very much. >> nigel, thank you very much. good evening from the newsroom , good evening from the newsroom, 7:00 and we start with the top story of the day. latest developments in the budget fallout and the government ministers are now challenging labour to set out its own funding plans , after the funding plans, after the opposition party backed the government's to cut government's decision to cut national insurance. the non—dom tax status will be scrapped, with the aim of raising revenue to make up for the 2% cut. figures suggest any benefits , figures suggest any benefits, though, for the taxpayer, are likely to be cancelled out by an expected rise in council tax. however, jeremy hunt told gb news earlier that his budget is proof that the government's fiscal plan is working. >> we want to end the unfairness . the direction of travel we've goneis . the direction of travel we've gone is to reduce national insurance by one third. the fact that labour are opposing this today is really because labour don't have any plans to reduce taxation. it sort of makes my point for me, their plan is basically that tax should remain at its current levels. we say we

don't have to accept the status quo. if you make difficult decisions , if you stick to our decisions, if you stick to our plan for the economy, that's seen inflation falling and growth starting to rise, we can bnng growth starting to rise, we can bring down the tax burden. >> sir keir starmer, though, says that the conservatives are giving with one hand and taking with the other, and that , unlike with the other, and that, unlike the government, he says labour's policies are fully funded . policies are fully funded. >> contrast that with the government, where yesterday, at the end of the budget, the chancellor made a staggering £46 billion unfunded commitment to aboush billion unfunded commitment to abolish national insurance. that's bigger than liz truss's commitment. so they've learned absolutely nothing . we need absolutely nothing. we need change. it's time for change. >> well, we've heard tonight that the uk has pledged a further £125 million of military support to ukraine in another major move against putin's invasion. earlier, our home and security editor , mark white security editor, mark white joined me with more on what that announcement tonight will mean for ukraine's war efforts.

>> this extra package , announced >> this extra package, announced by grant shapps on a visit to ukraine is very significant. hundreds of pounds and millions of pounds in extra commitment from the uk to provide 10,000 military drones. now the vast majority will be first person view drones, fpv drones , which view drones, fpv drones, which can loiter over the battle space and drop their munitions on russian tanks and artillery. but it will also provide a thousand new one way attack drones . in new one way attack drones. in addition to that more maritime attack drones mark white there are home and security editor speaking earlier. >> well, that news comes as sweden has today officially joined nato, marking a historic moment for the nation and the military alliance. the move, in response to russia's invasion of ukraine strengthens nato's defences , and it's also a defences, and it's also a significant shift for sweden, ending its long standing policy of military neutrality. russia, though, has threatened retaliation with unspecified

countermeasures . and as we heard countermeasures. and as we heard from nigel at the top of the program in the united states tonight, president biden is preparing to deliver his state of the union speech. it's reported he will use his fourth address to highlight the difference between his leadership style and that of his likely opponent, donald trump . likely opponent, donald trump. he's also expected to announce an emergency mission , we an emergency mission, we understand, to build a temporary port on the gaza coast so that humanitarian aid can be shipped into the region . for the latest into the region. for the latest stories, you can sign up to gb news alerts. just scan the qr code there on your screen or go to gb news .com/ alerts. >> well, as ever, it's after the lord mayor's show. the chancellor yesterday making a lot of claims in his budget speech. now time for speech. but now it's time for a little bit of dissection. and one of the claims he made yesterday, i thought, to be honest with you, i thought it was me speaking when he said

this . this. >> if want that growth to >> if we want that growth to lead to higher wages and higher living standards for every family in every corner of the country, it cannot come from unlimited migration. it can only come by building a high wage, high skill economy, not just higher gdp, but higher gdp per head. >> yes, chancellor. i've been saying that for 20 years. but now, because it's election year, of course you are saying to everybody, i understand what the problem is, but today, being interviewed by gb news political editor chris hope, he didn't seem quite so sure on immigration, you said three times that growth cannot come from unlimited migration , but from unlimited migration, but the obr, as you know, has increased net migration forecasts to 315,000, up by about a third. >> you're relying on more >> so you're relying on more migration to grow your economy. when you say you can't rely on it. >> no. we have had a big increase in migration in recent

years because of ukraine, because of afghanistan, because of hong kong, very specific factors where as a country we did the right thing. but the current levels of migration are not sustainable. this government wants to bring it down. it's currently, as you know, over 700,000 far too high. the government's brought in some very clear policies to bring those numbers down. the obr make an estimate of where that will get to based on what the office for national statistics say , for national statistics say, it's a small increase on the numbers. the ons previously said. what i'm saying is we've got to change that . got to change that. >> that just isn't good enough. they've promised in every manifesto since 2010 to bring net migration down to tens of thousands. they promised it in 2010, 2015, 2017 and in 2019, they said they would get immigration under control. him now to sit there and say it's unsustainable . well, the office unsustainable. well, the office of budget responsibility, upon

whom he seems to rely so much, say that for his numbers to work , we're going to need net migration at 315,000 people. net every single year. and he can tell you he can talk about afghanistan. he can talk about afghanistan, ukraine, hong kong. even if you take those numbers out , net even if you take those numbers out, net migration is still running at historic highs in this country. and so the question i want to put to you is, do you believe anything that jeremy hunt says farage at gb news. com i'm joined by gb news economics and business editor liam halligan. liam the funny things budgets, aren't they? because you know what gets said in the hour and six minutes as it was. and then the small print the analysis time to think it through . if this was designed to through. if this was designed to be the big tax cutting budget, the agenda changing budget, i mean, i would argue it seems to

have bombed budgets. >> they're like a window onto the soul of the politician or the soul of the politician or the senior politicians controlling them . and this very controlling them. and this very much is a double act. obviously, the prime minister was recently the prime minister was recently the chancellor, and this is very much a number 10 and number 11 efforts. this was by no means a pre—election budget. it was lacking in definition. it was lacking in definition. it was lacking in definition. it was lacking in courage . i would say lacking in courage. i would say it strikes me that jeremy hunt is a very low key politician who should really have gone into bat against the obr and pushed back for what he believes in, but i think he's delivered a budget that's very, very cautious in order to mollify this group of whitehall based economists, faceless bureaucrats, of course, civil servants should have some role to play. of course they should offer up forecasts which the politicians look at. and of course, you've got to rein in political excess . yes, but it

political excess. yes, but it strikes me that the tory party's fate is now in the hands of both the office for budget responsibility and the monetary policy of the bank of england, because they need tax cuts, they need interest rate cuts. are they going to happen? but they've allowed it. >> and made very you know, >> and you made a very you know, a of interesting points a couple of interesting points there that it lacks definition and maybe and lacks courage. but maybe that government. that sums up this government. i think does. think it does. >> was as if the >> it was almost as if the chancellor was signalling to his tribe, still conservative. tribe, i'm still a conservative. i'm a conservative. i do i'm still a conservative. i do want to get rid of national insurance. i do want taxes to come but even if you take come down. but even if you take into know , into account, you know, admittedly the quite eye catching now £0.04 reduction in the headline rate of national insurance from 12 to 10 and now 10 to 8, the 12 to 10 came in in january. the 10 to 8 will come in from april. the overall tax burden because of fiscal drag, because of the thresholds being frozen where they are is still going up. we're still heading for the highest tax burden in 70 years. >> this is the point this fiscal drag in terms of we say that,

you know, that the levels at which we start paying different rates of tax aren't going up, but alcohol duties. but also there's alcohol duties. they go up yesterday. they didn't go up yesterday. hardly a victory for the pubs. i would suggest if a tax doesn't go would suggest if a tax doesn't 9° up would suggest if a tax doesn't go up it's hardly a boost. but we're paying more on alcohol, more on tobacco, more on car tax, more on council tax. and yet liam , despite what you said yet liam, despite what you said a moment ago, hunt said brazenly to the commons of the country that if you're a median earner, you're now paying less tax than you're now paying less tax than you were since 1975. it's just not true, is it? >> i'm not. i can't stand up that figure. i've been trying to stand up. >> what can i've been trying to stand up that figure, we say stand up that figure, as we say in journalism, there has in journalism, look, there has been of a tax cut for, been a bit of a tax cut for, average earners because of this national insurance reduction. and it's about £950. but in the round with fiscal drag , and it's about £950. but in the round with fiscal drag, as you said, with those thresholds frozen all the way until 2028, the overall tax that they're

paying the overall tax that they're paying has gone up a great deal. thatis paying has gone up a great deal. that is the problem. people aren't feeling better about life . you know, it's the famous ronald reagan question. do you feel better than four years ago? is your family better off than four years ago? and they're not another , move that i thought was another, move that i thought was pretty retrograde. if you want to get growth moving, and was very much a kind of playing to the progressive gallery rather than what ordinary people think and feel was to extend the windfall tax on north sea oil and gas in scotland. you know, these companies in the north sea, they're not big oil majors with profits from all over the world. they're often small british companies, heavily indebted. i know you know this sector very well. as a former energy trader yourself, and we the idea that you're going to get an extra £15 billion from extending a 75% tax on the profits of north sea, it's not going to happen because a lot of projects will just closed down because they're completely unviable. and this is the

problem . the chancellor is problem. the chancellor is trying money raising trying to get money by raising extra taxes , without extra taxes, without understanding that those higher extra taxes, without underwillding that those higher extra taxes, without underwillding twhatiose higher extra taxes, without underwillding twhat wee higher extra taxes, without underwillding twhat we callher taxes will have what we call behavioural effects, they will affect act and affect the way people act and lead to less money. going into the treasury's coffers could this have been a pre—election labour budget, i think it certainly smells , if you like, certainly smells, if you like, like a labour budget, it has the shape and definition of a labour budget. and indeed, you know, he pinched quite a lot of labour's clothes. his move on non—domicile taxation was very much a labour policy, wasn't it. it's almost as if he's trying to shoot labour's foxes. look, well, ordinary people want is they want to keep more of their own money so they can spend it on themselves and their family and make choices, and they don't mind paying more taxes as long as the public services are decent. and we've got this really awful combination the really awful combination at the moment moment, and a lot moment, at the moment, and a lot of is because the long of it is because the long hangover from lockdown, when you borrow £400 billion basically in a year , the trajectory of your

a year, the trajectory of your pubuc a year, the trajectory of your public finances isn't going to be the same for a long time. so we've got this combination of very high taxation , one of very high taxation, one of crumbling public services , not crumbling public services, not least because there's an awful lot of people now demanding the use of those public services. to go back to what you were saying before, and we've got a situation where there's almost no growth . it's very hard for an no growth. it's very hard for an economy to grow when taxation is so and without growth, so high and without growth, politics so much more politics begets so much more difficult because the pie is smaller and the arguments are more vicious . more vicious. >> well, cutting spending is hard. cutting public spending is hard. cutting public spending is hard . it was once said to me hard. it was once said to me that, you know, with public spending giving spending is like giving a dog a bone. it's to bone. that's right. it's easy to give but jolly hard, give it, but it's jolly hard, that's to it back. that's right, to get it back. and that makes sense to grow and that makes sense to me. grow your grow your way your way so you grow your way out. that's right. and even mrs. thatcher cut spending, thatcher didn't cut spending, particularly 40 years ago. we grew hunt yesterday grew our way out. hunt yesterday talked endlessly growth. grew our way out. hunt yesterday talkwe endlessly growth. grew our way out. hunt yesterday talkwe indlessly growth. grew our way out. hunt yesterday talkwe in aassly growth. grew our way out. hunt yesterday talkwe in a recession growth. grew our way out. hunt yesterday talkwe in a recession or|rowth. grew our way out. hunt yesterday talkwe in a recession or not?1. are we in a recession or not? >> we were officially in a recession in the sense that two consecutive quarters of negative gdp growth that happened between

june and december last year. fact we now know that because the gdp numbers have come out, there's a very slight chance they could be revised upwards. they were the preliminary numbers for the final quarter. but bar the shouting, the economy got smaller for the second half of last year. i don't think we're now in a recession, nigel, to give the chancellor , the fact chancellor his due, the fact that interest rates are set to come the fact that come down, the fact that inflation has come down, you look the survey data of look at the survey data of business sentiment, investment flows . i do think we're growing. flows. i do think we're growing. i think we grew in january and i think we grew in february as well. but it's marginal. it's very, very marginal. there's no great bounce back from lockdown . great bounce back from lockdown. we haven't really had nigel a big bounce back from the global financial crisis of ten. financial crisis of 2009 ten. our economy has been flatlining now for over a decade , and now for over a decade, and that's a problem. and i one of the reasons for that, in my view , is the lack of tax incentives to get business going, to get investments moving the red tape

that's been piled on small businesses, who are the real engine of our economy, and none of them got anything from the budget. >> yesterday at all. white van man said, don't tell me i'm better because fuel duty has better off because fuel duty has been frozen public. and been frozen a public. and i spoke this morning said spoke to you this morning said much thing. much the same thing. >> increase in vat >> tiny increase in the vat threshold 5000. the first increase in seven years. that vat threshold and also i think he should have been bold. the obr wouldn't let him do it, but i think he should have pushed back anyway, raise the personal allowance, nigel, from 12.5 grand take 3 or 4 grand to 20 grand. take 3 or 4 million people out of tax altogether . get rid of the altogether. get rid of the incentives that mean a lot of brits. it makes more sense for them not to work. we've got to tackle these benefit traps. >> i think you were right when you mentioned the courage word a moment ago. it doesn't seem to be much it about liam. thank be much of it about liam. thank you very indeed. now, one you very much indeed. now, one of that drove me of the things that drove me absolutely yesterday was absolutely potty yesterday was the of that the opening paragraph of that speech, when he talked about building a muslim memorial, and i made the point, and i was even

filmed , wasn't i? yesterday up filmed, wasn't i? yesterday up there in whitehaven with some commonwealth war graves, to say equality and death actually was the principle established 100 years by who years ago by men who were cleverer and better and more principled than today. but christopher hope, our political edhon christopher hope, our political editor, asked jeremy hunt about it today. here's what he had to say. >> good proposal . i also, by the >> good proposal. i also, by the way, remembered, the sufferings and worries of people of the jewish faith in my autumn statement . so a very good statement. so a very good proposal was made to me by sajid javid. yes. who is a colleague and a friend. and i decided i'd have merit . have merit. >> and the way you framed it, you framed the by saying you framed the answer by saying we extremism and you framed the answer by saying we divisions. extremism and you framed the answer by saying we divisions. afterremism and you framed the answer by saying we divisions. afterremiloss|nd heal divisions. after the loss of life in israel and gaza. will that memorial do that ? that memorial do that? >> i believe it will, because i think it shows what unites us. just as the funding that i gave to the holocaust education trust after the autumn statement did it, it reminds us that on many

things , whether it's the things, whether it's the holocaust, whether it's the sacrifices made in the world wars for our freedom, we stand together as human beings, and that was the purpose of that fund. >> it shouldn't be a divisive thing. >> no, it's all identity politics. it's all we're not islamophobic. we're lovely people. well, £1 million is going to go in that direction. but one piece of history that perhaps does need to be recognised is, of course , the recognised is, of course, the west africa squadron. and colin kemp chairman of that kemp is chairman of that memorial fund. he spoke on this programme and i'm really pleased since he appeared here on gb news other media have covered your campaign to recognise our contribution over decades to stamp out the slave trade . and stamp out the slave trade. and how much money has the chancellor given you , exactly. chancellor given you, exactly. nothing and i think that's, that's the point of separation between us and what he's proposing. we've raised nearly £50,000 from 700 donors in three

months, no public funds at all. and we've had donations from little old ladies with a £5 check up to people who've given us £1,000. and by in the next couple of months, we'll meet our target of £70,000. and that was one of the points i was going to try and make, nigel, that we're delivering a full size monument on a on a portland plinth to be placed in portsmouth for £75,000. i don't see how a monument could cost £1 million. what are they spending it on? >> that's a very, very good, strong point. but of course, when it's public money, no one cares. consultants, fees and goodness. do you know how exactly how it works, colin? i mean, how did you feel about the specifics of saying we should single out muslims who fought for their own religious memorial , my personal view that it is wrong because , as you said in

wrong because, as you said in your very poignant and powerful piece yesterday , the cenotaph piece yesterday, the cenotaph recognises everybody who fought for britain and who died regardless of race, creed or colour, which is what we're doing with the west africa squadron. i mean, it's, it's, it's recognising the loss of british sailors. but 20% of the west africa squadron was made up of africans that had been freed and other nationalities . so and other nationalities. so we're not going to differentiate on our memorial between the various nationalities. it's a memorial for the men who've lost their lives. >> well, quite right too. colin and colin, i want you to succeed in getting this memorial. i want to make sure that every school kid in this country is taught that whilst we took part in slavery, along with every other similar of the time , we similar country of the time, we were the ones who abolished it first. up at a sacrifice first. stood up at a sacrifice of money and lives, and tried to stamp out . how do people stamp it out. how do people watching listening to this programme you get this programme help you get this memorial? where should they go?

colin if they could have a look at our, website , west africa at our, website, west africa squadron.org so they can read , squadron.org so they can read, read about what we're doing and read about what we're doing and read about what we're doing and read about the history and that that there is a link there to the donation page . the donation page. >> okay. west africa squadron.org. colin, thank you very much indeed forjoining me again and good luck with your campaign. in a moment, we're going to talk defence spending, because we've learned in the last we're to send last hour we're going to send a lot more money in the form of drones to ukraine. despite not putting an extra penny into our own budget. what on own defence budget. what on earth going .

on? ii- on? i asked you earlier. do you believe what jeremy hunt said in his budget in the house of commons yesterday? some of your reactions coming back. alan says, unfortunately, i don't believe many politicians. john

says no. how can we believe anything they say when they've achieved nothing? muriel says jeremy hunt is not to be trusted, nor are most of the tories and labour for that matter. muriel, i've got to tell you that was a view that was very, very widely held last night amongst that audience we had up in cumbria , in had up in cumbria, in whitehaven. and finally heather says, no, i don't believe a word he says , especially on he says, especially on immigration. he's only saying what we want to hear. what he thinks we want to hear. heather, i agree with that entirely . the track record over entirely. the track record over the course of the last 14 years is that bad now. defence, of course, is an absolutely vital issue , perhaps more vital now issue, perhaps more vital now potentially than been for potentially than it's been for many, many decades. given what is going on in the world. and yet there was no money for defence in the budget at all, no money whatsoever, no increases at all. christopher hope asked the chancellor this morning why that was. >> we will need to spend more on defence. you know, the world is

a very volatile and dangerous place . britain has a very place. britain has a very special global vocation alongside america. we're one of the two countries that have done more than anyone else to maintain peace and security . maintain peace and security. since the second world war, 2.5% of gdp, we've said that we want to increase it to 2.5% of gdp as soon as its economically possible to do so, but there's a lot of things we have to work out, in particular what we would spend any extra money on. if you look at war in ukraine, you look at the war in ukraine, you can see that drones have become incredibly important . so we need incredibly important. so we need to do that. we need to reform our defence procurement, which is not working in the way it does. is not working in the way it does . but we recognise that is not working in the way it does. but we recognise that this is a world in which we're going to spend more defence. to spend more on defence. >> need spend more on >> we need to spend more on defence. we will spend more on defence, but not just now. and by the way, he's not wrong about procurement. there's a strong argument say take that out of argument to say take that out of the because not been the mod because it's not been working. a little hint there working. but a little hint there wasn't about the

wasn't there about drones, the importance drones in ukraine, importance of drones in ukraine, because at 6:00 a press release came remember not a penny came out. remember not a penny more for our defence budget, but at 6:00 we learnt that another 125 million is to be given to ukraine in the form of drones. we're going to supply now 10,000 drones to ukraine as part of an overall £325 million package. so we're quite happy to spend money and give weapons to ukraine. we're quite happy to chuck a million quid at a totally unnecessary, divisive muslim memorial to those who died in two world wars. not a penny for british defence. no wonder that retired top brass are really very, very concerned and worried. and i can tell you that i know 1 or 2 people in america with a little bit of power and they're really worried, you know, is the united kingdom now a serious partner and player in

this area? and somehow defence has been relegated down. the political list of priorities. we're joining me to talk about this is pete sandyman , naval this is pete sandyman, naval analyst and director of the website navy lookout. pete, i mean , some may say i'm making a mean, some may say i'm making a cheap point, but when we chuck 325 million in the form of drones to ukraine, but can't increase our own defence budget by a penny , i do think it's by a penny, i do think it's right. we ask a question . right. we ask a question. >> yes, i certainly think money given to ukraine is not wasted. in one sense, they are fighting a war that we ourselves might one day have to fight. so it's not money wasted. the trouble is the government is spinning money given to defence as an increase in the defence budget . but we in the defence budget. but we i'm sure everyone's very well aware of the very poor state of uk defence generally, we do have problems with procurement, as you say. we have a real manpower crisis . we have lots of crisis. we have lots of platforms that are far too old,

and we're having to throw good money after bad to keep them going. so there are lots of issues that unfortunately can only resolved by further only be resolved by further funding and fairly urgently as well , mr hunt funding and fairly urgently as well, mr hunt talks about sometime vaguely in the future, but defence has a long tail. it takes a long time to build a warship. is a 1020 year project. these things can't be solved overnight, so we need to act urgently . urgently. >> do you think, pete, looking back on it. and i know the navy is your speciality. do you think the £8 billion we spent on those two great big aircraft carriers, was that actually a mistake? i don't know, i think they're a really important strategic asset. >> the problem is we haven't spent enough on them. we haven't invested in enough aircraft supporting weapons, escort vessels, all the other things that you need to make this capability function as a real, genuine deterrent and a strategic advantage that it potentially could be. there's certainly not a waste. we are a

maritime nation on our navy is our most important first line of defence, and it's able to the carriers can project power. they can defend us closer to home in as one of our aircraft carriers is in, off norway at the moment exercising, defending our northern flank against the russian threat. so they have they are very important and have lots of strategic value. okay. >> no. fair enough. i'm pleased to that. and i understand to hear that. and i understand that recruitment now at that naval recruitment is now at a genuine crisis point. people are not sure whether it's worth joining something that is in decline . decline. >> that may be part of it, so there's lots of problems. part of it is internal processes that you've got actually a no shortage of applicants at the moment. but we're not processing them effectively. and we're losing want to losing kids. okay. who want to join up. and then they're waiting a year and waiting for a year or more and they lose interest. that's simply internal simply down to bad internal management . and it seems even management. and it seems even worse in the in the case of the army . part of it is to do with, army. part of it is to do with, private service providers such

as capita, not doing their properly. yeah. so it is, is to do with the offer itself in terms of the, you know, married quarters , the accommodation that quarters, the accommodation that is available to service personnel is not up to scratch, there's, there's a whole variety of issues that impact recruitment, but it needs to be gnpped recruitment, but it needs to be gripped again as a matter of urgency because there is no navy. there is no army without people, first and foremost, more than any more than shiny new kit. getting the people issue sorted should be our priority. >> now i've covered the capital point in relation to the army just just few weeks ago. i'm just just a few weeks ago. i'm astonished at sheer amount astonished at the sheer amount of money giving capita to of money we're giving capita to do job, and it seems to me, do this job, and it seems to me, wouldn't there be an argument that recruitment should be brought within the three services? >> i would say so. the navy does have a mix of its own recruitment and some outsource . recruitment and some outsource. so it's a kind of mix and match situation for the navy. whereas the army relies mostly on capita. the future capita. yeah, but in the future there's a plan to have a one

size fits all, all privatised recruitment service, which is i believe there've been so many problems with it. it's been delayed for 2 or 3 years, but thatis delayed for 2 or 3 years, but that is helping matters and that is not helping matters and is not helping the morale of people involved in recruiting either . ehhen >> sentence, if i can, pete >> in a sentence, if i can, pete , in a sentence, sum up how you feel about the budget from a defence perspective , defence perspective, disappointed and slightly concerned about our future. >> put very succinctly , pete >> put very succinctly, pete salamon, thank you very much indeed for joining salamon, thank you very much indeed forjoining me on gb news and just the madness, the madness of outsource ing to capha madness of outsource ing to capita recruitment for our services , paying overly inflated services, paying overly inflated amounts of money, huge delays. the whole thing is a complete joke. it's the sort of thing the blair government would have done. you would have thought a party that called itself conservative might have done different, but oh no, in a moment. let's discuss now that the dust has settled from super tuesday, nikki haley has pulled

out trump going to be the out. trump is going to be the candidate the republican candidate for the republican party . but joe fight party. but can joe biden fight back tonight with his state of

? well, it's a huge year for elections all over the world. but i guess nowhere bigger than the united states of america . the united states of america. yeah. now, going right back to january and the initial caucus primary that took place in iowa, which, of course , this program which, of course, this program went and covered. donald trump has been way, way ahead of everybody else. and yet nikki haley took it all the way through to what the americans call super tuesday. and that's when 15 american states vote. both democrats vote and republicans vote. and it turns out that nikki haley did win vermont. i suspect, because those that could vote in vermont were not just registered republicans . and i guess a lot republicans. and i guess a lot of democrats turned up to, say,

two fingers up to donald trump. but trump won the other 14 and it's all over. nikki haley has pulled out . she won't endorse pulled out. she won't endorse donald although donald trump, although she did wish him good luck. so trump is there. trump is going to be the republican candidate. and the same thing is happening on the democrat side, where joe biden is all the way through and he's going to be the candidate as well . super tuesday used to be well. super tuesday used to be in the past something that was really, really tense and exciting. but ari aramesh, lawyer and democrat strategist, who joins me now down the line from the usa. i mean, in some ways, ari, this was the most bonng ways, ari, this was the most boring super tuesday ever, wasn't it ? wasn't it? >> quite predictable. now, looking back , vermont, you looking back, vermont, you mentioned, vermont. go for nikki haley. you know , new england has haley. you know, new england has always had a history of different republicans . you got, different republicans. you got, you know, the two ladies from maine, susan collins and olympia snowe, one retired, one still in the senate. remember vermont the senate. i remember vermont back in the day, had a senator, jim jeffords, back 2000 who jim jeffords, back in 2000 who

switched, became independent. and when the democratic and the republican margin was 5050, gave, sort of gave the, dick cheney the tie breaking vote. i'm sorry, he took away from cheney the tie breaking vote in 2001. so long story short, it's been pretty interesting to see how nikki haley only won washington, dc. which is a it's not a state. it's a very different breed of its own, and then vermont, trump has a lock in this party. i'm a democrat. you know, i, i generally, you know, vote based on the person i have voted from time to time for the right person. if that person happened to be a republican in local elections, i don't think donald trump is the right person. but he's got he's got a hold on the republican party and a solid portion of this party really, really love the man and they love him. they love his message. they love his persona. they love his motto. they love the way he acts. those are the way he acts. and those are the way he acts. and those are the don't like . they

love. >> yeah. no, no. and that, of course, all fine as it should be in an open democracy . but let's in an open democracy. but let's talk about your man, joe biden. you know, a very large percentage of america, including at least half of democrats, deeply concerned about his age, deeply concerned about his age, deeply concerned about signs of cognitive decline. and there's no denying that you know, whichever way we are. but he does have rac, doesn't he? an opportunity tonight, the state of the union speech. and i've been there gallery and been there in the gallery and watched them in the past. it's a very, very big grand event, but the of mood music we're the sort of mood music we're getting that it'll be used getting is that it'll be used tonight by biden to put up taxes on businesses and individuals. and i just wonder, is that really the right message ? really the right message? >> you know, i just want to make sure he doesn't go off script because when he starts mumbling and i'm again, i voted for biden, but you know, we don't it's not a democratic party, at least these these days . since

least these these days. since it's not a cult of personality. it doesn't matter if it's biden or somebody else. i want a strong democrat who can win. and ihave strong democrat who can win. and i have doubts about president biden's chances come this election , first of all. second, election, first of all. second, usually people vote on a based on a combination of personality and issues. you have some policy issues and personality . you got issues and personality. you got to have both. you can't have really terrible ideas and a really terrible ideas and a really good personality and vice versa. and win. you got to have a combination of both. so, a combination of both. and so, we that donald trump's we know that donald trump's personality appeals to a great deal of people. and also alienates a great deal of people. so that's that's that. and we also know where his statistical dead ends are. joe biden, a lot of us democrats and a lot of independents didn't vote for him because we loved him. we voted for him because i was terrified of another trump presidency, i was afraid of a whole host of things that could have happened. i didn't want chaos. but let's talk about two things and personality . things issues and personality. we know president biden does not have sunny, loving, i mean,

have that sunny, loving, i mean, not loving, but i'm talking about sunny, charismatic personality. but issues, the winning the winning car winning key and the winning car for democrats this year is going to be reproductive health and abortion. that's going to that's going to help them. the most and hurt republicans. and immigration is going to hurt democrats the most. look at that southern man . oh yeah. we southern border man. oh yeah. we got to do something about it. as long as we ignore it, you know, i come from a family of immigrants. this is a country of immigrants. this is a country of immigrants. this is god's greatest land on earth. and i think it's, for this country's freedom . and freedom is god's freedom. and freedom is god's greatest gift to man. but if we have, illegal immigration where people can come in here and they're on the terror watch list, we've got a problem . list, we've got a problem. >> yeah, the border and abortion, huge issues . and i'm abortion, huge issues. and i'm going to get you back on. and we're going to talk about abortion in much more, deeper detail at some point in the not too distant future. ari, thank you joining me this evening. you for joining me this evening. our afternoon, your our time this afternoon, your time. what biden time. and let's see what biden does tonight in the state of the

union speech. thank you very much indeed . and what the much indeed. and just what the farage the daily mail farage warning the daily mail reported that meghan markle is preparing for a relaunch in the uk. 0h preparing for a relaunch in the uk. oh my goodness gracious me. she's advertising for a pr agent to work for her. could it be that harry and meghan are coming back? no. please save us from that in a moment. it's the end of my broadcasting week and it's time to reflect on something other than budgets and politics. paul merson was an extraordinary footballer for arsenal and for england, but a man who had more than one demon but managed to overcome them . he is my guest in overcome them. he is my guest in a few minutes on talking pints on patrick christys tonight, nine till 11 pm. jewish students intimidated by a baying pro—palestine mob. >> you keep making some very, very interesting comments. >> you keep talking about intimidation. you keep talking about you were talking about. >> i'll speak to one of the victims who is left absolutely broken. plus, nigel farage

reacts to the £1 million muslim war veteran statue . are the war veteran statue. are the tories in for a hiding after yesterday's damp squib of a budget, we have got exclusive new polling and was india willoughby right or wrong to report? jk rowling to the police over being called a man ? don't over being called a man? don't miss patrick christys tonight nine till 11 pm. be there

i >> -- >> it's here. 5mm >> it's here. my favourite time of the day . my favourite time of of the day. my favourite time of the week. yes. it's time for talking pints. and my guest today is somebody who was an absolutely first class footballer . absolutely first class footballer. he's a pretty blooming good broadcaster too, and he's managed to overcome just 1 or 2 demons in life. just 1 or 2 demons in his life. and the club that he's best known for his association with are currently on the rampage. i'm joined by paul merson. paul, welcome to talking pints. now you know, heck of a career . you

you know, heck of a career. you know over 400 caps for arsenal, 100 goals over 20 caps for england. other clubs you played for and managed and yeah you know reading up about you see i think a successful sportsman as being big alpha males very confident and very aggressive, you know, and you can see when they're aged 12 that's what they're aged 12 that's what they're like. but you weren't like that. were you a bit of a shy kid. >> yeah, very much so very shy. >> yeah, very much so very shy. >> when i was a young kid i was, struggled badly with palpitations , which in this day palpitations, which in this day and anxiety and age we'd call anxiety attacks. and yeah, i went to the doctors . one day the doctor doctors. one day the doctor said, stop playing football. just went like, playing . i just went like, stop playing. i just couldn't catch my just couldn't couldn't catch my breath, i just breath, you know? i just couldn't catch my breath. and i was was very shy kid, was yeah, i was very shy kid, you , very shy. then, you know, very shy. and then, you know, very shy. and then, you was i enjoyed you know, i was i enjoyed playing football. i was good at football, thank god i was good at but. then as at football. but. and then as i got older and then i found that and i found other things, it took out i felt. it took me out the way i felt. it just completely took me out of the way felt. just completely took me out of

the so y felt. just completely took me out of the so because as i say, i repeat >> so because as i say, i repeat the point normally to get to the top in a sport, you've got to be really self—confident, top in a sport, you've got to be reallytough.self—confident, top in a sport, you've got to be reallytough. take confident, top in a sport, you've got to be reallytough. take the ident, top in a sport, you've got to be reallytough. take the knocks. quite tough. take the knocks. were you able to do that in football? yeah, that's a good question. >> yeah, probably. question. >> yeah, probably . as time went >> yeah, probably. as time went on i got more and more confident. but as a kid, 100% not very, you know, never, ever, you know, never, ever fancied myself as a player. you know, i never used to stroll around and think going make as think i'm going to make it as a footballer. and i'm brilliant. look me. very shy, know, look at me. very shy, you know, didn't that confidence and didn't have that confidence and belief in myself. you know, other had to give other people had to give me that. if being that. really. if i'm being honest. so, i even honest. so, yeah, i even surprised myself. really i well, i've done it. >> sounds thinking about it >> sounds like thinking about it now. because you know, out now. yeah because you know, out there are there right now there are hundreds thousands of teenage hundreds of thousands of teenage kids who want to play, and they've other too. they've got other sports too. but they play the sport but they want to play the sport they love. and football the they love. and football is the most of course, most popular. and of course, very, few really make it. very, very few really make it. yeah. into a top professional game. what was it got you through hard work? >> i always say , you know, any

>> i always say, you know, any any parent, anybody goes and goes, oh, my kid wants to be a footballer. hard work. and i think it's the same as anything in life. it doesn't matter what you want to in life. i think you want to be in life. i think people miss that. that part of it hard work. you know? it is the hard work. you know? don't get me wrong, i was born with talent and i i was with a talent and i was i was fortunate to have a talent to play fortunate to have a talent to play football. but got to play football. but you've got to work hard. you know, people look at they my at me and they go, oh my god, you've that. you you've done this and that. you know, never to for know, i never got to ib for a marlboro and all that with the lads. you know, when was lads. you know, when i was a young i wanted to be a young kid, i wanted to be a footballer. i sacrificed footballer. i put, i sacrificed everything i it as a footballer. >> there was a bit of partying going on. other that going on. other things that happened then, but i didn't do it way round. it the other way round. >> you know. do you know what? >> i think you're right. i often youngsters ask me, you know, >> i think you're right. i often youngdozrs ask me, you know, >> i think you're right. i often youngdo we ask me, you know, >> i think you're right. i often youngdo we need e, you know, >> i think you're right. i often youngdo we need to you know, >> i think you're right. i often youngdo we need to do know, >> i think you're right. i often youngdo we need to do iniow, >> i think you're right. i often youngdo we need to do in life? what do we need to do in life? and always say, i don't know and i always say, i don't know anyone that's reached the top in sport business or whatever sport or business or whatever it is that hasn't worked harder than everybody than almost everybody else that's of that's there. that's kind of dedication, that's there. that's kind of decyeah.n, that's there. that's kind of decyeah. 100% is working hard >> yeah. 100% is working hard and rest comes . the and then the rest comes. the rest people will look at rest comes. people will look at other players.

other like top players. they think, oh , look how is. think, oh, look how good he is. but difference between him, but the difference between him, he's good. but he works so he's that good. but he works so hard well. and you know hard as well. and you know that's in life. it that's everything in life. it doesn't matter. if you doesn't matter. you know if you want a brain surgeon or want to be a brain surgeon or whatever you want to you whatever you want to be, you have to hard. have to work hard. >> you've to hard, and >> you've got to work hard, and mentally in the mentally you've got to be in the right you know, and right zone. yeah. you know, and that's and i that's important. and i and i wonder how, know, a lifelong wonder how, you know, a lifelong chelsea turns up at the chelsea fan turns up at the arsenal. i yeah, yeah yeah yeah. >> i mean you don't change your team . i come from a, i come from harlesden. >> you've never heard now have you. no, no never. >> you know never. you know, when when you're playing when you, when you're playing for club like arsenal and i for your club like arsenal and i played like, 14, years played like, like 14, 15 years i was arsenal. don't get to was at arsenal. you don't get to support team. then before support your team. then before i joined used go to joined arsenal i used to go to chelsea lot. yeah, but then chelsea a lot. yeah, but then when don't get when you're asked, you don't get to team. but you to support your team. but you know, now i've retired know, obviously now i've retired and i can take youngest boy and i can take my youngest boy to, chelsea , you know, as to, to chelsea, you know, as much as we can get there now. so yeah, don't change your yeah, you don't change your team. go and oh my team. people go and me, oh my god, can't believe it or not, god, i can't believe it or not, you're you play for arsenal for many anybody many years. hardly anybody

supports the team they played for. you had for. you know you you had a great career there and elsewhere, villa elsewhere and all the rest of it. >> and paul, you know there >> and yet paul, you know there you are. you're successful, you're scoring goals, you're playing for england, you're appearing in a world cup. people adore you, but you've got your own demons. and you know, i mean you've got the full house. i mean, you know, a lot of people have a demon, you've got gambling, booze, even in the end, cocaine use. what started it . all? shyness. it. all? shyness. >> really trying to get out the way i felt. yeah, i just i was never comfortable with my own body. never, ever, always wanted to be someone else. whoever. everybody wanted to be. me. yeah, and i wanted to be someone else. and it was like i was neven else. and it was like i was never. i was always scratching, always. never comfortable with my body. and as soon as i my own body. and as soon as i had that bet in the drink and then i took the drugs, i just become a different. i just become a different. i just become like wow, you know, become that. like wow, you know, it was like walking onto a

spaceship. i mean, you know, even when i walked into a betting shop for the first time, it was like, i just i don't know, it's just a weird feeling. it just like, it just took it was just like, it just took me of the way. i felt the me out of the way. i felt the whole just. never whole time. i was just. i never wanted always wanted wanted to be me. i always wanted to someone else. to be someone else. >> i mean, that quote that other people you. but people wanted to be you. but yeah, it's a very interesting quote. and yet, paul, you know, you're doing all this stuff whilst you're a whilst at the same time you're a top flight. yeah. professional footballer. there's one very, very simple question. how how did you manage it all? >> you know what being around good players . yeah. yeah i was good players. yeah. yeah i was very fortunate. i don't care who you are. you could be the you know, you see players and they be the best player in the world your own. you know i again i think it's the same with anything in football , cricket, anything in football, cricket, tennis and even like any business. yeah. >> but your own turning up, you're turning up hungover. yeah. >> but you're only as good as

the people around you, you know, that's anything that's the same as anything you know? around know? always, always was around good people, good players, you know? and i could play. i worked hard, but yeah, i mean sometimes i look back now and i think i honestly think miracle, miracle. yeah amazing. >> and you've managed to deal with those demons and put them all behind you. yeah >> i mean that time, at that >> i mean at that time, at that time, you know, my life time, you know, i live my life a day at a time. i, you know, i, i find now , nigel, i live in the find now, nigel, i live in the moment today. can live in the moment today. i can live in the moment. now i'm moment. i'm here today. now i'm not doing not thinking what i'm doing tomorrow what i did tomorrow or what i did yesterday. that's. yesterday. yeah. and that's. that's richest ever that's the richest i've ever been by living in the moment i live day i live was like, live every day i live was like, always thinking about what i'm going to do. and never lived going to do. and i never lived in the moment. i mean, i'd been a three, four times a millionaire three, four times oven a millionaire three, four times over, and i still wanted to kill myself. yeah you know, it just wasn't enough. the money and i don't now, because it's not about the money. >> living in the moment and enjoying it. not a bad way enjoying it. it's not a bad way of looking at it, know? yeah. >> i have an addiction where it's the only illness the

it's the only illness in the world you you haven't world that tells you you haven't got yeah. so you have to got it. yeah. so you have to live you have to live live a day. you have to live a day at a time. >> soccer saturday. you've been a for a regular fixture on that for you. on with you. what's going on with football they're football on television? they're sacking people. sacking all the great people. the sterlings, the anyone the jeff sterlings, the anyone that's and over a certain that's male and over a certain age gets out, don't they? age gets booted out, don't they? well, not. well, i hope not. >> still on. well, i hope not. >> i'm still on. >> i'm still on. >> i'm still on. >> i'm jeff. what? jeff wanted to left. you know to leave. jeff left. you know what mean? really? yeah. he what i mean? he really? yeah. he did. left. he wanted leave did. he left. he wanted to leave . so left. you know, . so he left. and, you know, he's well. i see jeff he's doing well. i see jeff all the know, he's on he's doing well. i see jeff all titour know, he's on he's doing well. i see jeff all titour and know, he's on he's doing well. i see jeff all titour and i've know, he's on he's doing well. i see jeff all titour and i've been|ow, he's on he's doing well. i see jeff all titour and i've been fortunate)n a tour and i've been fortunate to on and he's on talksport. >> but there has been a bit of a change isn't there? >> changes. you know change isn't there? >> be, changes. you know change isn't there? >> be, you changes. you know change isn't there? >> be, you know,inges. you know change isn't there? >> be, you know, when you know change isn't there? >> be, you know, when you know i'll be, you know, when you know, god forbid, it'll be, know, god forbid, when it'll be, but you know it'll be me. you still it. still love it. >> used to love it, don't you? >> you know what? i absolutely love addicted that. >> i'm addicted to see that. >> i'm addicted to see that. >> i'm addicted to see that. >> i love you know, >> yeah, i love it. you know, i've been fortunate from the age of getting up on saturday of 15, getting up on a saturday to play football or to work a to play football or to work on a saturday. i've never, ever not wanted and wanted to get up, you know? and that's learned that's the one thing i learned as well. dad taught me very as well. my dad taught me very early. do not miss a day's early. do not ever miss a day's work. i didn't matter

work. yeah, and i didn't matter if i get at 5:00 in the if i get on at 5:00 in the morning, go. i turned up morning, you go. i turned up work. i turned up i never, work. i turned up work. i never, ever over and thought, work. i turned up work. i never, eve today. over and thought, work. i turned up work. i never, eve today. ander and thought, work. i turned up work. i never, eve today. and arthink hought, work. i turned up work. i never, eve today. and arthink houggoes not today. and i think that goes a way as well. a long way as well. >> arsenal , he played >> now the arsenal, he played 455 for suddenly they 455 games for suddenly they bottled year he bottled it last year when he came to the premier league he once bowled well once they bowled it well it looked suddenly, looked like that. but suddenly, unbelievably 21 unbelievably they've scored 21 goals the last four games. goals in the last four games. they're the rampage they're on the rampage aren't they. they are. >> they're the rampage. i >> they're on the rampage. i expect to top this expect them to go top this weekend. know beating weekend. yeah. you know beating brentford. it comes weekend. yeah. you know beating brentftoi. it comes weekend. yeah. you know beating brentfto next it comes weekend. yeah. you know beating brentfto next weekend's comes weekend. yeah. you know beating brentfto next weekend's game; weekend. yeah. you know beating brentfto next weekend's game . i down to next weekend's game. i think they to man city the think they go to man city the following week and i think it's a must not lose game. and i think title race is just think the title race is just phenomenal at the moment. you know, i haven't seen anything like for this is a really like this for this is a really exciting season isn't it? >> 100. >> oh, 100. >> oh, 100. >> it's just >> oh, 100. >> it's >> and it's not just at the top, it's the bottom as well. it's down at the bottom as well. and you've got the top and then you've got the top four. but yeah, the three teams i you're talking about i you know you're talking about three teams. you three top top teams. yeah. you know the couple of know and the next couple of weeks huge. weeks are huge huge. >> come on paul merson who >> so come on paul merson who wins you. no come on. he wins are you. no no come on. he wins. know what.

wins. you know what. >> i'm going to probably go liverpool right . liverpool right. >> there we are paul merson. thank you. >> thank you forjoining me. >> thank you for joining me. >> thank you for joining me. >> and there you go guys. you see somebody who was very shy. he suffered terribly with demons and reached the and shyness. still reached the absolute top of his game. that's over from me. with you on over from me. back with you on monday. let's what the monday. let's see what the weather alex burkill has weather with alex burkill has got in store us that live got in store for us that live for the moment. things. >> looks like things are heating up boxt boilers sponsors of weather on . gb news. weather on. gb news. >> good evening. here's your latest gb news. weather update brought to you by the met office. a few showers and a touch of frost for some of us tonight. mostly day tonight. then a mostly fine day tomorrow at the moment the uk is sandwiched in between low pressure around the bay of biscay and high across biscay and high pressure across scandinavia, to a scandinavia, leading to a strengthening southeasterly flow through the night. we are going

to see a few showers, particularly across parts of northern ireland. also, some showery outbreaks for northeast england and eastern parts of scotland could be little bit scotland could be a little bit of or snow over the higher of sleet or snow over the higher ground here. elsewhere, a mostly of sleet or snow over the higher gr01picturea. elsewhere, a mostly of sleet or snow over the higher gr01picture with.ewhere, a mostly of sleet or snow over the higher gr01picture with some e, a mostly of sleet or snow over the higher gr01picture with some clearfostly dry picture with some clear skies, particularly towards the south england. also western south of england. also western scotland , under which we could scotland, under which we could see frost first thing see a touch of frost first thing on friday morning any on friday morning in any sheltered spots. sheltered rural spots. otherwise, through otherwise, as we go through tomorrow, then any showery outbreaks across northern areas will die out. so for will largely die out. so for much of the country it will be a dry picture by the afternoon, with a decent amount of sunshine across of england, wales across much of england, wales and western of and also western parts of scotland. but that southeasterly wind will be bringing some wind will be bringing in some cloud is likely to linger cloud which is likely to linger across eastern north eastern parts and a significant wind chill will make it feel pretty cold under that cloud. two looking ahead to weekend and looking ahead to the weekend and after start for most on after a dry start for most on saturday, a weather system pushing way up from the pushing its way up from the southwest will lead to fairly southwest will lead to a fairly wet story many of us as we wet story for many of us as we go through the weekend. the rain likely to be heaviest and most frequent across southern areas

further probably further north. it's probably going to a bit patchy, a bit going to be a bit patchy, a bit more showery, light . more showery, and mostly light. two picking on two temperatures picking up on saturday, again , a saturday, dropping down again, a brighter outlook with boxt solar sponsors of weather on .

gb news. >> way . >> way. >> way. >> hello. good evening. it's me. jacob rees—mogg on state of the nation. tonight. new revelations have suggested that the european union is still controlling our laws . according to a report in laws. according to a report in the guardian. chancellor privately confessed to backbench tory mps that vat reforms are limited because of eu rules. eight years on from our vote for independence and as the worklessness crisis is expected to continue to deepen in the post pandemic era, the obr, one that always gets forecasts wrong, has predicted net migration will average 350,000

over the next five years. let's hope this is another case when they're wrong and that it's an underestimate. a new study has suggested british children are being indoctrinated left wing being indoctrinated by left wing causes, as a report revealed a sharp increase in mentions of fashionable trends like transgenderism in stories written by children under 12 years old. plus two preachers were arrested on the streets of somerset. god's own county, for the crime of preaching the holy gospelin the crime of preaching the holy gospel in a victory for free speech. their case has been dropped and i'll be speaking to one of them shortly. state of the nation starts now. i'll also be joined by my most intellectual panel this evening, gb news senior political commentator nigel nelson, and the former conservative mp, michael brown. as always, i want to hear from you. it's a crucial part of the programme. email me. mail mageenews.com. but now it's what all been waiting