>> yes , we are in recession. >> yes, we are in recession. rishi's five pledges are looking ever more tricky . i'll ask rishi's five pledges are looking ever more tricky. i'll ask and debate tonight. are we getting poorer and could labour make it any better .7 a huge rise in any better? a huge rise in anti—semitism in the uk is the future for jews living anti—semitism in the uk is the future forjews living in future for jews living in britain now looking very bleak indeed. britain now looking very bleak indeed . and joining me on indeed. and joining me on talking pints, it's a voice known to tens of millions over half a century, broadcasting sports broadcaster legend jim rosenthall . but before all of rosenthall. but before all of that, let's get the news with polly middlehurst . polly middlehurst. >> nigel, thank you and good

evening to you. well, the top story tonight, the chancellor says there is light at the end of the tunnel. if the government sticks to its economic plan, that's despite the uk entering into recession. official figures show the economy shrank by 0.3% at the end of 2023. that's the first time since the uk's gdp has dropped since the first covid lockdown. labour says the government's completely out of touch with people's reality . a touch with people's reality. a romanian people smuggler has been jailed for attempting to hide seven migrants in the overhead compartment of a motorhome and then trying to get them into the uk. the group were discovered by border force officials at harwich international in essex last december. two of the migrants claimed asylum, but five were deemed illegal and sent back to the netherlands. minister for illegal migration michael tomlinson , said that those tomlinson, said that those putting lives at risk would face the full weight of the law . a the full weight of the law. a just stop oil activists disrupted 4000 plane passengers with a court also hearing she

scaled railings above the m25 near heathrow in protest against 40 degree heat. cressida gethin said she wanted to interrupt business as usual and draw attention to what she called dire temperatures in the uk. her actions led to delays on multiple flights. according to british airways, the 22 year old cambridge student has since defended her climate activism , defended her climate activism, arguing the severity of the 2022 heatwave justified her actions. her trial for causing a public nuisance continues , and a judge nuisance continues, and a judge is facing criticism after liking a pro palestine social media post, judge tan ikram spared jail for three women who displayed images of paragliders at a protest just a week after hamas used paragliders to enter an attack . israel in october, he an attack. israel in october, he was found to have liked a post which said free palestine and that branded israel a terrorist. the crown prosecution service says it's carefully considering

any future actions in relation to the case in the united states. donald trump will become the first ever former president to stand trial on criminal charges next month, a new york judge denied his request today to throw out a so—called hush money case, setting a trial date for the 25th of march. the case alleges he falsified business records related to a payment made to an adult film star before the 2016 us election . mr before the 2016 us election. mr trump says he hasn't committed a crime and here in the uk, voters are casting their ballots in the final hours of two by elections taking place in wellingborough in northamptonshire and kingswood in south gloucestershire . the kingswood gloucestershire. the kingswood vote was triggered after conservative chris skidmore quit in protest over the government's green policy in wellingborough . green policy in wellingborough. the polls are open after peter bowen was accused of bullying and sexual misconduct, although he denied those allegations. voting closes at 10:00 tonight

and right here on gb news. we'll be broadcasting throughout the night with expert analysis and those all important results, all from midnight tonight , right from midnight tonight, right through to breakfast for the very latest stories, sign up to gb news alerts. scan the qr code on your screen or go to gb news. common alerts . common alerts. >> so the news this morning was not very good for the prime minister in fact, somewhat embarrassing. we are now back in recession. they're calling it a technical recession. we'll have a look at what that really means in just a moment. but remember, the people's forum with rishi sunak that we hosted here on gb news on monday evening? it all hinged around the five pledges and remember that old phrase? it's the economy, stupid, hard , it's the economy, stupid, hard, big inflation to ease the cost of living was the first. growing the economy was the second. ensuring national debt was the third. cutting nhs waiting lists

and passing laws to stop the boats. so three of the five pledges are around the economy. and kind of that makes sense because when you think about it, probably the key determinant in how we vote is do we feel better? us or worse off? since the government got elected ? and the government got elected? and ihave the government got elected? and i have to say that for once on these growth figures , i point these growth figures, i point these growth figures, i point the finger of blame personally far more at the bank of england than i do at the government. i think we have the worst governor of the bank of england in our history. they were far too slow to put interest rates up when inflation was clearly coming down and many of us down the track, and many of us were screaming no, were screaming about this. no, inflation is going to inflation is not going to happen. it started, happen. then when it started, don't worry poor little don't worry your poor little heads. it's transitory. and heads. it's just transitory. and now we're going the other way. they far too slow to reduce they are far too slow to reduce interest rates, and i think that interest rates, and i think that interest rates, and i think that interest rate message actually is for me a very important driver of why we are now in recession. but my debate tonight

is britain getting poorer. and i apply that both at a personal level and indeed at a national level, because i think we really are. i think one of the problems is that so much of this economic debate is couched in terms that most folks just don't understand, and that's no insult to you, the viewers, the listeners, or anybody else. it's just put in such a way that it's not obvious to anybody what it means. well, our job here is to means. well, ourjob here is to try and simplify everything. give me your thoughts. is britain getting poorer? farage at gb news. com or tweet hashtag farage on gb news. well, who better to speak to at this juncture than our business and economics editor liam halligan? liam when we're told it's a technical recession, what on earth does that mean ? earth does that mean? >> strap yourself in, nigel. there's some econo speak coming, but i'll guild it with some sugar coating so we can all understand it. look economists, they do speak in riddles.

understand it. look economists, they do speak in riddles . yeah, they do speak in riddles. yeah, they're the kind of experts that don't know what they're talking about. and they like you to make you feel as if that's your fault. it's what fault. it'sjust. it'sjust what we do now, a recession, the technical definition of a recession two successive recession is two successive quarters. gdp, the sum quarters. when gdp, the sum total of goods and services in the economy, contracts . and we the economy, contracts. and we learnt from the office for national statistics this morning, that is actually what happened last two happened in the last two quarters of last year. so it was confirmed that july , august, confirmed that july, august, september, the third quarter of last year, compared to the same penod last year, compared to the same period in 2022, the economy contracted just by nought point 1. gdp fell . but then in the 1. gdp fell. but then in the final quarter , october, final quarter, october, november, december compared to the same period in 2022, the economy fell by 0.3. there's your two consecutive quarters of economic contraction. that's a technical recession . no wonder technical recession. no wonder rachel reeves hastily convened a press conference. fair play to her. she's shadow chancellor saying that the tory economic strategy had failed, though i agree with you, the bank of

england has been was woefully late to recognise inflation, and now you've got some members of the monetary policy committee , the monetary policy committee, the monetary policy committee, the nine economists, even now, even now , they are arguing for even now, they are arguing for rate rises rather than rate cuts, even though inflation has come down all the way from 11% at six months ago, all the way to down 4, but isn't that part of it, liam? >> i mean, one of the reasons inflation is coming down is because our economy, our post—covid economy, is stagnating. >> i think that's >> absolutely. i think that's absolutely we seen absolutely right. we have seen falls energy we have falls in energy prices. we have seen easing of post covid supply chain issues. and so on. but a lot of it is that the bank of england, with 14 successive interest rates, rises, has just squeezed the life out of the economy. you've got credit contracting , you've got contracting, you've got companies getting rid of their loans. disinvesting you've got the housing market slowing right down. you've got consumers not wanting to borrow in order to buy big items like cars and white goods and so on. and that slows the economy down. but in

your introduction, what i thought was interesting you were talking about are we getting rich or are we getting poorer now? the headline numbers on wages we've real wage wages are we've got real wage growth wage growth growth because wage growth is 6.2% average inflation is 6.2% on average and inflation is 4. real take home pay 4. so your real take home pay after inflation is going up has been out a lot. that been going out a lot. that message has been going out a lot. but guess what? loads of people are paying much more tax than they were. these stealth taxes, of taxes, the freezing of thresholds, on thresholds, people on very modest incomes getting dragged into tax brackets, paying into higher tax brackets, paying tax at 40. yeah when they're not really wealthy at all. >> police officers at all. >> police officers at all. >> mid—ranking teachers . they >> mid—ranking teachers. they shouldn't be paying tax at 40. of course they shouldn't. they should be paying the basic rate of income tax. and then i've been drilling down into these ons came out this ons numbers that came out this morning. while the gdp morning. and while the gdp numbers as i said, numbers contracted as i said, o.1% numbers contracted as i said, 0.1% and 0.3% in respective quarters at the back end of last year , gdp per head , which is year, gdp per head, which is actually a less imperfect measure of living standards, which means your own personal

situation. yeah, it means the amount, the size of the economy did divided by the number of people in the economy. we've obviously had huge population growth. and, you know, whatever your politics, that's your views on politics, that's just fact , right? it's a fact just a fact, right? it's a fact that in 2022, the net immigration in this country was the size in a single year of the city of leeds , which is our city of leeds, which is our sixth biggest city, right. by most definitions . unbelievable. most definitions. unbelievable. i won't dare to call it the capital of yorkshire because people from sheffield will hate me even more. but joke aside, when your population goes up so sharply and gdp is stagnating, gdp per head is going to fall. and rather than falling in the last two quarters by 0.1% and 0.3% gdp per head fell in the last two quarters of 2023, respectively , by 0.4% and 0.6. respectively, by 0.4% and 0.6. in fact , we haven't seen gdp per in fact, we haven't seen gdp per head increase in any quarter since the middle of 2022. thank

you. >> so in simple terms, people are getting poorer. absolutely rishi keeps telling us the debts being cut. in fact, ever since 2010 i've been told the debts being cut. yet when i look at the numbers, the debt keeps going up. are we poorer nationally? >> um, that's difficult to say. there's been no , you know, you there's been no, you know, you would be the first to say, and you'd be right. there's been no kind of brexit induced meltdown or disaster which we were told would happen by the treasury in 2016 before the referendum. the uk has basically been middle of the across the g7 , across the pack across the g7, across the pack across the g7, across the oecd, advanced economies in terms of growth since both 2016 and since 2020, when the withdraw agreement came into effect . but the whole western effect. but the whole western world has really been stagnating . you know, germany's been in recession, europe's biggest economy, since , you know, for economy, since, you know, for most of 2023. germany was in recession. >> our gdp is doing better than france, and germany's is cold comfort farm, given where we are because because all western economies are stagnating, all

western economies are going through crisis productive through a crisis of productive city, particularly europe . city, particularly in europe. >> the standout , uh, economy, >> the standout, uh, economy, probably in the world, even compared to the chinese economy at the moment, is the us economy, which is seeing growth of 2 to 3. and that's because or it's partly not just the sort of drive and dynamism and huge capital markets of the us . it's capital markets of the us. it's also because they're electric . also because they're electric. city prices are a third of what they are here because they've had an energy revolution that we haven't had. liam as ever, thank you very, very much . you very, very much. >> i'm joined now down the line by helen barnard, director of policy at the trussell trust. now helen, i know you're very much on the front line of people getting poorer or people slipping into poverty , and i slipping into poverty, and i understand that the trussell trust organises about 1200 food banks around the united kingdom . banks around the united kingdom. um, to what extent are you seeing an increase in people simply getting poorer ? simply getting poorer? >> i mean, we are seeing really bleak pictures out there in our

communities. >> so if you take just the first six months of this year, we had to provide 1.5 million emergency food parcels . that's a record food parcels. that's a record that's more than ever before. and what we're finding is more and more people whose incomes are just so low they can't afford the essentials. and particularly we're seeing disabled people, carers and families with children who are finding themselves with no opfion finding themselves with no option but to turn to a food bank just to try and make ends meet. >> now, helen, a cynic, would say that people that go to food banks still pay for their sky sports subscriptions and other things, and maybe they need to reprioritize. and there's been a lot of that talk that people go to food banks because they're not prioritising food over other things in life . things in life. >> i mean, what we see out there is that people come to food banks because their incomes are incredibly low and they can't cover even the essentials. and it doesn't matter how well they budget because they believe me, they are the best budgeters out

there because they have to be. but their income just won't stretch. so . what we find is stretch. so. what we find is people put off going to the food bank as long as they possibly can. by the time they reach us, often they're already been going without . they're behind without meals. they're behind without meals. they're behind with they in debt. they with bills, they in debt. they are desperately trying to hold things together and they just can't make the money stretch because it's not enough . when because it's not enough. when you calculate how much somebody gets on universal credit for instance, and you compare it to a basket of essentials, it's way below and people are just stuck in this situation. week after week when someone goes to a food bank, is it likely to be for a penod bank, is it likely to be for a period of a month? >> three months? while they're having a tough time, do they then not come to the food bank or is it one of those situations where you start going to a food bank and you keep going to a food bank? >> it's a real mix. so when so people referred our food people are referred to our food banks. people are referred to our food banks . so people will see maybe banks. so people will see maybe a gp or a health visitor, or

they will call citizens advice for some money advice and out of that conversation it will emerge that conversation it will emerge that they haven't got enough for money essentials. money food and other essentials. so referred what we so they'll be referred what we would talk to them would always do is talk to them about are the that about what are the issues that have brought there. try and have brought them there. try and connect them to the right advice and thought that will and support. thought that will help get out of that. but and support. thought that will help we get out of that. but and support. thought that will help we findt out of that. but and support. thought that will help we find more of that. but and support. thought that will help we find more and|at. but and support. thought that will help we find more and morejt and support. thought that will help we find more and more these what we find more and more these daysis what we find more and more these days is that will help. but because as the basic rate of benefits so low, particularly benefits is so low, particularly even when you do all of that, people are still stuck. and i can give you an example of somebody, steve is that somebody, steve is a man that we've been supporting. he was a security he got injured security guard. he got injured in work , got a bad in a scuffle at work, got a bad back injury, was left not able to stand for very long. it took about a year for him to get assessed, get the support he should and in the meantime what he was the basic rate of he found was the basic rate of benefits wouldn't cover the bare essentials. that's why essentials. so that's why he ended coming food for ended up coming to the food for bank support. >> understood. helen, you >> understood. helen, thank you very much indeed forjoining us. well, i'm joined by scarlett mccgwire former labour

communications advisor, scarlett, you've heard what liam had to say. pure economic analysis gdp per capita, analysis that gdp per capita, per head, per person is falling. more people are getting poorer. you've heard from helen really? at the sharp end of this, with 1200 food banks. so here's the question. we've got a prime minister who made these big five pledges to the country, three of the five were economic , two are the five were economic, two are not working. really very well at all. one is, but maybe as a result of the others not well, i mean, we do have to say about inflation is that when it was high, it wasn't his fault . high, it wasn't his fault. >> and now that it's coming down, it's , it's all due to him. down, it's, it's all due to him. i mean, you know. >> no, no, no, i completely get it. and actually, i personally think that inflation will fall to a stagnation of to 2% because of a stagnation of the economy. well, precisely. >> not not because of anything. >> not not because of anything. >> no, it's hardly a big victory. know, if we victory. but you know, if we have a stagnating economy and yes, we're doing better than france germany, but that's france and germany, but that's not point . my question to not the point. my question to

you is what can labour do to actually make us better off? >> okay, so what we what we all understand is, is that when the general election comes, if labour wins it, that they are going to be walking into to a, to an economic nightmare, right, that that actually things are not good, that the public services are not, are not being. and so they have to walk. so the first thing they have to do is they have to stabilise the economy, because one of the great complaints from business is you're not taking us seriously . is you're not taking us seriously. um, you is you're not taking us seriously . um, you know, seriously. um, you know, businesses actually are not in favour of unfunded tax cuts because they say, you know , because they say, you know, where is the money going to come from ? all of this, everything . from? all of this, everything. if you look at it, everything is being said, oh, we're going to do this in 90 in sorry, 2025. um everything is being put off and business wise that very difficult . so one of the things difficult. so one of the things is that that business have to know everybody has to know business and the public sector

have to know where we are. so that we all know about rachel reeves fiscal rules. every member of the shadow cabinet know you are not. >> she's kind of said that she wants the obr to tell her what to do. >> no she hasn't. she's what she said is there is you do not spend money and you go through me and we only borrow to invest. it's really, really important . it's really, really important. and we do not do unfund tax cuts. so that's, that's the first thing is, is to stabilise it, to say this, this is how we're going to go on. and then what we have to get is investment because that's what's been lacking. i mean, i was listening to somebody from the resolution foundation who said exactly same as liam about exactly the same as liam about the gdp, because there's an argument about it. and you're right, it's just an economist saying, but actually that what matters is gdp per person. absolutely right. but he also said that that you can't have growth without investment . we're growth without investment. we're not investing. and so it again you have to look to the private

sector and you and you have to say to the private sector we're safe. we're going to do what we say. we're going to do and tax, tax . tax. >> what i mean, i mean, you know, in 97, one of the reasons blair got elected with a big majority was promising he would not put up taxes. and yet they hit private pensions. i mean, governments all sorts governments do all sorts of things. this labour assurance things. is this labour assurance on it real? on tax? is it real? >> i mean , i mean, the >> yeah. i mean, i mean, the worrying thing is, is, is where is the money going to come from? because i mean, i know you aren't great on public services, but actually that's not fair or true. >> i want good public services. >> i want good public services. >> good public services. >> good public services. >> but you have to pay at the right price. >> you have to pay for them. and and there is a real problem. and you talk to members of the shadow cabinet and you've got schools which are you know, we know that most of them, many of them have rebuilt. you've them have to be rebuilt. you've got hospitals that i mean, one of the things that that labour is saying is we have to sort out, we have to sort out hospital waiting lists because we've get people back to

work. >> well, the last time labour were government, they put were in government, they put in place have place pfi deals which have burdened hospitals it. it burdened hospitals with it. it was 25 years ago. no, i'll grant you. absolutely you. but you. absolutely grant you. but here's problem , scarlett. here's the problem, scarlett. >> of us always that >> some of us always knew that pfi was going to a problem. pfi was going to be a problem. yeah, well the prime >> right. well the prime minister and mr blair, minister didn't. and mr blair, the prime minister didn't. but here's the problem with everything said. everything you've just said. yes it's that's the it's almost and that's the labour and i understand labour position and i understand it. viewers understand it. it. the viewers understand it. it's almost different to it's almost no different to the conservatives yeah but conservatives at all. yeah but the conservatives aren't doing it. almost different. >> well, no, it is different >> well, no, but it is different because i'm, if if you're because if i'm, if i, if you're telling me as a 2019 conservative voter that i should vote labour, i can't see how the offering is any different because the difference is that so in 2019, they voted and nothing happened. i mean, so people voted for, i mean, people up north voted for levelling up. yep. nothing has been levelled up. in fact , what we find out is up. in fact, what we find out is that one thing that might have made a difference , which was hs2 made a difference, which was hs2 up there. i mean , i'm not i was

up there. i mean, i'm not i was never keen on hs2 , but uh, the never keen on hs2, but uh, the billions that was going to go into it, no, it's been scrapped. and they say oh this will, this will help transport in the north. and then you find out that a lot of the things are in the south. so actually the point is that it's not that the 2019 offering was so awful, it never, ever happened. fair enough , fair enough. >> well, never let it be said that we don't let political parties have on this parties have their say on this channel. we do. and scarlett clearly believes it passionately. i for me , the passionately. i for me, the extraordinary thing , though, of extraordinary thing, though, of course we will see. >> i'll come back. >> i'll come back. >> the extraordinary thing is just how narrow the difference is between the two parties. ah, that's my view in a moment. big front page of the daily mail. a huge rise in anti—semitic attacks. and i'm going to show you. i'm going to show you something tiktok about something on tiktok about a woman dying of cancer, trying to raise money for her kid, but because she likes israel, she's now been cancelled . now been cancelled. anti —semitism now been cancelled. anti—semitism is on the rise, and it is a genuine, real worry .

this case should not have earlier on gb news radio . earlier on gb news radio. >> well, some of your reactions to that debate that i sparked around is britain getting poorer 7 around is britain getting poorer ? maureen says, i think the whole country is definitely poorer . why? i don't know, but poorer. why? i don't know, but with all the shops closing down in high streets and shopping centres, many town and city centres, many town and city centres look like ghost towns. well, maureen, that's true. there is an argument though. the economy is shifted to online. one viewer, anonymous, says the cost of surviving not living is out of control. food and fuel, then council tax cost of stamps. yes. goodness gracious me. aren't they expensive? is higher than it's ever been . only a car than it's ever been. only a car is now a luxury, not a necessity . road tax, rising car insurance doubung . road tax, rising car insurance doubling over the last two years. do you know you're absolutely right. things like car insurance have just gone

through the roof. and i don't think actually that getting national inflation figures reflects that in any way at all. now we've been debating very often on this channel the rise often on this channel the rise of anti semitism, the rise of deep intolerance. this story is truly incredible . the woman's truly incredible. the woman's name is cat janice. she's 31 years old. she lives in virginia. she has terminal cancer. virginia. she has terminal cancer . she doesn't have that cancer. she doesn't have that long to live . and i can show you long to live. and i can show you some pictures of her in hospital. now she is a singer by trade and she's put out a song on the internet . dance you out on the internet. dance you out of my head. let's have a listen . of my head. let's have a listen. can and i'm going like million fireflies . fireflies. >> um . anne diamond . don't clear

>> um. anne diamond. don't clear how this much my body tonight are . are. >> so her song as you can see there, was shared by lots and lots of people. and for good reason, because she has a seven year old boy. she's going to die very shortly. and she's used that song and it's been pushed and sponsored a lot very and sponsored by a lot of very well people, lot of well known people, a lot of ordinary folk, too. in an effort to raise money that seven to raise money for that seven year when she's gone . year old boy when she's gone. and that's why it's taken off. and that's why it's taken off. and millions of people have seen these clips, but somebody has discovered that she is liked pro—israeli posts, that she has been supportive in the wake of the october the 7th attacks of some of the work the idf are doing, and now the backlash has begun.the doing, and now the backlash has begun. the basic argument is that while she wants you to help her seven year old, she couldn't care less about seven year olds in gaza that have died . the in gaza that have died. the level of hatred and vitriol that

has been poured against this woman effectively has cancelled her. and that, folks, is where we are . i find it deeply, deeply we are. i find it deeply, deeply depressing and upsetting . now, depressing and upsetting. now, the daily mail front page today, a report by the community security trust showing a huge increase in in really not just unpleasant, but actually, in many cases, quite violent attacks against jews in britain. i'm joined by jonathan sacerdoti, jewish journalist and broadcaster , and jonathan, the broadcaster, and jonathan, the numbers are what they are . the numbers are what they are. the jewish population in britain is so much smaller than most people think. well, how many? oh, millions. no, there are not. it's about 300,000 people who identify as jewish. >> it's very even less 271,000. okay, well, i was roughly right, but it's a very small number that identify as jewish, let alone practice . alone practice. >> and yet we have a muslim population of several million

growing by 75% every decade. and that's at the core of this, isn't it ? isn't it? >> jews are about half a percent of the uk population . and of the uk population. and despite that, a lot of people spend a lot of time obsessing on us and are supposed powers and controls over different things. i think one of the problems when we look at rising anti—semitism in general is that most people have never met a jew . and so if have never met a jew. and so if you haven't met jewish people, you haven't met jewish people, you might be inclined to believe or subscribe to some of the more outlandish conspiracy theories and things like that about you might. >> but isn't the problem here coming from islamism? >> well, certainly some of is >> well, certainly some of it is . that there is. . i would say that there is. yeah i would some. there yeah i would say some. there are. think , uh, anti—semitism are. i think, uh, anti—semitism predates, uh, islamism . um, i predates, uh, islamism. um, i think anti—semitism is called the oldest hatred for good reason . i mean, there's been reason. i mean, there's been christian anti—semitism in the past. there is today far left anti—semitism, far right anti—semitism, far right anti—semitism , um, and islamist anti—semitism, um, and islamist anti—semitism, um, and islamist anti—semitism , no doubt about anti—semitism, no doubt about it. at times like this , when

it. at times like this, when i think there is a spike in anti semitic incidents, partly inspired by, let's say, or at the same time as what's going on in israel, military action in israel . i in israel, military action in israel. i think that the islamist anti—semitism absolutely does perhaps take a front seat , but we can't be front seat, but we can't be complacent. and say that that's the only reason you're right and you're absolutely right. >> stephen fry said that anti—semitism light anti—semitism is a light sleeper, was a very sleeper, and it was a very interesting describing interesting way of describing it. know, i've seen what's it. you know, i've seen what's happened with my eyes to the happened with my own eyes to the jewish community brussels jewish community in brussels because there for 20 because i was there for 20 years. seen the jewish years. i've seen the jewish quarter in strasbourg with kids going into school with armed soldiers with them to protect them, basically , if you're them, and basically, if you're jewish, you don't live in brussels anymore unless you're wealthy and you live in a sort of gated community. is there a danger that's happening to london? >> look, even here in london and elsewhere in the uk, jewish schools, synagogues, community centres have had high security around them for years. it's not just now . i think it's something just now. i think it's something that as jews, we're quite used to almost notice

to it. we almost don't notice it. sometimes you go into it. sometimes when you go into a synagogue , there's usually synagogue, there's usually security guards. lots of security guards. there's lots of cameras, sometimes you'll even have style x ray have airport style x ray machines for certain places. if there's a high profile event or guest . i think that there's a high profile event or guest. i think that is there's a high profile event or guest . i think that is terrible. guest. i think that is terrible. but it's like that in many parts of the world. it's like that for good because just of the world. it's like that for good to because just of the world. it's like that for good to be because just of the world. it's like that for good to be careful. se just of the world. it's like that for good to be careful. there just of the world. it's like that for good to be careful. there are want to be careful. there are plenty of people who want to kill jews. >> do fear for the future of >> do you fear for the future of jews in this country? i think i'd lying if i said i didn't, i'd be lying if i said i didn't, and speaking to more and more jewish people all the time, i've encountered, think more encountered, i think much more anxiety the last four anxiety over the last four months perhaps ever in life. >> and i'm quite tuned into this subject. my late father was a hidden child during the holocaust in italy, and i've grown up always very aware of the idea of keeping an eye out for anti—semitism. as you say, it's a light sleeper. and i had from from as long as i can remember his lessons . so when i remember his lessons. so when i do see things happening in the uk, it does worry me, because as ikeep uk, it does worry me, because as i keep saying to people, i'm british, i'm born here, i'm very

proud of being a brit. i have every right to practice my religion . also, to have come religion. also, to have come from a different background ethnically or a different religion than other people. we all do, and i think it's shocking when jewish people are seen as somehow different or other from the rest of britain in ways that just are not true and not helpful. and the one thing that i do hope that viewers think about when they see the headlines like today's , see the headlines like today's, is, i think that this isn't really just a problem forjewish really just a problem for jewish people, because a society that has level of anti—semitism has this level of anti—semitism that goes unchecked sometimes by police, we have the police not really policing the protests sufficiently. we have even the court case of those three women who were supporting hamas . who were supporting hamas. >> we've covered it this week extensively, found guilty. >> the judge who had >> and yet the judge who had liked anti—israel posts online, decided not to punish them. in his own words, even though he found guilty. those sorts found them guilty. those sorts of things. it's for all of things. i think it's for all of things. i think it's for all of in britain to speak up of us in britain to speak up against, because not just against, because it's not just

for there's something for jews. there's something wrong society. our wrong with our society. our moral awry we moral compass is awry when we don't speak out against that kind prejudice kind of prejudice and discrimination anybody. kind of prejudice and dis

there's a lack of resource in certain places. >> earlier on gb news radio . the >> earlier on gb news radio. the government is pushing full steam ahead with one of rishi sunak main priorities . main priorities. >> that is to bring in legislation that will mean anybody born from 2009 or afterwards will not be ever be able to buy cigarettes. but those born in 2008 will. i can't think of any piece of legislation more designed legislation more badly designed or more guaranteed to create an illegal black market than that , illegal black market than that, and the campaign is for us to be

smoke free by 2030. they're spending loads of money on it. big wraparounds of national newspapers coming our way in the next few days . and yet and yet, next few days. and yet and yet, whilst smoking may be a problem, no mention of the damage. illegal drugs are doing to youngsters, i think they've got their priorities wrong. joining me is doctor lawrence buckman, former gp and committee chair of the british medical association . the british medical association. lawrence, i will take it as read that you'd love no one to smoke at all. i get that, but do you see my point about this being crackpot legislation? i'm always nervous when i find people legislate , waiting for things legislate, waiting for things that want to make society change. >> when you're going to produce cliff edges. and what you've just described is a cliff edge. yeah. uh, you've said, uh, people born in this year will be able to buy cigarettes and people born in that year will not be able to buy a cigarettes. that's it . not be able to buy a cigarettes. that's it. immediately. not be able to buy a cigarettes. that's it . immediately. perverse that's it. immediately. perverse theidea that's it. immediately. perverse the idea that you could actually stop people smoking. of course

you wouldn't expect me to say anything other than i believe in it. but how you stop people first. i'm never keen on banning things. i think banning things induces odd behaviour in order to get round the ban, whereas actually making it difficult. that's a different thing . and that's a different thing. and different countries have tried different countries have tried different techniques. new zealand, of course have tried um, this cliff edge approach and it seems to be working, although of course there will be a black market. so it's an idea. um, i'm not a great enthusiast for it, but i can see why it's there. yeah >> no, no. well, that's very sensible, lawrence. it really is. um, but here's the point i'm making. smoking may cause long terme damage to the individual, but very little short terme damage to the individual. the use of illegal drugs and some of the stuff that's coming over from america now is terrifying. causes huge short terme damage , causes huge short terme damage, psychological damage, physical damage. wouldn't the government be better to try and educate

people more about some of these drugs? rather than worrying about long terme effects from smoking given actually that most youngsters don't smoke anyway anymore ? anymore? >> well, i think the number of people who smoke is still quite alarming. i agree it's falling over the over the last few decadesit over the over the last few decades it has fallen. more important though, is how you tackle illegal drugs and whether the government doing something about that could make a difference to it. because i'm not persuaded that they could. and the reason is that there's mountains of legislation to say you shouldn't be using illegal drugs. and also we everybody knows the harm it does , yet knows the harm it does, yet people do it and people do it for all sorts of reasons. and i think adverts really almost never reach the people who need to be reached . we have to make to be reached. we have to make it harder for people to bring drugs into the country. we don't appear to be doing terribly well on that. we to make it on that. we need to make it easier get people rehab easier to get people into rehab rather than sticking them in

prison. uh, you may have committed a criminal offence, in which case you need to be in prison. if you haven't prison. but if you haven't committed criminal committed a criminal offence, really you is help. really what you need is help. and not a lot help and there's not a lot of help around. and i think around. and so i think legislating this as a way of getting out of drug addiction, i'm not sure it's going to work. and i think i think we need a health service that's geared to looking after these people rather than locking them up, punishing them , uh, locking up punishing them, uh, locking up and punishing sounds great. and it's always very political . uh, it's always very political. uh, i know politically , i know sure, i know politically, i know sure, it works . it works. >> no. well, a lot of common sense there, in my opinion, from laurence buckman. thank you very much indeed forjoining me tonight on the program . tomorrow tonight on the program. tomorrow is a big day for national westminster banking group. we will get their annual figures. we will have confirmation of the appointment of a new chief executive officer. remember, alison rose was the boss until

she decided to have a chat about my personal situation with the bbc's business and economics correspondent. she's gone. we get the new ceo tomorrow . we're get the new ceo tomorrow. we're told it's going to be paul thwaite . he has been the interim thwaite. he has been the interim ceo and he's been at the bank for some considerable period of time . but perhaps even more time. but perhaps even more importantly for the bank, along with the chancellor of the exchequer, jeremy hunt, are getting ready to sell the remaining 35% of natwest shares the government owns now, overall , it's not a very good deal for the taxpayer because we bailed them out at 502 pence a share. they currently trading at about £2.20 a share. they want it to be the modern equivalent of tell sid . the british gas sale to sid. the british gas sale to millions of ordinary folk back in the middle late 1980s, but i would say this if the new people put in position are simply a

continuum of those that went before, and if the £350 million of bonuses are being given out to the very people who said vile things about me and if there's been no recognition that the travers—smith report into the whole affair was simply a whitewash, then how on earth can we trust this bank to sell shares to the british public when there's been absolutely no change of culture within that bank whatsoever? if natwest think it's going to be plain sailing from tomorrow to a pubuc sailing from tomorrow to a public issue in june, well, you know what? they might just have me to deal with again , he's me to deal with again, he's a voice known over the years to tens of millions. he's been around in sports journalism for half a century. he's crossed your life in some way, all of you. at some point on talking pints tonight, i've got with me in just a moment. jim rosenthal

on patrick christys tonight , on patrick christys tonight, nine till 11 pm. >> i have a major exclusive on child grooming gangs and their bid to fight deportation from the uk. plus is the government using mass migration to hide how poor our country has become ? and poor our country has become? and we'll bring you the latest on the british judge who liked an anti—israel post before letting three terror sympathisers walk free. patrick christys tonight, 9 to 11 pm. be there

whether you like sport or not, you will not have been able dunng you will not have been able during your life to avoid this bloke because he's done eight fifa world cups, three rugby world cups, olympics, 150 world cups, two olympics, 150 formula one races and some of the biggest boxing bouts we ever saw . 56w. >> saw. >> going back a couple of years, delighted to have as my guest on talking pints some that i've grown up with. rosenthal . grown up with. jim rosenthal. well, cheers. well, cheers. thank much . thank you very much. >> lifetime dismissed. >> that's my lifetime dismissed. in seconds, it?

in about nine seconds, isn't it? >> don't think they're bad >> i don't think they're bad achievements. mean , kind of, achievements. i mean, kind of, you know, getting into sports journalism, for journalism, being around for basically half a century . yes. basically half a century. yes. yeah. you know, i'm a sports nut . you know, i love sports all sports. i'm fascinated by them . sports. i'm fascinated by them. whether it's suddenly a 16 year old luke littler or whether it's me being up at ridiculous o'clock this morning. >> congratulations that . >> congratulations on that. >> congratulations on that. >> way, the cricket >> by the way, the cricket getting up at but, you getting up at good. but, you know, even you don't like know, even if you don't like sport, you can't really avoid it. it's such huge part. it. it's such a huge part. i think i've been very fortunate in always loved sport in that i've always loved sport and i've i found something and i've and i found something that i could translate my love of it into, into putting shoes on the boy's feet , put it that on the boy's feet, put it that way into how does how does oxford lad. well rosenthal how does he happen into radio, television sport. how does it happen? >> well, i mean, i did what what i would say was a great apprenticeship and i started right at the bottom local paper for, you know, four years doing my shorthand and doing the court reporting and doing real all

that. well, real journalism probably . yeah. and then i did probably. yeah. and then i did four years there, and then i went to local radio in birmingham. uh radio birmingham, and did another four years there. and after a couple of years of that, um, i sort of realised, in fact, the station master said to me, you're really good at news, but you're outstanding at sport. and i said, you're telling me too. and that's what i did. so that's what you want to hear. that's what you want to hear. that's what i wanted to hear. i did i did want to hear that. yeah. and so and then another and then down to the, the radio sports down to to the, the radio sports unit. a radio two unit. it was um, a radio two sport then that was five. sport then that was radio five. yeah. five, five live for years there. and then um, and then itv came in about 1980 and i came calling in about 1980 and i think i stayed with them longer than nelson mandela was than poor old nelson mandela was in jail to be quite good about 32 years with them. and so it was old stretch. you had was a good old stretch. you had an amazing stretch. an amazing good stretch. >> it was in those you >> it was in those days, you know, showing my know, i guess i'm showing my age, you could turn on the age, but you could turn on the telly, you know, and you kind of knew one or itv knew that. yeah. on one or itv we'd see dickie davis or whoever

it and then channel comes it was. and then channel 4 comes along racing. did along and does horse racing. did it rather well. i thought in the early days really rather early days i really rather enjoyed um and was all enjoyed it. um and it was all free. well, had to pay a bbc free. well, you had to pay a bbc licence fee, but it was essentially now, now, you know, i've sky sports, of i've got sky sports, but of course the test course i can't watch the test match sky have to match on sky sports. i have to pay match on sky sports. i have to pay another subscription. pay for another subscription. i want to watch a big boxing bout. it's going to cost £18 or whatever want to watch whatever it is i want to watch the darts final. it's going to cost a tenner or whatever it is, and we're suddenly if you and we're suddenly seeing if you want sport, you want to watch live sport, you now multiple subscriptions now need multiple subscriptions to do it. it's not very fair on those without money. it those without much money. it isn't those without much money. it isn'no it isn't, but it is market >> no it isn't, but it is market forces it's the way things forces and it's the way things have and i say, if you are have gone. and i say, if you are a sports lover, you won't be very served terrestrial very well served by terrestrial television. it? television. it's god, isn't it? it's gone. pretty. it it's gone. it's pretty. it pretty much to all intents and purposes, out of purposes, has been priced out of live sports coverage and, um, it's quite. i operated in an era when it was still alive and kicking. very much so. and i listen, the bbc say we can't afford it. the bbc have got to

tap. that never stops, never gets turned off to the tune of £5 billion a year. don't say you can't afford it. say you're going to put it elsewhere. yeah. um, i wonder, you see, because i think, you know, football benefits from terrestrial tv. >> other sports >> i think the other sports suffer bit. suffer a little bit. >> i mean, boxing is >> they do. i mean, boxing is a sport that i did a huge amount of on, on terrestrial television, either like television, people either like boxing or they don't. if you say if say, yeah, who knows, if you say, yeah, who knows, someone go, i hate someone else might go, i hate it. go, i'm not it. and i go, fine, i'm not going to try and try and convince you. but, um, and there were i mean, the numbers that turned know, for, for turned on, you know, for, for for, our on a saturday for, our, for our on a saturday night, you know, ben and eubank, i mean, we stopped the country. people out of dinner people came out of dinner parties watch it and, but parties to watch it and, and but then a couple of things happened. nigel benn had had a fight against a guy called mcclellan, was put in mcclellan, and he was put in hospital damaged life hospital and damaged for life and tv executives said, you know, we don't know, i don't we don't really want that on peaktime television. i could television. and i could sympathise and sympathise with that. and then, of course, the money went up. and mean, just at the and i mean, just look at the money earning money that everyone's earning from, and you go, we from, from saudi. and you go, we cannot compete with this. where

i think they got it wrong is that done deals that they should have done deals early with, you know, with the satellite broadcaster opposed satellite broadcaster as opposed to them out of to saying we'll blow them out of the sky. >> going e >> it's not going back, is it? no, is it is. jim you've no, it is what it is. jim you've done this. this fascinates me because i've been a because you know, i've been a huge match special fan huge test match special fan right on the radio. in fact, me appearing view the appearing on view from the boundary, highlights boundary, one of the highlights of tms . well done, of my career tms. well done, well done. yeah forget well done. me. yeah forget winning european elections. i mean, this was the big one. jacob was sympathised with this. he was he's a cricket nut as well. >> he's just a little boy at heart. aren't you? >> well, i hope we all are in a way i think that's probably right. >> yeah. you've done so much telly. >> yeah. so much radio. which is your to your favourite to do? >> well, mean radio, i've >> well, i mean radio, i've always very lucky with, always been very lucky with, with voice. haven't had with my voice. i haven't had a second voice training life second voice training in my life and i've been very, very fortunate with that. and i think radio made me comfortable in front microphone. front of a microphone. your face. you yeah, you face. what can you do? yeah, you know, and bit of know, you know, and bit of makeup . well can you what makeup. well what can you what can do if people like your can you do if people like your face, like if they don't

face, they like if they don't like they don't. yeah. um. like it, they don't. yeah. um. and dickie davis, who and dear old dickie davis, who was good to me when was really good to me when i first went to itv and i was doing a heck of a lot. and he said, jim, the face hasn't been invented, that want invented, that people want to look which was look at all the time, which was a bit of advice, great bit a great bit of advice, great bit of advice and, and are you ever totally comfortable in front of a camera? well, probably not, probably because, know, probably not, because, you know, but you sort of you have to probably not, because, you know, butyourself.| sort of you have to probably not, because, you know, butyourself. that'sf you have to probably not, because, you know, butyourself. that's f yo biggest:o be yourself. that's the biggest thing. if you try and be thing. i think if you try and be someone else front of someone else in front of a camera, the camera finds you out. >> radio is very personal, isn't it? >> very, it? >> v ery , very it? >> v ery, very go od. it? >> very, very good. and i did a relationship with the listeners. >> the same >> yeah. in television, the same it radio is very special. it is radio is very special. >> it's easier as well. it's eafien >> it's easier as well. it's easier. you know, you turn up looking a bit rotten. absolutely. commentary, absolutely. live commentary, you know, do this live, know, i mean, i do this live, you know, four nights week. you know, four nights a week. >> i make odd mistake. >> and i make the odd mistake. i can't pretend don't, but i do. can't pretend i don't, but i do. everyone does. yeah. worst moment. >> my worst moment. i was i haven't actually dropped that many major ones. many major, major ones. i haven't, you know, i mean, someone out there might go, oh, i can remember you when you, you

know, when you said so, i, i and i've a rule that whenever i've had a rule that whenever i've had a rule that whenever i've got one these on, i am i've got one of these on, i am pretty boring, to be quite honest. so i've never been done straight. i've never been done swearing or whatever. and so i've, i've probably been been fortunate in that, i mean, another i've broken another thing, i've broken a rule tonight i've rule here tonight because i've all through my career, i've neven all through my career, i've never, ever have a sip of alcohol before. i brought my i know you are. i know you are. so. so this this is the first for me to get a bit of red wine. down me, down me tonight. good on on you. done. on good on you. well done. >> look and i'm still >> well, you look and i'm still making vague sense, aren't i? really? do very well, really? there you do very well, jim. what do you look at? all the sports. and you? you the sports. and you? and you love of sports. yes. your favourite. >> i think football has always been for listen, been my backbone for me. listen, i was lucky enough to present the rugby world when won the rugby world cup when we won it. yeah fantastic. >> last minute. >> absolutely. last minute. >> absolutely. last minute. >> unbelievable. unbelievable >> absolutely. last minute. >> unandevable. unbelievable >> absolutely. last minute. >> unand again unbelievable >> absolutely. last minute. >> unand again how elievable >> absolutely. last minute. >> unand again how wellable >> absolutely. last minute. >> unand again how well they night. and again how well they did bad or indifferent. did it. good bad or indifferent. i that program i finished that program and i thought, well, one can take thought, well, no one can take that from it's a bit that away from me. it's a bit like wilkinson. no can like jonny wilkinson. no one can take away me and no one take it away from me and no one

can take it away. that i was, i was up front for one, one, you know, for one of the greatest sporting triumphs that england ever across the board. yeah. sporting triumphs that england ever well, icross the board. yeah. sporting triumphs that england ever well, but;s the board. yeah. sporting triumphs that england ever well, but i the board. yeah. sporting triumphs that england ever well, but i can board. yeah. sporting triumphs that england ever well, but i can honestlyeah. um, well, but i can honestly look the eye and say that look you in the eye and say that i've. i've never been bored by anything done. i've never anything i've done. i've never actually. i've, have actually. and i've, i have shovelled right old crap in shovelled some right old crap in my if honest to you. shovelled some right old crap in my i've if honest to you. shovelled some right old crap in my i've always honest to you. shovelled some right old crap in my i've always done;t to you. shovelled some right old crap in my i've always done itto you. shovelled some right old crap in my i've always done it and>u. shovelled some right old crap in my i've always done it and i've but i've always done it and i've always given it due deference. >> always looked you >> you've always looked like you loved i do love it, loved it. i always i do love it, you know, there is something about the live broadcasting thing as well. >> real, even here with you >> it's real, even here with you in dungeon, even here, you. in this dungeon, even here, you. >> as a >> i'll take that as a compliment. take that. i'll compliment. i'll take that. i'll end up talking points i'll end up talking points and i'll treat a compliment. end up talking points and i'll treat um, a compliment. end up talking points and i'll treat um, yeah.)mpliment. end up talking points and i'll treat um, yeah. these1ent. end up talking points and i'll treat um, yeah. these great jacob um, yeah. these great sporting figures, it's wonderful. >> i mean, henry blofeld seems wonderful. >>menean, henry blofeld seems wonderful. >>me torn, henry blofeld seems wonderful. >> me to be henry blofeld seems wonderful. >> me to be thery blofeld seems wonderful. >>me to be the greatestj seems wonderful. >>me to be the greatest living|s to me to be the greatest living englishman at the moment with the way of creating the brilliant way of creating a word. that in that word. picture that in that mellifluous voice that just mellifluous voice that it's just what enjoy to listen to. what you do enjoy to listen to. yeah. and i actually met jonathan agnew . i was very jonathan agnew. i was very pleased. and he said, he reminded me i had called for him to have a pay rise in the house of commons. somebody had been

going on about football going on about some football commentator and i said, actually, is wasting his actually, the bbc is wasting his licence. you should go to jonathan agnew. >> see, there's >> you see, there's jacob sometimes wanting >> you see, there's jacob sometimeswanting change sometimes wanting to change market on that market forces. now, on that note, i'm going to say goodbye. i'm back with you on monday. i'll be in america next week. lot going on out let's lot going on out there. let's have look at the weather. have a look at the weather. >> looks like things are heating up . boxt boilers sponsors of up. boxt boilers sponsors of weather on gb news . weather on gb news. >> hello there. good evening. welcome to your latest gb news weather update with me, annie from the met office friday is going to be a much drier and brighter day for many of us, but we have still got some heavy rain to come through the rest of the evening. that's as a result of this weather that's of this weather front that's slowly pushing across slowly pushing eastwards across the , through of the country, through the rest of the country, through the rest of the through tonight. so the day and through tonight. so there's still some heavy rain to come across parts of the southwest push into southwest that will push into the on. this the midlands later on. this evening the evening and then into the southeast. should be southeast. but rain should be fairly by the time fairly limited by the time it arrives into southeast .

arrives into the southeast. behind it, it should turn much clearer as well. some clear clearer as well. so some clear spells come tonight, but spells to come tonight, but still got very mild air, so it will be another very mild night tonight. frost free across the country tomorrow morning. country by tomorrow morning. there'll some there'll also be some early sunshine, particularly across eastern of scotland as eastern areas of scotland as well as central areas of england to tomorrow morning. and we'll see a good deal of sunshine through the day. some thicker cloud across of cloud across parts of northwestern england, north wales thick enough wales that could be thick enough to drizzly rain, but to bring some drizzly rain, but in any the sunshine it'll in any of the sunshine it'll feel pleasant. highs of feel fairly pleasant. highs of 13 or 14 degrees in the south, or 12 degrees further north. a bright start to saturday across eastern areas, but cloud will thicken through the day as this weather front approaches, so some drizzly rain in the west through the morning and then a heavy spell rain to come heavy spell of rain to come through evening across through the evening across western and perhaps on western areas and perhaps on sunday morning in the east. but once that clears on sunday, it should be a fairly dry and bright day for many of us, and it will be staying mild all through the weekend. see you

later. >> a brighter outlook with boxt solar sponsors weather on .

gb news. >> hello, good evening, it's me, jacob rees—mogg on state of the nation. tonight, the united kingdom has officially entered recession as the latest figures have revealed the economy contracted for the last two consecutive quarters of 2023. but what can we expect when the chief ostrich of the bank of england refuses to move his head from the sand, a sadiq khan wastes £7 million on renaming the six lines of the overground. we have put this to the people in a poll. should the lines be named after a britain's greatest victories be our greatest colonial viceroys and governor generals, or c my six children results to be revealed shortly. plus state of the nations book club returns with sunday times columnist matthew syed after he recommended i read his book