lawn . pour in tanks on the lawn. >> labour are going after the tories on tax, saying that the burden on working people should be lower than it is now. but while they say taxes should be lower, the party is yet to commit to any tax cuts in particular, we'll sit down exclusively with the shadow chancellor, steve. >> armageddon flood chaos continues to spread across the uk. hundreds of people have been evacuated from their homes as rail lines blocked roads turned into rivers and even cows have drowned in flood fields. is it time for a cobra style task force.7 that's west? >> force? that's west? >> stick their foot in it . force? that's west? >> stick their foot in it. nigel farage has called for the sacking of natwest chairman sir howard davies after he defended his own conduct and support for the disgraced dame alison rose. at the time of the de—banking scandal.

yes, sir. howard davies went out on to the media this morning, ostensibly to talk about interest rates. but what did he end up doing? saying that it's very easy to buy a house for people in the country today. there's no housing crisis. and also his conduct also he said that his conduct over that mess of a de—banking scandal , the statement of scandal, the statement of support he issued his his board issued for dame alison rose, was not improper. the most extra ordinary car crash. >> yes, he said, the acted reasonably nothing to see here. we did everything right. absolutely okay. nigel farage spoke to us earlier on this channel saying that that is absolutely the reverse of what is true and essentially pretty much called for his head, didn't he? >> he certainly did. and this is almost the second round. round two of that ding dong of nigel farage versus natwest. and it has to be said when nigel goes up again , some big establishment

up again, some big establishment figure. well, they rarely are. they rarely survive with their job. um, quite . job. um, quite. >> let us know what you think about all of that, about the natwest chairman's con comments on both the de—banking and also on both the de—banking and also on how it is to get on the on how easy it is to get on the housing ladder, or how it's not that difficult to on the that difficult to get on the housing ladder. i think tom harwood would disagree with that. >> easy to say if you earn the best part of £1 million a year as he does. perhaps that's that's from people that's different from people around but we're around the country. but we're going to that going to get all to that gbviews@gbnews.com. of course , gbviews@gbnews.com. of course, after with after your headlines with tatiana . tatiana. >> tom, thank your top stories from the gb newsroom as you've been hearing, derek draper, a former political adviser and husband of tv presenter kate garraway, has died. the 56 year old died after several years of serious health complications due to covid. he was said to be in one of the uk's longest suffering covid patients. he spent 13 months in hospital

after contracting the virus in march 2020. in a post on social media, kate garraway said she was holding her darling husband's hand throughout out his long hours. the shadow business secretary has also paid tribute in the last few minutes, saying that he was thoughtful and kind . labour says the and kind. labour says the government is asleep at the wheel over its handling of flooding as hundreds of warnings remain in place across the country , the parties promising country, the parties promising to create a task force similar to create a task force similar to the emergency cobra committee to the emergency cobra committee to coordinate flood preparations and protect homes . it to coordinate flood preparations and protect homes. it comes as the liberal democrats call for rishi sunak to visit areas affected by flooding, all coming in the wake of storm henk, nottinghamshire county council declared a major incident yesterday with more than 100 homes flooded. they're advising people to stay cautious as the danger of flooding is expected to continue throughout the day into a colder face, a colder , into a colder face, a colder, dnen into a colder face, a colder, drier, uh , ice and frost become

drier, uh, ice and frost become the next problem. >> uh, not that ice and frost will be a problem to these people with the with the floods yet, uh , but i think it will be yet, uh, but i think it will be a welcome change of respite. and those areas mainly affected midlands and southwards , uh, up midlands and southwards, uh, up to, think sheffield away . uh, to, i think sheffield away. uh, i think they'll, they'll breathe a little bit of a sigh of relief that it isn't going to get any worse. woi'se. >> worse. >> senior meteorologist jim dale there, those hoping own their there, those hoping to own their own home in for a fresh own home are in for a fresh battle prices rise by battle as house prices rise by nearly £5,000 within a year. figures from halifax found property values increased by 1.7% on average across 2023. average house prices rose month on month to december, the third consecutive hike in a row . it consecutive hike in a row. it comes as the chairman of natwest said today that it's not that difficult to get on the property ladden difficult to get on the property ladder. sir howard davies told the bbc that those those wishing to own need to save . the to own a home need to save. the health secretary says the nhs belongs to us all and can't simply be switched on and off as a record breaking walkout by

medics continues. a record breaking walkout by medics continues . junior doctors medics continues. junior doctors in england are striking for six days over pay and conditions. the longest strike in nhs history. many hospitals have pleaded for medics to leave the picket lines and return to work amid rising concerns for patient safety. the british medical association suggested the requests may be politically motivated , while victoria atkins motivated, while victoria atkins promised to restart pay talks within 20 minutes if the strike is called off. two teenage boys have been arrested on suspicion of murder over the death of harry pitman in north london. the 16 year old died following what police say was an altercation as crowds gathered on primrose hill to watch the fireworks on new year's eve. the met police say a 16 year old and a 17 year old remain in custody . a 17 year old remain in custody. pitman's sister described him as a good boy with a heart of gold. oscar pistorius has been freed on parole from a south african prison, almost 11 years after murdering his girlfriend . the

murdering his girlfriend. the former paralympian shot revisting camp multiple times through a door on valentine's day back in 2013. he claimed he mistook her for an intruder, but prosecutors argued the murder was premeditate started following a row between the couple. the parole will last until december 2029. the 37 year old will be required to obey strict conditions, including therapy and anger management. more than 300 further legal papers relating to paedophile jeffrey epstein have been released. among the revelations , released. among the revelations, there's an email exchange involving one of epstein's victims , virginia giuffre, who victims, virginia giuffre, who says she was sex trafficked to the duke of york and two of the world's most powerful politicians. they add to documents already unsealed this week which shed more light on the convicted sex offender's dealings, several powerful dealings, with several powerful people. the met police says it has not launched any new investigation related to information the documents . information in the documents. this commuters in london may struggle next week as planned

strike action brings the tube to a standstill. london underground workers are launching a series of strikes in a dispute over pay- of strikes in a dispute over pay. engineers will walk out from today, but the biggest disruption to services starts on sunday, with no services expected on the whole network until friday. rmt members are protesting at a 5% pay offer, calling it disappointing . talks calling it disappointing. talks have been held this week to try to resolve the dispute . while to resolve the dispute. while there's some relief for drivers as petrol prices fall for the second month in a row, rac figures found that the price of fuel fell from 146.7 pence in december to 140.6. it brings petrol prices down to a level last seen in early 2022, before russias invasion of ukraine sparked a surge in the cost of oil . this is gb news across sparked a surge in the cost of oil. this is gb news across the uk on tv in your car, on digital radio and on your smart speaker by saying play gb news. now back to tom and . emily.

to tom and. emily. >> well, heavy rain and extreme weather has battered britain overnight. flooding causing havoc for residents, businesses and motoring routes. now the met office is warning of possible power cuts and train operators are warning services may be cancelled . cancelled. >> meanwhile, nottinghamshire and nottingham local resilience forum have declared a major incident due to rising river levels on the river trent and flooding in the area. there are more than 300 weather warnings in place. >> we want to hear from you. have you been impacted by this weather? weve seen footage of homes essentially being flooded hundreds of people being evacuated , even cows in peril to evacuated, even cows in peril to on the floodplains. >> so if you or anyone you know has been affected in a serious matter by storm. henk, get in touch. matter by storm. henk, get in touch . gb views at gb news. com

touch. gb views at gb news. com is the address to email? >> yes, please do, but we're going to speak to our reporter jack carson , who is in jack carson, who is in shropshire . uh, jack, tell us shropshire. uh, jack, tell us you're standing in front of the river there. how bad has it got? >> well , if river there. how bad has it got? >> well, if you can probably see behind me how fast exactly it is flowing. um, of course that's coming, because all the way down the severn, that rain fall over the severn, that rain fall over the past few days has meant there's really got some a strong current behind this river. now, the river severn is no use for breaking its banks quite regularly. um, and along part of its, uh, part of its river. and thatis its, uh, part of its river. and that is exactly what's happened. um along parts of this river, particularly here in ironbridge, but also so, um, where i was earlier in the week at upton upon severn, uh, as well. um, thatis upon severn, uh, as well. um, that is causing some, you know, some serious disruption and flooding to homes and businesses as well. now thankfully, here, when the river reached its peak , when the river reached its peak, uh, yesterday evening at about 6.33, uh metres, it wasn't able

to break the flood barriers, but it certainly gone right up to the flood barriers. and pushed some of them, um, a little bit back. so it has broken its banks here. um, but it'll be better news that it hasn't completely , news that it hasn't completely, um, flooded much of um, of course, flooded much of the of the town centre the much of the town centre here, um, this village. but here, um, in this village. but of it's not just here in of course, it's not just here in the it's across , um, the midlands, it's across, um, shropshire, rather, it's across the midlands well. um, of the midlands as well. um, of course, as you mentioned, nottinghamshire. uh nottingham council that major council declaring that major incident over the concerns of the rising levels in the river trent. now they do reckon it could reach highest levels since 2000. so the highest in in 24 years. and they are attributing that mainly to the um tributary , that mainly to the um tributary, the river tributaries that go into the river trent, such as the river derwent , um and others the river derwent, um and others , because they've reached themselves peak levels, that force of that water then pushing into the trent is rising . the into the trent is rising. the levels of the trent um, equally as much. now, uh, members of an over 50 fives caravan park on

the outside of the city in nottingham were evacuated. um, last night. and, uh, those evacuated ones are still continuing for some people in parts of nottingham, of course there are over 300 flood warnings in place, more than 300 flood alerts as well . um, of flood alerts as well. um, of course, those people that are in those flood warnings are being told to prepare for evacuate, um, should they need it in some circumstances, of course, being advised off things like advised to turn off things like electricity and turn their electricity and turn off their gas well to in order to gas as well to in order to protect their homes. but the impact really is being felt across the country is of course, it's not just, of course, storm hencote that's caused this. it's the that it's the legacy of the fact that it's the legacy of storm hank. it's fact storm hank. it's the fact that the ground saturate rated the ground was saturate rated after all, that wind and rain from those yellow weather warnings from the met office that , uh, saturation warnings from the met office that, uh, saturation on warnings from the met office that , uh, saturation on the that, uh, saturation on the ground means that when any further rainfall does fall down, it just runs straight off. it's not able to soak into the ground. and so that water sits on the surface yesterday and over the past couple of days,

we've seen rainfall up to 35mm of rainfall. and that is meaning it's causing in some cases, landslips on on network, on train networks as well as, of course, blocking roads and stranding um uh animals on on islands in parts of gloucestershire that we've seen pictures of and in some cases livestock have died because of the flooding. so, um, you know, you can really see from just a few of those examples, the impact of this weather has had. >> really can jack. thank >> you've really can jack. thank you much for bringing us all you so much for bringing us all of that. of course, the aftershocks of such storm, if aftershocks of such a storm, if that's right word to use, that's the right word to use, can often be more devastating. jack carson there . west midlands jack carson there. west midlands reporter yes . reporter yes. >> shall we hear from an expert on weather? it is the weather journalist, nathan roe. nathan, thank you very much for joining us.can thank you very much for joining us. can you explain to us exactly we're seeing across exactly what we're seeing across the country ? where been the country? where has been worse affected? can we expect more than what we've more flooding than what we've got already? yeah absolutely. >> what we are seeing really is the aftermath of an incredibly

stormy end to 2023. in fact , stormy end to 2023. in fact, according to the met office, it was the eighth wettest december on record. that's going back to records from 1836, with some parts of the country seeing twice the normal rainfall that they would usually expect to see at this time of year. now, what's happened is we have storm henke this week, which really was the straw that broke the camel's back. >> the ground water levels are now saturated , which means the now saturated, which means the water got nowhere to go. water has got nowhere to go. >> the ground is saturated. and as a result that, we're as a result of that, we're seeing rivers, the river severn, the trent in the river trent in nottinghamshire, which your reporter mentioned are all now nottinghamshire, which your re|capacity3ntioned are all now nottinghamshire, which your re|capacity .|tioned are all now nottinghamshire, which your re|capacity . theed are all now nottinghamshire, which your re|capacity . the goode all now nottinghamshire, which your re|capacity . the good news|ow nottinghamshire, which your re|capacity . the good news isv at capacity. the good news is that the river levels are expected to have peaked. now the environment agency has hundreds of flood warnings and flood alerts out , of flood warnings and flood alerts out, and of flood warnings and flood alerts out , and they expect the alerts out, and they expect the main risk of flooding to go on for the next five days. but the good news is that the risk of storms and the risk of heavy rain is going to start. stop slowing down from this weekend

as we go into a drier period. so what we're really seeing is the aftermath of a very, very stormy end to 2023 and the floods that come with it. hopefully there is light at the end of the tunnel though, as we start to turn a bit drier through the start of 2024. >> so is that an optimistic forecast there from, you know , forecast there from, you know, have we seen the worst of this weather now? well when you tom when you say the worst of the weather there is always probably more bad weather to come. >> we have certainly seen the worst of the stormy weather. we've been in a very atlantic weather dominated regime with the jet stream right across us over the last month almost pulling in storms from the atlantic. as we go through atlantic. now, as we go through the start 2024, the low the start of 2024, the low pressure is going give way to pressure is going to give way to high pressure. now that is good news. if you are saturated, saturated with rain because it will be drier. saturated with rain because it will be drier . however, the bad will be drier. however, the bad news is it is going to turn colder unless you like the cold, of course, in which it's good

news. but but the change is going to be to colder and drier with a more northerly flow. so it's going to feel a bit more like winter rather than autumn storm season, what storm season, which is what we've past we've seen for the past few weeks. >> well, thank you very much indeed your indeed for your time and your expertise. rao, our expertise. nathan rao, our weather journalist expertise. nathan rao, our weatherjournalist and expert. weather journalist and expert. and course, there's of and of course, there's lots of lots of politics to this as well. you've got the labour party accusing rishi sunak of being asleep the wheel when being asleep at the wheel when it flooding. you've got it comes to flooding. you've got calls a cobra style task calls for a cobra style task force. this tends to happen every there's bad every time there's bad weather and across country. and flooding across the country. but right to point but is are they right to point out perhaps more could be out that perhaps more could be done to prevent this kind of damage and destruction to people's ? people's homes? >> no doubt there's always cases for to be done. although for more to be done. although i do always get a little bit suspicious says suspicious whenever anyone says that style that we need a cobra style meeting for just about anything that takes place, cobra should really be for sort of, you know, seven seven style events rather than i. >> yes, otherwise it's a cobra for every incident. >> cobra every week. then it sort of rather loses its utility

. but, um, let's move on, because the prime minister says he expects a general election in the second half of the year , and the second half of the year, and he'll be meeting members of the pubucin he'll be meeting members of the public in the north west today. yes >> so this comes as labour released this poster this morning attacking the tories on tax. >> rishi sunak's political opponents have also accused him of squatting in downing street after he downplayed the prospect of holding a general election in the spring. but let's go live to our political editor, christopher hope, who has been sitting down with the shadow chancellor christopher watts . chancellor christopher watts. rachel reeves been saying today , rachel reeves been saying today, well, she's here in wellingborough , tom, because of wellingborough, tom, because of the expected by—election in caused by the peter bone being found to have broken commons rules and then local people here voting for a recall by—election. >> so it's gearing up for >> so it's gearing up here for the first big test of a conservative safe seat 19,000 majority. the by—election expected not called yet , but

expected not called yet, but expected not called yet, but expected to be late next month, maybe early march. over my shoulder. tom and emily, can you see that shot there? yeah. uh rishi's roar deals. um someone walked past, had no idea what they were selling. they weren't quite clear what it was about. in fact, that's a kind of advertising shop, um, showing rishi sunak with a kind of light on his, uh, uh, a spark of light on his, uh, uh, a spark of light on his, uh, uh, a spark of light on his on his teeth there, like a salesman. rishi's raw deal is very clear here. there's a first kind of swipe. i think, at the pm personally by labour, they're clearly going to try and weaponize, um, feelings about the tory party focusing on the leader. uh, rishi. rishi sunak to try and win this by—election when it's held. but not here. rachel reeves shadow chancellor is on a visit here. and earlier for gb news, i sat down with her for gb news, i sat down with her for this exclusive interview. rachel reeves great to be here in wellingborough with you . and in wellingborough with you. and for gb news are you a tax cutter? >> my instinct is that taxes on working people should be lower than they are today . we've had

than they are today. we've had 25 tory tax rises in this parliament and this year was an average working family is going to be paying £1,200 more in tax. that doesn't sit comfortably with me. i would like taxes on working people to be lower, but this is one thing i'm not going to do. i'm not going to make any unfunded commitments reduce unfunded commitments to reduce tax because what liz tax because that's what liz truss conservatives did truss and the conservatives did just over a year ago. and that ended pushing up mortgage ended up pushing up mortgage rates, which meant that working people off, not better people are worse off, not better off as a result. but will they ever bring down as ever bring down tax as a proportion of gdp by the end of your first time in government? it's is it a record it's not only is it a record level , it's also forecast to go level, it's also forecast to go up every single year of the forecast period. and again, i'm not comfortable with that. i would like taxes on working people to be lower. i'd like people to be lower. i'd like people to be lower. i'd like people to have more of their own money in their pockets to spend in the way that they choose, but to able to do that in a way to be able to do that in a way that's affordable, sustainable and got to grow the and fair, you've got to grow the economy that's all of

economy. and that's why all of my all of keir's plans, my plans, all of keir's plans, are focussed on that are focussed on getting that economic growth, because if we can our economy, we can can grow our economy, we can keep taxes down, we can improve living standards and have the money we need to invest in money that we need to invest in our public services. and that's why is the number one why growth is the number one priority for an incoming labour government. >> you won't say you'll bring down the overall burden by the end of the parliament. i want to bnng end of the parliament. i want to bring down taxes on working people, but if you make unfunded commitments to cut taxes , you commitments to cut taxes, you end up making things worse for working families. >> the conservatives promised a whole range of tax cuts . it whole range of tax cuts. it crashed the economy, pushed up mortgage rates and has left working people worse off. i will never play fast and loose with the public finances because when you do so, you put family finances at risk. >> so cuts , when growth >> so tax cuts, when growth happens, does that mean no tax cuts first two years of cuts for the first two years of a labour government? well look, we've comprehensive plan we've got a comprehensive plan to economy and to grow the economy and industrial we industrial strategy that we have put business put together with business reforms planning system reforms to our planning system to britain building again.

to get britain building again. >> if we can do those things, if we can unlock the private investment that has fallen over the years of conservative government then we can turn around our economy and we can improve living standards and ensure that working people have got more of their own money in their pockets. when you look at your personal tax does it your personal tax bill, does it make wince? we know what make you wince? we know what makes me wince is when i look at my bank statements and i find that money coming in is that the money coming in is increasingly only short of the money going out, whether it's the mortgage or the gas. and electricity bills. the weekly shop, all of the money that all of us spend over christmas, it's putting a huge toll on family finances. and i think very few people are not feeling the effects of that today . effects of that today. >> your plans are to spend £28 billion a year on net zero measures. when will you hit that target? by 2030 or before? in 2028? >> well, the government are already spending about £10 billion a year on things like

electric vehicles, carbon capture and storage, home insulation . and we want to insulation. and we want to turbocharge that because because there is a huge opportunity in a global race on to secure the jobs and the investment in the industries of the future, but also this government ended up paying also this government ended up paying a load of money to subsidise, subsidise people's energy bills because we weren't doing enough to invest in that home grown energy here in britain. and we found ourselves overreliant on russia and other dictators for our basic energy needs. so we've got a commitment to get to clean power, to invest alongside business in these industries of the future . but industries of the future. but i've also been really clear that our fiscal rules come first and they are not negotiable . we will they are not negotiable. we will pay they are not negotiable. we will pay for day to day spending through tax receipts, and we will get debt down as our share of the economy and then only subject to that will we be able to invest in those things that

can improve our growth and improve our energy security. >> get there by 2030. >> well, look, i'm confident that we can do that, but i am never going to do anything that puts our economy at risk. that's what the conservatives have done. will never do that . done. i will never do that. >> howard davis, the chairman of natwest, the natwest, 39% owned by the taxpayer . so it's not that taxpayer. so it's not that difficult to get on the housing ladden difficult to get on the housing ladder. is he right? >> i don't think those comments are in tune with the reality faced by millions of people in britain . there are many people britain. there are many people who do own their own home but are struggling with the higher mortgage costs and there are many people who are struggling to get on the housing ladder because of interest because of higher interest rates, were brought about rates, which were brought about because of truss and the because of liz truss and the conservative party's management of the economy. so i know that many, many people will find those remarks quite out of touch with the situation that they and their family face should howard davies apologise for saying that? well, look, those are not comments that i would have made. and then certainly not in tune.

i think with the vast majority of people in the country. >> on luke littner, he came second in darts championship second in the darts championship of hmrc says he'll of the weekend. hmrc says he'll be paying tax on his £200,000 winnings. right? are winnings. is that right? are they gloating ? they gloating? >> well, look, i think it is right that people pay taxes on their income. um, but i really hope that in the years to come , hope that in the years to come, he earns many more hundreds of thousands of pounds by securing those titles. amazing achievement at just 16. just imagine what he can go on to achieve. >> rachel reeves the reports that savers are taking money out of their accounts before labour government . are they right to be government. are they right to be worried ? no. worried? no. >> uh, a labour government is determined to grow the economy and to ensure that people have more of their own money in their pockets. and after 14 years of an economy that has flatlined, 25 tory tax rises and public services that are on their knees , it's time for change. in britain. >> just a couple of final ones on net migration. ian, what level are you happy with? because we're told repeatedly

that the treasury have been opposing attempts to bring down net home net migration by the home office? think that the office? i don't think that the current are current levels are are acceptable and government need to do more to be training up people who are working here in britain already and need to crack down on the criminal gangs that are responsible for those channel crossings, a level you're happy with. >> i'm not going to put arbitrary, i'm not going to put arbitrary, i'm not going to put arbitrary numbers on it. but we need to bring those levels down on the election. >> the pm says he's not planning for a election before the summer . is labour planning for a spnng . is labour planning for a spring election ? spring election? >> well, i saw yesterday the prime minister's bottling it. we say bring it on. it's time for the people to decide in a general election for spring one, we'd be happy to have an election whenever the prime minister calls it, and the sooner the better. >> rachel reeves thank for joining today joining us today in wellingborough. you. thank wellingborough. thank you. thank you. there we are. the sooner the better. rachel reeves wants that general election . of that general election. of course, they can't guarantee there's until after the

there's not one until after the middle june or the end of middle of june or the end of june this year, but it's likely to be in the autumn. >> very much indeed. >> thank you very much indeed. christopher hope, our political edhon editor, bringing us that exclusive sit interview exclusive sit down interview with chancellor , with the shadow chancellor, rachel interesting rachel reeves. interesting absolutely no commitment to tax cuts. also admitting perhaps that she runs a personal deficit in her own finances. but she did say that more was going out of her bank account than was coming in. >> but maybe that was just a plea for mps to be paid more. i don't know, offer tax cuts that she won't commit to. but there you go. well, get some you go. well, let's get some reaction. now. joining is reaction. now. joining us is greg the minister of greg hands, the minister of state uh, greg, thank state for trade. uh, greg, thank you for making the time for us this afternoon. the labour party is taking the fight to you today. there attacking the conservative party for something that has undeniably happened . that has undeniably happened. and the tax burden has risen on your watch . your watch. >> uh, well, we had to obviously, after the pandemic, the government, uh, with things

like the furlough scheme rightly supported the economy. and it took a while to repay some of that. took a while to repay some of that . but importantly, now , took a while to repay some of that. but importantly, now , in that. but importantly, now, in fact, from tomorrow, we're giving people a tax reduction of £0.02 in the pound on national insurance. that's about £400 for the average worker each year. and you mentioned labour, but it's labour who are committed to tax rises because they've got an extra £28 billion a year each year of borrowing coming on, which could only logically be funded by tax rises , as they've funded by tax rises, as they've ruled out borrowing more. so it's the conservatives who are the low tax party cutting taxes and labour, who are committed to increasing them. >> but it's true, greg, that this cut in national insurance welcome as it is to working people, isn't enough to make up for income tax thresholds being frozen for so long. >> well , look, frozen for so long. >> well, look, as i mentioned from the pandemic , um, that we from the pandemic, um, that we did have to put more money into

the economy and that was the right thing to do. i think the british people recognise those were the right decisions, but now we're reducing tax, which is again the right thing to do. rishi sunak said the priority last year was to halve inflation and then to look at tax cuts. that's exactly what we're doing now. we're delivering the average worker a £400 tax cut from tomorrow , and labour are from tomorrow, and labour are committed. it would seem , to committed. it would seem, to raising taxes back up again even higher. so i think that is clear. blue water between a low tax conservative party and a labour party committed to higher taxes . taxes. >> of course, what the labour party would say is that they're not going to spend £28 billion extra in year one. their pledge seems to have shifted in recent days. it's quite hard to understand exactly what their pledge is today, but they seem to be saying that that is an ambition they might work up to if the economic situation allows , and are now saying that they

wouldn't automatically spend 28 billion extra in year one, at least, well , it isn't really for least, well, it isn't really for me to clarify what the labour pledge is. >> if you don't mind me saying so, but it is clear from what keir starmer and rachel reeves have both said in the last couple of days, is that that 28 billion still stands in one form or another . i billion still stands in one form or another. i think billion still stands in one form or another . i think they've also or another. i think they've also said they ruled out borrowing more , which can only mean that more, which can only mean that the money would come from extra taxes. just as the conservatives are reducing people's taxes, labour would appear to be committed to raising taxes and thatis committed to raising taxes and that is the wrong thing to do at a time when you've rightly pointed out taxes have been higher than we would like them to been, but the to have been, but now is the time to be reducing taxes under the conservatives, not raising them is the them under labour is the ambiguity here. >> not that the labour party is saying they won't spend that money unless they can fit it within similar fiscal rules, really, to those fiscal rules that this current government is operating under. might might it

actually be the situation that whoever we elect after the next general election will basically be operating under the same fiscal framework ? work and taxes fiscal framework? work and taxes will be a lot higher than they were. whoever we elect, there'll be a lot higher than they were at the start of last decade. they'll even be higher than they were under tony blair. >> well , i were under tony blair. >> well, i disagree with that. i don't think it will be the same set of policies as as i said, the conservatives are committed to bringing down taxes from tomorrow. the average family will get a £400 reduction in their tax bill each year. the average worker, i should say, due to the £0.02 in the pound national insurance reduction and labourin national insurance reduction and labour in the last 48 hours have said their committed to the £28 billion borrowing plan, which will inevitably have to increase taxes . so i think there's a big taxes. so i think there's a big difference between what we, the conservatives, are offering lower taxes and labour, on the other hand, offering higher taxes . taxes. >> so, greg, what should the

priority be then if you win the next election , then where should next election, then where should the priority lie in terms of cutting taxes? we've got a small cutting taxes? we've got a small cut to national insurance , but cut to national insurance, but there's been a lot of talk at there's been a lot of talk at the top about inheritance tax being scrapped. is that a priority in your view ? well priority in your view? well i think the wouldn't be the right time now to lay out what might be in the manifesto auto later this year . this year. >> here's i think what we can say is the conservatives are committed to lower taxes. exactly how that's delivered. i would favour seeing a tax cut further tax cuts. there's already a big one coming in tomorrow, £400 for the average worker. um, i would like to see more tax cuts for working people coming later this year. that i think is what the priority should be. but i think that'll be up to the chancellor to lay out in his budget on the 6th of march and also the election manifesto that we would expect later this year. >> now, the conservative government has somehow avoided

recession over 2023 for the united kingdom , despite what united kingdom, despite what many predict would be the case. however growth has not been particularly high. avoiding recession. yes but we're nowhere near countries like the united states when it comes to our growth prospects . acas what growth prospects. acas what actually is the sort of plan other than tax, which is often a very small part of the puzzle? what is the plan to get the economy going? the labour party would say they're committed to planning reform . planning reform. >> well, look , i don't think >> well, look, i don't think labour have have delivered anything in terms of any real detail on their plans. i think it's part of your job, which i think christopher hope did quite well earlier, to sort of hold them to account and to ask them what their plans really are. but what their plans really are. but what we are committed to do is make sure that the economy gets moving. putting a lot more moving. we're putting a lot more money into education. you mentioned the united states, but with uk does have higher with the uk does have higher growth rates than any european

member of the g7. so that's germany , france, italy, i think germany, france, italy, i think our growth rate is projected by the imf to be higher than any major european economy over the next few years. you know, we want it to be higher. we recognise those growth rates aren't aren't what we would like them to be. we'd like them to be higher, but are outperforming higher, but we are outperforming our of european peer group , our sort of european peer group, if and i think we've if you like. and i think we've laid how will get there laid out how we will get there by investing in the skills of tomorrow, the technologies of tomorrow, the technologies of tomorrow, looking forward, doing trade deals as my job, as trade minister is to get those trade deals done. we're negotiating at the moment with india, with the gulf cooperation council , with gulf cooperation council, with joining the tpp , a free trade joining the tpp, a free trade area . you know, these are big area. you know, these are big opportunities, big areas for the uk to take advantage of our freedom aims to be able to do these kind of trade deals. so it's those kind of areas that we're looking to seek economic growth in. >> okay. thank you very much indeed for your time. appreciate

it. of it. greg hands mp minister of state for trade. well oscar pistorius the case that grip that the world almost a decade ago now sees the former paralympic champion's release from prison. >> we'll bring you a special report after your headlines with tatiana . this is good afternoon tatiana. this is good afternoon britain on . gb news. britain on. gb news. >> tom, thank you very much. this is the latest from the gb newsroom. labour says the government is asleep at the wheel over its handling of flooding as hundreds of warnings remain place across the remain in place across the country parties promising country, the parties promising to a task force similar to create a task force similar to create a task force similar to the emergency cobra committee to the emergency cobra committee to coordinate flood preparations and protect homes. it comes and to protect homes. it comes as the liberal democrats call for rishi sunak to visit areas affected by flooding , all coming affected by flooding, all coming in the wake of storm hank . in the wake of storm hank. nottinghamshire county council declared a incident declared a major incident yesterday, with more than 100 homes flooded . two teenage boys

homes flooded. two teenage boys have been arrested on suspicion of murder over the death of harry pitman in north london. the 16 year old died following what police say was an altercation as crowds gathered on primrose hill to watch the fireworks on new year's eve . fireworks on new year's eve. derek draper, a former political adviser and husband of tv presenter kate garraway, has died . the 56 year old died after died. the 56 year old died after several years of serious health complications due to covid. he spent 13 months in hospital after contracting the virus in march 2020. in a post on social media, kate says she was holding her darling husband's hand throughout his last long hours. former prime minister sir tony blair paid tribute, saying he was a good colleague and a great friend . the shadow chancellor friend. the shadow chancellor says she understands there have been calls for former post office boss paula vennells to lose her cbe over the horizon scandal . the government is being scandal. the government is being urged to pay compensation to those affected, calling it one of the worst miscarriages of

justice to ever happen in britain. more than 700 royal mail staff were imprisoned when flawed software led to false accusations that they had stolen money. rachel reeves says more needs to be done. >> well, can understand why >> well, i can understand why people are saying that the former head of the post office should return her honour. my focus would be on getting the compensation to those who were wrongly convicted of these crimes . crimes. >> you can get more on all of those stories by visiting our website, gbnews.com .

sunday mornings from 930 on gb news is. >> good afternoon britain. it's just coming up to 20 to 1 and the paralympic hero turned killer oscar pistorius is being released after spending over eight years in prison for murdering his girlfriend . murdering his girlfriend. >> yes, on valentine's day in 2013, the double amputee athlete shot model and law graduate reeva steenkamp four times through their bathroom door. >> he'll be subject to strict supervision restrictions until his sentence ends in 2029. our reporter charlie peters, has this report . this report. >> the killing stunned the

country . the 27 year old country. the 27 year old olympian was an inspirational figure in south africa , figure in south africa, regularly dubbed the greatest national hero since nelson mandela . but on valentine's day mandela. but on valentine's day 2013. oscar pistorius became a murder suspect . pistorius argued murder suspect. pistorius argued that he believed a dangerous intruder hid behind the door. the prosecution contended that steenkamp , a 29 year old model, steenkamp, a 29 year old model, had fled there after a row erupted in the night. the televised trial split global opinion . some saw the poster boy opinion. some saw the poster boy as a cold blooded killer. others sympathised with the raw emotion he displayed in the court. sympathised with the raw emotion he displayed in the court . the he displayed in the court. the so—called blade runner regularly cried in court , with the cried in court, with the prosecution accusing him of deploying crocodile tears to distract from questioning . distract from questioning. pistorius was found guilty of

involuntary manslaughter, but an appeal ruled him to be a murderer. the court agreed that pistorius shot with the intent to kill, but whether he knew the victim was his girlfriend , they victim was his girlfriend, they couldn't say . last year, he was couldn't say. last year, he was granted parole after serving half of his sentence. but steenkamp's mother warned that he was not remorseful or rehabilitated . her family wanted rehabilitated. her family wanted him to stay in jail. >> he was a family belief that you have not killed story to believe his story. >> yeah , the pistorius released >> yeah, the pistorius released on parole today is expected to be unrecognisable to the athlete who entered prison in 2013. >> he will now trade a jail cell for a garden cottage in a guarded compound at his wealthy uncle's estate, and as pistorius starts his new life , reeva starts his new life, reeva steenkamp's mother will continue to grieve for the memory of her

daughter, who had her life and her dreams brutally taken from her. charlie peters gb news is well. >> charlie peters joins us now in the studio. charlie an absolutely horrific case. this was now released under parole. he's going to be under very strict restrictions, isn't he ? strict restrictions, isn't he? including he has to be confined at home for a certain number of hours per day. he has to . he's hours per day. he has to. he's also going to be banned from drinking alcohol. i understand, and not permitted to speak to any media. >> that's correct. and the one that you've missed, i mean, you've got all of them there almost. but the other limit, he's also under is that he'll have to inform the parole authorities if he wants to travel or take employment . and travel or take employment. and now, at 37, almost a decade either behind bars or under house arrest, his physique and his athletic ability has certainly suffered. so it's highly unlikely that we're going

to see oscar pistorius on the running track. any time soon. and those limitations on being being engaging in interviews with the media also means that we're unlikely to hear from him as well. but he has now traded the life behind bars for that of one in a mansion in pretoria, which is south africa's administrative capital, where he'll be living with his uncle. he was released this morning to little fanfare and the reaction in south africa has been quite muted. as you'll recall back when the trial was on this captured global attention. the whole world was interested in this case and it split global opinion and particularly opinion in south africa. some were won over by his emotional pleas. others, including the prosecutor, saw them as crocodile tears, distracting from a guilty murderer. crocodile tears, distracting from a guilty murderer . well, from a guilty murderer. well, the reaction today is not as severe as it was back then, but reeva steenkamp's mother, in a statement said that they are

left serving a life sentence and that no justice can ever truly be done after her life was so cruelly taken from them. reeva's father , barry, died in 2022, but father, barry, died in 2022, but he did conduct some victim and offender dialogue with oscar pistorius, where he sought to gain a further understanding as part of the parole process . he part of the parole process. he actually left those meetings early because he said the family wasn't getting the answers that they hoped to hear , and it's they hoped to hear, and it's just the most fascinating story we can all remember. >> oscar pistorius running not just in the paralympics, but the olympic acas in 2012. in london and just a year later , the fall and just a year later, the fall from grace that we all observed was happens now. well presumably he completes the terms of his sentence on parole and then is and then these conditions are lifted . lifted. >> yes. that's right. well, he won six gold medals. one bronze,

one silver across both paralympic and olympic competitions . now, while he's competitions. now, while he's under these limits, until 2029, including, of course , not being including, of course, not being able to speak to the media, i think it's unlikely that we'll see much movement from oscar pistorius in terms of athletic potential or engaging much beyond that guarded compound. but there are reports that he could go to italy once his time is served. he used to train there during the winter months, and that could be a source of respite for him after those restrictions conclude . restrictions conclude. >> hmm. very interesting that you say the reaction has so far been relatively muted , and been relatively muted, and particularly as it divided so much opinion at the time. thank you very much indeed. charlie peters, our reporter there. now natwest's chair, sir howard davies, is being labelled out of touch due to his comments on this morning's bbc today programme. yes, well, the average price of a property in the uk is almost £300,000. the average first time buyer is now 32 years old. but davies says

it's not that bad to get on the property ladder in this country. >> well, i don't think it's that that difficult at the moment, but to buy a house in this country, well, we're living in the same country. >> are you reporting from overseas ? overseas? >> yes. you have to save be and that's the way it always used to be. >> um , quite, quite interesting >> um, quite, quite interesting comment there from a man who earns three quarters of £1 million a year, especially when we see the proportion of people who own their own homes trickling down and down and down. >> but let's get behind. not that hard. >> just missed the lattes and few less cocktails. tom. just be born 30 years earlier. >> uh, let's talk to freddie poser, executive director at pficed poser, executive director at priced out, a campaign group for affordable and freddie , affordable housing, and freddie, these are pretty out of touch comments . comments. >> yes. >> yes. >> yeah , absolutely. i think a >> yeah, absolutely. i think a lot of us are kind of slightly surprised to see this from someone who runs one of the

largest mortgage lenders in the country . uh, you know, it's country. uh, but, you know, it's not the case that it's easy. and country. uh, but, you know, it's nccertainlye that it's easy. and country. uh, but, you know, it's nccertainly wasat it's easy. and country. uh, but, you know, it's nccertainly was a it's easy. and country. uh, but, you know, it's nccertainly was a lot easy. and country. uh, but, you know, it's nccertainly was a lot easierand it certainly was a lot easier back the 1970s when the back in the 1970s when the average house was four times average house was four times average earnings, not close to ten times average earnings . ten times average earnings. >> but freddie, last year there was a record high number of first time buyers getting on the housing ladder. so clearly there are a lot of people out there who, you know are saving up for their deposit buying. perhaps in an area they didn't particularly ideally to live in. but if ideally want to live in. but if you want to get on the housing ladden you want to get on the housing ladder, you can in, well, a lot of people can get on the housing ladden >> what we're seeing is the average age there is creeping up and up and up. people are getting on the housing ladder late ladder later in life and we're seeing that a lot of them have from the bank of mum have help from the bank of mum and the bank of natwest and dad, not the bank of natwest group. because the average group. uh, because the average deposit going up. so the deposit is also going up. so the amount save that, amount you need to save that, you to save longer, you need to save for longer, you're stuck renting somewhere, probably possibly in a flat share older and share and getting older and older in life. i mean,

older later in life. i mean, it's delaying lot of people's it's delaying a lot of people's ability start family. so ability to start a family. so whilst yes, technically whilst it is, yes, technically possible get on the housing possible to get on the housing ladder people still ladder and people are still making extreme sacrifices to do it, i wouldn't say it's easy. >> and yet this is precisely what we're hearing from the people who are running these banks. people who are running these banks . this people who are running these banks. this feeds into sort of this , uh, narrative, i suppose , this, uh, narrative, i suppose, that has been growing. it started with natwest and the de—banking scandal that we covered exclusively here on gbh news. do you think that certainly some of these people who are in charge of these large institutions , who, as i say, institutions, who, as i say, this particular individual earns three quarters of £1 million a year? is it the case that perhaps they just don't understand what life is like for the majority of people living in this country ? this country? >> well, i think there's certainly something to it that people, especially people who, you know, probably bought their house. many decades ago, own one or more properties , are or more properties, are insulated from the sharpest end of the housing crisis in this

country. i mean, this is possibly an extreme example , but possibly an extreme example, but we see a lot of the time that the reaction is, oh, you know, as you joked, skip the lattes or stop eating the avocado toast. well not simple. uh well it's not that simple. uh there aren't there's no number of avocado toast that will make up six times an average income. that's the gulf we're talking here. so so i think that, yeah, we do see people haven't had we do see people who haven't had to how bad the housing to deal with how bad the housing shortage has got in this country. >> hmm. but was right to say >> hmm. but was he right to say that in the past have that mortgages in the past have been given out too freely, and people took on a lot of debt, got into negative equity ? why do got into negative equity? why do you think that the affordability checks now are too strict ? or checks now are too strict? or are they about the right right level ? level? >> i think he's certainly right that the answer here isn't just some you know, free for all in the in the mortgage market. it's important that people banks don't repeat the mistakes of 2008. and it's also the amount of credit that offered . there's of credit that offered. there's a lot of either government or or

private credit out there that has been tried. the answer is actually to increase the number of homes. so there i'm sure we'd agree. uh that the answer is not really in this. in the credit and the demand side. it's in the supply of homes side. >> yeah, absolutely. >> yeah, absolutely. >> we just need to build more houses. really. thank you very much. posner, executive much. freddie posner, executive director at priced out. much. freddie posner, executive direwell,|t priced out. much. freddie posner, executive direwell, shalled out. much. freddie posner, executive direwell, shall we )ut. much. freddie posner, executive direwell, shall we talk about >> well, shall we talk about space? >> i don't mind , because a brand >> i don't mind, because a brand spanking new discovery has found that uranus looks more like neptune than previously thought. well, this is exciting. for decades , the big blue planet has decades, the big blue planet has been depicted in books and on the nasa website as a deep shade of blue. there you can see it there, but scientists from the university of oxford , no less, university of oxford, no less, now say it's actually a far lighter shade of greenish blue and is much closer in colour to uranus . well, there you go. uranus. well, there you go. >> well, let's get to the bottom of this with the astrophysicist at the university of nottingham, doctor maggie liu. and why is it

that had this such a wrong that we had this such a wrong understanding of what neptune looked like for so many decades , looked like for so many decades, years ? years? >> um, well, the answer is quite interesting, actually. so our skies are blue because , as you skies are blue because, as you know, our atmosphere scatters blue light and scatters towards it. our eyes, the blue light and so you expect the same of uranus and neptune because their atmospheres are mostly methane , atmospheres are mostly methane, that they both would be a similar shade of blue because they're both mostly methane gas, their sizes and masses are very similar . so their sizes and masses are very similar. so it's always been a bit of a mystery as to why the shades of blue are slightly different, but to get to this data , um, our our data comes data, um, our our data comes predominately from voyager two data, which is a spacecraft that was launched in the 1970s. so it's super old and like all instrumentation, they don't see like we do like light is made up

of a rainbow of colours called spectra and white light in particular is like all of the colours of the rainbow combined together at equal saturation. and that's why if you hold up a prism and shine a light through it, it will kind of disperse the colours into this rainbow. but cameron is like the ones on board of voyager only see a small segment of this rainbow of this spectra, and you need to combine many of these segments together in order to get a colour out of it. um, and it turns out that when they were doing this for neptune in the past, they weren't combining the different segments equally. they decided to enhance some segments so that they could enhance the features of the clouds and make them more prominent. and now these new researchers have decided to come up with new data that cover a broader wavelength. so larger . segments of the

so larger. segments of the rainbow combine them together, and it turns out that they're more of a similar pale blue colour. >> maggie, there are only eight planets in our solar system . planets in our solar system. >> are you really saying we haven't looked at this one since the 1970s properly? >> i mean, it's not a prominent question that what people would think that you would care about, but actually the exact colour is really important because it not only tells us what chemicals are present on the planet, but also things like the planetary activity , like the weather on activity, like the weather on there, whether or not there's clouds, the temperatures and pressures. so it is all interesting . interesting. >> well, there you go. thank you so much for explaining that all to us. doctor maggie liu, who is at the university of nottingham and astrophysicist. well, there at the university of nottingham and go. �*ophysicist. well, there at the university of nottingham and go. whaticist. well, there at the university of nottingham and go. what else well, there at the university of nottingham and go. what else are ll, there at the university of nottingham and go. what else are we here at the university of nottingham and go. what else are we being you go. what else are we being lied what else is? lied to or what else is? >> i just this. well, for >> i just love this. well, for years were told that pluto is years we were told that pluto is a planet. it's not for years a planet. now it's not for years we were told blue. now we were told neptune's blue. now it's of green. i mean, what it's sort of green. i mean, what else know about the else don't we know about the universe? exciting. universe? it's so exciting. >> i think more

>> well, i think there's more that we don't know than we do know. but we should get the colour right. >> really should. >> we really should. >> we really should. >> that's pretty basic. that's >> that's a pretty basic. that's primary. think. but at primary. you'd think. but at least knew colour uranus primary. you'd think. but at le now, knew colour uranus primary. you'd think. but at le now, withzw colour uranus primary. you'd think. but at le now, with the colour uranus primary. you'd think. but at le now, with the prince lour uranus primary. you'd think. but at le now, with the prince andrew'st is now, with the prince andrew's name up on notorious sex name popping up on notorious sex offender jeffrey epstein's court files week, we're asking files this week, we're asking should york be should the duke of york be expelled entirely from the royal family? . us family? stay with. us >> looks like things are heating up. boxt boilers sponsors of weather on gb news . weather on gb news. >> welcome to your latest weather update from the met office for gb news i'm alex deakin, sunny spells and showers broadly through the day today , broadly through the day today, but much better news across the south where of course we have seen extensive heavy rain and flooding. it does look a lot dner flooding. it does look a lot drier here. the wet weather from yesterday this area yesterday caused by this area of low that is moving low pressure that is moving away. still low pressure to the north, this weather front bringing of rain bringing some outbreaks of rain to eastern scotland and across the also the northern isles. it's also quite few scattered quite windy, a few scattered showers but showers elsewhere, but crucially, a lot drier in crucially, i say a lot drier in those badly affected

those really badly affected areas. from the floods through yesterday . generally staying yesterday. generally staying fairly cloudy here, some sunshine for southern and central scotland parts of central scotland and parts of northern on the chilly northern ireland on the chilly side, , temperatures close side, though, temperatures close to average the of year to average for the time of year but colder than it has been. as we go through this evening, we will see more showers will see a few more showers drifting northern drifting down over northern england midland. any drifting down over northern englfalling midland. any drifting down over northern englfalling where viidland. any drifting down over northern englfalling where it's and. any drifting down over northern englfalling where it's beenany rain falling where it's been flooded, of course, is not welcome, but this rain shouldn't really amount to very much and we'll keep some showers going over where over northern scotland, where it will breezy, a few will stay fairly breezy, a few showers continuing to feed into western with the western parts of wales, with the clearer skies across the north, it will turn cold, frosty temperatures. most towns and cities just about staying above freezing, but for some it will be a frosty start to the weekend. but generally it's going drier this going to be much drier this weekend. completely dry. weekend. not completely dry. still showers and quite still a few showers and quite a lot of across eastern lot of cloud across eastern england. showers at times england. a few showers at times in west wales and again across northern scotland, but many in west wales and again across northerwill otland, but many in west wales and again across northerwillotl'dry but many in west wales and again across northerwill otl'dry but na ny in west wales and again across northerwill otl'dry but na few places will be dry quite a few in the west will see sunny spells as well, just turning a bit colder than of late. that

gb news. >> good afternoon britain. it is 1:00 on friday the 5th of january. >> starmageddon flood chaos

continues to spread across the united kingdom. hundreds of people have been evacuated from their homes, rail lines blocked , their homes, rail lines blocked, roads turned into rivers and even cows have been drowned in flood fields. is it time for a cobra style task force? >> tanks on the lawn labour are going after the tories on tax, saying the burden on working people should be lower than it is now. but while they say taxes should be lower, the party is yet to commit to any tax cuts themselves. now in an exclusive interview with gb news the shadow chancellor said it's time for change britain . in for change in britain. in >> epstein files , prince >> epstein files, prince andrew's name has been released on court documents affiliated with the late sex offender jeffrey epstein. the met police have confirmed they won't investigate the duke of york, but should he be expelled from the royal family? we've been asking you.

>> what did you make of that interview with rachel reeves? i think it's a bit rich to be talking about how the conservatives have such a high tax burden, and then not commit to any tax cuts yourselves. we haven't heard keir starmer commit to increasing income tax thresholds. we haven't heard him commit to any tax cuts. all we've heard is that he would reverse any inheritance tax cut that comes in. and that's an if. >> and he's he's said that he'd raise some taxes, taxes on people who choose to send their kids to independent schools, for example, but also so it's interesting. he opposed liz truss when she tried to cut taxes, and now he's opposing rishi sunak for not having cut taxes. it seems like sort of a bit of a fair weather political moment there for the labour party saying whatever their sort of takes, the gust of wind on any particular day. >> yes. well, we'll see what the

pubuc >> yes. well, we'll see what the public make of it. let us know what you think. gb views gbnews.com. please do get in touch and also get in touch if you've caught up in the you've been caught up in the terrible flooding been terrible flooding that's been going or stormy weather, going on or the stormy weather, please us know. please do let us know. vaiews@gbnews.uk com but first, it's headlines tatiana it's your headlines with tatiana i >> -- >> emily. thank you. 1:02. this is the latest from the gb news room. labour says the government's asleep at the wheel overits government's asleep at the wheel over its handling of flooding. flooding as hundreds of warnings remain in place across the country the of storm country in the wake of storm henk, the party's promising to create a task force similar to the emergency cobra committee to coordinate preparations coordinate flood preparations and protect homes . and to protect homes. nottinghamshire county council declared a major incident yesterday more than 100 yesterday with more than 100 homes flooded. a cold weather alert has now been issued by the uk health security agency, with the met office urging drivers to be of ice . the chairman be cautious of ice. the chairman of natwest says it's not that

difficult to get on the property ladden difficult to get on the property ladder. sir howard davies told the bbc today those wishing to own a home need to save their money. it comes as new data shows house prices up by nearly £5,000 within a year. figures from halifax found property values increased by 1.7% across 2023, with the cost of an average home equating to around eight and a half years of a buyer's salary. local residents in hull told gb news they feel let down. >> they wanted more houses and, um, like bungalows and that for adapted people, you know, for disabled. >> i've got a few friends who are trying to get on to the property for the first time, and they're telling me it's difficult just to try and save the initial, um, 10% or even sometimes 5. >> definitely think that the new homes should be more affordable to the average working family, because they're like seem to start off at quarter of £1 million. >> and derry draper, a former

political adviser and husband of tv presenter kate garraway , has tv presenter kate garraway, has died. the 56 year old died after several years of a serious health complications due to covid. he spent 13 months in hospital after contracting the virus in march 2020. in a post on social media, kate said she was holding her darling husband's hand throughout his last long hours. former prime minister tony blair has also paid tribute, saying most important of all, he was a good colleague and a great friend and will miss him deeply. colleague and a great friend and will miss him deeply . the shadow will miss him deeply. the shadow chancellor says she understands why some people want the former post office boss to lose her cbe over the horizon scandal. the government is being urged to pay compensation to those affected , compensation to those affected, with labour calling it one of the worst miscarriages of justice to ever happen in britain . more than 700 royal britain. more than 700 royal mail staff were imprisoned when flawed software led to false accusations that they'd stolen money, rachel reeves says more needs to be done. well i can understand why people are saying

that. >> the former head of the post office should return her honour . office should return her honour. my office should return her honour. my focus would be on getting the compensation to those who were wrongly convicted of these crimes . the health secretary crimes. the health secretary says the nhs belongs to us all and can't simply be switched on and can't simply be switched on and off as a record breaking walkout by medics continues. >> junior doctors in england are striking for six days over pay and conditions. the striking for six days over pay and conditions . the longest and conditions. the longest industrial action in nhs history. many hospitals have pleaded for medics to leave the picket lines and return to work amid rising concerns for patient safety. the british medical association suggested the request may be politically motivated, while victoria atkins promised to restart pay talks within 20 minutes if the strike is called off due . two teenage is called off due. two teenage boys have been arrested on suspicion of murder over the death of harry pitman in north london. the 16 year old died following what police say was an

altercation as crowds gathered on primrose hill to watch the fireworks on new year's eve . the fireworks on new year's eve. the met police says a 16 year old and a 17 year old remain in custody . oscar pistorius has custody. oscar pistorius has been freed on parole from a south african prison nearly 11 years after murdering his girlfriend . the former girlfriend. the former paralympian shot revista inca multiple times through a door on valentine's day in 2013. he claimed he mistook her for an intruder, but prosecutors argued the murder was premeditate . the murder was premeditate. following a row between the couple. the parole will last until december 2029, and the 37 year old will be required to obey strict conditions, including therapy and anger management . but this including therapy and anger management. but this is gb news across the uk on tv, in your car , on digital radio and on your smart speaker by saying play gb news now back to tom and . emily.

news now back to tom and. emily. >> well, heavy rain and wild weather have battered britain overnight. flooding causing havoc for residents, businesses and motorists. now the met office is warning of possible power cuts. train operators are warning services may be cancelled. meanwhile nottinghamshire and nottingham local resilience forum have declared a major incident due to rising river levels on the river trent and flooding in the area where up to discuss the damage the country has seen over the past 24 hours. we're now joined by civil engineer and flood specialist simon crowther . specialist simon crowther. simon, thank you for joining specialist simon crowther. simon, thank you forjoining us. simon, thank you for joining us. do we need a cobra style task force to sort this all out? >> yeah, i think we've had a distinct silence from the government this is a significant issue. >> as mentioned , nottingham >> as you mentioned, nottingham has declared a major incident. it's my hometown and it's actually my hometown and we're only really seeing any focus on now because the focus on it now because the river trent has flooded. >> there's been smaller >> but there's been smaller communities within that catchment river catchment that feed the river trent that have flooded six times this winter. just since storm and they're storm babet and they're receiving help at all and

receiving no help at all and expected to manage the situation on their home the minute their homes get dried out, they flood again and the situation is only getting worse . getting worse. >> and we need to really be looking at this in detail. looking at this in more detail. >> it's it's the biggest >> it's the it's the biggest problem facing the uk as a result of climate change. >> only talk about it >> but we only talk about it when is flood we when there is a flood and we need looking longer. need to be looking longer. >> tum actually how we manage these risks , it seems these increasing risks, it seems like is becoming common like it is becoming more common in last few months, in the last few months, especially mentioned storm especially you mentioned storm babet especially you mentioned storm balstorm henk, more storms in >> storm henk, more storms in the last three months than we've seen in previous years. in the same time frame. tell us a little bit about how it actually gets stage of there being gets to the stage of there being such a high level of floods, because very often the floods come a few days after the storm. >> so that's what we're seeing at the minute. >> so a lot of the sort of smaller streams flooded a few days ago following heavy rainfall, where the catchment now is just so wet, so no water can actually soak into the ground. so the minute they get

rainfall, it runs off the fields, floods the smaller villages and towns, and then that time to work its way that takes time to work its way through into the larger rivers, which is we're seeing through into the larger rivers, whiybig; we're seeing through into the larger rivers, whiybig riverswe're seeing through into the larger rivers, whiybig rivers flooding seeing through into the larger rivers, whiybig rivers flooding . seeing through into the larger rivers, whiybig rivers flooding . and ng the big rivers flooding. and whilst we've got warnings and alerts over country, alerts all over the country, that's s, you know, great that we've got this warning system, but we also need to be looking at things like flash flooding, where actually we're really limited on how we can warn and prepare for that. for instance, in london, if there's flash flooding , you might get no flooding, you might get no warning whatsoever either, because we can't necessarily monitor it. and if you're in a basement, for instance, and water coming through water started coming up through the you might have the toilet or in, you might have no warning. so there really is a risk to life. and flooding needs to be taken more seriously. >> heard just >> simon, we heard a lot. just lastly, heard lot about lastly, we heard a lot about this government alert system. we all got buzz, big bell all got a buzz, a big bell ringing on phones, an ringing on our on our phones, an alarm. that's the word. an alarm ringing our phones. what's ringing on our phones. what's happened that? ringing on our phones. what's hapl ened that? ringing on our phones. what's hapl don't that? ringing on our phones. what's hapl don't tha'why. >> i don't know why. >> i don't know why. >> it's not being used. so we were in, uh. i was in a meeting recently with mark spencer mp

and community in and a local community in nottingham, were nottingham, and they were saying, the alert saying, why wasn't the alert system actually it system used? because actually it was chaos. was complete chaos. >> the schools had evicted all of it was the end of the day and >> it was the end of the day and put them all on buses. but the location they got was then location they got to was then completely get completely flooded. couldn't get home and there was a distinct lack of communication and people weren't you're weren't aware unless you're signed up to receive flood warnings, you to be warnings, which you need to be in flood warning area, people in a flood warning area, people aren't getting the information, and we've the software and given we've got the software , need to be using it, , we need to be using it, i really, really stark. well, our thoughts go out to all of those affected across the country by this latest bout of floods and simon crowther flood specialist and civil engineer. thank you for this afternoon . for your time this afternoon. >> yes. joining us now from >> yes. so joining us now from shropshire is our west midlands reporter, jack carson. how reporter, jack carson. jack, how has flooding affecting local has the flooding affecting local people where you are ? people where you are? >> so what's been good news certainly for the people here at ironbridge in shropshire, is that the flood defences have put on the side of the river that i'm on, have managed to hold back the rising level of the

river severn. of course, it has pushed the flood barriers back a little bit. it's certainly broken. its banks at that point, but those flood defences have certainly managed hold back. but those flood defences have cert it'sy managed hold back. but those flood defences have cert it's onianaged hold back. but those flood defences have cert it's on the ged hold back. but those flood defences have cert it's on the oppositeyld back. but those flood defences have cert it's on the opposite side ack. but those flood defences have cert it's on the opposite side of. but it's on the opposite side of the here that there the river here that there is once flooding a couple once again flooding on a couple of of the houses, which of of the of the houses, which of course is meaning that those people, you know , are seeing the people, you know, are seeing the other one side of the river protected and their side not getting kind protection getting any kind of protection at all. but is a regular at all. but this is a regular occurrence here shropshire, occurrence here in shropshire, particularly the particularly with parts of the river saw yesterday, river severn. we saw yesterday, um, flooding around parts of shrewsbury as it hit its peak yesterday evening as well. and the environmental agency saying that across the country, more than 1000 properties have been flooded. now the boat inn, which is a pub, um, just up the river here that's flooded three times in the last month. so you can imagine the impact that's going to have on that, on that business that just as they think they were getting round the first hit again. first flood, they get hit again. and as they thought they and just as they thought they were round second were getting round the second one, hit again. of one, they've been hit again. of

course, again notorious for flooding this area. it flooding in this area. but it doesn't really at all that doesn't really help at all that impact so questions impact. and so those questions are turning how can are also turning to how we can better protect these areas. of course, the flood defences have been put up which are temporary here. they've been in place here since 27th of december, but since the 27th of december, but of soon as this of course, as soon as this flooding goes, they will be taken down. it's how quick taken down. and it's how quick are how quick are communities, how quick councils can can react to maybe future flooding ? um, of course, future flooding? um, of course, which going determine how which is going to determine how safe of these communities safe a lot of these communities will be in the future. now, parts of the midlands, as you were really were hearing there, have really badly been affected by this flooding. nottinghamshire badly been affected by this flooding. n(with|hamshire badly been affected by this flooding. n(with|hanriver particularly with the river trent , of course, that major trent, of course, that major incident being, declared incident being, uh, declared that's because the tributary that's because of the tributary rivers the trent rivers that go into the trent rivers, like the river derwent, which the past few days which over the past few days have reached peak levels, that water the river water pushing into the river trent, along with all the other rivers pushing rising rivers pushing then that rising level. we know, of course, people in an over 55 caravan park had to be evacuated yesterday. we, we think around 100 people have also been

evacuated in other parts of the city. and that is of course a big concern. cern now, it's not just necessarily about dredging the rivers. there are concerns about the maintenance of rivers and whether, of course , the silt and whether, of course, the silt build up in the rivers is one of the in which, um, flooding the ways in which, um, flooding can be prevented . that possibly can be prevented. that possibly works better with more localised communities and it's very much, um, you know, going to be the chance for councils over the past few weeks as they recover to listen to what their communities are saying about how, of course, those people can be protected well . be better protected as well. >> you very much. jack >> thank you very much. jack carson, midlands carson, our west midlands reporter in shropshire. reporter there in shropshire. well, prince andrew was named in the epstein files that were unsealed on wednesday. there has been growing pressure on king charles to remove the royal title from his brother and to oust him entirely from the royal family, which would mean that he no longer executes any royal dufies no longer executes any royal duties no involvement at duties and has no involvement at all, or participation in royal gatherings. so we're asking, should andrew be ousted should prince andrew be ousted from the royal family ?

from the royal family? >> well, here's what you had to say . say. >> i think if it's proven , then >> i think if it's proven, then he should step down and step out. >> um , but i also think that >> um, but i also think that there's something a little bit more to this. >> and whether or not he did it or whether or not it was something that was put there to cause trouble for later on, i don't know . don't know. >> but, um, if it's proven, then , yeah, i think he should step down and step out. >> yes. for the simple reason. >> yes. for the simple reason. >> why should the pair £12 million to pay him off when they said he wasn't guilty ? so where said he wasn't guilty? so where does that £12 million come from? >> king charles should be streamlining the royal family and, uh, if he has committed an offence with an underage girl, which is part of a bigger scandal of, uh, the trafficking of young girls for sex, you know , with epstein killing himself, allegedly in a prison cell. maybe that was to spare. other bigger names being dragged down

with him. so, yeah , i don't with him. so, yeah, i don't think prince andrew deserves any particular privileges at the expense of the taxpayer . expense of the taxpayer. >> well, joining us now in the studio is the author of prince andrew epstein , maxwell and the andrew epstein, maxwell and the palace. nigel cawthorne. nigel, thank you so much for making the time for us this afternoon . time for us this afternoon. soon. it seems like this is the story that will not go away . no, indeed. >> and there's no going to be no end to this. this is only the first tranche of documents from this case that are coming out. we're expecting them more coming out. and then of course, there is still ghislaine maxwell still has an appeal pending. >> so we have plenty of fun to come. >> and what will the royal family be doing ? what will king family be doing? what will king charles be doing right now? faced with this yet back on the front pages of every newspaper here. >> well, he's in a very difficult position. if you ever go to court in a criminal charge, you. >> it's the crown versus you.

>> it's the crown versus you. >> and he is essentially the crown. so he's in the position of being the chief legal authority in this country, and he's essentially he could be seen as harbouring a criminal. >> now, prince andrew's lost his hrh. he's lost the status of a senior royal. he's lost all of the bells and whistles that go with that sort of position within the royal family. and yet i think a lot of people sort of raised an eyebrow when they saw him walking with the rest of the family on christmas day, still appearing to be sort of part of the inner circle , albeit without the inner circle, albeit without his hrh and without his senior dufies. his hrh and without his senior duties . could the royal family duties. could the royal family go further in distancing themselves? well i think they have to, because . have to, because. >> he's kind of besmirching the whole of royalty. >> he we know he denies everything. however he had an opportunity to clear his name when virginia giuffre , uh, took when virginia giuffre, uh, took a civil action against him in the united states , accusing him

the united states, accusing him of sexual abuse, he could have gone to court , given his gone to court, given his evidence, and cleared his name. however instead of that, he paid millions of pounds of his mother's money to her, uh, to make it go away . make it go away. >> now, of course, this has provided a lot of ammunition for anti—monarchists among us, not least the group republic, which i believe reported prince andrew to the police off the back of these latest revelations or accusations , these claims, accusations, these claims, whatever you want to call them . whatever you want to call them. uh, what would ousting prince andrew from the royal family actually look like in practice? essentially, what royal privilege does he still have ? privilege does he still have? >> well, he has a very nice mansion in in, in, in windsor that he stays at and he doesn't seem to do anything for a living. so he's okay. but the real problem here is if scotland yard were investigated making historic claims of rape by

russell brand. russell brand, which again he denies. um, but why aren't they investigating prince andrew? the same thing appues. prince andrew? the same thing applies . we were told by applies. we were told by cressida dick that that the royals are no different from us. we should all be treated the same. but we're not. three times she refused to even investigate the allegations against prince andrew. we have a new chief constable now. maybe he could. he could take this forward. >> you raised the settlement out of court. the fact that prince andrew did not take the opportunity to go to court himself and clear his name , uh, himself and clear his name, uh, to put across what he might say in response to that is a prince going to a court , sitting going to a court, sitting through those proceedings might have been an embarrassment in and of itself, even if he was cleared, the way that the royal family often does things is behind closed doors, away from the public eye. could it be that, despite what this sort of

settlement out of court looks like, he felt like it was the only course of action for him ? only course of action for him? >> well, indeed, the royal family are terrifically good at this thing. they kind of ignore things and hope they go away, and they usually do with prince with the former prince charles, they were allegations of a cash for honours, a against him all he had to do was sit it out. he became king. he can't be prosecuted under the criminal law. so he's fine. so maybe he kind of has sympathy with his brother in this case. >> and tell me a little about how prince andrew might be reacting to what's going on. now. of course, this is the last thing he wants to see splashed across across the newspapers, although he may have gotten used to it a little by now. what type of person will he be? tell me . of person will he be? tell me. >> well, it's very difficult to get inside the minds of people who've been brought up in such privileged positions. when you

think about it, from the time he was , he could first walk and was, he could first walk and talk. people were bowing and scraping to him on his behind, protected behind palace walls. people are calling him your royal highness. how are you going to view the world? you just think that you're above it all. and he's he's obviously finding that he's not. >> it's interesting . this is >> it's interesting. this is something that has dragged on for some time now . what are the for some time now. what are the next big steps? what will prince andrew be preparing for in the months or indeed years to come ? months or indeed years to come? >> well, again, i think it just has to sit it out in windsor. there's nothing he can do . i there's nothing he can do. i mean, again, if he wanted to clear his name, there's this this, it's not a new allegation, but but in his court papers, this allegation that he touched a woman's breast without her permission. now she the deadline of prosecco fashion over that has gone. but he could sue her for libel . will get himself in for libel. will get himself in

court and clear his name . court and clear his name. >> well, this is the thing. why is he not willing to do that? and clear his name? yes, yes, of course. innocent until proven guilty . but course. innocent until proven guilty. but this reputational damage to himself. of course. but of course, the wider royal family is very damaging indeed. yes. >> and no doubt this will go on and on and on. but nigel cawthorne, thank you so much for coming in and talking us through this perennial issue. yes >> let us know what you think. gb views gb news. com is it time for the royal family to wash their hands entirely of prince andrew? but coming up with the government missing their 2023 sale targets for electric vehicle we're asking why vehicle sales, we're asking why is .

the camilla tominey show sunday mornings from 930 on . gb news. mornings from 930 on. gb news. >> good afternoon britain. >> good afternoon britain. >> it's 125 >> good afternoon britain. >> it's125 and uk car sales hit their highest level since the pandemic. that's to according new figures from the society of motor manufacturers and traders. >> but electric vehicle sales flatlined , so with the flatlined, so with the government missing their green targets for last year, now this comes as prime minister rishi sunak decided to delay the ban of petrol and diesel cars from 2030 to 2035. that was after months of deliberation. is that what's to blame for this? let's speak to james bowley of the society of motor manufacturers and traders. james, thank you very much . i'm interested

very much. i'm interested particularly in electric vehicle sales, missing the target there . sales, missing the target there. now, some within the industry have blamed the movement in that target fit to ban petrol and diesel car sales, new petrol and car diesel sales from 2035. moving it forward , moving it. moving it forward, moving it. sorry. moving it from 2030 back to 2035. is that the real reason 7 to 2035. is that the real reason ? while they're missing these targets . targets. >> so electric vehicle sales for dunng >> so electric vehicle sales for during this year we've actually seen more electric vehicles sold dunng seen more electric vehicles sold during 2023 than in any other previous year. >> in fact, we've seen more sold than there were in 2020 and 2021 combined. >> however, the market has also grown as well. >> after three years of challenges in terms of supply. >> so the overall share of electric vehicles in the market has actually fallen very slightly. it's about 16.5% of new cars last year were electric vehicles, and that's for a variety of reasons. but one of the main reasons that we're seeing is most of the growth in electric vehicle uptake is

electric vehicle uptake now is by fleets and businesses who have very compelling incentives that help break down some of those initial barriers to entry into electric vehicle market. >> it's for the past 18 months, consumers in the uk have been pretty much alone in europe as being the only consumers that have incentives to have had no fiscal incentives to actually move to an electric vehicle. and so one of the things that we will be calling for we'd like to see that for is we'd like to see that balanced out. we'd like to see consumer incentives to consumer incentives return to help more to help encourage more people to make to electric make that switch to electric vehicles. and in the first instance, probably the best way to achieve that will be to be reduced vat on electric vehicles. for consumers. that puts them bit of a level puts them on a bit of a level playing field with the incentives that enjoyed by incentives that are enjoyed by businesses and fleets, and could really that really help re—energize that consumer interest in the electric consumer interest in the eleyi'm given understand that >> i'm given to understand that in the united states, there's been of recalibration on been a bit of recalibration on how approach electric how they approach electric vehicles . they used to have sort vehicles. they used to have sort of direct subsidy and instead what the government is doing is making sure there are loads and loads chargers everywhere, loads of chargers everywhere,

because the barriers to because perhaps the barriers to entry aren't so much about people thinking that this car might be a bit too expensive , might be a bit too expensive, but it's more about the reliability or the charging network across the country. might that be something that is more pertinent to focus on that is also the other piece of the puzzle delivering this zero emission transition, moving to electric . electric. >> it's not just about making sure that the cars are available on the for market people to buy. it's also about making sure that people who are moving from a technology that they've been very with, petrol or very familiar with, petrol or diesel, moving to electric , diesel, and moving to electric, they confidence that they have that confidence that they have that confidence that they charge whenever and they can charge whenever and wherever require. the wherever they require. now the charging network has been growing . we've certainly seen growing. we've certainly seen more put in this more charge points put in this year than in previous years, but that remains a major hurdle for a people who still a lot of people who are still anxious able to find anxious about being able to find the points. and the working charge points. and so important as well so it's really important as well that with the new targets that are force to, are coming into force to, you know, that the know, help ensure that the market that of, market reaches that level of, you know, of electric vehicle sales, that also means that

there's good there's a really good opportunity there for the chargepoint deliver opportunity there for the chi investment deliver opportunity there for the ch'investment and deliver opportunity there for the ch'investment and reallydeliver opportunity there for the ch'investment and really buildr on investment and really build that national network that gives people make people that confidence to make that switch isn't the problem. >> also , though, that electric >> also, though, that electric vehicles sales, yes, aren't necessarily as reliable as petrol and diesel cars always . petrol and diesel cars always. isn't it the case that quite a lot of motorists are quite happy with their petrol and diesel cars, and don't particularly want to be shoved in that direction ? direction? >> so it's a case of certainly there are people will be more familiar with particular technology and therefore that's what they want at this stage. and it's also important to remember the end of sale remember that at the end of sale date that is coming up for 2035, that new vehicles only. that is, for new vehicles only. but more of these electric but as more of these electric vehicles on vehicles become more familiar on our already , probably our roads already, probably a lot of people will be regularly seeing those green numberplates lot of people will be regularly seeithere ose green numberplates lot of people will be regularly seeithere ose gtechnologyerplates lot of people will be regularly seeithere ose gtechnology islates out there that technology is going much more going to become much more familiar. people are familiar. and also people are going start also able going to start also being able to more widely those to see far more widely those benefits moving electric. you benefits of moving electric. you know, the lower know, the potentially the lower running costs, ease, if you running costs, the ease, if you have a charger at home of being

able to charge at home not able to charge at home and not worry filling worry about finding your filling station, that ability station, and also that ability as for , you know, to drive as well for, you know, to drive within emission zones and within a low emission zones and avoid and those kind of avoid charges and those kind of things too. so there are loads of benefits for going to electric vehicles, including the technology involved . and technology that is involved. and as become on the road, as those become on the road, they're going more is it they're going to be more is it going to be is it going to be cheaper to run for that much longer, treasury longer, because the treasury will with a big will be faced with a big financial hole if everyone financial black hole if everyone shifts electric vehicles, shifts to electric vehicles, because paying shifts to electric vehicles, becauspump paying shifts to electric vehicles, becauspump for paying shifts to electric vehicles, becauspump for fuel, paying shifts to electric vehicles, becauspump for fuel, they'll'ing at the pump for fuel, they'll have to make up shortfall have to make up that shortfall in or another. in one way or another. >> could that mean more road taxes ? taxes? >> now that's a lot. that's a longer time thing, and that's something for whichever future governments in place in a governments are in place in a few years time to work out essentially. but in the meantime there's that real opportunity to drive that adoption. now, that opportunity to give consumers that tax that vat, on new that tax cut that on vat, on new electric vehicle purchases that will help them then move to electric vehicles . it helps electric vehicles. it helps level the playing field and means that we can see perhaps an

extra quarter of a million on top we're expecting to top of what we're expecting to see terms electric see in terms of electric vehicles road within the vehicles on the road within the next three years. >> interesting well, >> interesting stuff. well, james the society of james bowley of the society of motor manufacturers and traders, thank for putting thank you so much for putting that case across. >> is that levelling the playing field, tax cuts for electric vehicles? >> no, i'm not i'm not really a fan of sort of lots of different levels of vat . i think if you're levels of vat. i think if you're going to have vat, have it at one level and don't distort the market too much. but i do think we need a lot more charges across the and sadly, across the country. and sadly, it comes back to my favourite issue, which is it's too issue, emily, which is it's too hard to build things in the united kingdom. well yeah, far too hard. >> well, yes. >> well, yes. >> i just think if a product's good enough, people will buy it. but coming up, it's not that difficult to buy a house in britain, is it? we'll be discussing that with our panel after headlines with after your headlines with tatiana. afternoon, tatiana. this is good afternoon, britain . gb news. britain on. gb news. >> good afternoon . 132 this is

>> good afternoon. 132 this is the latest from the gb newsroom . the latest from the gb newsroom. labour says the government's asleep at the wheel over its handung asleep at the wheel over its handling of flooding as hundreds of warnings remain in place across the country in the wake of storm henk , the parties of storm henk, the parties promising to create force promising to create a task force similar to the emergency cobra committee to coordinate flood preparations and to protect homes. nottinghamshire county council declared a major incident yesterday, with more than 100 homes flooded . a cold than 100 homes flooded. a cold weather alert has now been issued the uk health security issued by the uk health security agency, with the met office urging drivers to be cautious of ice . the shadow chancellor says ice. the shadow chancellor says she understands, calls for the former post office boss to lose her cbe over the horizon scandal . the government is being urged to pay compensation to those affected , with labour calling it affected, with labour calling it one of the worst miscarriages of justice to ever happen in britain. more than 700 royal mail staff were imprisoned when flawed software led to false accusations that they'd stolen money. rachel reeves says more needs to be done. >> well, i can understand why

people people are saying that the former head of the post office should return her honour. my office should return her honour. my focus would be on getting the compensation to those who were wrongly convicted of these crimes . crimes. >> and tributes are being paid for derek draper, a former political adviser and husband of tv presenter kate garraway, who's died at the age of 56. he passed away following several years of serious health complications due to covid. former prime minister sir tony blair called him a good colleague and a great friend, while fellow former prime minister gordon brown described him multi—talented in a post him as multi—talented in a post on social media, his wife kate said she was holding her darling husband's hand throughout his last hours . you can get last long hours. you can get more on all of those stories by visiting our website, gb news.com .

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isabel monday to thursdays from. six till 930. >> good afternoon britain now natwest's chair , sir howard natwest's chair, sir howard davies, is being labelled out of touch due to his comments on this morning's bbc today programme . um, yes. programme. um, yes. >> the average price of a property in the uk is almost £300,000. the average first time buyer is now 32 years old. davies says. though it's not all that bad and easy to get on the property ladder. tom. >> well, let's discuss this with a bit more. oh yeah . no, just a bit more. oh yeah. no, just just eat fewer sandwiches and you'll be fine . anne. well, um, you'll be fine. anne. well, um, let's discuss this now with the columnist at the daily telegraph madeline grant and the former labour mp stephen pound . now, labour mp stephen pound. now, i think . we should probably remind think. we should probably remind ourselves of just not. not just what sir howard davies said, but

the way in which we said it. i believe we have a little clip here get on property here to get on the property ladderin here to get on the property ladder in this country. >> well, i don't think it's that difficult at the moment, but to buy a house in this country, well, we live in the same country reporting from overseas is you have to save b, and that's the way it always used to be. >> we went through. >> we went through. >> yes, but the multiple of average earnings that you require sorry to interrupt the multiple of average earnings you require to get a house. i mean i'm just thinking of our listeners under the age of 40 would say, have you tried buying a a city this country? >> yes, undoubtedly. but what we saw financial crisis was saw in the financial crisis was the of having people being the risk of having people being able to borrow 100% in order to get onto the property ladder, and then suffering severe well , and then suffering severe well, there we go. >> let them eat brioche , isn't it? >> i have to say, you know £300,000 for a house on my way. >> it would need some work. i can tell you. >> well, yes, but you're in london, aren't you? yeah, yeah,

yeah. um but that, of course, is the average. >> um, it houses in the >> so, um, it houses in the north—east a lot cheaper houses in london. the average deposit i was average deposit in was reading average deposit in london over £100,000. london now over £100,000. >> but a of people >> yeah, but a lot of people writing in maddie have said, because we were talking about this , to have you this earlier, to have said, you know , younger people, they don't know, younger people, they don't know, younger people, they don't know to how save, they spend too much on frivolities and do much money on frivolities and do you travelling the world and all this and that, if they just, uh, you know, knuckled down and went without things they'd be able to afford? >> well, i think that there may be some truth to this. >> i wish, for example, at school we have been taught more about and about how to manage money, and there sorts of things there are all sorts of things that i had to learn the hard way in 20s. but actually, i think in my 20s. but actually, i think a people have kind of a lot of people have kind of tapped out of attempting to save because they know it's a futile process. they're never process. they know they're never going to stump up the going to be able to stump up the kind especially with kind of money, especially with often the deposits increasing higher average it higher than the average wage. it was that was something, something that many be forever many people feel will be forever beyond their reach. so that

beyond their reach. so in that climate, you know, why not have beyond their reach. so in that clinoccasionalnow, why not have beyond their reach. so in that clinoccasional holidayy not have beyond their reach. so in that clinoccasional holiday just: have beyond their reach. so in that clinoccasional holiday just to, ve the occasional holiday just to, you what? the point? you know what? what's the point? otherwise well otherwise you might as well enjoy never enjoy your life. if you're never going to have the kind of financial security that your parents eat, drink, be parents did eat, drink, and be merry attitude though, well, eat, merry because eat, drink and be merry because tomorrow in a tomorrow you'll be living in a bedsit in washington, tyne and wear like that. bedsit in washington, tyne and we.but like that. bedsit in washington, tyne and we.but look, like that. bedsit in washington, tyne and we.but look, what's ike that. bedsit in washington, tyne and we.but look, what's goingat. bedsit in washington, tyne and we.but look, what's going to >> but look, what's going to happenis >> but look, what's going to happen is we're going to have these year mortgages, these 30, 40 year mortgages, which much the norm in america. >> and for some reason, i don't know why. the two things know why. the two odd things about british housing about the british housing market. have a high market. firstly, we have a high percentage ownership market. firstly, we have a high perce almost ownership market. firstly, we have a high perce almost anywhere nnership market. firstly, we have a high perce almost anywhere in arship market. firstly, we have a high percealmost anywhere in europe. than almost anywhere in europe. you know, you look at germany, i mean, have mean, austria, i mean, they have a think it's about a fantastic i think it's about 60 or 70% rental accommodation in austria. yeah. they're in austria. yeah. and they're quite happy. >> we've got a very sticky >> so we've got a very sticky property because we've property market because we've got moving got very high taxes on moving property stay property stamp duty people stay in perhaps are too in houses that perhaps are too big for them or too small for them whatever, and i think them or whatever, and i think them or whatever, and i think the not so much the issue is, is not so much moving the property ladder. >> actually on the >> it's actually getting on the damn the first damn property in the first place. the reality is, place. and the reality is, i mean, i'm sympathetic to martin. i speak to young i do occasionally speak to young people, know, and i know

people, you know, and i know that you're actually looking at the having to save up the idea of having to save up £100,000 when you're not only on 18, but you're 18, 19,000 a year, but you're also paying your student also paying off your student grant. you've also paying off your student grarall you've also paying off your student grarall those you've also paying off your student grarall those things. you've also paying off your student grarall those things. yeah. ve also paying off your student grarall those things. yeah. and got all those things. yeah. and unless you've got, you know, your and dad which which your mum and dad which which simply inequality your mum and dad which which simply it inequality your mum and dad which which simply it means inequality your mum and dad which which simply it means the equality your mum and dad which which simply it means the wealthy because it means the wealthy parents wealthy parents lead onto the wealthy children everybody else is children and everybody else is outside the door outside knocking on the door trying outside knocking on the door tryi but this feeds into an >> but this feeds into an incredibly out of touch leadership of this. >> point of this >> that's the point of this particular bank. of course, it wasn't that long ago people wasn't that long ago that people were debunked their were being debunked at for their political . you remind me, political views. you remind me, can you give me name remind can you give me a name to remind me? wouldn't, i wouldn't. me? oh, i wouldn't, i wouldn't. >> one of our colleagues, a runner up to be amongst other people , you know, needless to people, you know, needless to say, the person say, he was not the only person involved in it. >> certainly, certainly not. but i think potentially one of the biggest issues back in 2008, 2009, this sort of antipathy towards a certain different way in which people were living in a parallel universe, a parallel life that created a lot of angen life that created a lot of anger, that probably led up to a

lot of the issues we saw in the referendum as well . well, that's referendum as well. well, that's not gone away exactly. >> i mean, it's just it's fantastically out of touch to pretend, for example, that there aren't immense structural obstacles that didn't exist before that prevent young people from ever owning their own home, just purely looking at the ratio between average earnings and the average deposit to of average deposit to kind of pretend, oh, it's always pretend, oh, well, it's always been hard. and this is no different. it has always been difficult and people did to difficult and people did have to work in the work extremely hard back in the day. but my mother bought day. but when my mother bought a flat like, i don't flat in london for like, i don't know, 100 and something grand in the she managed to do the 1980s, and she managed to do that within a few years of arriving in london and, you know, this was not an abnormal experience ever. you know, so many her contemporaries many of her contemporaries managed the same thing. and if you situation you compare that situation and that's a that's with someone earning a decent salary, decent middle class salary, hardly any of my friends have managed to achieve this without some help from their family. >> basically, know of one >> basically, i know of one person without person who's done it without family and i'm someone family support, and i'm someone who my friends have who a lot of my friends have done extremely well and earn a

lot of money. >> i mean, very, very real. >> i mean, it's very, very real. >> it's a simple >> yeah. i mean, it's a simple case supply and demand, isn't case of supply and demand, isn't it? there's not enough supply where need it. where we need it. >> certain extent. >> to a certain extent. >> to a certain extent. >> true. >> that's true. >> that's true. >> but mean, there's awful >> but i mean, there's an awful lot property in london. lot of empty property in london. >> go. >> you go go. >> you go go. >> there is not stephen pound, the number of the number of empty units in london is at the lowest. in 40 years. lowest. it's been in 40 years. >> i'm sorry. let me say four of the the wards kensington the of the wards in kensington and actually had to and chelsea have actually had to amalgamate because they no longer have. >> would be able to >> people would be able to afford those anyway. no, we're not but look johns >> yeah, but look glynis johns died and remember died yesterday. and you remember in poppins, there's one in mary poppins, there's one scene the bank when scene in the bank when everybody's the bank, you everybody's in the bank, you know, and all sitting know, and they're all sitting with tuppence tailcoats. you with tuppence and tailcoats. you know, rather thought that know, and i rather thought that that you know, that had finished, you know, with, poppins and with, you know, mary poppins and mr what's name, the, the mr what's his name, the, the family banks mr what's his name, the, the fa was. banks mr what's his name, the, the fawas. oh banks mr what's his name, the, the fawas. oh that's banks mr what's his name, the, the fawas. oh that's right. banks it was. oh that's right. >> yeah. >> yeah. >> the clue's in the name isn't it. but when you see something like this and you think the business with and, business with cuts and, you know, to think know, you start to think yourself, is anybody actually in touch you get touch yet? and then you get these thrusting banks these young, thrusting banks

like bank come along like the metro bank come along and same. and they're just the same. they're absolutely flippin same. >> $- @ well, what same. >> well, what about what >> well, well, what about what about davies, the about sir howard davies, the chairman comments chairman of natwest's comments with the de—banking scandal? >> well, stephen, he to >> well, stephen, he seemed to suggest everything was suggest that everything was a—okay was rather reasonable. >> i'm not one for conspiracy theories, but i reckon nigel farage set this up because it's the gift that keeps on giving. i mean, come on, it's like all his christmases have come at once, and i see talk about the cat who's had the cream. >> i don't think so. i think it caused him a lot of stress. >> i know, but he's done very, very well of it. very well very well out of it. very well indeed. but look, i mean, that is totally and utterly out of touch. when you consider touch. and when you consider when these emails when you look at these emails that been about that have been released about the took the conversations that took place, really don't like him. place, we really don't like him. you know, a bit of a you know, he's a bit of a scientist, you know, and heaven's that's what heaven's sake, that's not what banking is. look, banking initially was simply about holding money and holding other people's money and then that. then lending against that. it should much more should actually be much more proactive. don't proactive. we should. i don't see don't have the unity see why we don't have the unity bank state bank. all the bank or the state bank. all the banks we've tried to have banks that we've tried to have in the past, which has actually

been a state supported been like a state supported lender for people for some reason, don't take reason, we just don't take it in. just all in. we're just all too capitalist also capitalist in this country. also >> very, very it's i think >> it's very, very it's i think it's for now that it's quite for easy now that they've to perform the most they've had to perform the most humiliating volte face in the history of humiliation, um, to be well, actually, we be like, oh, well, actually, we didn't mean you know, was fine. >> it was always fine. it was only fine because they happened to that has a big to go for someone that has a big following and is persuasive and also dogged campaigner, also a very dogged campaigner, and he's successfully fought against there were against this. but there were loads of other had loads of other people who had less of a profile who were also caught up in this scandal, are now it with now experiencing it with with other banks, with building societies, etc. and it's good that that nigel farage had the platform be able to do platform to be able to do something it. something about it. >> one to another. >> um, it seems this afternoon that most of nottinghamshire is under that might be that most of nottinghamshire is ulslight that might be that most of nottinghamshire is ulslight exaggeration,t might be that most of nottinghamshire is ulslight exaggeration, butght be that most of nottinghamshire is ulslight exaggeration, but for be a slight exaggeration, but for hundreds of people they've had to banks have to leave their homes, banks have burst or indeed rivers burst their or indeed rivers have burst their banks rather than banks having burst their rivers just moving on for the last they did that in 2008. >> yeah. >> yeah. >> right. right. but oh no,

gordon brown saved the world. yes >> oh, he saved the banks. oh, what a what wonderful prime what a what a wonderful prime minister's throwback. minister's questions throwback. >> but stephen, the >> um, but but stephen, the labour party today is saying there should be a cobra style meeting, uh, to, to fix these floods. >> what would that do? >> what would that do? >> well, i think we actually do needi >> well, i think we actually do need i mean, at the moment, the problem is it's regionalised. the response the flooding is the response to the flooding is too regionalised. if you too much to regionalised. if you actually at map from actually look at the map from gloucestershire way gloucestershire right the way across then across to nottinghamshire, then right the way across to the wash, know, the is the wash, you know, the wash is the appropriate that appropriate word that underwater. is underwater. so this is a national and there are national emergency and there are times the government times when the government actually be bit actually needs to be a bit proactive and actually do something i think something about it. and i think cobra, which is just simply cabinet briefing room a cabinet office briefing room a or something. it's nothing or something. yeah, it's nothing serpentine. office or something. yeah, it's nothing serperthe . office or something. yeah, it's nothing serperthe meeting office or something. yeah, it's nothing serperthe meeting takes fice where the meeting takes place. they a lot of them they used to do a lot of them back in my northern ireland days, and it always sounded rather so we're doing rather exciting. so we're doing python next week and then anyway. is python next week and then anywa got is python next week and then anywa got a is python next week and then anywa got a real is python next week and then anywa got a real problem. is python next week and then anywa got a real problem. and we've got a real problem. and the problem we've got here is the problem we've got here is the run off from the water. so many of our rivers have actually been that the

been dredged so deep that the water runs fast through them. they've that's a real they've been. and that's a real major think major problem. and i think there's piece on gb there's a very good piece on gb news earlier on today with the civil engineer. yeah. talking about course. sorry. about oh of course. sorry. >> we interviewed >> yeah. we interviewed him. >> yeah. we interviewed him. >> gonna say it was >> i was just gonna say it was these guys. >> thought it was thoughtful >> i thought it was a thoughtful interview too. >> i thought it was a thoughtful inteyes.n too. >> i thought it was a thoughtful inteyes. no,o. >> i thought it was a thoughtful inteyes. no, i thought the >> yes. no, i thought the questions were they are. >> fantastic. >> they are fantastic. >> they are fantastic. >> absolutely. the i have to >> absolutely. no. the i have to say interview kind of say the interview was kind of drew out in a way that it drew him out in a way that it shows a great deal of knowledge on their part. >> when >> maddie, when there are floods like and they are too like this and they are too frequent, um, there was always accusations ministers and accusations that ministers and in the minister in particular the prime minister at the time isn't present enough, isn't visible enough, isn't in the areas that are affected. too time affected. spending too much time in westminster, about in westminster, bothering about westminster not westminster things and not getting out there. >> going with this. >> i mean, twas ever thus i do. i wonder if did people always blame politicians if there was a damaging wonder if damaging flood? i do wonder if we slightly politician in we slightly ukip politician in around 2013 said that the around 2013 who said that the floods due to with the floods were due to with the equal marriage legislation . equal marriage legislation. >> yes. yeah. >> oh yes. yeah. >> oh yes. yeah. >> gay rights has to >> gay gay rights has led to flooding. >> gay gay rights has led to flo

>> well, maybe this is this is what the decline of religion doesin what the decline of religion does in the old days, we would have blamed the or the gods. >> and now it's like rishi sunak. >> that's a very that's a very interesting point. >> we do. but i always jump to blame. i do remember, like my parents house flooded parents house being flooded in 1999, a massive flood, 1999, there was a massive flood, i warwickshire was i think 99, in warwickshire was very and we very badly affected and we couldn't kind of go our, couldn't kind of go into our, our, our house properly ages. >> and, you know, was partly >> and, you know, it was partly to with not having enough to do with not having enough ditches and basic land husbandry had properly had not been followed properly around lived. and i around where we lived. and i think sometimes think actually we're sometimes losing that losing touch with things that probably ancestors probably our ancestors understood us about probably our ancestors understavoid us about probably our ancestors understavoid flooding. us about how to avoid flooding. >> don't build on a >> well, we don't build on a flood. well, that's a good, good start. >> yeah, but when you see a politician, we live in the 21st century. >> we have around the world. i mean, you look you look at mean, you look at you look at the dutch, a significant proportion of that country should be water. it's should be under water. but it's not because they have competent land norfolk land management. norfolk is dropping sea well. dropping into the sea as well. >> yeah, but think most of >> yeah, but i think most of east anglia was wetlands one point. >> yeah. >> yeah. >> on your major, your major point know, you've point about, you know, you've got everybody's got a flood. everybody's in a state crisis. and then lo and

state of crisis. and then lo and behold, here comes rishi sunak in tailored prada in a pair of tailored prada wellingtons, coming wellingtons, you know, coming through, you're to through, and you're going to stop all emergency. oh, stop all the emergency. oh, thank there's an mp here. >> but is that you should >> but is that what you should be doing? >> no, what they >> yeah. no, no, what they should be. >> even canute that he >> even canute knew that he couldn't back the tide. couldn't turn back the tide. that in on joke. that james in on the joke. >> apparently, that could have been thames that he was. been the thames that he was. there is a there is a story. >> just trying to prove. >> he's just trying to prove. >> he's just trying to prove. >> he's just trying to prove. >> he was westminster, which originally westminster was an island thorney island. island called thorney island. >> there was a river that >> and there was a river that ran from here in paddington down to thames and created to the thames and created a little eyot. yeah. and one of the, one of the stories is that king canute was sitting actually just about where westminster is today, watching the tide come in, the tide from the thames. and that's where the story comes from. well, the interesting thing, the proof of that is the strand. >> the strand, which is now, as you know, about a mile from parliament was the strand. it was edge the was actually the edge of the river there. because river down there. and because you say, i mean back, back in the isleworth sea scouts, we used it the chiswick

the isleworth sea scouts, we used because the chiswick the isleworth sea scouts, we used because it's chiswick the isleworth sea scouts, we used because it's the swick the isleworth sea scouts, we used because it's the same i at eight because it's the same i at eight. but the point is the eight. but but the point is the reason why the government should be actually doing something reason why the government should be actthis. doing something reason why the government should be actthis. doirhavenething reason why the government should be actthis. doirhavenehuge about this. you have a huge number of regional authorities, you plus you have, you you know, plus you have, you know, thames water, natural england, other groups, england, all those other groups, they to be brought together they need to be brought together because moment they because at the moment they response far precipitous. response is far too precipitous. it'swe're response is far too precipitous. it's we're always response is far too precipitous. it'swe're always on the back >> we're always on the back foot, aren't we? >> there's a crisis. and then we respond to that crisis good respond to that crisis as, good heavens, it's raining our politics. >> would have guessed >> who would have guessed that it have raining? now it would have been raining? now we technology. there we only technology. is there a couple more and we couple of more minutes and we should on these. should touch on these. >> epstein files that broke this week. metropolitan police week. the metropolitan police saying investigate week. the metropolitan police sayingandrew. investigate week. the metropolitan police saying andrew. supposegate week. the metropolitan police saying andrew. suppose .ate prince andrew. i suppose. madeleine, because it madeleine, that's because it wasn't really anything new. >> that's the that's the question. i mean, obviously if there is new information that could yield something substantial , of course they substantial, of course they ought to investigate it. and the suspicion many people will have is that if they're not doing so, it's because of his influential position , then it would be very position, then it would be very good it to be made clear. good for it to be made clear. um, what is new? what is already

been dealt with. so i think there needs to be greater clarity on what precisely has come to light and what that means. >> some kind of statement. well, i think it's a very point, >> some kind of statement. well, i thii k it's a very point, >> some kind of statement. well, i thii think a very point, >> some kind of statement. well, i thii think theery point, >> some kind of statement. well, i thii think the reality point, >> some kind of statement. well, i thii think the reality ofoint, >> some kind of statement. well, i thii think the reality of the, but i think the reality of the situation is that prince andrew, andrew windsor, i they andrew windsor, as i say, they referred to him on radio nowadays. >> he was there at the at >> he was he was there at the at the church in norfolk on christmas and and was christmas eve. and and he was there as part the what was there as part of the what was it, the coronations anyway, he's been this been brought back in this basically ends it. yes. i think the fact is that is simply the fact is that he is simply persona grata. now yes. and persona non grata. now yes. and his brother must waking up his brother must be waking up every morning thinking, oh god, what andrew? every morning thinking, oh god, what know w? every morning thinking, oh god, what know what's quite >> you know what's quite interesting? quite lot interesting? quite a lot of people have been writing in. i've been monitoring the inbox on lot of people on this one, and a lot of people are saying, you know, leave him alone. innocent until proven guilty, the case because guilty, settled the case because the is what the queen. well, this is what people in. people are writing in. >> but have to say that >> yeah, but i have to say that the real horror for me was reading that about stephen hawking mean, yes, i hawking taking. i mean, yes, i mean, stephen hawking. >> doesn't that to >> well, that doesn't that to some extent dilute the prince andrew if you're talking andrew stuff. if you're talking about donald about bill clinton and donald trump stephen of

trump and stephen hawking, of all people, well, we not at all people, well, are we not at risk together people risk of lumping together people who flight or were who simply took a flight or were there a trip and people there on a on a trip and people who may have committed far more serious crimes? who may have committed far more seriright.imes? who may have committed far more seriright.inthink is >> right. i think there is a danger that it all gets lumped together. >> and there's a big list of names of everyone that happened to have, know what? to have, you know what? >> a lot of sympathy for >> i have a lot of sympathy for people think there's people who think there's some kind conspiracy on kind of conspiracy going on here, because some of here, because you have some of the influential people in the most influential people in the most influential people in the world all flying on the world all flying in on private this island. you private jets to this island. you could forgiven thinking could be forgiven for thinking it's that lizard. people style. >> you know, it's often it's davosin >> you know, it's often it's davos in the caribbean. exactly yeah. per davos. yeah davos with people very people who aren't very, very rich and powerful. >> perp. look >> bilderberg perp. but look i actually had a look at a drill down a bit into this stephen hawking thing because can hawking thing because you can just it turned just be very quick. it turned out attending out he was attending a conference of physicists in an adjoining and he had a adjoining island, and he had a trip on boat around epstein's, trip on a boat around epstein's, you know . you know. >> well, there you go. >> well, there you go. >> do have more than people >> we do have more than people have to be careful about lumping everyone in with some the everyone in with some of the more severe allegations. >> but lots coming >> but anyway, lots more coming up we'll be

up in the next hour. we'll be heanng up in the next hour. we'll be hearing just why flats in farnborough to farnborough are being used to home good afternoon home migrants. so good afternoon britain on gb news. >> it looks like things are heating up boxt boiler as sponsors of whether on gb news . sponsors of whether on gb news. >> hello, i'm alex deakin, this is your latest weather update from the met office for gb news still some showery rain around today, but overall the weekend looks a lot drier after what's been a very wet start to the yeah been a very wet start to the year. it's also going to turn cold this week and as the low pressure systems disappear , air pressure systems disappear, air and high pressure starts to build in. but the lows are still with us at the moment, generating some showery rain over northeast england over parts of northeast england in trickling in particular, and trickling down the midlands. down towards the midlands. nothing as extensive nothing as heavy or as extensive as yesterday. but of course any extra rain is far from welcome. a few showers grazing west wales overnight we'll keep some overnight and we'll keep some heavy showers over the heavy showers going over the northern isles of scotland, turning in turning quite chilly in scotland, ireland, scotland, northern ireland, northern a touch of northern england a touch of frost, likely places further

frost, likely in places further south. cold, but most places just about staying above freezing . chilly all day, though freezing. chilly all day, though on saturday quite grey across these eastern parts of england . these eastern parts of england. still a little of light rain still a little bit of light rain and drizzle there. and drizzle here and there. quite could be quite quite a dank day. could be quite a foggy start over parts of northwest england, southwest scotland. in scotland. still some showers in the north and west the far north and for west wales, for many it's a dry wales, but for many it's a dry and particularly in the west . a and particularly in the west. a bright day with some sunny spells, but it is colder than it has been. temperatures close to average the of year. average for the time of year. a frosty night on saturday night means a chilly start to sunday again. some stubborn fog patches around on sunday, but for the vast majority it's looking like a dry and a bright day with some decent spells of sunshine. there will be a cold wind blowing though, particularly over parts of england. goodbye of eastern england. goodbye >> that feeling inside . >> that warm feeling inside. aside from boxt boilers , aside from boxt boilers, sponsors of weather on gb news .

>> good afternoon britain. it's 2:00 on friday, the 5th of january. storm ageddon flood chaos continues to spread across the uk. >> hundreds of people have been evacuated. rail lines blocked, roads turned into rivers and even cows have drowned in flood fields. we'll be giving you the latest from our reporters who are across the country now in a

gb news exclusive. >> we'll be hearing why and how pncey >> we'll be hearing why and how pricey flats in farnborough are being used to house migrants. our reporter who broke the story will join us and oscar pistorius. >> the case that gripped the world almost a decade ago now sees the former paralympic champion's release. we'll bring you a special report. and . some breaking news. and. some breaking news. >> an update to the story we had been discussing in the previous houn been discussing in the previous hour. the natwest group chairman , sir howard davies, has said he did not intend to underplay the serious challenges people face buying homes. this after suggesting in an interview that it was not that difficult to get on the property ladder. bit of a reverse ferret. oh dear. >> you know, i almost okay, i shouldn't say this, but i almost feel sorry for him in a way

because he obviously said what he meant . he meant. >> and then it's difficult. >> and then it's difficult. >> there's obviously then there's a huge backlash. and then of course you have to apologise as i mean, maybe it's true, maybe he didn't mean it. that's says. you know, that's what he says. you know, i genuinely think that he did not realise how tough people across the country are finding the property market right now. >> do you think both people are trying to pay their mortgages for him? interest rates going up are a great thing. his bank gets more cash, but for everyone else around country, means around the country, it means people's gone up. people's rents have gone up. people mortgage payments people's rents have gone up. people up|ortgage payments people's rents have gone up. people up and age payments people's rents have gone up. people up and it's payments people's rents have gone up. people up and it's hardernts people's rents have gone up. people up and it's harder and have gone up and it's harder and harder to get onto that property ladden harder to get onto that property ladder. so you think he's gone through an education in the last few well, perhaps perhaps few hours? well, perhaps perhaps this been a this been this has been a this has been a i'm sure a eureka moment. i'm not sure a eureka moment. >> think it's just a bit of >> i think it's just a bit of media pressure, a bit of social media pressure, a bit of social media uh, sorry, media backlash and, uh, sorry, but go . but there you go. >> well, is this cancel culture well, or is it? >> we live in a world of culture or accountability culture, cancel culture or accountability culture. >> let us know that.

>> let us know that. >> yeah. vaiews@gbnews.com. but much more to come after your headunes much more to come after your headlines with tatiana . headlines with tatiana. >> tom. thank you. your top stories from the gb news room. labour says the government's asleep at the wheel over its handung asleep at the wheel over its handling of flooding in its hundreds of warnings remain in place across the country in the wake parties wake of storm henk, the parties promising to create a task force similar cobra similar to the emergency cobra committee to coordinate flood preparations and to protect homes. nottinghamshire county council declared a major incident yesterday with more than 100 homes being flooded . a than 100 homes being flooded. a cold alert has now been cold weather alert has now been issued by the uk health security agency, with office agency, with the met office urging drivers be cautious of urging drivers to be cautious of ice . and as you've just been ice. and as you've just been hearing, the natwest chairman says he wasn't trying to underplay the challenges people face when buying a home after suggesting it wasn't that difficult . earlier, sir howard difficult. earlier, sir howard davies told the bbc those wishing to get on the property

ladder simply need to save their money. he said he recognises the challenges to own a home and he was meant to reflect easier mortgage access. that's after data from halifax showed house pnces data from halifax showed house prices are up by nearly £5,000 within a year, with the cost of an average home equating to around eight and a half years of around eight and a half years of a buyer's salary. local residents in hull told gb news they feel let down. >> we need more houses and, um, like bungalows and that for adapted people you know, for disabled. >> i've got a few friends who are trying to get on to the property for the first time, and they're telling me it's difficult just to try and save the initial, um ,10% or even the initial, um, 10% or even sometimes 5. >> i definitely think that the new homes should be more affordable to the average working family, because they're like seem to start off at quarter of £1 million. athenia leader of the nhs, says the combination of strike action and rising cases of flu is creating

a perfect storm for the struggling health service. >> sirjulian hartley's comments >> sir julian hartley's comments come as junior doctors in england continue their six day strike over pay and conditions. the longest industrial action in nhs history . the longest industrial action in nhs history. figures published on friday show the number of flu patients in england jumped by more than a third over christmas, while covid numbers are also increasing . sirjulian are also increasing. sirjulian said severe and long standing staff shortages have led to low staff shortages have led to low staff morale as heavy workloads take their toll . the shadow take their toll. the shadow chancellor says she understands why some people want the former post office boss to lose her cbe over the horizon scandal. the government's being urged to pay compensation to those affected, with labour calling it one of the worst miscarriages of justice to ever happen in britain . more than 700 royal britain. more than 700 royal mail staff were imprisoned when flawed software led to false accusations that they'd stolen money, rachel reeves says more needs to be done. >> well, i can understand why people are saying that the

former head of the post office should return her honour. my focus would be on getting the compensation to those who were wrongly convicted of these crimes . crimes. >> two teenage boys have been arrested on suspicion of murder over the death of harry pitman in north london. the 16 year old died following what police describe as an altercation as crowds gathered on primrose hill to watch the fireworks on new year's eve, the met police says a 16 year old and a 17 year old remain in custody . oscar remain in custody. oscar pistorius has been freed on parole from a south african prison, nearly 11 years after murdering his girlfriend . the murdering his girlfriend. the former paralympian shot reeva steenkamp multiple times through a door on valentine's day in 2013. he claimed he mistook her for an intruder, but prosecutors argued the murder was premeditated. following a row between the couple. the parole will last until december 2029

and the 37 year old will be required to obey strict conditions, including therapy and anger management. conditions, including therapy and anger management . and and anger management. and tributes are being paid for. derek draper, a former political adviser and husband of tv presenter kate garraway, who has died at the age of 56. he passed away following several years of serious health complications due to covid. former prime minister sir tony blair called him a good colleague and a great friend , colleague and a great friend, while fellow former prime minister gordon brown described him as multi—talented in a post on social media, his wife kate said she was holding her darling husband's hand throughout his last long hours . husband's hand throughout his last long hours. this is gb news across the uk on tv in your car, on digital radio and on your smart speaker by saying play gb news. now back to tom and . news. now back to tom and. emily. back to our top story. >> heavy rain and wild weather

have battered britain overnight, flooding causing havoc for residents , businesses and residents, businesses and motorists . now the met office is motorists. now the met office is warning of possible power cuts and train operators are warning services could be cancelled. >> meanwhile , nottinghamshire >> meanwhile, nottinghamshire and nottingham local resilience forum have declared a major incident due to the rising river levels on the river trent and flooding in the area. yes >> so joining us now from shropshire is our westminster midlands reporterjack shropshire is our westminster midlands reporter jack carson shropshire is our westminster midlands reporterjack carson . midlands reporter jack carson. thank you very much. you've been reporting there now all day . reporting there now all day. where are we now in terms of how local resident outs are being impacted ? impacted? >> well, what i can say certainly is, as you can probably see from how quickly the river is still flowing behind me, i've been here since just after 8:00 this morning, and that river, the river severn behind me, has only gone down by a few inches. and so those people on the opposite side of the river that have had their properties flooded and further downstream, in, downstream, particularly in, in the severn with the the river severn with the boat inn, which flooded once

inn, which has been flooded once again, are going stay again, they are going to stay flooded level is flooded in. this river level is going stay very high over the going to stay very high over the course of the next few days, meaning course people meaning of course those people cannot trying to get back cannot start trying to get back to normal, trying to make the repairs necessary that they need. we know this river peaked at 6.33m on thursday evening at around 9:00, and it has come down slightly, but as i was saying today , um, only by a very saying today, um, only by a very minimal faction, meaning of course it's still going to be causing that disruption . that's causing that disruption. that's very much because it's the rain further upstream in the likes of wales. that means that this current and this big volume body of water is still got a lot to clear from storm hank. it's the legacy of storm hank, which of course, is having such an impact for the flooding across the country, not just here in shropshire, but also in the midlands as well. you were mentioning the major incident that nottingham that was declared by nottingham shire county council over the flooding rising flooding there and the rising concerning river concerning levels of the river trent. it could concerning levels of the river trent. its it could concerning levels of the river trent. its highest it could concerning levels of the river trent. its highest level:ould concerning levels of the river trent. its highest level in ld concerning levels of the river trent. its highest level in 24 reach its highest level in 24 years. that is a counted to the

tributary rivers that go into the river trent. also at record level . also at their peak levels level. also at their peak levels over the past few days, rivers like the river derwent, which means in some places in nottingham and over 55 caravan park, has had to be evacuated and as well we believe around 100 people had to be evacuated yesterday. those numbers could still increase as of course there are hundreds of flood alerts still going, still existing around the country . as existing around the country. as you mentioned, the impact on the road networks is huge , with the road networks is huge, with the environment agency urging people in the last hour to not attempt to drive in any flood waters because of reports of people getting stuck across the country and is also on the transport networks. lots of railway networks. lots of railway networks urging people to check before they travel. >> thank you very much. jack carson. there in shropshire. so shall we cross to gb news, south—west of england? reporter jeff moody. he's in bath. geoff is the area being affected by

flooding ? flooding? >> yes, very much so. the river avon has burst its banks , as you avon has burst its banks, as you can see behind me. >> you can see on the left hand side. um, apologies to those on the radio, but i will describe it on the left hand side, you can see those trees that were sort of on the grounds of the houses there, gently meandering down to the river. >> now there are, there are good 2 or 3ft, if not a lot more underwater , where the river underwater, where the river water is flowing very, very strongly, very, very fast around here to. >> and the avon has burst its banksin >> and the avon has burst its banks in loads of places right along the riverside here we're not hearing at the moment of any houses that have been affected, because there's long lawns that lead down to the gardens here. but uh, the avon and somerset , but uh, the avon and somerset, uh, fire service and the rescue service has advised people to avoid flooding routes. don't make the mistake. they say, of driving through flooded water.

it's very easy to say , oh, well, it's very easy to say, oh, well, it's just a little bit of water i'll drive through. but they're saying for the sake of going ten minutes out of your way, do try and avoid because you don't know. first of all, you don't know. first of all, you don't know exactly how deep the floods are . ah. and secondly, you don't are. ah. and secondly, you don't know whether there's anything damaged underneath you could have covers that are have manhole covers that are damaged underneath flood damaged underneath that flood water, you could hit in water, which you could hit in your car. so the message is very clear. if see a road that's clear. if you see a road that's flooded, try and find another wayoh, jeff, it's always >> oh, jeff, it's always interesting to see those videos that do always viral of the that do always go viral of the one person in the queue of cars who believes they are different, who believes they are different, who believes they are different, who believe they can drive through no one has through where no one has successfully driven before , that successfully driven before, that seems to me that would be me. >> brave. >> brave. um, >> brave. um, but >> brave. um, but just >> brave. um, but just finally, jeff, how are the roads around bath? how are the roads in the south—west? are there any big no go areas . 90 areas. >> go areas. >> uh, not particularly things are flowing pretty well at the moment in most places. it's

basically down by the river that the problems are on higher land. there's certainly a lot of water that's sort of cast wading down the hills. you've got a lot of hills around here and you do see a lot of water. a lot of you know, quite beautiful waterfalls that are just flowing down from the onto the roads. but the hills onto the roads. but things pretty passable at things are pretty passable at the anyway good stuff. the moment. anyway good stuff. >> thank you very much indeed, jeff south west of jeff moody, our south west of england who's in bath england reporter who's in bath there now in a gb news exclusive, migrants will be housed in posh flats in farnborough. >> the flats are worth £1,400 per month and have been allocated by the home office for migrants as well. >> joining us now in the studio is gb news reporter adam cherry, who broke this story last night. adam, break it down for us. what have you found out? yeah >> so i travelled down to farnborough yesterday to see what was going on, and i found these apartment are one, two and three bedroom, as you say. there

they were on the for market £1,400 a month. but they're now you can't book a viewing. i tried, they've been taken off the market entirely. and that is because the home office has, uh, has taken over the entire block, all 100 or so apartments to house what we expect to be up to 300 asylum seekers over the coming weeks. 300 asylum seekers over the coming weeks . they haven't moved coming weeks. they haven't moved in yet. is our understanding . in yet. is our understanding. although furniture and bedding has been taken into the property. i spoke to a number of residents , so the block itself residents, so the block itself is adjacent to a residential property, which is occupied and has been for some time , and has been for some time, and those residents were told only in the last couple of weeks that this was happening. they didn't have any. they weren't consulted pnor have any. they weren't consulted prior to the decision already being made . um, and they were being made. um, and they were told this is this is what they can expect in the next month or so. and they themselves have seen couple of days, seen in the last couple of days, uh, , furniture, tables uh, bedding, furniture, tables and that and chairs that sort of that sort of being brought into and chairs that sort of that sortproperty being brought into

and chairs that sort of that sortproperty .eing brought into and chairs that sort of that sortproperty . and brought into and chairs that sort of that sortproperty . and foryught into and chairs that sort of that sortproperty . and for those nto and chairs that sort of that sortproperty . and for those on the property. and for those on television, you can see that these flats are to a high specification . uh, it's not specification. uh, it's not bafic specification. uh, it's not basic accommodation at all. it's i mean, people are happy to move into these flats. they look they look good. um, and i so i look very good. um, and i so i spoke to counsellors . i spoke to spoke to counsellors. i spoke to locals who weren't aware of this, the specifics of this story, because as the home office has the decision office has taken the decision on, uh, to announce any of on, uh, not to announce any of this , uh, likewise, council this, uh, likewise, the council who told me that they are largely in the dark, or at least were until last night, council decided make an decided not to make an announcement our announcement either. so our story is sending ripples throughout the local community. it's worth bearing in mind that actually, already actually, there's already a hotel which is housing migrants in the local area . it's not in the local area. it's not clear whether those migrants are going to move to this new, uh, facility in farnborough, or whether it will be it will be it will supplement what's already there at the hotel . we tried to there at the hotel. we tried to enter the hotel and it's locked down. you can't go in. i also tried yesterday to the tried to speak yesterday to the local mp , conservative leo local mp, conservative leo

docherty , and that proved very docherty, and that proved very difficult. despite several phone calls. but i can reveal in the last couple of moments, as i've been sat as i'm sitting here, i've received a statement from leo docherty and he says i am strongly opposed to the home office's plan to place asylum seekers in this property . whilst seekers in this property. whilst it is right that the home office seeks to end the use of costly hotels to temporarily hold asylum seekers while their cases are processed , i am firmly of are processed, i am firmly of the view that this is the view that this building is not an appropriate choice, and i continue to do all i can, including making direct representations to the home secretary, james cleverly, to oppose it. um, i, in concert with the leader of rushmoor borough council, the local council have lobbied the home secretary and immigration minister repeatedly in recent weeks. we've made clear our strong ongoing opposition to, in my view, the home office has not provided satisfactory , uh, provided satisfactory, uh, responses to these representations and has not adequately justified its decision. i am extremely disappointed by this and remain

entirely opposed. so this is causing warfare within the conservative party as well. just in the last 24 hours. >> adam, is this inevit able, given the government's sort of decision to stop using hotels , decision to stop using hotels, their inability to get barges up and running , their inability to get barges up and running, and the strong opposition we've seen to using former raf sites as well, ultimately there are people who've arrived in the country who've arrived in the country who the government have an obugafion who the government have an obligation to house, and there are relatively few places because it it almost seems like it's a game of whack a mole. wherever they try , they're wherever they try, they're unable to do so. and just to add to adam, is it the case to that, adam, is it the case that these are asylum seekers? >> their claims haven't yet been processed. waiting processed. they're still waiting for answer. processed. they're still waiting for uh answer. processed. they're still waiting for uh ,nswer. processed. they're still waiting for uh , to ver. processed. they're still waiting for uh , to your point, emily, >> uh, to your point, emily, that isn't forthcoming at that answer isn't forthcoming at the moment because the home office this stuff. office don't reveal this stuff. the know . and the council don't know. and those spoke to within the those i spoke to within the council, uh, don't have the answer to that question either. so we don't yet. is the so we don't know yet. is the truth of it on the former point, tom. yeah so the home office, current, uh, policy is that they

will move , uh, asylum seekers will move, uh, asylum seekers out of hotels as soon as possible and provide them with of course, you'll provide them with, with adequate housing and humane accommodation. um, but it was robert jenrick policy. who's the former immigration minister who obviously resigned in, uh, in december, although his his policy remains , uh, that the policy remains, uh, that the accommodation can't be seen as too luxurious , as too too luxurious, as too comfortable because it will have the effect of encouraging more illegal immigration in the future. so, yeah, it is a problem for the government and they have every day. they have seemingly more boats and more asylum seekers to process this. um, but it is it's really a problem of their own making. bearin problem of their own making. bear in mind, as you say , army bear in mind, as you say, army and military bases are perhaps not the most comfortable circumstances. but even in farnborough, there's a large mod presence there. so it's not impossible that they could be. they could be housed in comfortable barracks or similar

accommodation . there are surely accommodation. there are surely alternatives , um, than taking alternatives, um, than taking residential areas off the market in a location where there's a housing shortage. >> and adam, the number of stories i think we've all seen in the last few years of the inadequate level of social for housing people perhaps born in this country who are living in state subsidised accommodation. the mould on the walls, the improper care , all the rest of improper care, all the rest of it. it's a it is a pretty big slap in the face for those people who are, who are living in deeply, deeply substandard accommodation in that the high spec stuff in this case is being reserved for people who've just arrived . arrived. >> well, that was certainly the sentiment of those i spoke to in farnborough yesterday. their view was charity should begin at home and, and, and, and this is, as you say , a slap in the face. as you say, a slap in the face. that's how they would probably describe it. that's the attitude of the two conservative councillors for the ward in which this building is located.

that they said . they that was what they said. they said homes for local said local homes for local people, echoing essentially the same statement that i've just read from leo docherty. so, so yeah , it's causing a lot of yeah, it's causing a lot of a lot of commotion in farnborough over the last. as i say, the last 24 hours. >> thanks, adam cherry, appreciate you bringing that to us. i mean, we were just talking, tom, about the housing crisis and how difficult it is for people to get on the property ladder. but if you're claiming asylum in this country, then get put up in £1,400 a month flat . hmm. how can the month flat. hmm. how can the government justify this? well, clearly there's going to be outrage in the local area. >> it's so wrong as well that these people are waiting so long to hear the outcome of their case as well. if these cases were heard quickly , decided were heard quickly, decided quickly, they wouldn't need to be put up. they could go and get a job. they could go and, you know, pay for their own accommodation. but instead it's the been on the taxpayer that's been put on the taxpayer that's been put on the hook it because they're the hook of it because they're waiting. so long. >> unfortunately, even >> well, unfortunately, even

when claims are when even when claims are accepted and so on, it takes a while to then be, you know, getting into private accommodation again. >> simply don't have enough >> we simply don't have enough social housing. this will be social housing. and this will be a well, a market rate. housing. well, all housing all market rate. housing >> but in response to this story, a home office spokesman has said we've always been upfront the unprecedented upfront about the unprecedented pressure being put on our asylum system brought about by a significant increase in dangerous illegal journeys dangerous and illegal journeys into the country over recent years. >> we continue to work across government and with local authorities to identify a range of accommodation options to reduce the unacceptable use of hotels, which cost £8 million a day. the government remains committed to engaging with local authorities key stakeholders authorities and key stakeholders as of this process. now, as part of this process. now, i've to local authorities i've spoken to local authorities before that not before who say that they're not really involved the process really involved in the process and that the home office and that what the home office decides goes . decides goes. >> and exactly that's what adam was, was saying about this particular those people particular case. those people that live literally opposite these flats had no idea until it was imposed upon them. was just imposed upon them. >> go. >> well, there you go. >> well, there you go. >> like a practical situation.

>> like a practical situation. >> let know what you think. >> let us know what you think. vaiews@gbnews.com. i'm sure you've got a view this, but you've got a view on this, but coming paralympic hero coming up, paralympic hero turned pistorius turned murderer oscar pistorius is being released after spending over eight years in prison. we'll you a special we'll bring you a special report. this is good afternoon, britain on .

isabel monday to thursdays from . isabel monday to thursdays from. six till 930. >> good afternoon britain . it's

>> good afternoon britain. it's 225 and the paralympic hero turned killer oscar pistorius is being released after spending over eight years in prison for murdering his girlfriend. yes on valentine's day in 2013, the double amputee athlete, shot model and law graduate reeva steenkamp four times through their bathroom door. he'll be subject to strict supervision restrictions until his sentence endsin restrictions until his sentence ends in 2029. our reporter charlie peters has this report . charlie peters has this report. >> the killing stunned the country . the 27 year old country. the 27 year old olympian was an inspiration figure in south africa , figure in south africa, regularly dubbed the greatest national hero since nelson mandela . but on valentine's day mandela. but on valentine's day 2013, oscar pistorius became a murder suspect . pistorius argue , murder suspect. pistorius argue, said that he believed a dangerous intruder hid behind the door. the prosecution

contended that steenkamp , a 29 contended that steenkamp, a 29 year old model, had fled there after a row erupted in the night . the televised trial split global opinion . some saw the global opinion. some saw the poster boy as a cold blooded killer. others sympathised with the raw emotion he displayed in the raw emotion he displayed in the court. the so—called blade runner regularly cried in court, with the prosecution accusing him of deploying crocodile tears to distract from questioning . to distract from questioning. pistorius was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter, but an appeal ruled him to be a murderer. the court agreed that pistorius shot with the intent to kill , but whether he knew the to kill, but whether he knew the victim was his girlfriend, they couldn't say . last year , he was couldn't say. last year, he was granted parole after serving half of his sentence . but half of his sentence. but steenkamp's mother warned that he was not remorseful or rehabilitated . her family wanted

rehabilitated. her family wanted him to stay in jail. >> he was a family. believe that you've not seen his story . you've not seen his story. >> you know the pistorius released on parole today is expected to be unrecognisable to the athlete who entered prison in 2013. >> he will now trade a jail cell for a garden cottage in a guarded compound at his wealthy uncle's estate . and as pistorius uncle's estate. and as pistorius starts his new life, reeva steenkamp's mother will continue to grieve for the memory of her daughter , who had her life and daughter, who had her life and her dreams brutally taken from her. charlie peters gb news is . her. charlie peters gb news is. >> it'sjust her. charlie peters gb news is. >> it's just a tragic story, isn't it? well, absolutely. charlie peters joins us now for more and charlie, the more i'm reminded of it, the more shocking it seems someone at the height of his global fame, the

height of his global fame, the height of his athletic career , height of his athletic career, was convicted of doing something so brainless, so agreed , so brainless, so agreed, massive, so murderous as that. yes >> and the south african correctional establishment saying today that despite his past glories, he will be treated like any other inmate while he's on parole. so those restrictions , he has until 2029, no alcohol, no travel or employment without permission and crucially , no permission and crucially, no interviews with the media will be observed very strictly. mr pistorius could also face unannounced visits from his parole officers , and will be parole officers, and will be required to stay within the district in pretoria, where he is reportedly living with a wealthy uncle. he reportedly has a garden cottage in a secure compound. there so his life will now be extremely quiet. and that is also the demand made by the victim's family. is also the demand made by the victim's family . de reeva victim's family. de reeva steenkamp's mother, june , said

steenkamp's mother, june, said that she now wants to be left in peace as she continues to grieve for her daughter. she said that her family is still facing a life sentence after the horrific murder of their daughter in 2013. on valentine's day. that shooting has split opinion in south africa at the time, but the reaction has been more muted today with the release of mr pistorius. some, however , have pistorius. some, however, have said that the release does not send the right signals in south africa, the country is in the grip of a sexual violence pandemic . really, some 43,000 pandemic. really, some 43,000 cases of sexual assault recorded in the last calendar year, and some women's groups are saying this isn't the right message to be sending at time . this isn't the right message to be sending at time. hmm. be sending at this time. hmm. >> yes. so the parole board, they determined he was fit for social reintegration. do we understand what the thinking was behind that ? behind that? >> well, he'd served half his sentence . now, originally, his

sentence. now, originally, his sentence. now, originally, his sentence was considered to lenient. when the supreme court upgrade added it from culpable homicide , which is the south homicide, which is the south african variant of manslaughter to murder . and they also to murder. and they also increased his sentence. then to some 13 years. so he served over half of that jail cell. but while he was in prison, he reportedly drove a tractor in the gardens . reportedly drove a tractor in the gardens. he reportedly drove a tractor in the gardens . he worked reportedly drove a tractor in the gardens. he worked in the library. he also cleaned other inmates cells and as part of his rehabilitation outside of jail, he'll be expected to engage with gender violence therapy and deaung gender violence therapy and dealing with rage issues. but reeva steenkamp's family say they don't believe that he is fully rehabilitated, and they have told the public they don't believe his story for a cold blooded murder. >> 15 years does not sound like a particularly long period of time. it's remarkable that in 2029, these restrictions will be lifted. no doubt they'll be interviews, perhaps a book. he will be a major celebrity in the

world. again, it seems like a remarkably short amount of time after his . after his rampage. after his. after his rampage. >> yeah, well, thank you very much indeed. charlie peters, our reporter there, bringing us the latest now from a racist met police force to warships decommissioned because there's no sailors to sail them. well hello, charlie. we'll be discussing that and much more with our panel. stay tuned . with our panel. stay tuned. >> good afternoon. 231 this is the latest from the gb newsroom. labour says the government's asleep at the wheel over its handung asleep at the wheel over its handling of flooding. there's hundreds of warnings remain in place across the country in the wake of storm henk, the party's promising a task force promising to create a task force similar to the emergency cobra committee . to coordinate flood committee. to coordinate flood preparations and to protect homes. nottinghamshire county council declared a major incident yesterday, with more than 100 homes being flooded . a than 100 homes being flooded. a cold weather alert has now been issued by the uk health security

agency , with the met office agency, with the met office urging drivers to be cautious of ice.the urging drivers to be cautious of ice. the natwest chairman says he wasn't trying to underplay the challenges people face when buying a home after suggesting it wasn't that difficult . it wasn't that difficult. earlier. sir howard davies told the bbc those wishing to get on the bbc those wishing to get on the property ladder simply need to save their money. he now says he recognises the challenges to own a home, and he intended to reflect what he called easier access to mortgages . as data access to mortgages. as data from halifax shows, house prices shot up by nearly £5,000 within a year, with the cost of an average home equating to around eight and a half years of a buyer's salary. the shadow chancellor says she understands why some people want the former post office boss to lose her cbe over the horizon scandal. the government's being urged to pay compensation to those affected, with labour calling it one of the worst miscarriages of justice to ever happen in britain. more than 700 royal mail staff were imprisoned when flawed software led to false accusations that they'd stolen

money. rachel reeves says more needs to be done . needs to be done. >> well, i can understand why people are saying that the former head of the post office should return her honour. my focus would be on getting the compensation to those who were wrongly convicted of these crimes . crimes. >> tributes are being paid to derek draper, a former political adviser and husband of tv presenter kate garraway , who's presenter kate garraway, who's died at the age of 56. he passed away following several years of serious health complications due to covid. former prime minister sir tony blair called him a good colleague and a great friend , colleague and a great friend, while fellow former prime minister gordon brown described him as multi—talented. in a post on social media, his wife kate said she was holding her darling husband's hand throughout his last long hours . to some, last long hours. to some, breaking news now the actor

david soul has died at the age of 80. he was best known for his role in the classic tv series starsky and hutch. his death was announced by his wife, helen snell. you can get more on all of those stories by visiting our website, gbnews.com .

want to keep you entertained. >> the camilla tominey show sunday mornings from 930 on gb news news . it's 238 and we

news news. it's 238 and we have our wonderful panel back with us, columnist at the daily telegraph, madeline grant, and the former labour mp stephen pound. >> now i want to touch on adam cherrys. we'll start with adam cherry, our reporter. his exclusive live about essentially a block of flats, flats going for about £1,400 a month on the private market, essentially being removed from that housing to market provide housing for asylum seekers. stephen >> absolutely scandalous and as i said before, the government is looking at this through the wrong end of the telescope. they seem to be concerned with what to with asylum seekers once to do with asylum seekers once they're here. they said, should we actually be processing them at the point of arrival, as we always and if always used to do? and if they're going in caravans they're going to be in caravans or stockholm or even a or the bibby stockholm or even a container anything, container house or anything, so be it. but you sort it out there and then forget, some of and then don't forget, some of these a legitimate these people have a legitimate right enter the country, and right to enter the country, and we them in here we should get them in here working and paying but at working and paying tax. but at the moment, every body comes in

working and paying tax. but at the then ant, every body comes in working and paying tax. but at the then aftervery body comes in working and paying tax. but at the then after 2ery body comes in working and paying tax. but at the then after 2 or body comes in working and paying tax. but at the then after 2 or 3)dy comes in working and paying tax. but at the then after 2 or 3 years mes in working and paying tax. but at the then after 2 or 3 years ofes in and then after 2 or 3 years of keeping their heads down, they get, believe it? get, would you believe it? they get, would you believe it? they get stamped clear get the rubber stamped to clear the backlog. but the idea that this block of luxury flats is it's galvanise this it's actually galvanise this those who who those sort of people who who will refuse will actually refuse to compromise situation. will actually refuse to com itomise situation. will actually refuse to com it does situation. will actually refuse to com it does asylum situation. will actually refuse to com it does asylum seekersion. will actually refuse to com it does asylum seekers no and it does asylum seekers no service. it does. the people of farnborough no service. does farnborough no service. it does the government no service. and it the taxpayer. absolutely it does the taxpayer. absolutely no service all. no service at all. >> is there not a problem here in that the in which this in that the way in which this used to be done, someone turns up, them days up, we process them two days later, either in or later, they're either in or they're out. what happens now is if to process if we were to process them immediately and do immediately and try and do a quick assessment, they could appeal they could have appeal that and they could have appeal that and they could have a well funded human a lot of very well funded human rights and human rights rights lawyers and human rights groups whatever groups making sure that whatever the answer the answer is yes. >> but it didn't happen. >> but it didn't happen. >> mean, statistically, >> i mean, statistically, as you know, figures in the first know, the figures in the first half of this beginning of this century, amount of century, you know, the amount of refusals higher and the refusals was much higher and the amount repatriationswas refusals was much higher and the amount repatriations was much amount of repatriations was much higher. the problem twofold. higher. the problem is twofold. one anybody one is you can't send anybody back kandahar kabul. one is you can't send anybody back kandahar kabul . you back to kandahar or kabul. you can't somebody back can't send somebody back to tehran . the minute they got off

tehran. the minute they got off the plane, somebody be sharpening scimitar on the, the plane, somebody be sharknow,] scimitar on the, the plane, somebody be sharknow, on scimitar on the, the plane, somebody be sharknow, on the1itar on the, the plane, somebody be sharknow, on the on r on the, the plane, somebody be sharknow, on the on the the, the plane, somebody be sharknow, on the on the runway you know, on the on the runway there. so some of those people you have to with them as you have to deal with them as a sign seekers. however, when sign of seekers. however, when you start talking about albania and like that, and other places like that, then, the plot. >> but hang on, maddie sent back how. >> now. >> there's a bit of confusion though, isn't there? because the government illegal government has this illegal migration legislation essentially, to this essentially, if you come to this country by means, which country by illegal means, which means boat in this means by boat in this legislation, you're there for can't claim asylum, yet we still have this problem continuing and continuing. it seems impossible to actually deport people. >> yeah, but i mean, there's lots of underlying reasons for this. i mean, one, has this. i mean, one, there has been enormous, sort of been an enormous, uh, sort of mission in things like mission creep in things like judicial review , the growing judicial review, the growing litigiousness there is this system that will spring up very suddenly and basically usher those who arrive in. and it's very difficult to get to get through that. i really think we need to look at some of the underlying incentives there. but there's also, i mean, you know, there's also, i mean, you know, the fact that we have long standing conventions

the fact that we have long standing that conventions the fact that we have long standing that you nventions the fact that we have long standing that you claim ons the fact that we have long standing that you claim asylum that mean that you claim asylum in the country of arrival. i mean, a lot of i don't really know how we solve the problem without getting to the very crux of legislation . of that legislation. >> but what we do is we sort out the home office first, or the home office is an absolute drag on this. look, people, i used to deal hundreds, if not deal with hundreds, if not thousands immigration cases deal with hundreds, if not th

come the man. you come from the isle of man. you could asylum and keep your come from the isle of man. you coulddown. asylum and keep your come from the isle of man. you coulddown. and um and keep your come from the isle of man. you coulddown. and afternd keep your come from the isle of man. you coulddown. and after ai keep your come from the isle of man. you coulddown. and after a couple 'our come from the isle of man. you coulddown. and after a couple ofr head down. and after a couple of years, oh, head down. and after a couple of years, oh, yes, head down. and after a couple of years, oh, yes, you years, they said, oh, yes, you know, you go. know, here you go. >> yeah. >> yeah. >> but the thing is, i mean, even didn't even if we didn't have a backlog, cases were backlog, even if cases were being very quickly, being dealt with very quickly, if everyone, if we're saying yes to everyone, that to an that is going to create an intolerably high for most intolerably high number for most people in britain, frankly, who don't for this don't want to be paying for this number. i mean, is number. i mean, this is why i think we have to go back. >> approved, think we have to go back. >> paying approved, think we have to go back. >> paying athem.ed, not paying for them. >> we're only paying for them so long for approval. >> well, i would think a lot depends on country of origin. >> well, i would think a lot depl nds on country of origin. >> well, i would think a lot depl nds on there ry of origin. >> well, i would think a lot depl nds on there aref origin. >> well, i would think a lot depl nds on there are some n. >> i mean, there are some nationalities um, a very nationalities where, um, a very unlikely contributors ever, economic contributors ever, who are disproportionately likely to live in social housing. so essentially, the taxpayer is still them, least essentially, the taxpayer is sti large them, least essentially, the taxpayer is sti large part. them, least in large part. >> i was shocked to learn of these statistics. >> proportion of >> the higher proportion of people in people born overseas is live in social united social housing in the united kingdom in the kingdom than people born in the united that transitional? i >> isn't that transitional? i mean, exactly mean, mean, that was exactly i mean, exactly the same. if you take the i the best, the community i know the best, the community i know the best, the here in the the irish, who came here in the 40s and the 50s, were all in social housing one social housing only for one generation. then and look the generation. then and look at the ugandan asians who came here in 1973. yes initially they were in leicester in council flats in

leicester, but after one generation they'd moved. >> steven, we're >> well, yes, but steven, we're meant people are mac meant to have people who are mac contributors, i'm told again and again i believe again and again and i believe this, people who are this, that people who are the kind get up and go, people kind of get up and go, people who likely uproot their who are likely to uproot their lives, from one country to lives, move from one country to another of a better another in the seek of a better life, more economic opportunity. >> it's this. it's the story of the miracle of the united states of these getting of america. these go getting people, these entrepreneurs, all the on earth are the rest of it. why on earth are they british they relying on the british taxpayer living then? taxpayer for living then? >> well, they have social housing have housing in america. they have the the the housing projects. but the minute is more minute that your salary is more than thirds the of the than two thirds of the of the rent property, out you go rent of the property, out you go . elvis presley's lived . elvis presley's parents lived in a council house. >> but maddie, mean, last year >> but maddie, i mean, last year we granted record number of we granted a record number of asylum claims that was over £50,000. that clearly, i mean, the government would say this too is not a sustainable figure, but the demand is there. and if we're stamping around 67 to 70% of cases, it's going to continue , which is higher than, as i understand it, disproportionately higher compared to other countries.

>> i'd be interested to know , >> i'd be interested to know, apart from germany and sweden, yes, many other yes, yes. but many other comparable countries have much lower rates. and i'd be interested to know why is. interested to know why that is. what criteria we're what are the criteria that we're using versus i know , using versus what i don't know, france is , is using france or whoever is, is using and another reason that, you know, this is such a hot button issue is just the fact that our legal migration rates are so high, and i know that they are two things, but both i two separate things, but both i mean, as we saw in this story, with flats, put with the luxury flats, both put enormous on housing, with the luxury flats, both put enormis s on housing, with the luxury flats, both put enormis already on housing, with the luxury flats, both put enormis already so on housing, with the luxury flats, both put enormis already so strained using, with the luxury flats, both put enormis already so strained as ng, which is already so strained as it is. so i think without getting a grip on legal migration and bringing it down to a number that's to to a number that's closer to what people are comfortable with, this continue be with, this will continue to be while while we're talking about, um, seeking um, people coming and seeking asylum in the united kingdom, £8 million a day being spent on hotels. >> currently, although different things are being sought, all the while we are decommissioning two royal naval warships because we don't have enough sailors to sail them. this seems like an odd set of priorities. well

there's no sense of priorities at all, but i think before we go into that in detail, if you actually look at what's happening in the rest of europe, sweden around sweden is now turning around completely change completely 360 degree change from liberalisation. >> you've you know, >> hungary, you've got you know, obviously you've got viktor orban, wilders orban, you've got geert wilders all people just all over europe. people are just saying enough. but saying enough is enough. but look on hms westminster. mean, look on hms westminster. i mean, gina , she's about 30 old. gina, she's about 30 years old. she's called the capital ship we've always in navy. we've always had in the navy. we always to as we've always had in the navy. we alw.capital to as we've always had in the navy. we alw.capital ship. to as we've always had in the navy. we alw.capital ship. and:o as we've always had in the navy. we alw.capital ship. and the as we've always had in the navy. we alw.capital ship. and the mod the capital ship. and the mod have decided to actually give her a great refit and then decommission her. you know, today there are just over 900,000 or 90,000 people in prisons in the united kingdom. guess how many people are on the royal navy today? about 30,000. so it's three times as many people so the people in prison. so the westminster, she had a complement of about 180 crew in those days. the new ships, you know the glasgow and the type 26, they'll have about 161. it's called lean manning, but it is no excuse for actually reducing our surface fleet . in a look at our surface fleet. in a look at what the houthis are doing in the we our surface fleet.

the we need our surface fleet. if there's one thing that warfare is going to be like in in this century, it's going to be asymmetric. going be be asymmetric. it's going to be globalised, it's going to be largely civilianised. and it requires and requires a rapid response and a deployment of marines. and helicopters deployment of marines. and helico over. royal can world over. the royal navy can do they can't it do that, but they can't do it without ships . without capital ships. >> maddie, often think what >> maddie, i often think what would i mean, i'm not would happen if i mean, i'm not saying it's likely specifically , saying it's likely specifically, but, well, falklands. but, well, the falklands. >> to say he's >> i was just going to say he's threatening you threatening the falklands. you know, the new president of maddie she's saying. maddie finish what she's saying. >> me . >> goodness me. >> goodness me. >> stephen even knows an awful lot the navy than me. lot more about the navy than me. so i really think should just so i really think we should just let one. but so i really think we should just let but one. but so i really think we should just let but no, one. but so i really think we should just let but no, agree. one. but no, but no, i agree. and actually , if you read some actually, if you read some policy policy documents on this and often there are so many scenarios that unexpected, scenarios that are unexpected, unforeseen . unforeseen that could happen. and it's striking few many and it's striking how few many of the experts think that on current numbers we would be able to respond to adequately. it's quite terrifying , actually, and quite terrifying, actually, and it's embarrassing , it's just embarrassing, particularly the united particularly for the united kingdom, for the country. particularly for the united kingdom, for the country . who kingdom, for the country. who ruled the waves, the country whom even hitler could not

cross. >> the channel to invade, who was able to defeat napoleon at the height of his powers on the seas. the height of his powers on the seas . time and time again, the seas. time and time again, the fact that we have gone from being the predominant naval power in the world to decommissioning ships because you don't have enough sailors. >> i almost wish you hadn't said that, obviously every that, because obviously every october anyone who's october the 21st, anyone who's had any connection with the royal glass to the royal navy raises a glass to the immortal and the battle immortal memory and the battle of had it not been of trafalgar. had it not been for that, you know we'd be speaking french today and eating for that, you know we'd be speakinyouanch today and eating for that, you know we'd be speakinyou know,yday and eating for that, you know we'd be speakinyou know, they'd d eating for that, you know we'd be speakinyou know, they'd be ating horses, you know, they'd be garlic galley. let's the garlic in the galley. let's the reality you're absolutely reality is you're absolutely right. britannia ruled the waves and the trade followed the flag . and the trade followed the flag. the navy was actually the great dnven the navy was actually the great driver, the great strength of this and it's not just. this country. and it's not just. we actually commissioned these these the type 26. we actually commissioned these thesthey're the type 26. we actually commissioned these thesthey're the the type 26. we actually commissioned these thesthey're the they're type 26. we actually commissioned these thesthey're the they're very 26. and they're the they're very impressive. you know, they can they can even have a chinook you know a waqar one a massive great big in addition big helicopters in addition to the but we've big helicopters in addition to the got but we've big helicopters in addition to the got the but we've big helicopters in addition to the got the crew but we've big helicopters in addition to the got the crew tqut we've big helicopters in addition to the got the crew to actually�*ve not got the crew to actually crew her, what on earth are we

doing. so it's not just the navy. there's been about a 21% reduction in recruitment into the royal navy, about into reduction in recruitment into the air'al navy, about into reduction in recruitment into the air force vy, about into reduction in recruitment into the air force and bout into reduction in recruitment into the air force and similar into the air force and similar numbers for the army. so we've got a whole issue there. and i think what we need to do to think what we need to do is to actually people realise, actually let people realise, firstly, we don't sell the navy well enough. i mean, everybody i knew a trade knew in the navy learned a trade and not to kill people, but and not just to kill people, but you artificer, an you know, to be an artificer, an engineer . an you know, to be an artificer, an engineer. an electrician. you know, to be an artificer, an engiknow an electrician. you know, to be an artificer, an engiknow , an electrician. you know, to be an artificer, an engiknow , you're electrician. you know, to be an artificer, an engiknow , you're very, rician. you know, to be an artificer, an engiknow , you're very, very]. you know, to be an artificer, an engiknow , you're very, very good you know, you're very, very good at high skills . and i think it's at high skills. and i think it's because away from home because you're away from home for people don't are for a while. people don't are unhappy with it. well, i'm sorry, the one of is that sorry, the one of light is that the scouts and the sea the sea scouts and the sea cadets actually increasing cadets are actually increasing their . and that's their membership. and that's a lot of people come into the. >> i'm always sadder about stories about the navy than i am. we've never had a big standing or standing army in in england or in kingdom. it's in the united kingdom. it's never our never been something in our tradition, in our history. we've had all had expeditions, forces and all the it. but but the one the rest of it. but but the one thing built country thing that built this country was navy, the respect around was the navy, the respect around the whole world. >> people respect them. nobody hates the royal navy. wherever you are in the know, you are in the you know, you know, in

know, i've been in malta, in iceland, go in hong iceland, wherever you go in hong kong, , people actually iceland, wherever you go in hong kong, and , people actually iceland, wherever you go in hong kong, and admireaople actually iceland, wherever you go in hong kong, and admire thee actually iceland, wherever you go in hong kong, and admire the navy|ally respect and admire the navy because what we do nowadays, what royal navy what they what the royal navy does very often does nowadays, is very often crisis following , crisis intervention following, you know, you've got earthquakes or you've got floods or. yeah. you know, you've got earthquakes or ywellz got floods or. yeah. you know, you've got earthquakes or ywell igot floods or. yeah. you know, you've got earthquakes or ywell i don't)ods or. yeah. you know, you've got earthquakes or ywell i don't get or. yeah. you know, you've got earthquakes or ywell i don't get is'. yeah. you know, you've got earthquakes or ywell i don't get is defence >> well i don't get is defence secretary after defence secretary after defence secretary has talked about how we've out our military, we've hollowed out our military, navy and so on, yet we continue not to provide enough resources. clearly the mod, you know, they're constrained by the budget they're given, but it's full of money. >> military in the world, classic treasury brain, classic . classic treasury brain, classic. >> treasury. fisher away the money on short tum things and never think and just think about the balance the short tum balance sheet. never think about the tum never think about the longer tum implications often the implications and also often the mod can wasteful on this mod can be very wasteful on this particularly with naval matters because they often commission something as stephen was saying, and then sort of it for and then sort of put it for aside a bit and then resume it. so kind piecemeal. so it's very kind of piecemeal. this of reasons this is one of the reasons i think it very sad that think it was very sad that dominic cummings left government i >> -- >> there were lots of things for which was incredibly which he was incredibly deficient. however, mod deficient. however, on on mod procurement and procurement

across government , he shone across government, he shone a laser light on it. and that is something that really needs to be fixed. >> one of the things that cummings picked up on, and admiral lord west of spithead in the lords actually the house of lords actually quoted the quoted her on this one, is the fact that it's such a long lead quoted her on this one, is the fact ton it's such a long lead quoted her on this one, is the fact ton these uch a long lead quoted her on this one, is the fact ton these procurement ad time on these procurement schemes. look at the schemes. if you look at the probably disaster probably the greatest disaster we the moment is we had at the moment is the armoured personnel in we had at the moment is the armarmy personnel in we had at the moment is the armarmy persorpresent in we had at the moment is the armarmy persorpresent time,| the army at the present time, which intensely which don't work, are intensely vulnerable. and, you know, basically couldn't drive it basically you couldn't drive it down. and the licence, i'm down. and the off licence, i'm not that you would, you not that you would, but you know, they're just absolutely not that you would, but you know, thbutz just absolutely not that you would, but you know, thbutz justhing)lutely not that you would, but you know, thbutz justhing)lutso' useless. but the thing is, so you are the minister today. you've of paper you've signed a piece of paper on okay. that's on it. yeah okay. that's probably demotion your probably a demotion in your case. yes. and you know that case. yes. and but you know that the scheme that you're signing off not going to to off is not going to come to fruition 6 years. you fruition for 5 or 6 years. you know, doesn't concentrate know, it doesn't concentrate the mind. one mind. and i'm sorry, that's one of problems got. of the real problems we've got. but interesting about but what's interesting about the type know, glasgow but what's interesting about the typeother know, glasgow but what's interesting about the typeother ships|ow, glasgow but what's interesting about the typeother ships is/, glasgow but what's interesting about the typeother ships is it's.asgow but what's interesting about the typeother ships is it's very,v the other ships is it's very, very much in cooperation with the french. and we've got this interoperability is interoperability now, which is not just interoperability . not just nato interoperability. it's actually working much more closely with them. goodness me,

the french. >> napoleon if nelson if i >> if napoleon if nelson if i referred to the hero earlier on, i don't know what he would have thought, you know. >> but the reality is, if you look at what they've done with dassault of okay, look at what they've done with dasssystems of okay, look at what they've done with dasssystems are of okay, look at what they've done with dasssystems are pretty okay, look at what they've done with dasssystems are pretty effective, bae systems are pretty effective , but the french are much worse because they completely european. >> hopefully home market preference. >> hopefully this story the european union. >> yeah well hopefully this story some young story might mobilise some young recruits to come on board and do all the training. >> we're learning the fantastic career. >> yeah you can do all sorts and get one of these tattoos. oh that's so cool. and get a tattoo like stephen cool. >> now every sailor has that tattoo. now there was also some very sad today, death very sad news today, the death of draper , of course, kate of derek draper, of course, kate garraway, the presenter's, garraway, the tv presenter's, uh, . and uh, stephen. uh, husband. and uh, stephen. >> had you met derek draper? >> had you met derek draper? >> yes, i did, i mean, he was very, very active back in the days of charlie whelan and alastair campbell and that and as been an as i say, it's been an conscionable time of dying. he's been so ill for so long. and the strength and the resilience and

the courage and the the courage that kate and the family . because don't forget, family. because don't forget, the rest of the family have shown it's extraordinary. those awful pictures of him in hospital, know, the hospital, you know, during the time your heart time you obviously your heart just kate just absolutely bleeds for kate garraway. i knew him he was garraway. i knew him and he was a who stopped a man who never stopped for a second. super active, second. he was super active, really hyper. i don't know if you're too young you're probably too young to remember, you're probably too young to remeniner, you're probably too young to remenin sort of the 97, 98, active in sort of the 97, 98, 99. very much and that 99. very much so, yes. and that because, i mean, no because, i mean, it's no particular they particular secret that they were rival spinners that rival spinners at that particular time. and anyone who's seen the thick i who's seen the thick of it, i mean, i think may have mean, i think you may have contributed whatever, contributed to it for whatever, you know, he was you know, you know, he was certainly it. certainly in the thick of it. >> and then covid hit and it's just been a miserable few years for kate and the family. >> the worst case of covid of anyone in the united kingdom. >> that's a sad picture. >> that's a sad picture. >> it's so terribly sad. but to go on for so long and also to have fought for so long, and then for there to have been more setbacks, i mean, covid then for there to have been more seis acks, i mean, covid then for there to have been more seis a:ks, i mean, covid then for there to have been more seis a time mean, covid then for there to have been more seis a time ilean, covid then for there to have been more seis a time i think, covid then for there to have been more seis a time i think, thatzovid then for there to have been more seis a time i think, that cant then for there to have been more seis a time i think, that can be a is a time i think, that can be used for all sorts of, all sorts of, um , uh, unsuspected, unknown of, um, uh, unsuspected, unknown causes of, of covid, but it's at

its most extreme end, you know , its most extreme end, you know, it's absolutely being totally dependent on full time care, being absolutely . bed bound. i being absolutely. bed bound. i know, i know people that this has happened to, um, and it really does remind you of the, you health you know, the long time health consequencesbad to have extraordinary bad luck to have been affected a been affected in such a way right the beginning the right at the beginning of the pandemic, when the virus was so unpredictable. mhm. >> . and the tributes >> absolutely. and the tributes are pouring from all sorts of are pouring in from all sorts of people politics to the people from politics to the media to other industries. >> they it's awful that i mean, people are quite cruel. >> but kate was very outspoken about it all. she told her story documentary she but it's that awful truism in politics nothing succeeds so well as dying. >> and suddenly you know, he could do no wrong. i mean, people used criticise him. people used to criticise him. they that's no , we they did. but that's not no, we don't want to. >> want talk about >> we don't want to talk about the scandals today. >> think kate >> let's just think about kate and the kids. yeah. and think about the kids. yeah. >> that rather >> well, on that rather sad note, thank you very much indeed. labour mp stephen indeed. former labour mp stephen pound, of course, and madeline grant the telegraph. grant from the daily telegraph. always have you on our, always great to have you on our, on sofa .

on our sofa. >> absolutely. well that's it for good afternoon today for good afternoon britain today andindeed for good afternoon britain today and indeed this week. we'll be back on monday at midday. although i won't be here. emily's going on holiday. >> finally a break. >> i'm finally having a break. but tom will be with, uh, but tom will be here with, uh, with pip, but going swimming next. >> it's, uh, martin daubney. >> it's, uh, martin daubney. >> looks like things are heating up . boxt boilers sponsors of up. boxt boilers sponsors of weather on . gb news. weather on. gb news. >> hello, i'm alex deakin . this >> hello, i'm alex deakin. this is your latest weather update from the met office for gb news. still some showery rain around today, but overall the weekend looks a lot drier after what's been a very wet start to the yeah been a very wet start to the year. it's also going to turn cold this weekend as the low pressure systems disappear and high pressure starts to build in, but the lows are still with us at the moment, generating in, but the lows are still with us at showeryient, generating in, but the lows are still with us at showery rain generating in, but the lows are still with us at showery rain overerating in, but the lows are still with us at showery rain over parts| in, but the lows are still with us at showery rain over parts of some showery rain over parts of northeast england in particular, and trickling down towards the midlands. nothing heavy or as midlands. nothing as heavy or as extensive as yesterday, but of course extra rain is far course any extra rain is far from . a few showers

from welcome. a few showers grazing west wales overnight and we'll some showers we'll keep some heavy showers going over the isles of going over the northern isles of scotland , turning quite chilly scotland, turning quite chilly in ireland in scotland, northern ireland northern of northern england a touch of frost likely in places further south. cold but places just south. cold but most places just about staying above freezing. chilly all day, though on saturday quite grey across these eastern parts of england. still a of light rain and a little bit of light rain and drizzle here and there. quite a dank day. could be quite a foggy start of northwest start over parts of northwest england southwest scotland. england. southwest scotland. still some showers in the far north for west wales, but north and for west wales, but for it's a dry and for many it's a dry and particularly in the west, a bright day with some sunny spells , but it is colder than it spells, but it is colder than it has been. temperatures close to average the time year. a average for the time of year. a frosty on saturday night frosty night on saturday night means start to sunday means a chilly start to sunday again. some stubborn fog patches around on sunday, but for the vast majority it's looking like a dry and a bright day with some decent spells of sunshine. there will cold wind blowing will be a cold wind blowing though, particularly over parts of goodbye of eastern england. goodbye >> that warm feeling inside died from boxt boilers

>> good afternoon. it's 3:00. welcome to the show. >> i'm martin daubney on gb news and i'm keeping you company for the next three hours. >> got an action packed show this friday. top story . what do this friday. top story. what do you make of this? this brazen attack ad on rishi sunak from the labour party looks like a

1960s washing powder, doesn't it 7 1960s washing powder, doesn't it ? is it below the belt? is it fair game? is it a taste of things to come? dirty tricks in the election campaign rachel reeves making big claims on tax . reeves making big claims on tax. the irony of that labour being critical on tax. but here's the big question would you trust the labour party on tax ? next story labour party on tax? next story with over 300 flood warnings across england and wales and 1000 properties under water, we'll have all the latest on once again how storms and rain have wreaked havoc across sodden britain . our next story britain. our next story yesterday, it was revealed that a block of luxury flats in farnborough has been taken off the for market locals and instead given totally free to 300 odd male asylum seekers. we'll speak in this hour to two concerned locals for their reaction. then the next hour we'll speak to the head of the council who think this was dumped on the area by the home

office , and