity by, i think, by about 20,000 in the next five years. but you're talking a couple of billion to do that. so they're having to look at, um, alternative lives. now, the thing that the alternatives thing is that the alternatives to prison aren't really that much cheaper. when you take all of the factors into account. why alternatives are alternatives to prison are better is because prison doesn't work for the vast majority of these , uh, lower level crime , these, uh, lower level crime, uh, people who commit crime. so so on the surface, you would think, well, this is a good thing keeping people out of prison, but unless it's fully funded, lord balfe is quite
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right. it will not work . right. it will not work. >> and when we hear that prisons are pushed to breaking point, aren't, um, is that your experience? just tell a little bit about your experience of working as a prison governor paint a picture for us as to what it was like. >> sure . so in general, the >> sure. so in general, the prison system in scotland isn't is quite as overcrowded as the prison system in england and wales. but what happens when you have an overcrowded prison is tension rises , assaults rise, it tension rises, assaults rise, it becomes more dangerous for staff and it becomes nigh on impossible to do the kind of things that we know do help with rehabilitation . so interventions rehabilitation. so interventions with prisoners , helping them with prisoners, helping them with prisoners, helping them with drug issues and training them for work, and so on, these things become impossible in overcrowded prisons where the best thing all you can do is feed people and perhaps let them out for an hour a day . out for an hour a day. >> so was that your experience that prisoners were locked up for 23 hours a day? and if that
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was the case, how on earth does that help their rehabilitation? >> well, it doesn't to be fair, when i worked in the scottish pfison when i worked in the scottish prison service, no one was locked up for 23 hours a day. but i know that that's what it can revert to when prisons get extremely busy . and i think extremely busy. and i think that's where prisons in england and wales are at the moment, and prisons in scotland are heading towards that. so yes , it means towards that. so yes, it means that they do nothing but sit in their cell watching the television on and whatever it may be, and there's a legal requirement to let people out for fresh air for at least an hour a day. and they do get out for picking up their meals and all that kind of thing . and in all that kind of thing. and in prisons they don't have prisons where they don't have in—cell , they in—cell sanitation, when they get showers and so on. get out for showers and so on. so it's very, very rarely 23 hours a day, but it can be as much as 18 or 20, and that's good for no one. rona this this concept of community justice, where, um, it partly involves , where, um, it partly involves, uh, convicts saying sorry and apologising and writing letters
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to their victims . to their victims. >> in your opinion, as a former prison officer , does this kind prison officer, does this kind of scheme work? i mean, is prison not just the only option available ? available? >> well, that's restored native justice you're talking about. that's when, um, a prisoner or someone who's offended, um, agrees to apologise and try and make good with the people of offended against and all parties must consent. so there's some evidence that that works for some people that can happen from prison as well. it doesn't just happen, have to happen with community sentences . but the community sentences. but the main point is that community sentences need to be properly funded. they're they're quite intense when they work well and they can work for low level crime. part of the devil of this would be in the detail, because what crimes does the tory government consider low level if it includes , for example, um, it includes, for example, um, rapists , uh, child abusers. and rapists, uh, child abusers. and so on, then i daresay the public and i would agree with them
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would be completely opposed to that. if includes other crimes, what are called acquisitive crimes, crimes of theft and so on, then yes, certainly . crimes, crimes of theft and so on, then yes, certainly. i crimes, crimes of theft and so on, then yes, certainly . i don't on, then yes, certainly. i don't think prisons are the right place for that. now, that's not to minimise the chaos. that low level crime can cost in local communities. so we mustn't discard that. those kind of crimes can cause misery in people's lives. but the community option is not a cheap opfion community option is not a cheap option . it will not work if you option. it will not work if you don't fund it. >> and if you with this community sentencing that obviously involves the probation service, how how i mean, what's their case? load like? do they have the capacity to deal with um, the extra uh, number of offenders that would be in the community and not going to prison ? prison? >> well, no, they don't, because that would suggest that they're sitting around nothing. sitting around doing nothing. just suddenly lop , oh, just so if you suddenly lop, oh, i don't know, 20,000 prisoners off the current numbers in prison and put them in the
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community. of course, the probation service and social work in scotland couldn't cope with that. they're underfunded now . that's what i with that. they're underfunded now. that's what i mean. and to do this , the government would do this, the government would face run parallel face having to run parallel funding for about five years because it will only be cheaper if you can move resources away from prison and that can't happen overnight. so they would have to be a massive investment in this. and i don't see any mention of that happening. >> rona, uh , hotchkiss, >> okay, rona, uh, hotchkiss, former governor. thank former prison governor. thank you so for your time. um you so much for your time. um yeah.i you so much for your time. um yeah. i mean, that can have fatal consequences when people who be in aren't . who should be in prison aren't. i covering in some i remember covering in some detail the story of damien bendell , who murdered bendell, who murdered his partner, three children a partner, and three children a couple of years back. was couple of years back. he was actually suspended sentence actually on a suspended sentence for arson. he should have been inside. was a mistake from inside. it was a mistake from the service. but the probation service. but uh, we on. uh, elsewhere, tony we move on. uh, elsewhere, tony blair, more revelations from the blair, more revelations from the blair files today. he wanted to move wimbledon football club to belfast the late 1990s, belfast in the late 1990s, hoping it would be a unifying force in the divided city. >> yeah, there was talk of a
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40,000 seater stadium being built, as well as the sporting academy . if the southwest london academy. if the southwest london side moved to the province and changed its name to belfast united , joining us now is the united, joining us now is the sports broadcaster ben jacobs . sports broadcaster ben jacobs. good morning to you, ben. what did you make of this then when this emerged from the blair files . files. >> yes. good morning. well it's interesting because people will equate it to the move to milton keynes. but that came years later. so we're actually talking about the late 90s compared to the early 2000. and from tony blair's point of view, as you say, he felt this would be a unifying force . but it of course unifying force. but it of course treats a club that were looking for investment and the need for a new home as a commodity , more a new home as a commodity, more like a franchise that can be plucked from london. despite its fan base and a fervent fan base, of course, and moved to a completely different place . so completely different place. so the sort of upside at the time for blair was that it would be
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seen as a pr win, a political win. and there was talk also of building a new 40 000 seater, multi—purpose stadium that could have been used for a variety of things, but there was opposition from these formative talks as well, from the northern ireland football authorities and many at the time felt that it was a bit of a pr stunt because , of of a pr stunt because, of course, to the football sentimentalist, you can't just take one team, one name, one fan base and transport it somewhere else. in american sport, we've seen it done, but it's a lot harder to actually succeed with this kind of idea in english football. but even when wimbledon went to milton keynes, which was 50 odd miles away , which was 50 odd miles away, there was still empty stadiums and there was still widespread opposition. yeah i just don't know how how they thought the fans london would be fans from south london would be going belfast. going to games in belfast. >> belief . but going to games in belfast. >> belief. but eamonn >> it beggars belief. but eamonn holmes actually, of this parish, he it. at the time he he supported it. at the time he was trying to rally community support. i just ask you support. but can i just ask you something separately ben something separately, ben arsenal west last arsenal lost to west ham last
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night quite an night off the back of quite an egregious . night off the back of quite an egregious. some would say uh var decision where the ball apparently out but the goal apparently went out but the goal was allowed to stand. why haven't we got the technology in this day and age and what is meant to be the biggest and best and most lucrative football league in the world? to see whether crossed whether a football has crossed the yeah i think the line or not. yeah i think it's a good question. >> we had this with the newcastle arsenal game as well, so quite so arsenal will feel quite aggrieved. the first i'd aggrieved. the first thing i'd say that var will get a lot say is that var will get a lot of blame for this, because the cameras are not in place to give you the vantage point to see the overheads, which is the only way, really, of definitively telling whether the ball has gone out . but var in this gone in or out. but var in this context are there to ultimately only overrule that kind of decision if there's a clear and obvious error. so if the on field decision is the ball is in, then it's very difficult for var to intervene. and the other thing is that the ball is spherical. so a lot the spherical. so a lot of the angles see are not angles that we see are not reflective of the reality . when reflective of the reality. when you look at the overheads. so
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people quite surprised people might be quite surprised when ball out. when the ball looks out. it could actually still be in which again a problem var again presents a problem for var . with your broader . so i agree with your broader point we need to find a way point that we need to find a way of the technology of the cameras being place tell being in place to tell definitively, can't definitively, but if we can't tell definitively it's given tell definitively and it's given us in in, then var is not to overrule and say it's out because they don't have the technology. to be sure . technology. to be sure. >> great stuff. sports broadcaster jacobs, thank broadcaster ben jacobs, thank you for your time. still to broadcaster ben jacobs, thank you f01we'll time. still to broadcaster ben jacobs, thank you f01we'll be1e. still to broadcaster ben jacobs, thank you f01we'll be breakingo broadcaster ben jacobs, thank you f01we'll be breaking down come, we'll be breaking down more of the previously classified tony blair files, which reveal the former labour prime minister hold prime minister wanted to hold asylum a camp in asylum seekers in a camp in scotland, just like a certain lee anderson . lee anderson. >> you watching britain's >> you are watching britain's newsroom on gb news. stay with us. us. >> us. >> looks like things are heating up. boxt boiler players, sponsors of whether on . gb news. sponsors of whether on. gb news. good morning alex burkill here with your latest gb news weather forecast it is going to be a blustery, showery day for many of us today and a bit chilly towards the north.
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then some unsettled then brings some unsettled weather places , and also weather to many places, and also the some significant the risk of some significant snow across scotland we go snow across scotland as we go through saturday could see 10 to 20cm over the highest ground again a mild day towards the south, but feeling unpleasant in the wind and the rain. and then new year's eve does look like it will a blustery, showery will be a blustery, showery picture for many. >> that warm feeling inside , >> that warm feeling inside, wide from boxt boilers sponsors of weather on .
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gb news. >> a very good morning to you . >> a very good morning to you. it is 10:00 on friday the 29th of december. great to have your company on britain's newsroom with ben leo and pip tomson >> previously classified government papers reveal the former labour prime minister, tony blair, wanted to hold asylum seekers in a camp on the isle of mull in scotland in a bid to reduce numbers. >> a man who was killed as a car collided with a crowd of people has been described as a good samaritan . christian marriott, samaritan. christian marriott, who has two children, was run over as he tried to help a stranger lying in the road. we'll bring you the latest . we'll bring you the latest. >> what the un says an estimated 150,000 palestinians are being forced to flee areas of central gaza as israeli forces expand their ground offensive, and
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eqypt their ground offensive, and egypt confirms it's put forward a three stage proposal to stop the fighting . the fighting. >> we'd love your thoughts as always this morning on everything we're talking about, including new year's honours. they are revealed later , later they are revealed later, later and on the list, they are revealed later, later and on the list , apparently, they are revealed later, later and on the list, apparently, is wetherspoons boss tim martin or sir tim martin, as he might be. what do you what do you think of that? >> so wetherspoon also justin welby, rumoured to be giving a knighthood for his services to king king. sorry the king charles the king. sorry the archbishop of woke , some call archbishop of woke, some call him. is that fair? does he deserve a knighthood? >> gb views cbnnews.com. let us know . here's your news now with know. here's your news now with karen armstrong . karen armstrong. >> very good morning to you. it is a minute past ten. i'm aaron armstrong in the gb newsroom, a police say they're determined to
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secure justice for a good samaritan who was killed in sheffield wednesday. chris sheffield on wednesday. chris marriott died when a car hit a crowd of people in the burngreave the city. the burngreave area of the city. the 46 year old was walking with his wife and two young sons when he went the aid of a woman who went to the aid of a woman who was unconscious on the was lying unconscious on the street. police believe she'd been in an altercation been involved in an altercation with a group people. two men with a group of people. two men are in custody after being arrested murder arrested on suspicion of murder and attempted murder for pastors are warning of more severe weather. just days after storm garrett hit the uk, causing widespread damage. around 100 homes in greater manchester are still dealing with the aftermath of a suspected tornado. a strong winds swept across the country. three men died when their 4x4 got stuck in the river esk near glaisdale in north yorkshire . in glaisdale in north yorkshire. in scotland, around 1500 properties were without electricity for a second night, but power companies are confident they will restore the network today. a weather journal host, nathan rhow, says there will be little
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improvement in conditions heading into the new year. now the uk met office has said that the uk met office has said that the irish met office. >> met office eireann might >> met office met eireann might name this storm on saturday as storm henk because coming storm henk because it's coming in pressure system in a deep, low pressure system from west across ireland from the west across ireland first, which will take the brunt of the winds and then into the united kingdom where there'll be rain significant rain and some significant hill snow in scotland. because as that storm comes in and bumps up against cold air, that is going to hill snow. up to bring some hill snow. so up there where they've had heavy snow garage snow from, from storm garage already, watch i >> -- >> tony blair's government considers sending migrants to a scottish island . newly released scottish island. newly released documents have a documents have revealed a proposal was part of a nuclear opfion proposal was part of a nuclear option being examined to tackle the asylum issue in 2003. it would have seen the creation of a camp on the isle of mull with illegal migrants being sent there with little or no right of appeal. the scheme also suggested people suggested deporting people to regional havens in turkey, regional safe havens in turkey, kenya and south africa . the kenya and south africa. the number of religious hate crimes has jumped sharply following the
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outbreak of the israel—hamas war. the uk's largest police forces have reported an increase in both anti—semitic and islamophobic offences in october and november. in greater manchester, police recorded 74 anti—semitic hate crimes in the month following the hamas attack on israel, compared to 51 for the same period last year. ukraine says it's been hit by the biggest russian air attack since the beginning of the war. at least ten people were killed and dozens more injured overnight as 158 drones and missiles were launched across the country , targeting critical the country, targeting critical infrastructure industry and military facilities . ukraine's military facilities. ukraine's military facilities. ukraine's military says its air defences intercepted 27 drones and 87 cruise missiles . workers who are cruise missiles. workers who are sacked under a controversial new law on strikes, will have the full support of the entire trade union movement. that's the promise from the head of the tuc, paul novak has vowed to fight new government legislation which threatens workers with
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dismissal if minimum service levels are not maintained during industrial action. the royal college of nursing says it's also totally opposed to the new law. the government, though, maintains the right to strike should be balanced with the rights of the public access rights of the public to access essential public services . essential public services. maine's become the second us state to block donald trump from running as a candidate in next year's presidential election. officials say the move is because of trump's involvement in inciting riots. when his supporters stormed the us capitol in january 2021, in an attempt to overturn his defeat to joe biden . a colorado reached to joe biden. a colorado reached a similar conclusion nine days ago . although california ago. although california announced trump would remain on its ballot. that was hours after maine's announcement. it describing the decision as atrocious . trump's campaign has atrocious. trump's campaign has vowed to appeal house prices across the uk fell 1.8% in 2023, as mortgage rates went up. the
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latest data from nationwide shows. the typical home now costs around £257,000. meanwhile, the final house price index of the year from halifax identified huddersfield as the top performer in 2023. the average prices there rising . by average prices there rising. by 8.7. we are on tv , on digital 8.7. we are on tv, on digital radio and if you want us on your smart speaker, just say play gb news. that's it from me. more in about 25 minutes time. welcome back. >> it's 1006. you're with britain's newsroom on gb news with me. ben leo and the lovely pip tomson. shall we get stuck into some emails? lots of you have been writing in, especially about new years , ian says. my about new years, ian says. my wife and i and friends have been celebrating new year in benidorm for over 15 years. it's a new home, but it's not what it used to be. and janet says, for the last six years we've danced our way into into the new year since
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taking up modern jive . taking up modern jive. >> very good. oh, that sounds like fun. and on new year's honours, we've been asking you what your thoughts on this. the wetherspoons boss and big brexiteer, tim martin is apparently going to get a gong and julie says hurrah! i was in and julie says hurrah! i was in a wetherspoon in lempster, hereford recently on a very cold day. oh lempster. i used to live near lempster when i was a child . there was a roaring fire and only a nominal price for a mug, so fill it up as often so you could fill it up as often as you like from the machine there were groups of elderly folk gathered having there were groups of elderly folk gichats.i having there were groups of elderly folk gichats. what having there were groups of elderly folk gichats. what a having there were groups of elderly folk gichats. what a wonderful lovely chats. what a wonderful service the community. service for the community. >> she sounds a lot than >> she sounds a lot better than it smartphones and it is now with smartphones and expensive door prices . expensive door prices. >> and warren ma, warren jenkins sorry also says that tim martin fully deserves a knighthood, if indeed that's what he gets when the list is revealed later, he says he's created over 43,000 jobs. you can get cheap food and drink, and if he had been a remain voter who had done all of this, there wouldn't be an issue.i this, there wouldn't be an
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issue. i think there could be something in that. ben. >> brexiteers revolt , right? >> brexiteers revolt, right? let's move on. the remote isle of mull in scotland. you might not have heard of it. i hadn't before today is well known for its wildlife culture. apparently scenery and outdoor activities. but tony blair's labour but if tony blair's labour government had their way, it would have been a holding camp for thousands seekers, for thousands of asylum seekers, according to newly released official papers from the national archives. >> the plan was part of a nuclear option , a big bang nuclear option, a big bang solution for tackling the asylum issue, which would have seen illegal migrants put straight back on the plane they arrived on with little or no right of appeal. >> hmm. it echoes the debate still taking place today. more than years later , around than 20 years later, around rishi sunaks plans to deport asylum seekers to rwanda . asylum seekers to rwanda. >> the files also reveal that tony blair was warned that the number 10 press office had lost all credibility under his combative communications chief, alastair campbell . alastair campbell. >> joining us now to discuss this is gb news political
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correspondent, olivia utley. um olivia, does this give weight to the a growing theory in recent years that actually blair's labour were probably on a lot of issues more to the right than today's conservative party . today's conservative party. >> i think it does. i think what it really shows is just how much the sort of overton window has shifted in the last 20 years. when blair was prime minister, the idea of sending illegal migrants to the isle of mull or sending them to the falkland islands were considered such legitimate ideas that they were dismissed just among the very chiefs of the labour party. tony blair himself was involved. the idea of circumventing the european court of human rights legislation was discussed again, something which is now only talked about by those on the sort of margins of the conservative party back in the late 90s, only about 20% of asylum claims were actually accepted . now that number has accepted. now that number has risen to sort of 80. so it just
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shows sort of how far perhaps the country has has shifted to the country has has shifted to the left under a succession of conservative prime ministers on the issue of immigration, ian. now, of course, the isle of mull isn't the only suggestion which has raised in these documents, i should say, of course, that these were all private conversations which have only now documents only conversations which have only now been documents only conversations which have only now been released 1ts only conversations which have only now been released by only conversations which have only now been released by the only now been released by the national archives, and none of these policies ever came to fruition . but the isle of man fruition. but the isle of man was only one of a number of suggestions. another sending suggestions. another was sending migrants off to the falkland islands, something which was discussed conservative discussed under the conservative government in recent years. two and lord powell, as he now is, who was chief of chief of staff at downing street at the time, even raised the question of whether britain needed an asylum system at all. the logic behind that was that anyone who has come over to britain seeking asylum will, by necessity, have to have come through france, and given that france is a safe country, then it could be argued that by definition , any asylum
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that by definition, any asylum seeker who lands in britain has an invalid claim . so his idea an invalid claim. so his idea was ripping up the system entirely. not even lee anderson has suggested that under the current conservative government. so it just shows what a huge ship there's been, what i think will be really interesting to monitor is how keir starmer reacts to this over the next days and weeks, he has said previously that he thinks the rwanda is nonsensical, and rwanda plan is nonsensical, and that he would abandon it straight away if he were prime minister. but in recent months it's been interesting to see how his criticism of the rwanda plan has from being a moral has shifted from being a moral criticism, saying that it was a cruel plan, which was something that he said at the start of this simply that this year to simply saying that it impractical . and it would be impractical. and actually he has gone as far as saying that under a labour government, it legal migrants saying that under a labour goverrbeznt, it legal migrants saying that under a labour goverrbe processedil migrants saying that under a labour goverrbe processed offshore, s could be processed offshore, slightly different to the rwanda scheme, but still pretty extreme by the standards of modern laboun by the standards of modern labour. so will keir starmer, who's pretty matey with tony
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blair, now criticise the former prime minister or actually , will prime minister or actually, will he start to subsume some of those late 90s, early 2000 policies into the labour manifesto for 2024? >> and olivia, just remind us, how's tony blair gone on the record at all recently giving his views on the rwanda plan . his views on the rwanda plan. >> he hasn't really been clear about what he thinks of the rwanda plan . uh, specifically, rwanda plan. uh, specifically, he wasn't even on the record in these discussions in the late 90s, early 2000. what we do have is evidence that he wrote in the margin of a, of a document that the current asylum system, as it was in the late 90s, was was mad , and that we should be, he suggested that we should be seeking more , more radical seeking more, more radical opfions seeking more, more radical options to tackle migration. we also know that he has been having tete a tetes with keir starmer pretty much once a week, and the issue of illegal migration has come up. so although he hasn't gone on the record with his with his
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thoughts exactly, we sort of see through keir starmer's shifting response to the rwanda plan , response to the rwanda plan, what tony blair perhaps might be thinking. >> yeah, some extraordinary detail from those scribbled notes that you mentioned from blair. i think in one of them he was so exasperated with the asylum problem that he wrote, um , this is precisely the point. we must not allow the echr to stop us dealing with this. just return them. so even blair back in the day had issues with the echr like we do today. >> well, exactly . and lord >> well, exactly. and lord powell, his chief of staff, suggested this policy idea that he had of sending migrants to the isle of mull. he said that he was sure that when it came to the strasbourg courts, when it came to the european court of human rights, any asylum seekers who been sent the of who had been sent to the isle of mull would a legitimate mull would have a legitimate claim courts. but he said claim in the courts. but he said that it might be worth the government pursuing a policy which broke law anyway, which broke european law anyway, because at least it would give them 2 or 3 years where they
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could show that they were really serious immigration. serious about immigration. he also suggested it got to also suggested that if it got to also suggested that if it got to a point where the european court of human rights stopped the labour government imposing their own immigration policy , then own immigration policy, then perhaps was time to leave the perhaps it was time to leave the european court of human rights altogether. that's something , altogether. that's something, again, which has been suggested by conservative mps on the right of the party backbenchers. well, suella braverman was keen on the idea when she was home secretary, but she never claimed it was government policy. but of course, interesting course, what's so interesting about that these weren't about this is that these weren't right wing conservative fringe backbenchers talking about the idea of leaving the echr. they were the men around tony blair. >> let's also talk about the elgin marbles, olivia, because as rishi sunak, we know he was involved in a bit of a diplomatic row over these. but it back under blair's government , there was an idea to use them as a bargaining chip in london's bid to host .
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as a bargaining chip in london's bid to host. the as a bargaining chip in london's bid to host . the 2012 olympics. bid to host. the 2012 olympics. >> yeah, this is a fascinating little tidbit. it turns out that tony blair, one of tony blair's advisers, suggested to him the idea of returning the elgin marbles to greece on a long terme loan basis in exchange for greece supporting london's bid to host the 2012 olympics. so, yes , he did want to give the yes, he did want to give the elgin marbles back, but there were very much strings attached to that idea. and of course , as to that idea. and of course, as we know, uh, history relates , we know, uh, history relates, that never actually happened. the elgin marbles are still here in the uk. rishi sunak recently , in the uk. rishi sunak recently, uh, didn't visit greece because of another battle in the elgin marbles row erupting just before his visit. the elgin marbles have now been here for 200 years. greeks haven't been happy about it for 200 years, and i expect the battle will probably rage on for another 200 years. >> and we'll be long gone. we won't be there to see that. unfortunately olivia utley political correspondent. thank you much. you so much. >> extraordinary revelations ,
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>> extraordinary revelations, especially those notes, those scrawled notes, course scrawled notes, which of course were never to be public. were never meant to be public. but saying, you know, but uh, yeah, saying, you know, we them at whatever we must return them at whatever cost. going to or scrapping cost. even going to or scrapping or the echr. um, still or avoiding the echr. um, still suffering the same problems. 20 odd years on, should we move on to this, uh, tragic story from sheffield, where a man who died after colliding with a car , um, after colliding with a car, um, yesterday has been named as a father of two, actually, christian marriott is his name christian? >> known as chris, was out for a post—christmas walk with his wife and two young sons, aged eight and six. it's believed he left his family to try and give first aid to a woman lying unconscious in the street. it is believed she had been involved in an altercation between a group of people and a car, reportedly then collided with mr marriott. >> the woman he was helping, and a crowd that had gathered around them . them. >> let's cross live now to sheffield to get more on this and talk to our yorkshire and humber reporter , anna o'reilly.
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humber reporter, anna o'reilly. goodness me anna, the details coming out of this now, um, what what happened to christian? it's absolutely devastating for his family and friends. >> it really is truly tragic . >> it really is truly tragic. the police, south yorkshire police have called him a good samaritan for his actions. the incident that happened here on college close in the burngreave area of sheffield, around a mile and a half out of the city centre , uh, quiet cul de sac . centre, uh, quiet cul de sac. uh, when this happened on wednesday, around 2:00. chris providing aid to a stranger. a woman that he saw was unconscious on the ground as he went to help her. that's when the car came at speed, collided with him, killing the 46 year old father of two at the scene. and injuring the woman who was unconscious . she still remains unconscious. she still remains in hospital and that car ploughing into the group also injured six others, including an
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off duty midwife wife. um. the community is just reeling from this , uh, a father out with his this, uh, a father out with his wife on a post—christmas walk, coming to the aid of another and then losing his own life . and in then losing his own life. and in terms of the tributes that have come in, in, we know that his brother in law has paid tribute on facebook to chris and said chris was a kind man who loved his family and truly loved to truly lived, to help others. and our hearts are broken. please pray for my sister and their boys and their family and friends who are grieving such an incalculable loss now we know that chris, devastated, devoted his time to a series of charities and voluntary causes . charities and voluntary causes. before his death, he was an experienced finance operations and project manager, and he used his talents to help his local community. he had long time roles as part of a monetary advice charity and also
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volunteered at a food bank in sheffield and was a member of a local church. the church group christ central said in a statement that everybody was deeply saddened and shocked by his death. they said chris died doing what so many will remember him for helping others . our him for helping others. our thoughts and prayers are with his wife and their two young sons. this is an unbelievably awful situation and we are heartbroken for the family . and heartbroken for the family. and um, the very latest that you have on the police investigation i >> -- >> yeah . >> yeah. >> yeah. >> so south yorkshire police launched an investigation after this tragic incident happened on wednesday day. there's a 23 year old man that was arrested on suspicion of murder and a 55 year old man arrested on suspicion of attempted murder . suspicion of attempted murder. they both remain in custody. there is still a heavy police presence around this area around the close , and police are trying
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the close, and police are trying to get more information from residents , whether they have residents, whether they have cctv or dash cam footage, doorbell footage that will help in the investigation and also providing support to the community. residents obviously shocked in this normally quiet area as to what has happened on this street. so they're out providing reassurance and there's also been a tribute released as well by south yorkshire police senior investigating officer dci andrew knowles said this is an utterly heartbreaking case in which a good samaritan who had who had stepped in to help a stranger in their time of need , has lost his their time of need, has lost his life. chris leaves behind a loving family, including his devastated wife and two sons. his two young sons were just aged six, six and eight. we are absolutely determined to secure justice for chris and his loved ones following this horrific tragedy and as part of that, police say that they still need to hear from crucial witnesses as as part of this investigation
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. so they're asking if these witnesses don't want to come forward to them via 101 to contact them via crime stoppers, to try and help bring justice to chris and his family. >> and o'reilly absolute tragedy. thank you so much for bringing us up to date with that. >> those poor boys at christmas. there's two sons still to come. there's two sons still to come. the un says an estimated 150,000 palestinians are being forced to flee areas of central gaza as israeli forces expand their ground offensive . ground offensive. >> you're with ben leo and pip tomson with britain's newsroom on gb news. stay with . us good morning. >> alex burkill here with your latest gb news, weather forecast. it is going to be a blustery, showery day for many of us today and a bit chilly towards the north. as a result, we're likely see of we're likely to see a bit of sleet or snow those showers sleet or snow as those showers pile on a northerly wind. pile in on a northerly wind. here for. and it also going here for. and it is also going to be a showery picture elsewhere . some bright or sunny
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elsewhere. some bright or sunny spells in between the showers, but those showers merging into longer rain as we go longer spells of rain as we go into afternoon. bit of into the afternoon. a bit of a mild feel to things towards the south with temperatures here reaching highs of around 11 or 12 celsius colder than this. further north and always feeling colder in those blustery colder in those strong blustery winds across shetland. as we go through this evening and overnight, i'm expecting some heavy and some very heavy showers and some very strong winds elsewhere through the night, the showers largely clearing away and increasing amounts clear skies too. amounts of clear skies too. as a result , some frost is quite result, some frost is quite likely, especially across parts of scotland. temperatures plummeting here but even a few pockets frost possible pockets of frost possible further saturday then further south. saturday then gets off to a mostly fine start, but it doesn't last before some heavy rain and strong winds push in from the west in association with a deep area of low pressure just to the west of the uk. that then brings some unsettled weather to many places, and also the significant the risk of some significant snow across scotland. as we go through saturday could see 10 to 20cm over the highest ground
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fun. every weekend at 3 pm. on gb news the people's channel, britain's news channel . britain's news channel. >> that says britain's newsroom is tom and ellie just just to be clear, in case you don't recognise this is britain's newsroom with ben leo and pip tomson. welcome it's great to have your company this morning
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and to get all your views and messages in as well. want to bnng messages in as well. want to bring date with what bring you up to date with what is happening in the war between israel gaza, the un israel and gaza, because the un now says an estimated 150,000 palestinians are being forced to flee areas of central gaza as israeli forces intensify their ground offensive. now all this is happening as egypt confirms its put forward a three stage proposal to stop the fighting, which would culminate in a ceasefire, will it work? well, our reporter charlie peters bnngs our reporter charlie peters brings us up to date. now >> under the cover of thousands of rockets, hamas terrorists launched their bloodiest attack in decades . over 1200 people in decades. over 1200 people were killed on the october 7th attacks, dubbed black saturday in israel . stories of the in israel. stories of the brutality of the terror gradually reached the world. innocents burned and beheaded , innocents burned and beheaded, and widespread sex crimes. families murdered in their homes, hundreds taken hostage in
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retaliation, the israeli military launched an unprecedented bombing campaign, followed by a ground invasion into the gaza strip . the idf's into the gaza strip. the idf's mission is to destroy hamas's leadership and military infrastructure and recover its hostages . at first, the west and hostages. at first, the west and much of the world rallied with israel following the horror of the attacks , but some of that the attacks, but some of that support has shifted to concern amid the humanitarian catastrophe enveloping the coastal enclave . the un says coastal enclave. the un says that over half a million people are enduring a catastrophic hunger crisis . over 21,000 hunger crisis. over 21,000 palestinian have been killed since the war erupted, according to the hamas run health ministry, with over 70% of them women and children . hamas women and children. hamas figures do not distinguish between male civilians and terrorists . the violence has terrorists. the violence has sparked protests and marches in
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britain, with controversial pro—palestine demonstrations and a major rally against anti—semitism taking place on london's streets . but amid the london's streets. but amid the debate over the destruction, british politicians have continued to visit israel to support and advise. soon after the attacks, rishi sunak arrived to express solidarity . foreign to express solidarity. foreign secretary james cleverly and bofis secretary james cleverly and boris johnson arrived soon after with the former prime minister telling gb news that the west needed to be patient after october's horrors give israel the time and the space to conduct the operation to track down the people who did this and to make sure they can never do it again. lord cameron joined world leaders to warn israel that its civilian casualties were too high. some analysts have criticised the use of heavy munitions on targets in urban refugee camps , and despite refugee camps, and despite a seven day ceasefire with some
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hostages released, there is little hope of peace and security. return to gaza soon, israel's army chief said that the conflict will rage on for many months as his forces push into central gaza soon they will target the south, where almost over a million people have gathered after being displaced. desperate fleeing the violence . desperate fleeing the violence. but that violence is now spilling across the region. the president of the palestinian authority has warned that the west bank could explode at any time. drone and missile attacks on international shipping by iran backed groups contain anew in the red sea . rocket exchanges in the red sea. rocket exchanges are escalating on the lebanese border . us are escalating on the lebanese border. us forces are coming under regular attack in iraq and syria , and european security syria, and european security agencies claim to have smothered agencies claim to have smothered a hamas attack in germany with no end in sight. there are growing fears that the israeli invasion of the small coastal strip could soon become a global
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catastrophe . oil prices could catastrophe. oil prices could rocket . inflationary concerns rocket. inflationary concerns are growing and security agencies are on high alert. charlie peters, gb news, is . charlie peters, gb news, is. >> well , let's see what you've >> well, let's see what you've been saying at home this morning. >> uh, plenty of views coming in on all sorts of topics . um, we on all sorts of topics. um, we were talking about the prison situation earlier , uh, situation earlier, uh, overcrowding and, uh, the issue of community sentencing . jason of community sentencing. jason says good morning . aren't we all says good morning. aren't we all a bit tired of hearing about underfunding for prisons and the probation service instead of building more prisons or trying to reform offenders? i have a new and revolutionary idea . how new and revolutionary idea. how about punishing them? why not make prisons so unpleasant that they won't ever want, ever they won't ever want, won't ever want go back? the only thing want to go back? the only thing i'd say about that is good point , jason, but ultimately these people will be released back into the community. so yes, you have to punish them, but but there also has to be some rehabilitation as well.
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>> i worked at >> i remember when i worked at the years ago, the sun, uh, some years ago, every do a story on how every year we do a story on how prisons were turning into houday prisons were turning into holiday camps with video games and and whatever else. peter and tvs and whatever else. peter says the majority of british people want criminals punished, not slapped on the wrist. build prisons self—sufficient prisons to be self—sufficient for food and work. there's prisons to be self—sufficient for food and work . there's also for food and work. there's also calls for what's called the broken window theory, where the mayor, former mayor of new york rudy giuliani, um, turned new york into essentially a crime fidden york into essentially a crime ridden hellhole, into something a bit civilised because a bit more civilised because they went after crime from broken windows, lobbing a stone through a window up until the more serious stuff. and it was a zero tolerance approach. so plenty of you saying we need something akin to that as well. there's more to on there's plenty more to come on the show, first, let's have the show, but first, let's have the show, but first, let's have the with . aaron the news with. aaron >> hi there. it's 1032. the news with. aaron >> hi there. it's1032. i'm aaron armstrong . police say they aaron armstrong. police say they are determined to secure justice for a good samaritan who was
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killed in sheffield on wednesday. chris marriott died when a car hit a crowd of people in the burngreave area of the city. the 46 year old was walking with his wife two walking with his wife and two young when he went to the young sons when he went to the aid of a who was lying aid of a woman who was lying unconscious in the street. the two custody after two men are in custody after being arrested on suspicion of murder and attempted murder. forecasters are warning of more severe weather to come just days after storm garrett hit the uk . after storm garrett hit the uk. around 100 homes in greater manchester are still dealing with the aftermath of a suspected tornado. a strong wind swept across the country in scotland, around 1500 properties were without electricity for a second night, but power companies are confident they'll restore the network by the end of the day . tony blair's of the day. tony blair's government considered sending migrants to the isle of mull with newly released documents revealing the proposal was part of a nuclear option being examined to tackle the asylum issue in 2003. it would have seen illegal migrants being sent to a holding camp with little or no right of appeal. the scheme
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also suggested deporting people to regional safe havens in countries like turkey, kenya or south africa. the number of religious hate crimes has jumped sharply following the outbreak of the israel—hamas war. the uk's largest police forces have reported an increase in both anti—semitic and islamophobic offences in october and november . in greater manchester, police recorded 74 anti—semitic hate crimes in the month following hamas's attack on israel. that was compared to 15 for the same penod was compared to 15 for the same period last year. was compared to 15 for the same period last year . we'll be back period last year. we'll be back with more at the top of the next hour or you can get more news now on our website, gbnews.com . now on our website, gbnews.com. >> for stunning gold and silver coins, you'll always value rosalind gold proudly sponsors the gb news financial report . the gb news financial report. >> a quick look at the markets the pound buys you . $1.2711
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the pound buys you. $1.2711 ,1.1503 a gold costs £1,625.22 per ounce. the ftse 100 is . at per ounce. the ftse 100 is. at 7738 points. rosalind gold proudly sponsors the gb news financial report . financial report. >> thank you aaron still to come on this show, the us state of maine has blocked donald trump from its presidential primary ballot, becoming the second state to bar the former president from running the president from running for the white house >> yeah, i wonder what impact it's going have on his it's going to have on his campaign. be looking at campaign. we'll be looking at that britain's newsroom with that on britain's newsroom with ben pip tomson. talk to ben leo and pip tomson. talk to you again very
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and people that i knew had dewbs & co week nights from six. >> welcome back to britain's newsroom on gb news. we are rattling towards 1040, and it's great to have your company or with ben leo and pip tomson and we've had lots of thoughts coming in on all sorts of topics. i just want to mention those of you who've been messaging us about new year's eve and whether it's overrated. quite a few us are telling us quite a few of us are telling us how brilliant it is, though. in scotland , duncan says, uh , in scotland, duncan says, uh, in england, new year's eve is an expensive commercial organised boxing match. but the real new year's eve is the best evening party of the year. and then we've got one from a dj. is it cj who talks about how brilliant it is in scotland? somebody else has, but also cj says, uh, we remember when new year's eves were actually really great fun before influencers
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before social media influencers and cancel culture believe it or not, the 80s were actually really interesting. >> it's just what i was saying off air. i said new year's sounded lot better back in the sounded a lot better back in the day phones and day before mobile phones and social all that kind social media and all that kind of i bet you if you >> so yeah, i bet you if you take a photo on new year's eve in a bar, take a photo. so and take a photo on new year's eve in many take a photo. so and take a photo on new year's eve in many people photo. so and take a photo on new year's eve in many people in)to. so and take a photo on new year's eve in many people in thatso and take a photo on new year's eve in many people in that photo so many people in that photo will be looking down at their phones. >> it's the same when you to >> it's the same when you go to gigs, isn't if you go to gigs, isn't it? if you go to a gigs, isn't it? if you go to a gig on new year's, everyone's up there and not there with their phones and not actually enjoying the moment and taking actually enjoying the moment and tak or football match. a >> or even a football match. a lot are watching the lot of people are watching the game that they're attending on their fella who's just >> who's this fella who's just popped >> who's this fella who's just popped birthday boy? popped off the birthday boy? >> parry? popped off the birthday boy? >> we'll parry?we'll bring popped off the birthday boy? >> we'llparry?we'll bring him popped off the birthday boy? >>inle'llparry?we'll bring him popped off the birthday boy? >>in a ll parry?we'll bring him popped off the birthday boy? >>in a minute.7we'll bring him popped off the birthday boy? >>in a minute and.l bring him popped off the birthday boy? >>in a minute and geting him popped off the birthday boy? >>in a minute and get his him in in a minute and get his thoughts on new year's eve. and also hill talk to you very also henry hill talk to you very shortly. this could shortly. but first, this could make blooming make your new year blooming amazing. how you to amazing. how would you like to win brand tech win £10,000 cash? brand new tech and vouchers? you could and shopping vouchers? you could be our very first be the winner of our very first great british giveaway. and here's make here's all the details. make sure miss your chance sure you don't miss your chance to three brilliant prizes in to win three brilliant prizes in our great british giveaway pnzes our great british giveaway prizes , which can make your new
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prizes, which can make your new year start with a bang! >> there's a totally tax free £10,000 cash to be won cash to spend however you like. what would you do with it? we'll also send you on a new year shopping spree with £500 of vouchers to spendin spree with £500 of vouchers to spend in the store your spend in the store of your choice, and all of that choice, and if all of that wasn't also a wasn't enough, you'll also get a brand iphone 15 pro max for brand new iphone 15 pro max for another chance to win the iphone.the another chance to win the iphone. the vouchers and £10,000 cash text gb win to 84 9002. text cost £2 plus one standard network rate message or post your name and number to gb zero one, po box 8690 derby rd one nine, double two. you k only entrants must be 18 or over lines close at 5 pm. on friday the 5th of january. full terms and privacy notice at gb news. com forward slash win good luck . com forward slash win good luck. >> let's bring in the mike parry and henry hill for our paper
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review. you obviously heard mike a bit earlier. he's very he's very happy today because it's his birthday and henry hill deputy editor of conservative home. let's start with gentleman. uh donald trump because he is now been disqualified from the presidential primary ballot in maine. this is just days after he was removed from the state primary ballot in colorado . henry. >> yeah. uh basically, both of these states have used a clause of the us, uh, constitution , of the us, uh, constitution, which is the insurrection clause, basically , it's saying clause, basically, it's saying that his involvement in january sixth, that when the capital was stormed is basis for stormed is the basis for removing him from the ballot. now, the interesting thing is that actually been, that he's not actually been, i think, of that yet all think, convicted of that yet all of the all of the cases are ongoing. so there's thinking ongoing. so the there's thinking that might that the supreme court might overturn these these will to overturn these these will go to the court. these things. the supreme court. these things. but it's fascinating and but it's a fascinating and terrible development for american because if american politics because if you've to a point where you've got to a point where america so polarised that america is so polarised that states are removed, people from national ballots, the
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national election ballots, the republicans will hit back. there's already talk several there's already talk in several republican of trying to republican states of trying to remove biden and it just remove joe biden and it just makes functional democracy one makes a functional democracy one step further away. now both of these states are democratic leaning in a general leaning states in a general election, i think maine two is the only seat trump won, the only seat that trump won, but still really but it's still really significant development. >> perry, >> yeah. mike uh, perry, colorado, course , they went colorado, of course, they went through courts this through the courts to get this done. of for state done. the secretary of for state maine didn't even bother with that. maine didn't even bother with that . she just said, yep, that. she just said, yep, insurrection . you're off. this insurrection. you're off. this is an affront to democracy, isn't is an affront to democracy, isn'yeah, absolutely. mean , it >> yeah, absolutely. i mean, it just lengths to which just shows the lengths to which people try and rub people are going to try and rub trump out, which will work in his favour because we know his popularity goes but, as popularity goes up. but, um, as henry just, uh, referred to this particular clause they've got him on was introduced to stop confederate , uh, army officers confederate, uh, army officers in 1856 from trying to get into the union government that, you know, that's how far away and how weird it all is. i think it will all now become very messy because certainly in the colorado one, the talk
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afterwards was, well, it doesn't matter about the primary. henry knows more about this than i do, but all they do is replace it with a caucus. it's a very complicated system. the build up to , uh, elections. to american, uh, elections. you have primaries and caucuses. the to american, uh, elections. you have hampshireand caucuses. the to american, uh, elections. you have hampshire primariesses. the to american, uh, elections. you have hampshire primaries are the new hampshire primaries are usually the start of the presidential race early next yeah presidential race early next year. and i'm told now they can do exactly the same in maine. they can just form a caucus and try and get it through that way . try and get it through that way. um, the american us um, i think the american us election process is so long, so complicated, and so damaging to the country because any first time president like biden is going to start his second terme campaign about 18 months from the end of the four years, and it completely distracts the country. this is distracting everybody now from the running of the united states of america, which has got huge problems. like all western countries, there are claims, henry, though, that , um, there are claims, henry, though, that, um, this this ruling, which is based on section three of the 14th amendment banning from office those who engaged in insurrection. >> this ruling should apply to
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donald trump because of his role in trying to overturn the 2020 election and obstruct the peaceful transfer of power . peaceful transfer of power. >> i think that's a perfectly fair argument, but i think the point is, in a in a country with the rule of law, he's not been convicted of that. right? like if there an outstanding if there was an outstanding criminal for donald if there was an outstanding criminton for donald if there was an outstanding criminton the for donald if there was an outstanding criminton the grounds donald if there was an outstanding criminton the grounds of nald trump on the grounds of insurrection, would be, insurrection, then it would be, i think, perfectly reasonable. but about i think, perfectly reasonable. but is about i think, perfectly reasonable. but is we're about i think, perfectly reasonable. but is we're talking aboutut here is we're talking about a system where not been system where he's not been convicted yet, and convicted of anything yet, and this is already kicking in. so that's problem. now, that's the problem. now, it's not as as it sounds, not quite as bad as it sounds, because in maine, the, the it is a has to a politician who has to basically allow the courts to decide it. decide whether to do it. but they said they'll off they have said they'll hold off until have until the maine courts have decided not to carry decided whether or not to carry it nonetheless, it forward, but nonetheless, this is somebody being barred from a from office on the basis of a crime which he has not yet crime of which he has not yet been convicted. and i think that crime of which he has not yet beerbadivicted. and i think that crime of which he has not yet beerbad precedent.i i think that crime of which he has not yet beerbad precedent. regardless|t is a bad precedent. regardless of you think trump. is a bad precedent. regardless of and you think trump. is a bad precedent. regardless of and ifyu think trump. is a bad precedent. regardless of and if it think trump. is a bad precedent. regardless of and if it goes trump. is a bad precedent. regardless of and if it goes to trump. is a bad precedent. regardless of and if it goes to the mp. is a bad precedent. regardless of and if it goes to the supreme >> and if it goes to the supreme court, heavily weighted. court, it's heavily weighted. it's heavily republican anyway. so this actually it's heavily republican anyway. so to this actually it's heavily republican anyway. so to go? this actually going to go? >> well, what i mean. >> well, i that's what i mean. it's such complicated process. it's such a complicated process. it'll just run into other. it'll just run into each other. but looks doesn't it. at the
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but it looks doesn't it. at the moment everything henry but it looks doesn't it. at the mon described everything henry but it looks doesn't it. at the mon described that (thing henry but it looks doesn't it. at the mon described that actuallyznry just described that actually somebody in maine doesn't like, uh, donald trump. so we'll tell him he's not welcome here. it as openly, know , biased as openly, you know, biased as that, isn't it? i mean, with trump, they've arrested him. >> e- e" >> they've indicted him many times. uh, with the times. they've uh, with the russia, um , accusations. anyway, russia, um, accusations. anyway, that was, that was found to be, you know, total fabrication . so you know, total fabrication. so they've smeared him and now it seems they want to try and just remove him from the ballot completely. so why can't the democrats do they did democrats just do what they did in 2020 and beat him at the polls? are scared of? polls? what are they scared of? >> a way, this is >> well, in a way, this is playing hands playing into republicans hands as to galvanise. >> it's going to galvanise. >> it's going to galvanise. >> just emboldening them. >> it's just emboldening them. >> it's just emboldening them. >> it is it is emboldening >> yeah it is it is emboldening them. but you know the more this goes trump it. goes on the more trump likes it. but which he's but henry's point, which he's made twice is he's not been made twice now, is he's not been convicted no. so convicted of anything. no. so how turn how can they arbitrarily turn around the highest around and say the highest courts in the land have convicted you ? but in our mind, convicted you? but in our mind, you are guilty anyway? that surely will backfire on them, won't it? it's to. surely will backfire on them, woroh, ? it's to. surely will backfire on them, woroh, sot's to. surely will backfire on them, woroh, so very to. surely will backfire on them, woroh, so very interesting story >> oh, so very interesting story in the telegraph last week
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saying ministers saying that ministers are quietly trump quietly hoping for a trump victory joe biden, victory because joe biden, of course, snubbed us. free trade course, snubbed us. a free trade agreement the last couple of agreement in the last couple of weeks. uh, a big weeks. whereas trump, uh, a big britain lover, his mother, of course, got one going. >> i mean, there was, you know, there was one underway. and i think now think seven different states now have individual deals. and have done individual deals. and so did a so florida, for instance, did a trade us from trade deal with us from florida's economy is the size of spain. so you know, it's not it's not bit part that we're doing america. we are actually working there to trade deals . working there to trade deals. >> uh, let's let's move on to new year honours because they are revealed in a matter of hours now. and henry, somebody who could well be getting a knighthood is, uh, tim martin, the wetherspoons boss. is it deserve . and because this is deserve. and because this is exercising quite a lot of remainers this morning, it exercising quite a lot of remainers this morning , it is. remainers this morning, it is. >> and i think it's a real shame, actually, that this is being seen through the context of brexit. right because actually tim won. martin he's run successful business run a very successful business that creates a lot of jobs, provides awful of quite provides an awful lot of quite cheap drink expensive times. provides an awful lot of quite chetalsoink expensive times. provides an awful lot of quite chetalso the expensive times. provides an awful lot of quite chetalso the thinngensive times. provides an awful lot of quite chetalso the thing iensive times. provides an awful lot of quite chetalso the thing i think; times.
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provides an awful lot of quite chetalso the thing i think thates. but also the thing i think that he deserves for is he really deserves credit for is wetherspoons fantastic at wetherspoons is fantastic at taking heritage buildings that might have left might otherwise have been left derelict, like old you derelict, like old banks, you know, historic buildings and so on, turning lovely on, and turning them into lovely spaces can still use spaces that people can still use . all over british cities, you see old buildings, which, because of the cost of renovation all the rest of renovation and all the rest of it, derelict and abandoned. it, are derelict and abandoned. and what wetherspoons has done it, are derelict and abandoned. and broughtatherspoons has done it, are derelict and abandoned. and broughtatherspoorofhas done it, are derelict and abandoned. and broughtatherspoorof them yne has brought hundreds of them back think that on has brought hundreds of them ba yeah. is it not very shortsighted are shortsighted of those who are saying shouldn't it saying he shouldn't have it based views on, i think, based on his views on, i think, brexit, i think tim martin is an astonishing man. >> wetherspoon is now an institution in this country. you know, like woolworths used to be in the high street. woolworths isn't anymore, but but wetherspoons is every city you go country you'll go to in this country you'll find at least find a wetherspoons. at least one know, cities one you know, in some cities there's more than one, there's two and in london there's at least half a dozen. i think he's a fantastic guy. i mean, he qualified in law as a barrister and then decided that he wanted to a publican. he bought to become a publican. he bought one he's now over one pub and he's now got over 800 and it provides fantastic
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facilities. on a friday there are the biggest fish and chip shopin are the biggest fish and chip shop in the world. they serve so many portions of fish and chips and i will be in one this afternoon celebrating my birthday because i love the fish and chips in wetherspoons. i'm a huge admirer of tim martin and what built up and he's what he's built up and he's provided something which is almost a equivalent to, in my view, to a branch of the social services . because if you look at services. because if you look at the clientele in wetherspoons, they are generally speaking, older people, largely male, but they go there, they meet their mates, they sit around, they dnnk mates, they sit around, they drink cheap beer, and it's a community spirit. >> it might sound trivial for some hearing that, but actually it's quite an important point because loneliness, especially in older age, is a real problem. >> is honestly and, you know, >> it is honestly and, you know, there are there are some some critics, though , who say he critics, though, who say he might well be a great entrepreneur, but he didn't treat workers very well during covid. i don't agree with that. i mean, what happened was i mean, what happened then was he very clear from the he made it very clear from the start when the first lockdowns
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came in. look can't possibly came in. look i can't possibly retain the staff in 800 separate pubs, you know, indefinitely if you want to go and get a job at places that are still open. he mentioned tescos and supermarkets. feel free and supermarkets. you feel free and the you know, the subplot was we'll get you back when, when, when times get better. i don't think for ramona he was uh, cold hearted. he's actually incredibly kind to his staff in some of the reports that i've heard, uh, i've interviewed mr martin a few times, i hope it becomes sir tim martin. >> he's great. okay, well, we'll we will find out tonight. henry um, now, this story, i mean, you shouldn't laugh, but you do laugh. blackpool blackpool. full salaam. what happened ? salaam. what happened? >> well, basically , you know, >> well, basically, you know, there's a there's a tragic history in british seaside towns of famous landmarks burning down, usually piers. so down, usually piers. and so people orange at the top of people saw orange at the top of blackpool tower and they thought, oh my god, there's a fire. >> i think we have the pictures. >> i think we have the pictures. >> scrambled a vast
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>> and so they scrambled a vast amount fire engines, amount of six fire engines, drones rest it, drones and all the rest of it, specialist climbers. and it specialist climbers. um, and it was all the rolling was reported on all the rolling news and then it news channels. and then it turned out that actually turned out that what actually was at top of the tower was was at the top of the tower was just orange netting just some orange safety netting that and was that had come loose and was blowing breeze. they blowing in the breeze. so they evacuated landmark. um, and evacuated this landmark. um, and i see why people i mean, you could see why people thought absolutely. i mean, you could see why people thotyeah, absolutely. i mean, you could see why people thotyeah, it absolutely. i mean, you could see why people thotyeah, it turns absolutely. i mean, you could see why people thotyeah, it turns outibsolutely. but yeah, it turns out it's literally just, you know, the kind use on kind of stuff you use on building that had come building sites that had come loose blowing about. and loose and was blowing about. and so it was, thankfully, false alarm. i wonder if anyone got >> i wonder if anyone got a telling off for that. mike. well i because i mean, look, i doubt it because i mean, look, it one our landmark it is one of our landmark buildings and all remember buildings and we all remember the inferno. buildings and we all remember the that inferno. buildings and we all remember the that a|ferno. buildings and we all remember the that a very». buildings and we all remember the that a very serious >> that was a very serious situation. that had been a situation. if that had been a fire was at the top fire and somebody was at the top of that tower. so the fire bngade of that tower. so the fire brigade had to scramble. the only they able only reason they were able to determine there was nothing wrong the wrong was they put the helicopter up and they the helicopter up and they flew the helicopter up and they flew the helicopter tower. helicopter over blackpool tower. but is an but blackpool tower is an amazing i was brought amazing building. i was brought up chester night out up in chester and a night out with old charabanc off to with the old charabanc off to blackpool. spent many a night blackpool. i spent many a night sleeping on blackpool beach . sleeping on blackpool beach. after great out in after a great night out in blackpool and the tower ballroom
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, and it's probably done a lot actually. >> um, for blackpool this morning. so putting putting blackpool back on the map . i blackpool back on the map. i mean not not what i'm saying. it's off the map, but it's still, it's still a little bit of good pr, isn't it, henry. yeah. >> and it shows the concern. absolutely >> it's a, it's a famous >> it's a, it's a, it's a famous landmark. and is also just landmark. and it is also just nice to remember that there are some beautiful bits of some really beautiful bits of architectural out there architectural heritage out there in all over the country, you know, reading the story about this, i was being reminded of details about blackpool that i even slight architectural nerd that completely that i am, had completely forgotten. so yeah, absolutely a welcome t up. >> thank goodness it was a false alarm. >> well, absolutely. i mean, look , >> well, absolutely. i mean, look, wouldn't >> well, absolutely. i mean, look , wouldn't compare >> well, absolutely. i mean, look, wouldn't compare to look, i wouldn't compare it to notre when huge notre dame, but when huge landmarks nationality laughing you but huge national you know but one huge national landmark , you know get burned landmark, you know get burned down. it has a terrible effect on the community doesn't it, henry, as you as mention , henry, as you as you mention, ed, few seconds ago, the ed, a few seconds ago, the seaside towns in this country are traditionally neglected, underfunded . underfunded. >> and i live near brighton. and i remember when the west pier burnt down some years ago. and
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actually, to actually, if you're going to take of positivity take any slither of positivity from this, you know, fairly laughable story, it's that a reminder . you know, our seaside reminder. you know, our seaside towns need to be looked after. they they are international they are they are international and national tourist attractions, bit of attractions, which need a bit of love don't they? love and care, don't they? >> absolutely. this >> yeah, absolutely. and if this had burned down, based the had burned down, based on the example of the piers, how example of all the piers, how many the have ever many of the piers have they ever rebuilt down? it rebuilt that had burned down? it would gone. yeah. so would have been gone. yeah. so we should cherish it. >> agree. >> yeah. no. totally agree. >> yeah. no. totally agree. >> very quickly >> and just, um, very quickly we, assaults 2000 we, uh, train assaults for 2000 violent on violent assaults reported on trains britain past trains in britain in the past year. trains in britain in the past year . as mike. trains in britain in the past yea uh, is mike. trains in britain in the past yea uh, that'se. trains in britain in the past yea uh, that's a horrifying >> uh, that's a horrifying figure. and that quite shocked me because i travel the train me because i travel on the train quite lot . my team, everton in quite a lot. my team, everton in the north—west go up the north—west of england, go up and the west coast and and down the west coast and west coast that, and coast line and all that, and i've never experienced, um , i've never experienced, um, violence or even discomfort on a train. so i was i was shocked by these figures. i also read another report in another newspaper this morning that there's a very big increase on sexual assaults on trains , um, sexual assaults on trains, um, you know, intercity trains and tube trains in london. so it
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seems to me we have got a problem. okay. but i don't know where it's happening. >> right. well, let's let's discuss this a little bit more. this needs a bit more than the time we've got left for this houn time we've got left for this hour. so do stay with us much more to come. you are with ben, leo, tomson. henry hill and leo, pip tomson. henry hill and mike on britain's mike parry on britain's newsroom. talk to you again in a jiffy. >> a brighter outlook with boxt solar sponsors of weather on . gb news. >> good morning, alex burchell here with your latest gb news, weather forecast it is going to be a blustery , showery day for be a blustery, showery day for many of us today and a bit chilly towards the north. as a result, we're likely see result, we're likely to see a bit of sleet or as those bit of sleet or snow as those showers on a northerly showers pile in on a northerly wind here and it is also going to be a showery picture elsewhere. some bright or sunny spells in between the showers, but showers merging into but those showers merging into longer spells rain as we go longer spells of rain as we go into the afternoon . a bit of into the afternoon. a bit of a mild feel to things towards the south, temperatures here
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south, with temperatures here reaching highs of around 11 or 12 celsius colder than this further north and always feeling colder in strong blustery colder in those strong blustery winds across shetland as we go through this evening and overnight, i'm expecting some heavy showers very heavy showers and some very strong winds elsewhere through the night. the showers largely clearing away and increasing amounts of clear skies too. as a result, some frost is quite likely , especially across parts likely, especially across parts of temperatures of scotland. temperatures plummeting here but a few plummeting here but even a few pockets frost possible pockets of frost possible further south. saturday then gets off to a mostly fine start, but doesn't last before some but it doesn't last before some heavy rain and strong winds push in from the west in a association with a deep area of low pressure just to the west of the uk. that then brings some unsettled to weather many places, also the risk of places, and also the risk of some significant snow across scotland as go through scotland as we go through saturday could see 10 to 20cm over the highest ground again, a mild towards the south but mild day towards the south but feeling unpleasant in the wind and the rain. and then new year's eve does look it year's eve does look like it will blustery, showery will be a blustery, showery picture many looks like
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picture for many looks like things are heating up by boxt boilers sponsors of weather on . boilers sponsors of weather on. gb news. >> it's 1055. you're with pip and ben on britain's newsroom plenty more coming up on the programme today, but first, uh, let's take a look at the weather. we've just had the weather. we've just had the weather. we've just done that. >> but there is plenty to talk aboutin >> but there is plenty to talk about in the weather because we could seeing some very gusty could be seeing some very gusty winds again this weekend. we will to date in the will bring you up to date in the next hour. also, keep all your views coming in. we've been talking about tim martin potentially getting knighthood
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? well . good morning. well. good morning. >> it's 11 am. on friday. the 29th of december. this is britain's newsroom with me, ben liu and pip tomson previously classified government papers reveal the former labour prime minister tony blair, wanted to hold asylum seekers in a camp on the isle of mull in a bid to reduce numbers. a man who was killed as a car collided with a crowd of people has been described as a good samaritan. christian marriott, a described as a good samaritan. christian marriott , a father of christian marriott, a father of two, was run over as he tried to help a stranger lying in the road. we'll have all the latest. >> the un says an estimated 150,000 palestinians are being forced to flee areas of central gaza as israeli forces expand their ground offensive. it comes
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as egypt confirms it's put forward a three stage proposal to end the fighting. >> this show, of course, is nothing without you, the viewers and your views. keep your emails coming in lots on the knighthoods . tim martin mooted knighthoods. tim martin mooted to be getting a gong in the new years for his wetherspoons efforts, also justin welby is he deserving so—called and according to some, the archbishop of woke and of course , prisons, prison reforms , , prisons, prison reforms, justice reforms. yeah, i do keep all your thoughts coming in. >> what are you doing for new year's eve? in fact , his new year's eve? in fact, his new year's eve? in fact, his new year's eve? in fact, his new year's eve overrated . the year's eve overrated. the address get in touch is gb address to get in touch is gb views at gbnews.com. your headunes views at gbnews.com. your headlines now with aaron armstrong . very good morning to armstrong. very good morning to you. >> it's just after 11:00. you. >> it'sjust after 11:00. i'm >> it's just after 11:00. i'm
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aaron armstrong. police say they are determined to secure justice for a good samaritan who was killed in sheffield on wednesday . marriott when a car . chris marriott died when a car hit crowd of people in the hit a crowd of people in the burngreave area of the city. the 46 year old was walking with his wife two young when he wife and two young sons when he went to aid of a woman who went to the aid of a woman who was lying unconscious on the street. she'd street. police believe she'd been involved in an altercation with people. men with a group of people. two men are after being are in custody after being arrested of murder arrested on suspicion of murder and attempted murder. forecasters are warning of more severe weather to come just days after storm gareth hit the country. around 100 homes in greater manchester are still deaung greater manchester are still dealing with the aftermath of a suspected tornado. strong winds swept across the country and three men died when their 4x4 got stuck in the river esk, near glaisdale in north yorkshire in scotland, about 1500 properties were without electricity for a second night. power companies , second night. power companies, though confident they'll be able to restore the network later. weather journalist nathan rao weatherjournalist nathan rao says there will be little improvement, though, in the conditions heading into the new
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yeah >> now the uk met office has said that the irish met office. met office, met eireann might name this storm on saturday as storm henk because it's coming in a deep, low pressure system from the west across ireland first, which will take the brunt of the winds and then into the united there'll united kingdom where there'll be rain significant hill rain and some significant hill snow in scotland. because as that storm comes in and bumps up against cold air, that is going to some snow. so up to bring some hill snow. so up there they've heavy there where they've had heavy snow from garage snow from, from storm garage already, watch already, it's something to watch .tony already, it's something to watch . tony blair's government considered sending migrants to a scottish island. >> newly released documents have revealed. the proposal was part of a nuclear option being examined to tackle the asylum issue in 2003. it would have seen the creation of a camp on the isle of mull, with illegal migrants being sent there with little right appeal . little or no right of appeal. the scheme suggested the scheme also suggested deporting people to regional safe havens in countries like kenya, turkey and south africa . kenya, turkey and south africa. burglars targeted the home of the england midfielder jack
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the england midfielderjack grealish last night while his family was at home. a million pounds worth of jewellery and watches are understood to have been stolen . he was playing for been stolen. he was playing for manchester city against everton at time. footballers , at the time. the footballers, family fiancee were family and fiancee were reportedly watching the match on tv when they heard disturbance tv when they heard a disturbance . helicopter, police dogs and a number of officers attended the scene, but no arrests have been made . the number of religious made. the number of religious hate crimes has jumped sharply following the outbreak of the israel—hamas war. the uk's largest police forces have reported an increase in anti—semitic and islamophobic offences in october and november in greater manchester, police recorded 74 anti—semitic hate crimes in the month following hamas's attack on israel . that's hamas's attack on israel. that's compared to 15 for the same penod compared to 15 for the same period last year. councillor dean cohen , from the london dean cohen, from the london borough of barnet, told gb news people are living in fear. >> well, i don't think the fear has or has, has, has escaped anyone. i mean , ultimately there anyone. i mean, ultimately there are still instances happening
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every day . anti—semitic every day. anti—semitic incidents . and as islamophobic incidents. and as islamophobic incidences are happening every single day, i see sight of some of those in terms of the actual reports, um , and you know , reports, um, and you know, people are being careful where they go, what they do . they go, what they do. >> ukraine says it's been hit by the biggest russian air attack since the beginning of the war. at least 12 people have been killed and dozens more injured as 158 drones and missiles were launched across the country, targeting critical infrastructure and military facilities . ukraine says its air facilities. ukraine says its air defences intercept 27 drones and 87 cruise missiles . defences intercept 27 drones and 87 cruise missiles. mains defences intercept 27 drones and 87 cruise missiles . mains become 87 cruise missiles. mains become the second us state to block donald trump from running as a candidate in next year's presidential election . officials presidential election. officials say the move is because of mr trump's involvement in inciting riots , when his supporters riots, when his supporters stormed us capitol in stormed the us capitol in january 2021. now, colorado reached a similar conclusion
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nine days ago, although khalife has announced he will remain on its ballot. donald trump's team has described the decision as atrocious and has vowed to appeal, atrocious and has vowed to appeal , and atrocious and has vowed to appeal, and households are facing what unions are calling a debt time bomb next year. the trades union congress, which includes gmb, unite and unison , includes gmb, unite and unison, have predicted unsecured debts are surging by £1,400 per household in 2024. a un secured debt includes borrowing on loans , credit cards and purchase hire agreements. the two tuc research suggests the average worker would be £14,800 better off if paid, kept up with real wage growth trends since the financial crisis , we are live financial crisis, we are live across the uk, on tv, on digital radio and if you want us on your smart speaker, just say play gb news now it's back to pip and ben . well i'm back.
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ben. well i'm back. >> it's 1106. you're with britain's newsroom on gb news with ben elliott and pip tomson >> plenty of you getting in touch this morning and plenty of views as well. on the suggestion that tim martin is in line, the boss of wetherspoons is in line for a knighthood. we find out in a matter of hours now. martin. good morning. you say you're 100% in agreement. a man after your own heart. yes a rise, sir. >> tim simon says tim martin has also paid over £120 million in taxes every year. i think maybe that's wetherspoons, not tim personally, but a good point nonetheless. >> eileen. good morning. you say he deserves a gong for services to the community, pensioners and other people on low incomes are able to get together in their local wetherspoons pub for company and good food and beer at affordable prices. but you know, one thing i've got to bee in my bonnet about eileen is that they don't allow dogs in any of their pubs. >> yeah, wasn't aware of that >> yeah, i wasn't aware of that until a few minutes ago, not even beer gardens,
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apparently. >> that's a bit of a shame if you a dog owner, you if you are a dog owner, because i'm. i'm from the school that says most dogs in pubs are better children. that says most dogs in pubs are betterthat'll children. that says most dogs in pubs are betterthat'll win children. that says most dogs in pubs are betterthat'll win ciofiren. that says most dogs in pubs are betterthat'll win ciof you up i >> -- >> as the dad of two children, i can concur with that. definitely >> let's talk about our >> okay, let's talk about our top because it's about the top story because it's about the blair files, the remote island of mull, or the isle of mull in scotland is well known for. well, it's wildlife, its culture, its scenery and outdoor activities . but if tony blair's activities. but if tony blair's labour government had had their way, it could have been a holding camp for thousands of asylum seekers. >> yes, according to newly released official papers from the national archives, the plan was part of a, quote, nuclear opfion was part of a, quote, nuclear option for tackling the asylum issue, which would have seen illegal migrants put straight back on the plane they arrived on little or no right on with little or no right of appeal. now of course, all this echoes the debate. >> taking place more than >> still taking place more than 20 later around rishi 20 years later around rishi sunak's to deport asylum sunak's plans to deport asylum seekers rwanda . seekers to rwanda. >> the files also reveal that tony blair was warned that the
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number 10 press office had lost, quote, all credibility under his combative communications chief, alastair campbell. joining us now to discuss this is gb news political correspondent , olivia political correspondent, olivia utley olivia lee anderson , utley olivia lee anderson, deputy uh, party chair for the tories and also of this parish. he suggested sending more migrants to the orkney isles in scotland. um, which is , you scotland. um, which is, you know, not too dissimilar from what blair was plotting some years back, privately anyway, he was lambasted by the left what starmer and co going to say about these revelations ? well absolutely. >> i found that parallel, particularly interesting. lee anderson suggested a couple of months ago that illegal migrants should be sent off to orkney. one of blair's closest advisors suggested in 1999 that, uh, illegal migrants should be sent to , off uh, the isle of mull to, off uh, the isle of mull very , very similar policy very, very similar policy proposals. now, of course , none proposals. now, of course, none of the policy proposals suggest in these documents, which have been revealed today by the
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national archives, were actually implemented by the labour government . in the end, the government. in the end, the suggestion of sending migrants to the isle of mull didn't get beyond a sort of feasibility study . and course, don't study. and of course, we don't actually have any hard evidence that tony blair backed any of these suggestions . what we these suggestions. what we do have evidence that the prime have is evidence that the prime minister frustrated minister was very frustrated with the asylum system, as it currently stood, he said over and over again that the system was more bad and that we should be considered more, uh, robust solutions to the problem . solutions to the problem. obviously, today, rishi sunak is deaung obviously, today, rishi sunak is dealing with similar problems. the number of asylum applications in 2002 was the highest it's ever been, at just over 84,000, but then only about 20% of asylum claims were accepted . now, far more than accepted. now, far more than that, up to 80% of asylum claims are accepted, and the time it takes for a claim to process through the system is, on average, 420 days, well over a yeah average, 420 days, well over a year. so the problem for rishi sunak now, if anything is worse
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than the problem that blair had in the late 90s and early 2000, it'll be really interesting to see what keir starmer makes of these papers. keir starmer , uh, these papers. keir starmer, uh, has been very, very critical of rishi sunak's rwanda plan at the beginning of the year. he was saying it was a cruel policy. he doesn't to saying that doesn't seem to be saying that quite so often now, but he does say that it's unwelcome say that it's an unwelcome policy and that even it was policy and that even if it was up running, if it was up and running, even if it was working time, if he working by the time, if he becomes prime minister, he would scrap it altogether . whether scrap it altogether. whether that will hold now it has emerged that tony blair's government were thinking of cooking up really very similar plans to the rwanda plan remains to be seen. already, starmer's stance on the plan has softened a bit . he stance on the plan has softened a bit. he doesn't stance on the plan has softened a bit . he doesn't say it's cruel a bit. he doesn't say it's cruel anymore , as i say, and he's also anymore, as i say, and he's also suggested that a labour government would potentially send illegal migrants offshore for processing, although that is different to the rwanda plan, where they would be sent offshore for processing and then could not come to the uk . but it
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could not come to the uk. but it does show these papers that the overton has shifted overton window has shifted a lot. 20 years ago it was not the fringe of the conservative party who was suggesting ignoring european of human rights european court of human rights legislation or sending migrants to a safe third country. it was the labour government itself . the labour government itself. will we see a similar shift to the right from labour if and when they come into office? >> it's also emerged that potentially blair's government was prepared to override the echr . echr. >> exactly . lord powell, who was >> exactly. lord powell, who was the chief of staff in downing street at the time , suggested street at the time, suggested that it in some ways perhaps britain shouldn't even have an asylum system at all on the grounds that anyone who reaches britain by sea has, by definition an come through a safe country such as france. so he suggested that perhaps european legislation should be overruled altogether . either he
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overruled altogether. either he knew that that would get into that they would get into a thicket in the courts if they were to do that. but he suggested that it might be worth it, because it would give the government years. while government 2 or 3 years. while those were being those claims were being processed courts, show processed by the courts, to show that they were serious about illegal migration. and then he also that it turned also suggested that if it turned out that the strasbourg courts stopped a labour government implementing its own immigration policy, then perhaps the time would be there to leave the european court of rights altogether again , something altogether again, something which has been suggested in much more times by more recent times by conservatives on the right of the party. >> fascinating stuff. political respondent olivia utley. thank you. we'll talk about this a little bit more now with former labour adviser and associate editor of labour uncut, kevin maher, government maher, and local government editor at conservative home. harry phibbs really good to see you both this morning. kevin. can i start with you then ? um, can i start with you then? um, does this suggest all these discussions that took place ? i discussions that took place? i know they didn't become policy ,
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know they didn't become policy, but but they did take place. does this suggest then, that blair's government did actually have quite a right wing approach to, to asylum ? to, to asylum? >> it was very interesting. these revelations um, like they are every year when they come out from the public records give you really quite telling insights at what goes on at the centre of government and what goes on is that you end up with deaung goes on is that you end up with dealing with problems and every, every prime minister, every minister probably ends up deaung minister probably ends up dealing the problems, dealing with the same problems, problems persist. and what problems just persist. and what goes comes around and all goes around comes around and all the but what you the rest of it. but what you get, you tend to is, is get, what you tend to get is, is ministers asking for, um, workable proposals to and get to workable proposals to and get to workable proposals. you go through unworkable proposals and there's a swirl of suggestions drawn up by civil servants. some of those are worked up into opfions of those are worked up into options and then some of those options, of course, then become become policy. but, you know, you the centre of government is about thinking laterally, trying to find new solutions. and often people think in that tired old
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phrase outside the box, and all kinds of things get worked up, which make for great, um, great commentary at this time of year. some of them get nowhere near being implemented. it's being implemented. but it's interesting. sometimes the thought of actually thought process of actually looking at the problem and saying, what? >> but harry, harry, we've got it in, in. we can see tony blair's handwriting that says says, you know, we must reach out or search out. sorry. that's me. his handwriting is not very good.i me. his handwriting is not very good. i have to say. we must search out even more radical measures . he search out even more radical measures. he was talking then about radical measures . about radical measures. >> i think i agree, it's absolutely fascinating. and i mean, these weren't these weren't junior people coming up with these things. and jonathan powell was his chief of staff. and it does show that there was a big difference of what he thought in private to the to the pubuc thought in private to the to the public rhetoric, the public rhetoric was it didn't call it woke. then it was called, uh, political correctness wasn't it? but that but but all that stuff
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about being very deferential towards the, um , international towards the, um, international law, the, the european union, the european convention on human rights and then in private , he rights and then in private, he thought all these arrangements were were mad, as he said in one of his scribbled notes on the on the memo and i think it does it does show that double standards of saying that the government's rwanda policy is, is somehow extreme or, um , wicked or extreme or, um, wicked or immoral when actually any government should be determined to prevent illegal immigration. you can have a liberal policy in tony blair, um, presided over a relatively liberal policy in terms of immigration and in terms of immigration and in terms of, uh, accept refugees. but it shouldn't be acceptable under any government to have people coming here illegally and being able to stay and, and therefore, i think any government should , um, should, government should, um, should, should resolve to come up with firm measures to prevent that.
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>> kevin was blair a hypocrite then, for taking one position privately, or at least entertaining a position? and yet publicly, you know, bigging up europe and the echr ? europe and the echr? >> no, i think, i think i think what, you know, the blair mantra of those years is what matters is what works. and you know, tony blair had acute political antennae and could understand pubuc antennae and could understand public opinion intuitively and could see that, look, we've got a we've got an issue and a problem with illegal migration that needs to be dealt with. and the numbers then are frankly a fraction of what they are now. but even then, it's interesting to see that, uh, blair and david blunkett at the home office were looking at very radical solutions because they perceived it to be a problem. and i think that that's the that's the that's the core issue . when that's the core issue. when you're in government, you've got to , you've got make to act, you've got to make things better. you've got to augn things better. you've got to align yourself with with public opinion. and are some opinion. and there are some people on the liberal left who just perceive immigration to be a completely neutral thing or a
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positive thing. and of course, that the centre of that is not the centre of gravity of the british public. so government, any minister so any government, any minister needs to be alive to that. and it's interesting to see and it's very interesting to see and hear the labour response to the rwanda, government's rwanda, the government's rwanda policy , is really focusing policy, which is really focusing on that it's unworkable on the fact that it's unworkable rather than immoral. there are people say immoral, people who say it's immoral, granted , but there are not granted, but there are not people labour front bench people on the labour front bench because on labour because people on the labour front in few front bench realise in a few short to be short months they're going to be deaung short months they're going to be dealing with these problems themselves. >> yeah. should we about >> yeah. should we talk about someone very someone who's probably not very revered when it comes to our viewers? or maybe so alastair campbell , who, uh, viewers? or maybe so alastair campbell, who, uh, blair or his office anyway, said that towards the end of his government, he was losing all credibility as his head of communications in downing street. um, is this something we knew previously, harry or or, uh. something we knew previously, harry or or, uh . or is campbell harry or or, uh. or is campbell now being outed as, uh, you know, a bit of a liability under the blair government ? the blair government? >> well, i think what's, what's
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brought home with the new information we've got is how concerned the civil service were, because bear in mind, he wasn't. he wasn't employed by the labour party. he was he was supposedly , uh, a civil servant. supposedly, uh, a civil servant. his his salary was being paid for by us, by the by the taxpayer. and therefore there's a there's a responsibility to have a standard of professionalism , to have a, have professionalism, to have a, have a standard of honesty , uh, not a standard of honesty, uh, not to, um, bully people, bully journalists that he , that, that journalists that he, that, that he didn't like or stepped out of line not to provide selective leaks. uh, to his, um, favourite . so of course, we, we all remember the, um, the, the, the scandals over the iraq war and, and the death of david kelly and all those which were obviously in a, in a, in a particular league in terms of the seriousness of it. but it was, it was broader than that. the the bullying and the and the and the bullying and the and the and the dishonesty, the lack of um, professionalism something professionalism was something that the civil service were
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obviously, uh, deeply embarrassed about. and complained to. um to tony blair. and they didn't, um, get anywhere. but i don't think it's surprising that his antics caused considerable dismay . okay. >> and how much influence kevin did, did alastair campbell have, you know, was it was it can it be any way compared to the influence that a certain dominic cummings appeared to have over bofis cummings appeared to have over boris johnson ? boris johnson? >> i think we can overplay sometimes the impact advisors can have and i mean , to quote can have and i mean, to quote margaret thatcher, which is not something i tend to do very often. advisers advise and ministers decide. so alyssa campbell played campbell worked hard, played hard, definitely. and you know, he would say himself, i'm sure . he would say himself, i'm sure. and in fact i've you know, i've seen him say this previously that would able to that he would not be able to operate the way that he operate in the way that he operated in that period in today's media climate, it's a very, different world and very, very different world and what have you. but the in what have you. but in the in those still those days where it's still basically about um, print basically about, um, the print media dictating the political agenda, he was supremely
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effective. and a lot of his critics , um, fairly, fairly critics, um, fairly, fairly miffed with him he was miffed with him because he was supremely now, now, supremely effective. now, now, did too the labour did he go too far? the labour government ended up in a very kind of protracted very kind of protracted and very silly , um, spat silly and destructive, um, spat with the bbc during that, during that period, which did neither the bbc nor the labour government any credit. so you know, in the kind of first rule of the, the sort of guild of spin doctors, when you become the story, you've got to go. and i think that's that's pretty much happened alastair much what happened with alastair campbell. know, campbell. but i mean, you know, he writes on this period very soberly very reflectively soberly and very reflectively himself . and i think, you know, himself. and i think, you know, his of that period are his diaries of that period are absolutely essential reading. and he's very, you know, he's very about his own very honest about his own shortcomings as well. >> some amazing >> yeah. some amazing revelations , uh, with regards to revelations, uh, with regards to campbell and blair both tried lobbying the bbc or at least complaining to the bbc at the time because they very time because they were very upset way were upset with the way they were covering the iraq war. um, but former labour adviser and associate editor of labour uncut, kevin maher and local
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government editor at conservativehome, harry phibbs thank for your time . thank you so much for your time. >> okay, just before we move on, something which might get you in a very good mood for 2024, is the chance to win £10,000 cash. brand new tech and shopping vouchers. you could be the winner of our first great british giveaway ! and here's all british giveaway! and here's all the details you need to know. make sure you don't miss your chance to win three brilliant pnzes chance to win three brilliant prizes in our great british giveaway prizes, which can make your new year start with a bang! >> there's a totally tax free £10,000 cash to be won cash to spend however you like. what would you do with it? we'll also send you on a new year shopping spree with £500 of vouchers to spendin spree with £500 of vouchers to spend in the store of your choice, and if all of that wasn't enough, you'll also get a brand new 15 pro max for brand new iphone 15 pro max for another chance to win the iphone.the another chance to win the iphone. the vouchers and £10,000 cash to gb win to 84 9000. two texts cost £2 plus one standard
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network rate message , or post network rate message, or post your name and to number be zero one. po box 8690. derby de192. uk only entrants must be 18 or oveh uk only entrants must be 18 or over. lines close at 5 pm. on friday the 5th of january. full terms and privacy notice at gb news. com forward slash win good luck . luck. >> looks good, doesn't it? a bit miffed that we can't enter that. lots of great prizes still to come . uh, our paper review with come. uh, our paper review with mike porky parry and henry hill. elsewhere, the un says an estimated 150 palestinians are being forced to flee areas of central gaza as israeli forces expand their ground offensive. >> you're with ben leo and pip tomson, britain's newsroom on gb news stay with . us. news stay with. us. >> good morning. alex burkill here with your latest gb news, weather forecast it is going to be a blustery, showery day for many of us today and a bit
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chilly towards the north as a result, we're likely to see a bit of sleet or snow as those showers in northerly showers pile in on a northerly wind here and it is also going to be a showery picture elsewhere. bright or sunny elsewhere. some bright or sunny spells in between the showers , spells in between the showers, but those showers merging into longer spells of rain as we go into the afternoon. a bit of a mild feel to things towards the south with temperatures here reaching highs around 11 or reaching highs of around 11 or 12 celsius colder than this. further north and always feeling colder in those strong blustery winds across shetland as we go through this evening and overnight, expecting some overnight, i'm expecting some heavy showers very heavy showers and some very strong winds elsewhere through the night. the showers largely clearing and increasing clearing away and increasing amounts of clear skies too. as a result, some frost is quite likely , especially across parts likely, especially across parts of scotland. temperatures plummeting here but a few plummeting here but even a few pockets frost possible pockets of frost possible further south. saturday then gets to a mostly fine start, gets off to a mostly fine start, but it doesn't last before some heavy rain and strong winds push in from the west in association with a deep area of low pressure
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just to the west of the uk. that then brings some unsettled weather to places and also weather to many places and also the risk of some significant snow across scotland we go snow across scotland as we go through saturday could see 10 to 20cm over the highest ground again a mild day towards the south feeling . unpleasant in south but feeling. unpleasant in the wind and the rain. and then new year's eve does look like it will be a
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news. britain's news channel. >> it is 1129 almost and you are with britain's newsroom on gb news with ben leo and pip tomson. >> now the un says an estimated 150,000 palestine lions are being forced to flee areas of central gaza as israeli forces expand and their ground offensive. it comes as egypt confirms it's put forward a three stage proposal to stop the fighting. >> well, world leaders are reflecting on the conflict and what might happen in 2024. is any end in sight. charlie peters has this report . has this report. >> under the cover of thousands of rockets, hamas terrorists launched their bloodiest attack in decades over 1200 people were killed on the october seven attacks, dubbed black saturday in israel . stories of the brutal in israel. stories of the brutal ality of the terror gradually reached the world. innocents burned and beheaded, widespread sex crimes, families murdered in
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their homes, hundreds taken hostage in retaliation, the israeli military launched an unprecedented bombing campaign, followed by a ground invasion into the gaza strip. the idf's mission is to destroy hamas leadership and military infrastructure and recover its hostages . at first, the west and hostages. at first, the west and much of the world rallied with israel following the horror of the attacks , but some of that the attacks, but some of that support has shifted to concern amid the humanitarian catastrophe enveloping the coastal enclave . the un says coastal enclave. the un says that over half a million people are enduring a catastroph hunger crisis over 21,000 palestinians have been killed since the war erupted, according to the hamas run health ministry, with over 70% of them women and children . 70% of them women and children. hamas figures do not distinguish between male civilians and terrorists . the violence has terrorists. the violence has sparked protests and marches in
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britain, with controversial pro—palestine demonstrations and a major rally against anti—semitism taking place on london's streets . but amid the london's streets. but amid the debate over the destruction, british politicians have continued to visit israel to support and advise. soon after the attacks, rishi sunak arrived to express solidarity . foreign to express solidarity. foreign secretary james cleverly and bofis secretary james cleverly and boris johnson arrived soon after with the former prime minister telling gb news that the west needed to be patient after october's horrors give israel a time and the space to conduct the operation to track down the people who did this and to make sure they can never do it again. lord cameron joined world leaders to warn israel that its civilian casualties were too high. some analysts have criticised the use of heavy munitions on targets in urban refugee camps , and despite
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refugee camps, and despite a seven day ceasefire with some hostages released, there is little hope of peace and security returning to gaza soon. israel's army chief said that the conflict will rage on for many months as his forces push into central gaza . soon they into central gaza. soon they will target the south, where almost over a million people have gathered after being displaced , desperately fleeing displaced, desperately fleeing the violence . but that violence the violence. but that violence is now spilling across the region. the president of the palestinian authority has warned that the west bank could explode at any time. drone and missile attacks on international shipping by iran backed groups continue in the red sea . rocket continue in the red sea. rocket exchanges are escalating on the lebanese border . us forces are lebanese border. us forces are coming under regular attack in iraq and syria, and european security agencies claim to have smothered a hamas attack in germany with no end in sight. there are growing fears that the israeli invasion of the small coastal strip could soon become
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a global catastrophe. oil prices could rocket inflationary concerns are growing and security agencies are on high alert. charlie peters , gb news alert. charlie peters, gb news charlie peters with that report . charlie peters with that report. >> plenty more coming up on the show. but first, let's get your headunes show. but first, let's get your headlines with . aaron headlines with. aaron >> hi there . at 1133, i'm aaron >> hi there. at 1133, i'm aaron armstrong in the gb newsroom. police say they're determined to secure justice for a good samaritan who was killed in sheffield on wednesday . chris sheffield on wednesday. chris marriott died when a car hit a crowd people in the crowd of people in the burngreave of the he burngreave area of the city. he was walking his wife and was walking with his wife and two sons when he tried to two young sons when he tried to aid a woman who was lying unconscious on the street. two men in custody after being men are in custody after being arrested on suspicion of murder and murder . and attempted murder. forecasters are warning that winds of up to 75mph could hit parts of southern england and wales tomorrow, with the country still reeling from storm, gareth. around 100 homes in
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greater manchester are still deaung greater manchester are still dealing with the aftermath of the suspected in the suspected tornado in scotland . around 1500 properties scotland. around 1500 properties were without electricity for a second night, but power companies are confident they'll restore the network by the end of the day. tony blair's government considered sending migrants to the isle of mull in an effort to tackle migration. in 2003, the former prime minister encouraged his advisers to seek out radical measures to tackle the problem with a migrant camp on the scottish island described as the nuclear option. it would have seen illegal migrants being sent to a holding camp with little or no right of appeal. the scheme also suggested deporting to suggested deporting people to regional havens in turkey, regional safe havens in turkey, kenya and south africa . burglars kenya and south africa. burglars targeted the home of the england midfielder jack grealish last night while his family was at home. £1 million worth of jewellery and watches is understood to have been stolen while he was playing for manchester city against everton. a correction that was two nights ago and the footballers, family and fiancee were reportedly
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watching the match on tv when they heard a disturbance. no arrests have been made and arrests have yet been made and more on all of our stories on our website gb news. com . for our website gb news. com. for exclusive , limited edition and exclusive, limited edition and rare gold coins that are always newsworthy. >> rosalind gold proudly sponsors the gb news financial report . report. >> quick look at the market. the pound buys you $1.2731 ,1.1505. gold costs £1,622.94 per ounce. the ftse 100, at 7733 points. >> rosalind gold proudly sponsors the gb news financial report . report. >> still to come , the uk's >> still to come, the uk's largest police forces have reported a sharp rise in religious hate crimes following the outbreak of the israel—hamas conflict in october. you're with ben leo and pip tomson. >> we'll be discussing that and
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>> yes, greg says on the honours front . do they deserve them? tim front. do they deserve them? tim martin of wetherspoons. definitely . justin welby definitely yes. justin welby definitely not. >> uh , john says potentially >> uh, john says potentially great news as tim is a great supporter of the uk. a man we can truly be proud of to be honoured. >> yeah, and warren just says tim martin has created over 43,000 jobs, has venues all over the uk and you can get cheap food and drink. as forjustin welby, the archbishop of woke, if the church wants to be involved politics, then tax involved in politics, then tax the churches and i had a bit of a p0p the churches and i had a bit of a pop because i said that wetherspoons allow dogs in pubs >> well, that's , uh, that's >> well, that's, uh, that's provoked some of you , barbara provoked some of you, barbara says to me, unless your hygiene habhs says to me, unless your hygiene habits are dodgy, pip, dogs should not be allowed into a place serving food except guide dogs and stuart says we were regular customers in our scunthorpe pub until our most friendly staff he was banned. since we have not been since then we have not been back, which is so sad. and there's kids still on the rampage . tim might be listening. rampage. tim might be listening.
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stuart the dog. you are stuart with the dog. you are right. okay yeah. talking of dogs, there's just two to dogs, there's just two days to go now until the xl bully ban comes into force. we'll be talking about this in a moment with deputy editor of conservativehome, henry hill, and journalist and broadcaster mike parry, now with this issue, it means that from december the sist, it means that from december the 31st, the it means that from december the sist, the xl it means that from december the 31st, the xl bully type breed is going to be banned. and it also means that those xl bully types in dogs, homes and shelters up and down the uk will have to be put down unless they can be rehomed. yes, campaigners. >> they've criticised the government for what they see as a, quote, knee jerk reaction and they claim the new regulations are causing many dogs be are causing many dogs to be abandoned. winter. as abandoned. this winter. as people prepare for the incoming changes the law. changes to the law. >> , a few days you >> now, a few days ago, you might have watching and might have been watching and listening. was speaking listening. when i was speaking to colin ballance, who's a home liaison officer at manchester dogs home, and colin introduced us to one of the xl bully types
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needed a home. roxy, a dog, he said, that has a beautiful temperament. nothing wrong with her at all, he claimed. well, just have a look at this clip and i'll just be so sad, you know? >> i mean, all dogs deserve a chance. um, especially , you chance. um, especially, you know, when there's well behaved as roxy is. roxy is just a really nice dog. and all the staff love roxy. you know, and it's going to be hard on the staff as well. when roxy . staff as well. when roxy. >> well, that obviously provoked a bit of a reaction from you. many people are hoping that roxy did get a new home. well, i just wanted to update you that we have had some good news because she has got a second chance. two days before this ban comes into force. two days before she could have been put down, manchester dogs home shared the announcement on social media. and she's got hopefully a new life, a new lovely new life ahead of her. mike, what are your thoughts on that? >> don't understand why >> well, i don't understand why anybody an xl anybody would have an xl bully dog than a cocker spaniel
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dog rather than a cocker spaniel or a labrador, really don't, or a labrador, i really don't, it's a difference it's a bit of a difference though, well, though, isn't it? well, of course there's a difference. that's what i'm saying. the difference to me is an xl bully dog a permanent now dog is a permanent threat. now it's well watching that it's all very well watching that clip. dog. clip. oh, nice. gentle dog. beautiful and i've other beautiful and i've seen other owners with their xl bully dog licking their face. i'm sorry. if you look at the history of xl bully dogs, cross breeds bully dogs, they're cross breeds , one the breeds they're , and one of the breeds they're crossed killer dogs. crossed with are killer dogs. you know, that been you know, dogs that have been bred to actually bred in the past to actually kill either animals or in kill either other animals or in hunting terms, and they've got that gene and that instinct in them. so i think anybody who has an xl bully dog is completely off their rocker because of the chance. >> but the problem is you don't know if it is actually an xl bully type dog, because why take the risk? well, the criteria that the government is introduced to know, whether it is bully type dog is to do is an xl bully type dog is to do with appearance and measurements. it's not do measurements. it's not to do with the dog's dna , and that's with the dog's dna, and that's part of the problem. henry >> was going to just >> sorry, i was going to just going say there's such going to say there's no such thing. according to owners of these as bad dog, it's
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these dogs, as a bad dog, it's just you concur just bad owners. do you concur with that? >> mean, withthat? >> mean, mean with that? >> mean, mean, with that? >> mean, mean , every dog is >> i mean, i mean, every dog is obviously different , >> i mean, i mean, every dog is obviously different, but that's within a you breed within a range. you can breed dogs for traits. dogs do have different temperaments by breed, and with there are and the problem with there are two bullies two problems with xl bullies that they that combine together. one, they are just hunting are bred from not just hunting dogs can be fine. dogs because that can be fine. they're from fighting dogs. they're bred from fighting dogs. dog right? dog fighting dogs, right? these are very are trained to be very aggressive and to the size of them, like an xl bully can grow to heavier than a man . you to heavier than a grown man. you saw that in that picture. saw that one in that picture. imagine that had been going. imagine if that had been going. you pictures of you see you see pictures of owners struggling to control them, and they can be well—behaved to the well—behaved right up to the point they're not. point that they're not. >> dog can be well, >> well, any dog can be well, yeah, point yeah, but until the point they're not. >> chihuahua goes >> yeah, but if a chihuahua goes for your ankle, frankly, that's survivable, xl survivable, right? like xl bullies, shorter bullies, they do have a shorter temperament bullies, they do have a shorter temperam fight. and if they trained to fight. and if they do attack you, they can kill a grown man. so while i do feel for owners, is absurd for the owners, it is absurd that dangerous dogs was that the dangerous dogs act was not years ago to prevent not updated years ago to prevent this getting this particular breed getting into first place. >> totally agree and you talk >> i totally agree and you talk about view, about the owners. in my view, owners of bully dogs are owners of xl bully dogs are those who want to express
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those people who want to express their being the their personality as being the toughest guy in the neighbourhood. know , isn't neighbourhood. you know, isn't that a stereotype? that a bit of a stereotype? no, it's not, not. i've seen it's not, it's not. i've seen people around with xl people walking around with xl bully and the like on a bully dogs and the like on a chain rather than a lead , and chain rather than a lead, and that to me is an indication of the sort of person who often i'm not always the person not saying always the person we've just seen doesn't fall into this category, often into this category, but often it's the ego . it's for the it's for the ego. it's for the sense look important i am sense of look how important i am and don't mess with me. and i think that's a dreadful reason . think that's a dreadful reason. excuse me? to keep a dangerous dog. >> the concern is, is that there are thousands that are are thousands of dogs that are going to be affected by this ban and because they could be in excel type bully. yeah. uh, and there's a lot of worried dog owners out there. but let's move on to, to something else. >> ben. yes police are giving up on four crimes a minute without tracking down the culprits. as the number of rapists, violent thugs and burglars who evade the law rises is this a problem with poor police thing? is it a government problem where they're not resourced enough? what's the
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issue here? why are police giving up ? giving up? >> i mean, if you. if i had to pin it down to one thing, it's that a hugely disproportionate number of violent crimes and other crimes like this are caused a small number caused by quite a small number of and generally, you of people, and generally, if you want society, you want a low crime society, you want a low crime society, you want people locked up. now want a low crime society, you warhave people locked up. now want a low crime society, you warhave a people locked up. now want a low crime society, you warhave a justice; locked up. now want a low crime society, you warhave a justice system up. now want a low crime society, you warhave a justice system where ow we have a justice system where the are full. we don't the prisons are full. we don't have spaces. it takes have enough spaces. it takes years to something years to bring something to court. do up with court. and so you do end up with with that small number people with that small number of people causing amount of, of causing a huge amount of, of crime police keep crime that the police can't keep up if they do keep up up with. and if they do keep up with hard bring with them, it's hard to bring charges. they bring charges. if they do bring charges, it takes years to get to court. if it does to to court. if it does get to court, they a suspended court, they get a suspended sentence because there's no room in the prison. that's the problem. we're to have >> mike, we're supposed to have more as well. more police officers as well. >> critic >> look, i've been a huge critic of the for years. not the of the nhs for years. not the way it works. when get way it works. when you get there, but the structure of it. you every they you know, and every time they want the throw want to improve the nhs, throw money at it. now, it seems to me from report from the this dreadful report today, they're now today, that's what they're now doing with police officers, throw we're throw more money at it. so we're getting 20,000 more police officers . the huge figures uh officers. the huge figures uh
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expected to spend a further 18.5 billion on the wage bill over the next decade. that's a home office figure, right? and all they're doing is keep throwing money without redefining money at it without redefining the actual of a police the actual role of a police officer in society who has become another branch of the social services, often dealing with people who have mental problems instead of dealing with real crime. and it's got to be pulled apart put back pulled apart and put back together again . my last together again. my last encounter cops, encounter with the cops, a serious and i'm referring serious crime, and i'm referring now to this idea that they don't investigate it, and the next day it's just, um, wiped off the books. was when somebody tried to me by driving into my to carjack me by driving into my garage late at night after me and tried to steal my car by that. and tried to steal my car by that . uh, it and tried to steal my car by that. uh, it was a couple of years ago. um and i finished a late shift, and it was 4:00 in the morning, but they drove in on a stolen motorbike behind me. they out car, they dragged me out the car, tried steal the car. luckily, tried to steal the car. luckily, it resolved itself. police came very on the night, but very efficient on the night, but the afterwards , the day the day afterwards, the day after that, i got a notice saying no further investigation will take place.
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>> haven't. haven't. harry the police just lost all respect. by the way, let me applaud all our police officers working in this country if you're country because if you're a victim first victim of crime, the first person see whether person you want to see whether they're not is a they're there or not is a coppeh they're there or not is a copper. thank you to those copper. so thank you to those who do serve. however the argument that the police or argument is that the police or at least sections them, have argument is that the police or at leetoo;ections them, have argument is that the police or at leetoo focussed them, have argument is that the police or at leetoo focussed on|em, have argument is that the police or at leetoo focussed on what1ave argument is that the police or at leetoo focussed on what some been too focussed on what some would woke issues would call pc woke issues painting their cars in rainbow wraps and doing the ymca down at pride , when in actual fact pride, when in actual fact people don't want to see them doing that. the optics doing that. it's just the optics of just crime of it. they just want crime solved, which they're doing. solved, which they're not doing. is argument that people is there an argument that people have just lost respect for the police? >> i there's an argument >> i think there's an argument that forces have that some police forces have really their perception really damaged their perception by appearing the wrong by appearing to have the wrong priorities those don't priorities. those those don't necessarily consume all that much actual police resources. whereas actually mike's right. the police the fact that the police now have stand ins for have are basically stand ins for so many social they so many social services. they get called out so many things get called out to so many things that a generation ago not that a generation ago would not have they might spend responsibility. they might spend six with six hours in a hospital with somebody they just arrested. but ultimately, send ultimately, if you can't send someone when you someone to prison when you finally them court, that
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finally get them to court, that person going go on to person is going to go on to commit crime. there's commit more crime. there's nothing the police can do about that. need prisons, that. and we need more prisons, and to get more people in. >> i totally his]. h with that. >> i totally agree with that. and almost an incentive now >> i totally agree with that. an get almost an incentive now >> i totally agree with that. an get involved an incentive now >> i totally agree with that. an get involved in| incentive now >> i totally agree with that. an get involved in crime tive now >> i totally agree with that. anget involved in crime because to get involved in crime because you fear if they you have nothing to fear if they don't clear up rates and if don't have clear up rates and if they're abandoning investigation after an after 36 hours, that's an incentive for somebody not incentive for somebody who's not on and narrow on the straight and narrow to get it'll get involved in crime. and it'll get involved in crime. and it'll get well , we'll stick with crime, >> well, we'll stick with crime, but about antisemitic but we'll talk about antisemitic hate crimes , because, henry, hate crimes, because, henry, those have risen sharply since october 7. that terrorist attack by hamas on israel. october 7. that terrorist attack by hamas on israel . these by hamas on israel. these figures have come from some of the uk's police forces. also show a rise in islamophobic offences as well. >> yeah, well , this is a sign of >> yeah, well, this is a sign of how the conflict in the middle east has real implications for people in britain , the jewish people in britain, the jewish community in particular, to not deprecate the anti the anti—muslim prejudice, but the muslim community in particular are hugely worried about this spike in anti—semitic developments. and we were talking just a moment ago about police perceptions throughout
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those there those early weeks when there were those protests and were all of those protests and you had people some of the you had people at some of the not them, some not all of them, but some people at pro—palestine at some of the pro—palestine rallies for, you know, rallies calling for, you know, muslim armies to liberate palestine and jihad was down there. happened? it was there. and what happened? it was always the jewish counter—protesters, peaceful counter—protesters, the peaceful jewish counter—protesters and sympathisers jewish counter—protesters and sympatpolice. jewish counter—protesters and sympat police. because by the police. right, because their was was keeping their priority was was keeping order and if that moving, order and if that meant moving, a of peaceful a small number of peaceful protesters from a large protesters away from a large number violent number of potentially violent protesters, they did. >> down mean, >> i was down there. i mean, a lot rallies were lot of those rallies were peaceful, but there were swathes of as we saw mike, where of them as we saw mike, where people from the people were chanting from the river sea, which some river to the sea, which some would anti—semitic would say is an anti—semitic chant. also means israel chant. also it means wipe israel off face earth. off the face of the earth. >> that's what it means. and people it. those people try and explain it. those rallies being rallies went from being supportive to palestinian to what they are now , which is an what they are now, which is an anti—jewish protest on the streets of london. there's no other way you can describe it. they out there and, you know, they go out there and, you know, waving palestinian waving the palestinian flag. it's waving the palestinian flag. lbs and waving the palestinian flag. it's and it's it's intimidating and it's worrying for anybody in the jewish community, which isn't huge country. and they huge in this country. and they are anti—jewish are anti —jewish marches. >> to are anti—jewish marches. >> to say in my >> i was going to say in my ignorance, i wasn't aware
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there's something like there's only something like 330,000 280,000 jews in this country, just in the hundreds of thousands. didn't that thousands. i didn't know that before. a couple of months before. maybe a couple of months ago. before. maybe a couple of months ago it's very, very difficult . >> it's a very, very difficult. and we know from talking about it here on the show and it's such a polarising issue. we know from the amount of messages that we get coming in, but there's a lot of people who just want peace. henry. it you know, on all sides the suffering is inexplicable. >> i mean , i mean, it's >> i mean, i mean, it's certainly horrifying . i don't i certainly horrifying. i don't i don't think it's inexplicable. and everyone wants peace. but the question is on what terms? right because the problem is israel withdrew from gaza in two thousand 2006, thousand and seven, 2006, let gaza ended up gaza run itself. gaza ended up run by hamas turned run by hamas. hamas turned it effectively a city sized effectively into a city sized terrorist camp . um, how terrorist training camp. um, how do you how do you know everyone wants peace? even israel wants peace, right? even the even even the palestinian authority want peace. question is, how do peace. the question is, how do you do get you get there? how do you get to a israel feels a solution where israel feels safe and secure? where you don't have using safe and secure? where you don't hathe using safe and secure? where you don't hathe expense using safe and secure? where you don't hathe expense of using safe and secure? where you don't
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hathe expense of manng safe and secure? where you don't hathe expense of many lives at the expense of how many lives , mike? >> 20,000, 21,000, apparently . >> 20,000, 21,000, apparently. >> 20,000, 21,000, apparently. >> i think it's an insoluble problem out in the middle east until the big middle east countries who hold a huge proportion of the world's wealth. and i'm talking about saudi arabia, i'm talking about qatar, i'm talking about the countries they must be countries there. they must be able to fashion some sort of solution. they're part of the world. instead of relying on the rest of the world to it. rest of the world to support it. i'm not on these marches, by the way. every time somebody sees that march the they're that march on the telly, they're going know, going to think, oh, you know, this is horrible what you're doing people. and doing to palestinian people. and that will generate an that in itself will generate an anti—jewish feeling, won't it? that's what that's why, in my view, they are, you know. so dave , generous to be allowed to dave, generous to be allowed to keep going on. >> there is a difference between the israeli government policies and how they are deciding to conduct this war. and israeli people themselves. oh yeah . people themselves. oh yeah. >> absolutely. there is i think the argument has never been that criticising the israeli government is anti—semitic . government is anti—semitic. that's never been an argument.
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i've seen advanced. but the problem is that awful lot of problem is that an awful lot of people that people don't make that distinction right. we talked about sea, the about the river to the sea, the there is a difference between saying benjamin netanyahu's saying that benjamin netanyahu's government its policies government and its policies are bad, israel is bad, and saying that israel is a fundamentally legitimate state that right that doesn't have a right to defend and that defend itself, and that palestine should consist the palestine should consist of the entire israel and palestine territory. those are different things. lots of the things. and lots of the protesters draw the distinction. >> well, there's been growing calls in recent weeks for a ceasefire, hasn't there? we had joe biden hinting netanyahu joe biden hinting to netanyahu that his bombing was indiscriminate. then you had ben wallace a piece in the wallace writing a piece in the telegraph, and of course, lord cameron a joint letter cameron signing a joint letter with germans , saying we with the germans, saying that we need called need a what's called a sustainable, yeah sustainable, uh, ceasefire. yeah >> so but what they have to do is they have to concentrate on the that that will the one, um, fact that that will get everybody motivated. that's the number of casualties. so in all three of those declarations you've talked about, it was the urge reduce the number of urge to reduce the number of casualties. they can't call for a ceasefire because hamas don't want a ceasefire. how must want to eradicate 8500 children,
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whether they're israeli or palestinian, is too much? >> absolutely. yeah that is it. from britain's newsroom thank you to you both. thank you very much for your company. i'm back for breakfast on new year's day. you're back here, aren't you? on tomorrow morning with emily? >> yeah. take care. see you sooi'i. 500“. >> soon. >> breakfast on new year's day . >> breakfast on new year's day. >> breakfast on new year's day. >> well, you to be careful >> well, you got to be careful with champagne, pip. coming with the champagne, pip. coming up afternoon, britain with the champagne, pip. coming up me afternoon, britain with the champagne, pip. coming up me , afternoon, britain with the champagne, pip. coming up me , emilyzrnoon, britain with the champagne, pip. coming up me , emily carvel. britain with the champagne, pip. coming up me , emily carvel. we've got with me, emily carvel. we've got lots stuck into. the lots to get stuck into. the police. police are under police. the police are under fire again . over half of fire once again. over half of our police forces are not investigating crime properly . investigating crime properly. they're not solving crimes for us. and that is probably their top job. wouldn't you have thought that's what the official watchdog has said. we'll find out . out why. >> a brighter outlook with boxt solar sponsors of weather on . gb news. >> good morning, news. >> good morning , alex news. >> good morning, alex burkill here with your latest gb news weather forecast. it is going to be a blustery, showery day for
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many of us today and a bit chilly towards the north as a result, we're likely to see a bit of sleet or snow as those showers pile on a northerly showers pile in on a northerly wind here and it is also going to be a showery picture elsewhere. some bright or sunny spells the showers, spells in between the showers, but those merging into but those showers merging into longer spells of rain we go longer spells of rain as we go into the afternoon. a bit of a mild feel to things towards the south with temperatures here reaching of around 11 or reaching highs of around 11 or 12 celsius colder than this further north and always feeling colder in those strong blustery winds across shetland as we go through this evening and overnight, i'm expecting some heavy showers some very heavy showers and some very strong winds elsewhere through the night. the showers largely clearing and increasing clearing away and increasing amounts of clear skies to as a result, some frost is quite likely , especially across parts likely, especially across parts of scotland. temperatures plummeting here a few plummeting here but even a few pockets possible pockets of frost possible further south. saturday then gets off to a mostly fine start, but it doesn't last before some heavy rain and strong winds push in from the west in association with a deep area of low pressure
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just to the west of the uk . that just to the west of the uk. that then brings some unsettled to weather many places, and also the some significant the risk of some significant snow across scotland as go snow across scotland as we go through saturday could see 10 to 20cm over the highest ground again, a mild day towards the south but feeling unpleasant in the wind and the rain. and then new year's eve does look it new year's eve does look like it will blustery , showery will be a blustery, showery picture that warm picture for many that warm feeling inside from boxt boilers sponsors of weather on gb news .
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>> good afternoon britain . it is >> good afternoon britain. it is 12:00 on friday. the 29th of december. blair, five years previously classified government documents show that former prime minister tony blair drew up a plan to house migrants in a camp on the isle of mull as part of a nuclear option for tackling the mounting asylum issue. does this put the government's rwanda plan into some perspective? trump disqualified democrat leaning maine removes donald trump from its presidential primary ballot. this comes as the former president is accused of inciting the us capitol riot . sheffield the us capitol riot. sheffield murder inquiry a good samaritan, christian marriott, has been killed whilst coming to the aid of a stranger as a car hit a group of people in sheffield will be live on the scene
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