to overturn the 2020 us election . his lawyers argue that allowing a former president to be charged would set a dangerous precedent , be charged would set a dangerous precedent, paving be charged would set a dangerous precedent , paving the way for precedent, paving the way for politically motivated indictments . the process to indictments. the process to nominate the republican candidate for president begins on monday, and mr trump is expected to easily win the state of iowa. but he'll still need to overcome a series of legal challenges if he's to retake the white house the leader of the liberal democrats , ed davey, has liberal democrats, ed davey, has told gb news today he won't be handing back his knighthood over the post office scandal, despite being the minister in charge at the time . it follows today's the time. it follows today's announcement that the former post office boss, paula vennells, will hand back her cbe with immediate effect . her with immediate effect. her announcement came after widespread calls for her to return the honour after the honzon return the honour after the horizon it scandal, where more than 700 post office staff were convicted , jailed, bankrupted , convicted, jailed, bankrupted, some even taking their own lives after faulty software meant they were wrongly accused of theft .

were wrongly accused of theft. and fujitsu, the parent company of the faulty software which caused the scandal in the first place, has been called to answer mps questions next week over its role in the scandal. downing street says the tech company will be held accountable legally or financially if it's found to have made mistakes . rishi sunak have made mistakes. rishi sunak faces a showdown with mps over his rwanda bill when it returns to the commons next week. the legislation will go through its third reading in the house of commons on the 16th and 17th of january. however, the shadow commons leader, lucy powell, said the government was making it up as they went along . the it up as they went along. the foreign secretary has confirmed there are still two british nationals being held in gaza, as the israel—palestine conflict continues. there lord cameron has been speaking to the foreign affairs committee today for the first time since his return to government . asked whether the government. asked whether the british nationals are still alive, he said he didn't know , alive, he said he didn't know, but admit to concerns but he did admit to concerns that israel may have breached

into national law, and the us secretary of state, antony blinken, has been speaking in the last half hour, saying he is now intensely focussed on getting hostages released . getting hostages released. gabriel attal has become france's youngest ever and first openly gay prime minister the outgoing prime minister handed over to her successor in paris today, and the french president, emmanuel macron, said he wanted to freshen things up in his second tum of office ahead of the european parliament elections . and lastly , more elections. and lastly, more winter weather is expected right across the uk as the health security agency issued an amber cold health alert for parts of england. and it follows on from storm henk, which left large areas flooded and thousands of homes damaged. more than 110 flood warnings remain in place across the uk tonight . that's across the uk tonight. that's the news on gb news across the uk on tv, in your car, on digital radio and on your smart speaken digital radio and on your smart speaker. this is britain's news

channel. >> good evening . well, last >> good evening. well, last night, in fact, yesterday i raised some questions about the role of the leader of the opposition, keir starmer . i role of the leader of the opposition, keir starmer. i made the point that when he was boss, when he was director of public prosecutions , was at the time prosecutions, was at the time when hundreds of private prosecutions post prosecutions from the post office were going through against innocent men and women, and i asked a question why did he not play a role.7 it was really funny because the sort of twitterati and the media class all immediately attacked me, saying i was wrong, but actually , as we showed last night, saying i was wrong, but actually , as we showed last night , the , as we showed last night, the legislation was clear that the director of public prosecutions can intervene and stop what he thinks may be vexatious or wrong. prosecution and i was pleased to see some good newspaper coverage today . but newspaper coverage today. but tonight my question to you is about sir ed davey. they're all sirs. it's funny , isn't it.7 ed sirs. it's funny, isn't it.7 ed davey there he was from 2010 to 2012. he was the minister

responsible for post offices . responsible for post offices. that was at the time when the first really big wave of convictions took place. and yes , convictions took place. and yes, mr bates of itv fame , wrote to mr bates of itv fame, wrote to davie, no fewer than five times, but it was a story that was revealed by our gb news colleague andrew pierce, and he wrote it in the daily mail. that really interested me. he said. this in 2017, 500 postmasters teamed up to launch a group litigation against the post office, which responded in turn. in 2019 by hiring attack dog lawyers of the blue chip city firm herbert smith freehills. hsi to fight its corner . and hsi to fight its corner. and this is where davie makes his second appearance in the scandal . the daily mail can disclose that in the very same year , the that in the very same year, the group action was launched , five group action was launched, five years after davie had behaved so shameless as a minister, he was

himself hired by hsf. shameless as a minister, he was himself hired by hsf . now i'm himself hired by hsf. now i'm not sure whether andrew pierce has got the timelines exactly right, but what is clear is that ed davey was being paid £5,000 a month by by hsf. now he'll say it's for political advice, but the very same firm that the post office were hiring to try and stop 500 postmasters letters from overturning their guilty verdict . it's from overturning their guilty verdict. it's i from overturning their guilty verdict . it's i have to say that verdict. it's i have to say that from ed davey this at the very best is a gross error of judgement to have been paid £275,000 by the very firm that was trying to stop justice being done to the postmasters and postmistresses when he'd been the minister responsible during the minister responsible during the peak of it was a grave error of judgement . so can ed davey of judgement. so can ed davey survive as leader of the liberal democrats .7 give me your thoughts

democrats? give me your thoughts farage at gbnews.com. i don't think he can. i think the pressure upon him is going to become simply intolerable. it will be a massive distraction from everything the lib dems try to do. and let's face it, under his leadership , they're doing his leadership, they're doing pretty poorly anyway, which ed tice, leader of reform, his party now consistently above the liberal democrats in the polls, now now it's been a day of again , huge news over this horizon . , huge news over this horizon. subpostmaster and mistress scandal . and i'm joined by our scandal. and i'm joined by our political editor, chris hope to go through it. so yesterday , go through it. so yesterday, chris, we were debating on the show , should there be a blanket show, should there be a blanket exemption . and i made the point exemption. and i made the point that i'm generally not for these things, but for once, i think given the passage of time and the age of many involved, perhaps it should happen. some indications this afternoon this may happen . may well happen. >> that's right. there's been some concern always concerning government about blanket government about giving blanket at, a pardons if you like to

at, uh a pardons if you like to use a kind of a slang terms about it. but they're looking the government, as i understand it, at a bill to that could lead to annulling these convictions of around 700 subpostmaster as we could see detail of that legislation open as soon as tomorrow or thursday. i think the government is desperate to get ahead of this escalating scandal. now, i've obviously before i came here, i worked for the telegraph. i've written a lot about it. elsewhere, mps have raised it and we've all been talking about it as being radio four documentaries. it took. think this documents took. i think this documents three, which put the viewer in the mind , the eye of one of the the mind, the eye of one of the subpostmasters to, to, to raise , subpostmasters to, to, to raise, to show how unfair it is . i mean to show how unfair it is. i mean for me there's been a failure . i for me there's been a failure. i think of the political class of official civil servant s to listen to people they've trusted computers over people , not just computers over people, not just any old people, but people who subpostmasters who have a leadership role in their communities , pillars of the communities, pillars of the local community. so it's really,

really politically dangerous because these people have got votes. we're seeing 1.2 million people calling for paula vennells to lose her cbe. now she's announced at lunchtime today that she will hand it back . she's still got it, nigel, but you can't give it on her back, can you? and i know we all, we all, all the honours you've got. >> of course. oh, i've got nothing. don't worry about that. >> they won't give you one. >> they won't give you one. >> but, but, but this point is important. very important. so so when made cbe that's when you've been made cbe that's been monarch. been approved by the monarch. yeah. been approved by the monarch. yeathat's >> that's it. >> that's it. >> and the only person that can remove that cbe from former remove that cbe from the former ceo post office, paula ceo of the post office, paula vennells, actually advice. vennells, is actually on advice. >> king himself, the honours >> the king himself, the honours forfeiture use forfeiture committee to use a firm which will never say again on gb news that is the on gb news but that is the committee which looks at it even number 10. i've been in briefings downing briefings today with downing street, pm's spokesman. street, with the pm's spokesman. why won't the force them to why won't the pm force them to take he even take on board? he can't even call set the agenda for this committee. they must do it. and until take action. forgive until they take action. forgive me place so me that cba stays in place so

they make a recommendation. they can make a recommendation. >> ultimately the king has >> but ultimately the king has to agree, correct? >> will agree, but >> and the king will agree, but only on only on advice. and it's chaired chris wormald, chaired by sir chris wormald, the lead official in the department health. the lead official in the defnow,ant health. the lead official in the defnow, this health. the lead official in the defnow, this could.th. the lead official in the defnow, this could be a big >> now, this could be a big opportunity tomorrow for the prime i'll come prime minister. i'll come to that second. another that in a second. but another big in westminster tomorrow. big day in westminster tomorrow. firstly, . firstly, rwanda. >> yes, we've got the dates . an >> yes, we've got the dates. an unusual statement today from the leader of the house of commons, penny mordaunt, setting out next tuesday and wednesday week tuesday and wednesday next week when committee of the whole when the committee of the whole house, all mps on the house, that's all mps on the floor the house debate floor of the house will debate line the rwanda bill. line by line. the rwanda bill. that's and the reason why they're announcing it. so soon is because i think they want to buy time to see what the rebels might do make it might try and do to make it stronger, to make it, to make it to the pm yesterday in accrington stanley said he wants to ideas while he's. to see bright ideas while he's. these may emerge in these bright ideas may emerge in the next 12 hours, and the first pmqs of the year. >> for sunak if he >> big chance for sunak if he makes a big statement on a subpostmasters. given huge questions around ed davey and some around keir some questions around keir

starmer. for him and starmer. big chance for him and a new departure for gb news tomorrow. >> that's right, we're launching a new pmqs live, a show with gloria de piero , former labour gloria de piero, former labour mp, and of course, a presenter on gb news. we're going to be deaung on gb news. we're going to be dealing with the with pmqs in a lively way to try and get people involved. sending your questions you want, answering . we'll get you want, answering. we'll get our guests in the studio. laboun our guests in the studio. labour, tory, maybe some mps to answer them for you. >> perfect. join us live on gb news tomorrow , midday. it'll be news tomorrow, midday. it'll be our first westminster based pmqs show. chris hope. thank you very much indeed . well, let's get much indeed. well, let's get back to this question of starmer. keir starmer and i. i raised this yesterday. i was shouted down but earlier on today. but justice minister mike freer in the house of commons confirmed that i was right. >> chris christie confirmed that the director of public prosecutions could take over a private prosecution , prosecution private prosecution, prosecution and discontinue it.

>> yes . thank and discontinue it. >> yes. thank you, mr speaker. the crown prosecution service can take over any criminal prosecution and may then carry out the prosecution. it may end or discontinue the prosecution if it does not believe that it should have been brought in the first place. well i'm joined down the line by paul garlick. >> kc retired criminal barrister and judge and, paul, you know, i'm i'm not i'm not accusing keir starmer of anything . i'm keir starmer of anything. i'm really not. but i am raising a question. you know, we have a crown prosecution service. we have a director of public prosecutions under the legislation . you know, firms legislation. you know, firms like the post office can take their own private prosecutions , their own private prosecutions, given there were hundreds of them shouldn't in some way , the them shouldn't in some way, the dpp have intervened . dpp have intervened. >> well, nigel, first of all, happy new year. and i think you have a good point . there's a have a good point. there's a little bit more subtlety to it

than your introduction, though, because in fact, these weren't actually private prosecutions . actually private prosecutions. the post office has a statutory power as a as a public body to bnng power as a as a public body to bring prosecutions . so that bring prosecutions. so that makes it slightly different to , makes it slightly different to, to you and i going to a magistrates court and trying to get a summons for someone who's punched us in the pub or something like over a pint something like that over a pint of beer. so the post office has a statutory to bring a statutory right to bring prosecutions. where your prosecutions. now where your i mean obviously the minister today and house of commons was quite right. the director of pubuc quite right. the director of public prosecutions, the dpp has the right take over any the right to take over any prosecution and to review it. but where the prosecution is not a purely private prosecution, it's one that's brought by a body like the office that body like the post office that has prosecuting powers. it's more difficult. it's more sensitive, and there's a specific convention that has to be adhered with before the dpp will take over the case. now the difficulty with these sort of cases where you've got computer generated evidence is notorious . generated evidence is notorious. i've defended in many cases

where the prosecution case has been entirely computer generated evidence, and when you're defending, particularly if you're just a subpostmaster , you're just a subpostmaster, you've got no great funds, you can't afford experts to take apart the evidence . and i've apart the evidence. and i've beenin apart the evidence. and i've been in cases involving private prosecutions by saudi arabia , prosecutions by saudi arabia, where we spent literally tens of thousands of pounds on experts to prove that the evidence was discredited . these poor post discredited. these poor post offices , the post offices did offices, the post offices did not have that funds. now, the difficulty is the director at the time probably didn't know. and i think that's that is probably right. did not know about the fundamental flaws in this evidence . so there was this evidence. so there was probably not enough to cause him or her him in this case. obviously. keir starmer at the time to intervene and take over the case. plainly if there had been an indication that that computer generated evidence was faulty, it was disrupted and it was unreliable, then the director should have intervened,

taken over the case, reviewed it i >> -- >> that may be a fair point. paul but remember, if we go back to those years of 2010 to 2013, this was in the news and there were hundreds of people. but, i mean, you know, we can argue that, but, paul, i just want to get one big thought from you. if i this is being described i can. this is being described and this is being talked about as the greatest miscarriage of justice seen in this justice ever seen in this country. now, whether that's true or not, clearly there is a grave injustice. are blanket pardons the right way to deal with this ? with this? >> my professional judgement is that no, they're not. but there has to be an adequate remedy. there has to be. what they should do is draft in maybe a dozen new high court judges, specifically for this job to review every prosecution , review every prosecution, because to give a blanket, um, um, path is not a satisfactory as the court of appeal saying in

individual cases, your case was badly brought, there was insufficient evidence you were unjustly convicted . so what i unjustly convicted. so what i think we should do is have, as i say, a specialist panel. now of high court judges brought in specifically to deal with this . specifically to deal with this. >> well, either way, when either it's a blanket pardon whether it's a blanket pardon whether it's a blanket pardon whether it's a dozen high court judges being brought in, whatever happens needs to happen pretty quickly , given the ages of some quickly, given the ages of some of who've been wronged. of those who've been wronged. paul garlick, kc. thank you once again for joining paul garlick, kc. thank you once again forjoining us on the again for joining us on the program . program. >> thank you. oh yeah. >> thank you. oh yeah. >> what paul says is logical. you know, lots and lots of judges hearing each case individually. but whatever happens must happen quickly in a moment, our foreign secretary, lord david cameron , goes before lord david cameron, goes before the foreign affairs committee. i asked the question , how on earth asked the question, how on earth is this man? our foreign secretary .

>> you're listening to gb news radio . 23 nights.

radio. 23 nights. >> i was in that jungle for 24 days without any news or current affairs, and i come out and i'm told that david cameron is now lord cameron and that he's the foreign secretary. i simply couldn't believe it, because i felt that during his period as prime minister we made some utterly catastrophic for foreign policy decisions . and i'm policy decisions. and i'm talking about china . i'm talking talking about china. i'm talking about libya . i'm talking, of about libya. i'm talking, of course, about our relationship with the european union, iran , with the european union, iran, and the list goes on. and yet, for some reason, rishi sunak thought it right to make him the foreign secretary. well, today he was before the foreign affairs committee, and he appears to have rowed back on many of the positions that he had when he was prime minister. when i'm joined in the studio by phillip blonde, a former adviser to david cameron to the aforesaid david cameron and a director of raise publica.

philip, do you get my point that, you know, when he and george osborne were talking about the golden era with china, they simply got it wrong. and cameron today says, oh, well, everything's changed. and of course, we shouldn't have huawei in our communications system when he and osborne welcome them in. i mean, he did get that wrong, didn't he? he got it profoundly wrong. >> but he was largely driven to that position by then chancellor george osborne, who essentially kind of drank the kool—aid and thought trade led to freedom. but the great lesson of china is you can have free trade without political freedom. and indeed, that's the path that the communist party has taken. and we surrendered . and a lot of our we surrendered. and a lot of our national security , we um, during national security, we um, during that period, both in terms of austerity and now look at the royal navy, doesn't have enough sailors. it's all part of that. osborne legacy that i think

history will prove to be so terribly damaging . terribly damaging. >> not to mention, of course, a deal that had been done just a few years earlier with hong kong . yes, been reneged on completely . so cameron was prime completely. so cameron was prime minister, but he was led on by his chancellors. really? what you're saying? >> i think he he bought >> well, i think he he bought it. think osborne was the it. i think osborne was the originator the golden originator of the golden era agenda. originator of the golden era agenda . but i originator of the golden era agenda. but i you originator of the golden era agenda . but i you know, i think agenda. but i you know, i think it is fair to say that on the foreign policy front, there are few successes , as you remarked few successes, as you remarked on libya, you could also remark on libya, you could also remark on syria on the failure to, uh, deliver air strikes when the red line on the use of poison gas by assad was crossed and britain . assad was crossed and britain. cameron was unable to deliver the vote on that. and of course, crucially, brexit. he got europe completely wrong . completely wrong. >> wrong. but i mean, let's get back to libya. i don't think any foreign policy decision in my lifetime has made me angrier than i mean, frankly , if than libya. i mean, frankly, if i was being if this was a if this was an american hit job,

i'd say he's father of isis. i'd say he's the father of isis. i'd say he's the father of isis. i mean, we go into libya, we destroy allies. libya. isis didn't even exist before we were promised by gaddafi that if we got rid of him, 5 million people would cross the mediterranean . would cross the mediterranean. it's not quite been 5 million, but the general direction of travel right. and cameron travel is right. and cameron today we were trying today says we were trying to provide this provide a brighter future. this was policy. was a catastrophic policy. >> the great tragedy of the west is , is, is they haven't realised is, is, is they haven't realised you can't intervene a little and the lesson is you have to intervene a lot. but we no longer have the capacity, the energy or the political vision to intervene at scale. look at the intervention by the western powers in afghanistan and then biden hurried and bloody, uh , biden hurried and bloody, uh, evacuation. we don't have a choice, unfortunately , charlie, choice, unfortunately, charlie, the choice isn't to retreat because because the destabilisation abroad will visit us at home, not just

through migration , but through through migration, but through terror acts . so we've got to, in terror acts. so we've got to, in some sense, have a new internationalist , empowered internationalist, empowered military option . and we're military option. and we're seeing now the end of the pax americana and that the era we're approaching will be full of. yes, i'm afraid we are. >> i'm not sure about that. i'm not sure about that. i think, you know, trump is trump's a bigger believer in nato than many give him credit for. trump is an isolationist, which isn't necessarily a bad thing , but it necessarily a bad thing, but it is a bad thing if you are relying on him for your security i >> -- >> he particularly on the eastern line with russia, particularly , he um, if you're particularly, he um, if you're say you're a state in reliant upon, uh, america , an alliance , upon, uh, america, an alliance, you can no longer trust that american as long as you pay the 2. >> trump's made it clear america will be there. many weren't. final thought. fill it. you know, you obviously know david cameron very well. i'm putting

it to you that on china on libya , on the european union, on iran , on the european union, on iran , on the european union, on iran , on everything he was doing less than less than a decade ago was wrong. is he the right man to be foreign secretary? >> soft power matters. cameron has , uh, enormous gravitas. has, uh, enormous gravitas. whether you like him or not. on the international stage, and will carry a lot more weight than any other kind of player. the point is, is, does britain have a foreign policy vision that it can articulate ? wait, that it can articulate? wait, no, it doesn't . does do we have no, it doesn't. does do we have a vision for conservatism, for governance ? yes, for the role of governance? yes, for the role of britain ? no we don't. so in that britain? no we don't. so in that sense he's he's a man of great influence with nothing to offer. and that isn't necessarily his fault that is where we are as a country at the moment. >> that's a great quote, a great way to end. philip. thank you as even way to end. philip. thank you as ever. now, one of the stories

that just doesn't really get enough coverage is what is happening in the whole world of disability benefits. think about this . there disability benefits. think about this. there are disability benefits. think about this . there are now 3.2 disability benefits. think about this. there are now 3.2 million people of working age in our country claiming disability benefit. that is exactly . four benefit. that is exactly. four times the number that it was in 1983. and we now have 40,000 people a month going on to disability benefits. that was 20,000 a month before the pandemic. it is up affordable. it is catastrophic . it is a huge it is catastrophic. it is a huge waste of talent . and if you're waste of talent. and if you're depressed or have anxiety before you go on to disability benefits and probably put on prescription drugs as well, where you're almost certain to be even more depressed and even more anxious. a few months on, i think the whole thing is a complete and utter disaster. i think it's totally unaffordable . and yes, totally unaffordable. and yes, of course, a proper humane

society wants to look after those that genuinely can't work . those that genuinely can't work. but i worry we're getting this wrong at every level now . i'm wrong at every level now. i'm joined by senior researcher at bright blue think tank bartek staniszewski bartek. you know, i know that the job of your think tank is to try and look at the benefit system and then to be fair and reasonable , and you set fair and reasonable, and you set out three big tests for how benefit should work. as i see it, adequacy, accessibility and fairness . but do it, adequacy, accessibility and fairness. but do you it, adequacy, accessibility and fairness . but do you see my fairness. but do you see my point ? there genuinely cannot be point? there genuinely cannot be four times the number of people unable to work physically than there were 40 years ago . there were 40 years ago. >> in some ways, there can be, nigel. and if you look at the trend we've seen over more recently, not since the 1980s, but in the last few years, ever since the pandemic, this is when the biggest rise has happened . the biggest rise has happened. ever since the pandemic, the number those people has number of those people has

doubled. and this is not a coincidence. this is not because people been lazy or because people have been lazy or because they've claiming they're they've been claiming they're anxious, been anxious, or because they've been getting prescribed antidepressants with no good reason. it is because as a country, we have become more ill. if you look at the number of people who have been dying each year over those years, each year over those few years, it's case more it's also the case that more people dying. it's people have been dying. it's also the that more people, also the case that more people, you after pandemic, um you know, after the pandemic, um , people have not been able to access care after access health care after the pandemic. been pandemic. people have not been able to move. people have been forced so of forced to stay at home. so of course we're going to end up with a lot of people. >> i fully accept your point that those successive lockdowns did amount of damage. did do a huge amount of damage. >> that and indeed, last >> i get that and indeed, last week show, i covered the week on the show, i covered the excess which are excess death numbers, which are still alarming still running at alarming numbers. so i get that point. but when it comes to and i'm not trying to downplay or dismiss genuine mental illness , i'm genuine mental illness, i'm really not. but when it comes to these conditions of depression and anxiety , this is my concern .

and anxiety, this is my concern. if you tell someone they're a victim , they'll feel like a victim, they'll feel like a victim, they'll feel like a victim forever . and once people victim forever. and once people go on to be disability benefit, the evidence is they don't come off them and they live very unproductive , very unfulfilled. unproductive, very unfulfilled. and very unsatisfied lives . and very unsatisfied lives. >> there is an element of that . >> there is an element of that. yes. and obviously one thing that can happen is yes. if you tell people that they're a loser, if you tell them then, then they will adopt that mindset. but i would be cautious about saying that this is what is happening. i would be cautious about saying, well , cautious about saying, well, because people are on because those people are on benefits, they are leading miserable lives. i suspect the likelihood is the other way around. suspect the likelihood around. i suspect the likelihood is, not having the is, um, they're not having the greatest time of their lives. and they're receiving help from the government they should. the government as they should. you country. we you know, we are one country. we should supporting each other. should be supporting each other. we are one nation. well i'm going add a fourth test. going to add a fourth test. >> you've got your three of adequacy, accessibility and fairness. what about affordability ? we can't go on affordability? we can't go on like this . like this. >> uh, it's a reasonable point

to make . to make. >> it's. i think it is. um you know, a time when the know, at a time when the government deficit is so high at a time, government debt, debt is so high. >> um , it is it is obviously >> um, it is it is obviously very expensive, but it's also very expensive, but it's also very expensive, but it's also very expensive because that help is needed . it's like i said is needed. it's like i said earlier, we have more people dying every year. we have more people claiming food from food banks. every year have banks. every year we have more people poverty. we people living in poverty. we have more people being homeless. we we have increasingly we have we have increasingly more need help more people that need help because the of living because the costs of living are so than they were so much higher than they were last year. seven out of last year. i think seven out of ten households with, uh, a disabled person in them say they cannot even meet essential needs i >>i -- >> i don't say anything that you've said is wrong, but but what i do say is we have to find a way of saying to people, come on, get yourself out of this . we on, get yourself out of this. we tell they're victims, tell people they're victims, they're start thinking tell people they're victims, they'are. start thinking tell people they're victims, they'are. in start thinking tell people they're victims, they'are. in a start thinking tell people they're victims, they'are. in a moment.iinking they are. in a moment. i interview he's been on this program before, but gypsy billionaire, the film is doing stunningly well on amazon. i'm going to ask alfie best why,

what's happened? and can he believe what's going on? can film festival huge numbers watching it? what's it all about 7 watching it? what's it all about ? alfie

radio. >> well, alfie bass has been on this show before. he's chairman of the mobile home park firm wildcraft parks , and we've wildcraft parks, and we've talked about whether park homes are a future, etc. but there's been a film made about him, a documentary called gypsy billionaire. have a look at this clip. >> i genuinely believe that it is the solution to affordable housing that could be not would be. is the solution to affordable housing. >> i said to my mum, i said, i think it's a great thing there's a community, no stamp duty, no land register. >> but you know what we're providing is the answer. the perception of gypsy is liars, tramps and thieves. >> we just got abused all the time for being who we was for

the gypsy culture. he's wonderful. really >> i'm not the smartest man in the book. if anything, i'm on the book. if anything, i'm on the last page, but i'm on the first page when it comes to work ethic. well this film, this documentary , it premiered at documentary, it premiered at cannes and now it seems to be doing unbelievably well . doing unbelievably well. >> sell on amazon prime video. i shouldn't laugh, alfie. i shouldn't laugh, alfie. i shouldn't laugh, alfie. i shouldn't laugh . but i mean, shouldn't laugh. but i mean, what's going on is unbelievable. >> well, it's trending second next to taylor swift is the 9yp5y next to taylor swift is the gypsy billionaire. so i, uh, you know, who'd have ever thought it? let's be honest. but i must confess i'm laughing with joy. but it shows there's potentially something in that people are grasping onto . yeah, maybe grasping onto. yeah, maybe there's a little bit of a feel good factor that we all need. yeah >>i yeah >> i mean, your story is quite a story. you know, you were born into genuine poverty on the side of a road. i think if i remember rightly. >> well, my mum and dad like

cars and trucks and you've gone on, uh, to have this, this . on, uh, to have this, this. >> well, you're now a very, very wealthy man . uh, but what wealthy man. uh, but what i think the film also does show is it's not all been plain sailing. what i was interested in was the bit where there was a and it's funny, isn't it? this word gypsy . you sometimes don't say gypsy. it's a derogatory tum , but it's a derogatory tum, but you've kind of tried to make the word respectable aren't you? >> look, i just think, look, we're we're born where we are in life. we have to accept that. and then go it. for me, and then go on from it. for me, i am a gypsy . you know, just i am a gypsy. you know, just because a cow is born in a stable doesn't make it a horse . stable doesn't make it a horse. >> yeah. no, no. and i was one of the stories i liked in the film was this nelson clark , a film was this nelson clark, a 9yp5y film was this nelson clark, a gypsy who'd done well , well, had gypsy who'd done well, well, had a roller, a rolls royce, and he seems to have been something of an inspiration for you. >> he was he was an aspiration, you know, he was the first gypsy that i you know, he was the first gypsy thati ever you know, he was the first gypsy that i ever saw that owned a rolls royce. and you know, a

rolls royce. and you know, a rolls royce. and you know, a rolls royce is something that carries aspiration and it's british through and through. maybe not now , but what it was maybe not now, but what it was then. maybe not now, but what it was then . um, and maybe not now, but what it was then. um, and for maybe not now, but what it was then . um, and for me, maybe not now, but what it was then. um, and for me, i think those things make us british and make us great. >> so was that i mean, was that the first moment you thought, this is it? >> i can do this. if he can do it,— >> i can do this. if he can do it, i can do it. >> i believe anybody can achieve any of their goals. >> it doesn't matter where you are, who you are, where you're from, if you're prepared to put the effort in you know a dripping will cut a stone dripping tap will cut a stone left long enough , which means left long enough, which means you've got to work at it. >> you've got to keep going. you neven >> you've got to keep going. you never, ever give up. but alfie also, you know, it's not all been plain sailing, has it? you had a really bad time financially. at one point i nearly went broke. >> to the point where i had >> um, to the point where i had a murmur collapsed across my desk what i would say desk at 20, but what i would say is like the need to survive and thrive. luckily was inbuilt in

me , a little bit like the jungle me, a little bit like the jungle nightjar. well, yeah yeah, yeah , nightjar. well, yeah yeah, yeah, the jungle was tough, but only 23 nights you you had to keep fighting for decades and decades and decades. >> well it's i mean it's a great testament, you know, to your life this film has been made. it's doing incredibly well. you're thrilled. i you're obviously thrilled. i mean, believe it mean, you scarcely believe it really ? really? >> can you? >> can you? >> i'm going be honest with >> i'm going to be honest with you. didn't think was going you. i didn't think it was going to get anywhere. i thought, you know, let's be honest with you. you didn't expect it's you know, i didn't expect it's going to watch but know, going to watch me. but you know, for taking for whatever people are taking from it, i can only say thank you. >> well, do you know what i cover the news agenda here every day, and most stories not all, but most stories are about agro war, depression. and maybe that's one of the reasons that it's working, that it is a great story. it's a happy story. um, so al fayed final thought, what next? >> um, well , next? >> um, well, domination for the mobile home park industry . mobile home park industry. >> the trouble is, folks , that

>> the trouble is, folks, that i think he might actually mean it. i don't . alfie, pleasure to have i don't. alfie, pleasure to have you on again and well done. great story. thank you. lovely story. now, some more stories here that are perhaps not quite as joel ones. okay. the others aren't quite so jolly. you might have noticed that from cape canaveral morning, for canaveral yesterday morning, for the time since 1972, the the first time since 1972, the americans launched a spacecraft with the ambition of landing the capsule on the moon. this privately funded but using the facility edges of cape canaveral . of course, we know that in recent times, india has had its own craft on the moon . but it's own craft on the moon. but it's all gone wrong . astrobotic's all gone wrong. astrobotic's peregrine lunar lander may have blasted off okay. may have broken away. okay but it's all gone horribly wrong . it isn't gone horribly wrong. it isn't going to be landing on the moon in fact, it may not even make it to the moon. and why? well, because . because they relied on because. because they relied on solar panels on the craft .

solar panels on the craft. because they wanted to show the world they could use renewable energy to show how green and good they were. and for some reason, the tilt towards the sun wasn't right. they didn't have enough conventional fuel. and i'm going to say, albeit slightly tongue in cheek, if you rely on renewable energy , you'll rely on renewable energy, you'll often get let down. i'll wait for the abuse of emails to come in on that one. um, and the what? the farage moment of the day is now this this is unbelievable. so the guys 30, right. he's come to england when he was 13 illegally. he is an ethnic albanian who grew up in serbia . we're now at the point serbia. we're now at the point where he's been caught with a major cannabis farm. and the plan is to deport him from the country , but he won't be country, but he won't be deported on human rights grounds because he claims that as he hasn't lived in serbia since he was 13, he's forgotten the language. i mean, you're having

a laugh, aren't you? and yet a british judge says he can stay in the country. i mean , it's in the country. i mean, it's enough to make you want to give up a good story. enough to make you want to give up a good story . at least it's a up a good story. at least it's a good story. if you live in farnborough in hampshire. we covered that story last night of that big conversion, those lovely new furnished flats that were going to be used for young men that had recently crossed the english channel. we flagged that story last week. leo docherty , who's the local mp who docherty, who's the local mp who refused to speak to us and his staff, wouldn't even open the door to us now, says following my meeting with the home secretary , plans have changed secretary, plans have changed and i've received an update confirming a pause in the plans to place asylum seekers in pinehurst, hillside, farnborough . i'm very grateful indeed to the home secretary for listening to my concerns as one of those of rushmoor borough council and local residents. well, jolly well done, leo docherty , but well done, leo docherty, but i've got to tell you, it's got absolutely nothing, matey. nothing to do with you

whatsoever . it's us on nothing to do with you whatsoever. it's us on gb news that broke the story. see, that's what they're scared of. and increasing. lee, do you know what people look listen to? what people look and listen to? what we're doing as a news channel. and we are changing the agendain channel. and we are changing the agenda in a moment. we're going to about the office of to talk about the office of budget responsibility . this was budget responsibility. this was the group that was set up in 2010. idea was they'd help 2010. the idea was they'd help government get their budget estimates right. and yet every single prediction the obr has made has been completely and utterly wrong . are they just utterly wrong. are they just useless, overpaid , made pen useless, overpaid, made pen pushers? well greg smith, the tory mp for buckingham, will join me. we'll discuss it. and would labour maybe make it even worse

? so money, 7 so money, the way ? so money, the way the 7 so money, the way the country is run, what the chancellor does,

these are the things that affect absolutely every single one of you. sometimes in a positive way. often, though in a very negative way. but there is an organisation called the obe var. the office of budget responsibility , and they are responsibility, and they are planning an increase role in our lives. let's find out who they are, why they're here and what the problem is. i'm joined by greg smith, member of parliament, concerned for buckingham. so greg, as i understand it, it was a conservative government or a coalition government that set up the office of budget responsibility . it sounds responsibility. it sounds terrific. what was the idea ? terrific. what was the idea? >> well, the public out there would be forgiven for thinking that the people they elect to represent them, to form a government will make all the decisions taxation and decisions on taxation and spending. the coalition spending. but the coalition government put in place this thing called the obr. the office of budget responsibility and it's like a straitjacket because essentially the treasury worships at their altar, takes

their word for every forecast they make and the decisions on how much we can spend, how much we can give people back through tax cuts is entirely dictate by the forecasts and the predictions they make. and there's just one problem with that. they have never been right . right. and the report that my organisation , this is a organisation, this is a conservative, conservative way forward has published today shows that since 2010 when they were set up, they have been £633 billion out. when it comes to debt forecasting, public sector debt forecasting, public sector debt forecasting. and there have been £558 billion out when it comes to growth forecasts. so how on earth can the treasury make good decisions on behalf of everybody in the united kingdom , everybody in the united kingdom, when we've got this straitjacket around them, telling them duff information ? information? >> yeah, i was very interesting. >> yeah, i was very interesting. >> the daily telegraph said that on public finances , the buck on public finances, the buck stops with the office of budget

responsibility and describes the chairman of the obr , richard chairman of the obr, richard hughes, as the most powerful man in britain . but greg, here's the in britain. but greg, here's the point. when they set up the obr, it was to give them advice. there's no legal reason why the chancellor of the exchequer has to listen and act on the orders of richard hughes, and the obr is there? >> no, there's not, but it has become almost politically impossible in the current climate to do anything without the giving the nod and the the obr giving the nod and the wink. and actually what we're calling today isn't the calling for today isn't the abolition of the obr. it is straightforwardly to say there need to be other people in the room, other folks masters, other academics, other economists, other organisations , so that other organisations, so that it's not just like , you know, it's not just like, you know, somebody going to buy a new kitchen, just getting one quote and saying, oh, that's fine, i'll you 45 for that. i'll pay you 45 grand for that. when are other people out when there are other people out there say can do it there that'll say they can do it for ten. we've got to have that plurality of voices of real

economists the room giving economists in the room giving their opinion. >> saying the people at >> are you saying the people at the are not real economists? the obr are not real economists? >> are real economists. >> no, they are real economists. of they're real of course they're real economists. but they've got to stand record. i've stand up to their record. i've neven stand up to their record. i've never, getting it never, ever actually getting it right, you. right, mind you. >> you, greg, before >> mind you, greg, before politics, i worked in the commodity markets in the city, and never remember any and i can never remember any economic being economic forecasts ever being right. fair point. right. that is a fair point. >> it not a precise science. >> it is not a precise science. there is no out there that there is no one out there that can accurately lead to every pound what is pound and pence predict what is going required on debt. going to be required on debt. what is to be required on what is going to be required on spending. what is spending. you never know what is around the corner, but by just relying set relying on one source, one set of economies, one organisation can that's the problem can i get that's the problem completely can i get that's the problem coninteresting . you know labour, >> interesting. you know labour, if you believe yougov this morning 24 points ahead now in the polls likely many believe to form the next government. they're going give obr an they're going to give the obr an even bigger role. >> that is just absurd. >> well that is just absurd. thatis >> well that is just absurd. that is classic . like putting that is classic. like putting your head in the sand, trying to pretend everything will be all right if you devolve it to somebody else tell you what somebody else to tell you what to do. >> t reeves is almost

>> rachel reeves is almost suggesting she wouldn't do suggesting that she wouldn't do anything that didn't agree with obr recommendations and forecasts . forecasts. >> well, there you have it. the labour party taking an organisation that is now statistically been proved to be wrong. every single time they've made projection the labour made a projection and the labour party saying, well, we're going to with the guys that are wrong. >> i find it very, very worrying now, you know, your now, greg, you know, your conservative forward, conservative way forward, member of know , rishi of parliament, you know, rishi sunak telling us a few days ago we should all be very, very grateful . but this we should all be very, very grateful. but this big tax we should all be very, very grateful . but this big tax cut grateful. but this big tax cut is happening at the weekend when we know that actually, for every £1 he's given us back , he's £1 he's given us back, he's taken away about four. and yes, you can tell me there's been a pandemic , etc. but i've been pandemic, etc. but i've been talking earlier on on the show about the fact there are four times the number of people now on disability benefits than there were when margaret thatcher prime minister thatcher was prime minister what's be a what's it like to be a conservative forward? member what's it like to be a co parliament forward? member what's it like to be a co parliament forforward? member what's it like to be a co parliament for the 'ard? member of parliament for the conservatives with highest conservatives with the highest tax since 1951? tax burden since 1951? >> i'm. i am a low tax free

market conservative. i want to bofis market conservative. i want to boris said that. i want yes he did. i want to see that tax burden come down, not just a little bit, but substantially. and the starting point for that is by taking off this straitjacket of the obr that we've just been talking about, that has been constrain. morning chancellor after chancellor after chancellor for many, many years . yes. there have been years. yes. there have been curveballs. there has been a pandemic. there has been the energy from ukraine. energy shock from ukraine. all of is real. but if the of that is real. but if the forecast on which you are reliant on to make decisions are wrong , then how on earth can we? wrong, then how on earth can we? thatis wrong, then how on earth can we? that is people. >> that is a fair point in their back pocket. that is a fair point. and i get that point. but the sheer cynicism, um, with which jeremy hunt is now dragging , well, it'll be 8 dragging, well, it'll be 8 million people in a couple of years are paying what was top rate tax under tony blair. yeah. how do you face your electorate with that? >> look, i've raised that at prime minister's questions the last had in december, i last pmq i had in december, i raised this fiscal drag point. it was never designed for police

sergeants, for nurses , tis for sergeants, for nurses, tis for teachers with additional responsibilities to be paying higher rates tax. this was supposed to be a tax bracket that was meant for people that everyone could look and say, yeah, yeah, they probably can afford it. too many people are in that upper rate of tax, and i have been campaigning on that already commons already in the house of commons on constituents and on behalf of my constituents and the country, to see those the whole country, to see those allowance is the at which allowance is the point at which you paying in the you start paying £0.40 in the pound, substantially shifted upwards. >> just so what the election happens, greg, you know, october, november, whenever it's going something may going to be something may i doubt . how is the ordinary doubt it. how is the ordinary voter to believe rishi sunak when he says we're a low tax party. when all the evidence from 14 years is that you're not any more? >> we've got to face up to some of the, the realities is the forecasting reality, the pandemic reality, the economic shock from the war in ukraine, reality . and we've got to win reality. and we've got to win back some trust pretty quickly. not in election promise , but not in election promise, but what we do in the spring budget.

and if we can deliver a sizeable tax cut , be that to income tax, tax cut, be that to income tax, be that to business taxation, be that to the thresholds point, you just put business taxation up 30% last april. i totally accept that point. that is a reality that is straightforwardly how it is. but i talking to particularly small businesses in my own constituency , they are hurting constituency, they are hurting from that corporation. >> oh no, i know they are increase and i think in reality there is only one party that will actually go there to reduce taxes in the long terme. >> if we can get the forecasting right. well, i listen, it may be partly the obr's fault, but it's not all greg smith thank you for joining me. >> and are is >> and there you are is extraordinary folks, isn't it? it's know, we it's extraordinary. you know, we elect to run the bloomin elect people to run the bloomin country. not to hive off to the obr or anybody else . and then obr or anybody else. and then when it all goes wrong, say, well, it's their fault, not ours. we want people actually to be responsible for what they do to stand before us. and we judge them on whether they it them on whether they get it right wrong. that right or wrong. i'm sure that jacob rees—mogg agree with

jacob rees—mogg would agree with me. agree with you entirely. it's the whole point of standing for parliament going into government you want to government is you want to make the and then the decisions and then you discover because discover you can't because they're these they're made by all these bureaucracies have been set up by legislation, we've to by legislation, and we've got to repeal legislation that repeal the legislation that gives them this authority. >> the office >> look at the post office scandal. what was, um, sir david's response? it's not my day to day responsibility . the day to day responsibility. the post office is independent, arm's length body. no no, no. if you're a minister, you're in charge. you're accountable . and charge. you're accountable. and the voters. >> that's how it should be, how it ought to be. that's why we voted to leave the european union. >> it all ties in. >> it all ties in. >> and the bank of england, we can make the same arguments for what the bank does. and again, we don't we've given we don't blame us. we've given them and maybe them independence and maybe too much the case much independence. in the case of of england. yes. i of the bank of england. yes. i rather think, jacob, what's coming up tonight? >> i'm going to be >> quickly. i'm going to be talking about prince andrew and whether he's a fair whether he's getting a fair crack the whip. he's been crack of the whip. he's been assumed any assumed guilty without any trial. isn't.

trial. and this just isn't. i have say, i rather agree. have to say, i rather agree. >> i agree, we're done. >> i rather agree, we're done. let's a look at the let's have a look at the incredibly cold weather looks like things are heating up. >> spot of weather >> boxt boilers spot of weather on gb news is . on gb news is. >> evening. welcome to your latest weather update from the met office for gb news. i'm alex deakin, another cold one tonight and tomorrow . quite a bit more and tomorrow. quite a bit more cloud tomorrow over northeast england eastern scotland. england and eastern scotland. some sunny skies, definitely in the south. high pressure is still dominating our weather close to the centre of this high. we've some stubborn high. we've seen some stubborn fog patches , breeze coming fog patches, the breeze coming around high bringing in a around the high bringing in a bit more cloud over northeast england scotland england and eastern scotland dunng england and eastern scotland during the night. maybe 1 or during the night. so maybe 1 or 2 here there as 2 showers here and there as well. they'll be pretty light, pretty well scattered and they will rain, a little will be of rain, maybe a little bit snow on the further bit of snow on the hills further south. it's generally just dry and cold. cold and clear and cold. cold temperatures one temperatures down to minus one minus even towns and minus two, even in towns and cities feeling colder with cities and feeling colder with that which a that wind, which will be a feature of the weather tomorrow, as it will be over northeast

england scotland, england and eastern scotland, and as well. and a cloudy day here as well. so feeling even colder without any sunshine that breeze any sunshine with that breeze again. scotland again. western scotland should see sunshine. see quite a bit of sunshine. some sunshine possible for northern ireland and plenty of sunshine across the south. still 1 2 scattered showers coming 1 or 2 scattered showers coming in where it is cloudier with in and where it is cloudier with a stronger wind. even though temperatures a little higher temperatures are a little higher tomorrow, feel tomorrow, it'll probably feel colder. mostly 5 or 6 celsius, so still below average for the time of year. another frosty one in south on wednesday night in the south on wednesday night and but again and thursday morning, but again here fine and sunny here generally fine and sunny for again thursday is for most again thursday is looking dry again. there's quite a bit of at times in a bit of cloud at times in northeast england and eastern scotland. temperatures at six and seven, so feeling cold once more, particularly in the east with brisk chilly wind . with a brisk chilly wind. >> a brighter outlook with boxt solar sponsors of weather on .

gb news way. >> hello . >> hello. >> hello. >> good evening, it's me, jacob rees—mogg on state of the nation tonight . prince andrew has tonight. prince andrew has denied any wrongdoing after court documents alleged sex tapes were taken of him by jeffrey epstein in what has since ensued as a trial by pubuc since ensued as a trial by public opinion. what has happened to innocent until proved guilty. we might be in the midst of winter, but we can't excuse the snowflake actions of the government when it comes to our asylum system. an illegal cannabis farmer is allowed to stay in the uk because he forgot his native language a murderer who was language and a murderer who was supposed to be deported in 2019 killed his girlfriend three years later. it seems we need to turn the heat. the christmas turn up the heat. the christmas spirit has dissipated spirit has finally dissipated after pubs and shops hike the