ina passenger plane erupts in a firestorm after colliding with a smaller coastguard plane as it came in to land . the 379 came in to land. the 379 passengers fled the inferno . passengers fled the inferno. however, the six crew aboard the coastguard flight have sadly died. that's according to public broadcaster nhk . they say haven broadcaster nhk. they say haven britain, the home office granted over 50,000 people asylum last year. yeah >> while the acceptance rate is down on last year, this is the highest number since records began. this comes as the prime minister celebrates clearing the asylum backlog in a reduction in small boat crossings . small boat crossings. >> nhs stand off junior doctors are set to walk out tomorrow in the longest strike in nhs history. the head of nhs england says that the six day walkout will have a significant impact on routine care.

>> now shocking scenes out of japan and scenes that i think everyone can relate to. everyone's taken a passenger air flight. everyone's sort of sometimes has that bit of nervousness about what's going on. statistically, one of the safest forms of transport. and yet the scenes that we've seen in tokyo this morning have been shocking. there are some questions to answer in terms of how this happened, and could it happen elsewhere? >> yeah. could it happen elsewhere? what exactly is going on? those are the images there . on? those are the images there. of course, response of course, a fire response there. it looks like the fire is being put out. it looks like it has been put out almost. we saw earlier these shots of the huge eruption in flames engulfing the entire plane. there >> but remarkable that the over 200 passengers on board got out 379. >> the reported deaths coming from the smaller plane that crashed into this one. >> but big questions of air traffic control of logistics , of traffic control of logistics, of engineering. and we'll be

speaking to the experts to get to the bottom of this. >> yes, we will indeed. uh please get in touch on all of our stories. gb views at gbillionews.com. but first, let's your with let's get your headlines with tatiana . tatiana. >> emily, thank you and good afternoon . this is the latest afternoon. this is the latest from the gb newsroom. five of the six crew on board a japanese coast guard plane that collided with the japan airlines flight have died , and emergency crews have died, and emergency crews remain at the scene after a fire engulfed the passenger plane on the runway at tokyo's international airport. amazingly, all 379 passengers on board the japan airlines plane were safely evacuated and the incident unfolded at haneda airport, just outside tokyo. witnesses saying the plane exploded into flames. the coastguard plane had been on its way to deliver aid to areas affected by a powerful earthquake that struck on new year's day . meanwhile rescue year's day. meanwhile rescue efforts are continuing after

that earthquake which hit which hit japan's noto peninsula nearly 50 people were killed, with residents in some areas forced to flee as tsunami waves hit the west coast, sweeping cars and houses into the water around 3000 army officers, firefighters and police officers have been deployed to the area . have been deployed to the area. the home secretary insists the government has cleared a backlog of asylum cases, as critics accuse the government of fiddling the figures as the number of asylum decisions made last year was the highest since 2002. as the government insists its commitment to clear the number of legacy claims has been delivered . labour says the delivered. labour says the claims are false , while reports claims are false, while reports suggest the reduced figure is in part due to some legacy cases being moved to another category . being moved to another category. but james cleverly says the number is coming down. >> processed every >> we have processed every single one of those applications in the vast majority , a final in the vast majority, a final decision has been made and in a small number there are complications . small number there are complications. but small number there are complications . but the point

small number there are complications. but the point is we have now got a much, much faster process, which is why 50 hotels that were being used for housing asylum seekers are now being given back to the commercial world so they can be put back into use as hotels. we reducing the need to accommodate asylum seekers and will be processing much more quickly going through 2024. >> a 23 year old man will go on trial later this year after being charged with the murder of a good samaritan who died as he tried to help a stranger. chris marriott was on a post—christmas walk with his wife and two young children when he stopped to help a woman who was unconscious in the street. he was killed when a car ploughed into a small crowd following a disturbance the following a disturbance in the burngreave sheffield burngreave area of sheffield last . hassan guy anker is last week. hassan guy anker is also facing five counts of attempted murder . also facing five counts of attempted murder. he's due to appearin attempted murder. he's due to appear in court for a plea and case management hearing on the 25th of march. the nhs will be stretched even further tomorrow

as junior doctors prepare to walk out in the health service's longest strike ever , an longest strike ever, an unprecedented six days of industrial action comes as the nhs faces one of its busiest periods. cases of flu and other winter illnesses are up as a staff absences due to covid, boss say it could be one of the most difficult starts to the year for the nhs ever. the bma union wants junior doctors to receive a 35% pay rise, which would restore their real earnings to levels seen in 2008. the government says those demands are unaffordable , while demands are unaffordable, while britain experienced a record number of excess deaths last year amid repeated nhs strikes and the continuing cost of the covid pandemic, analysis by the telegraph shows nearly 53,000 more people died in 2023, compared to previous years. it's the highest figure recorded in a non—pandemic year since the second . world war. meanwhile, second. world war. meanwhile, new figures show that nearly 6

million patients registered with gp clinics in england may not actually exist. there were around 63 million people registered with gp practices in england last year. registered with gp practices in england last year . that's england last year. that's despite the population sitting at just over 57 million surgeries are paid, to according the number of people on their lists, meaning some practices could be receiving millions in extra funding for people who simply don't exist . and south simply don't exist. and south korea's opposition leader has been stabbed in the neck during a visit to the city of busan in front of a crowd of people. lee jae myung was addressing reporters when a man in his 60s appeared to ask him for an autograph . he then lunged at the autograph. he then lunged at the politician with a knife. the violent attack, which happened dunng violent attack, which happened during the day in front of a crowd journalists, has crowd of journalists, has stunned the nation. several people seen restraining the people were seen restraining the attacker while others tried to help mr lee as he collapsed to the ground. he was taken to a local hospital. his injuries are not believed to be life

threatening . this is gb news threatening. this is gb news across the uk on tv , in your across the uk on tv, in your car, on your digital radio and on your smart speaker by saying play gb news. now back to tom and . emily and. emily >> now the latest from japan where a plane has burst into flames as it landed on a runway at tokyo's haneda airport earlier today. it is believed the aircraft collided with a japanese coast guard plane delivering earthquake aid. >> all 379 people on board the japan airlines flight. the passengers and the crew have been evacuated, but five out of six on board of that japanese coastguard crew have now been confirmed dead. following reports from the public broadcaster nhk. >> now , this was the scene >> now, this was the scene earlier from inside the plane . earlier from inside the plane. we're just going to show you some footage that was captured earlier inside that passenger

jet. i believe. have we got it? >> terrifying scenes there of a smoked filled cabin . and smoked filled cabin. and remarkable that all those passengers got out on board that passengers got out on board that passenger plane. but of course, let's get the latest now with our reporter, charlie peters . our reporter, charlie peters. charlie, this new breaking news five now confirmed dead . five now confirmed dead. >> yes, five confirmed dead on the dash eight aircraft of the japanese coastguard. the captain of that aircraft, which has been reportedly clipped by the japanese airlines 516 flight. it's a 350 on the runway that captain is in a severely injured state. according to the japanese transport ministry. now, this flight took off at 7 am. uk time. it landed 90 minutes later, some 22 minutes late, taking off from hokkaido, the

nonh taking off from hokkaido, the north island , and landing in north island, and landing in haneda airport in tokyo. this is the main domestic terminal for the main domestic terminal for the city, but also one of the largest airports in asia and it's extremely busy at this time because of course, japan is going through a moment of crisis right now with that earthquake , right now with that earthquake, the hardest hit peninsula. no two in the west of the island is actually where that coastguard aircraft, the dash eight, was heading to in niigata air base to deliver aid. but also join in the search because some 1000 people are engaged in looking under the rubble and coast guard aircraft are likely involved in that reconnaissance operation to help those needing aid. we've seen some footage of people laying out sos signs around buildings where some people have been trapped under under the rubble, but the question that many people are asking this morning not only is how did this happened, but also how did some

379 people survive this explosion? the footage of the crash does show this airbus a350. the left engine appearing to clip the dash eight aircraft on the runway . the significant on the runway. the significant explosion appears to be that dash eight aircraft, a relatively older aircraft built in the 1980s. well over 1000 have been delivered, whereas the a350 is just two years old. that was when it was delivered to japan airlines . now these japan airlines. now these aircraft are overengineered. all aspects of safety are anticipated and many people are describing this as a miracle . describing this as a miracle. but experts i've spoken to this morning say that this is just what the plane is meant to do. it is made of composite fibre, so carbon fibre makes up 53% of the hull of this aircraft, which is allowing those flames to stay on the exterior of the aircraft. so in that footage you played dunng so in that footage you played during the intro of smoke inside the cabin, flames licking

outside the windows but not breaking inside the hull because of that change in material, some of that change in material, some of our viewers may remember the tenerife airport disaster. of 1977, where one jumbo jet was hit by another during takeoff . hit by another during takeoff. hundreds died on that occasion because the predominantly metal jumbo jet burst into flames and the material was not resistant to the heat and the flames that quickly rushed through the aircraft by contrast, and as we're seeing now, smoke billowing from the a350 on runway 30 for at haneda airport , runway 30 for at haneda airport, that aircraft was able to resist the flames more severely and pushed them onto the exterior. now, the entire aircraft was engulfed in those flames, but it pushed further down the aircraft before capturing the inside. this allowed . all 379 passengers this allowed. all 379 passengers and crew to evacuate from the aircraft. footage did show all

of the evacuation slides coming through, so a tremendous , uh, through, so a tremendous, uh, evacuation experience this morning and this afternoon, actually, in japan , but actually, in japan, but extremely impressive for the aircraft to resist all of those flames . flames. >> and charlie, presumably following this incident, >> and charlie, presumably following this incident , the following this incident, the airport, the haneda airport is closed down. yeah. those operations are set to, i think, be closed for the next 24 to 48 hours. >> but that vital aid that needs to get to the hard hit noto peninsula in the west, that is another problem for the japanese authorities to face. many aircraft are being diverted to nearby airports in tokyo. it's one of several that serves the caphal one of several that serves the capital, but it is the largest airport in the region, so this will be a time of extreme logistical strain for japanese airlines. and of course, it's the worst possible timing for this kind of crisis. the worst possible timing for this kind of crisis . as the this kind of crisis. as the country endures , the shock of

country endures, the shock of that earthquake and the tsunami warnings to the west that vital aid will now go missing, and the ability to join in with those rescue efforts will be hampered. so we'll wait for updates to see how the japanese coastguard might continue to provide support to the earthquake . at support to the earthquake. at the same time, this has been an appalling start to 2024 for japan, an absolutely torrid time and i suppose all of our hearts go out to the people of japan facing these sort of dual tragedies . tragedies. >> but i suppose questions have to be asked about how on earth does this happen in one of the most sophisticated and one of the largest airports anywhere ? the largest airports anywhere? where in the world? how on earth did this crash could this crash have happened ? have happened? >> that's right. i mean, it was at night time and the sunset has occurred, but visibility was extremely . there is no, extremely strong. there is no, uh, kind of natural reasons or environmental reasons why a collision might have taken place. i think one of the main quenes place. i think one of the main queries at this time is that because this is a period of

heightened pressure and a period of national crisis , as the of national crisis, as the coastguard seeks to get involved with the situation on the west, it's worth pointing out that haneda airport is on the coast. and so this is a significant base operations for the base of operations for the japanese coastguard this would have contributed to the pressure being faced by air traffic control. and as you can understand, that is an extremely high pressure environment because these people are balancing so many people's lives at all times. so at the moment, of course, explanations have not been delivered, but based on the information we have and what we've seen this morning with what appears to be the left jet engine of this, a thrifty, a a350 900 clipping the nose of the dash eight vehicle, a significantly smaller aircraft which is powered by propellers on the engines that is likely to have been a moment where the dash eight aircraft was seeking to leave tokyo in order to head towards the noto peninsula, hit hard by the earthquake, of course, and so possibly an

experience of overlapping responsibilities and air traffic control not having a firm grasp of the situation . of the situation. >> thank you very much indeed. charlie peters, our reporter, bringing us the latest from that tokyo plane crash . tokyo plane crash. >> well , closer to tokyo plane crash. >> well, closer to home tokyo plane crash. >> well , closer to home now, the >> well, closer to home now, the home office claims that it has cleared the backlog of 112,000 asylum cases since mid 2022. figures show. delays have cost the taxpayer around £8 million a day to put asylum seekers up in hotels , all while they wait for hotels, all while they wait for an outcome . an outcome. >> yes, now the number of migrants crossing the english channel has also fallen. government figures show the total arrivals in 2023 was down total arrivals in 2023 was down to 29,500. that's about a third less than the year before. >> well, joining us now is the conservative mp for bassetlaw, brendan clarke—smith and brendan. i hear a lot from the home secretary from many others

in government saying, uh, these these these, these crossings are down. the acceptance rate is down. the acceptance rate is down. but these are down from increase , unprecedented highs . increase, unprecedented highs. ms so the numbers being accepted is still incredibly high by historic standards progress being made. but brendan clarke smith, i put it to you. it's very slow progress . well you're very slow progress. well you're right, tom. >> it's certainly too many. >> it's certainly too many. >> it's certainly too many. >> i think what i'd focus on this is part of a process. uh, there's a lot of different issues surrounding illegal migration the moment, but migration at the moment, but this is about this one in particular is about process , and it's almost the process, and it's almost the administrative it . administrative side of it. >> tend to break it up into >> so i tend to break it up into three parts, really. there's where people apply asylum. where people apply for asylum. there's the decision is there's where the decision is going to be made, and then there's what action you take with they've been with that, whether they've been accepted people accepted or whether people need to now, if you're to be removed. now, if you're not even getting the first not even getting past the first part applications part where the applications being looked at or processed, then can't do anything about then you can't do anything about then you can't do anything about the two. 100,000

the other two. so 100,000 was way . prime minister way too many. prime minister said he was going to get that, uh, gone by the end of the year. he's actually do he's actually managed to do that. i will give him credit that. so i will give him credit there. administrative there. on the administrative side that's something side of it. that's something that certainly done now points two and three. of course, there's going to still there's still going to be still going to be with that on going to be issues with that on the positive again the the positive side again the actual over have actual boats coming over have gone about a third. so gone down by about a third. so that's trending down well. that's trending down as well. i know a few people have said over christmas wasn't christmas okay, there wasn't there wasn't great so on. there wasn't great and so on. but actually look at the but if you actually look at the wider last quarter wider trend in the last quarter that also gone down. so it's that has also gone down. so it's not all negative. it part not all negative. it is one part of the puzzle . but this is at of the puzzle. but this is at least that's been least one thing that's been successful . mean, the same successful. i mean, in the same sense that remember when sense that you remember when everyone for their everyone was applying for their passports, a massive passports, it was a massive backlog just a case backlog and it was just a case of through that as well. of getting through that as well. but it turns out over but then it turns out over 51,000 people were granted asylum last year. >> presumably all of these people will now need housing. they'll need resources from a local councils. is that number sustainable? it is a record

high. >> sorry. i think the audio's gone. can't hear you. emily. oh, sorry. >> brendan. can you? brendan can you hear me now? oh, i think we've lost brendan. what a shame. i wanted to ask him about this massive number that we've seen in successful asylum claims. 51,000 or around that number. just last year. >> well, we'll see if we can get brendan back. but in the meantime , let's speak to our meantime, let's speak to our reporter, ray addison, joining us live from brookhouse asylum processing centre. of course. uh, ray , what's the scene on the uh, ray, what's the scene on the ground here? because, of course , ground here? because, of course, isuppose ground here? because, of course, i suppose there is some credit where credit's due. this has been a big, big backlog that has been a big, big backlog that has been reduced substantially . been reduced substantially. >> well, it's interesting, i think the word, the key word there is substantial. it has been a substantial reduction , been a substantial reduction, but it hasn't been cleared as the government have previously claimed . they say, well, we've claimed. they say, well, we've cleared the backlog and then they show you the figures and

they show you the figures and they say, well, actually we haven't backlog haven't cleared the backlog because least 4500 are still because at least 4500 are still waiting for final decision. waiting for a final decision. let's just go back very quick , let's just go back very quick, quickly, history of quickly, through the history of this , in december of 2022, rishi this, in december of 2022, rishi sunak promised to finish processing all of the asylum claims that had been made before june of 2022. this they then went on to call the legacy backlog. that was 92,000 people at that time . they were still at that time. they were still awaiting an initial decision. now the government says that today they've not only cleared that , but they've actually that, but they've actually cleared 112,000. um asylum claims during 2023. labour is saying that this is actually not true . of course, the government true. of course, the government admitting that of the 92,000, 4500 still waiting for a final decision , they're saying these decision, they're saying these are people who've , um, are people who've, um, presenting as children . they are presenting as children. they are people who might have a medical condition or they're people who, uh, could need further care security checks because they

might have a criminal record from another country . of course, from another country. of course, the home secretary was speaking on gb news breakfast earlier on today and said admitted that they simply do not have all of these numbers. of the 92,000 have final decisions and he wouldn't say how many of those who've been rejected have then since been deported . and he also since been deported. and he also said that they do not track those who voluntarily withdraw more from the asylum process . more from the asylum process. and so in terms of clearing the backlog , it's pretty significant backlog, it's pretty significant the number, as you said. but that there are still so many questions still remaining. and as of today , 98,000 asylum as of today, 98,000 asylum claims are still outstanding . so claims are still outstanding. so higher than the 92,000 that they needed to clear from june of 2022. well thank you very much indeed. >> ray addison , our reporter >> ray addison, our reporter who's outside a very windy , um, who's outside a very windy, um, windy brookhouser asylum processing centre . so many

processing centre. so many questions to ask. tom because, okay, they say they've cleared the backlog. james cleverly saying they've done it in record times . i worry saying they've done it in record times. i worry that saying they've done it in record times . i worry that essentially times. i worry that essentially they've just waved through tens of thousands of asylum claims without enough, uh , well, they without enough, uh, well, they there is that there is that worry. >> but of course, the acceptance rate is lower this year than it was last year. so despite processing more people while they've cleared proportionally fewer of them, although larger in number. >> yeah, but that brings me to my second concern, which is what's happened to those migrant who have been rejected . have who have been rejected. have they actually, um , been removed they actually, um, been removed from the country or. >> it's very hard. >> it's very hard. >> we know that the home office loses people. >> um , and it's very hard to >> um, and it's very hard to remove something if someone has come from a part of the world that don't a returns that we don't have a returns agreement with, where do we remove and this is remove them to? and this is where rwanda, course, would where rwanda, of course, would come into had been come into play had it been approved courts. of approved by the courts. but of course that's still and course, that's still stuck. and then you get this other issue of , yes, these, these almost

100,000 claims have been processed . but still 4500 of processed. but still 4500 of them, despite being processed, have not yet been completed. and it's that sort of semantic difficulty that the government gets difficulty that the government get yes. robert jenrick >> yes. and robert jenrick the former minister, he, former immigration minister, he, of resigned , was of course, resigned, was tweeting tweeting tweeting a lot, tweeting furiously his take on all furiously about his take on all of this. and he said, you know, councils complained about the backlog. they're complaining backlog. now they're complaining that office clearing that the home office is clearing cases too fast they cases too fast because they simply have the resources. simply don't have the resources. and let's remember, for every asylum claim that is accepted, a house is needed. and then other costs, of course, as well. but coming up, are you all beating the back to work rush ? we're the back to work rush? we're live on one of britain's busiest roads as one of on one of its busiest days.

eamonn and isabel monday to thursdays from 6:00 till 930. >> good afternoon britain. it's 1226 now. today marks one of the busiest days in the calendar for travel, as the british public returns to work and school following their winter holidays. >> yes, to and add insult to injury, the met office has issued an amber weather warnings as storm henk causes 80 mile per hour winds and heavy rain across the country. it's also been reported that flying debris is likely, which will cause further travel delays . of course. travel delays. of course. >> well, joining us now from birmingham airport is gb news west midlands reporter jack carson and jack , i can see it's

carson and jack, i can see it's already a little bit rainy . already a little bit rainy. might be even a little bit windy . has the travel been affected so far? things are going pretty smoothly, but it's this next kind of 4 or 5 hours where people have got maybe a morning flight from somewhere on the continent. >> um , they're then going to be >> um, they're then going to be arriving here at birmingham airport, then of airport, then trying to, of course go through. airport, then trying to, of course gi through. airport, then trying to, of course gi looked 1. airport, then trying to, of course gi looked at the arrivals >> when i looked at the arrivals and departure boards, there were some minor delays of 15, 20 minutes, nothing substantial i >> -- >> but what certainly is substantial is, of course, those those yellow weather warnings, um, and amber weather warnings , um, and amber weather warnings, um, and amber weather warnings, um, for parts the country, um, for parts of the country, particularly for, for wind and rain, they're here in birmingham. >> it's around yellow weather warnings for wind and rain as the flight takes off behind me . the flight takes off behind me. but course, that amber but of course, that amber warning doesn't stretch so far as birmingham. but of course it is still windy here and that is certainly what the likes of air traffic control will be looking out making sure that those out for, making sure that those runways times are safe runways at all times are safe for those flights to off,

for those flights to take off, but land as well here at but also land as well here at birmingham airport over the festive period around 350,000 people have been travelling to and from this airport over christmas and over the new year. of course, this is very much the last day, um, that lots of people are going to be travelling back as late as they can, making can get can, making sure they can get the out of their christmas the most out of their christmas break this break and their holiday. so this is to be definitely one of is going to be definitely one of the busiest days over next the busiest days over the next few as people really slow the busiest days over the next few to, as people really slow the busiest days over the next few to, uh, s people really slow the busiest days over the next few to, uh, start ple really slow the busiest days over the next few to, uh, start toe really slow the busiest days over the next few to, uh, start to arrive! slow start to, uh, start to arrive here. but the weather, certainly one of things that will be one of the things that will be the air traffic control the likes of air traffic control will to make will be looking out for to make sure those flights can sure that those flights can still the still get off and land on the ground safely. >> jack, you look you're >> jack, you look like you're about on to about to take off clinging on to that, clinging onto that, uh, clinging onto that umbrella with dear life. it umbrella with for dear life. it looks indeed at looks very windy indeed at birmingham airport , but, um. so birmingham airport, but, um. so have you kept an eye on the roads around birmingham? i imagine people are imagine lots of people are trying to their place of trying to get to their place of work, children to work, take their children to school schools gone school. if schools have gone back. >> yeah, well, parts of the m42 and m6 certainly do get, um ,

and m6 certainly do get, um, very, very busy, particularly around rush hour. it cleared quite quickly this morning on my way here to the airport, but certainly all afternoon of course . um, from around one course. um, from around one 2:00, the likes of the m6, particularly around spaghetti junction, where of course you can go in many different directions, take many different roads. where the roads. that's usually where the big of people, of big backlog is of people, of course, have already gone course, who have already gone back , going back, back to work, going back, coming, and coming, trying to get home and trying to maybe go back to where they but also those people they live. but also those people that arrived here at they live. but also those people thatairport arrived here at they live. but also those people thatairport also ived here at they live. but also those people thatairport also ,'ed here at they live. but also those people thatairport also , of here at they live. but also those people thatairport also , of course, the airport and also, of course, are then arriving back properly from their holiday. much , from their holiday. so much, much more traffic. millions of people, of course, on the roads making making those making those making those journeys today as they, cut journeys today as they, uh, cut their holiday short and get ready to back work. um, ready to go back to work. um, and suppose we all do get and i suppose we all do get annoyed when there are delays when don't fly, when they when planes don't fly, when they should. but i suppose today . should. but i suppose today. hey, what's what's in hey, what's what's happened in tokyo put it all tokyo really does put it all into it is so important into context. it is so important that, of safety on the that, um, sort of safety on the runway, safety at airports, particularly in the spotlight today. >> absolutely . well, thank you >> absolutely. well, thank you very much. jack carson, our

reporter birmingham reporter there at birmingham airport. yes sometimes they do that annoying thing where they circle, don't they, for can circle, don't they, for what can seem like before you seem like hours before you eventually , uh, but eventually, uh, land. but joining from somerset on joining us now from somerset on the a 303, which is a notoriously busy route, is gb news south—west of england. reporter jeff moody, jeff moore , reporter jeff moody, jeff moore, rain. more rain. how's the, uh, the traffic ? the traffic? >> well , you know, the traffic's >> well, you know, the traffic's not too bad. i mean, it's certainly very heavy as everybody comes back from their from their break, their holiday break. >> they're going back into their hometowns to go back to work. so, yeah, it's certainly very busy, but i, i haven't seen any particular this morning. particular delays this morning. the has been flowing the traffic has been flowing fairly freely and most of the hot spots, the main problem is the storm henk, which the weather storm henk, which was uh, it's the eighth named storm in three months, isn't it ? storm in three months, isn't it? >> and it was named very late this time yesterday. we'd never heard of it, but now here it is. storm henk. they're saying that it's a minor storm, but it it's a very minor storm, but it is certainly affecting people as they're uh, back ,

they're heading off. uh, back, back because there are back home. because there are very, winds. lots of very, very strong winds. lots of rain too. and there's an amber weather warning for winds which could get up to 80 miles an hour in parts the mainly in parts of the coast, mainly along the south coast of britain and up on the bristol channel as well. that's where the worst of it is. so the normal messages are in force. be very careful when you're driving and and when you're driving and try and avoid roads where there's avoid rural roads where there's avoid rural roads where there's a very real risk of trees coming down. adage try and down. and the old adage try and stay away from the beaches as well, waves can be well, because those waves can be particularly strong. but yes , at particularly strong. but yes, at the moment people are making their way pretty successfully. home >> goodness me, three storms in as many months. although i have to say storm henk is a wonderful name for a storm. it's got that sort of earthy quality to it . sort of earthy quality to it. >> yes, they coming. we'll >> yes, they keep coming. we'll probably see more this winter. thank you. jeff moody, our gb news southwest of england reporter i feel like we're talking about the a303 quite a lot recently. of course, lot recently. it's of course, that that past that road that goes past stonehenge now and everyone stops look at the look at the

stops to look at the look at the stones and then no one travels anywhere. and it's only a single, single lane, so it can get can get a bit of a pile get you can get a bit of a pile up there anyway. >> yes . up there anyway. >> yes. coming up, we'll be back in tokyo , where we now know five in tokyo, where we now know five crew members board a coast crew members on board a coast guard plane tragically died guard plane have tragically died following that horrific crash earlier. we're looking at live pictures now of the smouldering wreckage of the plane . tatiana . wreckage of the plane. tatiana. >> tom, thank you very much. and good afternoon. this is the latest from the gb newsroom. as you've been hearing, five of the six crew on board japanese six crew on board a japanese coast guard that collided coast guard plane that collided with japan airlines flight with the japan airlines flight have in emergency. crews have died in emergency. crews remain scene after firing remain at the scene after firing engulfed the passenger plane on the at tokyo's the runway at tokyo's international airport . international airport. amazingly, all 379 passengers on board the japan airlines flight were safely evacuated and the incident unfolded at haneda

airport, just outside tokyo , airport, just outside tokyo, with passengers saying they felt a large boom before smoke filled the cabin . the coastguard plane the cabin. the coastguard plane had been on its way to deliver aid to areas affected by a powerful earthquake that struck on new year's day . meanwhile, on new year's day. meanwhile, rescue efforts are continuing after that earthquake, which hit japan's noto peninsula yesterday . nearly 50 people were killed , . nearly 50 people were killed, with residents in some areas forced to flee. the tsunami waves hit the west coast, sweeping cars and houses into the water. around 3000 army officers, firefighters and police officers have been deployed to the affected area . deployed to the affected area. the home secretary insists the government has cleared a backlog of asylum cases, as critics accuse the government of fiddling the figures. the number of asylum decisions made last year was the highest since 2002, as the government insists its commitment to clear the number of legacy claims has been delivered. labour says those claims are false, while reports suggest the reduced figure is in

part due to some legacy cases being moved to another category. but james cleverly says the number is coming down. >> we have processed every single one of those applications in the vast majority. a final decision has been made and in a small number there are complications, but the point is we have now got a much , much we have now got a much, much faster process , which is why 50 faster process, which is why 50 hotels that were being used for housing asylum seekers are now being given back to the commercial world so they can be put back into use as hotels as we reducing the need to accommodate asylum seekers and will be processing much more quickly, going . through 2024. quickly, going. through 2024. >> you can find more on all of those stories by visiting our website gb news. dot com

sunday mornings from 930 on gb news. who's . news. who's. >> it is 1238. welcome back. now a passenger plane burst into flames as it landed on a runway at tokyo's haneda airport earlier today. it at tokyo's haneda airport earlier today . it collided with earlier today. it collided with a japanese coast guard plane that was delivering earthquake aid. >> all 379 people on board passengers and crew of that japan airlines flight have been evacuated , but sadly, five out evacuated, but sadly, five out of six on the japanese

coastguard crew have now been confirmed dead. >> joining us live from tokyo is journalist david caprara. david, it's been an extremely difficult few days for the japanese. we've had the earth quake. sadly, deaths from that series of earthquakes and now this deadly collision on a runway near tokyo i >> -- >> that's lam >> that's right. very rare incident. this plane completely burst into flames . and just burst into flames. and just a miracle that 379 people on board were able to escape that aircraft within 90s and unconfirmed whether or not there's been injuries among those 379, but no fatalities with them. but very unfortunate . with them. but very unfortunate. uh, basically, this was a collision between this, uh, this civilian aircraft and a coast guard aircraft. uh, sadly , the guard aircraft. uh, sadly, the on board this coastguard aircraft , five of the six crew aircraft, five of the six crew members were confirmed dead by the japanese coastguard and, uh, as you may know, on new year's

day, a massive day, japan had a massive earthquake on the noto peninsula . and this coastguard plane , uh, . and this coastguard plane, uh, was preparing to deliver aid to this affected area . this affected area. >> so it's a tragedy upon a tragedy. but i suppose the remarkable thing is, is just how those those 379 passengers were able to get off so quickly, despite the plane being engulfed in flames, even as it was coming into land. uh, what do we understand about precisely how this happened? how could it be that two planes in one of the most sophisticated airports in the world collide like this ? the world collide like this? >> right. and also one of the most significant, uh, sophisticated aircrafts this is the first hull loss incident of this airbus a350 . and it was the this airbus a350. and it was the type of aircraft this was for the, um, the civilian civilian aircraft. but uh, it's unclear what the exact cause of this

crash was. and the japanese are very meticulous and will research this in the days and weeks and months to come from here to determine exactly what the cause was. all flights in and out of haneda are cancelled at the moment. um, and they're still working on cleaning up that situation there. but basically , japan's public basically, japan's public broadcaster nhk is reporting that there was a appears to be a mix up with the control tower and communications, perhaps , uh, and communications, perhaps, uh, one of the planes had landed on the wrong stripper. was not on the wrong stripper. was not on the strip where they were meant to be. it's on the details of this. uh, have not been made known yet. uh, but it's nhk, japan's public broadcaster is reporting there might have been some mix up with the control tower. >> t- t— t do you live in tokyo ? >> david, do you live in tokyo? >> david, do you live in tokyo? >> uh, i am in japan. and the kansai region . i'm actually in kansai region. i'm actually in nara prefecture at the moment. >> yeah, i ask because it's very interesting to know how the authorities in japan, how they

communicate with the public when these sorts of tragedies happen because we know that japan, when we look at natural disasters, there is seismically active areas . yeah. so with regard to areas. yeah. so with regard to earthquakes and then also a national tragedy like this one, a freak incident that sadly has claimed five lives are the government , uh, very open with government, uh, very open with how they communicate that with the public? >> yeah . you know, from , um, you >> yeah. you know, from, um, you know, this kind of double disaster that we have ongoing right now in japan with this, uh, earth quake, uh, for both disasters , was the prime disasters, was the prime minister's office kind of, uh, very quickly set up a response team to convey the information to the public. um, they're different . government agencies different. government agencies have been very communicative through this process. um, in terms of the earthquake, uh , terms of the earthquake, uh, these affected areas, 30,000 homes were rendered without electricity , 80, um, that electricity, 80, um, that impacted the ability to kind of spread information . but japan spread information. but japan has some of the most

technologically advanced methods of conveying information to the public, uh, in the world. and i'll give you one example. uh, you know, these these sorts of earthquakes. this was a very huge earthquake yesterday, but not new to japan. uh, earthquakes happen all the time, but japan has a system in place where when an earthquake happens, there's two sets of waves come out. the first waves that come out. the first set of wave isn't typically felt by beings. and you don't by human beings. and you don't have any building shaking. but they're very waves and they're very quick waves and after that you have these waves that are capable destroying that are capable of destroying buildings. japan has these sensors in place throughout the country that can sense these, uh, these waves that human beings and, uh, cannot sense . so beings and, uh, cannot sense. so usually in japan, you're before an earthquake strikes your phone is the government blasts out an alert warning system , uh, to alert warning system, uh, to anyone carrying a cell phone . so anyone carrying a cell phone. so you have a few seconds of warning before this earthquake strikes . uh, so they're able to, strikes. uh, so they're able to, you know , predict before it you know, predict before it happens. you know, predict before it happens . uh, you know, predict before it happens. uh, really you know, predict before it happens . uh, really advanced happens. uh, really advanced systems, some of the best technology . and, uh, very

technology. and, uh, it's very unfortunate all of these disasters in japan. but the way that the government responds to these disasters is some of the best response in the world. >> might this be why the death toll this earthquake seems toll for this earthquake seems toll for this earthquake seems to just so much lower from to be just so much lower from the devastating earthquake, just over a decade ago that claimed 91,000 lives in japan ? yeah 91,000 lives in japan? yeah >> you know, this, uh, this was , >> you know, this, uh, this was, is, uh, disasters . is, uh, disasters. unfortunately, uh, a rather common, uh, uh, in in one, uh, it's usually , uh, this kind of it's usually, uh, this kind of combination because japan is an island nation , uh, and there's island nation, uh, and there's four tectonic plates that are all kind of coming together on this, uh, archipelago. and and, uh, you know, what happened ten years ago in the, uh, what's known as the tohoku disaster, the 311 fukushima disaster. uh, it was sort of a triple whammy of this earthquake that struck out at sea, which created a tsunami , uh, which then wiped tsunami, uh, which then wiped out these these, uh , facilities

out these these, uh, facilities for this nuclear reactor that let nuclear melt down. but, um , let nuclear melt down. but, um, that luckily we did not have, uh, there was the biggest, uh, uh, there was the biggest, uh, uh, tsunami warning was in ten years, was issued . uh, yes. and years, was issued. uh, yes. and on new year's in response to this, and luckily, uh, there was not this huge , uh, incoming not this huge, uh, incoming destruction of, uh, tsunami, uh, that you could have, could have seen in, uh, but japan is not yet, uh, you know, earthquakes happen quite frequently here and there are much bigger earthquakes. uh, expect in the decades and centuries to come. no one knows when, uh, this will be. but there's definitely big one. horizon forjapan. one. horizon for japan. >> one. horizon forjapan. >> well, thank you very much for your time. really appreciate it, david who is live in david caprara, who is live in tokyo, a tokyo , a journalist tokyo, a tokyo, a journalist there. our thoughts , of course, there. our thoughts, of course, with those who have sadly lost their lives in japan . their lives in japan. >> yeah. >> yeah. >> well, a little bit closer to home now, police are launching an investigation into the first case of rape to take place in

the metaverse . yes. the metaverse. yes. >> this is very curious. the girl, reportedly under the age of 16, is said to have been left with severe psychological and emotional trauma after being attacked by a group of online avatars. >> well, joining us now is the onune >> well, joining us now is the online safety expert john carr. and john, i suppose we should start off just very basically what is the metaverse . ah, john, what is the metaverse. ah, john, i think we might be having a couple of audio issues. let's just see if we can sort this out. >> what the metaverse is. tom >> what the metaverse is. tom >> the metaverse is , uh, to some >> the metaverse is, uh, to some extent in my understanding, all sorts of different things that can basically be understood as, as virtual reality, augmented reality, and the communication between those different devices. it's not sort of like a you can't just log on to the metaverse. it's not a website. it's not something like that, but it's the way that which we

describe in a similar way could just virtual just be just a virtual reality game so you log in game or like, um, so you log in and then you're an avatar and then you can and there are lots of different v vr virtual reality headsets, augmented reality headsets, augmented reality the rest reality headsets, all the rest of it. john, believe we've now of it. john, i believe we've now established communication with you , um, from your expert , uh, you, um, from your expert, uh, view, can you first start off by telling us what on earth the metaverse is ? metaverse is? >> it's a virtual environment. >> it's a virtual environment. >> and the whole point of it is it's extremely immersive and it's extremely immersive and it's meant to feel real or as near real as possible . near real as possible. >> and there are even gloves and body suits and garments. >> you can buy, which are called haptic. i think that's a proper phrase. >> so you feel things physically on your person at the time that you're participating in the game. >> so the whole point of it is immersiveness and the feeling of being real. >> and have you ever heard of such a thing as a police force investigating such a crime? that

is not conducted in reality , but is not conducted in reality, but is not conducted in reality, but is conducted on, on the metaverse? so it's virtual reality? uh, a young girl reportedly , uh, gang raped in reportedly, uh, gang raped in the metaverse and not in physical reality , but yet the physical reality, but yet the police are investigating it. well there are two bits to it, aren't there? >> first of all, part of the point of sexual crimes is the subjective impact they have on the individual girl who is raped or is otherwise violated. >> so if these purposes and this is a child under the age of 16, by all accounts, if in reality what that person has experienced is similar to identical to, we'll never know, uh, what an actual rape victim would have felt, and it was deliberately inflicted by these people. >> then i think it certainly should be investigated . should be investigated. >> and is that not a bit dangerous, though, because you could be playing a shooting game or something with violence on the metaverse. you wouldn't start investigating murder on

start investigating a murder on the metaverse because someone had been shooting at, uh, you know , their foe on the virtual know, their foe on the virtual reality . reality. >> we know you wouldn't . of >> we know you wouldn't. of course not. but if, if, if this child experienced what a rape victim experience , at least part victim experience, at least part of it, the emotional sense of violation then. and the other bit of it is if these guys, whoever did it , were bit of it is if these guys, whoever did it, were willing to do this to a child in a virtual space. what else might they be getting up to in the real world? so for that other reason , i so for that other reason, i think it's worth looking into . think it's worth looking into. >> is there a problem with the way that we're describing it? perhaps should better perhaps we should find a better word than which really word than rape, which really does signify something. uh, a physical attack. really. this this might be. perhaps we need to find a new language to talk about this sort of emotional abuse is because i find it very hard to believe that any game maker has programmed in the ability to perform such an assault . assault. >> but no, i think you're right. i think we need to expand our

definition of what sexual crimes, uh, can be perpetrated on the internet, particularly against children. i mean, an aduu against children. i mean, an adult , against children. i mean, an adult, somebody against children. i mean, an adult , somebody who against children. i mean, an adult, somebody who had more experience of the world might have just closed down and walked away. we don't know exactly what was this a was happening, but this is a child. is somebody under child. this is somebody under the of and these are, the age of 16, and these are, uh, several men, apparently several adult men who who decided to do this to her. so i'm not. absolutely. it's obviously not a traditional rape. uh it's not a legal rape because there's no physical contact. but the emotional experience, the subjective one, uh, is just as bad by all accounts. yes, i guess it could come under bullying or threatening online abuse , threatening online abuse, harassment, that sort of thing. >> but it's very interesting how this is the first investigation of its kind. thank you very much for your time. john carr online safety expert, could set an interesting precedent. i'm not sure what i think about this. >> no first one, but almost certainly sadly not the last. uh, elsewhere , junior doctors in uh, elsewhere, junior doctors in england will begin the longest

strike in nhs history this week. >> yes, they're set to walk out for six whole days at a time when the health service is at its most stretched. the government has called on the british medical association to call off the strikes after offering an 8% pay rise, but the bma says this is not a credible offer and does not restore pay back to 2008 levels. >> well, i have to say, who has had pay back to 2008 levels. um, joining now is junior doctor, joining us now is junior doctor, doctor basharat mukherjee. thank you for making the time for us. um, i suppose there is a simple moral question here in terms of a lack of care at the time at which the nhs is most stretched. junior doctors have been offered between 10.3% and 8.8, depending on how what stage they are in their career. that that's quite a large rise. is it not? >> i think it's the wording again, you were just talking

earlier about the language used and when you talk about it being and when you talk about it being a rise , it truly isn't a rise. a rise, it truly isn't a rise. >> it's a restoration. we are talking you were talking about 2008 levels. we have had a 26% decrease in our pay. and this is why the fight , the fight is why the fight, the fight is about. and really the spotlight remains on doctors being responsible for this . but i keep responsible for this. but i keep saying this. it's about the government and what their actions have been. and actually the government has has opted to pay the government has has opted to pay for locum shifts and locum doctors the same amount as it would have cost them if they had just restored junior doctors pay martin bashir. >> it's essentially holding patients at ransom, isn't it really? because it's been revealed today, reported today that 20,000 paediatric treatments and surgeries were cancelled due to this. uh due to this strike action since it began. that's a huge number of children who are being impacted,

devastating consequences, perhaps for some of those young patients . are you sure all patients. are you sure all junior doctors are actually genuinely behind this action at this time ? we've had nhs leader this time? we've had nhs leader after nhs leader saying that this is the worst possible time for this action. how can it be justified ? justified? >> so , um, i would like to say >> so, um, i would like to say that if , you know, the polls that if, you know, the polls have , uh, showed that junior have, uh, showed that junior doctors overarchingly support the strike motion, whether they're taking part in every single day of the strike is a different issue because even striking for us, it costs us money. it means that we have to go without pay. a lot of doctors actually end up taking up extra shifts on other days that they'd normally be to off make up for it, just because of the affordability perspective. but in terms of supporting the strike , absolutely. a strike motion, absolutely. a large majority of junior doctors are in support of the strike motion in terms of holding

patients ransom. i think we really have to think about what is the alternative here. we risk losing a large number of our workforce if we don't give them what they're asking for. essentially >> and these i'm afraid we're going to have to leave it there. we've got to the end of the houh we've got to the end of the hour. but thank you so much for coming on and putting case coming on and putting your case across, coming up, the latest scenes from tokyo much more. scenes from tokyo and much more. don't scenes from tokyo and much more. dorlooks things are heating >> looks like things are heating up. boxt boiler is sponsors of weather on . gb news. weather on. gb news. >> hello , it's aidan mcgivern >> hello, it's aidan mcgivern here from the met office with the gb news forecast storm. >> henk has been named by the met office for tuesday because of the risk of some very windy weather it will weather in the south. it will also for many as this also be wet for many as this frontal system moves up across southern central parts of southern and central parts of the it's the tightly southern and central parts of the isobars; the tightly southern and central parts of the isobars; th thejhtly southern and central parts of the isobars; th the southern packed isobars on the southern flank of this area of low pressure where we'll see the strongest winds initially across the south and southwest, mile the south and southwest, 60 mile per gusts inland and

per hour wind gusts inland and 70 or 80 around coastal parts of southern england and south wales. those winds move wales. those strong winds move across central and then southeastern parts of the uk through the rest of the day. heavy rain pushing up through the midlands, parts of wales and northern england. further rain the midlands, parts of wales and nortisomengland. further rain the midlands, parts of wales and nortisomenglan

interludes and signs of something drier later this week . something drier later this week. >> that warm feeling inside from boxt boilers sponsors of weather on .

gb news. >> good afternoon britain. it is 1:00 on tuesday, the 2nd of january. plane in flames.

>> a large japan airlines passenger plane erupts in a firestorm after colliding with a smaller coast guard plane as it came into land . the 379 came into land. the 379 passengers fled the inferno . passengers fled the inferno. however, five out of the six crew aboard the coast guard flight have sadly confirmed to be dead in the last hour. >> safe haven britain the home office granted over 50,000 people asylum last year. now the acceptance . rate is down on last acceptance. rate is down on last yeah acceptance. rate is down on last year, but this is the highest number since records began. this comes prime minister comes as the prime minister celebrates clearing the asylum backlog and a reduction in small boat crossings . boat crossings. >> nhs stand off junior doctors are set to walk out tomorrow in the longest strike in nhs history , with the head of nhs history, with the head of nhs england saying that the six day walkout will have a significant impact on routine care.

yes in the last hour we spoke to a junior doctor, doctor bhasha mukherjee , and she insists that mukherjee, and she insists that all well, the vast majority of junior doctors are all behind this strike now, maybe on paper, but i imagine there are some junior doctors out there and perhaps you're one of them. >> or perhaps you're, you know, one of them are thinking, one of them who are thinking, actually, i'm not sure if i want to do this. i'm not sure it's the right of action. the right course of action. >> let's not >> and also, let's let's not beat around the bush doctors are on quite good money compared to average incomes. yes, they're highly qualified and they should of course be rewarded for that. but also , i know quite a few but also, i know quite a few junior doctors who don't only work for the nhs when we look at their salary. that's not the only income they have . many do only income they have. many do lots things in, in, outside lots of things in, in, outside that time , in private practice that time, in private practice and everything else that really does boost their salaries . does boost their salaries. >> so you're saying a lot of these junior doctors actually have side hustles, side hustles

are incredibly popular amongst, uh, at least least the junior doctors. >> i i wu- >> i know. i don't know if that's representative . that's representative. >> well, think the general >> well, i think the general pubuc >> well, i think the general public that, they public mood is that, yes, they probably should be paid a bit more , whether that's 35, not more, whether that's 35, not sure, but i think this 3, this strike action during the winter months when we already have an absolutely extraordinarily long backlog, children's appointments being cancelled, elderly people appointments being cancelled, everyone's appointments being cancelled, and then just those who are remaining being rushed off feet. who are remaining being rushed off what feet. who are remaining being rushed off what do:. who are remaining being rushed off what do they miss? could >> what do they miss? could could, could that lead to greater issues down the line? it's quite a stark thing to do . it's quite a stark thing to do. >> yeah it is. it is the longest strike in history. of course they say the government needs to negotiate. let us know what you think. vaiews@gbnews.com. but let's get your headlines with tatiana . tatiana. >> emily. thank you . your top >> emily. thank you. your top stories from the gb newsroom . stories from the gb newsroom. five of the six crew on board a

japanese coast guard plane were killed when they collided with a passenger aircraft , but passenger aircraft, but amazingly, all 379 passengers and 12 crew on board the japanese airlines flight were safely evacuated . passengers say safely evacuated. passengers say they felt a large boom before smoke filled the cabin . well we smoke filled the cabin. well we can take you live now to the scene there on the runway at tokyo's haneda airport. if you're watching us on television, you'll be able to see smoke billowing from the smouldering remains of the airbus a350 aircraft. the coastguard plane involved in the collision had been on its way to deliver aid to areas affected by a powerful earthquake that struck on new year's day . struck on new year's day. meanwhile rescue efforts are continuing after that earthquake, which hit japan's noto peninsula nearly 50 people were killed, with residents in some areas forced to flee a tsunami. waves hit the west

coast, sweeping cars and houses into the water. around 3000 army officers, firefighters and police officers have been deployed to the affected area . deployed to the affected area. the home secretary insists the government has cleared a backlog of cases as critics of asylum cases as critics accuse the government of fiddling the figures. the number of asylum decisions made last year was highest since 2002, year was the highest since 2002, as government insists its as the government insists its commitment to clear the backlog has been delivered. labour says those claims are false, as reports suggest that reduced figure is in part due to some legacy cases being moved to other categories. but james cleverly says the number is coming down. we have processed every single one of those applications in the vast majority a final decision has been made and in a small number there are complications, but the point is we have now got a much, much faster process , which is much faster process, which is why 50 hotels that were being used for housing asylum seekers are now being given back to the

commercial world so they can be put back into use as hotels. >> as we reducing the need to accommodate asylum seekers and will be processing much more quickly going through . 2024, quickly going through. 2024, a 23 year old man will go on trial later this year after being charged with the murder of a good samaritan who died as he tried to help a stranger. >> chris marriott was on a post—christmas walk with his wife and two young children when he stopped to help a woman who was unconscious in the street. he was killed when car he was killed when a car ploughed small crowd ploughed into a small crowd following in the following a disturbance in the burngreave area of sheffield last week . hassan guy anker is last week. hassan guy anker is also facing five counts of attempted murder. he's due to appearin attempted murder. he's due to appear in court for a plea and case management hearing on the 25th of march. the nhs will be stretched even further tomorrow as junior doctors prepare to walk out in the health service's longest strike ever, an unprecedented six days of industrial action comes as the nhs faces one of the busiest penods nhs faces one of the busiest periods cases of flu and other

winter illnesses are up, as are staff absences due to covid bosses say it could be one of the most difficult starts to the yeah the most difficult starts to the year. the nhs has ever faced . year. the nhs has ever faced. the bma union wants junior doctors to receive a 35% pay rise, which would restore their real earnings to levels seen in 2008. the government says those demands are unaffordable . demands are unaffordable. britain experienced a record number of excess deaths last year amid repeated nhs strikes and the continuing cost of the covid pandemic , analysis by the covid pandemic, analysis by the telegraph shows. nearly 53,000 more people died last year compared to previous years . it's compared to previous years. it's the highest figure recorded in a non—pandemic year since the second . world war. meanwhile, second. world war. meanwhile, new figures show that nearly 6 million patients registered with gp clinics in england may not actually exist . there were actually exist. there were around 63 million people registered with gp practices in england last year. that's despite the population sitting at just over 57 million

surgeries are paid, according to the number of people on their lists, meaning some practices could be receiving millions in extra funding for people who don't exist . and south korea's don't exist. and south korea's opposition leader has been stabbed in the neck during a visit to the city of busan in front of a crowd of people. lee jae myung was addressing reporters when a man in his 60s appeared to ask him for an autograph . he then lunged at the autograph. he then lunged at the politician a knife. politician with a knife. a violent attack happening during the in front of a crowd of the day in front of a crowd of journalists. it stunned the nafion journalists. it stunned the nation several people were seen restraining attacker , while restraining the attacker, while others tried to help mr lee as he collapsed to the ground . he he collapsed to the ground. he was to a local hospital . was taken to a local hospital. his injuries not believed to his injuries are not believed to be . you're with be life threatening. you're with gb news across the uk on tv, in your car, on digital radio and on your smart speaker by saying play gb news now back to tom and

. emily. >> well, let's go to the latest from japan, where a plane burst into flames as it landed on a runway at tokyo's haneda airport. it's believed the aircraft collided with a japanese coastguard plane delivering earthquake aid. >> all 379 people on board of the passenger plane boast both the passenger plane boast both the passengers and the crew have been evacuated successfully, but sadly , five out of the six sadly, five out of the six aboard the japanese coastguard crew are believed to have been , crew are believed to have been, uh uh, confirmed dead earlier today. >> yes . so today. >> yes. so shall we today. >> yes . so shall we get the >> yes. so shall we get the latest from our reporter , latest from our reporter, charlie peters? charlie any updates? well this was taking place at 5 pm. local time earlier today. >> it's just gone 10 pm. earlier today. >> it'sjust gone 10 pm. now earlier today. >> it's just gone 10 pm. now in japan, and it's a country in crisis . japan airlines flight crisis. japan airlines flight 506 colliding with the dash eight of the japanese coastguard shortly after 6:30 pm. today. today that crash occurring after

the airbus a350 of japan airlines landed at haneda airport on runway 34. right now, this is the first major fire on a commercial aircraft with a composite hull like those found on the 787 or the airbus a350 seen in this crash today. and that's a significant moment because this hull was made up 53% of carbon fibre , a 53% of carbon fibre, a significant overengineering method to make them resistant to fire. and so even in the hour after the collision took place , after the collision took place, this aircraft was still burning. and it took a long time for the fire to enter the centre of the cabin. this is the safety feature and the upgrade in material that allowed so many people to escape unharmed, but the question being asked after the question being asked after the success of that evacuation is how this crisis this happened in the first place, in the last houh

in the first place, in the last hour, i've been speaking to some air traffic control experts about how they believe this could have happened. the japanese coastguard have said that they will be launching their own investigation , but one their own investigation, but one expert i spoke to said that when the learning takes place , the learning takes place, especially a runway, as long especially on a runway, as long as haneda airport, as the one at haneda airport, the largest airport the the largest airport in the country , it's over three country, it's over three kilometres long, but they want to aim for the so—called piano keys at the back of the runway. that's the large zebra crossing, you see, where you often see the black tire marks, where the aircraft to land . aircraft is seeking to land. now, in limited footage now, in the limited footage we've seen so far, appears we've seen so far, it appears that aircraft collides with that the aircraft collides with the dash eight of the japanese coastguard further down the runway . it's not going at the runway. it's not going at the full 141 knots. you might expect of an aircraft approach being the runway, which does suggest that this dash eight was approaching the runway for access a little further along, it is a much smaller aircraft, a crew of six that we've heard, five of which have sadly passed the captain survive with severe

injuries , so it doesn't need the injuries, so it doesn't need the full length of those over three kilometres to get off the ground. now, one air traffic control expert i spoke to said that when this a350 would have approached the runway , it would approached the runway, it would have shifted its area control to local control , whereas aircraft local control, whereas aircraft on the ground would have been managed by a ground controller. and there is a likelihood that in this moment of crisis, for japan, that those communications weren't clear for the dash eight on the runway, that an a3 50 was approaching because of course, this is a time where japan is facing enormous strain. yesterday, significant earthquakes erupting in the west of the island. the hard hit noto peninsula has over a thousand people searching through the rubble to help find many more people. we're already 48 have been found dead and this aircraft, this dash eight of the coastguard, was being sent to the niigata airfield to deliver aid and also to conduct search and rescue support in that area .

and rescue support in that area. so they're in crisis . they're so they're in crisis. they're trying to support as much as they can. and one aircraft control expert i spoke to this morning did suggest that there is a risk there that in these moments of heightened tension where more people are seeking to get urgent aid out, that these moments of confusion, these lethal moments of confusion can occur. lethal moments of confusion can occur . but it lethal moments of confusion can occur. but it is not, as might have been originally anticipated, that the plane made that collision upon landing. it appears to have happened after landing, so the nose of that d8 possibly clipping the left jet engine of the airbus a350 as it approached terminal two at haneda airport earlier today. but that commercial aircraft are for nominally survivable. many people are asking, how did you know 379 people escape unharmed after such a large explosion with flames licking all over the aircraft ? well, it appears that aircraft? well, it appears that this is the first time, as you said, a commercial aircraft with

this composite hull has been in a major fire and it's proven the value of those materials. in 1977, at tenerife airport disaster, where one plane was taking off and it collided with a jumbo jet, hundreds died because the flames turned into a ginormous fireball due to the metal structure of that aircraft. but this composite hull , with its 53% carbon fibre, hull, with its 53% carbon fibre, is far more flame resistant and able to allow the flames to lick around the windows rather than erupt inside that cabin. but people, it appears , were able to people, it appears, were able to escape safely . escape safely. >> absolutely fascinating . how >> absolutely fascinating. how actually one of the one of the most dramatic scenes of this aircraft almost looked from the outside, completely engulfed in flame, was was actually to some extent a safety feature keeping the flames outside rather than inside, allowing people to escape . really remarkable stuff. escape. really remarkable stuff. charlie. you so much for charlie. thank you so much for bringing us some of the details there what has been there over what has been a dramatic , dramatic evening in dramatic, dramatic evening in tokyo . tokyo. >> those passengers must have

been absolutely terrified, fearing for their lives. been absolutely terrified, fearing for their lives . but fearing for their lives. but shall we move to on some domestic news? because the home office claims it has cleared the backlog of 112,000 asylum cases since mid 2022. so the figures show delays have cost the taxpayer around £8 million a day. that's to put asylum seekers up in hotels. that's why while they wait, their outcome yes , we often forget that if we yes, we often forget that if we weren't taking over a year to assess these claims, we wouldn't need people in hotels if we did it. >> you know, in a few days. but the number of migrants crossing the number of migrants crossing the english channel also the english channel has also fallen in. government figures show the total arrivals for last yeah show the total arrivals for last year, 2023 was down to 29,500, a third less than the year before . third less than the year before. >> so is all as it seems joining us live from the brookhouse asylum processing centre is our report . ray addison ray, explain report. ray addison ray, explain what happens in that building behind you and do these statistics that we're hearing from the government show a success story ?

success story? >> well, the building behind me is the immigration removal centre here at gatwick airport. there's around 500 men housed there . they've obviously put in there. they've obviously put in asylum claims, which have been unsuccessful . and if they look unsuccessful. and if they look out of their window, they can see the runway and potentially the, the, the plane that will be taking them back to their home country or country of origin. of course, there has been contra versi about this. um this facility in the past , uh, facility in the past, uh, numerous reports , lots of issues numerous reports, lots of issues there, um, potential poor management of the facility . um, management of the facility. um, and of course, those 500 men based in there at the moment who will be waiting to be removed from the united kingdom . now, of from the united kingdom. now, of course, the main issue about these claims that have been made today by the government seems to be, me at least, to an be, to me at least, to be an issue language . when somebody issue of language. when somebody tells you that something is cleared, um, it gives the impression that it's finished or complete . and of course, the

complete. and of course, the home secretary saying on gb news breakfast on that of breakfast earlier on that of these 92 2000 legacy claims , these 92 2000 legacy claims, these 92 2000 legacy claims, these are claims made prior to these are claims made prior to the end of june of 2022. cleared means that they've had they've . means that they've had they've. been processed as in they've had an initial decision. um but hasn't had a final decision and certainly doesn't necessarily mean that all of the people that have been then refused asylum have been then refused asylum have then left the country, which again, i think people might reasonably assume if something has been cleared or finished, that those people would then have left, or the people that have been granted will have stayed home will have will have stayed home secretary revealing that of secretary also revealing that of the 92,000 legacy claims, 4500 um are still not completed at all in the sense that they need to do further checks. these are people who are, um, perhaps claiming to be to be children , claiming to be to be children, but there is doubt about their

age. they might have a medical condition , which that condition, which that complicates things , or they complicates things, or they might have , um, further criminal might have, um, further criminal checks required because they might have convictions from their home country. and so i think that's the main that's the main issue here, that issue of whether cleared means fully cleared and finished or whether it doesn't. it's a bit like an exam invigilator saying that they've finished marking your paper when all they've done really they've had a flick really is they've had a flick through pages, got through the pages, they've got an overall kind of impression of what they're going what kind of grade they're going to you, but they haven't to give you, but they haven't actually the red pen out yet actually got the red pen out yet and on the and written it on the on the piece paper of course . piece of paper there. of course. um, home secretary is saying um, the home secretary is saying that has made that the government has made huge . they've they've huge strides. they've they've been cracking down, uh, they've toughened up the process . toughened up the process. they've doubled number of they've doubled the number of caseworkers as well. they've been cracking down on people who are working illegally in this country. the country. they've increased the number of visits by 68. and in general, he says they are cracking down 24,000 or so people were , um, uh, removed

people were, um, uh, removed from the uk last year. >> well , thank you, ray. ray >> well, thank you, ray. ray addison , our reporter there in addison, our reporter there in crawley , are so many questions crawley, are so many questions unanswered questions. what's happened to those who haven't had their claims, who've had their claims rejected? are they still in this country or have they been removed? and are we waving through a lot of these asylum claims from some countries ? that's what we've countries? that's what we've heard in the past, is that's what's happened here, to try and clear would say that the clear it would say that the acceptance this year, the acceptance rate, this year, the rate lower than the rate is lower than the acceptance last year , acceptance rate last year, although because the numbers were , the number of were higher, the number of people approved is higher, but the rate is lower. >> it's sort of almost >> so it's sort of almost everyone's got a statistic if they want support the they want to support the government, want to government, if they want to attack government, they can attack the government, they can pick one want choose. >> yeah, do worry about the >> yeah, i do worry about the pressure councils. pressure on local councils. 51,000 and around about are granted asylum last year. and of course these people need to be looked of course they looked after. of course they do. but now is gb news but joining us now is gb news political editor, christopher hope uh, christopher , um, just

hope. uh, christopher, um, just on that, uh, asylum backlog cleared , uh, ray casting some cleared, uh, ray casting some doubt on whether the backlog has is actually been entirely cleared, whether there have just been initial decisions, more appeals on the way . appeals on the way. >> that's right. emily. well, ray is right. not for the first time. there is concern about that. 4500, uh, complex cases yet to be cleared . and labour. yet to be cleared. and labour. labour are calling out , uh, mr labour are calling out, uh, mr sunak saying, well, let's not clear it. is it 112,000 pre june 2022. they aren't cleared because some are still being looked at. we're trying to get some numbers out of the government. the morning lobby meeting here in westminster for emily tom 17,800 voluntary emily and tom 17,800 voluntary returns 3500 forced returns. um what happens to the balance? well some some are still going through the system . um, of through the system. um, of course, because we are reporting regularly small boat arrivals on our channel there's 98,000, uh, asylum seekers now in now in the

process, queuing up, waiting to be seen. so until this number is reduced to zero, it will carry on. now, on that point, the home secretary, james cleverly, said this morning, also on gb news. but elsewhere he said that he wants to get that figure down to zero this year. now number 10, i asked number 10, particularly , asked number 10, particularly, do you support the home secretary, say secretary, secretary to say that small will get to 0 in small boats will get to 0 in 2024? the number 10 wouldn't say that. they said that it's not a time limited target that target was by the pm this time last was set by the pm this time last yeah was set by the pm this time last year. remember those five targets? the only which is targets? the only one which is for for last year is for this for last year is inflation being halved? the other ones are being rolled over into 2024. the way it goes on its interest thing, looking at the numbers coming across on small boats, 34% as the government likes to say, uh , government likes to say, uh, down by a third this year compared to last year. >> but there's a lot of criticism that this how much of this is to do with government policy and how much of this is to do with the weather. what did

the government say about that? yeah well, that's right, tom, on that. >> they had they had their answers already for these questions from the pesky journalists this morning. they made clear that the so—called red days, these are days when it's too stormy to come across , it's too stormy to come across, were broadly comparable with the year around 106 in 2022, year before, around 106 in 2022, 102 in 2023. so there they they can test that. yes the weather has been stormy, notably no crossings since december the 16th and none over christmas. and the home secretary, james cleverly, was called out on the twitter social media network for making that point where there was bad. but they say over the over the year, about a third of the days, too stormy to the days, it's too stormy to travel. so they are claiming a victory government. victory of the government. they're saying deal with they're saying that a deal with albania, enforcement albania, better law enforcement has by has brought numbers down by a third. and that be why the third. and that may be why the home secretary thinks it can get to zero this year. but number 10 is not so keen on that target . is not so keen on that target. >> sir mark white, our home and

security editor, has been paying a very keen interest to what is actually on on the ground actually going on on the ground and found that there are and he's found that there are people who are taking different means here, getting here means to get here, getting here by different means, lorries and all the rest of it. >> but i suppose christopher, um, far this year have um, so far this year there have been boats crossing, so been zero boats crossing, so a tremendous for the tremendous success for the government. there >> well, this year started yesterday , tom, as you know. but yesterday, tom, as you know. but yeah. so i mean certainly since 20, since since december the 16th. but as mark's brilliant reporting has shown us from northern france, what is happening is these gangs, they see what the headlines are, they see what the headlines are, they see where the focus is . they see where the focus is. they they play there when it's calm, they play there when it's calm, they send loads over. suddenly, at once there's a big surge and nigel farage, of course, a gb news has been raising this issue for a long time now. he's in kent knows about kent and knows all about the issues stress on issues there. on the stress on local um, so in terms local services. um, so in terms of forecasts for 2024, the government isn't saying zero boats yet. at least number 10 isn't, even though that might be a target set the home

secretary. >> christopher, we understand you may have some predictions for us for the next year. >> yeah, this is always a mistake . i offered it to a mistake. i offered it to a political website , and it's been political website, and it's been picked up by colleagues at gb news. it's my mistake probably, but i did. i did forecast that tax will come down in march to sixth. i think at least income tax. don't forget the chancellor rishi sunak, thought it would come down. and i thought also the election will be on november the election will be on november the 7th this year. there are others which i can refer you to, to the gb news website shortly. >> thank much. >> okay. thank you very much. and perhaps be thinking and we'll perhaps be thinking about prediction for the and we'll perhaps be thinking abotyeah prediction for the and we'll perhaps be thinking abotyeah i prediction for the and we'll perhaps be thinking abotyeah i knowediction for the and we'll perhaps be thinking abotyeah i know tomion for the and we'll perhaps be thinking abotyeah i know tom harwooda and we'll perhaps be thinking abotyeah i know tom harwood is new year. i know tom harwood is particularly at this. particularly good at this. >> don't i it >> well, i don't know. i got it right in 2019, but it's a lot harder . you right in 2019, but it's a lot harder. you got it. >> absolutely right. and during all the brexit stuff, do you know i there are are know what i there are there are old of mine from 2015 old tweets of mine from 2015 that say it's going to be 52, 48 for the such a smarty pants, isn't he . oh, you are very good isn't he. oh, you are very good at political predictions. i must

say i did win a few bets on the politics not too long ago. >> i mean, here's the secret. you can usually just follow the polls. >> um, not always though . >> um, not always though. sometimes surprises. sometimes there are surprises. well don't follow the polls. >> lots in 2017, some >> if lots of in 2017, some polls were saying it would be very tight, some saying the tories would walk it easily. the problem all problem there was not all the polls saying same thing polls were saying the same thing and shouldn't and that's when you shouldn't believe them. but if all of the polls saying exactly the polls are saying exactly the same probably same thing, they're probably on the found 2017 a rather >> i found 2017 a rather emotional coming emotional election, but coming up hatches . up, batten down the hatches. storm has arrived and is causing chaos on britain's roads. this is good afternoon britain on

>> the camilla tominey show sunday mornings from 930 on gb news . news. news. news. >> good afternoon britain . it's >> good afternoon britain. it's 128 now. today marks one of the busiest days in the calendar for travel, but this year, to add inqu travel, but this year, to add insult to injury, the met office has issued amber weather warnings as storm henk causes 80 mile an hour winds and heavy rain across the country. >> lovely . it's been reported >> lovely. it's been reported that there could be flying debns that there could be flying debris as well, which of course will cause further travel delays as well. >> joining us now from birmingham airport is gb news west midlands reporter jack carson . and jack, i see you've carson. and jack, i see you've got the umbrella out. is it uh , got the umbrella out. is it uh, just a particularly miserable day there . yeah, it certainly day there. yeah, it certainly is. of course , here, is. of course, here, particularly in birmingham . uh

particularly in birmingham. uh met office uh, issuing yellow weather warnings for wind and rain for this parts of the country just a little bit further south than birmingham. that's where you get that 80. we get that amber weather warning issued the office in the issued by the met office in the last few hours, where winds of up miles an hour could , of up to 80 miles an hour could, of course, be expected, but certainly the wind is whipping across , uh, this runway here at across, uh, this runway here at birmingham airport. and that, of course, is going to be one of the things that the of the things that the likes of air traffic are going be traffic control are going to be keeping as this rain keeping an eye on, as this rain and, wind really whips keeping an eye on, as this rain and, uh, ind really whips keeping an eye on, as this rain and, uh, this'eally whips keeping an eye on, as this rain and, uh, this part' whips keeping an eye on, as this rain and, uh, this part ofhips keeping an eye on, as this rain and, uh, this part of this across, uh, this part of this part of birmingham, particularly of a weeks ago, you of just a few weeks ago, you might remember storm pier, of just a few weeks ago, you mightwas|ember storm pier, of just a few weeks ago, you mightwas lotsyer storm pier, of just a few weeks ago, you mightwas lots of storm pier, of just a few weeks ago, you mightwas lots of st going er, there was lots of videos going around of around on social media of aircraft land on aircraft struggling to land on the here because of the the runway here because of the gusts coming across the gusts of wind coming across the runway. there'll be runway. so yeah, there'll be certainly keen as arrivals certainly keen here as arrivals and go out of this and departures go out of this airport people airport to make sure that people do, get on the on do, of course, get on the get on the off the ground the ground and off the ground safely. minor safely. so far, some minor delays here at the airport. many of those because of late departure from their from their homes , home destination, but of

homes, home destination, but of course it's not just the airport here. it's also the roads around birmingham, particularly the spaghetti junction. >> of course, as people head home before they maybe go back to work tomorrow in the few to work tomorrow in the next few days, part of the m6 and parts of the also, of course, um , of the m42 also, of course, um, set with roadworks because set back with roadworks because of the ongoing of that of the ongoing building of that hs2 two infrastructure. >> so certainly towards rush houh >> so certainly towards rush hour, as you get those people that have maybe arrived here at the airport afternoon and the airport in the afternoon and are going home, and also, are then going home, and also, of course, those people are of course, those people that are trying to get to work trying to get to and from work anyway, some big anyway, certainly some big delays a little bit delays expected a little bit later on this afternoon. >> miserable start to the >> pretty miserable start to the new year, isn't it? everyone going back to work, going back to school and to make it even harder to out of bed? the harder to get out of bed? the weather absolutely dreadful. harder to get out of bed? the weiyeah, absolutely dreadful. harder to get out of bed? the weiyeah, not solutely dreadful. harder to get out of bed? the weiyeah, not fun.tely dreadful. harder to get out of bed? the weiyeah, not fun. not dreadful. harder to get out of bed? the weiyeah, not fun. not fun dful. harder to get out of bed? the weiyeah, not fun. not fun atjl. >> yeah, not fun. not fun at all. well, thank you very much for joining us. and let's hope forjoining us. and let's hope everyone stays safe in those aeroplanes as well. well, joining from somerset, joining us now from somerset, uh, on the infamous a 303, a road we know well here on gb news is jeff moody. of course, our south—west of england

reporter . and jeff has the storm reporter. and jeff has the storm really hit you yet? it seems a little bit sunnier there than in birmingham . birmingham. >> yeah, it is quite sunny to be honest, but the trouble is the wind, the wind is incredibly strong and that's causing a real problems at gusts of wind up to 80 miles an hour. it's impossible to do anything with your hair in this weather. um, this is the eighth named storm in the last three months. and i have to say, i've been out reporting on all eight of those storms. i really hope that at some point in 2024, you let me indoors just for little while. indoors just for a little while. um, but, yeah, one of the busiest the road busiest traffic days of the road of year, as everybody comes of the year, as everybody comes back from the christmas holidays and new breaks. so the and new year breaks. so the roads are pretty congested, but they are keeping moving to some extent you can see, things extent as you can see, things are busy here, but certainly no major traffic jams reported . the major traffic jams reported. the problem, as i say, is that wind, uh, there's a an amber weather warning across much of the uk, particularly in the south. and,

uh, really strong winds in parts of devon and cornwall and along the north devon coastline , uh, the north devon coastline, uh, looking out towards the bristol channel. that's where the main problem is. unusual warnings in place. be very careful for flying debris. another warning . flying debris. another warning. uh, make sure you keep both hands on the steering wheel. which sounds a little bit like the nanny state doesn't it? but actually, makes because actually, it makes sense because really, can rock really, your cars can rock across carriageways very, across dual carriageways very, very quickly these of very quickly in these sorts of conditions. so the message from the rac is drive safely and carefully today. try and avoid those rural roads, because that's where the danger of trees falling down really comes into force. and stay away from the coast too. >> well, thank you very much. very good advice from jeff moody there. let's for hope some nice weather so he can not be out there reporting on storm after storm after storm. that was jeff moody, our south west of england reporter. wouldn't it be nice if we started january second, we started january the second, the everyone's at the day when everyone's back at work nice, crisp winter work with a nice, crisp winter day where the sun's out a little

bit of frost? yeah, yeah, but no storms. >> nope. and three in the last three months. uh but, um, coming up, um , could dominic cummings up, um, could dominic cummings be the answer that rishi sunak is looking for? well, he denies that. but the question we'll pose the question to our panel. that's after your headlines with tatiana . tatiana. >> tom. thank you . uh, 133 this >> tom. thank you. uh, 133 this is the latest from the gb newsroom . five of the six crew newsroom. five of the six crew on board a japanese coastguard plane were killed when they collided with a passenger aircraft . amazingly, all 379 aircraft. amazingly, all 379 passengers and 12 crew on board the japan airlines flight were safely evacuated . passengers say safely evacuated. passengers say they felt a large boom before smoke filled the cabin . then, smoke filled the cabin. then, while we can now take you live to the scene, there on the runway at tokyo's haneda airport, if you're watching us

on television, you'll be able to see billowing from see smoke billowing from the smouldering remains . if the smouldering remains. if the airbus aircraft, the airbus a350 aircraft, the coastguard plane involved in the collision, had been on its way to deliver aid to areas affected by a powerful earthquake that struck on new year's day . struck on new year's day. meanwhile, rescue efforts are continuing after that earthquake , which hit japan's noto peninsula . nearly 50 people were peninsula. nearly 50 people were killed with residents in some areas forced to flee as tsunami waves hit the west coast, sweeping cars and houses into the water. around 3000 army officers, firefighters and police officers have been deployed to the affected area . deployed to the affected area. the home secretary insists the government has cleared a backlog of asylum cases as critics accuse the government of fiddling the figures. the number of asylum decisions made last year was the highest since 2002, as the government insists its commitment to clear the number of legacy claims has been delivered. labour says those claims are false, while reports suggest the reduced figure is in

part due to some legacy cases being moved another category. being moved to another category. but james cleverly says the number is coming down when we have processed every single one of applications in the of those applications in the vast majority, a final decision has been made and in a small number there are complications. >> but the point is we have now got a much , much faster process , got a much, much faster process, which is why 50 hotels that were being used for housing asylum seekers are now being given back to the commercial world so they can be put back into use as hotels. we're reducing the need to accommodate asylum seekers and will be processing much more quickly going . through 2024. quickly going. through 2024. >> you can find more on all of those stories by visiting our website gb news. dot com . website gb news. dot com. >> for a valuable legacy, your family can own gold coins will always shine bright. rosalind gold proudly sponsors the gb

news financial report . news financial report. >> here's a quick snapshot of today's markets. the pound will buy you $1.2646 and ,1.1539. the price of gold . is £1,634.15 per price of gold. is £1,634.15 per ounce, and the ftse 100 is at 7697 points. rosalind gold proudly sponsors the gb news financial report

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>> welcome back. it's 140 in the afternoon, so let's return to one of our lead stories now. the home secretary, james cleverly. he's rejected claims the government was wrong to say the backlog of older asylum claims has been cleared new has been cleared despite new figures showing thousands of cases remain unresolved. so joining us now to work this one out is former labour mp bill rammell and research fellow at the centre for policy studies, james price . james price. >> well, let's kick off with the numbers. there were almost 100,000 less kc cases, so these are the cases that date from before the change in the law . before the change in the law. um, and the government says that the backlog has been cleared, but bill 4500 cases might have been processed, but they're still sitting on the books. what's going on? >> well, i mean, the claim from the government is dishonest and fraudulent. um, you know, legacy

claims , these were claims that claims, these were claims that were not processed under the tory government, and they're were not processed under the tory government , and they're now tory government, and they're now claiming they're being processed 5000 and the 4500 are complex cases that haven't been resolved . and really, worryingly, seven, 19,000 have been withdrawn on stroke, disappear. and what's happened to those claimants? where are they within the system? they're presumably still within the uk and over all we've got 98,000 further claims in the system, which means the figure of outstanding claims is eight times higher than it was when labour left office. it's a scandal, although i suppose james, as we've now got , we've james, as we've now got, we've basically halved the total number if there are around 100,000 last year, there are 90 odd thousand now . odd thousand now. >> robert jenrick the former migration minister, has been um, saying a lot about this, saying about the sort of systems he's put in place. the reward structure and incentive structure and incentive structure within within the civil service does this mean that potentially the backlog

might be completely cleared by the time of, say, a november election ? election? >> that's certainly the government's hope, isn't it? i think fraudulent might be pushing it a bit much. >> there's always the case where these kind get these numbers kind of get massaged. i think pm's massaged. and i think the pm's spokesman said, oh, well, i meant 22nd and all these spokesman said, oh, well, i mearof 22nd and all these spokesman said, oh, well, i mearof massagingi and all these spokesman said, oh, well, i mearof massaging ofnd all these spokesman said, oh, well, i mearof massaging of numbers, se spokesman said, oh, well, i mearof massaging of numbers, i! sorts of massaging of numbers, i think can can debate some think we can we can debate some of the niceties there. i think the problem that there of the niceties there. i think the so>blem that there of the niceties there. i think the so many that there of the niceties there. i think the so many asylum that there of the niceties there. i think the so many asylum claims1ere of the niceties there. i think the so many asylum claims coming are so many asylum claims coming through now. there was this great backlog. still through now. there was this gretnumbers klog. still through now. there was this gretnumbers klcthe still through now. there was this gretnumbers klcthe system.till through now. there was this gretnumbers klcthe system. all big numbers in the system. all the of it. the rest of it. >> if look at what happened, >> if we look at what happened, say, 20 years 20 years ago, say, 20 years ago, 20 years ago, we some of we just got a release of some of the about tony blair's the documents about tony blair's attempts to try and get these numbers down as well. >> was feeling >> he was feeling very frustrated then, and some frustrated back then, and some of options being of the nuclear options being considered things of the nuclear options being consi(having things of the nuclear options being consi(having look things of the nuclear options being consi(having look at things of the nuclear options being consi(having look at now.igs we're having to look at now. you're a fewer cases you're seeing a lot fewer cases back than we see back then coming than we see today and today. there's a higher percentage of claims that are accepted. are actually being accepted. we think all reasonable think these are all reasonable claims. question claims. it's a bigger question to i think, you to look at. and i think, you know, struggling at the know, we're struggling at the moment integrate many moment to integrate as many people got. and can we people as we've got. and can we actually all people actually get all these people

and into and let them integrate into society we're not society properly if we're not doing that, if people are going missing once they've had these claims accepted, not claims accepted, that's not a moral i think moral thing to do. and i think that's issue. yes, that's the deeper issue. yes, because government that's the deeper issue. yes, becaloh, government that's the deeper issue. yes, becaloh, well, yvernment that's the deeper issue. yes, becaloh, well, we're1ent that's the deeper issue. yes, becaloh, well, we're accepting said, oh, well, we're accepting fewer claims. fewer asylum claims. >> they say 67. that's down on last year. it was 76% last year. but if you go back to 2018, only 33% were granted asylum or allowed to remain in the country . that's a very large leap over just a few years . and also, i just a few years. and also, i think what a lot of our viewers and listeners want to know is, are those who have had their claims rejected being removed from the country and that's a really good point. >> where do these people end up going? they often they end up sticking around as well. i think when your viewers and listeners think about what an asylum seeker their heads, think about what an asylum seeker close their heads, think about what an asylum seeker close their' heads, think about what an asylum seeker close their' headthey when they close their eyes, they think about really vulnerable people in some the poorest, think about really vulnerable peoplwar some the poorest, think about really vulnerable peoplwar som partshe poorest, think about really vulnerable peoplwar som partshe the rest, most war torn parts of the world. our hearts go out to those people. to do as those people. we want to do as a rich we can do our rich country what we can do our bit help. but i suspect so bit to help. but i suspect so many of these cases of these people are not the people we

imagine actually imagine that we're actually helping. kind helping. lots of them are kind of, you know, working age men who from who have been coming over from france in small boats, then claiming asylum, lots of charities that out there charities that are out there saying, if you this and you charities that are out there sayithatf you this and you charities that are out there sayithat you're this and you charities that are out there sayithat you're mores and you charities that are out there sayithat you're more likelyyou charities that are out there sayithat you're more likely t01 say that you're more likely to get this happening and they throw i think throw their papers away, i think there's deep scandal in there's a really deep scandal in there, you there, which is why you mentioned jenrick, why he mentioned robert jenrick, why he resigned. i because he resigned. i think because he realised of this problem. >> bill, is there something problem. >> perhapsis there something problem. >> perhaps we 1ere something problem. >> perhaps we can something problem. >> perhaps we can learnthing problem. >> perhaps we can learn from that perhaps we can learn from how blair went about this how tony blair went about this stuff? fewer people, stuff? far fewer people, proportionally being accepted back then. what was going on, because it seems to me that perhaps the legal system has evolved, perhaps lawyers act more as activists today than they did 20 years ago, and perhaps the interpreter of rulings from the echr and all the rest of it have made this much harder to deal with. >> i don't think that's the case.i >> i don't think that's the case. i mean, i was a minister at the time, and i acknowledged that before 2003, we hadn't properly got a handle on the system. was intense system. there was then intense cross government focus , led by cross government focus, led by the prime minister and you say

there wasn't judicial activism at that stage. i remember david blunkett reporting to a cabinet subcommittee that the judges have threatened that will have threatened that they will take these challenges take us on. so these challenges existed, but we worked at it. we were serious and we were rigorous, and we brought the numbers down significantly. and i forgive me , that is what is i forgive me, that is what is utterly lacking from the present government. you know, it's gimmicks , headlines and a lot of gimmicks, headlines and a lot of people will say that tony blair, you know, opened the door to mass migration. >> course, a lot of people >> of course, a lot of people still to this day say that , um, still to this day say that, um, tony blair made a mistake when it came that. well, but it came to that. well, but that's different from asylum seeker. of course, it's different. it's different. of course it's european who came here european workers who came here to contribute . well, it to work and contribute. well, it was mixture of people from was a mixture of people from all over the world, of um, over the world, of course. um, but at talking about but looking at talking about the judiciary talking the judiciary and talking about the law on this, we've seen a number of cases recently, including today , an albanian crime boss today, an albanian crime boss jailed for money laundering his gang's profits. and so on and so forth. again, judges ruling in

his favour to stay in this country. yeah >> and you know, we do rightly or wrongly, i think rightly, have a separation of powers between government, the executive and the judiciary . and executive and the judiciary. and that presents a challenge we face that challenge in government. the current government. the current government does, but we worked at it. we were serious. cross departmental initiatives. i used to meet with. i was at the foreign office at the time. i used to meet with my home office counterpart every week with respective officials going through the cases, really probing , getting the numbers probing, getting the numbers down. you need that serious application , which is currently application, which is currently lacking . lacking. >> is it to some extent a big international problem that we're seeing ? the united states are seeing? the united states are seeing? the united states are seeing not not tens of thousands, but millions, millions of people crossing their southern border in continental europe. you're seeing the number of people crossing borders seeking asylum come up by 80% in the uk. it has come up by 80% in the uk. it has come to down some extent. and

the government's new line this morning, which is perhaps perhaps more of an effective common line than constantly talking about rwanda. but in the uk , asylum seeking is down by a uk, asylum seeking is down by a third. in europe it's up by a huge degree. >> yeah, but i mean, you know, part of that is what i think is a temporary reduction in the small boats crossings. and, you know, border agency are know, the border agency are saying as the weather saying that as the weather improves, be improves, there's going to be a real numbers. if you real surge in numbers. if you look at the figures. overall, i made the point earlier. you know, the unprocessed asylum claims are eight times higher than they were in 2010, when labour left office. and what really puzzles me is why the government keeps scratching at this, you know, constant announcements that fall apart under scrutiny. there's been a massive briefing campaign this morning, the home office are morning, so the home office are officials are briefing that the government has fiddled the figures officials in figures and officials in conservative central office are briefing that the home office has it's chaos. has failed. it's chaos. >> and this is a really interesting bit that maybe you had judicial activism 20 years ago. agree with that.

ago. completely agree with that. that's a problem now. and that's still a problem now. and it'd see the it'd be interesting to see the number servants working number of civil servants working in now, there in the home office now, as there was the size of was 20 years ago, the size of the central state has absolutely blossomed. got much, much blossomed. it's got much, much bigger. and you see all these stories coming out of the home office particular, saying, office in particular, saying, oh, doing cruel. oh, what we're doing is cruel. it's nasty. don't it's mean, it's nasty. i don't want work that. and so want to work on that. and so you're starting to see the you're starting to see that the enemy the home enemy within, inside the home office civil servants office are these civil servants who these who don't want to work on these kind think it's mean kind of things, think it's mean and to let people into and nasty not to let people into the the rest of and nasty not to let people into thel the rest of and nasty not to let people into thel don't the rest of and nasty not to let people into thel don't think the rest of and nasty not to let people into thel don't think that'se rest of and nasty not to let people into thel don't think that's the st of it. i don't think that's the case, but i do it was john case, but i do agree it was john reed when he was home secretary that office is that said, the home office is not for purpose. not fit for purpose. >> i think under successive >> and i think under successive governments the case. >> you don't there's any >> you don't think there's any element at all of civil servants >> you don't think there's any elenmayat all of civil servants >> you don't think there's any elen may cause of civil servants >> you don't think there's any elen may cause obstaclesvants >> you don't think there's any elen may cause obstacles to nts who may cause obstacles to government policy? experience government policy? my experience not all. not at all. >> experience in government >> my experience in government was a firm lead was that if you gave a firm lead , you were on top of the , if you were on top of the detail, you got the civil service work with you in the service to work with you in the home office. i think there are cultural and it's not cultural issues and it's not about ideological opposition. it's just about i'll give you an example. higher education example. i was higher education minister and was arguing for

minister and i was arguing for two year post—study visa regime , two year post—study visa regime, and i had a meeting with liam byrne, who at that stage was the immigration minister, and he and i agreeing on way i were agreeing on the way forward. and the official from the home office was flatly contradicting us. i'm going hold on a minute. we're the elected ministers. you're official . ministers. you're the official. it's cultural. it's not ideological . ideological. >> suppose one of the big >> and i suppose one of the big things the longer you've things is that the longer you've been if you're been in power, if you're if you're margaret thatcher and you've there on you've been sitting there on year you of know how to year 11, you sort of know how to sort work your way through sort of work your way through the whereas you've the system. whereas if you've had education had how many education secretaries have we had in the last five years? how many home secretaries, how many ministers you don't build up that institution that knowledge you don't build up that insin ution that knowledge you don't build up that insin terms that knowledge you don't build up that insin terms of that knowledge you don't build up that insin terms of howt knowledge you don't build up that insin terms of how to nowledge you don't build up that insin terms of how to workedge of in terms of how to work around things, which is probably something will hit something that will also hit keir starmer if he's going to win election. how many win the next election. how many people his government will people in his government will have government have ever been in government before? not that many, before? probably not that many, really. more than in 1997 when we came power. that's true . we came to power. that's true. that's also true. although so we move on. >> should we move on? because rishi sunak faces call for

inquiry into secret election meetings with dominic cummings. james. this reported in the james. this was reported in the times i believe it was sunday times, the sunday times, about how rishi sunak was having these secret meetings and now the liberal democrats have come out swinging, an swinging, calling for an investigation . investigation into this. >> it'sjust investigation into this. >> it's just that's that's a bit that really makes me laugh with it. dems funny. what can we it. lib dems funny. what can we do ourselves do today to make ourselves try and we should and be relevant when we should measure? if the prime minister is allowed some is allowed to talk to some people about politics? i mean, that's aidan that's a really silly aidan magee serious bit magee i suppose the serious bit dominic really dominic cummings really polarising and this polarising figure and this announcement polarising figure and this anntoryement polarising figure and this ann toryemer saying, oh, that the tory mps saying, oh, that dominic cummings is terrible and evil. did his eyesight evil. and he did his eyesight trip barnard hahaha trip to barnard castle. hahaha and other half of tory and upset the other half of tory mps and some other people in government. thinking why didn't you all you bring him back in all the things cummings that things that cummings said that they talked about is really important. talking about the threat nuclear weapons we threat of nuclear weapons and we locking nukes and locking up our nukes and updating properly, this locking up our nukes and upda around properly, this locking up our nukes and upda around artificially, this stuff around artificial intelligence, really intelligence, all these really big picture things that are the things government, big picture things that are the things government , frankly, things that government, frankly, should looking at than should be looking at rather than worrying about all the silly stuff up talking

stuff that we end up talking about too often, i suppose. >> to some >> i suppose to some extent, dominic such an dominic cummings is such an interesting figure , clearly very interesting figure, clearly very abrasive people he abrasive with many people he works but i mean, on day works with. but i mean, on day one, when boris johnson became prime minister and dominic cummings there him cummings was there clapping him in, he was wearing a scruffy t shirt that had the open ai logo on it, and that was about two years before anyone had discussed ai in common discussed open ai in common parlance. years before parlance. three years before chatgpt entered. >> are you saying he's ahead of his time certain things? his time on certain things? >> think a bright, bright >> i think he's a bright, bright quy- >> i think he's a bright, bright guy. bill rammell is there an issue rishi sunak talking issue with rishi sunak talking to cummings ? to dominic cummings? >> well, there's a fundamental issue about political judgement. there's not an issue in terms of the ministerial code. i mean, the ministerial code. i mean, the dems are a silly party. the lib dems are a silly party. well, that's what they're saying. and, you know, to raise this there are this as a, you know, there are many, serious breaches of many, many serious breaches of the this is many, many serious breaches of the one this is many, many serious breaches of the one of this is many, many serious breaches of the one of them. this is many, many serious breaches of the one of them. but,'his is many, many serious breaches of the one of them. but, youis many, many serious breaches of the one of them. but, you know, not one of them. but, you know, dominic a toxic dominic cummings was a toxic figure. you know, david cameron, i think , rightly described him i think, rightly described him as serial or a career as a serial or a career psychopath . um, you know, he psychopath. um, you know, he brought a toxic environment to

number 10, which made the handung number 10, which made the handling of the pandemic that much more difficult . much more difficult. >> let's just say that dominic cummings would deny he's a psychopath. maybe if anybody's going to sue, it was david cameron who said it, not me. >> um , but, uh, the real >> um, but, uh, the real question is rishi sunaks political judgement, you know, where does he stand? >> he started as the man of integrity and competence . he integrity and competence. he then lurched to the right with suella braverman. he was then, unbelievably , presenting himself unbelievably, presenting himself as change candidate . then he as the change candidate. then he brought cameron back to brought david cameron back to government now apparently he government and now apparently he was bringing dominic was discussing bringing dominic cummings back. what does the man stand for apart from his own sense of entitlement? i mean, this may be desperate stuff from rishi certainly rishi sunak, but it's certainly desperate stuff from wendy chamberlain, the party's chief whip, saying the dems chief whip, saying the lib dems chief whip, saying the lib dems chief whip saying not this meeting's not been declared properly. >> urge . i'm not been declared properly. >> urge. i'm urging an inquiry into whether sunak violated the ministerial code. i mean, do people take this seriously? >> no, i think we've got some

agreement here on the lib dems. i think it was ed davey also himself involved in this big post office scandal that's coming. dems coming. so maybe the lib dems trying dead cat trying what they call a dead cat strategy. you know, you throw a dead cat onto meeting table, dead cat onto a meeting table, distracts the distracts everybody from the serious stuff, which again, is what spent his what dominic cummings spent his time in government walking warning some warning against. there are some really challenges. cummings really big challenges. cummings understood the scale of reform that was needed. did he go about a lot the right way? a lot of it the right way? probably was he ever probably not. was he ever destined on with the kind destined to get on with the kind of that was? of character that boris was? maybe not. but you know, some of those to find those ideas i used to find myself in government saying, just cummings just because dominic cummings said it's wrong. said it doesn't mean it's wrong. >> interesting. and what you >> interesting. and what do you make what bill was saying make of what bill was saying about almost about that rishi sunak almost casting see what casting around to see what sort of he would be, of prime minister he would be, whether the big whether he's sort of the big ally of suella braverman on the whether he's sort of the big all'one suella braverman on the whether he's sort of the big all'one day.la braverman on the whether he's sort of the big all'one day and, averman on the whether he's sort of the big all'one day and, and man on the whether he's sort of the big all'one day and, and davidn the on one day and, and david cameron's friend next cameron's best friend the next day. uh, we got a clear day. uh, have we got a clear sense direction from this sense of direction from this government? i think it's a reasonable that reasonable criticism that i suspect some people in number 10 would of agree as would sort of agree with as well, except all sort of well, except that it all sort of say, when rishi say, well, well, when rishi starts agreeing with he'll say, well, well, when rishi staon agreeing with he'll say, well, well, when rishi staon agre right with he'll say, well, well, when rishi staon agre right track he'll say, well, well, when rishi sta on agre right track hthese things. >> it's difficulty you

>> it's the difficulty when you change a prime minister in office, the tories change a prime minister in office done the tories change a prime minister in office done quite the tories change a prime minister in officedone quite a the tories change a prime minister in officedone quite a lote tories change a prime minister in officedone quite a lote tstarmer have done quite a lot in starmer has different flops has done different flip flops back and forth and different things. that's because things. that's fine because no one's attention right one's paying any attention right now. really on now. they're not really sold on him. with him. they're just all upset with the tories, again, is sort the tories, which again, is sort of reasonable given the tories, which again, is sort of happened..e given what's happened. >> suppose the wise thing >> i suppose the wise thing about starmer he's done about starmer is he's done all of u—turns gets of his u—turns before he gets elected. well, so far anyway. >> that's we've >> yeah, well that's all we've got for, now. you got time for, for now. thank you to bill rammell and of course, james up, very james price. next up, the very latest from japan looks like things up . things are heating up. >> boilers sponsors of >> boxt boilers sponsors of whether on . gb news. whether on. gb news. >> hello. it's aidan mcgivern here from the met office with the gb news forecast storm henk is currently bringing some very wet and windy weather to southern parts of the uk. disruptive and damaging wind gusts are possible through the next few hours. as henk moves across this central swathe of the uk in the far north as well, we've got tightly packed isobars and wet and windy weather for the far north scotland, as the far north of scotland, as well orkney and shetland, but well as orkney and shetland, but as storm henk clears the south

and south—east for a time, 60 to 70 mile per hour wind gusts are possible could cause travel disruption and some damage , but disruption and some damage, but it does move through and it stays overnight. a stays blustery overnight. a further gales expected further gales are expected across of the across exposed parts of the southwest of the southwest by the end of the night, in a of night, bringing in a lot of showers from the southwest and the and those showers are the west. and those showers are with from the word on with us from the word go on wednesday for prolonged spells of across the far north of rain across the far north northeast of scotland, so snow for shetland building up fairly significantly over higher parts of shetland and then some longer spells of rain also affecting western scotland and at times western scotland and at times western parts of england , as western parts of england, as well and northern well as wales and northern ireland. in between any showers there will be some sunny spells. it in the south, 11 it will be mild in the south, 11 to 12 celsius cold in the far north, and thursday is a similar sort of day with further spells of rain and showers. the wettest weather on thursday likely to be towards the southwest. in between across central parts. there will be some sunshine and then higher pressure develops on friday and saturday, bringing

finally some drier. friday and saturday, bringing finally some drier . weather. finally some drier. weather. >> that warm feeling inside guide from boxt boilers , guide from boxt boilers, sponsors of weather on gb news .

>> good afternoon britain. it's now 2:00 on tuesday, the 2nd of

january. >> plain in flames a large japan airlines passenger plane erupts in a firestorm after colliding with a smaller coastguard plane. the 379 passengers fled the inferno. however five out of six crew members aboard the coastguard flight have sadly been confirmed dead . been confirmed dead. >> safe haven britain the home office granted over 50,000 people asylum last year. office granted over 50,000 people asylum last year . while people asylum last year. while the acceptance rate is down on last year, this is the highest raw number since records began this . comes raw number since records began this. comes as prime minister celebrates clearing the asylum backlog. in his words , and a backlog. in his words, and a reduction in small boat crossings . crossings. >> the nhs stand off junior doctors are set to walk out tomorrow in the longest strike in nhs history. the head of nhs england says the six day walkout will have a significant impact on routine care .

on routine care. and our political editor, christopher hope, has predicted the year in polity . six. the year in polity. six. >> he says there's going to be an income tax cut, perhaps in the march budget and also he's got a specific date in his mind for the election. november the 7th. >> yes, november the seventh. now, i have absolutely no idea why november the 7th, perhaps that when does that lie exactly in the parliamentary calendar? first thursday in november. well, i mean, november the 7th. a good day is any to have an election if we're going to have an election. >> i think it's pretty dead set on that. will be in the on that. it will be in the autumn rather than the spring, when the tories are this far behind in the polls. rishi sunak is not going to want to give up being prime minister six months earlier than he has to. >> are you saying that >> so are you saying that everyone little bit everyone was having a little bit too speculating on a too much fun speculating on a spnng too much fun speculating on a spring was everyone spring election? was everyone talking absolute nonsense that it could possibly be in the spnng? >> there's a tactic to this. i think the labour party want to talk the prospect of a spring

talk up the prospect of a spring election it doesn't election so that when it doesn't happen, they can say he's a bottler . he bottled the election bottler. he bottled the election in same way the tories said in the same way the tories said bottler brown to gordon brown in two and seven, when he two thousand and seven, when he didn't election. that didn't hold the election. that was rumoured. was widely rumoured. >> time i checked and >> but last time i checked and correct wrong, a correct me if i'm wrong, a majority people in the majority of people in the country want an country do actually want an election election now? >> yes, whenever, whenever a government is polling behind the opposition, there tends to be a majority in favour of an election . um, for obvious election. um, for obvious reasons, i suppose. >> well, i want to get not just christopher hopes predictions, but i also want yours, tom, because you've done some outstanding and crucially correct predictions accurately. >> why, i don't want to give any more. >> he doesn't want to lose his winning streak. >> well , do do write in with >> well, do do write in with your own predictions. >> gb views at gb news. com to get involved. but before all of that , we'll get the get involved. but before all of that, we'll get the headlines with tatiana . with tatiana. >> tom. thank you. 2:03. this is

the latest from the gb newsroom. five of the six crew on board a japanese coastguard plane were killed when they collided with a passenger aircraft. amazingly, all 379 passengers and crew , 12 all 379 passengers and crew, 12 of them on board a japan airlines flight, were safely evacuated . passengers say they evacuated. passengers say they felt a large boom before smoke filled the cabin. the coastguard plane involved in the collision had been on its way to deliver aid to areas affected by a powerful earthquake . that struck powerful earthquake. that struck on new year's day . meanwhile, on new year's day. meanwhile, rescue efforts are continuing after that earthquake , which hit after that earthquake, which hit japan's noto peninsula . nearly japan's noto peninsula. nearly 50 people were killed , with 50 people were killed, with residents in some areas forced to flee a tsunami. waves hit the west coast, sweeping cars and houses into the water. around 3000 army officers, firefighters and police officers have been deployed to the affected area . deployed to the affected area. the home secretary insists the government has cleared a backlog of asylum cases , as critics of asylum cases, as critics accuse the government of

fiddling the figures. the number of asylum decisions made last year was the highest since 2002, as the government insists its commitment to clear the backlog has been delivered. labour says that's false, as reports suggest the reduced figure is in part due to some legacy cases being moved to other categories. but james cleverly says the number is coming down. we have processed every single one of those applications in the vast majority , a final decision has majority, a final decision has been made and in a small number where there are complications . where there are complications. >> but the point is we have now got a much, much faster process us, which is why 50 hotels that were being used for housing asylum seekers are now being given back to the commercial world so they can be put back into use as hotels. we're reducing the need to accommodate asylum seekers and will be processing much more quickly going through . 2024. going through. 2024. >> a 23 year old man will go on trial later this year after being charged with the murder of

a good samaritan who died as he tried to help a stranger. chris marriott on a post—christmas marriott was on a post—christmas walk wife and two young walk with his wife and two young children when stopped help children when he stopped to help a was unconscious in a woman who was unconscious in the street. he was killed when a car ploughed into a small crowd of people following a disturbance in the burngreave area of sheffield last week. hassan has also facing five counts of attempted murder. he's due to appear in court for a plea and case management hearing on the 25th of march. the nhs will be stretched even further tomorrow as junior doctors prepare to walk out in the health service . s longest strike health service. s longest strike ever and unprecedented six days of industrial action comes as the nhs faces one of its busiest penods. the nhs faces one of its busiest periods. cases of the nhs faces one of its busiest periods . cases of flu the nhs faces one of its busiest periods. cases of flu and the nhs faces one of its busiest periods . cases of flu and other periods. cases of flu and other winter illnesses are up, as are staff absences due to covid. bosses say it could be one of the most difficult starts to the year the nhs has ever faced. the bma union wants junior doctors to receive a 35% pay rise, which would restore their real earnings to levels seen in 2008.

the government says the demands are unaffordable . britain are unaffordable. britain experienced a record number of excess deaths last year amid repeated nhs strikes and the continuing cost of the covid pandemic. analysis by the telegraph shows nearly 53,000 more people died last year, compared to previous years. it's the highest figure recorded in a non pandemic year since the second world war. south korea's opposition leader has been stabbed in the neck during a visit to the city of busan in front of a crowd of people. lee jae myung was addressing reporters when a man in his 60s appeared to ask him for an autograph . he then lunged at the autograph. he then lunged at the politician with a knife. the violent attack, which happened dunng violent attack, which happened during the day in of during the day in front of a crowd has crowd of journalists, has stunned nation. several stunned the nation. several people were seen restraining the attacker while others tried to help mr lee as he collapsed to the ground. he was taken to a local hospital . his injuries are local hospital. his injuries are not believed life not believed to be life threatening . and last year was

threatening. and last year was britain's second warmest since records began. the record for the hottest year was just 12 months earlier, when we saw temperatures exceed 40 degrees for the first time. the met office says it expects a pattern of warm weather to continue over the coming years, as it says the impacts of human induced climate change are felt around the world. this is gb news across the uk on tv in your car, on digital radio and on your smart speaker by saying play gb news. now back to tom and . emily now back to tom and. emily >> right? well, we've been getting lots of emails in. are we going to emails now? i think we going to emails now? i think we have some time to i think we should because lots of you have beenin should because lots of you have been in touch. we were discussing dominic cummings and the kind the rumours about some kind of return the liberal democrats return or the liberal democrats are getting very angry that rishi reportedly rishi sunak was reportedly having with having meetings with dominic cummings. says a cummings. patricia says a partnership made in heaven .

partnership made in heaven. cummings and sunak both plotted to bring boris johnson down. now they can finish each other off. >> well, i mean it's a it's a an unfair but perhaps not inaccurate description there. diana says it's bad enough david cameron has been bought back. cummings as well would definitely be too much. yes. not not much. love for dominic cummings really in the inbox? >> no, and not much love for the government when it comes to its claim that they've cleared the asylum backlog. david says with the government saying it is up to date with asylum backlog to date with the asylum backlog and boats. they must think we and no boats. they must think we are why are stupid. well, that's why we're here to digest the figures and find out what's actually happening. although as christopher us, there christopher hope told us, there have been no boats all year, all day and a half of it so far. >> so that was a fantastic joke. >> so that was a fantastic joke. >> brilliant side splitting. >> brilliant side splitting. >> yeah. no, fantastic . um, and >> yeah. no, fantastic. um, and on junior doctors , suzanne has on junior doctors, suzanne has said that they knew the salary when they took the job, and they often use nhs premises and resources for their private work

. like she thinks that it's all shameful and the nhs needs reform . i do think that's a part reform. i do think that's a part of the conversation that is often left out. just how much sort of side work junior doctors take on, which means that the salary is presented there salary that is presented there as doctor salary is as a junior doctor salary is actually really they're actually not really what they're taking much taking home. it's much, much higher. cases, yes. higher. in many cases, yes. >> not doing >> they're probably not doing side year one, but side work in year one, but a little later down or maybe, i don't know, i don't know. let us know. maybe you know know. are they maybe you know more yeah more than i do. yeah >> also locum work goes for >> and also locum work goes for goes for a lot. but um the latest now from japan where a plane into flames as plane has burst into flames as it landed on a runway at tokyo's haneda airport earlier today. this after the aircraft collided with a japanese coastguard plane delivering vital earthquake aid. >> yes, all 379 people on board the passengers and the crew have been evacuated and but five out of six japanese coastguard crew who were on board the colliding aircraft have been confirmed dead. well joining us now is former air accident investigator steve.

>> steve moss and steve. it's a bit of a fuzzy picture here right now about what precise nicely happened. there have been lots of reports, but i don't believe we've yet had an official explanation that may take quite some time to emerge . take quite some time to emerge. >> oh yes, i wouldn't expect anything. can quickly, uh, this early . um, anything. can quickly, uh, this early. um, there's anything. can quickly, uh, this early . um, there's lots of early. um, there's lots of recordings to listen to for a start. uh, the, um, interchange between air traffic control and, uh, the aircraft, both aircraft will have been recorded. and, of course , there are the cockpit course, there are the cockpit voice recording , uh, on on both voice recording, uh, on on both the aircraft that need to be listened to. >> so, um, there'll be recordings probably of the ground movement radar and things like this. >> so it doesn't at all surprise me that there's, um, there's nothing concrete at this moment. i'm just so, uh, amazed that, um, that , uh, that everybody on

um, that, uh, that everybody on board the a350 , uh, seems to, board the a350, uh, seems to, uh, to have, uh, survived and, uh, to have, uh, survived and, uh, evacuated successfully, i believe the other aircraft was an aircraft called a de havilland canada dash eight, um, which is about a sort of 5060 seat turboprop aircraft would probably carrying, i guess, suppues probably carrying, i guess, supplies and cargo . supplies and cargo. >> uh, steve, in your career as a, uh, accident investigator, have you ever seen anything like this? have you ever investigated an incident like this ? an incident like this? >> um . i've not, uh, invest it. >> um. i've not, uh, invest it. i've investigated a fire. um, which which happened in 1985 at manchester airport . which which happened in 1985 at manchester airport. um, which which happened in 1985 at manchester airport . um, that it manchester airport. um, that it didn't involve a collision on, um, but it certainly did involve, um, the aircraft was completely destroyed by fire,

and i would expect that there would be a lot of, um, analysis on, uh, both what went right . on, uh, both what went right. uh, in terms of the evacuation , uh, in terms of the evacuation, um, and what went wrong, um, in terms of the fire spread and, and the spread of the fire. so so if you like , in addition to so if you like, in addition to the root cause of the accident, um, as well, there'll be a lot of research going on, uh, into, uh, by specialists, um, in that those sorts of fields of , of, those sorts of fields of, of, um, uh, analysis . yes. um, uh, analysis. yes. >> i suppose a testament to modern engineering and safety and design that the fire, uh, remained outside the plane licking the exterior. uh for long enough to get all of those passengers on the on the, uh, a350 , uh, out of the plane for a350, uh, out of the plane for long enough. i suppose that shows what a remarkable what remarkable progress there has beenin remarkable progress there has been in recent years in how planes are designed, but still a

clearly a massive failure either of air traffic control, of communication of sites of whatever it was that caused the collision in the first place. >> yes, absolutely . and that is >> yes, absolutely. and that is that's um, it's perhaps axiomatic that , um, that that axiomatic that, um, that that there's always going to be accidents. i'm afraid they'll be very few and far between , very few and far between, hopefully. and each , um, each, hopefully. and each, um, each, uh, accident , uh, hopefully. and each, um, each, uh, accident, uh, has lessons to be learned . um, but you know, be learned. um, but you know, they're not they're not unheard of. and, uh, human error , as of. and, uh, human error, as long as humans are involved and, um, human error is likely to occur. um, human error is likely to occur . yeah. occur. yeah. >> well, thank you very much for your time, steve moss. really good to speak to you. former air accident investigator. appreciate your time . appreciate your time. >> um, it's a sort of jewel story there, isn't it? you know, the remarkable success of how many passengers were were

cleared and how and how well, that seems to have gone. but the tragic five lives tragic loss of five lives and the the accident the fact that the accident happened first place. happened in the first place. yes, very interesting to yes, it'd be very interesting to hear more about how the evacuation place, those evacuation took place, how those people able to get off people were all able to get off board so quickly. >> really incredible stuff. well the home office claims it has cleared the backlog of 112,000 asylum cases since mid 2022. now, the figures show delays have cost the taxpayer around £8 million a day. that's to put asylum seekers up in hotels, of course, while they wait their outcome. >> yes, the number of migrants crossing the english channel has also fallen in. government figures show the total arrivals in 2023 was . down to 29,500, in 2023 was. down to 29,500, which is more than a third less than the year before . well, yes. than the year before. well, yes. >> so joining us now is gb news political editor, christopher hope. you've heard the government's response to criticism their claim that criticism over their claim that they've cleared the asylum backlog. what do they have to

say about this? because some people are saying suggesting that actually , hang on, you that actually, hang on, you haven't quite cleared the backlog . no no, there were. backlog. no no, there were. >> so the numbers are dizzying, aren't they? emily let's go back to the target. they set themselves in june 2022. that was to clear the backlog, which then stood at 92,000 asylum seekers waiting preprocessed. it's that number 92,000, dating from june 2022, which has been cleared apart from 4500 complex cases. that's allowed labour to say, well, this is obviously not true. stop the boasts mr sunak, because in fact, 4500 haven't been cleared. therefore, the backlog hasn't been cleared. but of course, as numbers arrive and keep arriving monthly as charted by gb news, that number keeps getting topped up . so the new getting topped up. so the new number is 112,000. um claims processed last last year, but last year of that only 24,100 were returned voluntarily or by

force. we don't know where the rest of them are. they might be going through the system. um, it is complicated. the other side of small boats of this is the small boats figure that's down by a third on the 29,000 or so last year, arrived by small boats that's fallen . now the government is fallen. now the government is taking issue today with claims it's by by bad weather. we there's been no claim, no crossings since december the 16th across the channel very bad weather over christmas. stormy weather. but they're saying about the same number of red days. you can't travel on days. days you can't travel on in 2022, 2023. about just over 100 or so days when you can't travel. so they're saying that it's really down to government action. that number has fallen by about a third, but a deal with albania, uh, cutting off that route and also working more closely with those on the continent , closely with those on the continent, um, today, james cleverly, secretary , cleverly, the home secretary, he's got quite of the he's got quite ahead of the number he said that they number 10. he said that they can get that's right. zero get to zero. that's right. zero boat this year. that's boat crossings this year. that's his target. well, let me tell you, number 10 not adopt you, number 10 did not adopt that. i asked him about

that. when i asked him about that. when i asked him about that they very that lunchtime, they made very clear that this idea of stop the boat so we boat is not time limited. so we could be talking about this for many years come. when i go many years to come. when i go finally go. grey, emily and tom. >> well, christopher hope, thank you so much for bringing us that. and just just very quickly , government does , we, um, the government does say those arrivals are down say that those arrivals are down by a third in europe. it say that those arrivals are down by a third in europe . it says by a third in europe. it says that they're up by 80. we're seeing millions of people crossing the southern us border as well . is crossing the southern us border as well. is britain crossing the southern us border as well . is britain bucking the as well. is britain bucking the trend ? to some extent . trend? to some extent. >> it is. and i was trying to find out from the government why they won't support the idea of even a fall in. there's been rumoured there might be a halving in net migration this yeah halving in net migration this year, and they'd be very clear. and it's fair enough can't and it's fair enough they can't just numbers. so far just forecast numbers. so far aheadin just forecast numbers. so far ahead in a year, tom, because of course things happen. the war in ukraine the issue, ukraine happened. the issue, the, the battle in in gaza between hamas and israel

happened. between hamas and israel happened . these things can't be happened. these things can't be forecast and what you're describing there so eloquently is the, the, the, the movements in human people , in people in human people, in people around the world pushed there by events happening. and that's why the government is so keen not to get trapped into a numbers game. if it can. >> and christopher, you've been making some predictions for the new year when it comes to politics, of course. what are they? >> well , they? >> well, in a they? >> well , in a nutshell, they? >> well, in a nutshell, i mean, there'll be more on the gb news website today. i think the election i think tom agrees , is election i think tom agrees, is in november this year. i've said november the 7th. i'm not so sure on that date. it might go later that date because i think the migration figures will later that date because i think the better|igration figures will later that date because i think the better thistion figures will later that date because i think the better this yearigures will later that date because i think the better this year igure�*lastl be better this year than last yeah be better this year than last year. four, 2000 year. the seven four, 2000 figure repeated. it figure won't be repeated. it could much as halved. i could be as much as halved. i think cutting in think we'll see. tax cutting in the budget. head of the march 6th budget. head of local elections in may. i think they'll tories will both of they'll tories will lose both of they'll tories will lose both of the light lee early by elections in peterborough and blackpool south. um i think waiting lists will fall on the nhs. i think

for all these reasons i suggest the number 10 will be mad to go early for an election. so i think it's november. how long your hat has been quite a ride this year. gb news is the election channel. stay tuned think. >> i think you mean wellingborough rather than peterborough. unless paul bristow has, uh. forgive me , bristow has, uh. forgive me, accidentally resigned. and i don't think has. don't think he has. >> i was thinking i was, i was thinking of peter bone and peterborough. so sorry. wellingborough forgive me. well, there . there you go. >> cracking. >> cracking. >> well, good thing you >> well, good thing here you were . were. >> el e no a keen, keen ears >> no no, no a keen, keen ears this morning. >> no no, no a keen, keen ears thisum,'ning. >> no no, no a keen, keen ears thisum, thank you much . >> um, thank you very much. christopher political edhoh afternoon . >> this afternoon. >> this afternoon. >> oh, what did you say? good morning . morning. >> you said this morning. oh, goodness all very, very goodness. all going very, very well afternoon . welcome well this afternoon. welcome back. year. it's back. it's a new year. it's a fresh start. forgive me , forgive fresh start. forgive me, forgive me. well joining us now is justin tomlinson conservative mp for north swindon. and justin thank you for making the time for us this afternoon christopher hope they're going through his predictions for the new year . are through his predictions for the new year. are you going to lose

both by elections? >> well, we're certainly going to hold on to paul bristow in peterborough . peterborough. >> they're both very tricky by elections . uh, not since bexley elections. uh, not since bexley have we performed well in by elections . have we performed well in by elections. um, we're not have we performed well in by elections . um, we're not great elections. um, we're not great at by elections. governments traditionally are not great, and we just, uh, we're going to have to significantly up our game . to significantly up our game. >> oh, yeah. well, we're also going to have to up our game when it comes to communication. but, um, i blame jeff fryston. but, um, i blame jeff fryston. but justin tomlinson was just saying don't tend saying governments don't tend to win generally no. but win and generally no. but remember , the remember hartlepool, the sensational time when it wasn't just holding a seat, it was taking a seat from labour back in the midst of covid that first summer and boris johnson was prime minister. how different things feel now. >> we saw how, you know, local issues like the ulez issue can be mobilised to back the government. but there you go. interesting oh justin's there. justin, you were just telling us our predictions for these by elections. i mean, look, they're going be tough .

going to be tough. >> waiting to see who >> um, we're waiting to see who our candidates will be. but as i said, government struggle traditionally parliamentary traditionally in parliamentary by a party are by elections, we as a party are not great at them. uh, the last one that we did well in was the bexley louis french. he won bexley by louis french. he won that we also that one, obviously. we also won, uxbridge . won, uh, uxbridge. >> that a very localised >> that was a very localised issue that were to issue that we were able to capitalise on, where we could hold labour to account on their own record . own local record. >> um, but we're going to have to get those out the way and to get those out of the way and then to the local then it's on to the local elections and the general elections and the general election this year. >> and course, rishi sunak >> and of course, rishi sunak has confirmed that the has now confirmed that the election will be this year. there was some slight speculation it might have been in the last in january 2025, the last possible time it could be held. but don't think anyone could but i don't think anyone could could face such miserable could face such a miserable christmas. does christmas. yes, um, but it does seem that we are now into the formal election campaign . the formal election campaign. the prime minister making a big speech , uh, about almost his . speech, uh, about almost his. we're being briefed. it's almost his sort of big election pitch speech in the coming days . what speech in the coming days. what do you expect him to say ?

do you expect him to say? >> well, actually, i think we've been probably on election footing since , um, the end of footing since, um, the end of the summer last year. >> i think the party is probably working towards a general election . um, but it had hoped election. um, but it had hoped that the polls would have significantly improved on the back of the party conference. the autumn statement and the reshuffle that sadly hasn't yet started to move significantly . started to move significantly. the dial. uh, i suspect they'll make a final decision in february when the election will be. but unless something dramatic happens in the coming month, i'm probably in your camp of expecting it to be a november election . november 7th, two days election. november 7th, two days after my birthday. that's that'll be, uh, lucky for my birthday. yes. they'll be out delivering leaflets. um i'm not also convinced that that central office is ready for a may election. there's a huge amount of work that needs to go behind the scenes . uh, and that's been the scenes. uh, and that's been shown with those parliamentary by elections, those very disappointing results, the disappointing results, the

disappointing election disappointing local election results. we've even results. frankly, we've even forgot to launch the local election campaign last year. so there's a lot of work. got to be done behind the scenes from a campaigning perspective. but you're right, prime minister you're right, the prime minister will , uh, will be setting out, uh, tangible needed. tangible things. that is needed. i'm writing leaflets today . we i'm writing leaflets today. we need national content . and need good national content. and it's about, in my opinion , it's about, in my opinion, getting the spade in the ground. looking back at when george osborne was chancellor, the high jackets seeing us getting those houses built, getting infrastructure projects over the line and starting to make a tangible to people's tangible difference to people's lives. because if we are going to win , what would be an to win, what would be an unprecedented fifth terms in office, have to show that not office, we have to show that not only have we made a positive difference to people's lives , difference to people's lives, but will they trust us for but we will if they trust us for another firm. >> yes, because the labour party and to a lesser extent the liberal democrats, are definitely on an election footing. they've been pumping out release after press out press release after press release highlighting how badly we're doing when it comes to things crime, when it comes things like crime, when it comes to things like nhs waiting lists

, of course, uh, stopping the boats as well. a massive pledge from the prime minister. there's quite a lot of negative headunes quite a lot of negative headlines about how the conservatives have managed the economy, how they've managed our criminal system and so criminal justice system and so on and forth. on and so forth. >> yeah . and therefore we've got >> yeah. and therefore we've got to there's no point us campaigning to say the opposition parties are terrible and they shouldn't be trusted. people have already made their own mind up, whether they like, sir keir starmer or ed davey. we have government now have been in government now for 13 have to show we 13 years. we have to show we have got a good record on the economy, record economy, delivering record employment , economy, delivering record employment, uh, strong growth compared to our competitors over the last decade and a bit . and the last decade and a bit. and our delivery on, uh, our public services record funding for the nhs, record funding for our schools, we've got to start showing that, but we've got to start showing the new projects coming forward. and i know, you know, looking at tom's social media, he shares my frustration about how many blockages there are in the system around planning, getting those houses,

getting those infrastructures done that point you done. that point that you tweeted about the other day, around about 70 local authorities declaring a climate , authorities declaring a climate, uh, emergency, then blocking solar panels, wind turbines, electrical vehicle charging. >> i mean, justin, we were reading about alok sharma today. he pointed out . what did he he pointed out. what did he point out? go on. alok sharma has that a small has been saying that a small railway in his railway footbridge in his constituency has taken longer to build than the empire state building . building. >> such is the sort of , uh, >> such is the sort of, uh, sclerosis that we see in our planning system, which i suppose we can we can, of course, blame governments , all governments governments, all governments since the second world war for building it up to where we are today. but we can also blame the conservative party for failing to how we expedite to reform how we expedite critical infrastructure , or critical infrastructure, or indeed all sorts of construction. >> just a footbridge . >> just a footbridge. >> just a footbridge. >> yeah. >> yeah. >> i mean, look, we are the government and what we need is our senior people to get around that table on a daily basis and get things unlocked quickly. >> so over the next potentially

11 months, if it is a november election, we can start seeing those cranes on the horizon . so those cranes on the horizon. so spade in the ground. jeremy hunt in a hi vis jacket as the chancellor and actually showing that you know, this this in itself , uh, delivers economic itself, uh, delivers economic growth helps create those next generation of well—paid jobs because we can't live on past record. and i will argue till the cows come home with, uh, my, my opposition about our record. we can be proud of our record, but that is not enough. if you want a fifth turm, you have to show you've got the same determination, same appetite to start tangible start delivering tangible benefit . once we've got it in benefit. once we've got it in bucket loads, we've just got to be a lot more front footed. with that, we need our top team to be more political and more urgent that, we need our top team to be more po the al and more urgent that, we need our top team to be more po the clock more urgent that, we need our top team to be more po the clock is|ore urgent that, we need our top team to be more po the clock is clearly ent because the clock is clearly running . running out. >> and justin, i must ask , how >> and justin, i must ask, how concerned are you by the surge in support for the reform party and why do you think people are turning to reform ? um, i am not

turning to reform? um, i am not unduly look, this would be my sixth general election. >> we've had ukip we've had the referendum party, we've had various different variations of the same thing. and despite our struggles in parliamentary by elections, they never break through the or come close to that 5% margin. they generally take voters away from us and from labour, um, in the same way the green party do and other fringe parties, um, our destiny is in our own hands. if we can deliver a tangible positive differences to the electorate between now and whenever that general election comes, building on our record of the 13 years of government, then we can win an election. we can't be distracted by fringe parties or what the opposition are doing, or not doing. after 13 years, we're either good enough to win an election or we don't deserve to. >> mhm. well justin, just finally are you united enough to all be singing from the same hymn sheet ? hymn sheet? >> we have to be, uh, we

absolutely have to be disunited. governments don't win elections and, you know, i'm proud to be a conservative mp i don't necessarily agree with everything. occasionally i voted against my government, but i don't a song out don't make a song and dance out about it because i'm very much of view that vast of the view that the vast majority things that i majority of the things that i support covered by the support are covered by the conservative and we're conservative party and we're a broad church . uh, i share broad church. uh, i share swindon with robert buckland. we're on different wings of the political party, but we, you know , he's a godfather to my know, he's a godfather to my eldest daughter, and we respect each other whenever we've not voted same way. fact, voted the same way. in fact, i don't think free vote we've don't think on a free vote we've ever in the same, um, ever been in the same, um, division lobby. but we get on well and we have focussed well and we have to be focussed because , we will be because if we aren't, we will be handing the keys sir keir handing the keys to sir keir starmer. and i've got many good friends who've smaller friends who've got much smaller majorities and it majorities of than mine. and it will who will be paying majorities of than mine. and it willprice who will be paying majorities of than mine. and it willprice wielection. paying majorities of than mine. and it willprice wielection. we'veg the price at the election. we've got it together. got to hold it together. >> justin tomlinson, thank >> well, justin tomlinson, thank you for that. overall look at the state of british politics today. golly can't say he sounds

today. golly can't say he sounds to convinced. >> uh, well, when . you're when >> uh, well, when. you're when you're nigh on 20 points behind in the polls, it's hard to be pretty cheery, but, um,

monday to thursdays from six till 930. >> good afternoon 233. this is

the latest from the gb newsroom. five of the six crew on board a japanese coast guard plane were killed when they collided with a passenger aircraft, a amazingly, all passengers and 12 crew all 379 passengers and 12 crew on board a japan airlines flight were safely evacuated . were safely evacuated. passengers say they felt a large boom before smoke filled the cabin . the coastguard plane cabin. the coastguard plane involved in the collision had been on its way to deliver aid to areas affected by a powerful earthquake that struck on new year's day , the home secretary year's day, the home secretary insists the government has cleared a backlog of asylum cases, as critics accused the government of fiddling the figures. the number of asylum decisions made last year was the highest since 2002, as the government insists its commitment to clear the backlog has been delivered. labour says that's false, as reports suggest the reduced figure is in part due to some legacy cases being moved to other categories. but james cleverly says the number is coming down. >> we have processed every

single one of those applications in the vast majority. a final decision has been made and in a small number there are complications, but the point is we have now got a much , much we have now got a much, much faster process , which is why 50 faster process, which is why 50 hotels that were being used for housing asylum seekers are now being given back to the commercial world so they can be put back into use as hotels as we reducing the need to accommodate asylum seekers and will be processing much more quickly, going . through 2024 and quickly, going. through 2024 and last year was britain's second warmest since records began in the record for the hottest year was just 12 months earlier, when we saw temperatures exceed 40 degrees for the first time. >> the met office says it expects the pattern of warmer weather to continue over the coming years , it says the coming years, as it says the impacts of human induced climate change the change are felt around the world. you can get more on all of those stories by visiting our website , gbnews.com .

website, gbnews.com. >> good afternoon britain. it's 235 and police are launching an investigation into the first case of rape to take place in the metaverse . yes. the metaverse. yes. >> so the girl reportedly under the age of 16, is said to have been left with severe psychological and emotional trauma after being attacked by a group of online avatars. >> but all of this occurring in cyberspace, well, joining us now is the psychologist and metaverse expert nina jane patel. and nina, first of all, can we just get a basic understanding of what the metaverse actually is ? metaverse actually is? >> the metaverse , in this >> the metaverse, in this context, is virtual reality , context, is virtual reality, where we put on a head mounted display, we step into the digital virtual environment and engage with other people as represented by avatars in a digital environment .

digital environment. >> nina, how can we? i'd like your reaction on this investigation into this first alleged rape on the metaverse . alleged rape on the metaverse. how could the police possibly investigate this as a crime , um, investigate this as a crime, um, when it's not taking place in physical reality ? we. can you physical reality? we. can you get your head around that ? get your head around that? >> absolutely . and it's not >> absolutely. and it's not surprising that we're having this conversation. the technology is such that the experience in the digital environment feels very real. the technology has been designed and has advanced so that when we step into this digital environment from the top of our heads to the tip of our toes , heads to the tip of our toes, it's very real. and has been designed to be as real as possible and there are police investigations or police working on this area for many years now actually. and it is it is about time that we start to have these conversations and consider, um, the impact of our physiological

responses through these digital environments, especially when it comes to children and young people and the trauma that they can experience as a result. >> but the cynics among us would say, well, you can simply remove your vr headset and then your you're safe. there is no physical risk. the police have enough to investigate before they start getting involved in in the metaverse . in the metaverse. >> well, this is what we have to decide as a society. is this metaverse real or not? and if we consider that children are considered impacted mentally and emotionally by their current digital inaya judgements on the on social media, on the internet, in the 2d form , and internet, in the 2d form, and now we're asking them to step into 3d version of that where they're fully immersed, fully present and fully embodied and we cannot underestimate the power of this technology and its impact on children and young people. and we have have people. and we have to have these preparation these discussions in preparation for the full fruition of a metaverse that is to come . metaverse that is to come. >> is rape the right word to be

using here, or should we be perhaps moderating our language, perhaps moderating our language, perhaps even using something like the word assault ? like the word assault? >> because i find it very hard to sort of get my head around there being i mean, as far as i understand it, there was no sort of physical, uh, intrusion or anything like that. was it just sort of lots of people ganging up and standing around an individual. i find it hard to sort of quantify . get your head around. >> yeah, yeah. so we are represented as avatars in this digital space and they feel like us. >> us. >> there's a lot of research and investment in this area to make the avatar feel like your own physical body. and this is an area of research that is very interesting and it's such that, um, the, the act of physical will, you know, to define rape is on a level of penetration . is on a level of penetration. there is no physical penetration. obviously but as the technology develops and we incorporate haptics into this

experience , then certainly there experience, then certainly there can be sensations and feelings that correspond to the physical activities that your avatar is engaging with. other avatars . i engaging with. other avatars. i mean, this is absolutely fascinating. >> and you're an expert. do you think the metaverse is virtual reality is a good thing? do you think children should be allowed to engage with it on supervised? what's your view on that ? what's your view on that? >> we are at the cusp of powerful tools like fire with immersive technology. it has the potential to elevate our lives and to deliver technology that is, um, elevates our individual lives and society . but in the lives and society. but in the current ecosystem in which we're designing technology, safety and, um, especially of children and, um, especially of children and young people is not a priority. and so what we're seeing is children being exposed to environments that weren't designed for them. that doesn't prioritise their safety and puts them at risk. and really hinders their rights as children to play, to explore, to learn in, in safe environments and free

from harm . from harm. >> well, it's absolutely fascinating . and i think perhaps fascinating. and i think perhaps with all the discussion about artificial intelligence, we've sort of the discussion that was happening of years ago happening a couple of years ago about reality and about virtual reality and augmented of has augmented reality sort of has taken back step in this sort taken a back step in this sort of technology discussion , but of technology discussion, but perhaps we should be thinking a bit it. bit more about it. >> i have many >> yeah, i have so many questions, unfortunately >> yeah, i have so many questi run unfortunately >> yeah, i have so many questi run out unfortunately >> yeah, i have so many questi run out of 1fortunately >> yeah, i have so many questi run out of time nately >> yeah, i have so many questi run out of time .ately >> yeah, i have so many questi run out of time . nina jane we've run out of time. nina jane patel, psychologist and metaverse expert. so mind blowing. i have no idea anything about this metaverse. >> have you ever put on a vr headset? >> yeah, i mean, maybe for like, 10s. yeah, but just in one of those demos, things that's not something ever, something i would ever, you know, buy and spend time on, i don't think. >> w- e well be seeing >> well, we might well be seeing a lot of in the years a lot more of them in the years to come. perhaps we could do a promo something promo with one or something virtual reality. good afternoon britain. well coming we're britain. well coming up, we're joined again by our panel to look political look at our political predictions year predictions for the year ahead. don't anywhere

sunday mornings from 930 on gb news is . news is. >> good afternoon britain . it is >> good afternoon britain. it is 244 and today we're discussing some big, big stories with our panel , not least what some big, big stories with our panel, not least what on earth is going on in the nhs? i'm joined with by the former labour mp bill rammell, and the research fellow at the centre for policy studies, james price. joe james, we're about to see the longest strike of junior doctors in the history of the

nhs. how did we get to this point? by the conservatives being in power? >> i'm afraid my belief on this is that to some extent that this is that to some extent that this is a politically motivated move and it has been for quite a while. that slightly while. there was that slightly creepy that out. creepy video that came out. now, i yeah creepy video that came out. now, i year, of two i suppose, last year, of two junior there junior doctors standing there saying, we've got saying, we've done it, we've got them the can hurt the them on the run, we can hurt the tories and saying all the quiet parts out loud. don't think parts out loud. i don't think this just about don't this is just about pay. i don't think anything think this is about anything else. than, afraid, else. other than, i'm afraid, just the for just hitting the tories for being tories. being the tories. >> price, you're former >> james price, you're a former special various special adviser to various cabinet ministers for a conservative government are you saying the way to stop the strikes saying the way to stop the stri that's , i suppose, one >> that's, i suppose, one argument my no argument about my work. no i don't think that would be the best to do this. i think the best way to do this. i think the problem we've got is that for far we've not been far too long now, we've not been able some the able to tackle some of the really deep structural issues inside you think, why inside the nhs. you think, why is almost other is it that almost no other country world, i country in the world, bar i think has the think the canadians has the similar funding similar kind of funding structure you go structure to us. when you go into continent and people so into the continent and people so desperate to copy europe and so many no nhs many other ways, there's no nhs kind europe, right? many other ways, there's no nhs kind all europe, right? many other ways, there's no nhs kind all these europe, right? many other ways, there's no nhs kind all these sortsye, right? many other ways, there's no nhs kind all these sorts of right? there's all these sorts of social insurance still

social insurance systems still free the use, funded free at the point of use, funded in a different way. that doesn't lead problems. lead to some of these problems. and some of those and if we fix some of those problems, there may be these doctors could higher doctors could get some higher pay you doctors could get some higher pay you agree that the bma, >> would you agree that the bma, at chiefs, the bma at least the chiefs, the bma chiefs, care more about chiefs, uh, care more about politics perhaps, than actually the pay of their members? i'm not a universal fan of the bma . not a universal fan of the bma. >> i you know, there are >> i think, you know, there are some there. some serious challenges there. but is a serious dispute . i but this is a serious dispute. i mean, the story in the telegraph, this morning, 53,000 excess deaths this year , apart excess deaths this year, apart from the pandemic. that's the highest figure since 1940. undoubtedly contributed to by the strikes. but they need to be resolved. and my concern with the government is that they talk really tough and they eventually reach settlements that are, frankly, eye—watering, you know, 12, 13% to previous sets of staff . and there's just no staff. and there's just no coherence there . and i think, coherence there. and i think, you know, there needs to be serious negotiation , um, with serious negotiation, um, with some goodwill on both sides . and some goodwill on both sides. and we need to stop this because it's really dangerous.

>> does james have a point, though, bill? it's hard to imagine a european country , for imagine a european country, for example, germany or the netherlands or something that runs its health care in a very different way. why not through politics or politics, but state funding and private provision? um if we had a model like that, then it wouldn't be political arguments about pay. it would be something that just happens and no one has to think about it. well rightly or wrongly, think no one has to think about it. welbritishy or wrongly, think no one has to think about it. welbritish publicongly, think no one has to think about it. welbritish public are, y, think no one has to think about it. welbritish public are, you hink the british public are, you know, wedded to the nhs structure. >> the system can be made to work. going to sound work. this is going to sound like party political like a crude party political point, but it's not. it's the reality when labour was in power, we got waiting lists down to weeks. satisfaction levels to 18 weeks. satisfaction levels with the nhs were at an all time high and we didn't have strikes because there was both the investment but also reform. and i'm actually encouraged when you listen streeting , who i listen to wes streeting, who i think of our most think is one of our most impressive frontbenchers, there's serious focus there's a really serious focus on, yes, there will be some extra investment, but there's going to reform as well. going to be reform as well. >> that's true. james i'm quite

intrigued by this question that i'm about to pose to you because i'm about to pose to you because i the answer. i have . i don't know the answer. i have. i don't know the answer. i have. i can assume i don't believe perhaps , that all junior doctors perhaps, that all junior doctors are behind this type of strike action. i think there's a lot of pressure coming from the bma, a lot coming you lot of pressure coming from, you know , junior doctors, know, junior doctors, spokespeople to take this action. i imagine that there are quite a lot of junior doctors who be, you know, who may not be, you know, delighted by their of pay delighted by their level of pay but happy to keep but are quite happy to keep working trying working during these trying winter months. a lot of winter months. and a lot of pressure there. >> absolutely. i think we always find this in various forms of work is always that work right? there is always that kind go along, kind of pressure to go along, and a doctor and and if you're a doctor and you've you know, it's you've been, you know, it's a busy it's a difficult job. all the rest it everybody the rest of it and everybody else telling you, else is sort of telling you, you've go and do this. i you've got to go and do this. i can it being human nature to can see it being human nature to do that. i think made do that. i think bill's made some points some some excellent points there. i think the thing, if i were streeting thing, if were a wes streeting thing, if i were a wes streeting thing, if i were the shadow secretary were the shadow health secretary and i were assuming i was going to have to walk into all of this, talking up the need this, i'd be talking up the need for now. but i didn't

for reform now. but i didn't have much the as have as much skin in the game as much you possibly could. and much as you possibly could. and he is. and let's hope that kind of carries on. it probably is he is. and let's hope that kind of ccase; on. it probably is he is. and let's hope that kind of ccase now, it probably is he is. and let's hope that kind of ccase now, the 'obably is he is. and let's hope that kind of ccase now, the wayily is he is. and let's hope that kind of ccase now, the way that the case now, the way that politics has gone, that can politics has gone, that it can only the labour party only really be the labour party that's do some of these that's able to do some of these reforms needed, and reforms that are needed, and it's help patients as it's needed to help patients as much as anything else. because if do it, i'm if the tories try and do it, i'm afraid sources on left afraid their sources on the left will start you want to will start saying you want to privatise it and make it like america of. america and all that, sort of. that's a narrative that has been emerging. >> mean, the >> but i mean, if the conservatives wanted conservatives had wanted to reform could have reform the nhs, they could have done could have taken done so. they could have taken some while they had a very some heat while they had a very large majority. think that's large majority. i think that's a bit excuse, actually. bit of an excuse, actually. oh well, to the labour bit of an excuse, actually. oh well, to to the labour bit of an excuse, actually. oh well, to do to the labour bit of an excuse, actually. oh well, to do it. the labour party to do it. >> i suppose the context of all of this is that in 20 1011, the budget for the nhs in real terms, today's was £130 terms, in today's money was £130 billion. more billion. this year it's more than £180 billion. there's been a funding a more than 40% funding increase to yet really to the nhs. and yet it really doesn't feel like there has been, which shows that perhaps this money being spent this money isn't being spent in the it possibly the best way it possibly could, in real terms, if look at in real terms, if you look at that real terms. that is real terms. >> but if you look the graphs >> but if you look at the graphs when in power, we had when labour was in power, we had significant terms growth .

significant real terms growth. this barely above real terms. >> this is real terms, 40% growth. that was true 2010 to 15. there was a very low level of growth, but after particularly 2017, the funding increases have been astronomical. but the challenges are enormous. >> social care you know, which bofis >> social care you know, which boris johnson said he was going to resolve still has not been reformed and resolved. we've got an population and we've an ageing population and we've got a greater use of technology . got a greater use of technology. all of that means that if we are to provide a sustainable service all of that means that if we are t

your view . what's that? your view. what's that? >> october the 22nd. right. and the reason for that is, um , the reason for that is, um, losing prime ministers and i think rishi sunak is a losing prime minister don't go early. so, you know, jim callaghan, john major gordon brown, they all play it long in uh, in the hope something comes up. absolutely. but not play it too long. and the reason for october the 22nd is that's the last thursday before the clocks go back and you can get away with a winter election , uh, as you did winter election, uh, as you did in 2019. once you do not want to be knocking up at 7 or 8:00 in the evening when it's desperately cold, it's probably raining. um, and it's really dark and to some extent, winter elections, in my view , work in elections, in my view, work in terms a change narrative. terms of a change narrative. >> boris johnson was almost fighting against the hung parliament was a change parliament that was a change election and so it helps that everything was miserable and dark because he wanted to change and turn on the lights and all the rest of it. perhaps that doesn't work so much when it looks defending looks like you're defending 13 years than just a couple

years rather than just a couple of james price, do you of months. james price, do you agree yeah i think agree with that? yeah i think that's right. >> i think that the tories are going to go long on this. i think the 22nd, that sounds like as date as any. go a think the 22nd, that sounds like as bit date as any. go a think the 22nd, that sounds like as bit later,�* as any. go a think the 22nd, that sounds like as bit later, you any. go a think the 22nd, that sounds like as bit later, you get go a think the 22nd, that sounds like as bit later, you get into go a little bit later, you get into halloween territory. you can imagine silly headlines imagine all the silly headlines about that. >> course, november, >> of course, november, the us election, be election, which will be dominating well. dominating headlines as well. >> my one ever political bet. i put a fiver on hillary clinton to so i'm sure to win in 2016, so i'm not sure i'm money these sorts i'm putting money on these sorts of did you? >> did reverse. >> i did the reverse. >> i did the reverse. >> i did the reverse. >> i some money on joe biden >> i put some money on joe biden to thought was dead to win, which i thought was dead certain. and the what certain. and the and what was really annoying the really annoying is that the betting the betting company i placed the money pay out until money with did not pay out until the election results were certified, january of certified, and afterjanuary of the sat the following year. so i sat there without money for there without my money for months and months and months. yeah brexit, trump months and months and months. yeaitheresa brexit, trump months and months and months. yeaitheresa [wouldn'tlmp and theresa may wouldn't have got right ? got your money back right? >> called brexit, trump >> yes. i called brexit, trump and theresa may quite early. >> so there you go. >> so there you go. >> there you go. not shabby. >> there you go. not so shabby. um, having a clue when the election is going to be though for this year, not just an election huge election year. huge, huge concerns in geopolitics . uh,

concerns in geopolitics. uh, just to put you on the spot, james, is the ukraine war going to end this year? >> no, i think it's going to rumble on, unfortunately. but we might find there's big might find there's a big election in the this year and election in the uk this year and a america. election in the uk this year and a a america. election in the uk this year and a a big america. election in the uk this year and a a big election'ica. election in the uk this year and a a big election'icemarch there's a big election in march in the russian presidential election. i'm not sure that's going to have much of a surprise outcome, nor will it sadly change any of the results of that either, i'm afraid. um, it's russia, it's india it's not just russia, it's india as well. >> european union is having >> the european union is having elections of elections in terms of synchronised elections. this year biggest year is probably the biggest global we've global election year that we've seen. certainly in modern times . seen. certainly in modern times. and perhaps the first influenced by intelligence, the by artificial intelligence, the first influenced by all different ways of communicating. uh, bill rammell , how is that uh, bill rammell, how is that going to change the way we do politics? >> well, i think there are some real concerns about the use of ai and other forms of distortion within electoral process. within the electoral process. and we need some joined and we need some serious joined up thinking of how to tackle that. there are a serious of elections with really serious implications. i think modi in india will probably be

re—elected for a third time, and i think that's got big significance for geopolitics. this is one area where we disagree. i actually think trump will narrowly lose joe biden in the coming election. most importantly, because enough independents and centre ground people will not back him. >> do we have time for one last story? >> shall we sneak one through? >> shall we sneak one through? >> i think we could sneak one in now. no, we don't, sadly. we'll leave. well, we'll leave on that note. we'll have to. >> we'll have to get to this story. it's a reason to tune in tomorrow. >> it is indeed. thank you very much, bill rammell and james price. we've got. price. that's all we've got. time we'll see you time for. we'll see you tomorrow. back for good afternoon, britain. looks like things heating things are heating up. >> sponsors of >> box spoilers, sponsors of weather gb news. hello weather on gb news. hello >> it's aidan mcgivern here from the met office with the gb news forecast storm. henk is currently bringing some very wet and windy weather to southern parts the disruptive and parts of the uk. disruptive and damaging gusts are possible damaging wind gusts are possible through the next few hours, as

henk moves across this central swathe of the uk in the far north as well, we've got tightly packed isobars and wet and windy weather for the far north of scotland, as well as orkney and shetland. as storm henk shetland. but as storm henk clears the south and southeast for a time 60 to 70 mile per hour wind gusts are possible could cause travel disruption and some damage , but it does and some damage, but it does move and stays move through and it stays blustery overnight. a further gales are expected across exposed the southwest exposed parts of the southwest by the end the night, by the end of the night, bringing lot showers bringing in a lot of showers from southwest and the west. from the southwest and the west. and those showers are with us from word go on wednesday , from the word go on wednesday, more prolonged spells rain more prolonged spells of rain across far northeast across the far north northeast of scotland. for shetland of scotland. snow for shetland building up fairly significantly over higher parts of shetland and then some longer spells of rain also affecting western scotland and at times western parts of england, as well as wales and northern ireland. in between, showers there will between, any showers there will between, any showers there will be some sunny spells. it be be some sunny spells. it will be mild south, celsius mild in the south, 1112 celsius colder in the far north and thursday is a similar sort of

day with further spells of rain and showers. the wettest weather on thursday likely to be towards the southwest in between across central parts. there will be some sunshine and then higher pressure develops on friday and saturday, bringing finally some dner saturday, bringing finally some drier weather. >> that

>> good afternoon. it's 3:00. i'm martin daubney.

>> good afternoon. it's 3:00. i'm martin daubney . welcome to i'm martin daubney. welcome to gb news. >> i'll be keeping you company for the next three hours. >> a cracking show coming >> got a cracking show coming up. story i'll be joining the >> top story i'll be joining the studio for the whole of the hour by this man, the red wall rottweiler, leander will be joining me to chew the cud on the immigration figures , and why the immigration figures, and why he thinks the biggest threats to the tory party at the next general election are apathy and the reform party have plenty to say. >> make sure you don't miss it. next story of course. huge political story today james cleverly , the home secretary, cleverly, the home secretary, claims to have cleared what he calls the legacy backlog. but with 17,000 people missing in the country simply on accounted for and 99,000 still awaiting a asylum, the big question is this do you actually feel like we've taken back control of our borders and have the lunatics taken over our asylum system? >> next story . >> next story. >> next story. >> is the nhs broken an 7.7

million backlog,