be keeping you company >> 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, diy dentistry a third of patients completely given up on the idea of even getting a sit down appointment with a gp. 53,000 excess deaths last year compared to normal, and a guy who couldn't afford £65 for a cancer test ended up dying of skin cancer. £65 for a cancer test ended up dying of skin cancer . quite dying of skin cancer. quite simply, is the nhs broken? and finally tonight this fella , finally tonight this fella, little luke littler faces rob cross in the world darts semi—final. the tiger woods of darts. the teen sensation could be on the cusp of grabbing half £1 million to spend on kebabs . £1 million to spend on kebabs. all of that coming up in the next hour . so what would you next hour. so what would you like to ask lee anderson? please keep it clean. no expletives . keep it clean. no expletives. send your questions

gbviews@gbnews.com. i'll put it right to him. he's going to join me straight after your latest news headlines with tatiana sanchez. >> martin, thank you very much . >> martin, thank you very much. it's 3:02. 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 . but passenger aircraft. but amazingly, all 379 passengers and 12 crew on board a japan airlines flight were safely 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 on new year's day . the home on new year's day. the home secretary insists the government has cleared a backlog of asylum cases , as critics accuse the 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 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 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. >> we're 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 the street. he was killed when a car ploughed into a small crowd following disturbance in the following a disturbance in the burngreave area of sheffield last week. hassan janga is also facing five counts of attempted murder . he's facing five counts of attempted murder. he's due to appear in court 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 its busiest periods. cases of flu and other winter illnesses are up as a 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 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 . meanwhile, unaffordable, while. meanwhile, britain experienced a record number of excess deaths last year amid repeated nhs strikes and the continuing cost of the covid pandemic. 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. means while 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. 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 simply don't exist at. now, south korea's opposition leader has been stabbed in the neck dunng 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 politician with a knife . at the politician with a knife. the violent attack, which happened during the day in front of crowd journalists , has of a crowd of journalists, has stunned said people stunned the nation, said people were seen restraining the attacker whilst others tried to help mr lee as he collapsed to the ground . he was taken to a the ground. he was taken to a local hospital . his injuries are local hospital. his injuries are not believed to be life threatening and last year was britain's second warmest since records began . the record for records began. the record for the hottest year was just 12 months earlier, when we saw those temperatures exceeding 40 degrees for the first time. the met office says it expects a pattern of warmer 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 . me around the world. this is gb news across the uk on tv. me in your car on digital radio and on your car on digital radio and on your smart speaker by saying play your smart speaker by saying play gb news. now back to .

martin >> thank you tatiana. now we start with the migrant crisis and the government's controversial claim to have met its target to sort out a huge backlog of legacy asylum cases . backlog of legacy asylum cases. home secretary james cleverly says the government's cleared what's been branded a legacy backlog dating back to june 2022. but the overall backlog of applications awaiting a decision is still more than 98,000. shadow home secretary yvette cooper dismissed cleverly's claims and accused the prime minister of taking the country. forfull fools. >> well, rishi sunaks claim to have cleared the asylum backlog is just totally false . is just totally false. >> in fact, the figures are nearly 100,000 cases and they haven't even fully cleared the bit of the backlog they were targeting. and that's why we've still got record numbers of people in asylum hotels costing the taxpayer a total fortune.

rishi sunak should stop taking the country for fools, should stop the boasts and get on with delivering properly. >> instead, these dangerous boat crossings are undermining our border security and putting lives at risk. >> that's why the government should be taking action to strengthen our border security, and also to fix the tories asylum chaos . asylum chaos. >> and instead they're failing to do that. they made a whole series of promises about clearing the asylum backlog, and they haven't delivered on them. >> instead, the asylum backlog is still nearly 100,000 cases and we've still got thousands of people, record numbers of people in asylum hotels. >> so the government's just failing on all counts. >> and that's why i really rishi sunak should stop taking the country for fools and should actually get a grip instead of all the gimmicks. >> and , and i'm joined now by >> and, and i'm joined now by our political editor, christopher hope, to try and make some sense of this.

>> chris, thanks for joining us on the show. so they cleared the backlog, they haven't. backlog, except they haven't. they're still 98,000 cases on the books. seven, 18,000 people seem to be completely missing in britain. and 4500 cases they can't even figure out because they're too complex. so have we taken back control of this, or have the lunatics taken over the asylum system ? asylum system? >> listen, there were two different numbers floating about here when the pm said that he would clear the asylum backlog, he was talking about the backlog as measured in june 2022, when it was around 92,000. claims now, of that number, 92,000 and 4500 remain. there are complex number of different needs and they need dealing with so of that figure that's the number the pm is saying is being cleared . labour is saying it cleared. labour is saying it hasn't been clear. there are 4500 very difficult cases to resolve . so until those are resolve. so until those are done, you can't say you've cleared that backlog. now

separate to that, as we know from our reporting on gb news, repeatedly , migrants arrive here repeatedly, migrants arrive here illegally , often via small boats illegally, often via small boats , and that number is still there . last year, 113,000 and migrants applications were processed and as you say, martin, the current figure is the backlog is 98,000 long. so the backlog is 98,000 long. so the problem they've got is as soon as they try and sort out one end of the pipe, the other pipe one end of the pipe, the other pipe is arriving with more people arriving. and that's why it's very, very difficult to get a grip on yes , a lot of a grip on it. so yes, a lot of them of the historic claims, which were there in june 2022, have gone 4500 remain. but since then tens of thousands have have arrived and the, the number now is 98,000 or so still to be processed out. it's very, very difficult. it's frustrating for those who voted for brexit. it's not what they meant by controlling the borders . controlling the borders. >> absolutely. >> absolutely. >> um, a tidal wave after tidal wave , um, keeps on coming . wave, um, keeps on coming.

chris, i believe you have some breaking news on an associated matter. the rwanda bill. >> that's right. now, the rwanda bill, you'll remember, was a big moment in parliament last month when this idea is to try and legalise and make make it clear to our courts in the uk and also to our courts in the uk and also to the european courts that anyone sent back to rwanda to be processed and deported there will be treated fairly and looked after, won't be sent back to the country. they're fleeing from that. therefore, the rwanda bill meant make sure that bill was meant to make sure that the courts understood the primacy parliament. the hope primacy of parliament. the hope had unofficially to try and had been unofficially to try and get this bill considered by mps as soon as next week. and then off to the house of lords by the end of the month. the house of lords, government lords, where the government hasn't because hasn't got a majority because the wants these the pm has said he wants these flights off from may in flights to take off from may in the spring. well i've been told on authority this on very good authority that this this votes in the commons will not week , maybe the not happen next week, maybe the following but likely following week, but more likely by the end of this month, and that delay getting through that any delay getting through the commons, where the

the house of commons, where the government have government does have a democratically majority , democratically elected majority, threatens the timing at the end of this, they want to get on with these. these these small boats, flights taking off boats, these flights taking off to rwanda. they want to do it by may. that will set again by 10 downing today. but the downing street today. but the time got to get it time they've got to get it through where through the house of lords where there majority is there is no majority is shortening. so another blow to the rwanda plan. martin okay, chris, thanks for that update and how timely, because i'm now joined by the deputy chairman of the conservative and of the conservative party and of course, ashfield , lee course, the mp for ashfield, lee anderson, will with in anderson, who will be with me in the studio until 4:00. >> not the best news for >> so not the best news for those of us hoping to get people off on those flights. um, chris saying there will now be no vote next week on the rwanda bill. well look, martin, let's be clear . clear. >> you know, since this problem started a half, three started two and a half, three years ago, had the years ago, we've had the nationality borders bill. nationality and borders bill. >> not worked as >> um, and that's not worked as we hoped. >> it was challenged, uh, numerous . numerous times. >> we've got now got the illegal migration bill, which we passed last year that's been challenged, you know , and i

challenged, as you know, and i think yvette cooper coming on there got a bit of a cheek there has got a bit of a cheek because at every step because at every single step of the voted against and the way, she's voted against and her voted against any measures. >> we've tried to introduce to stop the illegal migration. so if we're going to have a backlog, reason we've got backlog, the reason we've got a backlog, the reason we've got a backlog is because people backlog is because more people are like i spoke are coming now. like i spoke about and about the nationality and borders the borders bill, spoke about the illegal look, if illegal migration bill look, if it another couple of weeks it takes another couple of weeks to get vote on the to get this vote right on the rwanda the rwanda bill, then rwanda on the rwanda bill, then i'm happy we i'm quite happy with that. we need it right. it needs need to get it right. it needs to watertight. we need to get to be watertight. we need to get them off and the them flights off and the pm says, look, just get these says, may, look, just get these flights off any soon and flights off any time soon and that'll stop to this that'll put a stop to this nonsense. once and for all. >> there bit of a mini >> there was a bit of a mini rebellion. mass rebellion. well, a kind of mass outbreak people abstaining in outbreak of people abstaining in the of voting. are the first round of voting. are you that enough you satisfied, lee, that enough will be on the table with this rwanda bill to satisfy people like yourself? the people like yourself? well, the people who go ahead, and who want this to go ahead, and it won't get watered by it won't get watered down by what the wets. it won't get watered down by whtlt the wets. it won't get watered down by whtlt can't the wets. it won't get watered down by whtlt can't get the wets. it won't get watered down by whtlt can't get waterede wets. it won't get watered down by whtlt can't get watered down. >> it can't get watered down. martin. it was clear with martin. it was quite clear with the pm. we met him several times before you um, before the vote, you know, um, i've voted to support the second

reading thought reading because i thought if we kick it out now, then we've got to again. um, pm to start again. um, but the pm was quite clear . to start again. um, but the pm was quite clear. he said he's prepared look and he'll prepared to look at it and he'll do whatever it takes to make sure this bill is when it sure that this bill is when it becomes an act, it's watertight sure that this bill is when it beccities an act, it's watertight sure that this bill is when it beccit does| act, it's watertight sure that this bill is when it beccit does| act, it' says ertight sure that this bill is when it beccit does| act, it' says ertithe and it does what it says on the tin. it's got to and, um, you know, lot us in the red know, for a lot of us in the red walmart and as you know, you know ashfield very well. yeah immigration, immigration immigration, illegal immigration especially the top of especially is at the top of their they know my inbox their ticket. they know my inbox gets every gets filled with this every single day, though we single day, even though we haven't migrants, haven't got illegal migrants, i don't that don't think we have not that many, i say in ashfield many, should i say in ashfield or. definitely not the or. it's definitely not the asylum was saying or. it's definitely not the asylurparts was saying or. it's definitely not the asylurparts of was saying or. it's definitely not the asylurparts of the was saying or. it's definitely not the asylurparts of the country,ng or. it's definitely not the asylurparts of the country, it's some parts of the country, it's a problem. people want to a big problem. people want to see secure and the see our borders secure and the opfics see our borders secure and the optics of those boats turning up every single week with thousands of undocumented young men, and they are young men. you don't see many kids and families on. there is beyond the pale for morrison, it's their money. it's our taxpayers money that's putting these people up in hotels. and it's got to stop. and i say, yvette cooper hotels. and it's got to stop. and bit i say, yvette cooper hotels. and it's got to stop. and bit of;ay, yvette cooper hotels. and it's got to stop. and bit of a], yvette cooper hotels. and it's got to stop. and bit of a cheekte cooper hotels. and it's got to stop. and bit of a cheek .e cooper got a bit of a cheek. >> okay. great stuff. lee anderson going with us for

anderson is going with us for the entire we'll have lots the entire hour. we'll have lots more crisis. of more on the migrant crisis. of course, the show and course, throughout the show and later hour we'll talk about later this hour we'll talk about the crime who's the albanian crime boss who's been in the been allowed to stay in the uk because guess you've because guess what? you've guessed it. apparently deporting him have breached his him would have breached his human rights. you couldn't make it . there's plenty it up. there's also plenty of coverage on our website gbnews.com and you help to make it the fastest growing national news website in the country. so thank you very much. now moving on from japan on to the latest from japan where plane burst into flames where a plane burst into flames as it landed on a runway at tokyo's haneda airport earlier today. it's believed the aircraft collided with the japanese coastguard plane delivering earthquake aid. of course, there's just been a tsunami. 50 earthquakes hit the region. all 379 passengers and crew on board were evacuated, but five out of six japanese coastguard crew , who are coastguard crew, who are believed to have been on board the colliding aircraft , sadly the colliding aircraft, sadly died. well, i'm joined now by a reporter, charlie peters . reporter, charlie peters. charlie. terrible time for japan

with the tsunami and now this. what? what do we know about the latest? >> well, in the last hour, we've had confirmation that some 17 people on board that airbus a350, the japan airlines passenger craft that collided with the dash eight of the japanese coastguard, have experienced minor injuries and are being treated. the transport minister in japan has also said that haneda airport could open tomorrow . so even within today, tomorrow. so even within today, he said in a briefing, also within the last hour, the british airways flight from london to tokyo left three hours ago. it is scheduled to arrive on time tomorrow morning, but the flights for the rest of today have been cancelled, so that process is ongoing and there's also been further conversation about how this could have possibly happened, because collision happened because that collision happened after the plane had landed. the airbus a350 taking off from the north of the country. a domestic flight of just 90 minutes. and it seems to have collided with the front of the dash eight of the front of the dash eight of the japanese coast guard. after

touching down on the runway 34. right. so collision , the right. so the collision, the question that's being asked is how did that occur? was the dash eight in the wrong place, in the wrong time? and some analysis has afternoon has been put out this afternoon by experts aviation saying by experts in aviation saying that japan has a problem whereby it's kc aircraft and it's emerging kc aircraft and those in the defence forces or the coastguard often have to slot commercial aircraft slot in with commercial aircraft . they don't have the . they don't often have the dedicated runway and airport facilities that they'd like. so it's highly likely that in this penod it's highly likely that in this period of turmoil and crisis for japan, as it deals with that devastating earthquake situation , particularly in the noto peninsula towards the west, that those aircraft have been slotting in at an extremely busy international airport. so in britain, when the raf needs to use civilian air establishments that often raf northolt or they're in east midlands airport, these are relatively quiet airports . but this is one quiet airports. but this is one of the busiest airports in asia and it looks at this stage as though the air traffic control, the local control and the ground control could have had some confusion and that dash eight

aircraft have aircraft could have been a little far along that 3000 little too far along that 3000 kilometre runway. but all things considered, charlie almost a miraculous escape for the 379 on board the commercial airline. well, many are calling it miraculous, but is the miraculous, but this is the first that a an aircraft of first time that a an aircraft of this structure has faced a large full hull fire. as we saw earlier today. and actually , earlier today. and actually, this is the first time that an aircraft of this build, it's 53% carbon fibre designed deliberately to withstand these sort of flames , which gives sort of flames, which gives those in the cabin more time to evacuate and deal with these emergency situations because the flames lick around the excess of the aircraft and around the windows , rather than penetrating windows, rather than penetrating inside the cabin. and that's allowed people to move towards those evacuation slides. now, what's particularly remarkable about this evacuation is that the front nose gear actually collapsed out during that collision with the dash eight, and so those on the four left evacuation slide right at the back of the aircraft were essentially climbing up a hill

to get out within the first 90s after the collision, the crew, it's clear , have done an amazing it's clear, have done an amazing job, but they have been aided by extremely overengineered aircraft where safety is designed into every feature at every time. >> superb. thank you very much for that update. charlie peters . for that update. charlie peters. now you can win £10,000 in cash, a £500 shopping spree and a brand new iphone. sounds sweet right? well, here's how you could make all of those prizes yours . yours. >> make sure you don't miss your chance to win three brilliant pnzes chance to win three brilliant prizes in our great british giveaway prizes , which could giveaway prizes, which could make your new year start with a bang. there's a totally tax free £10,000 cash to be won cash to spend however you like. what would you do with it? we'll also send you on a new year shopping spree with £500 of vouchers to spendin spree with £500 of vouchers to spend in the store of your choice. and if all of that wasn't enough, you'll also get a brand new iphone 15 pro max. but hurry as lines close at 5 pm.

on friday for another chance to win the iphone. the vouchers and £10,000 cash text gb win to 84 9002. text cost £2 plus one standard network rate message or post your name and to number gb zero one. po box 8690. derby d e19, double two, uk . only e19, double two, uk. only entrants must be 18 or over. lines close at 5 pm. this friday. full terms and privacy nofice friday. full terms and privacy notice at gb news.com . forward notice at gb news.com. forward slash win good luck . slash win good luck. >> now there are record number of excess deaths last year and now junior doctors are about to start a six day strike. i'm asking the big question today is the nhs completely broken ? i'm the nhs completely broken? i'm martin daubney on gb news, britain's news channel .

sunday mornings from 930 on gb news . news. >> welcome back. 324 you're watching or listen to martin daubney on gb news and i'm joined by the deputy chairman of the tory party, lee anderson, who's with me this afternoon. for the whole hour now. in a few minutes he'll react to the news that an albanian jailed for money laundering can't even be deported because it would breach his human rights. well, of course it would. and we'll also discuss the extraordinary story of the 16 year old darts player luke littler, who will play in

the semi—finals of the world championships tonight could championships tonight and could win half £1 million goes win half £1 million if he goes all way . so there's a few all the way. so there's a few stories in the news today that have got me asking is the nhs broken beyond all repair tomorrow? junior doctors in england will start the longest strike in nhs history, at a time when nhs england's national medical director, professor stephen powis, says the service is at its most stretched out. and it's emerged that last year saw a record number of excess deaths in the uk. in fact, it was 53,000 excess deaths . and was 53,000 excess deaths. and plus, of course, we hear about diy dentistry and a third of patients completely given up on the prospect of even getting a gp appointment. well, i'm joined now by a political correspondent, olivia utley olivia , always a pleasure. olivia, always a pleasure. welcome to the show. it just seems that wherever you look at the moment, there's record lists, record people's record number of people unable to get appointments, people turn to diy care and a heartbreaking story

today of a young man who had skin cancer and had to go private, couldn't afford a £65 test that could have saved his life , and he sadly died. it just life, and he sadly died. it just got me thinking is the nhs completely, utterly broken . in completely, utterly broken. in >> well, it does feel a bit like that, doesn't it? >> martin of all of rishi sunaks five pledges cutting nhs waiting lists is the one where he is most obvious and blatantly failing on all of the others. >> there is a way to explain it that can show that there has been some progress. >> obviously the rwanda bill hasn't made it through parliament, but channel crossings down just over 30% crossings are down just over 30% on 2022. >> the economy might not be growing, but the obr has forecast that it will grow later in the decade. and of course , in the decade. and of course, uh, inflation has been halved. >> as the prime minister promised on nhs waiting lists, though there is no way to spin it that the government is winning nhs waiting lists reached a record high of 7.7 million a couple of months ago

and because of the strikes, which are set to start tomorrow at six days of strikes, 144 hours of consecutive strikes, the longest strike in nhs history , it doesn't look as history, it doesn't look as though those waiting lists are going to start going down any time soon. >> and in fact , this probably >> and in fact, this probably isn't the last of the strikes for 2024. the government has offered junior doctors a pay rise. last year it offered a pay rise. last year it offered a pay rise of 8.8. it then added an extra 3% up. on top of that to make it up to over 11. but junior doctors are asking for a 35% pay rise. they say that that would get them back to the pay that they were on in real terms. back in 2008, against a backdrop of high inflation. so how of very high inflation. so how that gulf is going to be breached, that gap between 11% and 35% at the moment feels pretty much unachievable . i was pretty much unachievable. i was talking to the health secretary earlier, and the problem at the moment is that, uh , there isn't

moment is that, uh, there isn't there aren't even conversations being had . victoria atkins, the being had. victoria atkins, the health secretary, essentially feels that the ball is now in the union's court. if the unions don't come to the table, uh, and call off their strikes, then she can't speak to them. so we're at a bit of an impasse here. we're set for six days of strikes from tomorrow, and then we're set for probably. i hate to say it, but more strikes in the months ahead.the more strikes in the months ahead. the strikes coming up from tomorrow on a week for a week going onwards are probably the most damaging of the lot because they come at this very, very busy time for the nhs. first week of january. normally the busiest week the nhs the busiest week in the nhs calendar and because of covid outbreaks among staff, they're already short staffed. this is set to be a very difficult week indeed. >> okay, olivia utley, thank you for that . and lee, let's just for that. and lee, let's just pick straight up on that . lee pick straight up on that. lee anderson, of course, tory party deputy chairman, nhs , since deputy chairman, the nhs, since as long as i've been alive has always been political always been a political football. it

football. twas ever thus. it always but i put it to always will be. but i put it to you. um, is there any coincidence rishi pledged coincidence that rishi pledged to cut waiting lists so suddenly? were whacked by a whole raft of strikes ? whole raft of strikes? >> look, martin, excess >> well, look, martin, excess deaths we've excess deaths and we've got excess strikes within the nhs. it's not rocket science to try and work it out, that there is a connection there somewhere. there. look, it's one of rich's connection there somewhere. there. l

critical time for the nhs. you know, got another outbreak know, we've got another outbreak of there's few of covid. there's quite a few people in my community got covid at moment. it's a time it's at the moment. it's a time it's winter when old people are forced, an forced, you know, when an elderly has a fall, it elderly person has a fall, it can be it can be life threatening. i they threatening. and i think they need themselves in need to look at themselves in the mirror and think to themselves, i'll look at the art the mirror and think to th

it, we throw records out. when i first elected, people bang first got elected, people bang on about the £350 a week on about the £350 million a week on about the £350 million a week on the bus. what are on the side of the bus. what are we giving than that. we giving it? more than that. you we put that you know, actually we put that into month into into law about a month after elected. we just after i got elected. we just keep throwing money at it, you know, the nhs can know, and we see the nhs can find money, different trusts can find money, different trusts can find different find money for, for different positions diversity positions and diversity officers. find money officers. they can find money to, on, woke to, to, to spend on, on woke ideology. it's about time we run these hospitals like a business where every single penny counts, you know? because when they spend 1 million, 2 million, £3 million a local trust, it's not their money, martin. it's the taxpayers money. and they're not accountable for it. a lot of people will be agreeing with that. >> lee anderson, thank you very much easier, course, for the much easier, of course, for the next hour. there's still next half hour. there's still lots come now 4:00. lots to come between now 4:00. of lee of course, i'll get lee anderson's reaction to nigel farage's claim that many traditional tory voters just don't party anymore . don't trust the party anymore. but they go to reform him but will they go to reform him and be asking this fella that very question soon? first, very question soon? but first, here's your latest news headunes here's your latest news headlines with tatiana sanchez .

headlines with tatiana sanchez. >> martin, thank you very much. 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 aircraft. amazingly, all 379 passengers and 12 crew on board a japan airlines flight were safely evacuated . passengers say safely 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 on new year's day , the struck on new 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 as 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 . 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

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 . 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 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 those temperatures exceeding 40 degrees for the first time, the met office says it expects the pattern of warmer weather to continue over the coming years, as it says, the impacts of human induced climate change are felt around the

world. you can get more on all of those stories by visiting our website, gbnews.com . website, gbnews.com. >> for stunning gold and silver coins, you'll always value rosalind gold proudly sponsors the gb news financial report . the gb news financial report. >> here's a quick snapshot of today's markets . the pound will today's markets. the pound will buy you $1.2633 and ,1.1522. the price of gold is £1,637, and £0.53 per ounce, and the ftse 100 is at 7713 points. >> rosalind gold proudly sponsors the gb news financial report . report. >> thank you tatiana . now today >> thank you tatiana. now today is one of the busiest days in the calendar for travel and to make worse, the met make things worse, the met office has issued yet another

load of amber weather warnings as storm henk this time brings wind and heavy rain across the country, causing further travel chaos. country, causing further travel chaos . well, joining us now from chaos. well, joining us now from birmingham airport is gb news west midlands reporter. the intrepid jack carson jack. it's tipping it down there. what's the latest ? yeah so certainly the latest? yeah so certainly birmingham airport here feeling the effects with the weather of storm henk. >> of course here particularly in birmingham, it's more just of a yellow weather warning for wind and rain. that amber warning coming below, below warning just coming below, below birmingham of birmingham in parts of worcestershire top of worcestershire and the top of gloucestershire where they say of course you could see 80 mile an hour but particularly an hour winds, but particularly here there are still strong winds and there has been a lot of it's not stopped of rain. it's not stopped raining got here many raining since i got here many hours ago, and of course that will big concerns will be one of the big concerns for the flights taking on taking off landing here, off and of course landing here, making runway safe making sure that runway is safe enough to land on. there's not too much standing a too much standing water as a plane off just a few plane took off just a few minutes ago, you could see the

extent of the fired up of extent of the jets fired up of the coming off the back of the spray coming off the back of the spray coming off the back of the of the planes. so you can really see how of really see how the how of course, that is going to be a serious concern for likes of serious concern for the likes of air control to make sure air traffic control to make sure that here at that it is safe to land here at the airport. so far, no major problems. slight delays on problems. some slight delays on some flights, but nothing some of the flights, but nothing may out of the ordinary or may be out of the ordinary or unexpected . course the unexpected. but of course the last few hours have certainly been with lots arrivals been busy with lots of arrivals here airport people here into the airport as people of course, go back to work of course, maybe go back to work tomorrow day after. so tomorrow or or the day after. so we'll those have really made we'll be those have really made the of christmas the most of their christmas holidays, be arriving back the most of their christmas hothe ys, be arriving back the most of their christmas hothe ys, today. arriving back the most of their christmas hothe ys, today. thating back the most of their christmas hothe ys, today. that will)ack the most of their christmas hothe ys, today. that will then in the uk today. that will then put as people leave the airport here and head home. that will put some more pressure on the local road networks here, particularly as a lot big parts of m6 and m42 are still do of the m6 and m42 are still do have roadworks due to the building of hs2 infrastructure here. so particularly when you get up to likes spaghetti get up to the likes of spaghetti junction, can either go in junction, you can either go in and out birmingham or onto and out or birmingham or onto more localised routes or parts of m6. it's already very, of the m6. it's already very, very because of congestion, very busy because of congestion, because of work, but you add on

to people trying to in to the people trying to get in and out city. maybe for and out of the city. maybe for work, and add people that work, and add those people that are maybe coming home from holiday. see how just a holiday. you can see how just a few more thousand journeys on the part of the road, just in this part of the road, just in this part of the country, can really cause the road, just in this part of the ccmore. can really cause the road, just in this part of the cc more congestion cause the road, just in this part of the cc more congestion caus more some more congestion and more disruption birmingham some more congestion and more disrupti

blood boil. when i read it this morning. we can't deport an albanian man guilty of money laundering because it would breach his human rights. of course it would . josh breach his human rights. of course it would .josh kolahkaj course it would. josh kolahkaj was jailed for six years for smuggling £8 million out of the u.k. in suitcases using a british passport. he's a dual national and the home office wanted to strip him of his british citizenship. but would you believe that immigration judges blocked that and his deportation? well, i'm still joined in the studio by the deputy chairman of the conservative party, lee anderson. lee, the these kind of cases are the ones that really, really make the voters pull their hair out because by any definition, this fella should be deported out of the country. and yet those lawyers, the system seems to derail common sense. yeah, i think you're right, martin. >> i mean, on this occasion, the system has let, uh, the decent, hard working residents of the of

the uk down. look, we do have a transfer, a prisoner transfer scheme in place that's been in place since may 2022. and over 1500 albanian prisoners have been returned. but in this particular case, this money should have gone. i believe it's not just it's a there's a precedent in law from a previous case that's allowed this this, this creature to, to, to slip off the hook. it was a procedural matter , not procedural matter, not necessarily a matter for the human rights act or something. what blair's done in the past, it it's well before that. so look , i know you're angry, look, i know you're angry, martin. i'm angry. we need to tighten up on this. especially the procedural. uh, point on this one to make sure that these people have nowhere to hide. people have got nowhere to hide. they go back whence they need to go back to whence they frustrating and they came. it's frustrating and it's abhorrent. you know it's abhorrent. and you know what? give me the. give me the keys to a car, and i'll drive him back to albania myself. >> yeah, i think people have a whip petroli. and >> yeah, i think people have a whip um, petroli. and >> yeah, i think people have a whip um, your petroli. and >> yeah, i think people have a whip um, your man petroli. and >> yeah, i think people have a whip um, your man keiroli. and >> yeah, i think people have a whip um, your man keir starmer. also, um, your man keir starmer. now, a guy who's, who's now, here's a guy who's, who's who's his record of defending people breached human people who've breached human rights. is coming out to rights. um is coming out to haunt him. do you think that

will the general will matter come the general election? legally fought election? he has legally fought the corner of some some pretty dodgy he has. dodgy characters he has. >> and let's not forget when in the we've tried to deport the past we've tried to deport foreign rapists and murderers, i go back, always back, martin, to the jamaica flight a couple of years back in december. it was 2021. there was a plane ready to go full of, um, criminals going to jamaica. they've got rapists on their murderers, child sex offenders . who was one of the offenders. who was one of the mps that signed the letter? it was sir keir starmer. mps that signed the letter? it was sir keir starmer . and i was sir keir starmer. and i think one of those people on that went on to that flight actually went on to murder did and murder. they did again. and another there went on another couple on there went on to commit horrific sexual to commit some horrific sexual attacks. they should they should apologise should apologise for that. they should apologise. you think they apologise. do you think they will. they weren't because will. no they weren't because they've asked in the they've been asked in the chamber. i've them chamber. i think i've asked them myself the myself during the debate in the house to apologise house of commons to apologise for that. and they should, you know, is, is a um, it's know, it is, it is a um, it's the fair game on this one, i think. martin, you're coming to the next election. we probably need more this, need to make more of this, because unthinkable because if the un unthinkable happens and sir keir gets the keys to number 10, expect more

of these planes being stopped because they're going to just not them all. at least not let them go at all. at least we're trying to get these criminals out of the country. >> and lee, saw during >> and lee, we saw during the end, end of brexit end, the tail end of the brexit days. daily mail end, the tail end of the brexit daysthe daily mail end, the tail end of the brexit daysthe enemies daily mail end, the tail end of the brexit daysthe enemies of daily mail end, the tail end of the brexit daysthe enemies of the y mail end, the tail end of the brexit daysthe enemies of the people said the enemies of the people about legal system , a lot of about our legal system, a lot of people thought that bit people thought that was a bit too bit too spicy. but do too far, a bit too spicy. but do you think sometimes the public have to feel have every right to feel exasperated a legal exasperated about a legal system, which seems to protect the human rights of criminals , the human rights of criminals, and the human rights of and not the human rights of brits just want to live brits who just want to live a peaceful brits who just want to live a pea the l brits who just want to live a peathe brits. we are a great >> the brits. we are a great nation, martin. they go to go to work. work they pay work. they work hard, they pay their they expect their taxes and they expect not much expect our much in life. they expect our borders to be secure and they expect to look after expect the courts to look after them. with horrible them. when with these horrible criminals like this creature from albania, you know, is taking the country, taking money out of the country, goodness knows where he's got that what i that money from. and what i would asking as well, martin, would be asking as well, martin, on i think he only got on this one, i think he only got about 36 months inside. probably give that'll give give him ten years. that'll give him think about it. him time to think about it. >> will. now then leave. >> yeah it will. now then leave. superb another superb stuff. and here's another story be very, very story that you'll be very, very

interested story that you'll be very, very interesitching to get stuck in you're itching to get stuck in because nigel farage has hit out at conservative party he at the conservative party he says distrust says the level of distrust amongst traditional tory voters is at a level we've not seen in modern times. i'm martin daubney on gb news, britain's news channel.

michael portillo, gb news britain's news channel >> 2024. a battleground year the year the nation decides as the parties gear up their campaigns

for the next general election. >> who will be left standing when the british people make one of the biggest decisions of their lives? >> who will rise and who will fall? >> let's m- fall? >> let's out together >> let's find out together for every . every moment. >> the highs, the lows, the twists and turns. >> we'll be with you for every step of this journey in 2024 gb news is britain's election . channel >> welcome back. it's 346. you're watching or listening to martin daubney on gb news now at 4:00 i'll bring you the latest asylum figures and ask whether rishi sunak is right to take credit . but now to some very credit. but now to some very strong words from nigel farage. he hit out at the government and said that many traditional tory voters have simply lost trust in the party. well, i'm with somebody from that party, lee anderson , the deputy chairman, anderson, the deputy chairman, nigel, saying trust is at an all time low and people might be

thinking about crossing over to votes for reform. what's your take on that? well, i've got a lot of time for, for nigel is a colleague martin on this on this news channel. >> and he's probably one of the reasons that i've got my seat in ashfield. he campaigned to leave the european union. he did very well with, with ukip. that was poland . they were getting about poland. they were getting about ten, 11,000 votes in places like ashfield and mansfield. in 2015. and i think ukip were actually winning by elections at that time. but you see now reform, they're not winning by elections. i think they're even struggling to scrape their deposit. and he's a great figurehead is nigel. he's been a great politician. he's done fantastic but reform , fantastic things. but reform, um, are a threat. they are a threat, a bigger threat to the country at the moment, i think, than the labour party, because if reform pick off a lot of if reform do pick off a lot of us conservative mps at the next election, then what's going to happenis election, then what's going to happen is we're going to end up with a labour government and labour government is the last thing i my country . thing i want. i love my country. i country bits. i love my country to bits. i don't want a labour

don't want to see a labour government i'm sure government and i'm sure nigel will, heart of will, um, in his heart of hearts, this country. in hearts, love this country. in fact, i know he does. but he runs risk of, you know, runs the risk of, you know, losing a lot of tory seats. runs the risk of, you know, losinglike)t of tory seats. runs the risk of, you know, losinglike mine.ory seats. runs the risk of, you know, losinglike mine. uh seats. runs the risk of, you know, losinglike mine. uh to its. runs the risk of, you know, losinglike mine. uh to put some seats like mine. uh to put some labour remains as remoaners back in power . you know what that in power. you know what that means, martin. that means that's a back door entrance back into the into the into the european union. say this. union. but i will say this. it's, uh, i'm not they're it's, uh, i'm not saying they're a but he is. he's a one man party, but he is. he's the figurehead. he's nigel. he does a great job. uh, but i think if he if they want to have any inroads, then has to he any inroads, then he has to he has stand. he has to the has to stand. he has to be the leader of party. he has to leader of the party. he has to stand election. because, stand in the election. because, i mean, old richard tice i mean, poor old richard tice got time for richard. got a lot of time for richard. but doors in but you know, knock on doors in ashfield, ever heard of ashfield, nobody's ever heard of him. um, and an open hartlepool. he's not that hartlepool he's not got that hartlepool accent yet and accent um, mastered yet and i fail to see where they can win a seat. our electoral system does not allow smaller parties like reform to win seats. you know that if they wanted to win seats, would have to have seats, we would have to have proportional representation. seats, we would have to have propo maybe representation. seats, we would have to have propo maybe 5 presentation. seats, we would have to have propo maybe 5 millionation. seats, we would have to have propo maybe 5 million votes would then maybe 5 million votes would give know, 30, 35

give them, i don't know, 30, 35 seats the house of commons. seats in the house of commons. but as it stands , yes, i can but as it stands, yes, i can understand why some of our voters are a little bit frustrated and angry, especially with the illegal frustrated and angry, especially withthe the illegal frustrated and angry, especially withthe illegal the illegal frustrated and angry, especially withthe illegal migration.egal frustrated and angry, especially withthe illegal migration. but and the illegal migration. but reform is not answer. it reform is not the answer. it leaves the door open for sir keir starmer to get in number 10 and undo all the hard work we've tried to do so far. >> a lot of people in 2019 said if vote for the brexit if you vote for the brexit party, you're going to split the vote let corbyn in. so vote and let corbyn in. so you're similar thing you're saying a similar thing now, of people in now, but a lot of people in conservative say, conservative voters might say, well, the tories have well, you know, the tories have had chance. well, you know, the tories have hacyeah. chance. well, you know, the tories have hacyeah. and1ce. well, you know, the tories have hacyeah. and1c get martin, >> yeah. and i get that, martin, i can understand why i can get i understand why people frustrated. people are frustrated. i understand people are angry. understand why people are angry. i'm frustrated. i'm angry. i'm frustrated. a lot of colleagues in of my colleagues are over in that place, are frustrated and of my colleagues are over in that pover are frustrated and of my colleagues are over in that pover the frustrated and of my colleagues are over in that pover the situation! and of my colleagues are over in that pover the situation with angry over the situation with the boats , etc. but, you the small boats, etc. but, you know, at least we're trying with this that's in this new legislation that's in the rwanda bill, the illegal migration we're to migration bill. we're trying to get sorted. if reform do what get it sorted. if reform do what they they've they want to do, which they've said again, said time and time again, and that's to kill us off as a party and the labour party in. and put the labour party in. then work so then all that work we've done so far, and you far, that's all undone. and you know, labour party, i'm

know, the labour party, i'm fairly that they've fairly confident that they've said it before. they're going to bnng said it before. they're going to bring for 16 year olds bring in voting for 16 year olds if martin, if that happens, martin, then you pack your bags you might as well pack your bags and go and live in a different country, because we will never get in power again. so what country, because we will never get in you er again. so what country, because we will never get in you likejain. so what country, because we will never get in you like t01. so what country, because we will never get in you like to see» what country, because we will never get in you like to see happen at would you like to see happen at the next general election? well, the small boats, that's critical for i don't for me. but you know, i don't mean that. >> i'm talking. i'm talking about, um, what you what would you reform they've you like reform to do? they've said everywhere, said they'll stand everywhere, including against you. and presumably happy including against you. and presurthaty happy including against you. and presurthat because, happy including against you. and presurthat because, well ppy including against you. and presurthat because, well , py including against you. and presurthat because, well , what about that because, well, what would you list? what would you like to see them? >> i mean, i prefer them not to stand, i mean, i well, welcome stand, i mean, i well, i welcome the constituency the challenge in my constituency because, you know, i think i can beat need beat reform. um, but they need to honest with the public. to be honest with the public. i mean, well. good. mean, it's all well. and good. you've political you've got leaders of political parties, you know, nigel and ben and, richard . they're and, and, and richard. they're all self—made men . all wealthy men, self—made men. good them. but you know good luck to them. but you know what? gets the keys what? if starmer gets the keys to they go back to number 10, they can go back to number 10, they can go back to big plush houses, to their nice big plush houses, penthouses , country retreats, penthouses, country retreats, whatever. shut curtains and whatever. shut the curtains and get the life. they'll be get on with the life. they'll be okay. about okay. the people i worry about is people in ashfield. is the people in ashfield. they're. they're my main concern

is the people in ashfield. tand'e. they're my main concern is the people in ashfield. tand'e. tprospecty main concern is the people in ashfield. tand'e. tprospecty nain concern is the people in ashfield. tand'e. tprospecty na labourzrn . and the prospect of a labour government terrifies me. on behalf of my constituents in ashfield, what do you think that labour government would mean for people like ashfield? people in seats like ashfield? well, in the well, we spoke earlier in the programme, martin, about the illegal migration. they scrap all that. they've said all that. they've already said they'll bill. they'll scrap the rwanda bill. you know, they'll, they'll, they'll all that. so they'll get rid of all that. so that borders. that means open borders. it means back into the means entry back into the european it means the european union. it means the flights that we've talked about as well, going off to places like were full of like jamaica, were full of criminals. they'll stop. um, and the one thing that really concerns me is the unions, the trade unions, they're bubbling quietly kept quietly beneath. they've kept quietly beneath. they've kept quiet . but if the labour quiet so far. but if the labour party get back into power, they, mick lynch's of this world, will be their hands together. be rubbing their hands together. and these 35% pay rise asking be rubbing their hands together. an(their.e 35% pay rise asking be rubbing their hands together. an(their obe% pay rise asking be rubbing their hands together. an(their obe% pajmargin. asking for their obe 50% margin. mark my and what's the mood like >> and what's the mood like within conservative party within the conservative party approach general approach in this general election? the government, the media continually talks about there being a 1997 style wipe—out no , i mean, do you wipe—out no, i mean, do you think that's a bit over exaggerated or is it going to be tighter than it's the media

being the media, martin. >> they're looking for stories. they're you they're looking for clicks. you know, they're looking for clicks. you kn knock about with the red to knock about with the red walls. week i travel walls. but each week i travel around the country as you know, i after dinner, speaking at i do after dinner, speaking at conservative associations, whether that's the south west, south east, um , or in scotland. south east, um, or in scotland. in a couple of weeks i go all over the country and the mood for members is, you know, for the members is, you know, just conservative, just deliver, be conservative, deren just deliver, be conservative, delive at the next budget. you place at the next budget. you prove that you're a proper conservative party and we'll get in because moment, and in because at the moment, and it's always been it's been muted every day tv through every single day on tv through the yeah, people are the media that, yeah, people are grumpy us as a party, but grumpy with us as a party, but there's for starmer and there's no love for starmer and there's no love for starmer and there's at all. he got there's not at all. he has got no charisma, he's got no it's got no policies. i mean, they bang us being in power bang on about us being in power for which we have bang on about us being in power for be which we have bang on about us being in power for be 14 which we have bang on about us being in power for be 14 years. we have bang on about us being in power for be 14 years. now ave bang on about us being in power for be 14 years. now they'll would be 14 years. now they'll be uh, but they've been be saying, uh, but they've been in and in opposition for 14 years and have got not got one single policy. >> so we're about to go into an election period. the smart money looks november call . so looks like a november call. so let a bit further. might let it go a bit further. might let it go a bit further. might let tick over it. let the economy tick over it. better lot. what would

better for you lot. what would you say to people watching this show now who and many, many of them they're them get in touch saying they're a bit fed up with the tories? to be frank, what would you say to them they should go them about why they should go blue again? >> should vote for blue again? >> conservative ould vote for blue again? >> conservative party yote for blue again? >> conservative party because blue again? >> con got ative party because blue again? >> con got conservative acause they've got conservative mps. martin in the party, like myself, believe myself, uh, who believe in strong conservative values. you know, if the threat of reform is , is real, if they do what they want to do, then the proper conservatives , they class me as conservatives, they class me as i know they do. people like me who strong on immigration, who are strong on immigration, strong our strong on protecting our borders, to low tax, borders, wants to see a low tax, a government. a small state government. they're going to get rid of people like me and put some people like me and put in some some is that what some labour mp. is that what reform really want? i think not. hmm. >> okay. strong words , superb >> okay. strong words, superb stuff. mean lee, we've stuff. well, i mean lee, we've got we've got quick 30s. i mean i mean, what do you got to say? say something to richard tice rich, i think you're a great man. >> um , i think your heart's in >> um, i think your heart's in the place for the country. the right place for the country. i get all that. but just be careful what you wish for, richard. because if you do what you say you're going to do, then you say you're going to do, then you a labour you run the risk of a labour government ruining this country

and prospects and ruin the prospects for thousands, if not millions of people up and down this country. you know, you know, you know, i'm a decent mp. you know, i tick all the boxes i agree with pretty much 80% of what you say. do you really want to get rid of mps ? mps like me? >> okay, there we thank >> okay, there we go. thank you very joining very much, leanne, for joining us. i'll be right us. stick around. i'll be right back this. i'm martin back after this. i'm martin daubney britain's daubney on gb news, britain's news brighter outlook with boxt >> a brighter outlook with boxt solar , sponsors of weather on . solar, sponsors of weather on. gb news. >> hello there. >> hello there. >> welcome to your latest gb news weather forecast. >> i'm craig snell, looking ahead to the first day of 2024. and for most of us we will see some further rain. >> but there will be some sunshine on offer. >> back to the here and now. we still have this area of low pressure dominating in the uk. >> note the tightly packed isobars across the south, indicating some fairly blustery conditions out conditions as we see out 2023. >> for most of us as we >> and for most of us as we approach midnight, it's approach midnight, really it's going a mix of clear going to be a mix of clear spells and scattered showers. it

may briefly drier may briefly turn drier for a time for bells across parts time for the bells across parts of and then towards of scotland, and then towards the of the night in any the end of the night in any clear it will fairly clear skies it will turn fairly chilly, especially in the countryside the north, countryside across the north, where we will a touch of where we will see a touch of frost . so if are up early frost. so if you are up early enough on new year's day, there will some sunshine around, will be some sunshine around, especially across parts of northern into and northern ireland into wales and into the midlands. we see into the midlands. but we see this next area of cloud and rain coming in from the southwest, and that will spread its way slowly northwards as we go through course of day. through the course of the day. so sunshine come so the best of the sunshine come the be across the the afternoon will be across the north, but still watch out north, but here still watch out for showers . for a few showers. >> temperatures in the north range degrees, range in between 5 to 7 degrees, potentially up to 10 to 11 across the south, and then on to tuesday. >> a fairly wet day for a lot of us, especially across the south. >> some wet and windy weather potentially developing here. so we are keeping close eye on we are keeping a close eye on things and then really heading into wednesday and thursday, the weather unsettled for many weather stays unsettled for many parts country , parts of the country, temperatures just gradually cooling down looks like things

are heating up by boxt boilers sponsors of weather on .

gb news. >> good afternoon. it's 4:00. welcome to the show. i'm martin daubney on gb news keeping you company for the next two hours.

got a cracking hour coming up ahead. top story today the home secretary, james cleverly, claims government has claims the government has tackled what he the legacy tackled what he calls the legacy backlog of asylum seekers. but the trouble is with that , there the trouble is with that, there are still 99,000 people on the actual asylum list, 17,000 of the old lot have completely gone missing in the country, and a 4500 of them. we can't even get out because the cases are too complicated. keeping up. i know you need like a master's degree in rocket science to work this one out. we'll try and make sense of all of that next story japan plane crash . um, a plane japan plane crash. um, a plane in japan hit another one, and there's a dramatic fireball. incredible scenes , but all 379 incredible scenes, but all 379 people on board and the crew dramatically escaped by a miracle in tokyo . following, of miracle in tokyo. following, of course, those tsunamis and earthquakes earlier in the week. we'll have all the latest on that story . next up we'll have all the latest on that story. next up is the nhs broken figures out today 7.7 million on the waiting list,

53,000 excess deaths, six day strikes coming up, 30% of people in britain totally given up on the prospect of even seeing a gp face to face, people pulling their own teeth out because they can't get to the dentist. the big question is this is the nhs compared neatly and utterly unfit for purpose? and finally , unfit for purpose? and finally, my next story , um, this my next story, um, this terrible, tragic story of 16 year old harry pitman on new year's eve went to the fireworks with his friends in a park in london, stabbed to death, and died just eight minutes before the new year came in. as a simple question is it time to stop pussyfooting around and finally clamp down on the cancer of knife crime in 2024? all of that coming up in your next hour . so once again, the government talks tough on asylum , but it

talks tough on asylum, but it doesn't seem like it's making any difference . have the any difference. have the lunatics taken over our asylum system and you always get very passionate about knife crime , passionate about knife crime, particularly in sadiq khan london. record numbers of knife crime and still nothing ever seems to get done. well, the tragic death of 16 year old harry pitman on new year's eve, killed by another 16 year old. five make us clamp down on knife crime. all of that coming up in the next hour after your latest news headlines with polly middlehurst . middlehurst. >> martin, thank you and good afternoon to you , will. the top afternoon to you, will. the top story from the gb newsroom is that the home secretary insists the government cleared the government has cleared a backlog migrant asylum backlog of migrant asylum applications as critics accuse the government of fiddling the figures. the number of asylum cases, decisions made last year was the highest since 2002, as the government insisted its commitment to clear the backlog has been delivered. but labour

says that's false, as reports suggest the reduced figure is in part due to some legacy cases being moved into other categories . james cleverly, categories. james cleverly, though, 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 . got a much, much faster process. yes. 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. james cleverly but the shadow home secretary , yvette shadow home secretary, yvette coopen shadow home secretary, yvette cooper, says rishi sunak hasn't got the facts right . got the facts right. >> rishi sunaks claim to have cleared the asylum backlog is just totally false. in fact, the figures are nearly 100,000 cases

and they haven't even fully cleared the bit of the backlog they were targeting . and that's they were targeting. and that's why we've still got record numbers of people in asylum hotels costing the taxpayer a total fortune . rishi sunak total fortune. rishi sunak should stop taking the country for fools , should stop the for fools, should stop the boasts and get on with delivering properly . delivering properly. >> instead, cooper international news now and five of the six crew on board a japanese coastguard plane have been confirmed dead after they collided with a passenger aircraft . aircraft. >> all 379 passengers and 12 crew on board the japan airlines aircraft were safely evacuated from the plane on inflatable emergency exit slides . emergency exit slides. 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 japan on new year's day . here, nhs

new year's day. here, nhs patients face further disruption tomorrow as junior doctors prepare to walk out in the health services longest strike ever an unprecedented six days of industrial action comes as the nhs faces one of its busiest winter periods , as the winter periods, as the government says it is open to further discussions , though further discussions, though hopes of last minute talks to avoid strike action are now fading. bosses say it could create one of the most difficult starts to the year the nhs has ever faced . the bma union wants ever faced. the bma union wants junior doctors to get a 35% pay rise, which they say would restore their real earnings to levels seen in 2008. the government says though the demands are unaffordable now, a student who ran over her fiance after apparently losing her temper following an argument has been found guilty of murder. alice wood, who's 23, drove her ford fiesta into her partner ryan watson, who's 24, near their home in cheshire last

yeah their home in cheshire last year. she denied murder and an alternative count of manslaughter, claiming his death was a tragic accident . she told was a tragic accident. she told chester crown court she didn't realise he was trapped underneath the car when she drove for 158m before stopping . drove for 158m before stopping. miss wood showed no emotion as the jury returned a unanimous verdict. she's been remanded in custody, with the judge warning her she may never be released. ryan's mother, lisa watson , told ryan's mother, lisa watson, told the media he was taken too soon. we finally got justice for our beloved ryan ryan's death has left her family heartbreak and he was taken from us far too soon. >> just a young man of 24 years old with his whole life ahead of him, he had just started his working career with a charities at headways , with helping other at headways, with helping other people , which he'd loved to do . people, which he'd loved to do. ryan had just a big personality. he was bubbly , fun loving,

he was bubbly, fun loving, caring person with a heart of gold . and a 23 year old man will gold. and a 23 year old man will gold. and a 23 year old man will go on trial later this year after being charged with the murder of a so—called good samaritan who died as he tried to help a stranger in sheffield . to help a stranger in sheffield. >> chris marriott was on a post—christmas walk with his wife and two young sons when he stopped to help a woman who he saw lying unconscious on the street. was killed when a car street. he was killed when a car ploughed small crowd ploughed into a small crowd following disturbance there following a disturbance there last week. hassan django is also facing five counts of attempted murder. he is due to appear in court on the 25th of march. that's the news on gb news across the uk on tv in your car on digital radio and on your smart speaker by saying play gb news this is britain's news channel. >> thank you. party now we start with the migrant crisis and the government's controversial claim

to have met its target to sort a huge backlog of asylum cases , as huge backlog of asylum cases, as the government says it's cleared. what's been branded a legacy backlog dating back to june 2022. but the overall backlog of applications awaiting a decision is still more than 98,000. shadow home secretary yvette cooper dismissed the government's claims and accused rishi sunak of taking the country for fools . country for fools. >> well, rishi sunak's claim to have cleared the asylum backlog is just totally false. >> in fact, the figures are nearly 100,000 cases and they haven't even fully cleared the bit of the backlog they were targeting . and that's why we've targeting. and that's why we've still got record numbers of people in asylum hotels costing the taxpayer a total fortune . the taxpayer a total fortune. tune. rishi sunak should stop taking the country for fools . taking the country for fools. >> we should stop the boasts and get on with delivering properly . get on with delivering properly. >> instead, these dangerous boat crossings are undermining our

border security and putting lives at risk. that's why the government should be taking action to strengthen our border security , and also to fix the security, and also to fix the tories asylum chaos. and instead they're failing to do that. they made a whole series of promises about clearing the asylum backlog and they haven't delivered them in ofsted. the asylum backlog is still nearly 100,000 cases, and we've still got thousands of people , record got thousands of people, record numbers of people in asylum hotels. so the government's just failing on all counts. and that's why i really rishi sunak should stop taking the country for fools and should actually get a grip instead of all the gimmicks . gimmicks. >> well, i'm joined now by our political editor, christopher hope. political editor, christopher hope . chris, good afternoon to hope. chris, good afternoon to you again . so yeah, the james you again. so yeah, the james cleverly claim claims to have cleared the legacy backlog . cleared the legacy backlog. yvette cooper says that's not the case. and irrespective of that, there are still 98,000 waiting to get in, 17,000 gone

missing. can you please , as missing. can you please, as chris, try and help us make some sense of this? because to me it feels like the lunatics have taken over the asylum system. >> it's not quite as bad as that yet, martin, but it's certainly i think people might be quite sympathetic to what yvette coopen sympathetic to what yvette cooper, the shadow home secretary, saying. there secretary, is saying. there because this idea of clearing the asylum backlog was a target set in june for june 2022, when there were around 98,000. forgive me, 90, 92,000. in june . forgive me, 90, 92,000. in june. at that point, that number's been cleared , all apart from been cleared, all apart from 4500 cases. is that seen as being complicated ? and that's being complicated? and that's why labour with reason is saying, well, how can you say you've cleared it, cleared this historic backlog when 4500 remain? and that's not the worst of it, because of course, that was the number back in that time in june 2022, when it when the moment was said , this is when moment was said, this is when we're going to clear this backlog look backlog in fact, if you look

now, been many tens now, there's been many more tens of thousands have arrived since then. them daily on gb then. we see them daily on gb news arriving by small boats. so the figures now are 98,000. um, in most recent figures in september last year, that figure is down. um, but still there are many 10,000 waiting to be processed. and that's part of the problem. um, um, the grant rate was has fallen . so just rate was has fallen. so just down to two thirds of those arriving over 112,000 processed last year two thirds were granted. uh right to remain. that was down from three quarters in 2022. so it's getting better. but the government is trying to say, well, bear with us. they're looking at the small boats record that figure is down by a third. um, they dispute that was due to better weather. they're saying that in fact, the red days where no travel took place was about the same. in 2022 and 2023. they're saying we are getting there. the record is getting there. the record is getting better. deals with albania are working and further cross border cooperation . but cross border cooperation. but there's no question there's a

concern here of those 112,000, for example, who are processed last year , um, just 24,000 were last year, um, just 24,000 were forced to leave the country or left voluntarily . so what left voluntarily. so what happens to the balance? well, they're going through the system as we see fit. it's as we as we see fit. it's a numbers game. don't want to numbers game. i don't want to overload numbers here, numbers game. i don't want to ove|thisi numbers here, numbers game. i don't want to ove|this is numbers here, numbers game. i don't want to ove|this is how numbers here, numbers game. i don't want to ove|this is how you umbers here, numbers game. i don't want to ove|this is how you judge s here, numbers game. i don't want to ove|this is how you judge theere, but this is how you judge the success or failure of this government. and when they say numbers are clear historically that isn't the case. >> and chris, one number that's crystal clear. nigel farage has waded into this saying that rishi has rushed through the backlog and completely failed us all because the headline figure to him is at 67% of all of these cases have been granted asylum . cases have been granted asylum. so by clearing the backlog , it so by clearing the backlog, it simply means more people get the leave to stay, to remain in the uk . uk. >> well, that number is down. as i say, it was 76% the year before. 72% in 2021. i asked downing street exactly that on

that on that point that nigel farage has picked out . if that farage has picked out. if that figure is falling in granting, why is that ? is that because the why is that? is that because the government is being tougher on people who want to stay here? they couldn't say. they say the figure goes up and down, but they looking trying to they are looking at trying to be tougher people coming here. tougher on people coming here. don't also, we're don't forget, also, we're waiting the rwanda waiting for the rwanda bill to go house commons. go through the house of commons. martin and we're reporting today on the vote by mps on gb news that the vote by mps on gb news that the vote by mps on the committee stage of that won't maybe the won't be now, maybe until the end month. touring people end of the month. touring people have told to wait till have been told to wait till then. the then. any delay threatens the idea these deportation idea of these deportation flights taking off in may, because there will be problems getting, it getting, making, getting it through lords where through the house of lords where the government hasn't got a majority. the longer they majority. so the longer they delay and it has been repeated, the of course, the the delays of course, the problems supreme court problems with the supreme court overruling back overruling parliament go back overruling parliament go back over 18 months. now, the problem in delaying means that the actual rwanda plan actual making this rwanda plan work, labour to either work, forcing labour to either axe it or keep it won't happen and won't happen for a long time yet. okay. >> thank you chris. hope for that update. you tried to make

sense me. appreciate sense of it for me. i appreciate that. and me now is the that. and joining me now is the former office minister former home office minister norman . norman, happy new norman baker. norman, happy new year you. always year to you. it's always a pleasure to see you, norman. um, the conservatives this morning claimed a victory of sorts by clearing the legacy backlog. yvette cooper said that's not the and rate , there the case. and at any rate, there are still 98 99,000 cases coming through the system . norman, is through the system. norman, is this system complete ? utterly this system complete? utterly broken . broken. >> well, happy new year to you, martin. >> as well. and to your viewers on gb news. um, look , i mean, i on gb news. um, look, i mean, i don't think it's the figures either , but it's true that either, but it's true that 92,000 haven't been cleared for the reasons that , in fact, the reasons that, in fact, yvette gave us more than yvette cooper gave us more than the 4500. actually, christmas talking about, because there's a whole lot of cases which were so—called laid aside for technical reasons . for example, technical reasons. for example, there was a wrong or there was a wrong date or something on them. they will be resubmitted and they'll come round again . so they round the cycle again. so they haven't away. they've haven't gone away. they've just been postponed, like, in been postponed, if you like, in terms of the, uh, determination of those and of course, the

definition of legacy is a bit weird because legacy ended on june the 28th, 2022. what about . june the 28th, 2022. what about. those came in in july and august 2022? are they not legacy issues? they're very long time ago they be classified ago. they ought to be classified as applications . what we as legacy applications. what we do know is that last year, for the first six months, almost 80,000 applications came in. so i'm not even convinced the number is going to go down because coming because the numbers are coming in. substantial, and we may in. are substantial, and we may actually backlog . actually see a further backlog. and also, just to pick up the point , actually, george farage point, actually, george farage made the quickest way get the made the quickest way to get the numbers down, the government numbers down, and the government is the numbers numbers down, and the government is because the numbers numbers down, and the government is because it the numbers numbers down, and the government is because it needse numbers numbers down, and the government is because it needs torumbers numbers down, and the government is because it needs to d0|bers down because it needs to do so for electoral it's just for electoral reasons. it's just rubber stamp everything , get rubber stamp everything, get people system. they people through the system. they can are down. can see the numbers are down. yeah exactly. >> and i think that's what a great people great many people are exasperated this feeling exasperated about. this feeling that clearing the backlog is some of magic wand to make some kind of magic wand to make this go away. but, this problem go away. but, norman, hit the nail the norman, you hit the nail on the head. clearing the backlog head. if clearing the backlog simply letting than simply means letting more than two of these people into two thirds of these people into the that the

the country, then is that the kind solution want? kind of solution we want? do we want tougher on this? and want to get tougher on this? and actually more people actually get more people deported ? that's people actually get more people deponfor,? that's people actually get more people deponfor, to hat's people actually get more people deponfor, to take people actually get more people deponfor, to take back people actually get more people deponfor, to take back control voted for, to take back control of our borders . of our borders. >> well, we need to deport people who have no good reason to be here and don't meet the asylum criteria. that's always been the case. and one of the problems in recent times has been the pathetic home office, uh, resolve to deal with these matters quickly . you know, i matters quickly. you know, i don't know whether individual cases meet the asylum criteria or not. the latest figure that chris gave you was 67. i only noted in france it's 30, which is a lot less. so i don't know whether we're being unduly lenient or france is being unduly harsh. yeah yeah. >> and that's the point. i think people just seem to be losing faith. and norman in that 4500 figure you mentioned of these complex cases, they also include, um, the so—called child immigrants who came in on boats, who actually looked like fully grown man a lot of these people don't have documentation or threw it away deliberately . and

threw it away deliberately. and these cases, norman, just end up going round and round in the system because the burden of proof is upon the home office. it's upon us to do that. and how on earth do you do that? and this is why many people believe that these kind of people should be getting kicked out of the country. and yet round round country. and yet round and round they . they go. >> well, look, i mean, there are people who pretend to be children not children children who are not children because it's beneficial for them children who are not children be doise it's beneficial for them children who are not children be do so it's beneficial for them children who are not children be do so equally aficial for them children who are not children be do so equally , icial for them children who are not children be do so equally , there or them children who are not children be do so equally , there are 1em to do so equally, there are children who come in are children who come in who are genuinely children, escaped genuinely children, who escaped from horrific situations. so it's difficult always to establish the facts, particularly if people don't have passports or documentation. if you're coming from a war zone, if you're a child, you're unlikely to have documentation. so that's one problem. then you've got people who claim to be victims of, uh , sexual abuse be victims of, uh, sexual abuse or other exploitation. some of those may claim that improperly and there's not true. others are genuinely have been trafficked and need to be protected from from those who have been there ,

from those who have been there, their illegal masters. so it's not quite clear really how the home office is in a position to necessarily determine these matters accurately. and that's part of the problem. >> absolutely. norman baker, always a pleasure. thank for always a pleasure. thank you for that analysis. isn't that that analysis. and isn't that the we have a system the point? now we have a system where often where people are often instructed and what to say in to how game it. say you're this say you're that. and the burden of proof so great. this just proof is so great. this just goes for years and years and goes on for years and years and years and a great many people today will be feeling exactly as i the lunatics have i said, that the lunatics have taken asylum system. taken over the asylum system. let's move on. we'll have lots more on that story and more on that story at 5:00, and there's of coverage on there's plenty of coverage on our website, gbnews.com. and you've helped to make it the fastest growing news fastest growing national news website in the country. so thank you very much for that. the you very much for that. now, the latest now from japan where a plane burst into flames as it landed on a runway at tokyo's haneda airport earlier today. it's believed the aircraft collided with a japanese coastguard plane delivering earthquake aid and miraculously,

all 379 passengers and crew on board were evacuated. but five out of six japanese coastguard crew, who are believed to have been on board the colliding aircraft sadly died. well, i'm joined now in the in the studio by our reporter charles peters. charlie, what a week of tragedies. it's been for japan. 50 earthquakes, a tsunami, and now this. what's the latest? >> it's a country in crisis and in the last hour, airbus has confirmed that they are sending a specialist team to support the japanese transport safety board as they launch their own investigation into this explosion at haneda airport in tokyo, where this morning, uk time in a local uk time this airbus a350 collided . with a—8 airbus a350 collided. with a—8 aircraft of the japanese us coastguard after landing, so it collided with it on on the runway. potentially its left jet engine clipping the front of the smaller turbo prop engine. aircraft there. now, we've also

had further information on how this possibly could have happened. we heard earlier from experts who said that unlike in other countries dealing with a surge in demand for emergency aviation in japan and its defence forces often used the same slots as commercial flights , so they're not making way or making space for these new flights. they're just slotting in alongside commercial aviation, which has meant that air traffic control and the ground control have been dealing with an extremely busy period as they slot in these coastguard flights. we know that this flight, this dash eight that has been destroyed this morning, was intending to go to the noto peninsula, where devasted earthquakes have taken place. some 48 people confirmed dead, but over a thousand are searching through the rubble. it was going to be delivering aid but also assisting in that search. so as it attempted to join in with that, with that work, it had been clipped by the airbus a350 after landing. further information has also

come out from the website. flight radar 24, which said that this dash eight aircraft was not equipped with the automatic dependent dependent surveillance broadcast system. now, this is a newer version of radar on board the aircraft that allows air traffic control and other aircraft to get a more accurate understanding of their location. that could also have contributed to that collision. this morning between those two aircraft. but as we said, miraculously, 379 survivors on that airbus aircraft, it's only two years old. it was delivered in november 2021 to japan airlines , november 2021 to japan airlines, and it has an incredible safety record. this is the first time that a an aeroplane of this design, which is a kind of a composite hull, 53% carbon fibre, has experienced a massive total hull loss from fire, and it clearly did its job because it clearly did its job because it reject the flames long enough for people to evacuate in extreme , dire circumstances. extreme, dire circumstances. some people exiting on the back

left the four left emergency exit slide climbing up a hill to get there because the nose gear had collapsed during that impact. with the dash eight aircraft on the 34 right runway . aircraft on the 34 right runway. so a very devastating situation , so a very devastating situation, but it could have been so much worse . and as that investigation worse. and as that investigation continues, more details no doubt will emerge on how this could have possibly happened during an appalling for appalling start to the year. for those in japan. >> thank you, charlie peters, for excellent update. now for that excellent update. now it's for that excellent update. now wsfime for that excellent update. now it's time for the great british giveaway and your chance to win treats tech and £10,000 in cash. and here's how you can start your new year with all of those fabulous prizes . fabulous prizes. >> it's the final week to see how you could be the winner of the great british giveaway. your chance to grab three amazing pnzes chance to grab three amazing prizes is. first, there's £10,000 in tax free cash to spend however you like. what would you spend that on next? you'll receive a brand new iphone 15 pro max and finally , iphone 15 pro max and finally, we'll send you on a shopping

spree with £500 worth of vouchers to spend in your favourite store. but hurry as lines close at 5 pm. on friday for another chance to win the iphone.the for another chance to win the iphone. the vouchers and £10,000 cash text gb win to 84 9002. text cost £2 plus one standard network rate message or post your name and number to gb zero one. po box 8690. derby de192, uk only entrants must be 18 or oven uk only entrants must be 18 or over. lines close at 5 pm. this friday. full terms and privacy nofice friday. full terms and privacy notice at gb news.com. forward slash win good luck . slash win good luck. >> now there were record numbers of excess deaths last year and now junior doctors are about to embark on a six day strike. i'm asking this big basic question is the nhs completely and utterly broken ? i'm martin utterly broken? i'm martin daubney on gb news, britain's news channel

monday to thursday from six till 930. >> we'll go back. it's 427. you're watching or listening to martin daubney on gb news now later this hour , after a later this hour, after a teenager tragically died in north london on new year's eve, alaskan expert what can be done for finally to tackle the uk's knife crime epidemic ? there's a knife crime epidemic? there's a few stories in the news today that have got me asking the big question is the nhs broken beyond repair tomorrow , junior

beyond repair tomorrow, junior doctors in england will start the longest strike in nhs history at a time when nhs england's national medical director, professor stephen powis, says the service is at its most stretched . and it's its most stretched. and it's emerged that last year saw a record number of excess deaths in in the uk, 53,000 thousand since the pandemic and the vaccine programme. and i'm joined now by doctor laurence buckman , who's the former buckman, who's the former chairman of the bma's gp's committee. thank you for joining us, lawrence, and a happy new year to you. so let's start with gps. the report came out a couple of days ago, 33% of people have completely given up trying to get a gp appointment. 7.7 million on record waiting lists , um, ghost patients of 6 lists, um, ghost patients of 6 million. too many patients and a harrowing story today of a man who couldn't afford £65 for a skin cancer test, who went on to die after he couldn't get an appointment on the nhs, despite the fact we spend £122 billion

on the nhs . last year. um doctor on the nhs. last year. um doctor buckman, i'm asking the simple question does all of this indicate the nhs is completely broken ? broken? >> actually, most of this doesn't indicate very much because it's more complicated than that. but the answering your question, is the nhs broken 7 your question, is the nhs broken ? is. yes. um we're we're beyond and redemption now because we've let the workforce numbers drop too low. it will take ten years too low. it will take ten years to recruit the number of people we really need to deliver the service that people quite rightly deserve and have paid for . uh, and rightly deserve and have paid for. uh, and it can't be done now. so the answer is, sadly, yes . yes. >> okay, so what is the answer to that problem? because as as i say, we seem to be the political headwind. whatever colour rosette you wear is simply to throw more money at the issue. but that doesn't seem to be working. >> no money is pointless. >> no money is pointless. >> um, i'll be just as tired if you double my pay. what you have

to do is have more of me. we need to be have more doctors and nurses, more ancillary staff, particularly specialist people like radiographers and others who deliver service to patients. we haven't got enough physiotherapists , district physiotherapists, district nurses. i could go on and on with a list of people we haven't got enough of, and we need those people. and this isn't just about money. money not about money. money will not solve this. you need a talented, willing workforce and it's just not there. and this has been obvious for the last 20 years. this was going to happen. and now it's happened . and i would now it's happened. and i would be delighted to be proved wrong. but sadly , i and many others but sadly, i and many others were predicting this 20 years ago. and here we are now. we're in trouble. >> but doctor buckman, do we have a willing workforce for about embark on the longest about to embark on the longest ever of ever strike? and isn't all of this payback for the this anyway a payback for the mothball fling effectively of the nhs? we were told to stay home, protect the nhs save home, protect the nhs and save lives. what's lives. and that's what's happened. except we're not saving lives now. we built saving lives now. we have built many different time bombs many different health time bombs across many multiple fronts and

now it's payback time and lockdown means that the nhs top brass wheeled on and they do all the politics as i think lockdowns . had their advantage. lockdowns. had their advantage. >> what they did was push off the inevitable and made it possible for the service to deren possible for the service to deliver, for if you take a longer view, we yet don't longer time view, we yet don't have enough statistical evidence to what the lockdowns did. to say what the lockdowns did. what we do know is that there have been a rise in excess deaths. we know that it predates the we were looking at the pandemic. we were looking at this and it's just got this anyway and it's just got worse and worse and all of this came before there were any strikes, before there was , uh, strikes, before there was, uh, visible trouble. but after the retirement bulge of the 2010s. and so now we're looking at that and seeing the results . and it's and seeing the results. and it's not just about money, it's about the ability of the staff to deliver. and what your other statistics you presented at the beginning show is the staff cannot deliver to the number of people who, quite rightly, need help. >> okay. thanks forjoining us

and giving us your expert insights. doctor laurence buckman, former chairman of the bma gps committee . great stuff. bma gps committee. great stuff. now there's lots more still to come between now and 5:00, with almost 2.5 million fixed rate mortgages is set to end this yeah mortgages is set to end this year. i'll ask whether interest rates are about to fall. we could finally have some good news, but first, your latest news, but first, your latest news headlines with polly middlehurst . middlehurst. >> the headlines this hour, the home secretary is insisting the government has cleared a backlog of migrant asylum applications , of migrant asylum applications, as critics today accuse the government of fiddling the figures. the number of asylum case decisions was made last year and the highest since 2002. as the government insisted its commitment to clear the backlog has been delivered. but labour says it's false and reports suggest the reduced figure is in part due to some legacy cases being moved to other categories. the number, though, is coming down, according to the

government , five of the six crew government, five of the six crew on board a japanese coastguard plane have been confirmed dead after they collided with a passenger aircraft . all 379 passenger aircraft. all 379 passengers and 12 crew on board the japan airlines aircraft were safely evacuated from the plane on inflatable emergency exit slides. passengers said they felt a large boom before smoke filled the cabin , and nhs filled the cabin, and nhs patients face further disruption tomorrow as junior doctors prepare to walk out in the health service's longest ever strike. the bma union wants junior doctors to get a 35% pay rise, which they say would restore their real earnings to levels seen in 2008. the government says the demands are unaffordable . label and unaffordable. label and a student who ran over her fiance after apparently losing her temper following an argument, has been found guilty of murder. alice wood, who's 23, drove her ford fiesta into her partner ryan watson, aged 24, near their

home in cheshire in may last yeah home in cheshire in may last year. she denied murder and gave an alternative count of manslaughter, claiming his death was a tragic accident 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 warmer weather to continue in the coming years. as it says, the impacts of human induced climate change are felt around the world. those are the headunes around the world. those are the headlines background of all those stories by heading to our website, gb news.com . thank website, gb news.com. thank you. >> poorly. now 16 year old boy arrested over the murder of a teenager as crowds gathered to watch new year's eve fireworks has released under has been released under investigation . caution. harry investigation. caution. harry pitman, who was also 16, was attacked as he waited to watch the year's fireworks with

the new year's fireworks with friends what the metro friends after what the metro police called an altercation. a total of 18 teenagers were stabbed to death in london in 2023. i'm joined now by kevin hurley, who's the former head of the london anti—knife crime operation. kev thanks for joining us in the studio. a great pleasure to meet you in person at long last, kev, this is something we talk about all the gb news. and a great the time on gb news. and a great many people out there share this huge exasperation, a sense of frustration, bodies keep frustration, the bodies keep seeming to pile up. we've seen over 50,000 knife offences in england and wales last year, particularly in london. 13,503 21% year on year increase . and 21% year on year increase. and yet nothing seems to get done about it. how do we tackle the cancer of knife crime? >> well, i mean, the terrible thing about it is the people who fear it most are the mums. and in places like london, it's actually black mums who fear it the most because it's mostly black are getting black kids who are getting killed and numbers of killed and vast numbers of perpetrators. in fact, sad to

say, are black youth. but how do we stop it? well, all i can tell you is when i led operation blunt to in 2008, we had 29 youth murders. that year , four youth murders. that year, four years later, we were down to eight. bear in mind, that's much less than we've got already. so what do you do ? basically, it what do you do? basically, it was targeted. stop and search whether or not anyone likes it. stop and search creates a deterrent effect on youths carrying knives if they think they're going to be caught and put before the courts, it will stop them and perhaps the best evidence of that was , you may evidence of that was, you may recall this, a dreadful feral murder in victoria railway station, where 17 kids from a school , none of whom had school, none of whom had criminal records, had an arranged gang fight with a load of kids from fulham. and one of the kids was stabbed to death. once we went through his mobile phone , this kid had on it, don't phone, this kid had on it, don't go through hammersmith, broadway . there the feds are very hot on stop and search. the bottom line

on it is the kids know that if there's a good chance of being stopped and searched, they are. they are going to be caught and they're less likely to carry knives . and that's what we did. knives. and that's what we did. targeted stop search. targeted stop and search. >> the trouble with that now is that have changed. sadly, that times have changed. sadly, even though bodies even though the bodies are piling mayor and piling up, we have a mayor and sadiq who vowed in 2013, sadiq khan who vowed in 2013, before he was elected to stamp out search he out stop and search because he said have said it was racing, that we have endless commentary along those lines, you're saying to me, lines, but you're saying to me, targeted policing is what's required, and if the demographic is like in glasgow, it was 98% white working class boys who were carrying knives. they were targeted because they were known in they were known . they in areas they were known. they fended, fitted that offender profile. and yet we have a system paralysed to allow us to do that now. correct. >> and unfortunately, sadiq khan spoke to because he thought he'd get votes frankly, without understanding how you deal with it , you need to know where the it, you need to know where the high incidence of knife crime are , who's likely to be doing are, who's likely to be doing it, and then focus on it, and then you focus people on doing that, and you actually

need to handpick your staff and take them off all otherjobs and take them off all other jobs and say, you will go out there now and stop and search people . now, and stop and search people. now, the unfortunate thing about this is a lot of innocent people get stopped and searched as against possibly they could be killed. the proof is in the pudding. we went from 29 to 8. what more ? went from 29 to 8. what more? what more proof do we need? and it wasn't just stop and search. >> there were other things too, like you have joined up like did you have joined up social well, social service work? and well, what principally did stop and what we principally did stop and search, but what we also did, we engaged with headmasters of schools would bring in schools where we would bring in various would talk to various groups who would talk to groups risk , who would be groups at risk, who would be perhaps bring a coffin in, for example, one of the acts or we would go along to a big school talk where you'd get a mum speaking an ex—gangster someone like me being the senior investigator who'd say, i'm the senior investigator here and i'm someone your mum never wants to meet because if she meets me, you're dead or i'm taking you're either dead or i'm taking you're either dead or i'm taking you to prison for life .

you to prison for life. >> and that was the kind of approach that we took. >> and often , kev, that that >> and often, kev, that that education and stop and search often gave that kind of integer action intervention . it's a bit action intervention. it's a bit it might offend people. is that part of the problem now? you're not allowed to have that tough love approach in case in case someone complains. well, i mean i think we've got all those issues going on, but the reality of it is teenagers, particularly young men, are full of testosterone. >> they're difficult to manage. even own son. and even if it's your own son. and so need to a direct so you need to have a direct approach, which is simply if you get knife, no get arrested with a knife, no matter what you want to do, you'll get a criminal record. you will not be able to get a visa to travel to america or travel elsewhere. you might travel elsewhere. so you might want a musician. you might want to be a musician. you might want to be a musician. you might want to be a musician. you might want to be a footballer or whatever going to finish whatever that's going to finish it. think ahead . don't get a it. so think ahead. don't get a criminal record unnecessarily . criminal record unnecessarily. >> do you think there's any hope of of this common sense of any of this common sense approach happening? we seem to be mired in political correctness, frozen in the

headlights, unable to do anything of the nature you're talking about because of what offending . offending people. >> well, right. it will take a paradigm shift. it will take strong political leadership . and strong political leadership. and incidentally, biggest incidentally, one of the biggest supporters is, believe supporters of this is, believe it not, for all the criticism it or not, for all the criticism he gets was in fact boris johnson, who was very supportive of take of the police. but it will take political leadership. will political leadership. it will get to get real and it get the media to get real and it will when we have various will need when we have various debates come on debates, activists who come on and say we need to do this, we need do that. so what will need to do that. so what will you do now? what will you do now? spokesperson, now? mr spokesperson, on stopping sir, on stopping this knife crime , because this will knife crime, because this will work. because we know it does. and we just got to face up to the facts and young black the facts and say, young black youths being killed. youths are being killed. disproportion by black youths. so therefore they are going to be stopped. many more times. really unfortunate . and it's really unfortunate. and it's really unpleasant for those young black kids who are caught up but better that than up in it. but better that than more more of them will more and more of them will die. and and mothers will and more and more mothers will mourn sons either to the mourn their sons either to the undertaker or to life

imprisonment. >> kevin dodi sobering words. thank you so much for joining >> kevin dodi sobering words. thank you so much forjoining us and sharing your wisdom. makes you think, doesn't it ? now, when you think, doesn't it? now, when will general election will the next general election take place? we get an take place? will we get an income tax cut? looking forward to that. and will boris johnson make a dramatic return to politics this year? well, our political editor christopher hope, has stuck his neck out and given his predictions for given us his predictions for 2024. i'm martin daubney on gb news, britain's news channel

sunday mornings from 930 on gb

news . 2024, a battleground year. news. 2024, a battleground year. the year the nation decides as the parties gear up their campaign signs for the next general election, who will be left standing when the british people make one of the biggest decisions their lives? people make one of the biggest decwhos their lives? people make one of the biggest decwho willtheir lives? people make one of the biggest decwho will rise lives? people make one of the biggest decwho will rise and s? people make one of the biggest decwho will rise and who will >> who will rise and who will fall? >> let's find out together for every moment . every moment. >> the highs, lows, the >> the highs, the lows, the twists and turns we'll be with you for every step of this journey in 2024. gb news is britain's election . channel. britain's election. channel. >> welcome back. it's 445. you're watching or listening to martin daubney on gb news now at 5:00 i'll bring you the latest asylum figures and ask whether rishi sunak is right to take credit . but before that, 2024, credit. but before that, 2024, of course, is shaping up to be a huge political year. elections are expected both in the uk and in america . but who will rise

in america. but who will rise and who will fall? well, join me now to give us his predictions is gb news political editor christopher hope. christopher welcome. so mystic chris, you've stuck your neck out, mate , and stuck your neck out, mate, and you have a few predictions to make. but before we get into the details, the big question is when do you think the next general election will fall . general election will fall. >> well, mystic hope, i mean, i'll regret doing this , martin, i'll regret doing this, martin, but of course you won't remind me of it, will you? i'm sure you won't remind me of it all through the year goes through the year if it goes wrong. yeah. mean, may may. wrong. yeah. i mean, may may. march the for march the 6th is the date for the budget. now, the thinking had been following that, had been that following that, that open for a, um. that leaves wide open for a, um. may the ninth general election , may the ninth general election, um, the same time as local elections . um, the same time as local elections. um, um, the same time as local elections . um, the um, the same time as local elections. um, the going early, of course, makes some sense because if the problems with small boats continue, then you can have an election before that. but i think i'm pretty certain i think that, um, mr sunak will go long into november

. and i've been saying, um , . and i've been saying, um, november the 6th. now, it could be a bit later than that. but i think certainly november is a time for an election to my mind, because by then i think that that nhs waiting list will have fallen. i think inflation will have fallen. interest rates could have been revised downwards. two or maybe four times, to according experts. um, i just think that even a net migration , that figure of seven migration, that figure of seven for 2000 arriving in the calendar year 2022, i think that will have fallen maybe as much as halved because of the fewer people coming from hong kong, ukraine and the measures they're taking to bring in controls over people bringing in family members. so i think that will be a better picture . um, and why go a better picture. um, and why go early if you don't have to? having said all that, i don't expect the government, mr sunak, having said all that, i don't ex rule the government, mr sunak, having said all that, i don't ex rule out government, mr sunak, having said all that, i don't ex rule out an'ernment, mr sunak, having said all that, i don't ex rule out an earlyant, mr sunak, having said all that, i don't ex rule out an early election'yunak, having said all that, i don't ex rule out an early election iniak, to rule out an early election in in short order because it keeps labour guessing the risk, though , by not going early is you let labour have a narrative by the midsummer of saying that sunak

is clinging to he's is clinging on to office. he's almost squatting in an office he shouldn't be in and should be having an election. so i think that's where i think it's going to happen. i think we're going to happen. i think we're going to along this year. don't to go along this year. i don't think will stand to go along this year. i don't thiitz will stand to go along this year. i don't thiit either. will stand in it either. >> yeah, i think you're right. um, allow the um, i think they will allow the economy flourish if it can. economy to flourish if it can. november the 6th, that would be the after us the next day after the us s presidential race. what a double whammy that would be. now that's the what about the what the way. and what about the what chopper? what's going to happen? who's win . in who's going to win. in >> well, i think the polls are going to narrow quite a lot. i think the tory advisers tell me that around 23% of voters who normally vote to conservative and haven't come back to the party yet, i think if the party if mr sunak can start showing some elements of tax cuts and all the kind of things which tories traditionally go for, that might mean that labour's lead is eaten into quite a lot. and i would say at this stage it's likely to be a hung parliament, probably with the

labour party as the biggest party, maybe for forming a deal with other parties like liberal democrats , so we could have a democrats, so we could have a rerun . but with with labour in rerun. but with with labour in charge of 2010 to 2015. that's why i think could happen. but i mean, i think no one forecasts some of the things happening last year, the year before that , last year, the year before that, it was the ukraine war breaking out last year. course it was, out last year. of course it was, um, serious attacks on israel from hamas and now war in gaza. so there are events happen which can derail any kind of planning. and i think that's what we'll see this year. but i do think a hung parliament, martin, is likely . likely. >> and chris, very briefly, if we , had anderson we could, we had lee anderson sat here, um, in the first hour of the show. he thinks reform won't win a single seat. you however they . will however you think they. will >> yeah, i think 1 or 2 reform, um, mps will nigel farage stand again? um, currently , i think again? um, currently, i think he's against that. but things change. he may have had his head turned by being in the jungle.

uh, all that young at the sport. he now gets on tiktok and from young people. well, he may just you 90 ng peopl e. well h , e m a yj'u st young people. well, he may just go mean , i don't know, go for it. i mean, i don't know, but i think that reform on 9, if they get towards 20, they can get towards 10 or 20, that's a real worry for the tory party. that could eat into party. and that could eat into the support the tories need the support that the tories need for majority before that for their majority before that by don't forget, in by elections. don't forget, in wellingborough and blackpool south east lightly, i expect the tories to lose both those . tories to lose both those. >> okay, mystic hope i'll keep a tally of those and i'll buy you a beer for each one that comes through. that you? through. does that grab you? thank very much. now, almost thank you very much. now, almost 2.5 fixed rate mortgage 2.5 million fixed rate mortgage deals are ending this year. and after interest rates rocketed in recent there be recent times, there could be plenty of pain on the way for homeowners . but is there about homeowners. but is there about to be good news in the form of interest rate cuts ? well, interest rate cuts? well, joining me now is the economist and co—founder of regionally, justin urquhart stewart. justin, always a pleasure and a very happy new year to you and your red braces. so justin, there is

good news on the way. if you believe a panel of economists , believe a panel of economists, um, doing the rounds for the times newspaper , they say not times newspaper, they say not only one, but potentially multiple interest rate cuts in the year ahead . the year ahead. >> well, it's interesting we get nine economists together. >> you're lucky to get away with that. >> 20 different decisions. >> 20 different decisions. >> they all disagree with each other. yes. i think it's a other. um, yes. i think it's a very chance will see very good chance it will see a rate coming through. but rate cut coming through. but bear have bear in mind we shouldn't have actually the rises in actually had the rate rises in the had before. the the way we had before. the reason being is you normally raise rates to actually stop a consumer boom because that's inflationary. i don't want inflationary. well, i don't want you haven't much of you, but i haven't seen much of a boom in the past a consumer boom in the past yeah a consumer boom in the past year. everything to do with inflation on inflation was really focussed on supply whether oil, supply chains, whether it's oil, uh , wheat, all those other uh, wheat, all those other issues and of course covid as well. so in fact inflation was not to be not actually going to be impacted by what happened with interest time. so interest rates this time. so also they take about months also they take about 18 months to real effect on the to have a real effect on the economy to see whether it's worthwhile not. having worthwhile or not. so having said now much better. said that, it's now much better. they start cutting rates slowly

but scare the but surely. don't scare the markets . as per mistrusts the markets. as per mistrusts the other month , which really did us other month, which really did us a lot reputational damage a lot of reputational damage internationally, and that means people don't buy our bonds quite so as much as poor. and therefore to offer them therefore you have to offer them more money buy which more money to buy it, which of course last thing you course that's the last thing you want doing. so actually want to be doing. so actually what you'll see, particularly whenever the election is next yeah year, they will do their damnedest to make sure damnedest to try and make sure the they're not. when they the cuts they're not. when they say cuts, maybe incentive say tax cuts, maybe incentive but get you can get but get see if you can get actually interest rates down. and of course banking is independent. really. no independent. is it really. no actually it's actually most of it's appointed by or at least approved by the treasury. so you have to be quite careful with this. but logic would tell us actually rates would now be coming down where they coming down not to where they were before because those were emergency the banking emergency rates from the banking crisis. they should be around about a half, 4, about three and a half, 4, something that. still something like that. still horrific coming horrific for those people coming off mortgages one off fixed rate mortgages of one one double the one half, two. so double the payment . so there is one half, two. so double the payment. so there is some one half, two. so double the payment . so there is some good payment. so there is some good news there bringing back payment. so there is some good newrvital there bringing back payment. so there is some good newrvital word bringing back payment. so there is some good newrvital word fornging back payment. so there is some good newrvital word forngineconomy confidence. >> so justin briefly, if we could the tories the party of

low tax at least they said that we've had 24 straight rises. we've got the highest tax rate since world war two. but do you think the tories have to cut tax to survive ? to survive? >> well, what they want to do is show that they can actually pour resources. >> were well known for looking after the economy at the moment. it doesn't really look like it now. tax cuts. well you've got to they're now. tax cuts. well you've got to expensive. they're now. tax cuts. well you've got to expensive. youy're now. tax cuts. well you've got to expensive. you had quite expensive. if you had inheritance many inheritance tax. well not many people inheritance people actually pay inheritance tax. and also doesn't being a great deal for the great deal of money for the treasury. what need have treasury. what you need to have is incentives to get people is tax incentives to get people who've got money. and is who've got money. and there is a lot money around to in lot of money around to invest in new which new businesses, start ups, which are good at doing and are very good at doing and provide them longer terms, provide them with longer terms, cheap develop cheap capital to develop business. we know we can do it. it's technology and all those it's in technology and all those areas. we could that, it's in technology and all those areithat we could that, it's in technology and all those areithat confidence d that, it's in technology and all those areithat confidence backthat, it's in technology and all those areithat confidence back in|t, get that confidence back in again, then actually rich, you will have more than i think a reasonable chance of actually coming through. but at the moment confidence well , a moment the confidence is well, a bit slim. >> superb stuff . justin urquhart >> superb stuff. justin urquhart stewart, thank you very much. co—founder regionally always co—founder of regionally always cheers me up some great positive

news there to end this hour. now the government says it has succeeded in its bid to clear a huge backlog of asylum cases. but labour says this claim is totally false . who's right? totally false. who's right? who's wrong ? stay with us and who's wrong? stay with us and we'll make sense of that . coming we'll make sense of that. coming right up. i'm martin daubney on gb news and this is britain's news channel >> a brighter outlook with boxt solar sponsors of 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 is currently bringing some very wet and windy weather to southern parts of the uk . southern parts of the uk. disruptive and damaging wind gusts through the gusts are possible through the next hours as moves 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 orkney shetland . but well as orkney and shetland. but as henk clears the south 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 blustery overnight. a further gales are expected across exposed parts of the southwest by the end of the night, bringing in a lot of showers from the southwest and the west. and those showers are with from the word go on with us from the word go on wednesday. more prolonged spells of north of rain across the far north northeast scotland. snow for northeast 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 scotland and at times western parts of england , as western parts of england, as well as and northern well as wales and northern ireland. in between any showers there will some spells. there will be some sunny spells. it mild in the south, it will be mild in the south, 1112 cold in the far 1112 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 weather.

>> that warm feeling inside from boxt boilers , sponsors of boxt boilers, sponsors of weather on .

gb news. >> good afternoon. it's 5:00. welcome to the show. i'm martin daubney on gb news keeping you company for the next hour. got a cracking hour coming up ahead.

top story jane cleverly, the home secretary, has claimed to have cleared a so—called legacy asylum seeker backlog . but with asylum seeker backlog. but with almost 100,000 asylum seekers still on the list and 17,000 who've just gone completely missing into the country, 4500, we can't get out because they're adults claiming to be children, or they may have criminal records. i'm asking you this. do you feel like this government has taken back control of our borders? or have the lunatics taken over the asylum system ? taken over the asylum system? next story. talking of which , next story. talking of which, tony blair is back in the news with another controversy . this with another controversy. this time a report has emerged that the tony blair institute has been advising governments with, how should we say, dodgy human rights records, including bahrain and the united arab emirates. it is fair game. or is it these these countries using blair to whitewash their credentials? i'll put that to a former tony blair adviser could

get spicy . next up, a former tony blair adviser could get spicy. next up, a bridge former tony blair adviser could get spicy . next up, a bridge too get spicy. next up, a bridge too far. this pedestrian , this far. this pedestrian, this humble pedestrian railway bridge on the line between cornwall and london in teal , teal, um, is london in teal, teal, um, is taking on over ten years and it's still hasn't been finished. thatis it's still hasn't been finished. that is longer than the empire state building. this little pedestrian bridge isn't even fit for purpose. i'll be asking this is this final proof that britain just can't build anything anymore? but we can build fantastic darts players, you little beauty . this. this kid, little beauty. this. this kid, this 16 year old superstar is playing in the semi—finals tonight. he's playing against rob cross. if he gets through to the final, he could be in for a shot at a half £1 million prize at and a shot at sporting immortality. superb what a legend. that's all coming up in the next hour on the martin

daubney show . tony the next hour on the martin daubney show. tony blair the next hour on the martin daubney show . tony blair never daubney show. tony blair never far from the headlines, is he? if it's vaccine passports or advising countries. but what do you think of him? advice ring countries like the like bahrain , countries like the like bahrain, united arab emirates. he's always got his fingers in pies around the world. is it fair game? he's allowed to make a livelihood? or is proof that livelihood? or is it proof that he just can't trusted? it's he just can't be trusted? it's going a lively debate with going to be a lively debate with a former tony blair advisor. make sure you around for make sure you stick around for that. all coming after that. that's all coming up after your headlines your latest news headlines with polly middlehurst . polly middlehurst. >> martin, thank you . let's >> martin, thank you. let's start this bulletin with some breaking news coming to us in the ten minutes so the last ten minutes or so concerning events in the middle east. hearing that hamas east. we're hearing that hamas deputy leader , he's called saleh deputy leader, he's called saleh al—arouri , has been killed in an al—arouri, has been killed in an israeli strike in beirut. that's according to lebanese media and reported on reuters. >> israel hasn't yet commented

on that alleged strike. >> he was considered to be the de facto leader of hamas military wing in the west bank, and he was also one of hamas officials most closely connected to iran and the hezbollah terror group in lebanon, where cross—border attacks have escalated, particularly in the last couple of weeks. so that news just coming to us that hamas deputy leader may have been killed, that yet to be confirmed israel but has been confirmed by israel but has been killed in an israeli strike in beirut, according to lebanese media. more on that , of course, media. more on that, of course, as it comes to us now, news here at home. the home secretary is insisting the government has cleared a backlog of migrant asylum applications as critics today accuse the government of fiddling the figures. the number of asylum case decisions made last year was the highest since 2002, as the government insisted it's committed to clearing the backlog has been delivered. labour says that's false, though, as reports suggest the reduced figure is in part due to some legacy cases being moved to

other categories . james other categories. james cleverly, though, 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 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. >> james cleverly but the shadow home secretary, yvette cooper, has responded, saying the government hasn't quite got the facts right. >> rishi sunak claim to have cleared the asylum backlog is just totally false. in fact, the figures are nearly 100,000 cases and they haven't even fully cleared the bit of the backlog

they were targeting . and that's they were targeting. and that's why we've still got record numbers of people in asylum hotels. costs the taxpayer a total fortune. rishi sunak should stop taking the country for fools . we should stop the for fools. we should stop the boasts and get on with delivering properly instead . delivering properly instead. >> let's bring you news now from japan, where five of the six crew on board a japanese coastguard plane have been confirmed dead today after they collided with a passenger aircraft. miraculously . all 379 aircraft. miraculously. all 379 passengers and 12 crew on board the japan airlines aircraft were safely evacuated from the plane on inflatable emergency exit sudes on inflatable emergency exit slides after the collision. passengers say they felt a large boom before the smoke filled the cabin . the coastguard says the cabin. the coastguard says the plane involved in the collision had been on its way to deliver aid to areas affected by the powerful earthquake, which struck japan on new year's day .

struck japan on new year's day. here nhs patients face further disruption tomorrow as junior doctors prepare to walk out in the health service's longest ever strike, an unprecedented six days of industrial action comes as the nhs faces one of its busiest winters. the government says it's open to further discussion , though hopes further discussion, though hopes of last minute talks to avoid strike action are now fading . strike action are now fading. bosses are saying it could create one of the most difficult starts to the year the nhs has ever faced . the bma union for ever faced. the bma union for its part, wants junior doctors to get a 35% pay rise, which they stay say would restore their real earnings to levels comparable to 2008. the government , though, says those government, though, says those demands are unaffordable . while demands are unaffordable. while a student who ran over her fiance after apparently losing her temper following an argument has been found guilty of murder. alice wood, who's 23, drove her

ford fiesta into her partner ryan watson, aged 24, near their home in cheshire in may last year. home in cheshire in may last year . she home in cheshire in may last year. she denied murder and an alternative count of manslaughter , claiming his death manslaughter, claiming his death was a tragic accident. she told chester crown court she didn't realise he was trapped underneath her car when she drove for 158m before stopping . drove for 158m before stopping. miss wood showed no emotion as the jury returned a unanimous verdict. she's been remanded in custody with a judge warning her she may never be released. ryan's mother, lisa watson, told reporters that her son had been taken too . soon we finally got taken too. soon we finally got for justice our beloved ryan . for justice our beloved ryan. >> ryan's death has left her family heartbroken. >> he was taken from us far too soon, just a young man of 24 years old with his whole life ahead of him. >> he had just started his working career with a charity that headways with helping other people, which he'd loved to do.

ryan had just a big personality. he was bubbly, fun loving, caring person with a heart of gold . gold. >> brian watson's mother, speaking to reporters earlier on today. speaking to reporters earlier on today . now last year was today. now 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 the pattern of warmer weather to continue over the coming years, as it says the impact of human induced climate change are felt around the world. that's the news on gb news across the uk on tv, in your car, on digital radio and on your smart speaker. this is britain's news channel . this is britain's news channel. >> thank you. polly. now we start with the migrant crisis and the government's controversial claim to have met

its targets to sort a huge backlog of asylum cases. the government says it's cleared what's been branded a legacy backlog. dating back to june 2022. but the overall backlog of applications awaiting a decision is still more than an eye—watering 98,000. shadow home secretary yvette cooper dismissed the government's claims and accused rishi sunak of taking the country for fools. well rishi sunaks claim to have cleared the asylum backlog is just totally false. >> in fact, the figures are nearly 100,000 cases and they haven't even fully cleared the bit of the backlog they were targeting . and that's why we've targeting. and that's why we've still got record numbers of people in asylum hotels costing the taxpayer a total fortune. rishi sunak should stop taking the country for fools and should stop the boasts and get on with delivering properly . instead, delivering properly. instead, these dangerous boat crossings are undermining our border

security and putting lives at risk. that's why the government should be taking action to strengthen our border security and also to fix the tories asylum chaos. and instead they're failing to do that. they made a whole series of promises about clearing the asylum backlog, and they haven't delivered them. instead, the asylum backlog is still nearly 100,000 cases, and we've still got thousands of people , record got thousands of people, record numbers of people in asylum hotels. so the government's just failing on all counts. and that's why really, rishi sunak should stop taking the country for fools and should actually get a grip instead of all the gimmicks rishi sunak is taking the country for fools. >> according to yvette cooper. well, i'm joined now by our political editor christopher hope. political editor christopher hope . so, chris, the day started hope. so, chris, the day started as a good news day for the tories. the legacy backlog cleared, but then it became apparent there are still almost 100,000 on the books and 17,000 of asylum seekers have simply

disappeared into the country . we disappeared into the country. we do not know where they are sometimes. chris, it does feel like the lunatics have taken over the asylum system . over the asylum system. >> yeah, the thing with the immigration figures is there are so many of them. it's important to break down what the government is talking about. now, let's be very clear, this idea of clearing backlog is idea of clearing the backlog is what was in june what the backlog was in june 2022, when it stood at around 92,000 claims. now, of that 92,000, 4500 remain. there are too complicated to be resolved . too complicated to be resolved. and that's why labour correctly is challenging the number 10 and saying, how can you say that backlog has been cleared when 4500 historic claims remain ? and 4500 historic claims remain? and that's why i think they've slightly oversold what is quite a good win for number 10 today by saying it's cleared when it hasn't been cleared . um, hasn't been cleared. um, separate to that other numbers two 112,000. um uh claims were processed last year of that as

many as 24,100 people last year were forcibly or voluntarily returned to their country, where they came from. um, but as you say, because we are tracking the numbers, arriving here illegally all the time at gb news, the figures last september were 98,000. in the asylum system waiting to be processed . so it's waiting to be processed. so it's like as soon as they exit one end of the pipe, more, more people arrive to be processed. it's very hard to keep track of it. the only way to keep track of it is the government to do its job and control the borders and people , these and stop the people, these people arriving now, how might that happen? well, the rwanda bill is due be going through bill is due to be going through parliament this year. number 10 said today again, the first boats deporting people illegally arrived rwanda will take off arrived to rwanda will take off in may in the spring. um, but we now we can reveal on gb news that the rwanda bill won't be considered next week by mps. um it may be by the end of this month any delay means there's less time to get it through the

house of lords, where the government hasn't got a majority. so it's getting wobbly already , despite being already on rwanda, despite being quite story . i already on rwanda, despite being quite story. i mean, quite a good news story. i mean, on small boats, martin down by a third. um over, over the past year from the record figures set in 2022, down by a third at number 10. dispute people saying it's good, it's bad weather. um, the number of days when crossings didn't happen for bad weather was the same. just over 100 in 2022 as 2022, three. so there is some good news, some some green shoots of good news for the government. but they're slightly messed it up, i think, by claiming to have got rid of this backlog when they hadn't. >> okay, chris obe excellent analysis. superb. thanks for joining us. and i'm joined now by the conservative south by the conservative mp for south swindon , sir robert buckland. swindon, sir robert buckland. sir robert, happy new year and thanks for joining us sir robert, happy new year and thanks forjoining us on the thanks for joining us on the show. so on the one hand, sir robert, great news. the legacy backlog has been cleared. but as we just set out still another 99,000 in the pipeline waiting

to come in on a certain nigel farage piped up today, actually by clearing the backlog, it simply granting more people leave to remain in the country as 67% of all cases are granted. so clear in the backlog simply means increasing immigration into the uk . into the uk. >> well, a lot of those claims will be legitimate , some of them will be legitimate, some of them will be legitimate, some of them will be legitimate, some of them will be illegitimate, and it's the illegitimate claims that we want to see being dealt with and people being removed from this country. >> and i think that's what really gives rise to huge frustration amongst the public that the system is not as quick and efficient enough to get rid of these people who shouldn't be here. >> however, if people are coming here legitimately , then i think here legitimately, then i think that rather than letting them slip into the black market and disappear into building sites and restaurants , we should know and restaurants, we should know where they are and we should know what they're doing and they should be paying taxes and making a contribution like the rest of us. >> now, i think that the

government were right to say that they had scored a success on clearing the pre—june 22 backlog, but they probably should have said, look, there are there are a small number, 4500 cases that have yet to be determined because they're complex. i think with just complex. and i think with just a little bit more explanation , and little bit more explanation, and i think we'd have avoided all this particularly from i think we'd have avoided all thislabour particularly from i think we'd have avoided all thislabour party ularly from i think we'd have avoided all thislabour party ,.arly from i think we'd have avoided all thislabour party , which om i think we'd have avoided all thislabour party , which is| i think we'd have avoided all thislabour party , which is now the labour party, which is now very good at shouting and telling us how awful things are . telling us how awful things are. but it's still nowhere near its own solution or proposals to deal with the problem that all of us rightly are worried about. that's a fair point. >> but sir robert, we must remember, of course, that the conservative party are in power and been for 31 years. and and have been for 31 years. and i'm glad mentioned the black i'm glad you mentioned the black market, today's figures market, because today's figures showed 17,000 asylum seekers have simply disappeared, presumably into the black market. and the further 4500 so—called complex cases . these so—called complex cases. these are cases including men pretending to be children or people with violent criminal

backgrounds , which we can't backgrounds, which we can't check because how do we how do we do that? because of the difficulty of the paperwork with foreign countries. so there is still this that there still this feeling that there are sized football are still a big sized football stadium full of people who have no right to be in britain, yet simply among us. simply walk among us. >> you're bang on >> yeah, and you're bang on about this point that some of these criminals, the countries of origin, just refuse to recognise who they are. >> can't blame them. >> well, you can't blame them. they necessarily them they don't necessarily want them back criminals, which they don't necessarily want them béwhy criminals, which they don't necessarily want them béwhy the criminals, which they don't necessarily want them béwhy the deal:riminals, which they don't necessarily want them béwhy the deal that1als, which they don't necessarily want them béwhy the deal that the which they don't necessarily want them béwhy the deal that the prime is why the deal that the prime minister did with albania last year was so important, because for the first time, we had a bilateral deal with a country that was source of a lot of that was a source of a lot of the problem. and look what happened. numbers happened. the numbers from albania dropped off cliff. albania dropped off a cliff. they dramatically and they reduced dramatically and led overall reduction in led to an overall reduction in those numbers coming over on small boats in 2023. now that seems to me to be the best way for the government to resolve this problem by identifying countries that are a particular issue , doing deals with them, issue, doing deals with them, and getting these people well, stopping these people from coming in the very first place.

and i think i think the government deserves credit. there but clearly there's huge there but clearly there's a huge amount work to done in 2024. >> and sir robert, briefly, if we could, um, james cleverly , we could, um, james cleverly, the home secretary, this morning said is said he is committed and it is still his vision to stop the boats. evidence suggests boats. yet the evidence suggests that this is an impossible dream, sort of dream that dream, the sort of dream that king canute might be proud of. do you agree with your home secretary, though? will you stop the boats, or is simply taking the boats, or is simply taking the numbers down more realistic? >> well, we've got to. we've got to keep on aiming to stop the boats. >> we had success a few years ago. remember, channel ago. remember, the channel tunnel a particular problem ago. remember, the channel tunn people a particular problem ago. remember, the channel tunn people comingrlar problem ago. remember, the channel tunn people coming through lem ago. remember, the channel tunn people coming through that with people coming through that way and people coming on lorries as sadly as well, and very often sadly losing lives . but we losing their lives. but we managed to deal with those problems technology and problems by using technology and just tightening up, uh, the defence that we have around the channel now , uh, you know, this channel now, uh, you know, this means we can, i believe, means that we can, i believe, achieve success with boats. but like all organised crime syndicates , another route will syndicates, another route will be found somehow. and that's why

, you know, the border force in the here in the uk, working with the french in particular. and again, there's been some success, more success with the french. this year, uh, is the only way that we're going to stop this. we don't want this to happenin stop this. we don't want this to happen in the first place, because once they're here, we know we have to bear the burden and with the challenge and deal with the challenge that, uh, this , uh, creates. and that, uh, this, uh, creates. and that's if the government that's why if the government sort of puts their hands in the air and surrenders and says it's not possible, that gives green not possible, that gives a green light organised light to the organised criminals, which is why we've got to be, strong and got to be, uh, strong and resolute and keep on working to prevent this problem from growing. otherwise we are just, you know, putting a white flag of surrender up on an issue that doesn't just affect us, but affects countries right across western europe. >> okay. sir robert buckland, conservative mp for south swindon, thank you very much for joining us on the show. now let's get some more on the big breaking news we brought you at the top of the hour, charlie peters joins me in the studio.

charlie a significant development in the israel—hamas war. >> yes. the idf has reportedly struck with a drone. the deputy leader of hamas political bureau . uh al—arouri in lebanon. in beirut. this is a significant escalation confirmed by hamas, the terror group in the last ten minutes. now, this is the first strike that the idf has conducted inside beirut previously , its activity has previously, its activity has been along the southern border of lebanon with israel , where it of lebanon with israel, where it has killed over 100 hezbollah and hamas operatives in that area . and this strike is area. and this strike is significant because in several press conferences now, the prime minister, benjamin netanyahu, and defence minister yoav galant , have promised to hunt down any operatives of hamas wherever they are, and yoav galant said that those leaders in hamas are living on borrowed time. al—arouri was the deputy head of the political bureau, but also , the political bureau, but also, more significantly, he was the de facto military leader of its

wing in the west bank, which is quietly experiencing one of the most significant escalations in recent weeks. last night, the idf reportedly shot four hamas operative lives inside the west bank. we're still waiting for. for more confirmation on that incident. but this is the most significant escalation in lebanon since the war started on october 7. and the timing is very interesting as well, because tomorrow, hezbollah leader nasrallah is expected to give a speech in beirut to an audience. what he says then will be significant. but that border region with lebanon and israel will almost certainly become more kinetic in the next 24 hours after this significant escalation, with a reported idf drone strike in southern beirut . drone strike in southern beirut. at some of the footage released by reuters in the last hour or so , does show an apartment so, does show an apartment building inside this southern suburb of beirut destroyed by what is reportedly a drone missile strike. three others

reportedly killed in this direct assassination on on the hamas deputy leader of its political bureau. so could be idf military intelligence working alongside mossad for this operation, but very significant moment in this war. thank you, charlie peters, for that update . for that update. >> now you can start your new year with £10,000 in cash, a £500 shopping spree and a brand new iphone. sounds amazing, right? well, here's how you can make all of those prizes yours . make all of those prizes yours. >> there's still time to become the winner of our great british giveaway and take home nearly £12,000 of top prizes . there's £12,000 of top prizes. there's cash to be won, £10,000 in tax free cash that you could use to make 2024 the best year yet. what would you do with it? there's also a shopping spree on us, with £500 in vouchers to spend at the store of your choice. what's on your shopping list? if it's a new phone, we've got that covered too. with a brand new iphone 15 pro max. but hurry as lines close at 5 pm.

on friday for another chance to win the iphone, the vouchers and £10,000 cash text gb win to 84 9002. text cost £2 plus one standard network rate message or post your name and to number gb zero one, po box 8690. derby de192, uk only entrants must be 18 or over. lines close at 5 pm. this friday. full terms and privacy notice at gb news.com . privacy notice at gb news.com. forward slash win good luck . forward slash win good luck. >> now tony blair just can't help himself. his institute is being paid by governments in countries with dodgy human rights records. i'm martin daubney on gb news, britain's news channel

that i knew had dewbs& co weeknights from six. >> welcome back. >> welcome back. >> it's 526. you're watching or listening to martin daubney on gb news. now, later this hour i'll talk about the small railway footbridge . in england railway footbridge. in england that's taken longer to build than the empire state building, but to the latest from japan where a passenger plane burst into flames as it landed at tokyo's haneda airport earlier today. it's believed the japan airlines aircraft collided with the japanese coastguard plane, delivering earthquake aid. all 379 passengers and crew on board were evacuated from the airbus, a 350 , but five out of six

a 350, but five out of six japanese coastguard crew, who are believed to have been on board the colliding aircraft. sadly died. well, i'm joined now by aviation expert sally gethin. sally, thank you for joining us on the show. um a tragic event, but one that could have been much , much, much worse. larger much, much, much worse. larger due to the safety and the equipment on board the passenger airline and miraculous escape for those passengers . for those passengers. >> yeah. so the japan airlines aircraft was an airbus a350 , aircraft was an airbus a350, which is a fairly new aircraft that's entered the industry within the last several years. and it's built to the latest technology standards. and has extremely resilient it carbon fibre materials in the fuselage which which um gave it this protection to the passengers on board when it was uh stricken by fire on landing . fire on landing. >> and of course , sadly the

>> and of course, sadly the fuselage being a high proportion of carbon fibre flame retardant and of course, that all important shell is what gives the time when a when a fire breaks out for the people inside to safely evacuate. and it seems in this instance, that's precisely what happened . precisely what happened. >> and yeah, it does . and also >> and yeah, it does. and also don't forget that it's also the interior of that. the cabin interior, the materials that have advanced there as well, which make it less flammable. i mean, fires tend to take hold, um, pose that, uh, collision. that's that's the big major risk. and we have to remember the emergency services on the ground there. they drill all the time. they're highly trained . time. they're highly trained. and so they were able to support the evacuation effort as well. it really is miraculous that all those passengers escaped . that's those passengers escaped. that's not to detract from the loss of life, of course, from the smaller aeroplane that was caught up in this. >> and sally , i guess in the

>> and sally, i guess in the fullness of time it will emerge the smaller aeroplane seems to have just been in the wrong place wrong time. unusual place at the wrong time. unusual circumstances , course, circumstances, of course, because rush to get this because of the rush to get this aid those areas in japan aid to those areas in japan stricken by earthquakes and tsunamis . tsunamis. >> yeah, think the focus of >> yeah, i think the focus of the investigation , which takes the investigation, which takes place immediately, i know that airbus are on their way out to japan to assist in the japan now to assist in the investigation of that, but that the investigation will focus on the investigation will focus on the communications between the ground control tower, between the control tower on the ground at that airport and that particular aircraft itself. you know, we were the voice and the data transmissions was, um, effective . obviously, it's so effective. obviously, it's so rare for an aircraft to intrude on a live runway like this . so on a live runway like this. so that will be the focus of the investigation. okay >> sally gethin, aviation expert, thank you for joining us on the show. now to a truly remarkable story . 16 year old

remarkable story. 16 year old luke littler is just two wins away from winning the world dans away from winning the world darts championship . little darts championship. little littler has already become the tournament's youngest semi—final ever after he beat brendan dolan five one, in the quarter final yesterday. and look at the delight on his kisser there now only the 2018 world champion, rob cross , stands between rob cross, stands between littler and a place in the final i >> obviously, um , yeah. luke, >> obviously, um, yeah. luke, what a breath of fresh air. you know, he's he's incredible . know, he's he's incredible. well, um, actually, i think it's brilliant what he's achieving in the game . um, and it's going to the game. um, and it's going to be, it's going to be a real tight one. and i've got a perform tonight and, um, put my best foot forward. of course. obviously um, i think me , in obviously um, i think for me, in 2018, when i won it, it was a fairy tale. everyone loves an underdog story. and um, realistically , it's no different realistically, it's no different with him. you know, he's just a lot younger, and it's incredible what he's doing at his age. and he's so mature for his age. you know, i would say that. so he's

got. yeah, he's got a very bright future ahead him. sort bright future ahead of him. sort of fortunate . i'm a bright future ahead of him. sort of fortunate. i'm a i'm a of quite fortunate. i'm a i'm a real good counter in the game. i'd like to think so. um i seem to thrown me first three to have thrown me first three darts already darts and i've already played through head to through the leg in my head to make it as easy as i can to get out, you know? so, um. yeah you just can't switch off anyway. not from tournament. not away from this tournament. definitely either . definitely not either. >> uh, rob cross versus luke tonight at ali harbi ali. now there's lots more still to come between now and 6:00. i'll talk about the labour council that's checking the lgbtq+ credentials of companies before giving them contracts. but first, here's your latest news headlines with polly middlehurst . polly middlehurst. >> the top stories this hour. hamas's deputy leader, saleh al—arouri , has been killed in an al—arouri, has been killed in an israeli strike in beirut. that's according to lebanese media. israel has not yet commented on that alleged strike, but arouri

was considered to be the leader of hamas's military wing in the west bank, and one of hamas officials most closely connected to iran and the hezbollah terror group that's been involved in increasing numbers of cross—border attacks on israel's north in recent weeks. the lebanese prime minister has condemned that attack here. the home secretary has insisted the government has cleared a backlog of migrant asylum applications, as critics accuse the government of fiddling the figures. the number of asylum case decisions made last year was the highest since 2002, as the government insisted its commitment to clearing the backlog has been delivered . but labour's been delivered. but labour's been claiming that's false , as claiming that's false, as reports have suggested the reduced figure is in part due to some legacy cases being moved into other categories , and five into other categories, and five of the six crew on board a japanese coastguard plane have been confirmed dead today after they collided with a passenger jet all 379 passengers on crew

on board the japan airlines aircraft were safely evacuated from the plane on inflatable emergency exit slides and nhs patients face further disruption tomorrow as junior doctors prepared a walkout in the health services longest ever strike. the bma wants junior doctors to get a 35% pay rise, which they say would restore their real earnings to levels seen in 2008. the government, though, says those demands are unaffordable. those are the headlines, background and detail on all those stories. by heading to our website, gb news.com . i'm for a website, gb news.com. i'm for a valuable legacy your family can own, gold coins will always shine bright. >> rosalind gold proudly sponsors the gb news financial report . report. >> looking at today's markets, the pound buying a $1.2628 and

,1.1532. the price of gold is. £1,635.36 an ounce, and the ftse 100 is closed for the day today , 100 is closed for the day today, leaving it . at 7721 points. leaving it. at 7721 points. >> rosalind gold proudly sponsors the gb news financial report . thank sponsors the gb news financial report. thank you sponsors the gb news financial report . thank you polly. report. thank you polly. >> now it's emerged that an organisation was set up by sir tony blair is being paid by governments with dodgy human rights records. the tony blair institute for global change is giving advice to bahrain and the united arab emirates. they claim to be well, they are a non—profit organisation . i'm non—profit organisation. i'm joined now by john mcternan , who joined now by john mcternan, who is a tony blair, former political secretary. john, welcome to the show once again and a very happy new year to you. always a pleasure. so of course , blair is totally

course, blair is totally entitled to do this. um, he would claim that he's advising company . sorry, advising regimes company. sorry, advising regimes on how to be better , on how to on how to be better, on how to improve their democratic process. but of course , critics process. but of course, critics would say he's taking money from dodgy regimes . what's your take? dodgy regimes. what's your take? >> there's two separate, uh, countries in this , um, uh, in countries in this, um, uh, in this account, uh, one of them, bahrain, tony blair is clear what he's doing with his institute is working on modernising the country, modernising the country, modernising government. i think thatis modernising government. i think that is a thing we'd all welcome is more modernisation in, uh, any of the gulf states , any of any of the gulf states, any of the, uh , the petrol rich states the, uh, the petrol rich states in the, in the middle east. and secondly, uh, he worked on cop, uh, tony blair institute, worked on cop cop 28. um and gave, uh, pro bono, uh, support, pro bono advice . um, and that has to be advice. um, and that has to be a good thing, too, because it

matters for the whole world. that cop works. and, uh, so he didn't take money from, uh , from didn't take money from, uh, from from the work for support. um for the, uh , on the cop 28 with for the, uh, on the cop 28 with the uae political figures . but, the uae political figures. but, look, the truth is , if we want look, the truth is, if we want to see countries become democracies, we want them to become more open, more transparent, more engaged with the world, respect human rights more. they need somebody to work with them. there's loads of consultancies who will work with people once they democracy. people once they are democracy. who's you on the who's going to help you on the journey becoming a more journey towards becoming a more transparent country? and the answer is tony blair's good at that. >> i don't think there's a fair comment, though. a lot of people would would claim that their using tony blair to improve their so—called the fig leaf of appearing to be democratic on the outside world. we saw this a lot in the european union, the eu would go to regimes and posed for a photograph and then clear off and make out. job done. we're introducing more democratic in these democratic elections in these countries , and particularly on countries, and particularly on those cop 28 targets. you

mentioned there, john, um, it's farcical to have countries like the united arab emirates pretending to be a green country, aren't they just using tony blair to greenwash their credentials as an oil rich nafion credentials as an oil rich nation ? nafion? >> well, look, like i said , um, >> well, look, like i said, um, tony blair institute, uh, we're working pro bono for the leadership within the uae who are working on cop 28. they were hosting it . are working on cop 28. they were hosting it. he had to go, well, it was better organised than the previous year's cop in, uh, in sharm el—sheikh . um, and it did sharm el—sheikh. um, and it did make historic progress, particularly towards, uh , the particularly towards, uh, the question of reparations and the payment to some of the countries who've been who've been damaged by the effects of climate change and the climate change, which they had no role historically in producing. has to work. producing. cop has to work. well, it's good that the people who hosted cop did it well, but it's good that they were supported by tony blair and his team. uh, tony blair, tony blair

institute. they, you know, they work in hundreds of countries. well, over 100 well, yeah. uh over 100 countries, the world, countries, uh, in the world, supporting governments of all of all and publish all types. and they publish a lot material, um, ranging lot of material, um, ranging from the work they did on vaccines covid through to vaccines during covid through to our work on digital id cards, which william hague worked on with blair. they published with tony blair. they published a of things , a whole, whole range of things, and there for debate and they're up there for debate and, you tony, isn't the and, you know, tony, isn't the european he's not the uk european union. he's not the uk government, not the labour government, he's not the labour party. the head of party. uh, he's the head of a really interesting tank . really interesting think tank. um, and really great um, and it does really great work in my view. >> but john, um, the not for profit element of this, there's a bit of a misnomer because blair does get paid very, very handsomely. the institute gets paid very, very handsomely. for example, in 2018, it emerged that the tony blair institute had been advising the saudi government and got paid £9 million in a so—called not for profit arrangement. so blair isn't doing this for charity. blair is doing this for cold, hard cash . hard cash. >> well, not for profit doesn't mean that you work for food, not

for profit means, um , you don't for profit means, um, you don't distribute a profit . distribute a profit. shareholders? there are no shareholders in tony blair institute. the money tony earns , institute. the money tony earns, uh, internationally. and the money the institute earns goes into, uh, recruiting staff and paying into, uh, recruiting staff and paying staff. and that's why staff gone from 90 to 200 staff have gone from 90 to 200 now to, i think, nearly 800 staff working , uh, both in staff working, uh, both in country in governments and working, um , uh, in the uk , working, um, uh, in the uk, generating policy ideas . i generating policy ideas. i think, you know, it's a great british success, a great a global think tank with global impact , uh, global think tank with global impact, uh, led by a great former prime minister of the uk. >> okay. john mcternan, we'll have to leave it there. always a pleasure to talk to you. tony blair's former political secretary, john mcternan. thanks for show . now forjoining us on the show. now a labour council in london is checking companies lgbtq credentials before giving them work . camden council has work. camden council has introduced measures that mean it will work with businesses whose values align with its own, and the council has brought in trans

awareness sessions with the controversial organisation stonewall oil. well, joining me now is the co—host of bisexual brunch podcast. lewis oakley lewis, happy new year to you and thank you for joining lewis, happy new year to you and thank you forjoining us on the thank you for joining us on the show . so, lewis, what do you show. so, lewis, what do you make of this notion that, um, if you're if you are to get a contract with camden council, lest we forget, that's taxpayers money. you have to start. you have to sign up to the lgbtq credentials of companies like stonewall. what gives the council any right to lay down those terms of business? >> well, i think it's an interest one. and look, i'm someone that , you know, as someone that, you know, as someone that, you know, as someone that's bisexual and absolutely realises that we have to think about the way things are coming across. >> and that's part of what, you know, actually, um, changing hearts and minds is about sometimes when things like this happen, can happen, you know, people can have reaction. what does this have a reaction. what does this mean? is this bad thing. >> this is this is a bad thing. >> this is this is a bad thing. >> not always 100%

>> and so i'm not always 100% against anything that happens. >> that's , you know, um, saying >> that's, you know, um, saying it's for the good of lgbt. >> but i think if you look at what camden is doing here, i think that the proof really will be in it's implemented. so be in how it's implemented. so it's talking about proof. >> know, of proving >> you know, sort of proving that, you're out that, that you're looking out for, for lgbt people that potentially are going to work for interact with you or for you or interact with you or company , um, pay for company if they, um, pay for your services . your services. >> that proves stuff . >> so that proves stuff. >> so that proves stuff. >> i think, you know, if that is just like, here's our employee handbook and our employee handbook, it you know, handbook, it says, you know, we're welcome to everyone from all if you've got all diversities. if you've got any problems, to boss any problems, speak to the boss and it . and that's it. >> i think that that as long as that's it then that's that's what it is, then that's fine . fine. >> um, you know, we obviously do have to take care of lgbt employees. it's been a long history of people being discriminated against in, um, employment. so i think that that, that element it, that, that element of it, there's nothing wrong about that. >> and i think the other thing that people aren't thinking of here is maybe, know, the here is maybe, you know, the council be under pressure council might be under pressure themselves because think of what

would if on the flip side would happen if on the flip side of it, if someone receives lgbt discrimination from a bakery that camden has put on the local street or whatever, people are going to say, well, why were they here? >> who who put them here? oh, the and then that, the council did. and then that, that, know, creates issues that, you know, creates issues for the council. it might be for the council. so it might be the way of just the council's way of just saying, look, we're saving ourselves from um, ourselves from any, um, any issue here, and we're protecting our don't want issue here, and we're protecting our receivingion't want issue here, and we're protecting our receiving anti want issue here, and we're protecting our receiving anti lgbt discrimination. >> that's not nice. >> that's not nice. >> so we're going to put this in place and make sure that if ever anything does happen, we say, well, we were well, look, we were we were quite diligent. that quite diligent. everyone that works said that they had works for us said that they had a commitment look lgbt a commitment to look after lgbt people that was it. people and that and that was it. >> lewis , if >> yeah. presumably lewis, if you if you happened upon a transphobic baker, you'd simply sack them for being transphobic. what? i'm trying to get to the bottom of is why it does any company who supplies , i don't company who supplies, i don't know, paper towels or or or a4 paper or anything coming to camden council cups, at paper or anything coming to camden council cups, a t have to

agree with the policies of companies like stonewall, lest we forget , stonewall are we forget, stonewall are perfectly happy for children to medically transition towards being trans. they are happy about that policy . what in the about that policy. what in the name of god does that have to do with the council giving out contracts ? contracts? >> well, exactly. listen, stonewall can defend themselves and they can. they can fight their own battles. >> they're big enough. >> they're big enough. >> um, i think that when you are a council, you know , you a council, though, you know, you have lgbt citizens in, in your area. you do have to ensure that they are kept safe. and if your employing people that you know, you can't guarantee that they aren't going to go on an anti bisexual or gay rant. aren't going to go on an anti bisexual or gay rant . you know, bisexual or gay rant. you know, you've got to you've got to put some policies in. i think that the thing is here, this is an un um, this isn't sort of, you know, un heard of this is the procurement process . there's a procurement process. there's a load of stuff you've got to go through to get government money. you just show up, you

you don't just show up, you know, throw glitter, say i'm lgbt and thousands pounds lgbt and get thousands of pounds like an you know, like an lgbt. you know, a procurement process takes ages. and there's so many different things that companies have to do that actually, i think the bigger thing here is could a small company do it? and it's actually the small actually about the small business big business against the big business. um, but this just business against the big bus uncommon)ut this just business against the big bus uncommon .rt this just business against the big bus uncommon . i this just business against the big bus uncommon . i mean, just business against the big bus uncommon . i mean, ijst business against the big bus uncommon . i mean, i know not uncommon. i mean, i know that this is a story about lgbt, but really this is just about procurement. >> okay? lewis oakley, the co—host of the bisexual brunch podcast, thank very much for podcast, thank you very much for joining us. what do you make of that? i mean, come on. this is basically you have to agree with this agenda. if you are to get a contract with a council, i mean, let me know what you think. gb views at gb views .com. you can probably tell my opinion on this. i'm just rolling my eyes. we ever got to this situation in the moving swiftly we ever got to this situation in the it's moving swiftly we ever got to this situation in the it's taken moving swiftly we ever got to this situation in the it's taken more ving swiftly we ever got to this situation in the it's taken more thanswiftly we ever got to this situation in the it's taken more than ten:ly on, it's taken more than ten years to build a football edge over a train station in berkshire. why can't we build anything anymore in this country? i'm martin daubney on

gb news, britain's news channel

p.m. only on gb news, the people's channel, britain's news channel. >> 2024 a battleground year, the year the nation decides as the parties gear up their campaigns for the next general election, who will be left standing when the british people make one of the british people make one of the biggest decisions of their lives? >> who will rise and who will fall? >> let's find out together. >> let's find out together. >> for every moment, the highs , >> for every moment, the highs, the lows, the twists and turns , the lows, the twists and turns, we'll be with you for every step

of this journey. >> in 2024. g gb news is britain's election . channel. britain's election. channel. >> welcome back. well, we're all used to the huge delays that seemed to hit every big construction project in this entire country. but get this a small railway bridge in berkshire has taken longer to build than the empire state building. yes the walkway was already ten years overdue when work started last january , but work started last january, but it's still not expected to be finished until a few months time. ridiculous well, i'm joined now by ben hopkinson , joined now by ben hopkinson, who's a policy researcher at britain remade. ben, welcome to the show and a happy new year. so the local mp described this footbridge footbridge as a case study in british bureaucracy and inefficiency . banner put it to inefficiency. banner put it to you are we just rubbish at doing

anything in britain anymore that involves building stuff on time ? involves building stuff on time? >> yes, i think that this case is really emblematic of wider issues for most local projects like a footbridge over a railway to more national ones like new nuclear power stations or hs2 , nuclear power stations or hs2, we face significant delays in construction and that has real costly implications as well . costly implications as well. >> and what's the problem, do you think? i mean, is it planning red tape? is it is it pencil pushers? is it bureaucracy or is it just a lack of will to just crack on with off the empire state building? by off the empire state building? by the way, 102 stories at the time , the eighth wonder of the time, the eighth wonder of the world, built in 1930. ben do you know how long it took to build the empire state building? >> it took just over a year to build it. exactly i think that would be unthinkable in britain . would be unthinkable in britain. and the main thing that's holding us back is the planning system . it's the many rounds of system. it's the many rounds of consultation that tens of thousands of pages for planning

and environmental impact assessments, and then years delay to get a yes or no answer out of ministers. delay to get a yes or no answer out of ministers . all of this out of ministers. all of this takes lots and lots of time and time really is money as well, so it really ramps up the costs of building here in britain . building here in britain. >> so how can we change this calamitous situation ? calamitous situation? >> i think what we need is just certainty . we need to make sure certainty. we need to make sure that if a project looks good on papehit that if a project looks good on paper, it should go through the planning process quickly . planning process quickly. answers should be delivered and that means that private companies can invest in skills certain that their projects are going to go ahead without any concern over the risks involved. from an uncertain planning system. okay superb. >> we'll have to leave it there. ben hopkinson, policy researcher at britain remade. it's true, empire state building, one year and 45 days to build an absolutely astonishing ,

absolutely astonishing, absolutely astonishing, absolutely astonishing, absolutely astonishing situation . and yet this has been there for ten years. nothing is moving forward. do you have any optimist , forward. do you have any optimist, ben? we keep hearing about the fact they build a nuclear power station in china 4 or 5 years. we can't get a railway bridge off the ground, mate. >> i think there is some optimism to be had there are reforms making their way through the department for levelling up that should hopefully speed up the planning process and then there's a well, the planning process and then there's a well , the general there's a well, the general election coming up where keir starmer has pledged to back the builders, not the blockers , to builders, not the blockers, to try and get those not in my backyard. campaigners who try and get in the way of new construction to really insist that we should build things in britain and that's going to be the kind of key, key thing going forward . forward. >> superb. we'll leave it there. ben hopkinson , polish researcher ben hopkinson, polish researcher at britain remade. now here's somebody who gets stuff done,

michelle dewberry . hello there. michelle dewberry. hello there. happy new year, darling . happy new year, darling. >> i was going to get up and give you a cuddle, but i think in these hashtag me too eras, we'll length we'll keep an arm's length distance to just be the safe side. >> e- f— >> i wouldn't complain if anything of that nature happened, what's happened, but it shan't. what's on your menu? >> of well, >> oh, lots of stuff. well, i just heard you talking about the darts not darts player, which you're not talking about that earlier. yeah yeah. >> i mean, it's epic year old >> i mean, it's epic 16 year old kebab . kebab monger levitt. >> know, but then don't you >> i know, but then don't you worry, i think worry, because i just think there's it and i cheer there's a i watch it and i cheer him on and i just think i worry a little bit, though, because i think once the media get hold of these young kids. yeah, these kind of young kids. yeah, i just think, is i don't know. i just think, is it a big distraction? is it a big distraction? is it is it a big distraction? is it is it all going end well? is it all going to end well? is it going to be a tale that has a happy or it's my happy ending or not? it's on my bucket i to bucket list anyway. i want to go. nothing about darts . go. i know nothing about darts. i can not well that it's i can not pretend well that it's on bucket list. you know, the on my bucket list. you know, the whole fancy dress and the ali pally is definitely my pally and it is definitely on my bucket do. bucket list of things to do. >> quick 30s michelle, what >> so a quick 30s michelle, what do got? do you got? >> oh, yeah. i want to >> oh, gosh. yeah. i want to talk all the obvious talk about all the obvious stuff. sunak anna's plans talk about all the obvious s uh, sunak anna's plans talk about all the obvious s uh, i'>unak anna's plans talk about all the obvious suh, i also, anna's plans talk about all the obvious

suh, i also, i.nna's plans talk about all the obvious suh, i also, i think plans talk about all the obvious suh, i also, i think this plans talk about all the obvious suh, i also, i think this is plans . uh, i also, i think this is a really important story about bike right? whether bike theft, right? whether or not it's being decriminalised. and have and even if you don't have a bike, think this is such bike, i think this is such a crucial story because it's reflective of so many things going on, people not wanting to get involved. so when you see someone with machinery someone with their machinery hacking are hacking away at a bike lock, are you over stop you going to go over and stop them? of course you're not. and them? of course you're not. and the that letting the fact that you're letting people with nicking people get away with nicking bikes, say about bikes, what does that say about the the uk? the rest of the uk? >> get on your bike, >> well, let's get on your bike, the dewbs& co. so after this, a brighter outlook solar brighter outlook with boxt solar sponsors weather on . gb news. sponsors of 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 of the uk. disruptive and damaging wind gusts possible through the gusts are possible through the next few hours. as henk moves across central swathe of 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. 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 it does move through and it stays blustery overnight. a further expected further gales are expected across parts of the across exposed parts of the southwest the end the southwest by the end of the night, bringing a lot of night, bringing in a lot of showers from the south—west and night, bringing in a lot of sh0'west.rom the south—west and night, bringing in a lot of showest. andthe south—west and night, bringing in a lot of showest. and those uth—west and night, bringing in a lot of showest. and those showerst and night, bringing in a lot of showest. and those showers are d the west. and those showers are with us from the word go on wednesday, spells wednesday, more prolonged spells of across the far north of rain across the far north north—east 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 scotland and at times western parts of england as well as wales and northern ireland. in between any showers there will sunny spells . it will be some sunny spells. it will be some sunny spells. it will the south. will be 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 between, across central parts there will be some sunshine and then higher pressure develops on friday and saturday, bringing

finally some drier weather. >> that warm feeling inside from boxt boilers , sponsors of boxt boilers, sponsors of weather on gb news .

dufing during the christmas break, the nhs hospital parking. we have spent a whopping £146 million in england alone. is it time for us then to be more like scotland and wales, for example? and for those parking places to be free? how would you stop all the freeloaders? basically using that space to park when they want to get their bargains in town? me your thoughts on town? tell me your thoughts on that of uk first that and the number of uk first time buyers in 2023 was the lowest decade . do lowest in a decade. why do you think might and what think that might be? and what does tell us about the does it tell us about the housing market? and get this right, nine out of ten bicycle thefts since 2019 have gone unsolved . dread to think how unsolved. dread to think how many people don't even bother reporting this anymore anyway, some that this kind some saying that this kind of theft has now been decriminalised it? and what decriminalised has it? and what does that mean for crime