>> good afternoon. it's 3 pm. welcome to the martin daubney show on gb news broadcasting live from the heart of westminster and all across the uk, we've got a corking , action uk, we've got a corking, action packed show including an packed show ahead, including an interview with mike freer, the tory mp who's going to quit after receiving terrible death threats from a banned islamist group, also , police have named a group, also, police have named a suspect and the hunt for a man who has left the mother and her children with potentially life changing injuries in london last night. abdul azadi is said to have been left with significant injuries to the right side of his face after a corrosive of alkaline substance attack. the

manhunt continues and we'll cross live to brussels, where farmers are taking part in an incredible demonstration right at the heart of the european union outside, as they debate inside. and that's all coming in your next hour . and later in the your next hour. and later in the show, we'll be having a huge, fearless debate . does britain fearless debate. does britain have an islamist problem? mike freer forced out of politics by muslim threats . schools closed, muslim threats. schools closed, teachers was still in hiding . teachers was still in hiding. i'll be speaking to a counter—terror expert who says we have a problem and it needs to be dealt with quickly. let me know what you think. email me all the usual ways. vaiews@gbnews.com. but before all of that , it's time for your all of that, it's time for your latest news headlines with sam francis .

francis. >> martin, thank you very much. and good afternoon. from the gb news room. it's just gone 3:00 our top story of the day. police investigating a chemical attack which left a toddler and her mother with potentially life changing injuries, have now named the suspect as 35 year old abdul azadi. we understand the alleged attacker is from the newcastle area, metro politan police are saying that the suspect has significant injuries to the right side of his face. following that attack, azadi allegedly threw a corrosive substance over three victims, including two children, near clapham common. five police officers and three other women have also been injured after coming to the aid of the family. superintendent gabriel cameron from the metropolitan police , from the metropolitan police, gave a statement earlier he left the scene but the injuries to the scene but the injuries to the female and children, they're in a stable condition but we are just monitoring, but they don't seem to be life threatening .

seem to be life threatening. >> but at this time they could be life changing. the male was last seen in the north london area. caledonian road. um, and if you see him, there'll be some images circulating later today. if you see him , i plea to not if you see him, i plea to not approach him. the labour leader says that he has a plan for business that will bring growth and prosperity to every corner of britain. >> in a speech to labour's business conference this afternoon, sir keir starmer promised to battle against stagnation in british productivity and growth. critics though, accused labour of economic flip flopping and they're questioning if the party can truly provide the stability that businesses need. but sir keir starmer has assured the conference that labour is the party for business. we want a britain where every worker enjoys dignity at work. >> if we want a country that invests in its infrastructure and its people, if we want a britain where wealth creation comes from, every community,

then that can't come from a change of government alone. we all have to change business. this included . this included. >> well, we've heard today that inflation is expected to temper early return to the bank of england's target of 2% by this summer . england's target of 2% by this summer. that's a year and a half earlier than previously expected. the news comes as today the bank has held its interest rate at 5.25% for the fourth time in a row, labour says households are paying the price for 14 years of economic failure under a conservative government but the chancellor says the government's plan is working and people feeling their living standards going up. >> and that is what we want to do. that's why we took some very difficult decisions. but if we compromise that, if we go on a spending spree, if we start borrowing £28 billion, as other parties are advocating , then we parties are advocating, then we will risk that progress . we will will risk that progress. we will go back to square one. and that's why this is time to that's why this is a time to stick to plan, which today's

stick to a plan, which today's figures working . figures show is clearly working. >> the former subpostmaster, who led the campaign for justice in the post office scandal , led the campaign for justice in the post office scandal, has today rejected the government's compensation offer. alan bates , compensation offer. alan bates, whose two decade fight inspired the itv series mr bates versus the itv series mr bates versus the post office, says that the offer is offensive and cruel. bates told the telegraph newspaper that the offer was only around a sixth of what he had requested , and calling it had requested, and calling it a terrible way to treat human beings. the business secretary, kemi badenoch, says she is doing everything she can to make sure there is a fair outcome for everyone . everyone. >> i was told about mr bates comments yesterday evening and i will look into it personally. i've asked for a meeting this afternoon. i can't say very much more that without breaking more than that without breaking his confidentiality i'm his confidentiality, but i'm doing i can, as is doing everything i can, as is minister hollinrake, to make sure everybody gets a fair sure that everybody gets a fair settlement not into settlement. i'm not going into i'm not. i'm not going into the amounts people have amounts people will have subjective fair subjective views on what is fair . doing what we think is right. >> in other news, today , a

>> in other news, today, a couple are expected to stand trial over the alleged arson attack on justice minister mike freers constituency office. the pair denies setting fire to the building, but the mp described the incident as the final straw . the incident as the final straw. after receiving a series of death threats . he has now made death threats. he has now made the decision to step down at the next general election . well, next general election. well, speaking earlier to gb news the mp says he's worried about making it home safely each day . making it home safely each day. >> but now we're in. if, like in public, standing on the pavement where i do an advice fair where 2 or 300 residents come through the door, i now wear a stab vest. staff have vest. also, my staff also have them they want to them available if they want to wear and partner to wear them, and your partner to the stress. >> and angelo, spouse. yeah >> e i mean, you can't >> um, yeah. i mean, you can't do this job unless you've got , do this job unless you've got, um, a spouse, partner, family who are supportive. and i think he just had enough of wondering , he just had enough of wondering, am i going come home at night am i going to come home at night and finally, queen camilla has told charity workers today that the king is recovering well. >> that's as she visited the

saint john's foundation in bath this afternoon . the charity this afternoon. the charity provides support for the elderly as well as tackling poverty and poor living conditions in the area . her majesty celebrated 850 area. her majesty celebrated 850 years in the service as she's been at the foundation , she has been at the foundation, she has been at the foundation, she has been rather the patient. the foundation's patron . since 2009. foundation's patron. since 2009. and for the latest stories that you can sign up to gb news alerts by scanning the qr code on your screen or by going to gb news. com forward slash alerts . news. com forward slash alerts. >> thank you sam. now, thanks for joining me on the show today . and we start with the shocking story. the sickening story of the government minister who's quitting campaign of quitting after a campaign of terror from a band islamist group. mike freer said he'd received death threats from muslims against crusades and the justice minister also says he only avoided being murdered by

terrorists. ali harbi ali by the skin of his teeth . and of skin of his teeth. and of course, ali went on to kill fellow conservative mp sir david amess for he will stand down at the next election. now to discuss this horrific story, i'm joined by our political correspondent, katherine forster. catherine it's days like this that make you ask deep, deep , searching questions. deep, deep, searching questions. are the mob winning when it comes to the fact that somebody of such tremendous public service and moral fortitude , service and moral fortitude, food and bravery simply is too afraid to carry on? as a member of parliament, we must ask ourselves huge, huge searching questions. >> indeed, indeed . yes, this is >> indeed, indeed. yes, this is a man who has represented finchley and golders green most , finchley and golders green most, one of the most heavily, uh, jewish areas in the country . jewish areas in the country. since 2010. he's been a local, was a local conservative councillor from 1990. he's given his life really to public

service and to the conservative party and he's now reached a point that he feels he just cannot do it anymore because of the threat to his family , which the threat to his family, which came to a head with this arson attack on his constituency office on christmas eve. so he , office on christmas eve. so he, uh, this went public last night. he talked to our political editor , christopher hope, a editor, christopher hope, a little bit earlier. let's have a look at some of what he had to say. point when the level of threat becomes you know, like beyond the pale . beyond the pale. >> most mps, in fact, i think all mps have to cope with a level of routine abuse , routine level of routine abuse, routine graffiti that the kind of low level stuff maybe we shouldn't have to deal with it, but it is kind of bred and butter now. the way we handle our jobs as mps. way we handle ourjobs as mps. but when you've had, you know , 2 but when you've had, you know, 2 or 3 serious incidents where your life has been threatened and one was a very narrow miss purely by, you know, fluke, i

wasn't in the office. the man that went to on kill david amess had come to finchley . that went to on kill david amess had come to finchley. he told the police come with the police he'd come armed with the police he'd come armed with the me . the intention to harm me. luckily, wasn't in finchley luckily, i wasn't in finchley that day. and then, you know, the arson attack was simply the last straw. and in december, that was on christmas eve . yeah. that was on christmas eve. yeah. and so, you know, we're not sure yet entirely what the motive was i >> -- >> do you know who who firebombed your office? >> so basically, the police found two people could be had good because after good cctv because after the david , you know, david amess killer, you know, ali ali was arrested. um, ali habib ali was arrested. um, and they'd known his surveillance on finchley . my surveillance on finchley. my office had basically turned office had been basically turned into a fortress, as my into a fortress, as was my house. um, since that, we've had very strong csv. so the police were able to use facial recognition technology and identify quickly . um, identify them quite quickly. um, arrested them, and they're in prison awaiting trial. um, but they're not saying anything. um, one of them, um, is a known burglar. but beyond that , i he's burglar. but beyond that, i he's not said what the motivation was. >> and it goes back ten years. you've been saying is it different people ? well, the same different people? well, the same people, the same small group of

people. >> so certainly there seems to be a common theme, particularly on the most serious attacks . you on the most serious attacks. you know, i've had two run ins with muslims against crusades , one muslims against crusades, one quite where they burst quite serious, where they burst into a surgery was having in a mosque and threatened me. um, lucky people. that's an organisation that was run by anne and his anne diamond chowdhury and his crew . they've and out of crew. they've been in and out of prison . um, they put on their prison. um, they put on their website that, you know, you're not welcome in our mosque. let stephen timms be a pointed reminder that. you're not reminder for that. you're not welcome. subtle . welcome. that's very subtle. >> he stabbed. of course. >> he was stabbed. of course. labour was stabbed . labour mp was stabbed. >> so some horrific details there . several attacks on his there. several attacks on his safety, dating back to shortly after he became an mp. uh, when stephen timms, the labour mp, was stabbed . luckily he survived was stabbed. luckily he survived , but mike freer was messaged and was told let stephen timms be a warning to you. then of course, he says he feels lucky

to be alive because the man that went on to murder sir david amess turned up at his constituent office, and it was only the fact that boris johnson had conducted a reshuffle the previous day that meant that mike freer was not there and potentially would have met the same fate as sir david amess tragically did. a month later. and then, of course, this this attack on christmas eve . and attack on christmas eve. and there was an email sent subsequently to that that said , subsequently to that that said, you are the kind of person who deserves to be set alight . and i deserves to be set alight. and i don't think unless you've been subject to that , that you can subject to that, that you can really understand how terrible that must feel. and his family , that must feel. and his family, his husband has been very jittery, he says. ever since the near miss with this terror list, understandably, he's been wearing a stab vest at public engagement. his husband hasn't wanted him to walk home from the tube at night. he's been advised to be careful where he parks his car . he's had

to be careful where he parks his car. he's had notes put on his car. he's had notes put on his car. they've previously had sort of dummy petrol bombs left outside the constituency office. this has gone on and on and on and worth saying too. he is not jewish, but he's very firmly for israel's right to defend itself, although he does support a two state solution. and of course , state solution. and of course, since the atrocities of october the 7th, we have seen a big upfickin the 7th, we have seen a big uptick in anti semitic attacks. >> and we certainly have in his constituency and he did say i don't think we can divorce anti—semitism from this intimidation . that's an intimidation. that's an understatement . many people understatement. many people would have quit a long time ago . would have quit a long time ago. let's face it. if your office is getting firebombed and your partner and you have to wear stab vests, it's amazing. he carried on this long. and yet you feel that the mob is winning if you resign and it's not just him that's had this, it's also been labour, um, candidates. london labour mp vicky foxcroft .

london labour mp vicky foxcroft. her office was was barricaded and protested and they before all that, hundreds of pro—palestinian protesters gathered outside east london office of rushanara ali, labour mp. but there's a commonality in the people that are causing this trouble and it is importing the grievance of palestine onto british streets. that's what's driving this. >> well, certainly recently, since october the 7th, there's been a huge , huge uptick up been a huge, huge uptick up swing in anti—semitic attacks. we know reports have gone through the roof . jewish people through the roof. jewish people say that they no longer feel safe in britain , in an safe in britain, in an incredible state of affairs, jewish children disguising you know, their religion on the way to school . absolutely, to school. absolutely, absolutely awful . i think it is absolutely awful. i think it is worth stating , um, that absolutely awful. i think it is worth stating, um, that in terms of the arson attack on the office, um, two people, uh, have appeared in court today, um, of

no fixed abode. we don't know yet the motivation for that, but certainly, uh, you know, there's been a spate, hasn't there, of , been a spate, hasn't there, of, um, anti—semitic incidents and a lot of people feeling they are not safe. but i would say more broadly, he, um, he is by no means , uh, the only mp to be means, uh, the only mp to be targeted there are so many mps that have death threats, things sent to the office, uh, abusive messages, social media. i mean, he's said a lot of the blame he puts at the door of social media people going down these sort of rabbit holes where you get fed more and more extreme content and you can't tell who is harmless and who is not. plenty of mps and female mps, i should say , get it worse than others. say, get it worse than others. and i've talked to many of them about this, have extra security in their homes , panic buttons,

in their homes, panic buttons, etc. but of course, what do you do? these people have to leave their houses to get to work and dreadful. and i think it's putting off people going into politics in the first place, people who would otherwise want to serve the public in that way. just thinking the risk is too great. >> i'm going to share a story with you now. um, i was on the receiving end of a death threat when i was a candidate in ashfield in the general election in 2019. in fact, a bunch of lads came out with knives . um, i lads came out with knives. um, i was campaigning and it was almost funny afterwards because i'd been knocking on these doors for weeks trying to canvass. turns out i didn't know. turns out it was a crack den and they thought i was a copper. out it was a crack den and they thought i was a copper . they thought i was a copper. they thought i was a copper. they thought i'd been undercover coppen thought i'd been undercover copper. they came down the street at me with knives and they pulled them out. and i just thought , i'm they pulled them out. and i just thought, i'm going to. i could die here. and i just stood my ground and i looked him down, and held my arm . i went and i just held my arm. i went martin brexit party . did

martin daubney brexit party. did you vote to leave the european union and went, what? and union? and he went, what? and the situation dissolved and we were facing threats of violence in pubs from all sorts of people, from the so—called kind and gentle be kind left. there's and gentle be kind left. there's a lot of that going on. it was a harrowing moment, but this , this harrowing moment, but this, this repeated targeting of public officers is going to drive people out of the game . and people out of the game. and another thing i'm worried about, catherine, is how people vote , catherine, is how people vote, because it's a matter of public record, how you vote. are people going to be scouring how anybody votes as far as israel, votes in as far as israel, palestine , foreign affairs? will palestine, foreign affairs? will that in itself make make democracy be stifled by the fear of the consequences of putting your opinions public? we're getting to a point where it's dangerous to have opinions, isn't it? the job of politicians to have opinions, to get things done? >> of course it is. and as you say , you can look up how any mp say, you can look up how any mp

voted on any issue in parliament quite rightly, they they are here to represent us. you should be able to do that. but people like alicia cairns, who is a conservative mp of course, also the chair of the foreign affairs select committee, she has said that she feels less safe on the streets of her local constituency than she does visiting foreign parts. you know, including dangerous places in the world. and michael gove, the levelling up secretary he has recently had to suspend constituency surgeries over fears for his safety . it really fears for his safety. it really does feel that the world, for politicians and indeed for all of us, given all the threats that we're facing, becomes ever more dangerous and the consequences for our democracy and the people coming in are very , very serious. because very, very serious. because think of all the great people who might have come into politics, who will take one look and say, do you know what? no, i've got a family. i've got children. i'm not doing this.

the risk is just too great. >> and it's more than that. it's not just politics. look at the situation that in situation that we have in schools, know, with with schools, you know, with with katharine birbalsingh, the michaela academy who introduced the muslim prayer ban and the school has received death threats and was vandalised. the berkeley threats and was vandalised. the berki sent home threats and was vandalised. the berkisent home a pupil a they sent home a pupil with a palestinian flag on their blazer. that school is now closed because bomb threat . closed because of a bomb threat. something is getting wildly, wildly out of control. it feels like this country, if like to me in this country, if it really, really does, if can it really, really does, if i can just mention to the case of the teacher up in yorkshire . teacher up in yorkshire. >> yes, who showed a picture of the prophet muhammad in hiding, who is still in hiding. the prophet muhammad in hiding, who is still in hiding . that was who is still in hiding. that was one year, two years ago, maybe over two years, and he was ultimately cleared of any wrongdoing. he was trying to do it in an educational way. he was hounded. he was vilified. he's been cleared . his family is in been cleared. his family is in hiding. his life has changed completely. well, absolutely terrifying. >> well, i spoke this week with

a close friend of his, um, who . a close friend of his, um, who. keeps me up to date. i went to batley and took part in a free speech rally calling for when the came out, the by—election came out, saying, all of you mps need the by—election came out, sa' stick all of you mps need the by—election came out, sa'stick up of you mps need the by—election came out, sa' stick up of jthis’vips need the by—election came out, sa' stick up of jthis teacher. need the by—election came out, sa' stic by. 3 of jthis teacher. need the by—election came out, sa' stic by. this this teacher. need the by—election came out, sa' stic by. this this teacher. nonei stand by. this teacher. not none of they kept quiet. of them would they kept quiet. they were too scared . labour they were too scared. labour party got that seat. um. and i just think we either self censor or when we speak out like this, we're getting forced out of the game. we've got a problem. and i think this needs clearing up later on in the show. we're going to speak to ian aitchison. he's a senior adviser at the counter terrorism project. um, he's got a lot to say on this because it feels to me it feels to a lot of people i talk to in politics, a lot of people i talk to in the media and a lot of the people who write into this show that something is getting wildly, out of control. wildly, wildly out of control. and unless we're going and unless we act, we're going to pass the point of no return. and who bother standing and who would bother standing for the consequence? >> happened >> us and what happened to josh howie charlie? those horrific

murders that terrorist murders, that terrible terrorist attack in paris where they went after journalists for cartoons of the prophet muhammad, and we had everybody standing up saying, this is not okay, je suis charlie . we have the right suis charlie. we have the right to free speech. we have the right to show these images. you know, if you're offended, too bad this is free speech. we live in a democracy . and yet more and in a democracy. and yet more and more, this teacher more, that's what this teacher was was just showing was doing. he was just showing an image, trying to educate. and yet more and more , more people yet more and more, more people are having to moderate their behaviour because they are scared of the consequences . rs. scared of the consequences. rs. >> and they're all consequences. there are consequences of having your office torched . there are your office torched. there are consequences murderers, you consequences of murderers, you know, narrowly avoiding you, of politicians being called killed in cold blood. there are consequences of death, threats of bomb , threats of schools of bomb, threats of schools being of communities being closed, of communities being closed, of communities being apart . what do you being ripped apart. what do you say ? say? >> it's really worrying, isn't it? because it just feels like the discourse . what you can and

the discourse. what you can and can't say just feels like it's getting narrower and narrower and narrower. and i think in some ways it's because we've been free of war. we've been prosperous, we've been tolerant , prosperous, we've been tolerant, but it's almost like we've forgotten how lucky we are to have democracy in this country. we've forgotten how lucky we are to have free speech and because we've sort of forgotten of it, it's no longer being valued. and in fact, it's being quashed . in fact, it's being quashed. >> not only that, but we're censoring ourselves because we're we're afraid and we're afraid of the consequences of the people in control of this country or people who say they're in control of this country need to get a grip. they need to do it sharpish. um, otherwise, we're heading need to do it sharpish. um, otherwismob we're heading need to do it sharpish. um, otherwismob rule we're heading need to do it sharpish. um, otherwismob rule katherine ding towards mob rule katherine forster you much. forster, thank you very much. and enlighten and emboldening start to the show for little harrowing. okay we'll have lots more on this shocking story throughout the show, and you can hear from mike freer hear much more from mike freer right now on your youtube channel. youtube channel. channel. our youtube channel. and there's plenty coverage, channel. our youtube channel. ancourse, s plenty coverage, channel. our youtube channel.

ancourse, on lenty coverage, channel. our youtube channel. ancourse, on oury coverage, channel. our youtube channel. ancourse, on our website, rage, channel. our youtube channel. ancourse, on our website, gbe, of course, on our website, gb news. com and you've helped to make the fastest growing make it the fastest growing national website in the national news website in the country. thank you much. country. so thank you very much. now on a completely different note, it's time for our brand new great british giveaway and your chance to win £18,000 in cash. and here's all the details that you need for a chance to make that yours. >> want a ten, 20, 24 into >> we want a ten, 20, 24 into 2020 more with your chance to win £18,000 in cash to spend. however you like. you really could be the next big winner of our great british giveaway . phil our great british giveaway. phil from west yorkshire won our last one. listen to his reaction when we gave him the news. i never won a penny in my life. >> well congratulations , you've >> well congratulations, you've won £10,000. >> oh my god. >> oh my god. >> wow. for your chance to win £18,000 in tax free cash text gb win to 84 9002. >> text cost £2 plus one standard network rate message or post your name and number to gb zero two. po box 8690 derby rd

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discussion. gb news is the people's channel, britain's news channel 2024, a battle ground year the year the nation decides as the parties gear up their campaigns for the next general election, who will be left standing when the british people make one of the biggest decisions of their lives? >> who will rise and who will fall? >> let's find out together. >> let's find out together. >> for every moment, the highs and the lows, the twists and turns . turns. >> we'll be with you for every step of this journey. >> in 2024. gb news is britain's election . election. channel >> welcome back. 328 you're watching or listening to martin daubney on gb news later this hour we find out what today's big decision on the base rate by the bank england for the bank of england means for you money. now, police you and your money. now, police have named the man suspected of leaving a mother and her child with changing injuries in with life changing injuries in an alkaline attack in south

london. the metropolitan police are searching for 35 year old abdul zeidi. you can see his picture there. he was last seen in caledonian road in north london and our reporter, ray addison is at the scene of the attack. ray. well come to the show. you've been down there covering this story excellently. what's the latest ? what's the latest? >> well, what's known now is that a manhunt which originally started in london, is now stretching all the way to newcastle , which is the believed newcastle, which is the believed to be the hometown of this suspect , 35 year old abdul suspect, 35 year old abdul shakoor azadi. an image has been released of him. he was last seen , as you were saying, in seen, as you were saying, in caledonian road, which is in north london. however it is suspected that he is trying to or could be potentially trying to way back to to make his way back to newcastle . now the police are newcastle. now the police are saying to the public if you suspect that you've seen this individual, you should not approach him under any circumstances. instead inform the police by dialling 999. he

does have significant injuries to the right hand side of his face, although it's not known whether that's a result of the alkaline that was thrown over that the woman and her two young children, or whether it was from perhaps the impact of the car crash as well, that he was involved in before he tried to flee , however, he had travelled flee, however, he had travelled to down london that day and he could be returning back to newcastle now . police say newcastle now. police say they're working alongside northumbria police to try to track him down. british transport police also getting involved in that hunt, as you would expect, he may be obviously making his way down on train or coach some other form of transport. and so this hunt really taking place across much of the country now involving a significant number of police officers from different forces , officers from different forces, we're told now there are several unknowns in this case at this stage, it's not known his nationality. um, it's not known whether he was actually known to

any particular police force across the uk either . neither any particular police force across the uk either. neither is known his relation to the mother or any motive . asian for this or any motive. asian for this suspect. well, this this attack which took place now obviously those details will continue to emerge as they get the opportunity to speak to the mother and those two young girls . we do know as well that four members of the community tried to intervene and protect the mother and her two young children. last night, three women and a man. the women receiving injuries, burns to them to themselves, which later required hospital treatment, although they have now been discharged , and met police discharged, and met police commissioner sir mark rowley paid their bravery as paid tribute to their bravery as well and thanked them for doing it. managed to speak to the it. we managed to speak to the man who chased azadi down the road. he wanted his identity to be hidden, but he did tell us what happened inside and i heard, um, some sort of commotion going on outside.

>> um, it's not unusual because sometimes we do hear things going on outside and, um, the odd argument or something. so at first i didn't much of first i didn't think much of it. it's i heard like it's only until i heard like a bang, like car bang, which sounded like a car crash, thought . let crash, um, where i thought. let me sort of look out the window and see what's going on. so i couldn't see car had couldn't see what car had crashed my car was crashed into because my car was parked there. was parked out there. so i was quite concerned. heard concerned. and then i heard someone me and someone scream, help! so me and my partner sort of ran outside, um, as soon as we got there, um, as soon as we got out there, we guy, um, this we saw this guy, um, pull this very probably about very young girl, probably about 2 or 3 out of the back of the car, and he lifted her up as high he could, and he just high as he could, and he just slammed her to ground. um, slammed her to the ground. um, he'd twice. and was he'd done that twice. and it was after second where we after the second time where we sort ran in and just. sort of just ran in and just. yeah, just tried to stop what was going on. i up sort was going on. so i ended up sort of him like halfway down of chasing him like halfway down the um, i had on slippers, the road. um, i had on slippers, so hard to continue so it was quite hard to continue running. so i ended up stopping. um, i had got back up to the top of road, closer to where it of the road, closer to where it happened, and partnerjust happened, and my partnerjust said just go and get some said to me, just go and get some water, i still water, get some water. i still wasn't what happened, wasn't aware of what happened,

so inside, just so i just ran inside, just grabbed and grabbed the water, and then i saw, it was the mother saw, i believe it was the mother of the child and she was just screaming i can't her screaming like i can't see her eyes weren't so i just eyes weren't open. um, so i just opened the bottle of water and just of, just sprayed her just sort of, just sprayed her down with the water, basically. and then a few more bystanders had done the had some water and just done the same had some water and just done the sanwell, local residents here in >> well, local residents here in lambeth they've lambeth telling me they've been terrified by this incident. although police are keen to stress that they believe it stress that they do believe it was isolated event. and they was an isolated event. and they say fortunately , attacks using say fortunately, attacks using acid and chemicals are extremely rare . rare. >> thank you ray and some fantastic reporting and fantastic reporting and fantastic bravery from that young man there who chased abdul azizi away and let's hope the police dragnet closes around him soon. now there's lots more still to come. between now and 4:00. we'll cross live to brussels, where belgium farmers are staging a dramatic protest in front of the european parliament. but first, your latest news headlines with sam francis .

francis. >> martin, thank you very much. it's just gone half past three. the headlines this hour. it's just gone half past three. the headlines this hour . well, the headlines this hour. well, our top story of the day. police in investigating that chemical attack we've been hearing about, which toddler and her which left a toddler and her mother with potentially life changing injuries, have now named as abdul named the suspect as abdul azadi. the 35 year old alleged attacker is from. we understand, the newcastle area metropolitan police say the suspect has significant injuries to the right side of his face. in the attack. azadi allegedly threw a corrosive substance over three victims, including two children, near clapham common, five police officers and three other women also sustained injuries after coming to the aid of that family. superintend gabriel cameron from the met police gave a statement earlier he left the scene but the injuries to the female and children, they're in a stable condition but we are just monitoring them. >> but they don't seem to be life threatening. but at this

time they could be life changing. the male was last seen in the north london area. caledonian road, and if you see him there will be some images circulated later today. if you see him, i plead to not approach him . him. >> inflation is expected to temporarily return to the bank of england's target of 2% this summer. that's a year and a half earlier than was previously expected. the news comes as today the bank has held its interest rate at 5.25% for the fourth time in a row. labour, though, says households are paying though, says households are paying the price for 14 years of economic failure under the conservatives the former subpostmaster, who led the campaign for justice subpostmaster, who led the campaign forjustice in the post campaign for justice in the post office scandal, has today rejected the government's compensation offer. alan bates, whose two decade fight inspired the itv series mr bates versus the itv series mr bates versus the post office, says the offer is offensive and called it cruel. bates told the telegraph

that the offer was only around a sixth of what he had requested, calling it a terrible way to treat human beings. calling it a terrible way to treat human beings . and finally , treat human beings. and finally, queen camilla has told charity workers that the king is recovering well , as she visited recovering well, as she visited the saint john's foundation in bath today. the charity provides support for the elderly as well as tackling poverty and poor living conditions in the area . living conditions in the area. her majesty celebrated the charity's 850 years in service , charity's 850 years in service, and she's been their patron since 2009. and for all the latest stories, you can sign up to gb news alerts by scanning the qr code on your screen or by going to gbnews.com forward slash alerts . all . for stunning slash alerts. all. for stunning gold and silver coins , you'll gold and silver coins, you'll always value rosalind gold proudly sponsors the gb news financial report , and here's financial report, and here's a look at the market this

afternoon. the pound will buy you $1.2663 and ,1.1700. the price of gold is £1,616.68. that's per ounce. and the ftse 100 is currently . at 7648 points. >> rosalind gold proudly sponsors the . gb news financial sponsors the. gb news financial report . now to sponsors the. gb news financial report. now to incredible sponsors the. gb news financial report . now to incredible scenes report. now to incredible scenes in brussels, where farmers have taken their protests right to the heart of the european union and viewers on gb news can see some dramatic pictures from the belgian capital. >> journalist jacques perec got right in amongst the protests a little earlier . this is the little earlier. this is the scene outside the european parliament here in brussels , you parliament here in brussels, you can see tyres burning in this fire. >> there's a statue that's been pulled down, actually, of a british industrialist, john cockerill , who was really in

cockerill, who was really in favour of workers rights. >> and this is all part of a farmers protest. >> they descended on the city of brussels around 7:08 pm. on wednesday night with their tractors, which have completely clogged up all of the roads in central brussels. >> you can see they've they're sort of right up next to each other. >> the farmers have descended here to tell eu leaders who are meeting in the region of maybe a kilometre away from here, that they simply cannot sustain the pressure that eu green laws are putting on their industry any longer . longer. >> and that's our man, jack parrott , right in the thick of parrott, right in the thick of it. i'm delighted to say that jack joins me now . welcome to jack joins me now. welcome to the show. superb stuff. great great footage. so you're right in the thick of it there. what's the mood on the ground ? well, the mood on the ground? well, i've left there now. i've actually now come to that eu council summit that i was talking about . council summit that i was talking about. um, it's still pretty chaotic. the entire city

of brussels has been completely clogged with these tractors, sort of three abreast in most of the roads across the city. and the roads across the city. and the people of brussels aren't particularly happy . particularly happy. >> i mean, this is sort of reminiscent for some people of the just stop oil protests. >> you people gluing >> you know, people gluing themselves are unable themselves as people are unable to hospital appointments. to get to hospital appointments. and lot of upset about and there's a lot of upset about the that's happening the destruction that's happening on the streets of brussels today. but on the other side, there's also the protest, which there's also the protest, which the are saying that eu the farmers are saying that eu green simply are not able green laws simply are not able to fit with what they need to do to fit with what they need to do to keep their businesses going. >> and just before the protests happened, saw the european happened, we saw the european commission some commission actually make some concessions farmers concessions to the farmers protests. and this is on the demands that were put on them to set aside somewhere in the region of 5% of their land, or regrow going for biodiversity . a regrow going for biodiversity. a lot of the farmers have said that's not possible. and the european commission has said that delay that coming that they can delay that coming in. so they small in. so they have won a small concession with protests . concession with these protests.

it's and jack, there's a feeling as well , a it's and jack, there's a feeling as well, a huge it's and jack, there's a feeling as well , a huge dissatisfaction as well, a huge dissatisfaction that the european union has managed to find ,50 billion in aid to send to ukraine and yet farmers in particular, are on the on the receiving end of net zero targets, taxes on on diesel and endless red tape . and endless red tape. >> so many farmers jack saying they're measuring ditches to see if they have to drain them or not. there are minimum requirements on the width of battery hen enclosures. endless red tape. as jeremy clarkson pointed out in clarkson's farm in britain, they've simply had enough and they're shouting ursula von der leyen! we are here! yeah they are. >> and we actually know that ursula von der leyen is going to go out and meet them. i understand. along with the belgian prime minister, alexander dutch alexander de croo, and the dutch prime minister, rutte, that prime minister, mark rutte, that obviously most of the of obviously most of the most of the that have come in the farmers that have come in their to protest their tractors to this protest are from in the are from belgium, in the netherlands, being close neighbours as you say, it's a

it's a very interesting time for these issues to be raised. the farmers are clearly very unhappy. there's been eggs thrown the european thrown at the european parliament, haunt, parliament, your old haunt, martin. uh, and they are saying essentially that they that they can't continue with this with these green policies . there's these green policies. there's been huge pressure on that and centre right parties in the european parliament actually tried to back was tried to wield back what was known as the nature restoration law. actually failed in law. they actually failed in that vote in the european parliament a few months ago. um, but seeing the but what we're seeing in the run up the european up to the june european parliament elections is that these sort of issues are now going to be very, very clear early on, voters minds and the parties that can win over and make promises to win over this part of the electorate, the farmers, people that support the agriculture sector, they might do quite well in those elections i >> -- >> and, jack, that political fallout, as you those fallout, as you say, those elections due may, june , june, elections due may, june, june, how significant an impact do you think these protests are going

to have on the on the electorate's mindset going into this? much of a leverage this? and how much of a leverage point will that to be wards? ursula von der surely she will have to make some kind of concessions or the pro—eu candidates are simply going to get blown away ? get blown away? >> yeah, well, as you know, martin, this is a sort of weird structure. she doesn't have to actually have see her party actually have to see her party win the european parliament elections in order to get rid positioned in the european commission um, but for the domestic parties that will be running in this election . varne running in this election. varne what's interesting about this one, martin, is that the different sections of the farmers are aligned with different political groupings in the different countries that they're coming from. so in some countries they're more sort of socially workers parties and the farmers are sort of clubbing around them and some of them are going more towards sort of more right wing parties who are saying, we'll protect you against the sort of edicts of the european commission. it's a broad, broad church at the moment, but the farmers are

coming together and we can see what they can do in the pictures here. when they so. here. when they do so. >> and fantastic imagery >> yeah, and fantastic imagery right in the thick of it there. jack prague think you're right in the thick of it there. jack pwe je think you're right in the thick of it there. jack pwe je see think you're right in the thick of it there. jack pweje see tithinkou're right in the thick of it there. jack pweje see tithink gains right. we will see i think gains for the far left and for the more wing parties and more right wing parties and losses in centre losses, losses in the centre and losses, i think, jack, the green i think, jack, for the green parties , um, those who are parties, um, those who are shoving all this net zero, um, agenda forward, they're the ones who the farmers are the most furious about. >> well, the green party yet is going to have a really, really interesting run in this election. last, the last time these elections were held in 2019, it was all about this green wave coming into european politics. but because the mantle of green policies has been taken up, so sort of ardent by the european commission when it announced it wanted to be the first continent, the european union , to be net zero by 2050. union, to be net zero by 2050. um what that's done is basically neutralised some of the point in green politics, and they're sort of having to find a new raison d'etre, a new reason to exist when a lot of the sort of more

centrist parties are adopting those green policies as well. >> okay . jack parrock, our man >> okay. jack parrock, our man there in brussels , excellent there in brussels, excellent footage. excellent commentary. thank you very much. the farmers are revolting. will the voters be next? okay, well, let's head back to brussels. weather. no we're not doing that. as expected, the bank of england has decided to hold the base rate at 5.25. but what does that mean for you and your money? well, our economics and business editor , liam halligan, has all editor, liam halligan, has all of the answers. i'm martin daubney on gb news, britain's news channel

>> in 2024. gb news is britain's election . channel election. channel >> welcome back 348 you're watching or listening to martin daubney on gb news now at 4:00 we'll hear from mike freer, ligament minister, who's quitting at the next election after he had death threats and there was an attack and arson attack on his office. now at 12:00 pm today, the bank of england held the base rate of interest at a 15 year high of 5.25. but chancellor jeremy hunt 5.25. but chancellorjeremy hunt says the economy is on the path to recovery . to recovery. >> obviously very positive for news families with mortgages. the interest rates appear to have peaked , but we should have peaked, but we should remember that inflation never falls in a straight line . it may falls in a straight line. it may tick up again a little bit later this month, but the overall picture here is of inflation falling dramatically faster than

most people predicted. and the economy being much stronger with the bank of england upgrading its forecasts for this year. next year and the year after. and what that says is we've taken difficult decisions . the taken difficult decisions. the plan is working, but now is not the time to junk that plan. by a big spending spree, borrowing £28 billion a year more as other parties want to do, we need to stick to the plan because it's working okay. >> we'll have to cut through the grease and to make sense of this, there's only one man to turn and that's liam turn to and that's liam halligan, our gb news economics and joins and business editor. he joins me now the money . now with on the money. >> catch me drinking my tea there, martin. >> and never a chore. so the dog days are behind us. if we if we believe jeremy hunt, the base rate has been held. not quite a cut which many of us would like to have seen, but nevertheless, it's pretty good news, though i think it's pretty clear now, as we've saying for weeks, think it's pretty clear now, as we've that saying for weeks, think it's pretty clear now, as we've that the 1g for weeks, think it's pretty clear now, as we've that the nextr weeks,

think it's pretty clear now, as we've that the next move s, martin, that the next move in interest rates be interest rates will be down. >> are at a 15 year high of >> they are at a 15 year high of 5.25. that's the bank of england's base rate. but unusually , the mortgage rates unusually, the mortgage rates are already below they reflect where lenders think interest rates are going. so they have to offer lower rates in order to compete in order to get our business. and that's why mortgages are becoming less onerous, better value for money for hardworking households who are lucky enough to buy their own home. if you look at the minutes of the monetary policy committee, the nine economist who decide interest rates at the bank of england , it was a63 bank of england, it was a63 split. six of them voted for a rate hold. two of them actually voted to increase interest rates even more , which is completely even more, which is completely unfathomable to me that i have noidea unfathomable to me that i have no idea why they're doing that. um, give in that the trend rate of inflation is obviously down. it's gone down from 11% at the

end of 2022 to 4% now at one person on the mpc actually voted for a rate cut , which person on the mpc actually voted for a rate cut, which is person on the mpc actually voted for a rate cut , which is where for a rate cut, which is where i would be. i guess that's why i'm not on the mpc, because i'd be in a minority. but look , in a minority. but look, interest rates are coming down. i think the first cut in interest rates will be april or may in the uk, and i think the mighty federal reserve , the us mighty federal reserve, the us central could even cut central bank, could even cut interest in march . so interest rates in march. so we've had an interesting announcement today from , um, announcement today from, um, shadow rachel reeves shadow chancellor rachel reeves on corporation but the big on corporation tax. but the big news is that the bank of england has held interest rates at 5.25, as predicted here on gb news. yeah i mean, you always get it right. >> mr liam, um, you've got a little graph there. of course, on the money wouldn't be anything without. >> i do like a graphic martin and i know disappointed and i know you're disappointed when a graphic. so when there isn't a graphic. so here a graphic , and here we have a graphic, and we'll keep gb news radio listeners alongside us here. what see here on the screen, what we see here on the screen, 2017 interest rates were 0.5. they went up to around 1. and

then the covid pandemic hit in 2020 emerged kc rate cuts to 0.1. lowest in recorded british history. and then since then , as history. and then since then, as inflation has emerged, we've had we've had 14 successive rate rises to 5.25, but they have now been at 5.25% since august . and been at 5.25% since august. and i think we can put a lot of money on the fact that the next move in rates will be down. but let me just also martin mention that corporation tax announcement by rachel reeves, shadow chancellor. of course . shadow chancellor. of course. uh, labour's first big pre—election announcement on tax. it's not about personal taxation. it's not about inheritance tax. it's about corporation tax. they will keep corporation tax. they will keep corporation tax. they will keep corporation tax at 25% in £0.25 in the pound of profits. of course, it recently went up from 19% to 25. now some people on the labour left will say oh that's outrageous. corporation

tax. it's all the fat cats, all the city people. we hate . um, the city people. we hate. um, but actually plumbers pay corporation tax, hairdressers pay corporation tax, hairdressers pay corporation tax, you pay corporation tax at 19% until you make 50 grand profit, which is not very much for a company with 2 or 3 employees at all. and then between 50 and 2 50,000 a yean then between 50 and 2 50,000 a year, you actually pay 26.5% corporation tax. not a lot of people understand that unless they're they happen to be accountants. so the idea that corporation tax to freeze it helps the fat cats is economically and financially illiterate . i actually think illiterate. i actually think that rachel reeves, she's annoyed the left of her party by saying that she's going to freeze corporation tax . i freeze corporation tax. i actually think she's handed the tories an opportunity. now tories with an opportunity. now we've budget 6th we've got the budget on the 6th of if the tories cut of march. if the tories cut corporation tax back even by 1 or 2 percentage points to 22, 23, £0.24 in the pound, labour will not be able to follow them without looking . um, ridiculous

without looking. um, ridiculous because labour have just put themselves on the hook saying they're going to stick at £0.25 in the pound. so you could get clear blue water between the conservatives and labour, which is precisely what a lot of tory strategists, a lot of tory mps think is needed in order to give the tories a fighting chance of at least not humiliating themselves at the next general election , in which we think will election, in which we think will probably be in october or november . the budget probably be in october or november. the budget is on the 6th of march. there's going to be a lot of speculation in between now and then about what is going to be in it. i would say that corporation tax cuts , say that corporation tax cuts, okay, liam halligan always pays on the money. >> thank you, my friend. superb as ever . now a >> thank you, my friend. superb as ever. now a government minister is quitting at the next election after a campaign of terror from a banned islamist group . i'm going to bring you group. i'm going to bring you that interview with mp mike freer this . that interview with mp mike freer this. i'm martin freer after this. i'm martin daubney on gb news. britain's news channel . news channel. >> a brighter outlook with boxt

solar sponsors of weather on gb news . news. >> hello alex bercow here again with your latest gb news weather forecast. whilst it is going to turn increasingly mild as we go through the end of the week, it will also be windy at times and there will be some rain. most of that will pushing in from the that will be pushing in from the west have high west because we have high pressure to the of uk, west because we have high presit'se to the of uk, west because we have high presit's this:he of uk, west because we have high presit's this:he leading uk, west because we have high presit's this:he leading toik, and it's this that's leading to and it's this that's leading to a flow across the a westerly flow across the country . as well as this, we do country. as well as this, we do have a spell of more persistent rain across parts of scotland as we of today we go through the rest of today and of the night, but and the start of the night, but that rain does clear away towards as we go towards the east as we go through hours of through the early hours of friday . elsewhere, it is friday morning. elsewhere, it is going increasingly going to turn increasingly cloudy as we go through the night, will be some night, and there will be some outbreaks of drizzly rain, mainly towards the west. after a bit a chilly start some mainly towards the west. after a bitus a chilly start some mainly towards the west. after a bitus tonight, start some mainly towards the west. after a bitus tonight, temperatures; mainly towards the west. after a bitus tonight, temperatures are of us tonight, temperatures are actually going lift. so by actually going to lift. so by the many us up the time many of us wake up tomorrow morning, actually tomorrow morning, it's actually going relatively mild going to be relatively mild through itself. a rather through the day itself. a rather cloudy picture, cloudier than through the day itself. a rather cloudjforcture, cloudier than through the day itself. a rather cloudjfor most cloudier than through the day itself. a rather cloudjfor most of)udier than through the day itself. a rather cloudjfor most of us, er than through the day itself. a rather cloudjfor most of us, and|an through the day itself. a rather cloudjfor most of us, and that today for most of us, and that cloud will thick enough for cloud will be thick enough for

some rain some further outbreaks of rain across western parts in particular, something particular, perhaps something a bit more persistent, pushing in across of scotland and across parts of scotland and into northern ireland. two the best sunshine best chance of any sunshine tomorrow be the east, tomorrow will be in the east, and where temperatures and that's where temperatures are highest . and that's where temperatures are highest. could are likely to be highest. could get to highs around 15 celsius, but for most it going to be a but for most it is going to be a mild a windy one. mild day, albeit a windy one. two rain pushes its way two the rain pushes its way southwards, saturday we're southwards, so on saturday we're likely to see a bit of a wet picture across southern counties. a greater chance of seeing further seeing some sunshine further north, but there will be showers towards northwest and towards the northwest and a little bit chillier too. elsewhere as we go through the weekend, a cloudy picture weekend, a rather cloudy picture and lifting again and temperatures lifting again to above average for the time of yeah >> looks like things are heating up boxed boilers sponsors of weather on .

gb news. >> good afternoon. it's 4 pm. welcome to the martin dalby show on gb news broadcasting live from the heart of westminster all across the uk . now we've got all across the uk. now we've got an interview with mike freer , an interview with mike freer, the tory mp who's going to quit after receiving death threats from a banned islamist group, and police have named a suspect in the hunt for a man who has left the mother and her child with potentially life changing injuries in london last night, abdul azadi is said to have been left with significant injuries to the right side of his face

after a grotesque , corrosive, after a grotesque, corrosive, alkaline substance attack and there's the amazing story of the thousands of people who are struggling with their mental health, who replied to a tweet from a sesame street character actor. that's all coming in your next hour . so thanks for next hour. so thanks for joining me on the show. as usual, i'd love to hear from you in all the usual ways. email me your views gbviews@gbnews.com. we have some astonishing footage from brussels show . brussels earlier in the show. we've got some more of that. those farmers protests are really kicking off. will the eu listen ? will the electorate listen? will the electorate change their minds about how to vote in the upcoming elections ? vote in the upcoming elections? and of course, issue around and of course, the issue around politicians being forced out of office due to threats from islamists ? how much longer can islamists? how much longer can this carry on? we'll be having a huge debate about that in the show. meaty topics . but now it's show. meaty topics. but now it's time for your latest news

headunes time for your latest news headlines with middlehurst i >> -- >> martin, thank you and good afternoon. well, our top story from the gb newsroom today is that police investigating a chemical attack, which left a toddler and her mother with potentially life changing injuries , have named the suspect injuries, have named the suspect as abdul azadi, the 35 year old alleged attacker is from the newcastle area, metropolitan police say the suspect has significant injuries to the right side of his face in the attack. >> azadi allegedly threw a corrosive substance over three victims, including two children, near clapham common in london, five police officers and three women have also been injured after coming to the aid of the family. >> sukh perintendent gabriel cameron, from the metropolitan police this statement police gave this statement a short time ago . short time ago. >> he left the scene , but the >> he left the scene, but the injuries to the female and children, they're in a stable condition , but we are just condition, but we are just

monitoring . but they don't seem monitoring. but they don't seem to be life threatening. but at this time they could be life changing . the male was last seen changing. the male was last seen in the north london area , in the north london area, caledonian road , and if you see caledonian road, and if you see him, there will be some images circulated later today. if you see him, i plea to not approach him . him. >> the labour leader says he has a plan for business that will bnng a plan for business that will bring growth and prosperity to every corner of britain . every corner of britain. >> in a speech to labour's business conference this afternoon, sir keir starmer promised to battle against stagnation in british productivity and growth. >> critics have accused labour of economic flip flopping and question if the party can provide the stability business needs. but sir keir responded , needs. but sir keir responded, saying labour is the party for business. >> we want a britain where every worker enjoys dignity at work . worker enjoys dignity at work. >> if we want a country that invests in its infrastructure and its people, if we want a

britain where wealth creation comes from, every community, then that can't come from a change of government alone . we change of government alone. we all have to change business included keir starmer last thing with business, inflation is expected to temporarily return to the bank of england's target of 2% this summer. >> that's a year and a half earlier than previously expected. >> the news comes as today the bank held its interest rate of 5.25% for the fourth time in a row. labour saying households are paying the price of 14 years of economic failure under the conservatives. but the chancellor says the government's plan is working and people feeling their living standards going up. >> and that is what we want to do. that's why we took some very difficult decisions. but if we compromise that, if we go on a spending spree, if we start borrowing £28 billion, as other parties are advocating , then we parties are advocating, then we will risk that progress . we will will risk that progress. we will go back to square one. and

that's why this is a time to stick to a plan, which today's figures show is clearly working . figures show is clearly working. >> jeremy hunt, now the former subpostmaster who's led the campaign for justice subpostmaster who's led the campaign forjustice in the post campaign for justice in the post office scandal, has rejected the government's compensation offer. alan bates, whose two decade fight in the itv drama mr. bates versus the post office, says the offer is offensive and cruel. mr bates told the daily telegraph the offer was only around a sixth of what he'd requested, calling it a terrible way to treat human beings. business secretary kemi badenoch says she's doing everything she can to make sure there is a fair outcome for everyone . outcome for everyone. >> i was told about mr bates comments yesterday evening and i will look into it personally. i've asked for a meeting this afternoon. i can't say very much more than that without breaking his but i'm his confidentiality, but i'm doing everything can as his doing everything i can as his minister hollinrake to make sure that gets a fair that everybody gets a fair settlement. not going into settlement. i'm not going into i'm i'm not going into the i'm not i'm not going into the amounts. will have

amounts. people will have subjective what subjective views on what is fair. are what think fair. we are doing what we think is right. fair. we are doing what we think is rkemi badenoch now a couple >> kemi badenoch now a couple are to stand trial over are expected to stand trial over the alleged arson attack on the justice minister, mike frear's constituency office in london. the pair deny setting to fire the building. the mp described the building. the mp described the incident as the final straw after receiving a series of death threats. he's now made the decision to step down at the next general election. speaking to gb news, the mp says he's worried about making it home safely each day . safely each day. >> but now we're in if, like in public, standing on the pavement where i do an advice fair where 2300 residents come through the door now a stab vest. door, i now wear a stab vest. also staff have them also my staff also have them available if they want to wear them, and your partner to the stress. >> and angelo, your your spouse. yeah >> um, yeah. i mean , you can't >> um, yeah. i mean, you can't do this job unless got , do this job unless you've got, um, a spouse, partner, family who are supportive. and i think he just had enough of wandering . he just had enough of wandering. am i going to mike freer, queen camilla has told charity workers that the king is recovering

well, as she visited a charity in somerset. >> the saint john's foundation in bath provides support for the elderly as well as tackling poverty and poor living conditions in the area. her majesty celebrated the foundation's 858th anniversary and has been their patron since 2009. that's the news on gb news. if you'd like gb news alerts coming straight to your phone, scan the qr code on your screen or go to gb news. com slash alerts . it's . slash alerts. it's. >> thank you polly . slash alerts. it's. >> thank you polly. now we slash alerts. it's. >> thank you polly . now we start >> thank you polly. now we start with the shocking story of the government minister who's quitting after a campaign of terror from a band islamist group. mike freer said he received death threats from muslims against crusades and the justice minister also says he only avoided being murdered by terrorist ali harbi ali by the skin of his teeth. ali of course, went on to kill fellow conservative mp sir david amess,

and freer will stand down at the next election . well, to discuss next election. well, to discuss this , i'm now joined by our this, i'm now joined by our political editor , christopher political editor, christopher hope. welcome to the show, chris. a dark day for british politics. many feel if people are being forced out of politics by the mob, then the mob is winning . winning. >> yeah, that's right martin. and what do you do about it? we had mike freer, the courts minister. you know, his job is sentencing or being in charge of courts which lock people up, lock up criminals. and he's found himself hounded out of politics because the behaviour of people in his constituency now he's he's not jewish. he represents a jewish area in finchley . he, he he defends . he finchley. he, he he defends. he defended israel. its right to attack hamas after those are those attacks on israel. and now, of course, the war in gaza. it's got worse since then, but this is going to be going back ten years. and in our interview

for gb news, we spoke to him and asked him why? why on earth has gone for so long why he's gone for so long and why he's quitting politics. >> point when the level of threat becomes, you know , like threat becomes, you know, like beyond the pale. um, most mps in fact, i think all mps have to cope with a level of routine abuse , routine graffiti that the abuse, routine graffiti that the kind of low level stuff maybe we shouldn't have to deal with it, but it is kind of bred and butter now. the way we handle our as mps. but when you've our jobs as mps. but when you've had, know , 2 or 3 serious had, you know, 2 or 3 serious incidents where your life has been threatened and one was a very narrow miss purely by a, you know, fluke, i wasn't in the office. a man that went on to kill david amess had come to finchley. told police kill david amess had come to fincicome told police kill david amess had come to fincicome armed police kill david amess had come to fincicome armed witholice kill david amess had come to fincicome armed with thee he'd come armed with the intention to harm luckily intention to harm me. luckily i wasn't in finchley that day and then, you know, the arson attack was simply the last straw. and in december, that was on christmas eve. yeah. and so, you know, we're not sure yet entirely what the motive was .

entirely what the motive was. >> do you know who who firebombed your office? >> so basically, the police found people be had found two people could be had good after the good cctv because after the david killer, know, david amess killer, you know, ali ali was arrested. um, ali habib ali was arrested. um, and they'd known his surveillance on finchley . my surveillance on finchley. my office had been basically turned into a fortress , as was my into a fortress, as was my house. um, since that, we've had very strong cvs. so the police were able to use facial recognition technology and identify them quite quickly. um, arrested them , and they're in arrested them, and they're in prison trial . um, but prison awaiting trial. um, but they're not saying anything . um, they're not saying anything. um, one of them, um, is a known burglar. but beyond that , i. burglar. but beyond that, i. he's not said what the motivation was. >> and it goes back ten years. you've been saying, is it different people ? well, same different people? well, same people, same small group of people. >> so certainly there seems to be a common theme, particularly on the most serious attacks. you know, had two run ins with know, i've had two run ins with muslims against crusades, one quite where they burst quite serious, where they burst into a surgery was having in a mosque and threatened me. um luckily people that's an organisation that was run by anne diamond chowdhury his

anne diamond chowdhury and his crew. been in and out of crew. they've been in and out of prison. they put on their prison. um, they put on their website, you know, you're not welcome in our mosque. let stephen timms a pointed stephen timms be a pointed reminder you're not welcome. >> that's very subtle. he was stabbed, stabbed . stabbed, labour mp was stabbed. that's mike freer. they're setting out why he's quitting politics. he entered politics back in 2010. i did ask him if he regretted being an mp, but he did say on balance, he's done a lot of good works. he's helped people locally. he's done all the things you might expect from a man who his life in a man who has given his life in many to public service, many ways, to public service, but shocking to hear but just shocking to hear that. and asked and what's the answer? i asked him an interview is full on him an interview is in full on gb news youtube channel. he said it's a wider issue with social media. and is the government willing to crack down on, on, on on social medias allowance or at least not dealing with some of these threats happening? so shocking martin is it shocking stuff. martin is it social media? >> we've got the speaker in the house of commons earlier saying that mps need to be nicer to each other, but the elephant in the room directly here, chris,

this being driven by islamist this is being driven by islamist extremist . and it's not just, um extremist. and it's not just, um , it's not just mike freer that's been been targeted. he said, here i don't think we can divorce, anti—semitism from the intimidation labour mps have also faced pro palestine mobs at their offices , as labour london their offices, as labour london mp vicky foxcroft had it, and also hundreds gathered outside the east london office of rushanara ali and there's a commonality in the mob and that is they are driven by this islamist ideology . and chris, is islamist ideology. and chris, is that an issue that politicians have got the guts to stand up to? >> well, he didn't say that. i mean, the issues he have go back ten years, they predate it. the tensions of israel and hamas , tensions of israel and hamas, they are long terme issues . tensions of israel and hamas, they are long terme issues. he's he's faced many on emails. he became off twitter six years ago. he says he has support from police , the firebombing of his police, the firebombing of his office. he said that there are individuals now awaiting trial

for that . and i think it's just for that. and i think it's just it's completely depressing. i think that that people like mike freer, who i think i've across the political divide , would be the political divide, would be seen as a decent mp , someone who seen as a decent mp, someone who is a tory, but not really. um you know, crazily political about his beliefs. i think he's there's a guy there trying to serve the public, um, who has been picked on for being an mp. and it's outrageous. i think. and it's outrageous. i think. and i think it's a wake up call for many politicians. it for many politicians. maybe it is down to the coarseness of language in the house of commons, maybe social media won't help that. but yeah , i won't help that. but yeah, i mean, i think these attacks come from all sides in society. martin and it's a it's a depressing day if people are going to sell sense around. >> chris. another thing that i'm concerned about are people's voting record , because we're now voting record, because we're now seeing if people are voting in any way that can be seen as pro—israel , anti—palestine that pro—israel, anti—palestine that would be a matter of public record forever. is there a danger that not only will people

self—censor what they say, but they might start abstaining from votes or changing who they are, or staying of profession or staying out of the profession altogether the first place. altogether in the first place. it's simply not dying for. it's simply not worth dying for. >> well, that just can't happen. you can't have people intimidating to vote in different ways because of this fear of threats. we live in a democracy, and it's really important that the authorities, the government does crack down on that. we can't have democracy being because are being stifled because people are fear afraid of voting in a certain way. it is not how it should be. and i think as a nafion should be. and i think as a nation across the piece i'm here in, in, in the cricket cricket ground in south london with the labour leader keir starmer on a business day here and there's no question that there's concern that across the board about what happened there. but we heard earlier from rachel reeves here, here the oval. um she made here at the oval. um she made clear an announcement from her about that will not about tax that they will not bnng about tax that they will not bring down, um, corporations. they will not increase corporation tax more than 25. um, that's a real commitment

there. she wouldn't go any further, though , on the one, further, though, on the one, which issue think for which is an issue i think for many viewers and many gb news viewers and listeners, which tax listeners, which is tax thresholds. who thresholds. many people who shouldn't be paying rate shouldn't be paying higher rate of nurses, policemen are of tax nurses, policemen are being it by higher being dragged into it by higher inflation. so, um, they wouldn't be drawn on that when they can afford to cut taxes for working people, they said will. and people, they said they will. and we bowled over by what they said on business. >> a bit of a dodgy pun there, but isn't it ironic that the conservative party have always positioned themselves as the party of business, the party of cutting tax ? and here we have cutting tax? and here we have rachel reeves, in many senses, wherein the conservatives robes that's right. >> i asked jonathan reynolds, who's a shadow business secretary for an interview playing out on gb around playing out on gb news around 5:45 is labour, the party of business? and he said, unashamedly, yes , um, quite unashamedly, yes, um, quite interesting quotes from rachel reeves. she says very clearly that there's nothing wrong with making profit and profits are. making a profit and profits are. we should disdainful of we should be disdainful of profit. profit is an indication of success. um, but for britain,

um, there are issues here with, with labour and many will remember the party backed a windfall tax on excess profits by oil and gas companies in april last year. i asked jonathan reynolds that and he said, well, it's more about the excess profits made from conflict elsewhere in the world rather than the profits that profits that have generated themselves . so there's a debate themselves. so there's a debate here and also on the issue of the cap on bankers bonuses , the cap on bankers bonuses, which labour criticised the government for dropping a few months ago and now support so the party is trying to bring itself think keir itself around. i think keir starmer that starmer gets that, he said. that you have same group you wouldn't have the same group gathering in 2019, when jeremy corbyn , and of course corbyn was leader, and of course he was on the front bench in the labour party. but there's no question me. question you're right below me. when were when business leaders were meeting here this morning, there's feeling of there's a real feeling of anticipation and hunger, i think, to know more from labour, which you never had. i can which you have never had. i can remember for about a decade with this so the party is this party. so the party is winning around business because frankly, them have given

frankly, many of them have given up the tory party up on the tory party >> chris, briefly, if we >> but chris, briefly, if we could , is going early, as it could, is going early, as it were , on plans to cut tax from were, on plans to cut tax from labour's point of view, affording the conservatives an opportunity. all, the opportunity. after all, the budget is in march on the sixth, so they could easily nick the idea sunak, seems to idea like rishi sunak, seems to have done with the vaping cut that's always a risk in opposition that the other party in government will nick your idea . idea. >> i think with business it's more of a distinct issue. i think the party, the business audience, has been so ignored by labouh audience, has been so ignored by labour, from the from the frontbench the corbyn frontbench under the corbyn years, something years, they had to do something dramatic to demonstrate are dramatic to demonstrate they are behind will support dramatic to demonstrate they are behin and will support dramatic to demonstrate they are behin and not will support dramatic to demonstrate they are behin and not bringing;upport dramatic to demonstrate they are behin and not bringing anyort them and not bringing any surprises. line struck surprises. one line that struck me from rachel reeves, the shadow chancellor this morning, was big was there won't be any big surprises and business hates surprise, they've too surprise, and they've had too many of surprises from the many of those surprises from the tories recently. think tories recently. so i think labour say what you labour is trying to say what you see. what you'll see is what you get. me very much get. reminds me very much of peter mandelson. um, said peter mandelson. um, he said that party in the that the party then back in the 90s was very relaxed about 90s was was very relaxed about companies money very

companies making money very similar language from rachel reeves. and think that's what reeves. and i think that's what business wants hear. and they reeves. and i think that's what busirnot wants hear. and they reeves. and i think that's what busirnot like ts hear. and they reeves. and i think that's what busirnot like some1eah and they reeves. and i think that's what busirnot like some ofir. and they may not like some of the policies be some policies there will be some measures, to deal with measures, i think, to deal with areas , the government areas they, the government governments don't like maybe on zero hours contracts, which some companies like and in fact some employees like. but i think generally this is the party trying to reassure, reassure tour business that there'll be no big surprises if they win power . power. >> okay. thank you very much, christopher. oval christopher. hope from the oval political always political editor, who always smashes six. thank you smashes it for six. thank you very much. now i'm joined by theresa villiers. now she's a conservative mp for chipping barnet, which of course is the neighbouring constituency to mike freer. thank you so much for joining us on the show. theresa let's start with that terribly sad news. i believe , of terribly sad news. i believe, of mike freer being forced out of politics, ostensibly by the mob and by the threats and here's a here's an individual, a public servant, a gentleman who's dedicated his life selflessly to others , simply being forced out

others, simply being forced out of the game. and of course, you are in the neighbouring constituency. what are your thoughts on these concerning developments? it is, as you say, it's just really sad. >> i'm so fond of mike. he's been a very good friend of mine over many years, and he has been an outstanding member of parliament for finchley and golders green, and it is shocking that this, this, this hatred and these threats and these security issues are effectively driving him out of politics. i'm sure he would want to stay if, uh, if these security concerns had not happened. and i think that's a that's a terrible indictment on our situation and theresa, of course, we've seen a 6 or 700% surge in anti—semitism since hamas invaded . hamas invaded. >> did israel on october 7. and in your part of london, of course, very heavily populated by the jewish population there. um, what's the mood on the

ground? and is it in some way totemic , mike stepping down like totemic, mike stepping down like this, a sense of fear pervading the area . i've never known the area. i've never known a time when the jewish community has felt so insecure, and i've lived in north london for much of my life , and i, i known the of my life, and i, i known the jewish community well over many years , years, and this recent years, years, and this recent increase in anti—semitism is both frightening and utterly shocking. >> and unacceptable. and i, i'm afraid it is the case from what mike has been saying, that that is part of the threats that were directed against him. it is vitally important that as mps, we're allowed to speak out on whatever issue we want. mike, like me , is a is a good friend like me, is a is a good friend of israel and has spoken out repeatedly in support of israel and i, i think it is massively to be regretted that that is contributing to this this

security situation, which is effectively pushing him out of politics before his time. i think. i think it is. it is completely appalling . completely appalling. >> and yet few could blame him and narrowly avoid being killed himself. he reckons . of course, himself. he reckons. of course, sir david amess ali harbi ali lee narrowly avoided him at his own constituency . see what can own constituency. see what can be done about this. do you think we need to clamp down on this mindset? it's not just the conservative party, of course, who have been targeted, but labour party mps are having their officers , um, harangued their officers, um, harangued and harassed and even vandalised by pro—palestine protesters. what do we do to stop this ? what do we do to stop this? >> i think there's a whole range of things. >> but firstly, i, i strongly agree that, of course, this is this is a decision for mike to make and i completely respect it . he will be much missed. and he's sad loss, but he he's a sad loss, but he obviously has to do what he and his family feel is right in

terms of his own personal safety and you completely understand why he's done what he's done . why he's done what he's done. you know, we obviously have to look yet again at mp security to try and see what more we can do to safeguard our elected representatives . but also we representatives. but also we need a change of tone in the debate on the middle east. it it has become so harsh and the anti—israel hatred is something which i believe is completely unjustified and is really having a hugely negative effect on our politics. of course, there are different views on the situation in the middle east. of course, you know, we you know, there are concerns about the humanitarian situation in gaza . but but one situation in gaza. but but one can express those views and pro palestinian views in ways which which do not have the sort of hard edge that we've seen at some of these protests , for some of these protests, for example, and which do not contribute to this , this contribute to this, this atmosphere of fear and

intimidation, which is affecting my jewish constituents , um, as my jewish constituents, um, as well as as mike and i think it's, you know, we must be able to speak out as democratically elected representatives on the issues that our constituent wants care about. it's not acceptable that people can be dnven acceptable that people can be driven out of politics just for speaking up for israel . speaking up for israel. >> absolutely. theresa villiers , >> absolutely. theresa villiers, thank you so much for joining us. conservative mp for chipping barnet and of course, a neighbouring constituency and a friend of mike freer. and you know, sometimes it just feels like the mob is winning now. change for a time, for a change of pace here. it's time for the great british giveaway and you really could be our next winner with £18,000 in cold, hard cash from us. massive chance of grabbing that. well, here's all the details that you need to enter . enter. >> this is your chance to win £8,000 cash in our very latest great british giveaway. cash to spend on anything you like. that's like having an extra

£1,500 in your bank account each month for a whole year. what would you use that for? it could go towards your mortgage or rent, buy monthly treats, or just send some of those day to day financial stresses. packing for your chance to win £18,000 in tax free cash . text gb win to in tax free cash. text gb win to 84 902. text cost £2 plus one standard network rate message or post your name and number two gb zero two p.o post your name and number two gb zero two po box 8690 derby de19 double t uk only entrants must be 18 or over. lines closed at 5 pm. on friday. the 23rd of february. full terms and privacy nofice february. full terms and privacy notice at gbnews.com. forward slash win good luck . slash win good luck. >> now police have named the man suspected of leaving a mother and her child with life changing injuries in an alkaline attack injuries in an alkaline attack in london. i'm martin daubney on gb news, britain's news channel

sunday mornings from 930 on gb news . news. >> welcome back. it's 428. you're watching or listening to martin daubney on gb news later this hour we'll hear from a member of the shadow cabinet after labour held a business conference today where wickets cost of tickets. even it was wasn't. it was at the oval, where tickets cost £1,000 a head. that's hardly for all the people to get to , is it? for the people to get to, is it? for the many? not the few. sounds like

for the few moving on. police have named the man suspected of leaving a mother and her child with life changing injuries in an alkaline attack in south london. the metropolitan police are searching for 35 year old abdul azadi. he was last seen in caledonian road in north london. our reporter ray addison is at the scene of that attack. ray welcome to the show. excellent coverage of this story since the beginning . what's the latest ? beginning. what's the latest? >> well . police are beginning. what's the latest? >> well. police are urging beginning. what's the latest? >> well . police are urging the >> well. police are urging the pubuc >> well. police are urging the public to not approach azadi if they believe that they see him, but to call 999 urgently is considered to be extremely dangerous . and he has received dangerous. and he has received injuries . significant injuries injuries. significant injuries to the right hand side of his face, which may help members of the public to identify him. of course, that image of him as well released across the media too. it's understood or believed that he has come from the newcastle area and had driven down that day way. now it's not

known his exact relationship with this 31 year old woman, and her two daughters, eight and three. however it is understood that there was some kind of altercation here last night, some kind of argument which resulted in a chemical substance and alkaline substance being thrown over the mother and also onto the two children as well . onto the two children as well. now, police say that they've got a significant number of officers working on on this to try and track him down. they're working with multiple police forces across the country, including northumbria police, because it's thought that he could be heading possibly to newcastle now . possibly back to newcastle now. that location where he was last seen. caledonian road in north london, not too far, about half an hour on foot from king's cross station. of course, from there he could have made his way back to newcastle. british transport police getting involved in that search, as you would expect right now, several unknowns. his nationality, that's not yet been, uh , that's not yet been, uh, identified by police forces . the

identified by police forces. the relationship to the mother and any motivation for this attack which happened last night. what we do know is that police have praised the bravery of several members of the public who got involved when they heard the loud bang, the car crash and the screams for help from the mother. three women and a man. the women receiving injuries from those burns from the chemical substance which required treatment. they've all been checked out of hospital and are doing well. um. however the man we spoke to earlier explained how he had chased azadi down the street after heanng azadi down the street after hearing those screams for help. he ran out of his accommodation with his partner and he said he saw the man pull the girl out of the car, lift her, lifting her up like a pillow and then slamming to her the ground and describe that horrific sound of her hitting the ground as she hit the ground twice. he gave chase , then came back and chase, then came back and provided some first aid assistance to the mother, using

to water try and stop those burns and give her some sort of comfort from those burns. now local residents say that this incident has absolutely terrified them, but the met police are saying that this was an isolated event and attacks using acid and chemicals are exceedingly rare . addison exceedingly rare. addison excellent coverage and a fantastic interview with an eyewitness who chased azadi away that guy surely deserves some sort of bravery award. >> thank you. ray addison . all >> thank you. ray addison. all the latest on the police dragnet out for abdul azadi . lots more out for abdul azadi. lots more still to come between now and 5:00. and i'll bring you more from our dramatic interview with mike freer , the tory mp, who, of mike freer, the tory mp, who, of course, is quitting at the next election after receiving death threats . but first, your latest threats. but first, your latest news headlines with polly middlehurst . middlehurst. >> the headlines this hour as you've been hearing police investigate a chemical attack which left a toddler and her

mother with potentially life changing injuries, have named the suspect as abdul azadi, the metropolitan police say the 35 year old may have already been known to police. it's understood the alleged attacker has significant injuries to the right side of his face following the incident. there still an increased police presence in the area where azadi was last seen near clapham common in london. superintendent gabriel cameron , superintendent gabriel cameron, from the metropolitan police gave this statement earlier . our gave this statement earlier. our apologies will bring you that clip later. inflation is expected to temporarily return to the bank of england's target of 2% by this summer. that's a year and a half earlier than previously expected . the news previously expected. the news comes as today the bank has held its interest rate at 5.25. for the fourth time in a row, labour says households are paying the price for 14 years of economic failure under the conservatives the former subpostmaster , who the former subpostmaster, who led the campaign for justice in the post office scandal, has rejected the government's compensation offer . alan bates,

compensation offer. alan bates, whose two decade fight inspired the itv series mr bates versus the itv series mr bates versus the post office, says the offer is offensive and cruel. he told the telegraph the offer was a sixth of what he'd requested , sixth of what he'd requested, calling it a terrible way to treat human beings and donald trump's data protection claim over allegations he took part in sex acts, which were perverted and bribed russian officials, has been dismissed by a high court judge . the former us court judge. the former us president's claim for distress and reputational damage was against orbis business intelligence, a consulting firm founded by a former m16 officer called chris steele. the firm says trump's claim was harassment and the escaped japanese macaque from the highland wildlife park in scotland has been safely captured . and the elusive captured. and the elusive monkey, named honshu , was monkey, named honshu, was discovered in a local garden. this morning eating from a bird feeder. park officials responded to a call , feeder. park officials responded to a call, deploying keepers and a drone team to tranquillise the animal first. honshu is now back

at the park undergoing a health check , but the latest news check, but the latest news stories sign up to gb news alerts. scan the qr code on your screen or go to gb news. common alerts . alerts. >> thank you polly. now more now from our interview with the government minister, who's quitting after a campaign of terror from a banned islamist group , mike freer said he'd group, mike freer said he'd received death threats from muslims against crusades . the muslims against crusades. the justice minister also says he only avoided being murdered by terrorists. ali harbi ali by the skin of his teeth. ali, of course, went on to kill fellow conservative mp sir david amess. mike freer has been speaking to gb news political editor christopher hope . christopher hope. >> abuse in the inbox is getting worse. the level of threat now on the street are getting worse , on the street are getting worse, so it's always at the back of your mind. and given that i've had probably more incidents than most. um, yeah , it's always a

most. um, yeah, it's always a worry. >> so it was , was it verbal? >> so it was, was it verbal? verbal attacks in the old days andifs verbal attacks in the old days and it's got more physical recently. is a trend ? recently. is that a trend? >> i mean, the inbox i think email and social media have a lot to answer for because it can be kind of anonymous. certainly social media is. and social media companies do very little to . but you know, i was to stop it. but you know, i was followed around brent cross shopping centre, literally a man walking behind me saying, you're useless, you're useless, you're useless. like , and useless. and it's like, and you're tempted to turn around you're so tempted to turn around and but then i'd be and punch them. but then i'd be in trouble. no. um, and so it's always been kind of more, more verbal but threats life verbal, but the threats to life are what's become more , um, if, are what's become more, um, if, like, more frequent and, uh, the inbox someone after the fire said you're clearly the kind of person that deserves to be set alight. it's like, who sends an email like that? >> you can't really. you try >> and you can't really. you try and people might say, well, sticks and stones will break my bones, but words never hurt me. you and out, but bones, but words never hurt me. you can't1d out, but bones, but words never hurt me. you can't because out, but bones, but words never hurt me. you can't because ou�*is. yut you can't because that is. that's thing to say. that's a shocking thing to say. >> was sticks and

>> if it was just sticks and stones. sorry. apologies if it was words, but you just was just words, but you just don't know whether will don't know whether someone will be street corner with be on the street corner with a knife , you know, we've had a knife or, you know, we've had a mock molotov cocktail left on the front, on the front doorstep . so a petrol bomb , you just . so a petrol bomb, you just simply not know whether that simply do not know whether that person is just angry with you is going to turn out to violent , going to turn out to be violent, but that's the risk you look back, you were an mp back in 2010. >> do you regret being an mp? >> do you regret being an mp? >> um , depends on the day of the >> um, depends on the day of the week , you ask. it's like every week, you ask. it's like every it's like every day you're a bad days. um, no, it's an amazing job. i mean, clearly, i've decided have to my decided that i have to put my family first. security family first. and security situation worse . but you situation has got worse. but you do back and think , i look do look back and think, i look back. you've had been involved in things. whether it's changing legislation it's delivering or whether it's delivering things locally. it can be local projects like, you know, henlys corner, rebuild that that level of local good works outweigh the well, you get a nice letter back from a constituent where you've just sorted out a problem for them, that's outweighs the them, and that's outweighs the bad . but you know, when you're

bad. but you know, when you're worried or when your family's worried, are you going to survive day? are you going survive the day? are you going to come home? if you walk the streets think streets, then i think there's time to say that's enough and you've mentioned this to rishi sunak. >> knows w- sunak. >> knows and what did >> he knows your. and what did he say when said him he he say when you said to him he was very sad. >> mean always got on was very sad. >> welln always got on was very sad. >> welln him.1ys got on was very sad. >> welln him. you|ot on was very sad. >> welln him. you know, very well with him. you know, i think a genuinely a nice think he's a genuinely a nice man cares. um, and he's very man who cares. um, and he's very sad we should have to put sad that we should have to put up he entirely up with this. and he entirely understands the decision and also is entirely understands angelos position. >> did you support from the police scotland yard? you told them what was happening. what do they say when an incident happens? >> you clearly get a lot of support . and i have to say after support. and i have to say after the, uh ali harbi ali. david amess murderer , i can't fault amess murderer, i can't fault the support i got, particularly from the home office, and my house basically reinforced. house was basically reinforced. my house was basically reinforced. my office was reinforced . um, my office was reinforced. um, but over time, it's not the house. it's not the office. >> it's doing a job. >> it's doing a job. >> it's doing your job. it's >> it's doing yourjob. it's when you're out and about in in

the supermarket surgeries, when you're walking home from the tube that's where you're most vulnerable . and unless you're vulnerable. and unless you're going to give close protection offices every mp , which i offices to every mp, which i think is, you know, it's not practical, let alone and you're a justice minister. yeah. so you're in charge of the prison system. >> you lock up the bad guys and you've chased out of office. >> enough. >> enough. >> i've been out of >> i've been chased out of office by the bad guys. >> free. well you know, >> mike free. well you know, that's unfortunately of that's unfortunately part of territory. and that's a question that to answer. that we all have to answer. is it something continue it something we should continue to tolerate? need to tolerate? what do we need to do and you know, do differently? and you know, what would you do? >> can you protect your >> what how can you protect your colleagues, other mps? well, i think things. colleagues, other mps? well, i thiri. things. colleagues, other mps? well, i thiri mean, things. colleagues, other mps? well, i thiri mean, one, things. colleagues, other mps? well, i thiri mean, one, social;. colleagues, other mps? well, i thiri mean, one, social media. >> i mean, one, social media. we've got to get a grip on deaung we've got to get a grip on dealing with social media, and they've got to take responsibility. um you know, it reminds me a little bit of that whole debate in america . you whole debate in america. you know, guns don't kill people. people do. you social people do. you know, social media doesn't radicalise people. well i think that's a lazy argument from the social media people. but on top of that, i think in the house of commons, you know what we see is when

something goes off, we all stand up and say the nice warm words about we've got to be nicer to each other. and two minutes each other. and then two minutes later, someone's later, you know, someone's out there, us there, you know, telling us we're all the same and you're not alone. >> there are other mps like you facing similar threats. no one talks it. yeah of the of talks about it. yeah of the of all the mps in parliament, how many are facing similar issues that you're facing? >> i'm not sure because obviously you don't necessarily know a particular know who's having a particular security know who's having a particular securi'but every mp and women level. but every mp and women mps worse. um, you know , mps get it worse. um, you know, other colleagues wear stab vests as , but it's whether as well, but it's whether i mean, i came out one morning and there note car. the there was a note on the car. the note wasn't particularly note itself wasn't particularly bad. people know where bad. um, but people know where i live, but they don't necessarily know what car i drive. and that wasn't long afterjohn mann. rememberjohn mann had someone tamper the wheel nuts his tamper the wheel nuts on his car, he just never know car, and he just never know what's next. so think what's next. so i think everybody with this everybody is coping with this abuse. greater than abuse. um, some greater than others, but i'm not aware of specifics from colleagues . specifics from colleagues. >> mike freer, a good man driven

out of politics by the mob. what are we going to do about this? has britain have got an islamist problem? we're debating that later in the show. fearless debate here on gb news. but before that, shadow chancellor rachel reeves says a labour government would be pro—business. does her claim up? i'll speak to a labour minister next. i'm martin daubney on gb news, britain's news channel

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britain's news channel. 2024 a battleground year, the year the nafion battleground year, the year the nation decides as the parties gear up their campaigns for the next general election. >> who will be left standing when the british people make one of the biggest decisions of their lives? >> rise and who will >> who will rise and who will fall? >> let's find out together . >> let's find out together. >> let's find out together. >> for every moment, the highs , >> for every moment, the highs, the lows, the twists and turns . the lows, the twists and turns. >> we'll be with you for every step of this journey. >> 2024. g gb news is >> in 2024. g gb news is britain's election . channel. britain's election. channel. >> welcome back . it's 445. >> welcome back. it's 445. you're watching or listening to martin daubney on gb news. now later on in this hour we'll be asking does britain have an islamist problem ? a lot of islamist problem? a lot of people are saying we're seeing politicians forced out of the game. we're seeing schools being closed due to bomb threats. we're seeing teachers , head we're seeing teachers, head teachers, catherine birbalsingh,

britain's finest head teacher , britain's finest head teacher, getting death threats after she banned muslims from praying in her school. of course, over two years on shamefully , the batley years on shamefully, the batley grammar school teacher is still in hiding with his family and his kids , and his wife too his kids, and his wife too afraid to work. living under a new identity and a 5:00. i'll bnng new identity and a 5:00. i'll bring you an interview with mike freer around that topic. the government minister, who is quitting politics after the next election after receiving death threats from the mob. let's get reaction to that shocking story. i'm now joined by bridget phillipson , who's the shadow phillipson, who's the shadow education secretary. thank you for joining us on gb news. forjoining us on gb news. bridget, can we first start with the terror , really distressing the terror, really distressing story of mike freer being forced out of politics by the mob and on days like this, we put our political differences to one side, don't . we? side, don't. we? >> absolutely. >> absolutely. >> i'm appalled to hear what mike and his family have been

through in recent months, and the terrible experience aces that he's endured. it is very damaging and corrosive to our democracy. if we end up in a position where people feel forced out of public life because that of level of because of that kind of level of threat intimidation and threat or intimidation and sadly, this has become too all common across our politics. we in the labour party also lost our dear colleague jo cox in 2016, and we need to make sure that when we're discussing politics, we can do so robustly. we can disagree with one another, but it has to the another, but it has to be on the bafis another, but it has to be on the basis of respect tolerance . basis of respect and tolerance. >> and we hear so much now, bridget, about the abuse that politicians get and women seem to get so much more . or do you to get so much more. or do you get horrible abuse . too? get horrible abuse. too? >> i think sadly, we all do. and it's often women experience it rather a lot of it. that is sadly a factor in our political life. i don't think it should be that way or need to be that way. um, but none of us should have to put up with it. but you have

to put up with it. but you have to develop in the end, rather a tough skin in politics to get by it. but no one should have to give up the job and the work that they love. in the case of mike freer or any other colleagues because you know, colleagues because of, you know, unacceptable threats of violence and, and intimidation and, bridget, we've also seen the officers of labour party mps harangued by the mob outside . harangued by the mob outside. >> and a lot of this has happened since october 7. and we see the situation in israel bringing its problem to our shores . how do you bringing its problem to our shores. how do you think we need to deal with this? bridget >> i mean, of course there is a balance because i believe very strongly that the right to protest is an important cornerstone of our democracy . cornerstone of our democracy. it's important that people have the right to express their opinions and express their opinions and to express their opinions and to express their opinions elected opinions to their elected representatives . i think the representatives. i think the challenge sometimes comes challenge that sometimes comes where protests where it involves protests outside of members of parliaments constituency offices, is that often it's the staff that work in those offices, the brilliant people that try and help constituents,

local residents with sometimes with benefits, with housing, with benefits, with housing, with problems they're experiencing that can also find this quite intimidating. experiencing that can also find this quite intimidating . so this quite intimidating. so there is a balance, i believe , there is a balance, i believe, in people's right to protest. but sometimes i do think the approach that people take can be actively counterproductive . actively counterproductive. >> today , of >> absolutely. now, today, of course, at the oval, cricket ground, the labour party, keir starmer, reeves launching starmer, rachel reeves launching a labour business leaders event and some quite surprising stuff coming out of that, sounding quite like the conservatives, the labour party positioning themselves as the party of business. it was at the oval. bridget so come on, bowlers oveh bridget so come on, bowlers over. why are labour the party of business? >> well, i've just come directly from that event at the oval where i met with some brilliant business leaders from across our country who are really enthused about the plans that labour are setting out. you know, take, for example, skills where i'm responsible for that area and our plans to sure we're our plans to make sure we're creating more apprenticeship ships, people

creating more apprenticeship shiropportunity people creating more apprenticeship shiropportunity take people creating more apprenticeship shiropportunity take pe new the opportunity to take on new skills right throughout their working with changes working lives with the changes that around working lives with the changes thatapprenticeship around working lives with the changes thatapprenticeship levyround working lives with the changes thatapprenticeship levy andd the apprenticeship levy and labouris the apprenticeship levy and labour is very much on the side of business, and the party of business, and i think we've seen that very strongly and . that very strongly today. and. we're clear that we need a new kind of relationship between government and business, one that founded on the basis of that is founded on the basis of stability and security so that businesses can plan. but so businesses can plan. but also so that better working . that we deliver better working. conditions, higher standards and rising pay for people. it's been a really tough decade or so for workers across our country, and i want growth and i want to see growth and prosperity spread to every corner our country. corner of our country. >> there was >> me and bridget. there was a surprise announcement when rachel that rachel reeves said that she won't the cap on bankers won't restore the cap on bankers bonuses that have a few on bonuses that might have a few on the left of your party spitting out muesli . out their muesli. >> i think the landscape is different from where we were in the aftermath of the financial crisis, and measures have been taken to avoid such reckless behaviour, causing such serious damage globally in the future . damage globally in the future. so we are in a different kind of

environment and what businesses tell us that they want to see is greater stability so that they can plan for the long run. that's had that's what they haven't had these last 14 years from the conservatives with all this conservatives with all of this kind and changing kind of chopping and changing and chaos that we and that kind of chaos that we saw under liz truss, i mean , saw under liz truss, i mean, many of your viewers will be paying many of your viewers will be paying more on their mortgages every as direct every month as a direct consequence really consequence of that. really cavalier and reckless approach. and we're determined that under labouh and we're determined that under labour, things very labour, things will be very different so that businesses can plan can have plan so that people can have better working lives, more security ultimately more security and ultimately more money in their pockets as well . money in their pockets as well. >> yeah. bridget phillipson, shadow education secretary, thank joining us on gb thank you for joining us on gb news. always a pleasure . thank news. always a pleasure. thank you. now the bank of england has held the base rate of interest as a year high of 5.25. as a 15 year high of 5.25. chancellor jeremy as a 15 year high of 5.25. chancellorjeremy hunt says it's chancellor jeremy hunt says it's very positive news for families with mortgages , while shadow with mortgages, while shadow chancellor rachel reeves says households are paying the price for tory failure . but what do for tory failure. but what do you, the people think? well, gb news west midlands reporter jack

carson has been getting reaction from the people in birmingham. jack, welcome to the show . so jack, welcome to the show. so what are the brum is telling us about the budget, about the interest rate held today ? interest rate held today? >> well, i think overall it's a feeling of satisfaction at the fact that it has remained stable at least and stayed at 5.25. >> of course, it was six members of the monetary policy committee that voted to keep the rates. the same we have seen over the last year. and rises. last year. and a half, 14 rises. so certainly better news. there is now some stability , but with is now some stability, but with inflation as a whole falling over past, um , six months or over the past, um, six months or so, of course there is some frustration that rates aren't already starting to be cut, but have a listen to what people on the street told me a little bit earlier on is good. >> however, with inflation and pnces >> however, with inflation and prices going um , i do prices are going up, um, i do feel like it should be a little bit higher with saving. i think it is a bit of a struggle for younger generation nowadays . um, younger generation nowadays. um, to save. however, they have done really good keeping it as the

same . and the interest same. and the interest rate. >> well, pleased >> yeah, well, i'm pleased they've i'm looking they've kept it, but i'm looking forward going down in forward to it going down in future . for small businesses on future. for small businesses on average are paying 12% uh, including the bank charges and interest charges . interest charges. >> so it's affecting them with it staying as it is anyway fully expected wasn't it? >> there was, uh, everybody was predicting it. would i personally think they should be bringing them down. inflation is going to very significantly going to fall very significantly in the next, uh , months to come. in the next, uh, months to come. and but the bank of england tend to be very , very conservative in to be very, very conservative in what they do down there . what they do down there. >> yeah. interesting views there from people on the streets here in birmingham. of course, the governor the of england, governor of the bank of england, andrew that andrew bailey, saying that things in the right things are moving in the right direction. but it's really, really been clear to me from the people to on the people i've spoken to on the street it is having street today, that it is having an their daily lives. an impact on their daily lives. the you heard there, the lady you heard there, shannon, move shannon, she's not going to move out her parents house with out of her parents house with her partner she just her partner because she just doesn't a mortgage her partner because she just dothet a mortgage her partner because she just dothe moment. a mortgage her partner because she just dothe moment. she a mortgage her partner because she just dothe moment. she doesn'tgage her partner because she just dothe moment. she doesn't want at the moment. she doesn't want to get mortgage on the

to have to get a mortgage on the current rates, is current fixed rates, and it is really impacting business who are that base are paying higher than that base rate those rate of 5.25. those self—employed businesses across the uk, as one of the people that you from there that you heard from there was talking are talking about businesses are still affected. so still being affected. so positive news satisfaction certainly in birmingham . certainly here in birmingham. that the rate has stayed at 5.25. but that's some frustration as well that rates haven't yet started come down. okay. jack golson live from >> okay. jack golson live from birmingham. thank you for joining now . joining us on the show. now. government minister is quitting at the next election after a campaign of terror from a band islamist group. i'm going to bnng islamist group. i'm going to bring interview with bring you an interview with mike, freer. that's mp mike, with mike freer. that's mp also debate . has also having the debate. has britain got an islamist problem? and that will be with ian acheson, senior adviser of the counter terrorism project . counter terrorism project. fearless debate here on gb news. i'm martin daubney on gb news. britain's news channel . britain's news channel. >> a brighter outlook with boxt solar sponsors of weather on . gb

news. >> hello, alex burkill here again with your latest gb news weather forecast. whilst it is going to turn increasingly mild as we go through the end of the week, it will also be windy at times and there will be some rain. most that will be rain. most of that will be pushing because pushing in from the west because we pressure to the we have high pressure to the south the uk, and it's this south of the uk, and it's this that's westerly that's leading to a westerly flow across country as well flow across the country as well as this, we do have a spell of more persistent rain across parts scotland as we go parts of scotland as we go through the rest of today, and the night, but that through the rest of today, and the does night, but that through the rest of today, and the does clear night, but that through the rest of today, and the does clear nighttowardsit through the rest of today, and the does clear nighttowards the rain does clear away towards the east go through the early east as we go through the early hours of friday morning. elsewhere, going turn elsewhere, it is going to turn increasingly as increasingly cloudy as we go through night, there through the night, and there will of will be some outbreaks of drizzly mainly towards the drizzly rain, mainly towards the west. a bit a chilly west. after a bit of a chilly start tonight, start for some of us tonight, temperatures are actually going to time many of to lift. so by the time many of us tomorrow morning, us wake up tomorrow morning, it's going to be it's actually going to be relatively mild through day relatively mild through the day itself. cloudy picture, itself. a rather cloudy picture, cloudier today for most of cloudier than today for most of us, and that cloud will be thick enough for some further outbreaks across western outbreaks of rain across western parts particular, perhaps parts in particular, perhaps something more persistent

something a bit more persistent pushing of pushing in across parts of scotland and northern scotland and into northern ireland. chance of ireland. two the best chance of any sunshine tomorrow will in any sunshine tomorrow will be in the east and that's where temperatures likely temperatures are likely to be highest . could highs highest. could get to highs around for most around 15 celsius, but for most it going mild day, it is going to be a mild day, albeit a windy one. two the rain pushes its way southwards , so on pushes its way southwards, so on saturday likely to see a saturday we're likely to see a bit of a wet picture across southern a greater bit of a wet picture across southerof a greater bit of a wet picture across southerof seeing a greater bit of a wet picture across southerof seeing someaater bit of a wet picture across southerof seeing some sunshine chance of seeing some sunshine further north, but there will be showers the northwest showers towards the northwest and a little bit chillier too. elsewhere, we through the elsewhere, as we go through the weekend, cloudy picture weekend, a rather cloudy picture and lifting again and temperatures lifting again to above average for the time of year. yeah >> e warm yeah >> warm feeling inside from >> that warm feeling inside from boxt boilers sponsors of weather on .

gb news way. >> good afternoon . it's 5 pm. >> good afternoon. it's 5 pm. welcome to the martin daubney show on gb news broadcasting live from the heart of westminster all across the uk. coming up, we've got an interview with mike freer. of course , the tory mp who's going course, the tory mp who's going to quit after receiving disgusting death threats from a banned islamist group. shadow chancellor rachel reeves says a labour government would be pro—business. but does her claim add up? while our economics and business editor liam halligan will give his full verdict . and will give his full verdict. and there's the amazing story of the thousands of people who are struggling with their mental health, who replied to a tweet

from a sesame street character, elmo . that's all coming up in elmo. that's all coming up in your next hour . we've got a huge your next hour. we've got a huge debate coming up in this next houh debate coming up in this next hour. i want to hear your views on that. email me gbviews@gbnews.com. and it's this does britain have an islamist problem? ian acheson, who's a counter—terror expert, will join me in the show. we're going to talk this through because there seems to be an alarming trend and now it's forced. of forced. mike freer out of politics. you won't want to miss that fearless debate here on gb news. but first, it's your latest news headlines with polly middlehurst. >> believed to have committed an acid attack is on the run after injuring a mother and children with a corrosive substance in london last night, 35 year old

abdul azari is believed to be from the newcastle area and was last seen fleeing the scene immediately after the attack , immediately after the attack, the metropolitan police say. as well as injuring nine people, he also has significant injuries himself to the right side of his face. five police officers and three women were hurt coming to the aid of the family, he attacked sukh attendant, gabriel cameron, from the metropolitan police gave this statement a little earlier . little earlier. >> he left the scene , but the >> he left the scene, but the injuries to the female and children, they're in a stable condition , but we are just condition, but we are just monitoring . but they don't seem monitoring. but they don't seem to be life threatening. but at this time they could be life changing . the male was last seen changing. the male was last seen in the north london area , in the north london area, caledonian road and if you see him, there'll be some images circulated later today. if you see him, i plea to not approach him . him. >> the labour leader says he's got a plan for business that will bring growth and prosperity

to every corner of britain. in a speech to labour's business conference this afternoon , sir conference this afternoon, sir keir starmer promised a battle against stagnation in british product and growth. critics accused labour of economic flip flopping and question if the party can provide the stability businesses need. meanwhile, inflation is expected to temporarily return to the bank of england's target of 2% by the summer. that's a year and a half earlier than previously expected . the news comes today. the bank held its interest rate at 5.25% for the fourth time in a row. labour says households are paying labour says households are paying the price of 14 years of economic failure under the conservatives, but the chancellor says the government's plan is working and people feeling their living standards is going up. >> and that is what we want to do. that's why we took some very difficult decisions. but if we compromise that, if we go on a spending spree, if we start borrowing £28 billion, as other

parties are advocating , then we parties are advocating, then we will risk that progress . we will will risk that progress. we will go back to square one. and that's why this is a time to stick to a plan, which today's figures show is clearly working. jeremy hunt, now the former subpostmaster who has led the campaign for justice subpostmaster who has led the campaign forjustice in the post campaign for justice in the post office scandal, has rejected the government's compensation offer. >> alan bates, whose two decade fight inspired the itv series mr bates versus the post office, says the offer was offensive and cruel. mr bates told the daily telegraph the offer was only around a sixth of what he'd requested , calling it a terrible requested, calling it a terrible way to treat human beings. the business secretary, kemi badenoch, says she's doing everything she can to make sure there is a fair outcome . there is a fair outcome. >> i was told about mr bates comments yesterday evening and i will look into it personally. i've asked for a meeting this afternoon. i can't say very much more than that without breaking his i'm his confidentiality, but i'm doing everything can, as is doing everything i can, as is minister hollinrake, make minister hollinrake, to make sure gets a fair sure that everybody gets a fair settlement. i'm not going into

it. i'm not. i'm not going into the amounts. people have the amounts. people will have subjective what is subjective views on what is fair. are doing what we think fair. we are doing what we think is right. >> a couple are expected to stand trial the alleged stand trial over the alleged arson attack on the justice minister, mike frear's constituency office in london. the pair denies setting fire to the building in golders green. the described the incident as the mp described the incident as a final straw after receiving a series of death threats . he now series of death threats. he now made the decision to step down at the next general election . at the next general election. speaking to news, the mp says speaking to gb news, the mp says he's worried every night about making it home safely . making it home safely. >> but now we're in like in public, standing on the pavement where i do an advice fair where 2 residents come through where i do an advice fair where 2 door residents come through where i do an advice fair where 2 door ,esidents come through where i do an advice fair where 2 door , isidents come through where i do an advice fair where 2 door , i now ts come through where i do an advice fair where 2 door , i now wearne through where i do an advice fair where 2 door , i now wear a; through where i do an advice fair where 2 door , i now wear a stabyugh the door, i now wear a stab vest. also my staff also have them available if they want to wear them, your partner to wear them, and your partner to the stress. >> and angelo, your spouse. yeah >> e i mean , you can't >> um, yeah. i mean, you can't do this job unless you've got , do this job unless you've got, um, a spouse, partner, family who are supportive and think he just had enough of wondering , am just had enough of wondering, am i going to come home at night

now hundreds of farmers are protesting outside the eu headquarters in brussels as tensions rise over better working conditions. >> let's show you these live pictures coming to us from where these protests have been going on. pretty much all day, france has been at the centre of a growing dispute across europe. you may have seen online tens of thousands of farmers staged demonstrations in germany. polls and belgium and italy. these pictures coming to us from brussels outside the eu headquarters, the farmers want environmental rules handed down to them by the eu bureaucracy to be relaxed and to help deal with the rising costs they face. every day. keeping an eye on the farmers protest for you throughout the day right here gb news now . lastly, queen camilla news now. lastly, queen camilla has told charity workers in somerset that the king is recovering well as she visited a charity, the saint john's foundation in bath provides support for the elderly as well as tackling poverty and poor

living conditions . as tackling poverty and poor living conditions. her as tackling poverty and poor living conditions . her majesty living conditions. her majesty celebrated the foundation's 850 years in service . she's been years in service. she's been a patron since 2009, an that's the news on for gb news more background to all those stories, head to our website gbnews.com and stick on the end forward slash alerts. if you'd like to get free gb news alerts sent straight to your phone, or scan the qr code on your screen . the qr code on your screen. thank you polly. >> now we start with the shocking story of the government minister who's quitting after a campaign of terror from a banned islamist group . mike freer said islamist group. mike freer said he received death threats from muslims against crusades and the justice minister also says he only avoided being murdered by terrorist ali harbi ali by the skin of his teeth. and ali, of course, went on to murder fellow conservative mp sir david amess

and freer will stand down at the next election. i'm joined now in our studio, westminster, by our political editor, christopher hope. chris, a story that's very, very depressing in a sense, tragic . you know, here we sense, tragic. you know, here we have mike freer, a decent, honourable public servant who's getting out of the game because he simply feels it's too dangerous. yeah. >> mp since 2010 finchley. he's had a lot of grief over ten years. he said to me he's been off twitter for six years. he's someone who is a you meet them in politics. they are not really , you know, not going to not they they're not, you know, set in a world of light. they are basically decent public servants serving their communities. and you see them labour, lib you see them in labour, lib dems, tories and he's been forced out by action locally. he wears a stab vest. his partner wears a stab vest. his partner wears a stab vest. his partner wears a stab vest of the pressure on his husband. angelo is almost too much for him to bear for certainly for mike to beahi bear for certainly for mike to bear. i mean , he interviewed bear. i mean, he interviewed sitting in this chair a few hours ago. i was sitting there

interviewing him for gb news viewers, shocking that viewers, and it is shocking that i can happen i think this can happen nowadays, someone nowadays, that someone who has given their given up so much for their community is forced out for their own safety. >> when you're this close to somebody, more than somebody, you can see more than you television. how how you can on television. how how traumatised do you think he is ? traumatised do you think he is? >> i think resigned to it >> i think he's resigned to it because i think that we're shocked because the scale shocked by it because the scale of what he's been going through posted notes on the and the posted notes on the car and the like , um, threatening remarks. like, um, threatening remarks. um, the killer, he met the killer of or is going to meet the killer of david amess, but he wasn't around, so he had a near there. in his near miss there. in his own words, it's shocking for words, is, um, it's shocking for us, i think. and the viewers, martin, because we haven't heard it. but a lot of these mps suffer silence. they they had suffer in silence. they they had they sponges and they soak it up like sponges and they soak it up like sponges and they can't really talk about it . they can't really talk about it. they're told often by they're told not to, often by the people. just they're told not to, often by the it people. just they're told not to, often by the it worseyple. just they're told not to, often by the it worse .yle. just they're told not to, often by the it worse . so just they're told not to, often by the it worse . so whent they're told not to, often by the it worse . so when it all makes it worse. so when it all comes out like this , it's quite comes out like this, it's quite a for viewers to hear a shock for viewers to hear crumbs. that was like to be an mp nowadays. >> okay, let's have a quick look at bit that interview with

at a bit of that interview with you when on the you earlier point when on the level of threat becomes, you know, if like beyond the pale um, most mps in fact, i think all mps have to cope with a level of routine abuse, routine in graffiti that the kind of low level stuff maybe we shouldn't have to deal with it, but it is kind of bred and butter now. >> the way we handle our jobs as mps. the arson attack was simply the last straw i've had two run ins with muslims against crusades , one quite serious crusades, one quite serious where they burst into a surgery was having in a mosque and threatened me. and the common theme there to me, um, my theme there seems to me, um, my support for israel. in fact, muslim crusades , when they burst muslim crusades, when they burst in, said, you're a jewish homosexual pig. i can't deny i, i do believe that there is a unkage i do believe that there is a linkage to anti—semitism, but now we're in. if like in public standing on the pavement where i do an advice fair where 2 or 300 residents come through the door, i a stab also my i now wear a stab vest. also my staff them available staff also have them available if they want wear them. did

if they want to wear them. did you if you were re—elected you worry if you were re—elected as mp the election? as an mp in the election? >> wouldn't survive the parliament? >> it's always at back of >> it's always at the back of your it's getting your mind. it's getting worse. the inbox the level of abuse in the inbox is getting worse. level of is getting worse. the level of threats now on the street are getting worse. the threats to life are what's become more , um, life are what's become more, um, if not more frequent and, uh, the inbox someone after the fire said, you're clearly the kind of person that deserves to be set alight, as if it was just words. but just don't know whether but you just don't know whether someone street someone will be on the street corner with knife or you know, corner with a knife or you know, we've had a mock molotov cocktail left on the front, on the doorstep . worried. oh, the front doorstep. worried. oh, well, family's worried . are well, your family's worried. are you to survive you going to survive the day? are come home if are you going to come home if you walk the streets, then i think there's time to say that's enough. >> well, chris, powerful stuff. and one thing that struck me about this , undeniably, this has about this, undeniably, this has got worse since october the 7th. we're seeing soaring anti—semitism, particularly in golders green, where the bulk of the jewish community in britain live . um,

the jewish community in britain live. um, mike's the jewish community in britain live . um, mike's not even jewish live. um, mike's not even jewish himself. and yet he finds himself. and yet he finds himself on the end of this poisonous rhetoric for being an advocate for the jewish community or the standing up for them, um, and supporting israel, of course. >> um, and those terrible attacks on october 7th by hamas from gaza , escalating the war in from gaza, escalating the war in gaza, the hostages and the rest of it. i think just so really shocking. i think and it's a reminder, i think, that words , reminder, i think, that words, you know, count, i think, you know, i asked him there , you know, i asked him there, you know, i asked him there, you know, you're a legislator, in fact, you know , he's even in fact, you know, he's even in charge of the court system. he's a justice minister. he's in charge of the lock up charge of the courts. lock up the he's not safe, the bad guys. if he's not safe, then who is safe ? then who is safe? >> that's the huge question . >> that's the huge question. thank you very much, chris. over. great interview. well done for getting mike free into the studio. let's that studio. and let's have that debate because joining me debate now because joining me now is the senior adviser the now is the senior adviser at the counter terrorism counter extremism project nhs. and thank you for joining extremism project nhs. and thank you forjoining us ian. ian. all almost as a sense of

inevitability with the resignation of mike freer forced out by the mob, do you think we have a problem in britain with islamist extremism ? we've seen islamist extremism? we've seen schools closed down. we're seeing the batley grammar school teacher still in hiding. bomb threats, death threats, murder threats, death threats, murder threats , actual murders. and now threats, actual murders. and now another public servant has had to stand down because of the mob i >> -- >> well, -_ >> well, uh. good afternoon , martin. >> uh, thanks for having me on. i think what we just heard is, is quite atrocious . i listened is quite atrocious. i listened to mike freer, uh, earlier on the today programme on radio four, describing how as a, uh, you know , a public tentative of you know, a public tentative of over 34 years, i believe, return to, uh, the constituency of finchley and golders green over four general elections. he now feels that he can't continue due to intimidation and death threats. and, you know, in a liberal democracy , elected

liberal democracy, elected representatives should be able to express their views and represent their constituencies and their constituents without fear of violence and intimidation. and clearly, he feels he can't do that. >> and the idea that an mp in this country feels that he has to wear a stab vest to see his constituents is extremely frightening and something that we need to sit up and pay attention to . attention to. >> well, we certainly are paying attention to it. but the big question is , what do we do about question is, what do we do about it? there's a feeling, ian, that we're not tough enough on this . we're not tough enough on this. we see we see protests in the street. we see protests outside constituency offices we're seeing now. mps forced out, schools are being forced to close . and there's a feeling close. and there's a feeling that we're not getting tough enough what do we do enough on this. what do we do now? well, mr prior has said quite clearly that he believes he's being targeted, um, by by anti—semitic extremists . anti—semitic extremists. >> and, you know, i'm afraid to say that the initial police response after the hamas atrocity in october to

pro—palestinian marches was far too supine in my opinion. and what that does to allow people to go on the streets and scream support for bannau proscribed hizb ut—tahrir extremist organisation to call for jihad. and that has created a culture of impunity because of a lack of police response , at least police response, at least initially. and, you know, i have to say, in fairness, the police have got a lot tougher on this. but it it creates an environment where people believe they can become more extreme. become more and more extreme. and people at the at the and some people at the at the sharp end of that are, uh, often people who have become , um, self people who have become, um, self mobilised and radicalised online, are going to take that one step further. and, you know, as i was saying in social media this you know, we've this morning, you know, we've had, uh, you know, an either end of the ideological spectrum. we've joe cox murdered we've had joe cox murdered by a racist terrorist. >> we've had , uh david amess. >> we've had, uh david amess. >> we've had, uh david amess. >> and of course, there is a connection between, uh , david connection between, uh, david amess and, um, mr fryer murdered

by ali harbi ali, an islamist extremist who targeted mr fryer. and it was only, uh, he believes, due to a change in his timetable that prevented him being attacked by mr harbi, as he was his his first target. so you know, we've got a culture where elected representatives , where elected representatives, uh, who ought to, uh, expect protection from the police, feel so vulnerable, some of them that they are being targeted. they have been murdered . and people have been murdered. and people like fryer , who's clearly a like mr fryer, who's clearly a decent constituency mp, who's delivered for his his constituency over the years, now feels that he cannot continue because of the personal safety risks that he he has. so, you know, the immediate question is what more can the parliamentary authorities do to ensure that we preserve that really vital , um, preserve that really vital, um, ability for our elected representatives to be seen and to be accessible, uh, to, to the public. but but also balance

that with protecting them from, you know, maniacs armed with knives who have been radicalised and who believe that they , they and who believe that they, they are fair game to, to attack . i are fair game to, to attack. i think, you know, we've got to get more of a grip on this than we clearly have at the moment . we clearly have at the moment. >> ian, the question is that the big question is this are the laws there already ? do we need laws there already? do we need new laws or is this actually a case of there isn't the will to enforce those laws? we've seen with grooming gangs? there seems to be a reluctance in case it's offensive. and of course there are consequences. it's dangerous . what do we do to try and stamp this out? many people feel we're reaching the tipping point, or even the point of no return . even the point of no return. >> well, i don't think actually we are at the point of no return. the situation is very serious. i don't think it's out of control, but i do believe to go back to your point , we don't go back to your point, we don't need more laws. we've got lots of laws in the statute books that make anti—semitic hate crime and other of hate

crime and other forms of hate crime and other forms of hate crime illegal. we've got more than enough public order laws to allow police intervene . i allow the police to intervene. i wrote the spectator recently wrote for the spectator recently that i think, uh, you know, unfortunately , given the scale unfortunately, given the scale of the protests that we've seen and the perceived lack of police intervention when criminal acts were clearly taking place, that that was a question then when we had very large protests outs in london of the police simply not having the resources to be able to go in and actually arrest people who were clearly arrestable for the offences that they committing, why ? why they were committing, why? why is i think is is that important? i think it is extremely important to send out a message the a very clear message at the lowest level that the sort of, um , behaviour that then um, behaviour that then culminates eventually in a very small number of people taking that into physical violence , the that into physical violence, the sort of low level behaviour that cultivates anti—semitism and other forms of religious hatred will will not be tolerated . we will will not be tolerated. we will will not be tolerated. we will draw a red line against it, and the police will intervene immediately . and not just the immediately. and not just the police, but the criminal justice

system. the whole system . the system. the whole system. the police can only arrest and charge people after the cps have given permission to do so, and then the courts, then they'll do their thing , uh, to try and their thing, uh, to try and convict people of crimes that are related to violent extremism. we must see a whole of state response to this. we cannot have our public representatives prevented from, uh, you know, having having a career in politics because of threats . and intimidation, threats. and intimidation, because one of the things that will do is it will reduce the pool of people who feel able to take on that very important role , uh, role in public life . and, , uh, role in public life. and, you know, people are very cynical about politics at the moment. and politicians, we don't more reason for don't need any more reason for the gene pool of political representatives to get smaller and smaller and for good, decent people like mike freer to be forced to make a choice between his safety and his his personal safety and his family safety and representing the . public the. public >> okay. thank you. we have to leave it there. fantastic words. ian aitchison, the senior

adviser at the counter extremism project. thanks very much for joining us on news fearless joining us on gb news fearless debate. now, what would you do with an extra £1,500 each month for a whole year ? well, you for a whole year? well, you could win that in our great british giveaway as 18 grand in cold hard cash is up for grabs. and here's how you could make all of yours . all of that yours. >> this chance to win >> this is your chance to win £18,000 in tax free cash . that's £18,000 in tax free cash. that's like having an extra £1,500 each month for the next year. and if you're thinking i'd never win something like that, listen to the moment we told phil from west won our last west yorkshire he'd won our last great british giveaway. phil, i've some really good news i've got some really good news for you. >> e winner of em— >> you're the winner of the great british giveaway. >> it'sjoking brilliant >> it's joking but brilliant news for your chance to win £18,000 in tax free cash . £18,000 in tax free cash. >> text gb win to 84 9002. text cost £2 plus one standard network rate message or post your name and number to gb zero two. po box 8690 derby de192. uk

only entrants must be 18 or oveh only entrants must be 18 or over. lines closed at 5 pm. on friday. the 23rd of february. full terms and privacy notice at gb news. com forward slash win good luck . good luck. >> now shadow chancellor rachel reeves says a labour government would be pro—business, but does that claim add up? i'm martin daubney on gb news, britain's news channel

>> that's pmqs live here on gb news britain's election .

news britain's election. channel >> welcome back. 524 you're watching all the things martin daubney on gb news. now labour leader sir keir starmer says that he will bring growth to all parts of britain. speaking at the labour party's annual business conference today, shadow chancellor rachel reeves also spoke, outlining what's labour will be. the pro—business party in its decisions . party in its decisions. >> these are challenging economic times. i know that british business have felt that more than a decade of stagnant growth and anaemic investment. the next labour government will maintain full expensing and the annual investment allowance , and annual investment allowance, and within its first six months, a labour government will publish a roadmap for business taxation. the next labour government will make the pro—business choice and the pro growth choice . we will the pro growth choice. we will cap the headline rate of corporation tax at.

>> it's well labour's earning wine o'clock the tories there and also at midday today, the bank of england held the base rate of interest for the fourth consecutive time , keeping it at consecutive time, keeping it at a 15 year high. however, of 5.25, well liam halligan varne gb news economics and business edhoh gb news economics and business editor, joins me now with on the money . liam. lots to get our money. liam. lots to get our teeth into there. shall we start with the labor party making a lot of noises? liam that sound quite like the conservatives >> this is martin, the first major tax announcement by labour in the run up to the next general election, expected this autumn , in september or october. autumn, in september or october. for it's not about personal taxation, it's not about inheritance tax. it's about corporation tax. the tories in april raised the rate of corporation tax from 19 to £0.25 in the pound, and labour are saying they're going to keep it

at £0.25 in the pound. now that's annoyed a lot of people on the left of the labour party. they say that's labour sucking up to the fat cats in the city of london. and so on. and quite frankly, rachel reeves and keir starmer, they want those kind of comments. want to fight the comments. they want to fight the left of their party in to order demonstrate to middle england , demonstrate to middle england, if you like, that they're making tough and being really tough choices and being really stick. on the other hand , martin stick. on the other hand, martin labouh stick. on the other hand, martin labour, i think has been a bit tactically inept here because if the conservatives now say, oh, we're going to lower corp tax from 25 even to 24 or £0.23 in the pound, labour won't be able to follow them because of what you, rachel reeves just said. and let's be completely clear about this . corporation is about this. corporation tax is not paid by only fat cats. if you're a plumber, a hairdresser , you're a plumber, a hairdresser, if you've got a small business, you if you've got a small business, you pay if you've got a small business, you pay corporation tax . you pay corporation tax. everyone pays corporation tax. the profits in any business, even the smallest business, unless you're a sole trader, you

pay unless you're a sole trader, you pay corporation tax up to 50 grand a year in profit, which is tiny. if you've got a company with two, 3 or 4 employees, you're paying 19% corporation tax from 50 grand to 250 grand. you're paying 26.5% because there's a sort of catch up accelerator. and that means above a quarter of £1 million profit in a company. above a quarter of £1 million profit in a company . see, above a quarter of £1 million profit in a company. see, you're a flat rate of 25. corporation tax . so i a flat rate of 25. corporation tax. so i think that labour think they're being clever. they said also they're only going to freeze the headline rate of corporation tax. that means that they can increase the windfall tax on north sea oil and gas exploration even more from where it currently is an eye—watering £0.75 in the pound of profit that's made an awful lot of oil and gas exploit projects in the nonh and gas exploit projects in the north sea completely economically unviable, and apparently from labour, there's more to come that certainly won't please a lot of people in and around aberdeen , in the and around aberdeen, in the centre of our oil and gas

industry and liam elsewhere, the bank of england held firm. >> they stuck where they were and there's a whiff that inflation might even come down to 2. so good news ahead. >> yeah. the bank of england held interest rates as you and i predicted they would. martin, at a 15 year high of 2.5.2 5. they've been there since august. they've been there since august. the next move in interest rates is probably down. i think that will be in april or may. the chancellor actually hinted that again , as gb news predicted , again, as gb news predicted, when the january inflation number comes out, it could actually go up again . it went actually go up again. it went from 3.9 to 4 in december. it could go up to 4.1 or 2 because of the ofgem energy price cap going up at the start of this yeah going up at the start of this year. but the downward trend that the long terme trend, jeremy hunt is right, inflation doesn't a straight line doesn't fall in a straight line is astonishingly , is down astonishingly, astonishingly, some members of the monetary policy committee at the monetary policy committee at the bank of england, two of the nine economists that hold that that rates, while six of that decide rates, while six of them to hold rates .

them decided to hold rates. that's they held six that's why they were held six three two them three majority. two of them actually voted to raise interest rates, even more, even though inflation is so sharply down from 11% to 4% now. at the end, it was 11% at the end of 2022. i have no idea why anyone could possibly vote to raise interest rates now. anyone that even has a rudimentary grasp of economics and policy making, one brave amendment to the monetary policy committee actually voted to cut rates, which is what i would have done had i been on the monetary policy committee. but look, already interest rates are for mortgages and other personal loans are coming down below the bank of england's base rate because they are based on where the lenders think interest rates are going to go over the terms of your loans. if you've got two five year fixed mortgage, whatever is , you should whatever it is, you should be getting than 5.25% in terms getting less than 5.25% in terms of the interest rate that you pay- of the interest rate that you pay. so no real surprises that the interest rates stayed where they are. the bank of england is

actually warning it's saying actually warning. it's saying that inflation is persistent. it's trying to manage expectations, saying it won't raise won't lower interest rates for time to come. i think for some time to come. i think that prove to be nonsense. for some time to come. i think tithink prove to be nonsense. for some time to come. i think tithink the we to be nonsense. for some time to come. i think tithink the bank) be nonsense. for some time to come. i think tithink the bank ofe nonsense. for some time to come. i think tithink the bank of england se. for some time to come. i think tithink the bank of england will i think the bank of england will follow the federal reserve in the us, and i think the us federal reserve is going to start cutting from march start cutting rates from march or , and we'll see the or april, and we'll see the monetary policy committee fall into as that happens . into line as that happens. >> superb. liam halligan interest rates are always sky high, and whatever you've got to say, thanks for joining us on the show. superb as ever . now the show. superb as ever. now there's lots more still to come between now and 6:00. i'll have more on that epic farmers protest in brussels and ask , protest in brussels and ask, could we ever see similar scenes in this country ? but first, in this country? but first, here's your latest news headunes here's your latest news headlines with polly middlehurst i >> -- >> the headlines this hour. inflation is expected to temporarily return to the bank of england's target of 2% by

this summer. that it's a year and a half earlier than previously expected. and the news comes today as the bank held its interest rate of 5.25% for the fourth time in a row. labour says households are paying labour says households are paying the price of 14 years of economic failure of the conservatives, but the chancellor said the government's plan is working and the labour leader says he has a plan for business that will bring growth and prosperity every corner and prosperity to every corner of britain. in a speech to labour's business conference this afternoon, sir keir starmer promised a battle against the nafion promised a battle against the nation in british productivity and growth. critics accused labour of economic flip flopping and question if the party can provide the stability businesses need. provide the stability businesses need . and a man is on the run need. and a man is on the run after a chemical attack on a mother and child in london last night , mother and child in london last night, police are saying 35 year old abdul azad is believed to be from the newcastle area and was last seen fleeing the scene immediately after the attack . immediately after the attack. the metropolitan police are saying . as well as injuring nine saying. as well as injuring nine people, he also has significant

injuries to the right side of his own face. five police officers and three women were hurt coming to help the family. he attacked and the former subpostmaster , who has led the subpostmaster, who has led the campaign for justice subpostmaster, who has led the campaign forjustice in the post campaign for justice in the post office scandal, has rejected the government's compensation offer . government's compensation offer. alan bates, whose two decade fight inspired the itv series mr bates versus the post office, says the offer was offensive and cruel. mr bates told the daily telegraph the offer was a sixth of what he'd requested , calling of what he'd requested, calling it a terrible way to treat human beings for the latest news headlines, head to gbnews.com. and if you'd like a gb news alert, scan the qr code on your phone right now or go to gb news .com/ alerts . for a valuable .com/ alerts. for a valuable legacy your family can own. >> gold coins will always shine bright. rosalind gold proudly sponsors the gb news financial report , a quick snapshot for you

report, a quick snapshot for you of today's markets and the pound buying you $1.2731 and ,1.1714. >> the price of gold is £1,619, and £0.02 an ounce, and the ftse 100 has closed for the day today . at 7622 points. >> rosalind gold proudly sponsors the gb news financial report . thank sponsors the gb news financial report. thank you paul. >> and now my favourite part of the show. of course, i'm joined by michelle dewberry dewbs& co six till seven straight after this. she is. jus, what's this. here she is. jus, what's on your menu? this. here she is. jus, what's on goodnenu? this. here she is. jus, what's on good evening to you. i mean, >> good evening to you. i mean, i could literally ask a i could literally just ask a single it'd cover single question. it'd cover everything. is everything. um what on earth is going on? i mean, we've been covering a lot this. i know covering a lot of this. i know in your program. so got in your program. so you've got this you this chemical attacker, you know, a chemicals in know, a guy for a chemicals in people's faces trying to run the woman the run . what is woman over on the run. what is this coming to also as this world coming to also as well? um, this whole situation

about basically saying i'm about an mp basically saying i'm not going to continue because of death threats. i mean , it's just death threats. i mean, it's just the way it just rolls off the tongue people just kind of tongue and people just kind of nod as though society nod as though that's how society is. these days. it's is. these days. i think it's completely unacceptable . what on completely unacceptable. what on earth are we going to do about it, earth have we it, and how on earth have we even ourselves this even found ourselves in this position place? position in the first place? also so as well. interestingly, michael gove, he's looking at perhaps setting a salary threshold now for if you want to get into social housing. so is that a good idea? what should that a good idea? what should that threshold be? and also there's a suggestion today , there's a suggestion today, martin, that i'm going to try and squeeze this in if i've got time that feminism as perhaps done more harm than good, particularly when it comes to the impact men . so i've got the impact on men. so i've got professor matt goodwin keeping me company tonight and aaron bastani , so i cannot wait for bastani, so i cannot wait for this debate tonight. it's going to be fabulous. >> home of >> dewbs& co the home of fearless debate as ever, looks magnificent. six till seven jubes and co marvellous . thank jubes and co marvellous. thank you. now labour has held a major

business conference in central london today where sir keir starmer promised a room of 400 bosses stability . the big bosses stability. the big question is this are labour now the party of business? i'm martin daubney on gb news, britain's news channel .

p.m. only on gb news, the people's channel, britain's news channel. people's channel, britain's news channel . welcome back. channel. welcome back. >> it's 529. you're watching 39.

beg your pardon? you're watching or listening to martin daubney on news now to incredible on gb news now to incredible scenes in brussels where former shows have taken their protests right to the heart of the european union. and viewers on gb news now can see some dramatic pictures from the belgian capital and the question is, can we ever see british farmers do the same on british soil ? well, joining me now farmers do the same on british soil? well, joining me now is british farmer will sawbridge will welcome to the show a huge revolt outpouring of frustration in brussels spread across from france and from holland. and in italy, other countries germany as well. sick of net zero targets of red tape , of having targets of red tape, of having punitive tiny profit margins and there's a huge revolt across europe. the question is this could we see a similar thing ever breaking out on british soil ? soil? >> well , sir, soil? >> well, sir, um, my answer to thatis >> well, sir, um, my answer to that is it did happen in 2000

and in the year 2000, when david hanley was the, uh , the fuel hanley was the, uh, the fuel protest, uh , blair was in power. protest, uh, blair was in power. >> uh, he , uh, he, he came along >> uh, he, uh, he, he came along and the army got involved and, uh, the whole thing was squashed i >> -- >> um,| -_ >> um, i do applaud the french farmers. uh, there's massive solidarity there. >> i totally i support them in their activities . their activities. >> as long as no one's hurt. um, but the point has to be put forward. um uk farming is more or less the same as, um , as as, or less the same as, um, as as, uh, as farming in, in europe. >> um , the french, we came out >> um, the french, we came out of europe, um , and these guys , of europe, um, and these guys, they're over there. they are still getting uh, we talk about subsidy. >> they're getting single farm payment, but they can still see now with going green. now with it going green. >> we are, as uk farmers to produce food for uk people . produce food for uk people. >> the sad thing about it is, is all the imports coming into the coming into the country from all

over the world. >> um, the dairy boys have it, the chicken guys have it, the cereal farmers have it. it is happening in every form of, um, agricultural income or every farming family with in the country. um i, i look at, um, how farming is uh, today i look at, uh, diminishing grain prices i >> -- >> um, the dairy boys, they are , >> um, the dairy boys, they are, uh, um, they're working on very, very small margins. >> unless they've got an exclusive contract. but that isn't for everybody. >> you have, um, powdered milk , >> you have, um, powdered milk, powdered eggs all being brought into the country. >> and what it's doing is it's just giving the uk farmer the a big kick . big kick. >> um, and, uh, i have meetings with, with, um , i was in with, with, um, i was in a meeting on friday last week with some, uh, some. >> well, teresa. kofi, there's a guy called sandy kapila from the rpa who i applaud. actually,

he's he's a good guy. and jim place, who's head of defra . and place, who's head of defra. and we'd talking about, um , we'd sort of talking about, um, trying to the planet up , trying to green the planet up, going carbon neutral and, going into carbon neutral and, and cover crops. >> sfi , mid—tier applications . >> sfi, mid—tier applications. um, yeah. beneficial to the countryside. >> but uk farmers are doing that. anyway, this is the bit that. anyway, this is the bit that i don't get. i'm afraid the concept of the of the uk farmer. >> that point is not being put forward. >> it is not being put over. >> it is not being put over. >> and it seems to me that the uk farmer is being penalised for trying to produce food , and it trying to produce food, and it often feels , will, that part of often feels, will, that part of the problem are the big retailers stamping their boots down on farmers next? >> and as far as the tiny margins of profit? >> absolutely. >> absolutely. >> well, the golden rule is you never give the shopkeeper the power to dictate the price. um, we've been through covid, we've had putin invaded the ukraine, we've had all those all those scenarios that have affected our

market with diesel going to a pound and ten a litre fertiliser going to kneel on £800 a ton for granulated urea. >> the and the margin has come back, you know , the cost of back, you know, the cost of production on cereal farmers. i don't know so much about dairy farmers, but i know the cereal industry well. your cost of production. we are below cost of production. we are below cost of production today. >> tonight we got . down to £168 >> tonight we got. down to £168 a tonne for feed wheat. >> i'm sorry, but there's no money in that. there is no money going back to, um, your single farm payment in france. they still take a payment from the government . government. >> ours is diminishing. >> ours is diminishing. >> we now have. we have one payment and we have two more for next year and the year after, and then we're out. so okay, so the job is done. >> okay. thank you very much. we have to leave it there. i'm afraid simply because of time. will salisbury, british farmer thank work . support thank you for your work. support the great british farmer. now labour has held major business labour has held a major business conference today in central

london, where keir starmer london, where sir keir starmer promised of 400 bosses promised a room of 400 bosses stability . jonathan reynolds has stability. jonathan reynolds has been speaking to gb news political editor christopher hope. political editor christopher hope . you have big question hope. you have one big question for the shadow cabinet member jonathan reynolds, shadow business secretary. >> is labour now the party of business? >> yeah, i think it is. i think that's a reflection of how labour has changed since 2019. i think it's a reflection of how business and workers alike look to for labour the agenda on the economy. >> that would make a difference, i to honest, on some i think, to be honest, on some of this country of the things this country needs. in a better needs. labour's in a better position deliver. think position to deliver. so i think on building houses, on improving our trading relationship with the on giving the european union, on giving people more rights the people more rights in the workplace reasons. workplace for various reasons. that's from the that's not available from the conservative but i think that's not available from the ccis.arvative but i think that's not available from the ccis. andive but i think that's not available from the ccis. and if; but i think that's not available from the ccis. and if you but i think that's not available from the ccis. and if you looth i think that's not available from the ccis. and if you look at think that's not available from the ccis. and if you look at the 1k it is. and if you look at the tremendous attendance got it is. and if you look at the trethis dous attendance got it is. and if you look at the trethis businessindance got it is. and if you look at the trethis business conference got in this business conference today biggest ever had, today, biggest we've ever had, today, biggest we've ever had, to incredibly senior to be honest, incredibly senior people, see the strength of people, you see the strength of that developing. that relationship developing. >> should companies >> but why should companies trust when you trust what you say when you criticise the government for dropping the cap on bankers bonuses and you're now saying

you support the government? >> well, look, we actually did not say we would bring it back when the government chose to, uh, it . uh, abandon it. >> but you attacked the drop. >> but you attacked the drop. >> well, did say it's strange >> well, we did say it's strange timing. i mean, know when timing. i mean, we know when a time when your energy are time when your energy bills are so food are so high, your food bills are so high. >> and people say the government's prioritise this. >> that >> i mean, i can understand that frustration, but we never said we'd the reasons frustration, but we never said we'that the reasons frustration, but we never said we'that are the reasons frustration, but we never said we'that are that the reasons frustration, but we never said we'that are that it the reasons frustration, but we never said we'that are that it was reasons for that are that it was something that came in post—financial crisis. not post—financial crisis. it's not about more about bankers earning more money, it's about money, by the way. it's about the basic the structure between basic pay and of how and the bonuses in terms of how traditionally that sector has remunerated people . and of remunerated people. and of course, but course, that's contentious, but i for anyone concerned i would say for anyone concerned about making sure we're never going to have a repeat that going to have a repeat of that global financial crisis, there are important are other, much more important rules of how rules in place in terms of how secure with the money. secure banks are with the money. >> keep the rules on on >> they keep the rules on on kind of clawing back bonuses and that thing. that's the that sort of thing. that's the important couldn't tell important bit. i couldn't tell you a really you that this policy is a really important the economy . growth of the british economy. >> symbolic, it, of >> it's symbolic, isn't it, of how changed. maybe. >> it's symbolic, isn't it, of how think changed. maybe. >> it's symbolic, isn't it, of how think it's changed. maybe. >> it's symbolic, isn't it, of how think it's symbolici. maybe. >> it's symbolic, isn't it, of how think it's symbolic ofiiaybe. >> it's symbolic, isn't it, of how think it's symbolic of howe. >> i think it's symbolic of how serious we are. >> you there are times >> you know, there are times when things can look popular or they populist. when things can look popular or

the are populist. when things can look popular or the are they populist. when things can look popular or the are they good ulist. when things can look popular or the are they good policy? you >> are they good policy? you know, i don't think in this case, to be honest, the bankers bonus actually delivered bonus cap actually delivered what people originally intended. as it's essentially made as i say, it's essentially made it transfer staff it harder to transfer staff from, say, new york to london and really, there's not an argument reeves today that >> rachel reeves says today that profit something profit is not something to be disdained, a mark of britain succeeding. >> but in april last year you said you would bring in a windfall tax on oil and gas companies . windfall tax on oil and gas companies. is windfall tax on oil and gas companies . is the truth that companies. is the truth that some profit is okay, but not too much . much. >> absolutely clear. we want british businesses to make a profit. if businesses aren't making up well, businesses aren't making a profit. the workers lose their jobs, right? nobody now. nobody wants to see that now. a specific situation came about through russia's invasion of ukraine. what did to the ukraine. what that did to the gas price, that obviously a gas price, that obviously made a huge dividend for operators huge dividend for gas operators in the uk , fossil fuel in the uk, fossil fuel operators, also renewables operators, but also renewables and was a specific and so there was a specific argument for a windfall tax on those profits. it was really the windfalls think windfalls of war. i think that is very, very different to normal of the normal functioning of the economy and therefore of course, that money was used to support households down the

households up and down the country businesses . and i country and businesses. and i think was right. think that was right. and i think that was right. and i think without the support , think without the support, people still had very expensive energy bills and still do. but without additional without that additional support from government to from government and a way to fund what we from government and a way to funrforward, what we from government and a way to funrforward, how what we from government and a way to funrforward, how are what we from government and a way to funrforward, how are you vhat we from government and a way to funrforward, how are you going e put forward, how are you going to fund the intervention you need? honestly think need? i honestly don't think the british have british economy could have functioned in any, any reasonable . profits is reasonable fashion. profits is good succeed good when businesses succeed willing to pay workers willing to pay their workers good them to good money. we want them to invest in, you know, more jobs, more more technology , more capacity, more technology, because ultimately how because that ultimately is how how succeeds. and you how the uk succeeds. and you can't you a strong can't say you want a strong economy want economy if you don't want businesses profits , businesses making profits, otherwise go otherwise they'll of course go out business. out of business. >> reeves, the shadow >> rachel reeves, the shadow chancellor she chancellor said today that she wants coal tax at 25% for wants to cap coal tax at 25% for the five years of a labour government . how low might you government. how low might you cut it? >> the first thing to say is the number one request from businesses any potential businesses here of any potential labour government stability . labour government is stability. you not just stopping you know, it's not just stopping changing prime minister. every few minutes or key ministers, but there've been 26 but i mean, there've been 26 different changes rate or different changes to the rate or the the allowances the or the allowances on corporation this corporation tax in this parliament. hard for any

parliament. that is hard for any business. very hard to business. it's very hard to contend with what we contend with that. so what we want is set out very want to do is set out very clearly, our commitment both to the top headline of the top headline rate of corporation tax and the allowances there , that's allowances within there, that's that's full that's what's called full expensing. and produce expensing. and and produce a roadmap of what might roadmap is to kind of what might happenin roadmap is to kind of what might happen in terms of what qualifies reliefs. qualifies for those reliefs. so people clear people have got clear information around it. now, we believe 25% the minute is believe 25% at the minute is competitive in the g7. it's one of the rates. if not the of the lowest rates. if not the lowest rate compared to certain passed jurisdictions of other countries. said countries. but what we've said is, say other is, you know, say other countries changed their corporation tax rate all of corporation tax rate and all of a sudden uk was not in a a sudden the uk was not in a competitive position. of competitive position. well, of course, review that. so course, we'd review that. so we're to give security we're trying to give security whilst you whilst saying to people, you know is a know, we understand this is a relative position to other countries got to take countries and you've got to take that into account. we have a how low could it go? >> you won't say but maybe >> you won't say yet, but maybe 90% osborne 90% is what george osborne looked was child. looked at when he was child. >> mean, you would have to >> i mean, you would have to even start to see even counter and start to see a massive other massive reduction in other countries. to be countries. and i think, to be honest, . you look at, uh, honest, if. you look at, uh, where some of those other countries are at in their own

fiscal position and their economies, i don't think that is particularly likely. so it's just reassurance particularly likely. so it's just well reassurance particularly likely. so it's just well stability,|rance that as well as stability, we will account the will take into account the international the will take into account the inte that's al the will take into account the inte that's al very the will take into account the inte that's al very well the will take into account the inte that's al very well fore companies. >> but what about people? the ifs fifth britons ifs says that a fifth of britons are paying of are paying higher rates of income 1 in nurses, 1 in income tax. 1 in 8 nurses, 1 in 4 because of fiscal 4 teachers because of fiscal drag. why not say now you would lift those tax thresholds so fewer people are paying the higher rate of income tax . higher rate of income tax. >> so look we appreciate taxes are high. i mean taxes are high by historic and people by historic levels and people aren't getting great public services that. so services as a result of that. so you've acknowledge that. you've got to acknowledge that. why people paying high taxes why are people paying high taxes for poor services? because the economy would economy hasn't grown. so i would to able tell you that to love be able to tell you that people paying tax. people will be paying less tax. i'd love to to give you i'd love to be able to give you assurances any aspect assurances on on any aspect of the system. but i because the tax system. but i because i can't because i, because i until the strongly, the economy grows more strongly, i need understand i mean people need to understand i mean people need to understand i they compared to the i think they do compared to the history the uk , the last history of the uk, the last decade and a half has been really quite slow, very low productivity, business productivity, very low business investment, spurts of investment, different spurts of growth, but nothing like the kind we would

kind of significance we would usually around that. and usually expect around that. and that's why everything we're talking today planning talking about today planning reform, the reform, changing the apprenticeship making the apprenticeship levy, making the deal european union deal with the european union work a trading work better from a trading perspective. deal perspective. having a new deal for working the green for working people, the green prosperity plan, which is public investment, all about investment, this is all about the growing more the economy growing more strongly hopefully strongly and hopefully giving people better services, better wages hopefully reducing wages and hopefully reducing those burdens in time on them. >> now . if you weren't feeling >> now. if you weren't feeling too good and wanted to pour your heart out, would you try to speak to a mental health professional muppet? professional or a muppet? now? it silly it might seem like a silly question, sesame street question, but the sesame street character elmo been character elmo has been bombarded from bombarded with messages from people who are struggling. in fact, a tweet from elmo's account viewed 199 million account now viewed 199 million times simply asked, this elmo is just checking in. how is everybody doing? well, more than 17,000 people have since replied , prompting another tweet from elmo's account that said, wow , elmo's account that said, wow, elmo's account that said, wow, elmo is glad he asked . elmo elmo is glad he asked. elmo learned that it is important to

ask a friend how they are doing . ask a friend how they are doing. elmo will check in again soon. friends, elmo loves you now. joined by behavioural psychologist jo hemmings to discuss this. jo, welcome to the show . an unusual story, but one show. an unusual story, but one that's really got people talking quite literally opening up to a puppet. what does it tell us about the state of mind of the world? if we're more likely to talk to a puppet than a professional? yes indeed. >> i'm doing myself out of a job here. clearly. >> um, look , it's fascinating >> um, look, it's fascinating because it was that simple. >> how you doing ? from >> how you doing? from a non—human being a non—professional that just let people vent and say everything they felt . and i think it's they felt. and i think it's partly because they wanted to see. he's almost like a conduit, if you like, for people's feelings . so you say something, feelings. so you say something, you see other people are saying stuff, which means you can compare feeling to compare how you're feeling to what everybody else is saying. >> becomes a big communal >> so it becomes a big communal group brain dump, really, of all

those feelings and all those worries and all those concerns. >> so support system is >> so the support system is actually in the sharing of it and seeing what other people have to say. and he they not sure what elmo is , is a sort of sure what elmo is, is a sort of conduh sure what elmo is, is a sort of conduit through which people are able to do that and share their stories with other people . and i stories with other people. and i think it's just a very important time . that simple phrase, how time. that simple phrase, how are you doing? yeah, see what are you doing? yeah, we see what that led to. tsunami of that led to. a tsunami of feelings . feelings. >> and what was interesting, joe, is that when people were really outpouring , very intimate really outpouring, very intimate stuff, one reply is that of stuff, this one reply is that of 2 million views, every morning, i to go back to i cannot wait to go back to sleep every monday. i cannot wait come. every wait for friday to come. every single day and every single week for my life. thousands and for my life. and thousands and thousands of people came to in help other people complete strangers . as i think that's the strangers. as i think that's the whole point. >> that reassurance s that you know, a sort of strangers , a know, a sort of strangers, a friend you've never met sort of thing. >> that's support is incredible . >> that's support is incredible. it's very powerful. social media, like that. so something

so unexpected , so unpredictable. so unexpected, so unpredictable. there was no trying here. these people come out and say, i get it. i understand. i felt the same way. i hope you're okay. these are you know, this might help you. you're not alone. all that sort of stuff is a very big bonding experience for people. yeah >> you know, it started off as a as a throwaway sort of actually, i think it's been something quite inspire milk of quite inspire airing the milk of human kindness. people reached out other. hemmings , out to each other. joe hemmings, thank for joining out to each other. joe hemmings, thank forjoining us. well, thank you for joining us. well, that's for another day. that's me done for another day. myles and dorfman, show three till six after the break is of course, dewbs & co with michelle course, dewbs& co with michelle dewberry. thanks for joining dewberry. um, thanks for joining us we've had hundreds and us today. we've had hundreds and hundreds of emails. simply hundreds of emails. we simply haven't read haven't had enough time to read them out. been an them all out. it's been an action fearless action packed show. fearless debate on on the islamist problem. there'll be much, much more kind thing more of that kind of thing tomorrow. i've been martin daubney a fantastic evening daubney have a fantastic evening and enjoy dewbs& co . and enjoy dewbs& co. >> a brighter outlook with boxt solar sponsor of weather on . gb

news. >> hello alex burkill here again with your latest gb news weather forecast. whilst it is going to turn increasingly mild as we go through the end of the week, it will also be windy at times and there will be rain. of there will be some rain. most of that pushing in from the that will be pushing in from the west have west because we have high pressure to the south the uk pressure to the south of the uk andifs pressure to the south of the uk and it's this that's leading to and it's this that's leading to a flow across the a westerly flow across the country well as this , we do country as well as this, we do have spell of more persistent have a spell of more persistent rain across parts of scotland as we the rest of today, we go through the rest of today, and the start the night, but and the start of the night, but that away that rain does clear away towards we go towards the east as we go through the hours of through the early hours of friday elsewhere, is friday morning. elsewhere, it is going increasingly going to turn increasingly cloudy as we go through the night, will some night, and there will be some outbreaks of drizzly rain, mainly towards west. mainly towards the west. after a bit of chilly start for some bit of a chilly start for some of tonight, temperatures are of us tonight, temperatures are actually to lift. so actually going to lift. so by the time of up the time many of us wake up tomorrow morning, actually tomorrow morning, it's actually going to be relatively mild through rather through the day itself. a rather cloudy picture, cloudier than today for most of us, that today for most of us, and that cloud will thick enough for cloud will be thick enough for some further outbreaks rain

some further outbreaks of rain across western parts in particular, perhaps something a bit pushing bit more persistent pushing in across of scotland and across parts of scotland and into northern ireland. two the best chance sunshine best chance of any sunshine tomorrow the east, tomorrow will be in the east, and where temperatures tomorrow will be in the east, andlikely where temperatures tomorrow will be in the east, andlikely to here temperatures tomorrow will be in the east, andlikely to bee temperatures tomorrow will be in the east, andlikely to be highest ratures tomorrow will be in the east, andlikely to be highest .itures tomorrow will be in the east, andlikely to be highest. could are likely to be highest. could get highs around 15 celsius, get to highs around 15 celsius, but most it is going be but for most it is going to be a mild albeit a windy one. mild day, albeit a windy one. two pushes its way two the rain pushes its way southwards, on saturday we're southwards, so on saturday we're likely to see a bit of a wet picture across southern counties. chance of counties. a greater chance of seeing sunshine further seeing some sunshine further north, but there will be showers towards northwest and towards the northwest and a little chillier elsewhere little bit chillier to elsewhere as we go through the weekend. a rather picture rather cloudy picture and temperatures to temperatures lifting again to above average for the time of year. yeah >> that warm feeling inside from boxt boilers sponsors of weather on .

serving mp mike freer has announced that he is going to leave politics following death threats from , you guessed it, threats from, you guessed it, islamist extremists . excuse me? islamist extremists. excuse me? how on earth have we got

ourselves into a situation