gb news. away. >> good morning, and welcome to sunday with michael portillo. let us escape the gloomy weather. with a gambol through the golden gates that give on to culture, politics and world affairs . the nation was waiting affairs. the nation was waiting to hear whether jeremy affairs. the nation was waiting to hear whetherjeremy hunt would cut our tax burden in his budget on wednesday, only towards the end of his hour long statement did he reveal that national insurance would be reduced by two percentage points for the second time in six months. the reduction was parcelled in a pledge to eliminate national insurance

altogether after a promise labelled as for the birds by the head of the institute for fiscal studies. even so, rishi sunak has reiterated that ambition in a subsequent interview . income a subsequent interview. income tax thresholds remain frozen, dragging ever more people into the tax and into its higher tax brackets. is there anyone to vote for.7 if you believe in lower taxes or an enterprise economy, i will ask my excellent political panel. while pensioners may fume, are being penalised in a budget that favoured workers , some may favoured workers, some may welcome the chancellor's help for the arts . andrew lloyd for the arts. andrew lloyd webber says that the government's decision to fix theatre tax relief at two generous rates of 40% and 45% could drive transformation change in the sector. chief opera critic at the telegraph, sir nicholas kenyon, will discuss that with me . that lover discuss that with me. that lover of the stage, stefan kyriazis, has been looking at how the theatre is at the moment, reviewing new productions that

he's seen this week. next month will be the bicentenary of the poet, rake and freedom fighter lord byron , in a compelling new lord byron, in a compelling new biography, examines his life through the tens of thousands of letters that he wrote to friends, confidant and lovers. i'll be speaking to the author, professor andrew stauffer. later. we'll be debating whether it's acceptable to live in expectation of an inheritance . expectation of an inheritance. before all of that, your headunes before all of that, your headlines with sophia wenzler. >> thanks, michael. good morning. it's sophia wenzler in the gb newsroom. your top story. the princess of wales has thanked the public for their support as the first photo of her was published after her abdominal surgery. the image, posted social media to mark posted on social media to mark mother's day, was taken by the prince of wales in windsor earlier this week. sitting down, princess catherine is surrounded by her children prince george, princess charlotte and prince louis. she was admitted to

hospital on january the 16th and left two weeks later after a planned operation. she is expected to return to her royal dufies expected to return to her royal duties after easter. meanwhile, police are questioning a man after his car crashed into the gates of buckingham palace. the incident happened at 2:30 on saturday morning. our royal correspondent cameron walker has more. >> we understand the gates were damaged and social media footage or images shows armed police swooping on the car. we know that the individual driving the car was arrested and the gates are also being repaired as well . are also being repaired as well. what we don't know is the exact circumstances as to why the car crashed into those those gates. we have not been given any details of a motive, by police , details of a motive, by police, orindeed details of a motive, by police, or indeed whether or not it was accidental. metropolitan police perhaps will give us more details later on today . but as details later on today. but as i said, no members of the royal family were in residence, so hopefully the only thing that is

damaged indeed the gates , damaged is indeed the gates, which of course are being hastily repaired . hastily repaired. >> and in other royal news, princess diana's brother charles spencer says he was sexually abused from the age of ii at boarding school. in an extract from his memoir published in the mail on sunday, earl spencer says was targeted by a female says he was targeted by a female member of staff at maidwell hall in northampton for leaving him with lifelong demons . in with lifelong demons. in a statement, the school said it's difficult to read about the practices , which were sadly practices, which were sadly sometimes believed to be normal and acceptable that time . and acceptable at that time. pro—palestinian protesters are being warned they could be lending credence to extremists. the communities secretary is urging people to question which groups are organising the marches. michael gove, who is due to publish a new official definition of extremism, told the sunday telegraph there's no excuse for ignorance and good hearted demonstrators need to be aware they risk fuelling hate and intimidation in. in other

news, a us military ship carrying aid equipment to build a temporary pier off the coast of gaza is on its way to the middle east. the us central command confirmed the support ship, general frank s benson set sail from virginia . it comes sail from virginia. it comes after president biden confirmed the would build a floating the us would build a floating harbour to help get more aid to gaza by sea, after aid deliveries by land and air have proved difficult and dangerous. the un has warned that the famine in the gaza strip is almost inevitable and children are to death . a number are starving to death. a number of bodies from the premises of a funeral director in yorkshire as police investigate, reports of concerns of the deceased. cordons remain in place at three branches of legacy independent funeral directors in hull and east riding. the bodies have been taken to the local authority mortuary in hull, while police investigate whether any criminal offences have been committed. they've set up a direct line for anyone who may be affected , and cars that don't

be affected, and cars that don't comply with london's ulez rules can now be donated to ukraine under the scrappage scheme. mayor sadiq khan says from next week, drivers give up their vehicles will be able to apply for grants of up to £2,000. kyivs mayor, vitali klitschko , kyivs mayor, vitali klitschko, reportedly suggested the idea of exporting the cars in a letter to his counterpart. a charity will facilitate the move . the will facilitate the move. the donated vehicles will be used to support humanitarian and medical needs. support humanitarian and medical needs . and for the latest needs. and for the latest stories, sign up to gb news alerts by scanning the qr code on your screen or go to gb news. com slash alerts. now it's back to michael i >> -- >> thank 5mm >> thank you very much, sophia wenzler. jeremy hunt was probably trying to manage expectations by leaking his

budget ahead of addressing parliament. i remember when that would have forced a chancellor to resign. even knowing what wasn't coming. voters hoping to keep more of the money that they earn must have been disappointed when mr confirmed merely when mr hunt confirmed merely another drop in the rate of national insurance. those on national insurance. so those on only the basic pension will pay income tax soon, as will millions of others for the first time. what are we to make of a conservative government whose tax priorities are the opposite of what they were under david cameron? and talking of the present foreign secretary, i wonder what he made of the dash to president maduro of to meet president maduro of venezuela made by his fellow etonian and fellow ex prime minister boris johnson. i etonian and fellow ex prime minister borisjohnson. i have with me the times chief political correspondent aubrey allegretti , ahead of the new allegretti, ahead of the new deal for parents project at the onward think tank. phoebe arslanagic little and the political commentator jonathan lees , phoebe. so a voter who lees, phoebe. so a voter who wants a lower taxes and an enterprise economy. where does

that voter put his or her cross? >> well, what i'd like , what i'd >> well, what i'd like, what i'd like the conservatives and labour to do is really start competing properly to see who can offer a really distinctive , can offer a really distinctive, bold plan to deliver growth. because if you are a voter who wants a lower tax burden, ultimately to support that, what we need is for productivity to go up, for growth to go up. so that we have the headroom, then to be to spend more, to to be able to spend more, to make cuts. ultimately, make tax cuts. ultimately, we've had growth in this had very anaemic growth in this country for 15 years. we are 30% below where we thought we'd be in terms of gdp compared to 15 years ago, but people's expectations , i suppose, around expectations, i suppose, around what government looks like hasn't really declined by 30. so i think i think growth is where we need to see much more of a much more cogent plans from both parties . parties. >> so i think you're saying what i implying my question, i was implying with my question, that that neither has that that neither party has a policy for the economy. policy for growing the economy. therefore the voter doesn't have that choice. >> i think that i think >> yeah, i think that i think that we need to it needs to it

needs to become much more clear. and actually, i suppose in some ways we've seen the parties become a little bit closer become even a little bit closer together of ways, together in lots of ways, particularly about if particularly thinking about if you're starmer you're if you're keir starmer and rachel reeves, you'll feel slightly peeved week slightly peeved this week because jeremy hunt has swooped in and taken two of their revenue raising policies one, the of non—domicile the scrapping of non—domicile tax status and two the extension of the windfall tax on energy companies. so perhaps their parties are becoming less distinct. >> jonathan lees, do you have anything to disagree with in all of that, that the parties are now on very similar ground economically? yeah >> and i think it was interesting actually, that more wasn't made of the kind of the labour trap that jeremy hunt attempted to set this week by removing the non—dom tax status, which is actually quite a smart move, if you think about it, because the only people who really object to that are the hard right and the conservative party and hahn maybe doesn't need to worry about them so

much, although there isn't so much coherence in government because the conservatives have been approached or have been adopting a call vote strategy for a number of years, trying to appeal their most reliable appeal to their most reliable voters . but i appeal to their most reliable voters. but i think the fundamental point that it fundamental point is that it might be the wrong question to ask, because i don't think that voters are clamouring for tax cuts moment. they're cuts at the moment. they're clamouring services clamouring for public services that actually work. they're clamouring country that clamouring for a country that actually . people have actually works. people have never so pessimistic about actually works. people have nev state so pessimistic about actually works. people have nev state of so pessimistic about actually works. people have nev state of britain,mistic about actually works. people have nev state of britain, never about actually works. people have nev state of britain, never been: the state of britain, never been so pessimistic about the state of the nhs, about state of of the nhs, about the state of transport, about their transport, about sort of their local local local surgery, their local towns. and it's even worse, it seems, than in 2008. and i think it's no, no coincidence at all, that we have seen wage stagnation since 2008. you look at the graphs in the 1950s where there was roughly proportionate increase in wages in that time, and then there's been a basically just a flatlining since then. and we're going to go into election for the go into this election for the first with lower wages , first time with lower wages, than when we started the parliament. >> but politicians have to lead

the public rather than simply follow the public. i understand those desires, but phoebe is making the point that those things cannot be delivered without growth, and phoebe is making the point that neither party has policy growth. party has a policy for growth. do with that ? do you disagree with that? >> think that, more >> i certainly think that, more the party should be doing more on growth and i what i as a person on the left is what i would like to see much more is a much bolder plan from labour. with obviously not to kind of announce a kind of just a plethora of spending promises without demonstrating where that comes from. but the problem is in that we can draw the wrong lesson from what happened with liz because it wasn't the liz truss, because it wasn't the problem wasn't that she and kwasi wanted to spend kwasi kwarteng wanted to spend wanted to spend a lot of money, obviously by cutting taxes, obviously by by cutting taxes, it was it wasn't seen as a it was that it wasn't seen as a responsible use of borrowing to do that. what we've seen time and time again over the years is that when governments have sensible for sensible plans for infrastructure investment, sort of the countries

of plan to grow the countries from the from the ground up, actually, investors are relaxed about borrowing, increasing borrowing to pay for that. so if labour were to come up with some very sensible plans, such as they had over sort of green investment, green energy and that kind of thing, i think that actually away actually they could get away with it show that they with it if they show that they were and not profligate . were serious and not profligate. >> aubrey allegretti, a little bit of analysis you , bit of analysis from you, perhaps. how can it be that we are, speaking , seeing are, broadly speaking, seeing the opposite policies from the conservatives, the ones conservatives, from the ones that we saw under david cameron? you may remember that under the coalition, the idea was that you would drive up tax thresholds so you'd remove vast numbers of people paying income tax at people from paying income tax at all. some of the burden was to be taken national insurance , be taken by national insurance, as we're obviously pursuing as we're obviously now pursuing policies take us in the policies that take us in the opposite direction. how can this happen under single party? happen under a single party? >> effectively, problem that >> effectively, the problem that jeremy is that he jeremy hunt has got is that he needs to raise additional revenues to meet increases in spending targets and demands by

people within the conservative party. don't forget things like the nhs defence. people are clamouring already for it to rise further above 2.5, and for there to be a set date for that local government finances are on the brink. education is desperately in need of funding ahead of the targets to roll out child care, and then you've got issues with the court backlogs and the prison services. so all of those things mean that the sort of demands on the chancellor have grown to such an extent that he's having raise extent that he's having to raise revenue, does he get revenue, but where does he get it? of trying to at it? whilst sort of trying to at least lip service being a least pay lip service to being a tax chancellor ? well, tax cutting chancellor? well, then he has to look at these fiscal options. so he is fiscal drag options. so he is obviously trying phase out obviously trying to phase out national the problem national insurance. the problem is that it's created an issue for him in that he's now signalled he wants to abolish it completely. again, completely. that again, signifies a difficulty with the conservative strategy since 2010, which has been very much to try and focus on supporting pensioners, uplifting them and uplifting sort pension uplifting the sort of pension rate, if you like, which was

historically quite low. but now they are the people who would be most affected potentially by a rise in income tax. if you were to subsume national insurance . to subsume national insurance. now, there's all sorts of quibbles as to why that would never at least it's never happen, or at least it's so away that it's kind of so far away that it's kind of for birds whether or for the birds as to whether or not actually would in in not it actually would in in the foreseeable those foreseeable future, but those are facing the are the conundrums facing the chancellor at the moment, and the directional forces the sort of directional forces that he's being pulled in. >> people complain was no >> people complain there was no rabbit the hat in rabbit pulled out of the hat in the budget, there an the budget, but there was an enormous where this enormous rabbit. where did this idea abolishing idea come from of abolishing national mean , national insurance? i mean, that's a very, very big idea. the territory has not been prepared. we haven't had the philosophical argument for it, but boom, suddenly in a budget and then confirmed an and then confirmed in an interview they're going to aboush interview they're going to abolish national insurance. i mean, do you believe a mean, do you believe it for a minute, aubrey? >> believe that. >> i don't believe that. it's something expect that something that they expect that they will be in office to deliver several parliaments deliver in several parliaments time, which is how long this would it has been floated would take. it has been floated before, i mean, and i think even george osborne back in 2014 was

talking ending talking about ending the unfairness effectively unfairness of it and effectively what it is, is it's a long enough away target and goal that the chancellor can point to it and there is some meat, and say that there is some meat, if you like, to the vague aspiration of wanting to cut taxes further. but the issue is that nobody thinks that it's very likely, nor that the conservatives will be in power to deliver it. the number of mps that i to say that that i speak to who say that voters turning is voters are turning off is increasing the conservatives can kind of shout and make as many promises as they like, but it doesn't really mean that the voters listening any longer. doesn't really mean that the votiphoebe istening any longer. doesn't really mean that the votiphoebe ,;tening any longer. doesn't really mean that the votiphoebe , can ng any longer. doesn't really mean that the votiphoebe , can you ny longer. doesn't really mean that the votiphoebe , can you imagine r. doesn't really mean that the votiphoebe , can you imagine the >> phoebe, can you imagine the conservatives a different conservatives having a different policy? i mean, can you describe to us what the different policy would be in terms of national insurance? no. i'm sorry. no, i was to the broader was going back to the broader question of how you would stimulate growth economy. stimulate growth in the economy. the say is the thing that you say is lacking. >> em- e see much more >> i'd like to see much more concrete into how concrete plans into how we can make it easier build make it easier to build economically valuable infrastructure like infrastructure as groups like britain remade, we've done a really good at pointing out really good job at pointing out how and difficult how expensive and difficult that is do here. of that's is to do here. a lot of that's planning reform. understand planning reform. i understand that that's very difficult, but

it's also extremely important. it's it's also extremely important. ifs done it's going to be need to be done some also actually some time also actually of course this gets course this this gets to housing. easier for make housing. make it easier for make it easier to build houses making it easier to build houses making it houses. it easier to build houses making it houses . and it cheaper to buy houses. and there's other like pro—growth changes that can be made. i mean, the ni cut in some way mean, the ni cut is in some way that mean, it'll improve that i mean, it'll improve labour supply. it's forecast to get another 100,000 people working. that's very good. but if i was looking to make more reforms, then to taxes and i would look at things like stamp duty, which we know is very distortive, which we know gums up housing market, makes all up the housing market, makes all these we these other problems worse, we will talking to britain, will be talking to britain, remade later in the programme, precisely about housing jonathan lees. can i change the subject ? lees. can i change the subject? what did you make of, boris johnson popping off to venezuela ? any thoughts about this ? ? any thoughts about this? >> well, it was extremely surprising for a start, it was odd that he only texted , david odd that he only texted, david cameron on the plane, rather than sort of seeking a kind of permission, because even though

the line was , that it was a the line was, that it was a private visit didn't need to private visit and didn't need to be sanctioned by the foreign office, think everyone office, you think and everyone would appreciate that when a former prime minister and when a recent prime minister goes on a sensitive delegation to a country that britain doesn't have a good relationship with, that will be interpreted by people in that country as having some of official status or some kind of official status or weight, so that would have seemed quite discourteous of johnson, but not in not, not out of keeping with his character, one might say, so the thing that i would find most interesting about it is to find out what exactly johnson said and how much of what johnson reportedly said is what he actually said. because, as we know, he's not a details man and he he loves the vanhy details man and he he loves the vanity and the sort of the state of these things. but i can't imagine that maduro, imagine that nicolas maduro, would have been particularly impressed by some things that he had to say unless they were sanctioned by the british government. and so i think we still to the bottom still need to get to the bottom of exactly he was doing there. >> well, aubrey, it seems this

this story the sunday this story broke by the sunday times. think, isn't it times. i think, isn't it, it seems wanted , maduro to seems that he wanted, maduro to pull his alliance pull away from his alliance with russia and it seems he wanted to tell maduro that if he wanted to have acceptance, in the have greater acceptance, in the west, put that way, west, to put it that way, amongst the democracies, that he would have to hold democratic would have to hold a democratic elections . neither of those elections. neither of those pleas is likely to very far. pleas is likely to get very far. i thought, with i would have thought, with nicolas , what we're nicolas maduro, what we're basically seeing is a sort of engagement strategy with countries which have been more sort of cosy and supportive of russia since the full scale invasion of ukraine two years ago, and a sort of moving away from just looking at europe and trying to maintain the sort of bulwark there. >> so this is obviously a country which is very oil rich. there's concerns that it could supply potential arms to vladimir putin's army as well. so i sort of understand boris johnson. he wants to leave a legacy for himself. he wants ukraine to be one of the things he's remembered for. his response and his sort of support

for country. so will have for the country. so he will have gone there with a very clear message diplomacy can be message and diplomacy can be quite a sort of dirty, messy world. we normally see the, the, the nice veneer of it at the end , the handshakes and the signatures. but there is a lot of this sort of stuff which goes on where politicians are sort of going slightly under the radar and using channels try and using back channels to try and using back channels to try and speak. i suppose the proof of this will in the pudding of this will be in the pudding as whether or boris as to whether or not boris johnson secure as to whether or not boris johrpotential, secure as to whether or not boris johrpotential, for secure as to whether or not boris johr potential, for the secure as to whether or not boris johrpotential, for the ukjre any potential, gains for the uk in terms of its sort of soft power work to try and get south american countries to take a more sort of antagonist stance against russia. >> it's really a rather in intriguing journey that boris has made. i hope we'll get more analysis of that in the future. thank you very much to phoebe arslanagic, little jonathan lees and aubrey allegretti. we'll continue to react to the budget after the break as we consider its impact on the arts. the opera critic sir nicholas kenyon raises the curtain on the chancellor's plans for theatre

welcome back. theatre lovers were heard to exclaim some rare words of thanks to a conservative government after the budget. as jeremy hunt chose to fix theatre tax relief at two generous rates of 40% and 45. impresario andrew lloyd webber declared that it could herald a once in a generation transformational change. the wider picture for arts funding looks rather bleaker, with some local authorities chopping all arts expenditure amid dramatic cuts in spending to offer a view . is the telegraph's opera critic and former director of the bbc proms , sir nicholas the bbc proms, sir nicholas kenyon. welcome back to the programme . welcome to the studio programme. welcome to the studio on sunday morning,

programme. welcome to the studio on sunday morning , the on a sunday morning, the government provided some relief to theatres and other groups like orchestras during the pandemic because they were having such a filthy time and what the government has decided is not to withdraw it, which was the expectation . is that broadly true? >> yes. the expectation was that it would taper off reducing year by year. and what the government has said, as you say, is for touring 45% and for non—touring 40, tax relief will be permanent . now, this is a significant plus . it is . now, this is a significant plus. it is not the . now, this is a significant plus . it is not the solution to plus. it is not the solution to all the problems in the arts. but if you think about it in terms of a originating new work, both in the theatre and in the concert hall and in the opera house, it is a significant step forward. does . forward. does. >> broadly speaking, does it mean that if you take a punt on on developing a new production or a tour or whatever, and it

goes wrong that you are protected against your losses because you can claim tax relief, is that broadly how it works? >> slightly it will it will not completely restore the situation. if you come up with something that totally doesn't work. but let's be clear, opera companies and theatre companies are really committed to innovation. and the idea that seems to be around that this is some elitist pursuit where opera companies are only performing operas , you know, that are 100 operas, you know, that are 100 years old. it just won't wash . years old. it just won't wash. and innovative companies like welsh national opera, for instance, i went down to cardiff this week to see their new production of britten's death in venice , and it's a brilliant venice, and it's a brilliant collaboration with a non art form, i.e. circus a cardiff circus based company has been in to collaborate so that what in

britain's original is the young man that the poet aschenbach loves is portrayed by a silent dancer in this production, he's portrayed by a brilliant acrobat. and that's just one example of the coming together of art forms, which i think we need to see more of. >> we've been seeing photographs there of that wno production of death in venice, bring me up to date . you know, when you and date. you know, when you and i last spoke, there had been this some catastrophic announcement by arts council england about funding. bring us up to date with where we stand for companies like welsh national opera and english national opera, well, it is still catastrophic for welsh national opera, which has had 35% of its funding withdrawn in, on the assumption that it will no longer tour in england. now, what the arts council, in trying

to spread opera around the uk , to spread opera around the uk, is doing by withdrawing wno touring money, glyndebourne touring money, glyndebourne touring money, glyndebourne touring money from around england and the 100% cut to engush england and the 100% cut to english national opera. it is very difficult to imagine what they have now done. and this is michael . over they have now done. and this is michael. over a year since they have now done. and this is michael . over a year since these michael. over a year since these drastic cuts were surprised on the sector . what they have now the sector. what they have now doneis the sector. what they have now done is to commission a huge and wordy analysis, review of the opera and music theatre section , opera and music theatre section, which includes some interesting data but is dripping with condescension towards the sector as a whole. in order to sort of retrospectively justify these cuts. now, obviously , this cuts. now, obviously, this should all have been done in a thoughtful and measured way before any funding cuts took place. >> why do you think? i mean, you're implying that arts

council england has really lost its way. why do you think that that happened , i think it that has happened, i think it has been under pressure from the government in particular the intervention of nadine dorries intervention of nadine dorries in terms of moving funding out of london. but they should have fought back against that rather as channel 4 fought back against privatisation and just argued that you could do that. and we're all again , we're all in we're all again, we're all in favour of there being more activity out of london. but it needs to be done incrementally and it needs to be done in collaboration with the sector. and so, you know, this could have been paced over 4 or 5 years and it could have been donein years and it could have been done in such a way that the existing companies could flourish, as well as the new, smaller organisations that we all want to see brought up . all want to see brought up. >> and the cuts to the touring programmes that you mentioned clearly seem to be just plain programmes that you mentioned clearly then to be just plain programmes that you mentioned clearly the stated just plain programmes that you mentioned clearly the stated policy. .ain against the stated policy.

should just for a moment should we just for a moment dwell on what's happening with local authority funding? the scene there is pretty grim, is it? >> yes , that you can understand >> yes, that you can understand all the challenges that local authorities have, because of course they have to net off very directly what they spend on the arts versus what they spend on hospitals, schools and so on. but the idea that birmingham , but the idea that birmingham, which has a very proud history of investment in the arts, should be reducing first by half and then by 100% what they are going to put into the arts. bodies like the city of birmingham symphony orchestra . birmingham symphony orchestra. well, it may not be the biggest element in that orchestras funding, but it is still a sign of a lack of belief that these orchestras, opera companies and theatre companies can contribute to the well—being of a city to

and the health and happiness of those within it. >> do you think we're going to see theatres go dark as a result? it's perfectly, perfectly possible. >> some musical organisations have already done so, but i think the big challenge for the opera companies is how do they reinvent themselves in such a complex environment, this study that the arts council has produced comes up with the revolutionary insight that opera is an expensive art form. we know that, but we want to see it donein know that, but we want to see it done in innovative ways. we want to see small scale wagner, but alongside that, we need to see large scale zara aleena. and i think that is going to be the big challenge. the arts council used to be an advocate for all that was best in the arts , and that was best in the arts, and entered into sensible and meaningful discussions with the

sector about how to achieve that. now they're behaving like a pv headmaster for sir nicholas kenyon. >> by the way, you and i were interrupted halfway through by madame butterfly about how very delighted i'm delighted that was after the break, we'll explore the life of the bohemian aristocrat who blazed a trail through europe, and who died fighting for greek independence 200 years ago. next month, of course . i mean, the poet lord course. i mean, the poet lord byron tarry with us a while. good viewer

welcome back as i am, lord byron was a cambridge alumnus. as i had. he had a scottish mother. and like me, he fell out with a

few tories in his time. he was a dandy. few tories in his time. he was a dandy . no few tories in his time. he was a dandy. no comment. and pre—eminent amongst the romantics . pre—eminent amongst the romantics. his vigorous and creative achievements in life reverberated through modern history. since his death, exactly 200 years ago. next month, whilst fighting for the cause of greek independence, a new book, byron, a life in ten letters, charts ten distinct stages of the poet's life. through a selection of his voluminous correspondence, i'm very pleased to be joined by the author andrew stauffer, professor at the university of virginia, president of the byron society of america , and society of america, and presently speaking to us from charlottesville. it's great to see you, andrew. welcome to gb news. >> nice to see you, michael. thanks. it's a pleasure to be here. >> i feel that i know a little bit about the life of lord byron, but and i'm really ashamed to say this, i know very little about his poetry, although he wrote a tremendous amount in his short life . tell amount in his short life. tell us about the poetry, or in

particular, the impact that the poetry had on society at the time, because it turned him into a terrific celebrity , didn't it? a terrific celebrity, didn't it? >> that's right. we use the word byronic now to mean a certain kind of moody exile. a kind of personality that comes from those poems. the early poems , those poems. the early poems, childe harold's pilgrimage, the early lyrics, poems manfred early lyrics, poems like manfred and the corsair. so there's that side of him. it's kind of a dark, angrier side . and then dark, angrier side. and then later in life, the more satiric light—hearted side that we see in his epic donjuan. so there's a couple of different byron's out there. his poetry is , as you out there. his poetry is, as you say, a massive achievement to hard to know where to start. that's partly why i started with the way to get into the letters, a way to get into that , that voice in his that, that voice of byron in his writing also exploring the writing while also exploring the life and the poetry, which i think is somewhat neglected today, was not neglected at the time as he published, a voracious public consumed his

output . that's right. after voracious public consumed his output. that's right. after his trip to the mediterranean, when he was as a young man, he came back and wrote childe harold's pilgrimage , which was his first pilgrimage, which was his first poem. he said, i and found poem. he said, i awoke and found myself famous after it was published, and it was a poem about a, as i say, a kind of moody wanderer , thinking about moody wanderer, thinking about politics, thinking about his own life, thinking about the modern state of europe. and it it struck a chord with readers, partly, i think, because of his aristocratic status, writing for an increasingly widespread middle class audience that wanted to hear what lord byron, as a disaffected young man , as a disaffected young man, thought about both the present day of europe and its history, and his own emotional responses to it , he travelled extensively to it, he travelled extensively and spent the last eight years of his life outside of his nafive of his life outside of his native country. >> did he go away for those last eight years, principally because of his private life ? of his private life? >> that's right, he sort of

sends himself into exile in 1816, after the separation from lady byron, which comes amidst speculations and rumours, both of homosexual activity and, incest with his half sister augusta and those swirling rumours in regency culture made the temperature sort of too hot for byron to handle. he left and discussed thinking he might come back later, but ended up getting involved with italian politics and italian people. and then greece, as you say, and never returned to england after 1816. >> he wrote an autobiographical memoir, which, after his death was burned by his friends who thought it was too shocking to be allowed to survive, do you think we've lost a lot, or do you think that that kind of replicated what's in the letters ? >> 7. >>i ? >> i think 5mm 7 >> i think we've lost something, but it would be great to hear byron's own voice, how he wanted to be remembered in terms of an autobiography. but as you say, the do a lot of that

the letters do a lot of that work. you get that racy, brilliant, you know, kind of quicksilver style, a confessional style that we probably characterise the memoir as well. and in a certain way , as well. and in a certain way, donjuan the great epic that he writes the in the last years writes in the in the last years of his life, has some of that same energy. and so between the letters donjuan, i think letters and donjuan, i think we get the flavour and much of the content of the memoir , although content of the memoir, although it is one of the great lost grails of literary history that that memoir was burned. maybe it will turn up someday. people did make copies of it. a few people read and made copies, read it and made copies, and they to those they were told to burn those copies. but they? we don't copies. but did they? we don't know. they'll be found in know. maybe they'll be found in an attic in yorkshire or something. that would be a >> oh, that that would be a marvellous find, wouldn't it? for future , tell me a little for the future, tell me a little bit about how you selected the letters selected ten, and letters you've selected ten, and they his life, but they cover his life, but presumably were looking for, presumably you were looking for, well, to reflect the different stages life, but also to stages of his life, but also to hear a different voice at different times. >> exactly right. yes. the first one is written when he's 19 at

cambridge, as you say, get adjusting that , cambridge, as you say, get adjusting that, environment. adjusting to that, environment. and the last one from messolongi, greece, just months before his death. so i had to pick letters covered each pick letters that covered each of various stages and of these various stages and locations of well travelled locations of this well travelled figure , catching him in figure, catching him in different moods, different hinge points his life to different points of his life to different correspondents because he, as we all , performed a slightly all do, performed a slightly different self or in some cases a radically different self depending on to whom he was writing. i wanted to give writing. and so i wanted to give a flavour of that range, while also having touchstone moments to hang the life upon , so would to hang the life upon, so would you like to bring alive for us? a moment. i mean, maybe it would be a romantic moment for example , would you like me to read one of the letters? >> is that what you think? >> is that what you think? >> well, the tiny a tiny piece. yeah, yeah. >> don't i do that, if you >> why don't i do that, if you give me just second, there's give me just one second, there's this letter he writes from venice, and he's writing about, one of his venetian mistresses, margherita cogni . and he. this margherita cogni. and he. this is written to his publisher back

in london, and i'll just read a bit of it. he's telling the story of their relationship, that she had a sufficient regard for me and her wild way. i had many reasons to believe i will mention one in the autumn, one day going to the lido with my gondoliers, we were overtaken by day going to the lido with my grheavyzrs, we were overtaken by day going to the lido with my g

except ourselves. and it goes on like that. it's long and very like that. it's a long and very lively letter about that relationship. but you see how he could great novelist could have been a great novelist as well. i mean, he really sets the scene. >> is fantastic epic >> that is a fantastic epic reading you gave us there. thank you indeed. reading you gave us there. thank you indeed . so, andrew you very much indeed. so, andrew stauffer, your book is, byron, a life in ten letters. and we're going from one romantic lord byron to another shortly, because stefan kyriazis will be with me in a few minutes with his reviews of theatre and ballet. see you

soon. welcome back. jeremy hunt claimed last week that the national health service is the thing about which britons are most proud. on the other hand, polls show a massive fall in pubuc polls show a massive fall in public satisfaction. will a play about sponsoring minister, about its sponsoring minister, nye bevan, kindle their enthusiasm again? stefan

kyriazis, were you inspired by michael sheen's portrayal of aneunn michael sheen's portrayal of aneurin bevan? i was, he's absolutely stunning and it's all politics, politics, politics recently in the theatre, which is very much your thing. >> but there's a way of handling it so that it's not bashing you over the head. it's not too didactic, it's not lecturing. michael is absolutely, michael sheen is absolutely, unquestionably charismatic. so it opens with him. he's just it's 1960. it opens with him. he's just it's1960. he's been operated for on an ulcer, comes round in his in his hospital room and of course, the point is made. it's a hospital that he had built, not himself, but it was built under his with his hands, but it was built under his initiatives , was built under his initiatives, and he's there. very chipper, kind of going, you know, i'll be out of here soon. i'm not going anywhere. the only place i'm going is number 10. however, we know retrospectively . and his know retrospectively. and his wife, lee, and his best wife, jenny lee, and his best friend lush know that friend archie lush know that it's actually stomach cancer. so he's of pain . but there he's in a lot of pain. but there are moments when michael sheen just audience just looks out at the audience andifs just looks out at the audience and it's that star quality you

are in and that's vital are drawn in and that's vital for a story like this. and then what we have, it's been described a and it's true. described a lot and it's true. it's little bit like it's a little bit like the singing so he's he's singing detective. so he's he's increasingly under a of increasingly under a lot of morphine. increasingly morphine. he's increasingly unconscious and he's sorting through his mind , going through through his mind, going through the past. so the doctors and nurses around him become winston churchill, become his sister. back in his childhood . back in his childhood. everything blurs in and out. the set is very simple. green hospital curtains, but beautifully done they can beautifully done so they can close all the way across and just leave him in his bed. they can separate out into a ward, but also they go up and down and create this kind of tiered effect house effect of the house of parliament when doing parliament when he's doing his different things, trying to get the and the nhs through and also opposing churchill during the war, which was a very was the war, which was a very he was the most hated man in britain for a while. so it's a complex story. it's a really interesting story. it's a really interesting story. it's important story. it's a really important story. beautifully acted. sharon small plays his wife. she's glorious as well. there's a lot going on,

so it depends . it's again, so it depends. it's again, modern staging. and we've got this thing which i like and i'm a fan of, and my guest enjoyed movement. so people act but they don't dance. but people kind of move in a pack or they all move the same way, or they all tilt their head. so it creates a kind of atmosphere. and especially if he's we get he's hallucinating, we do get one. get one big musical one. we get one big musical number. forget your troubles. come on, be happy in a hospital ward with beds wheeling around and in the air and and legs in the air and everything, which is fun. my guest didn't enjoy it. i thought it was really fun, but there are glorious bits where he goes back to his childhood and remembers the wonder of a public library. we forget everything we're we forget everything that we're entitled we have now, entitled to, that we have now, and while he's doing that, he's always in his hospital pyjamas. but like a little but he's acting like a little boy, . he's lifted boy, magnificently. he's lifted up boy, magnificently. he's lifted ”p by boy, magnificently. he's lifted up by all the other people. so it's dance , but it's also it's dance, but it's also acting, memory, fantasy . acting, memory, fantasy. >> so you liked it, i thought

you might be saying that it's quite difficult. i mean, you know, sorting out the nhs. what he had to do after the pledge had made during the second had been made during the second world would world war that there would be a national service. had national health service. he had to all the bureaucracy. to sort out all the bureaucracy. he go from system he had to go from a system where, you know, we had private surgeons who surgeons to surgeons who were going work in the national going to work in the national health service. and indeed, one of did was to of the things he did was to enable work both enable the surgeons to work both in service in the national health service and private sector, he and in the private sector, he said the time. i stuffed said at the time. i stuffed their gold . now, is their mouths with gold. now, is that the sort of thing that we're going through in this play? >> we're through? i mean, >> we're going through? i mean, i point that a of i think the point that a lot of people made, agree, people have made, and i agree, is it's little bit like the is it's a little bit like the situation with the situation you had with the jukebox it can get jukebox musical. it can get a little wikipedia times. little bit wikipedia at times. you've his you've got to get to his childhood. dying of childhood. his father dying of black his black lung problems with his family political days, all family early political days, all of and when get to of this. and then when we get to the nhs thing, it's done the final nhs thing, it's done beautifully. screens the final nhs thing, it's done beauthese. screens the final nhs thing, it's done beauthese looming screens the final nhs thing, it's done beauthese looming faces�*ens the final nhs thing, it's done beauthese looming faces ofs the final nhs thing, it's done beauthese looming faces of kind with these looming faces of kind of disembodied. it's almost a big brother. big brother three. glorious. yeah yes. i'm interested. i went away and i heard other people saying, oh, i

need to go and look that or need to go and look that up. or i away interested, i went away interested, fascinated . i'm not sure that i fascinated. i'm not sure that i quite got under it completely. i wanted a bit more. where's it playing ? it's this is on at the playing? it's this is on at the national theatre and it's on until may the 11th. it's also then transferring to the wales millennium centre from may the 18th. a little bit of a toun >> soa toun >> so a good ticket i should think that would in high think that would be in high demand, some ballet demand, you've got some ballet for again. swan for us again. swan lake. >> have dance we've >> we have more dance and we've got as always, beautiful clip got as always, a beautiful clip just you in the mood. >> magnificent, magnificent, indeed. looks like a standard

choreography. it is, but it's also. >> this is the will. scarlett. sorry, liam . scarlett. robin sorry, liam. scarlett. robin hood. liam. scarlett. choreography which is a new newish . about 20 1214. something newish. about 20 1214. something like that. so yes, it's always takes from the classical, from the from the russian the petipa and from the russian origins, absolutely love origins, but i absolutely love this production. number one, you got little glimpses there. the staging is gorgeous. i took a girlfriend with me and there was lots of gasping. the throne room set is jaw dropping a little bit. how i imagine your bedroom all baroque black and gold drapes, everything spot on. i know it absolutely glorious, but also it's there's not a lot of all this walking around ballet can sometimes be a little bit of the queen comes in, everybody bows , she walks around. then she bows, she walks around. then she makes some gestures about this and all goes on. and it can, and it all goes on. and it can, it can drag a bit. especially most ballets , the early most ballets, the early sections. with sections. this goes in with dancing absolute stunning outside the palace gates, which

are glorious and then instead of these transitions or curtains coming down, when we go to the lake, the prince vadim muntagirov on opening night, who is sublime, he dances his lonely solo across the stage, and it all darkens and shadows, and you can't actually see really what's happening. but he dances through and then as it brightens up, we're at the lake and the moon comes up behind. and the whole show is like this. there's no time wasted, no movement wasted. beautifully beautifully choreographed. beautifully as you can see, designed and dressed. and then at the heart of it again on opening night, we have marianela nunez, who is going to be 42 next week. so it gives gives both of us hope. she's a little bit older than us, but she's still she's been a principal she was 20 and principal since she was 20 and she is extraordinary . and i was she is extraordinary. and i was reading another critic actually talking about some opera, but i noficed talking about some opera, but i noticed very, very much their first pas de deux is very slow. there was no coughing and i've actually and he said the same about an opera he was at. yes

obviously we all cough, but i think people cough also. oh no, a little bit restless. >> absolutely. there's >> absolutely. when there's absolute silence, you know, the audience is completely gripped. >> have heard an >> you could have heard an absolute pin. it was beautiful . absolute pin. it was beautiful. >> swan lake, the royal ballet, obviously at the royal opera house, covent garden also, yes, royal opera house until june, but also on in cinemas. >> and that's going to be in cinemas april the 24th. so cinemas from april the 24th. so please, please, please, you please, please, please, if you can get tickets for that, go and see it because you just have a moment to talk about something else . yes. and tonight else. yes. and then tonight there's at there's a gala celebration at there's a gala celebration at the and just bring there's a gala celebration at theagain, and just bring there's a gala celebration at theagain, we and just bring there's a gala celebration at theagain, we mentioned bring there's a gala celebration at theagain, we mentioned it bring there's a gala celebration at the again, we mentioned it when up again, we mentioned it when he away. kenwright, he passed away. bill kenwright, one greatest promoters, one of the greatest promoters, producers in uk theatre, especially as we've been talking again, . he was such a again, touring. he was such a huge supporter of touring productions, regional theatre. so there's a huge celebration of his tonight. i just wanted his life tonight. i just wanted to bring it up and mention it because the man deserves every respect and memory possible. >> did want to mention >> and did you want to mention richard well ? richard hawley as well? >> i talked to richard >> i did, i talked to richard hawley when was at

hawley recently when i was at the opening for standing at the sky's just what we're sky's edge. and just what we're having kenwright was having again, bill kenwright was very the very much theatre for the people, and actually jenny lee, nye bevan wife, she was behind the open university, the first arts minister, and again , all arts minister, and again, all this about theatre outside london, theatre for the people , london, theatre for the people, theatre for everybody. but talking to richard hawley very much , his show is about council much, his show is about council estates, about the miners , about estates, about the miners, about the unions, about strikes. it's quite anti—thatcher in terms of what those people were going through that time. but he was through at that time. but he was very clear talking to me as well, show was not well, that the show was not a rant. and he made the beautiful point. you need two wings to fly, left wing and right wing, and i just thought that was a beautiful thought. >> stefan , you are full of >> stefan, you are full of beautiful thoughts and you bring you also bring us beautiful images. thank you very much indeed, stefan kyrees, you're watching michael portillo on gb news this is britain's news channel that concludes the first hour of the programme. after the break, we will return with a debate about inheritance. does

anyone have a right to expect one? we're also be talking about donald trump. the contribution of british muslims to british life. and we will mark ten years since the disappearance of that flight. 370. see you . soon. flight. mh 370. see you. soon. >> a brighter outlook with boxt solar sponsors of weather on . gb news. >> hello there. welcome to your latest gb news weather forecast from the met office. well, dunng from the met office. well, during the rest of today it's going to be a rather cloudy and damp picture for most of us. that's all courtesy of this area of low pressure. it's not really going go far during the going to go very far during the course of the next 24 hours, and with wind coming off the with wind coming in off the nonh with wind coming in off the north going to feel north sea, it's going to feel particularly north sea, it's going to feel particularlcoastline. so along the coastline. so this afternoon , the main bulk of the afternoon, the main bulk of the rain will be lying across parts of east anglia into the midlands, yorkshire over towards parts northern ireland to parts of northern ireland to best of any sunshine up across the far north of scotland, down

towards devon and cornwall too. but it may trigger a few but here it may trigger a few showers. but in the brightness, temperatures reaching about 11 or degrees. but for of or 12 degrees. but for most of us going feel pretty us it's going to feel pretty chilly for the time of year into the evening , the area of rain the evening, the area of rain will gradually begin to peter out, for most of us, it's out, but for most of us, it's really going to be a rather cloudy and night. some mist cloudy and damp night. some mist and well. for most of and fog as well. and for most of us, with the cloud cover, it will be a frost free night . us, with the cloud cover, it will be a frost free night. this could just turn a little bit chilly up across the very far north of scotland, so a grey, mild murky start as we start mild but murky start as we start the new working week on monday . the new working week on monday. but most of us it should be a dner but most of us it should be a drier day compared to sunday. still, the risk of some rain affecting parts of western scotland and maybe just at times across the very far east of england too. but sunshine, unfortunately, is going to be at a premium. best of it really will be down towards devon and cornwall. >> that warm feeling inside and from boxt boilers, sponsors of

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gb news. >> good afternoon, and welcome to the second hour of sunday with michael portillo. inheritance frequently causes division within families and presently appears to be vexing the country. a fiery article in this week's telegraph warned chippy millennials and slacker gen zs that they shouldn't feel entitled to a legacy, but perhaps generation rent feels justified to inherit from my generation, given that we were usually in steady employment as we also steadily climb the property ladder, we'll debate that in just a few minutes. as donald trump is the all but certain republican nomination

for this year's united states presidential election, i'll speak to one of his former communications directors, who now says that she'd rather see joe biden retain office in britain . an unedifying debate britain. an unedifying debate has ignited over government help to establish a muslim war memorial. the week also brought the publication of a report from the publication of a report from the institute for the impact of faith on life, which found that most muslims wish to improve interfaith relations and feel more britain than in more accepted in britain than in other european countries. i'll also speak to the author of a report on london's housing problems ahead of the mayoral election in may. he has a simple message build, build, build. and finally, at the end of the show , finally, at the end of the show, we will mark the ten year anniversary of the disappearance of the malaysian airlines flight mh370 . i'll speak to the husband mh370. i'll speak to the husband of one of the passengers who was aboard the plane. he is himself an air traffic controller and we'll see whether there are any lessons that can be learned from the tragedy . all of that lies the tragedy. all of that lies ahead. but first, news

ahead. but first, your news headunes ahead. but first, your news headlines wenzler. headlines with sophia wenzler. >> thanks, michael. good afternoon. it's 12:01. >> thanks, michael. good afternoon. it's12:01. i'm sophia wenzler in the gb newsroom . your top story. the newsroom. your top story. the princess of wales has thanked the public for their support as the public for their support as the first photo of her was published after her abdominal surgery. the image, posted on social media to mark mother's day, was taken by the prince of wales in windsor earlier this week. sitting down, princess catherine is surrounded by her children prince george, princess charlotte and prince louis. she was admitted to hospital on january 16th and left two weeks later after a planned operation. she is expected to return to her royal duties after easter. meanwhile, police are questioning a man after his car crashed into the gates of buckingham palace. the incident happened at 2:30 on saturday morning. our royal correspondent cameron walker has more. >> we understand the gates were

damaged and social media footage or images shows armed police swooping on the car. we know that the individual driving the car was arrested . the gates are car was arrested. the gates are also being repaired as well . also being repaired as well. what we don't know is the exact circumstances as to why the car crashed into those those gates. we have not been given any details of a motive, by police , details of a motive, by police, orindeed details of a motive, by police, or indeed whether or not it was accidental. metropolitan police perhaps will give us more details later on today . but as details later on today. but as i said, no members of the royal family were in residence. so hopefully the only thing that is damaged indeed the gates, damaged is indeed the gates, which of course are being hastily repaired . hastily repaired. >> and in other royal news, princess diana's brother charles spencer says he was sexually abused from the age of 11 at boarding school. in an extract from his memoir published on the mail on sunday. earl spencer says he was targeted by a female member of staff at maidwell hall in northamptonshire, leaving him with lifelong demons . in

with lifelong demons. in a statement, the school said it's difficult to read about the practices , which were sadly practices, which were sadly sometimes believed to be normal and at that time . and acceptable at that time. pro—palestinian protesters are being warned they could be lending credence to extremists. the community secretary is urging people to question which groups are organising the marches. michael gove, who is due to publish a new official definition of extremism, told the telegraph no the sunday telegraph there's no excuse for ignorance and good hearted demonstrators need to be aware they risk fuelling hate and intimidation . a group of and intimidation. a group of mothers are staging a hunger strike outside parliament. the five day protest aims to draw attention to parents who can't afford to eat, and are skipping meals to feed their children . meals to feed their children. their list of demands include enforcing free school meals and universal credit to guarantee life's essentials . mps are due life's essentials. mps are due to address the issue on tuesday . to address the issue on tuesday. a number of bodies have been removed from a funeral director in yorkshire as part of a police

investigation. cordon has remain investigation. cordon has remain in place at three branches of legacy independent funeral directors after humberside police received reports of concern for the care of the deceased. the bodies have been taken to local authority mortuary in hull, while they try to establish whether any criminal offences have been committed. police have set up a direct line for anyone who might be affected . it's emerged that be affected. it's emerged that bofis be affected. it's emerged that boris johnson held a meeting with venezuela's controversial leader nicolas maduro . the leader nicolas maduro. the former prime minister flew to the country last month for what the country last month for what the sunday times says were secret talks with the president . secret talks with the president. venezuela has experienced a severe political and economic crisis since nicolas maduro was re—elected in 2018, afterjudges banned his primary opponents from competing. there has since been strong international pressure for venezuela to hold a free and fair election in cars that don't comply with london's ulez rules can now be donated to ukraine under the scrappage scheme, mayor sadiq khan says

from next week, drivers who give up their vehicles will be able to apply for grants of up to £2,000. kiev's mayor, vitali klitschko, reportedly suggested the idea of exporting the cars in a letter to his counterpart, a charity will facilitate the move. the donated vehicles will be used to support humanitarian and medical needs . and for the and medical needs. and for the latest story, sign up to gb news alerts by scanning the qr code on your screen or go to gb news. common alerts. now it's back to michael i >> -- >> thank 5mm >> thank you very much, sophia wenzler . where there's a will, wenzler. where there's a will, there's a way goes. the old proverb . but it surely wasn't proverb. but it surely wasn't intended to encourage younger generations to rely on legacies. bitter intergenerational

disputes can arise over inheritance. do we have the right to expect to receive one from relations? do we boomers owe it to the millennials to pass them our wealth ? to debate pass them our wealth? to debate this, i'm joined by two men who have pulled themselves up by their own bootstraps lord daniel moylan, conservative life peer moylan, a conservative life peer in the house of lords and the commentator journalist commentator and journalist benjamin butterworth and benjamin butterworth and benjamin butterworth, one of the things that happens when generations pass money down to another generation is that this entrenches inequality. is that something that we should be bothered about? >> i mean, it's certainly a problem with a country that relies on inheritance, because then you do run the danger that people who aren't from families with property wealth basically will be disadvantaged for another generation. >> but i think ultimately the biggest we have in terms of biggest gap we have in terms of inequality these days is between the generations . because what the generations. because what you've seen compared with my grandparents , who have both grandparents, who have both passed on, who've passed on in the last few years compared to

your grandparents is your grandparents generation, is a change in the value of a massive change in the value of assets like property and how far the average income goes. in fact, for context, a house has not been as out of proportion with average incomes today since the 1860s. so that's the kind of situation we're dealing with. and so what you've got is a generation that has vastly inflated the value of basic things , like a home at the cost things, like a home at the cost of millennials. and so that's why i think it's absolutely essential that they understand to pass that down, preferably before they die, because obviously , as the story in the obviously, as the story in the telegraph about not passing the inheritance down, you know, most people these will in people these days will be in their 60s, their 50s, maybe their 60s, maybe older by the time their parents die. >> understand your >> i entirely understand your argument about the inequality that arisen between that has arisen between different generations, but i think some people might have been to you been quite shocked to hear you describe that as the greatest inequality. still inequality. surely still the greatest inequality is between those who find it a great struggle live and some of the struggle to live and some of the people that we're talking about who probably sooner or later

will get themselves on the housing you know , housing ladder. but, you know, who would like get there who would like to get there quicker some enormous quicker by having some enormous legacy from their property quicker by having some enormous legacy �*parents?r property owning parents? >> scale of the >> i think the scale of the problem of generational inequality is much bigger. and you see this reflected in people's political voting patterns. when you patterns. you know, when you were at the forefront of politics, suggester politics, the biggest suggester of someone would vote would of how someone would vote would be class. today be their class. but today it's their it's their their generation. it's their age. if someone's over 65, they're a bit more likely they're still a bit more likely to vote tory, though even that's fading but people fading a little. but people under 40 overwhelmingly under 40 are overwhelmingly likely labour, and likely to vote labour, and that's been the case for five, ten years now. and that's because of the inequality of access to wealth. and the truth is that, you know , the average is that, you know, the average house price in this country, depending on where in the country are , is 4 to 6 times country you are, is 4 to 6 times higher now what it would higher now than what it would have in the early to mid have been in the early to mid 90s. but we know that incomes in the last 15 years are barely back at where they were 15 years ago. and so you've got a generation that has been cut off from achieving their aspirations

. and i think that's what a lot of people of the boomer generation don't recognise. you know, i work hard, most of my peers hard, ability peers work hard, but the ability to transfer that into assets and into of is into a quality of life is much harder . harder. >> daniel moylan, do you do you buy argument? think buy this argument? do you think that this hard generation , a that this hard by generation, a hard done by generation of people who've not had the luck that we had getting onto the housing ladder fairly early, that they should feel entitled to a legacy . to get a legacy. >> well, michael, i feel i'm here under false representations. i thought i was coming to hear a tribute from benjamin to the older generation. >> remember how we were brought 7 up. up? >> we had no smartphones. up? >> we had no smartphones . we >> we had no smartphones. we were to have a plastic were lucky to have a plastic toy. only had one toy. most families only had one houday toy. most families only had one holiday a week a year, and that was usually in blackpool or weston super mare, none of us were. very few of us had the chance to go to university . i chance to go to university. i was one of the lucky ones, none of us blew £30,000 plus on a wedding , and of us blew £30,000 plus on a wedding, and indeed, we children were so oppressed that we were

actually expected to give up our seats on the bus and the tube to older folk, in exchange for all of these privations. and after a lifetime of contributions, what do we get? we get a state pension of about £11,000 a year. and a lot of people don't get that because they haven't got the contribution record . they the contribution record. they get less. most of them, many of them women. and that's what we get, one of the lowest in in the civilised world. and as for property prices, i'll give myself as an example. i've lived in the same place for 28 years, and it has gone up in price enormously over that time. but what does that mean to me? it means nothing at all to me. i'm not going to sell it. and if i did sell it, i'd only have to buy place which had also did sell it, i'd only have to buy up place which had also did sell it, i'd only have to buy up in)lace which had also did sell it, i'd only have to buy up in price.vhich had also did sell it, i'd only have to buy up in price. it'sh had also did sell it, i'd only have to buy up in price. it's myid also did sell it, i'd only have to buy up in price. it's my home. gone up in price. it's my home. it make any richer it doesn't make me any richer that i'm still living in the same i've been living for same place. i've been living for 28 years. question and the 28 years. the question and the fact , well, it's true 28 years. the question and the fact benjamin , well, it's true 28 years. the question and the fact benjamin and ll, it's true 28 years. the question and the fact benjamin and hist's true 28 years. the question and the fact benjamin and his generation 28 years. the question and the fact b get min and his generation 28 years. the question and the fact b get somend his generation 28 years. the question and the fact b get somend his gfromntion 28 years. the question and the fact b get somend his gfrom that

might get some benefit from that when i die, but the fact that they know what he wants to get his grubby mitts on my home already, where am i going to live? where is he going to put me? where am i going be put me? where am i going to be put off sort of home or off into some sort of home or whatever? i have to live whatever? where i have to live in a cabin somewhere on a beach, grubbing for vegetables in the, in, the strand . in, in, you know, in the strand. >> bravo, daniel. was >> bravo, daniel. that was a it's a terrific, terrible michael. but but i'd like to know how you approach the question of your death . i mean, question of your death. i mean, it seems to me there could be three possible approaches. >> all right, well, sorry. why is that being put to me on an adjusted ? adjusted basis? >> you're younger >> yeah, i think you're younger than i put you on than i am. i put it to you on this that could, this basis that you could, on your wealth your death, allow your wealth tied up in your 20, your house of 28 years. you could pass that to someone that you choose to passit to someone that you choose to pass it to. you could, on the other hand, it an other hand, pass it to an institution, example, you institution, for example, or you or some charitable cause. or you could make another decision, which benjamin hinted at, which is that you could seek to release some money during your lifetime if there was someone

that you thought could benefit from your wealth today , take us from your wealth today, take us through how you would approach those questions. well a lot of people do the last, a lot of people do the last, a lot of people do the last, a lot of people do the last, and i'm not sure it's actually necessarily very wise what it does is i've seen it happen. >> not to me. i've seen it happen where families actually start to put pressure on older members, either to sell up and move out or to take out one of these hugely expensive. and i think probably financially not very advantageous equity release schemes so that they can have some money now for whatever their purpose is. i think actually the sensible thing is patience and managing your own affairs rather than trying to leech off the elderly who, as i say in most cases, have received no advantage whatsoever from the fact that their property has gone up in value because it's still exactly the same home they moved into. sometimes decades ago, and they live in it, benjamin , let's raise the sort

benjamin, let's raise the sort of ethical point i think it is really morally decadent for people to live their lives in the expectation that at some point they're going to be showered with money by the death of an older relative. i mean that that must sort of eat away at your at your, you know, your your ability to look after yourself, your motivation. i've seen people and i've found it quite depressing that they they, their life plan has been, oh, well, in ten years time, aunt so—and—so will die . and then so—and—so will die. and then after that, after 15 years, uncle, somebody else and that is how i'm going to finance my life. i mean, that that is morally decadent, is it not? >> was raised by >> i mean, look, i was raised by my who have both my grandparents who have both passed, i certainly never passed, and i certainly never asked what my asked them about what my inheritance would be, and i certainly never pressured them to that down before they to pass that down before they went. i the problem went. but i think the problem with argument is that is with your argument is that is that we live in country that we live in a country whereby the ability to get on the housing ladder, which is a, you know, the biggest financial challenge that normal person challenge that any normal person

faces simply unsurmountable faces is simply unsurmountable in a lot of situations without that inheritance. and so it's not that they're acting with bad ethics , it's that their route, ethics, it's that their route, their most plausible route to that financial security that not so long ago was taken for granted is to get it through inheritance. now, you referenced it earlier about inequality between the very poorest and the very you know, that very richest. you know, that ought the big problem. but ought to be the big problem. but this most common problem. this is the most common problem. and one other point, and i just make one other point, because know , because of course, you know, daniel worked hard, but the fact is the last ten years, is that in the last ten years, as the generation has as the generation that has gained the most wealth has been the baby boomers, has been the pensioners , and the wealth of pensioners, and the wealth of those under 35 has proportionately fallen . so proportionately fallen. so they're getting richer even when not working. they're getting richer even when not i vorking. they're getting richer even when noti wonder they're getting richer even when not i wonder whether we've been >> i wonder whether we've been realistic about this, daniel at all, because, people are now living so long that when we talk about children inheriting, we're very often talking about people in mean , far too in their 60s. i mean, far too late to help them get on a property point moral property point about moral decadence. >> there's nothing about it. >> there's nothing new about it. benjamin the price

benjamin talked about the price of in 1860. dickens of houses in the 1860. dickens novels full of young men who novels are full of young men who are living in the expectation on their expectations, and they're borrowing money on the basis of their expectations. and it's very interesting that the dickens , all of these young men dickens, all of these young men are baddies. they're all he regards them all as morally decadent. the good guys in dickens novels are the ones who get on by their own hard work and efforts and pull themselves up . and then when the up. and then when the inheritance comes, if it does come, then it's an uncovenanted bonusin come, then it's an uncovenanted bonus in their lives and they haven't been chewing themselves up expecting it all the way through . through. >> the two of you are examples of hard work because you've turned up on a sunday lunchtime in debate this very in order to debate this very important issue, lord moylan and benjamin butterworth , after the benjamin butterworth, after the break, we're going to go to the united states for reaction to donald trump's having all but sewn up the republican nomination for president. and we'll explore the contribution of muslims to british society

and welcome back. the united states is set for a rerun of the 2020 election. as donald trump has all but secured the republican nomination for president and will probably be running against the incumbent democrat joe biden, trump's last remaining rival, nikki haley, suspended her campaign following a slew of defeats in the super tuesday primaries. she did enough , however, for trump not enough, however, for trump not to have enough delegates just yet to be confirmed, and she held off from endorsing the former president, saying that it was for him to win the trust of his detractors. one detractor served as white house communications director under donald trump back in 2019. stephanie grisham joins me now.

and stephanie, welcome to gb news. what was it that you saw in the trump white house that makes you today a joe biden voter ? voter? >> well, good morning, michael. you know, i started out with donald trump in 2015 when he first announced that he was running for president and i thought he was going to be somebody who would shake up our republican party as i worked for him and for melania trump. i was press secretary and director of communications and i just saw a side of him that it was beyond disappointing. he was more about enriching himself. he was more about worried about how he could get re—elected rather than what was good for our country. we had, of course, covid hit and there were a lot of missteps there were a lot of missteps there . so it it was something there. so it it was something over time, it was very hard for me because i was very, very close to him and to his wife melania. and then on january 6th, when we had people

attacking our capitol and he refused to you know, ask them to call, call, stop or be peaceful with their protests. i just i just had to resign. that was kind of my red line. >> and the argument is made, however, that when donald trump was president of the united states and vladimir putin was sort of kept within his box, nonh sort of kept within his box, north korea was much less aggressive and china was restrained. hamas did not attack israel. now, donald trump would claim that when he was president, he had that impact on on some of these key players in world affairs. do you buy that ? world affairs. do you buy that? >> you know, i do buy that to a degree. i think that , you know, degree. i think that, you know, a lot of the policies that donald trump implemented were good policies. and, you know, i did agree with him that that other countries within nato should be paying their fair share to help in defending the rest of the world. but but at the at the expense of, you know ,

the at the expense of, you know, glorifying dictators. i think is a real problem. and i don't think that just because joe biden is president now, we're having all of these issues , having all of these issues, you've described donald trump as being an egotist and a selfish man and so on. there are quite a lot of politicians who might be described in that way by people who work for them. are you telling us that he really is beyond the pale in these, in these qualities that surely many others in politics share ? others in politics share? >> i could not agree with you more. i think in order to be a politician, you have to have some level of ego. so i definitely agree, no, this is more of a corrupt ego. this is more of a corrupt ego. this is more of a of a narcissist type of an ego where he can do nothing wrong and no amount of good advice from really good people who truly love the country would sway him. it was more about, again, enriching his own personal business, you know, he had his own children working

at the at the white house, as i don't know if you've paid attention, but his daughter in law now a co—chair of our our law is now a co—chair of our our republican national committee. so it's more about kind of corrupting and taking over rather than looking at what's best for the country. and i don't think that any amount of ego should, should have that kind of power , donald trump is kind of power, donald trump is an extraordinary campaigner. many polls suggest that he is aheadin many polls suggest that he is ahead in the swing states , the ahead in the swing states, the president joe biden's ratings at the moment are pretty low, and a lot of people share the concern that donald trump is voicing about immigration across the united states southern border. give us a reaction to those thoughts, please . thoughts, please. >> absolutely. you know, i share in the immigration issue that we have here in the united states, and that was one of the things that attracted me to working for donald trump his stance on donald trump was his stance on immigration. his immigration. not maybe his rhetoric with regard to immigration, but certainly his stance, , our country stance, you know, our country and now the democrat party in

our country seen that we our country has seen that we have a real problem with immigration. we did have the democrats and republicans in our congress and put congress come together and put together a very tough immigration proposal that could have been signed into law. however, donald trump stopped it just so that he would have an issue to campaign by, which goes back to example of doing back to my example of doing things and not what's things for him and not what's best country . now, joe best for the country. now, joe biden problem. he's biden does have a problem. he's got messaging problem, and got a messaging problem, and he's a lot of things he's got a lot of things happening country that happening in our country that people are blaming him for. i think that we a race, think now that we have a race, though, in the general election, and will be between biden and and it will be between biden and trump start to trump, we'll kind of start to see numbers a bit. see those numbers change a bit. when you're in the republican side things trump side of things and donald trump has a very strong base in our republican party, i think that's how he managed to get through. and somebody a little bit and somebody who's a little bit more centre leaning nikki more centre leaning like nikki haley so haley wouldn't get through. so now i think we have a clean slate with the general election, and we'll see kind of what happens. >> stephanie grisham, thank you very it's very much forjoining us. it's probably where you

probably quite early where you are, particularly are, so i'm particularly grateful . the chancellor of the grateful. the chancellor of the exchequer prefaced his budget speech announcement exchequer prefaced his budget speygovernmentannouncement exchequer prefaced his budget speygovernment would icement exchequer prefaced his budget speygovernment would provide £1 the government would provide £1 million war million towards building a war memorial to those muslim servicemen who died for britain dunng servicemen who died for britain during the two world wars. the announcement to announcement happened to coincide with a new report from the institute for the impact of face on life, which that face on life, which found that by with groups by comparison with other groups in britain, a greater proportion of muslims positive about of muslims feel positive about the nation's future. more than three quarters also wish for greater interfaith relations . greater interfaith relations. muslim respondents in the report praised britain's tolerance, particularly in comparison to other european countries. jake scott is one of the report's authors and joins me now. welcome, jake . very good to see welcome, jake. very good to see you. we also see in your report, more commitment to family amongst muslim families, more commitment to community, to charitable giving, things like that. do you want to give us a summary of what you got out of this survey? >> absolutely. so when it comes to family and taking care of

elderly relatives, british muslims typically say that there's a greater duty to care for older relatives , we're for older relatives, we're talking 44% of british muslims compared to the high 20s of the average population of the general population . and when we general population. and when we spoke to individual interview participants, a great number of them emphasised hadiths teachings in islam, the quran itself, speaking of the prophet muhammad, the emphasised the importance of caring for your elderly relatives largely as a reciprocal relationship . you reciprocal relationship. you know they care for you when you're young, they raise you up and then when they start to age and then when they start to age and provide for and can't provide for themselves, to step in themselves, you have to step in and on that more caring and take on that more caring role . role. >> do you get a feel from the survey about the state of integration? so, so were the muslims who were responding to you or in what percentage were they people who felt they were integrated britain the integrated into britain in the broadest sense, or were some of them indicating that they were living within communities within britain, which might have been somewhat other

communities? >> so this was something that we actually explored in our panel that launched the report. the that launched the report. so the report last report was published last tuesday fifth. we had tuesday on the fifth. we had a panel composed of two sunni muslims , a shia muslim from the muslims, a shia muslim from the dawoodi community, an dawoodi bohra community, and an ahmadiyya muslim from kent. and almost emphasised almost all of them emphasised this lack of insulation in british muslim communities. so a lot of the well, all of the panellists talked about helping local communities regardless of faith , you know, doing litter faith, you know, doing litter picks all the way up to food bank contributions , local bank contributions, local charity involvement and something that they're really keen to emphasise. whenever you speak to british muslims, especially research , is especially in the research, is that insulation and an insular idea of british muslims is completely inaccurate. so, i think this is really, really emphasised in the statistic. you mentioned that more than more than three quarters want to see greater interfaith relations . greater interfaith relations. roughly 22% think the right amount which amount is being done, which indicates that we're on the right path. but i think, you know, british muslims in general feel they contribute feel as though they contribute to they want that to

to society and they want that to be recognised. >> question, i may >> in my last question, i may have a prejudice, did have exhibited a prejudice, did you find that your muslim respondents felt that they were the victims of some prejudice ? the victims of some prejudice? >> what was really encouraging when we asked questions about this was that a significant number no, that you go number said no, that when you go around , britain, british around britain, britain, british people are very tolerant, very respectful. they ask questions out of curiosity rather than prejudice . and i think the only prejudice. and i think the only time where british muslim respondents were indicating negativity was regarding the media. and there are studies that show that overwhelmingly, the british media negatively portrays british muslims and islam . there was a islam in general. there was a study, i think roughly 70% of headunes study, i think roughly 70% of headlines are negative . and that headlines are negative. and that really is the, the misunderstanding that british muslims would like to see addressed. they don't think, broadly speaking, that that misunderstanding lies in the british public. they think it comes largely from the media. >> we have this problem with the word islam and then the word

islamism, i mean, i think i understand the huge difference between the two, but i wonder whether the public does. did your report in any way touch upon that? >> well, that tends to be a question of over things like radicalism and extremism. and i think what's interesting is if we the case studies that we look at the case studies that we look at the case studies that we looked at in report, we looked at in the report, a significant number british significant number of british muslim charities and organisations actively combat extremism , you know, there's a extremism, you know, there's a number of organisations that try to encourage mosques to, you know, report thought people who might be exhibiting extremist behaviour in the same way that they, british muslims generally don't about don't feel that bad about prevent . they quite, quite prevent. they quite, quite respectful of it if they've heard it, and they ask that heard of it, and they ask that the local community contributes to anti—extremism efforts, an intriguing finding was that some of muslim respondents of your muslim respondents thought that, that things were better here than in other european countries. >> how would they know that ? >> how would they know that? >> how would they know that? >> well, what was really encouraging was that in terms of the survey that we completed at the survey that we completed at the report, the beginning of the report, only 40% were born in the united kingdom. terms of british

kingdom. in terms of british muslims, means two muslims, that means that two thirds abroad and thirds were born abroad and a number of those significant number of those significant number of those came from european nations . and when we european nations. and when we conducted interviews by conducted the interviews by chance, didn't go out to seek chance, we didn't go out to seek people born abroad. by chance, we to a number of people we spoke to a number of people born in and in, say, born in and lived in, say, france, germany, norway , france, germany, norway, denmark, comparable european nations. there's nations. and they say there's just no comparison, you know, in terms of how people treat muslims in european nations, they they stare, they make comments, they ask rude questions. whereas compared to here, the broad experience is that people are genuinely, positively curious. that's not to say there's not areas for improvement. there were unfortunately, stories such as, one woman said that when she wears hijab that people tend to assume she's less intelligent, and likewise when people wear religious dress, they tend to experience more negativity . but experience more negativity. but but by and large, the response was positive . was positive. >> what a very fascinating piece of work. i think that really helps us to understand the

situation. jake scott, thank you for coming in and talking about that. after the break, we'll discuss how to build more houses in london, and we will remember the tragic disappearance of malaysian flight mh370 malaysian airlines flight mh370 ten years ago. first, though, an update on the main headlines with sophia wenzler. >> thanks, michael. it's 1231. >> thanks, michael. it's1231. i'm sophia wenzler in the gb newsroom. your headlines. the princess of wales has thanked the public for their support as a photo of her was published after her abdominal surgery to mark mother's day . sitting down, mark mother's day. sitting down, princess is surrounded princess catherine is surrounded by prince george, by her children prince george, princess charlotte and prince louis. she was admitted to hospital on january 16th and left two weeks later after a planned operation. she is expected to return to her royal dufies expected to return to her royal duties after easter. pro—palestinian protesters are being warned they could be lending credence to extremists. the community secretary is

urging people to question whether groups that are organising the marches. michael gove, who is due to publish a new official definition of extremism, told the sunday telegraph there's no excuse for ignorance and good hearted demonstrators need to be aware they risk fuelling hate and intimidation . a number of bodies intimidation. a number of bodies have been removed from a funeral director in yorkshire as part of a police investigation. cordons remain in place at three branches of legacy independent funeral directors after humberside police received reports of concern for care of the deceased. the bodies have been taken to the local authority mortuary in hull, while they try to establish whether any criminal offences have been committed . a group of have been committed. a group of mothers are staging a hunger strike outside parliament. the five day protest aims to draw attention to parents who can't afford to eat and are missing meals to feed their children. their list of demands include enforcing free meals, enforcing free school meals, universal credit and to guarantee life's essentials . and

guarantee life's essentials. and for the latest stories, sign up to gb news alerts by scanning the qr code on your screen or go to gb news. com slash alerts now michael will be back after the short .

break. >> welcome back. earlier, we were discussing ways to usher more young people onto the housing ladder. and chief amongst those surely must be to build more homes well ahead of the london mayoral election in may. a new report from the think tank britain remade explores ways boost house building in ways to boost house building in the nation's capital, where average house prices are now 12.5 times the national income . 12.5 times the national income. ben hopkinson co—authored the report and joins me now . and i'm report and joins me now. and i'm so grateful that you've come

back on the programme in the middle of your sunday. so is there a way to build more homes in london? >> yes, absolutely. and the kind of chief ability for the london mayor to do that is in the london plan and the winner of the next may election has a huge opportunity here to deliver up to 900,000 new homes over the course of 15 years through a number of different ways, chief among them, most exciting is a state renewal. >> tell us about estate renewal then. >> so a lot of london's post—war housing estates are not dense at all. they're only about 20% as dense as some of london's most loved neighbourhoods, like marylebone or maida vale. and because of this, you can build up more homes on the estates , up more homes on the estates, and because the cost of building homes in london is a lot less than the cost of homes, there's that surplus value there that you can then use to provide the existing residents of these estates warmer, new, bigger

flats, so they're happy, whilst also providing new homes for residents, which will lower the cost of housing and bring more people into the capital. >> when you say estates, do you mean council estates or do you mean council estates or do you mean estates that were built in the private sector as where i was brought up in north london estates built by the builders langin estates built by the builders lang in the 1930s. we're talking about those sorts of estates as well. >> it's mostly council estates and our modelling was based just off of council owned properties because that's easier for them to begin the process of doing an estate renewal project, so, tell me about where the money gets released and when the money gets released. so somebody has to finance tearing down buildings, putting up new buildings in the short tum. but you're saying that in the medium tum or whatever, because sale value whatever, because the sale value of these houses is so great, the money comes back to the person who put the money in in the

first place to the investor. tell how works. tell us how that works. yes. >> a >> so obviously it takes a little of money initially to little bit of money initially to begin construction before you're able to sell some of the new flats. but once you sell those new flats, because the price of housing in london is 12.5 times income, average properties are £600,000. that's a lot of money that then goes back to the councils that start these these projects , and then they can use projects, and then they can use that to fund increasing social housing provision if they'd like or if they're able to lobby, they can use it for other council goals like lowering council goals like lowering council tax, for example. >> i suppose the councils will say that they don't have any money. i mean, is this a proposal on which you could borrow money? >> think you'd have to update borrow money? >> waysk you'd have to update borrow money? >> ways thatj'd have to update borrow money? >> ways that councilsto update borrow money? >> ways that councils couldiate the ways that councils could borrow money. but one of the things that we've proposed is that the mayor could look into climate this, climate funding for this, because a lot of london's existing social housing properties are very old. they've not meeting the current energy efficiency standards. so by building new estates , you can

building new estates, you can allow the new properties to be a lot more energy efficient so that that could unlock a lot of funding if you have a green lens on it . on it. >> you also suggest that the route that you're proposing bypasses most of nimbyism . tell bypasses most of nimbyism. tell me about that. yes. >> so a few of these estate renewal projects have already been run, and the mayor currently requires a ballot of existing residents and the ballots . right now you get 80 or ballots. right now you get 80 or 90% of residents in favour because they're getting new properties . they're larger, properties. they're larger, they're nicer. so they're really excited about these these opportunities. and i think we can really expand the number of states all around london and i'm sure the existing residents will be clamouring so that they can get new nice homes to live in. >> i think apart from estate renewal, you also think there are some brownfield sites. i think you mentioned , for think you mentioned, for example, old oak common, where this mega railway station is

being built. there is some land available there. is there potentially , yes. potentially, yes. >> so old oak common right now, which is to be the which is going to be the terminus of hs2 when it opens soon ish, is going to well, right now the site is just surrounded by single storey warehouses and car rental return places and self—storage facilities, and it's actually illegal. banned by the london plan to build housing on this. and i think once hs2 opens it's a great opportunity to make the most of the railway by building homes right near the station and changing the use of this land, and that could deliver 185,000 new homes at nice, gentle densities . densities. >> another complaint that is made very often is that the private house builders just have life too easy at the moment . life too easy at the moment. they don't want to build a lot of houses because they make a lot of profit out of out of building a very few. is there anything could do anything you could do to stimulate sector? stimulate the private sector? >> i think mainly

>> well, i think mainly it's just them build. just allowing them to build. i don't that housing don't think that the housing developers turn down the developers would turn down the opportunity to create new, new neighbourhoods . and it also neighbourhoods. and it also because the price of housing is so expensive , if you can add so expensive, if you can add stipulations like design codes to make really nice, liveable neighbourhoods that fit in with the current architectural styles of a local area . of a local area. >> well that is very, very interesting. gives us some hope. thank you very much for coming in. ben hopkinson after the break, we'll remember the disappearance of malaysian airlines flight mh 370, which occurred exactly ten years ago.

welcome back. it's mother's day, which is obviously a time to celebrate our moms, here's a little package that we've got to

show you on the question of mother's day . three. mother's day. three. >> two, one. go go go . >> two, one. go go go. >>— >> two, one. go go go. >> it's mothering fun day in harrogate , a free inflatable harrogate, a free inflatable event for mums and children to win top mother's day themed prizes. the dash and grab game is hosted by harrogate improvement district, with is hosted by harrogate improvement district , with the improvement district, with the aim of boosting sales for businesses in the town this weekend. >> i think at the moment it's really important to support local businesses because we're in a cost of living crisis. there's challenges around. the budget was announced this week, so challenges around so there's challenges around business rates, rent that business rates, around rent that businesses every every businesses pay. so every every penny that people support, penny that people can support, local national local businesses and national retailers does matter. so retailers really does matter. so whether it's harrogate or whether it's harrogate or whether other a town whether it's other a town or city centre, it's really important than to important now more than ever to support so support your local town. so mother's day, father's day, christmas, summer holidays, it's just just a really good just it's just a really good time to support businesses, to increase footfall, increase spend and just celebrate those people you. people that matter to you. >> bouncing with joy. mums and

kids here the tradition of kids here enjoy the tradition of mother's day. it's a special occasion to honour and appreciate mothers for their love, care and hard work. >> well, i think it's nice. i think mums have to do a lot of stuff, quite thankless stuff don't it's nice don't they? so yeah, it's nice to be recognised. >> i'm going to be able to spend it with mum and my partner's it with my mum and my partner's mum, but also this well. mum, but also this one as well. >> we're to have a >> so we're going to have a really together really nice day together celebrating it's going to be >> and yeah, it's going to be really fun because it's about loving your mum. it's a happy mother's day and we wanted to celebrate it for our mother's day, so she looks after us. i mean getting to the shops and getting her some chocolate. >> it shows her that, that she's really special and we all love her, so it's just nice to have a special day to celebrate her. >> with shoppers in britain

expected to spend £1.7 billion on mother's day this year, the celebration is a triumph for trade as well as a fun time for families . anna riley, gb news, families. anna riley, gb news, harrogate . harrogate. >> it's ten years since the malaysian airlines flight mh370 , malaysian airlines flight mh370, 70, disappeared from the radar while on a flight from kuala lumpur to beijing. the disappearance of the plane remains one of the greatest mysteries history of mysteries in the history of aviation . the investigators aviation. the investigators believe that they have enough information able locate information to be able to locate the aircraft somewhere in the southern indian ocean. the competing theories about what happened to the flight are now the subject of a new bbc documentary, why planes vanished the hunt for mh370. amongst those interviewed are nathan velayudhan, whose wife anne daisy, was on board mh370 and he joins me now. nathan, thank you very much for coming on gb news. what was your reaction when you

found that the search for the plane had been called . plane had been called. off? alas, it looks like our connection there to malaysia has has not worked out. we're going to try and catch up with nathan in just a moment. dawn neesom is here. you're going to be on after me. i am. what have you got up your sleeve? >> when you lie to know, it's always a treat to follow you. >> mr >> mr portillo, >> mr portillo, we >> mr portillo, we are >> mr portillo, we are having a loved up show today because it is mother's day and i'm in the doghouse with mine. >> i have to admit, because i'm not at lunch her today and not at lunch with her today and i should be. >> so we've lots of nice >> so we've got lots of nice tributes coming tributes to mums coming up and we've dogs well, we've got some dogs as well, some dogs well, so we're some cute dogs as well, so we're having with that. having some fun with that. i've also a special royal, also got a special royal, exclusive you like, on exclusive if you like, on princess catherine and that picture that's been issued today, the mother's day picture. >> so there's some interesting

things one. things on that one. >> talking about. also things on that one. >> truss talking about. also things on that one. >> truss and.ing about. also things on that one. >> truss and george ut. also things on that one. >> truss and george gallowaylso things on that one. >> truss and george galloway , o liz truss and george galloway, an unholy combination, but yes, we've got a couple of good stories on those lined up as well . well. >> you we have this photograph for mother's day of the princess of wales. first of all, is it being said that this has been taken very recently? >> well, you know what the interesting thing with this is? your immediate reaction now is the fact that you don't think it has been. and i know i'm simply asking. yeah, i know, i mean, but that's my reaction. it shouldn't be. my reaction should be what a lovely picture. >> she looks very happy. >> she looks very happy. >> children look very happy. >> she looks very happy. >> looksen look very happy. >> she looks very happy. >> looks very ok very happy. >> she looks very happy. >> looks very well. ry happy. >> she looks very well. >> she looks very well. >> did look very and >> she did look very well. and that being so quiet that is after being so quiet since her surgery in the end of december, wasn't it? now and it's like, well, is it a recent picture or not? and i didn't want to think that. i just wanted to appreciate it as a nice mother's day picture. but there's lots of questions being asked, why asked, including michael, why she wearing wedding she isn't wearing her wedding fings. she isn't wearing her wedding rings. didn't notice. >> did you know i don't i don't

know, i know, but she i mean, she often takes her engagement ring on the off. >> the one that, princess diana used to wear the big ones. she often takes that off when she's playing things like playing sport and things like that, any that, but she's not wearing any of is of her wedding rings, which is cunous. curious. >> well, let's let's just hope that the princess of wales is in, in, in fine fettle, you sometimes mention what i'm wearing. you're wearing a really beautiful . may i say thatcheresque. >> thank you . electric blue. >> thank you. electric blue. i always try and compliment. i was watching you on the camilla show this morning. i thought, right, i'm wear something that i'm going to wear something that bnngs i'm going to wear something that brings wonderful suit brings out your wonderful suit as so you set very high as well. so you set a very high bar, portillo , and i'm just bar, mr portillo, and i'm just trying to keep up tradition. trying to keep up the tradition. on afternoon , is your on a sunday afternoon, is your mother far away, may i ask? you can't lunch today. can't get to lunch today. >> not. >> not. >> no. she's only out essex. >> no. she's only out in essex. so in theory, i should be there with her. but i have a very competitive sister who's organised lunch and is now having lunch with my mum. and i'm not going, mum, i want to

say that i'm very sorry that that line to nato velayudhan was down, but i'm very grateful to dawn. >> i'm very grateful to all my guests who've come in today and talked to down line. talked to me down the line. i will be back next sunday. i look forward to it very much. until then, bye . then, bye. >> looks like things are heating up. >> boxt boilers sponsors of whether on gb news. >> hello there! welcome to your latest gb news weather forecast on the met office. well, looking ahead to the new working week, it's going to remain fairly changeable across the country, but increasingly mild as we end this . we still got low this weekend. we still got low pressure in charge and with winds coming in from the east, it's still feeling pretty chilly winds coming in from the east, it's there. eeling pretty chilly winds coming in from the east, it's there. theg pretty chilly winds coming in from the east, it's there. the rain,tty chilly winds coming in from the east, it's there. the rain, what illy winds coming in from the east, it's there. the rain, what we out there. the rain, what we have seen today will gradually weaken as the night goes on, but for most of us, it's going to be a rather cloudy murky night. a rather cloudy and murky night. but cloud cover, it but with the cloud cover, it will free as we go into will be frost free as we go into the small hours of monday morning. chilliest the conditions up across the very far scotland and in the

far north of scotland and in the south, temperatures not falling much lower than around 6 or 7 degrees. so monday morning it's going to start off on a rather grey and damp note across the country. and really, as we go through the course of the day, sunshine at sunshine is going to be at a premium. of down towards premium. best of it down towards devon and cornwall, channel islands also not doing too badly, but of us it is badly, but for most of us it is going to be a drier day, not completely will see some completely dry. we will see some rain, across western rain, especially across western scotland, maybe at times across the far east of england. the very far east of england. two temperatures a little bit up compared to sunday. temperatures in the south—west could just reach 12 degrees into tuesday. we see another band of rain beginning to spread in from the southwest, and that really sets us up for a bit of a northwest southeast split as we go into the middle part of the week. northwestern parts seeing further rain at times, but in the southeast, turning increasingly mild . increasingly mild. >> that warm feeling inside from boxt boilers sponsors of weather

on . gb news. on. gb news. >> i'm michelle dewberry and i'm not here to tell you to what think. i'd much rather hear what you have to say , so send in your you have to say, so send in your opinions to gbviews@gbnews.com. keep them clean and you never know. i might read them out with my panel here on dewbs& co we debate, we get stuck into the issues of the day on a show where all views are welcome, especially yours . gb news the especially yours. gb news the people's channel, britain's news channel 2024 a battleground yeah >> the year the nation decides as the parties gear up their campaigns for the next general election, who will be left standing when the british people make one of the biggest decisions of their lives ? decisions of their lives? >> and who will rise and who will fall? >> let's find out together for every moment. >> highs, lows, the >> the highs, the lows, the twists and turns. >> we'll be with you for every step of this journey in 2024. >> gb news is britain's election

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>> join me at 7:00 every sunday night for free speech nation the show i tackle the week's biggest stories in politics and current affairs . affairs. >> with the help of my two comedian panellists and a variety special guests. variety of special guests. >> nation sunday >> free speech nation sunday nights from 7:00 on gb news. the people's channel, britain's news channel. >> hello and welcome to gb news sunday. happy mother's day. i hope you're having the best sunday ever. thank you for joining us this lunchtime. i'm dawn neesom and for the next two hours, i'll be keeping you on company on tv, online and on digital radio. cracking show for you. now it includes michael gove. sorry about that, but michael is warning michael gove is warning pro—palestine protesters that they rubbing shoulders with they risk rubbing shoulders with extremists. he says some pro—palestine events have been organised by extremist organisations. i'm asking, though, is gove right? and then

the man