i >> morning. 930 on thursday, the 21st of march. this is. this is britain's news. gb news. i wasn't sure i was been a long week. i'm andrew pierce, this is bev turner, i think. >> oh. we offer now three staff suspended employees at the london clinic are being investigated for allegedly looking at the princess of wales's medical records. will the royal family use this hospital again? >> clearly a very serious issue for the london clinic and indeed kensington palace. meanwhile investigations are ongoing as to whether criminal prosecutions are warranted. more details shortly . shortly. >> anneliese a government minister onto something here. the work and pensions secretary, mel stride , is suggesting that mel stride, is suggesting that they meant we've got too soft about mental health. he thinks he's got it's gone too far and i think he's absolutely right. yeah. and a leading charity wants all political parties to

put a ban on mobile phones for the under 16 seconds in their election manifesto. >> what do you think about that . >> what do you think about that. >> what do you think about that. >> and birth rates are plummeting. a new study shows britain will be heavily reliant on immigration for the remainder of the century . we're being of the century. we're being warned a staggering social warned of a staggering social change happening and change already happening and state promise. state pension promise. >> sunak is set to >> rishi sunak is set to guarantee pensioners that the triple lock will remain in place under a future conservative government . government. >> well, most we've never heard of mel stride , the work and of mel stride, the work and pensions secretary, but i think he's on to something here. isn't everybody complaining about the mental health hundreds of mental health now? hundreds of thousands no longer thousands of people no longer going work because their going to work because of their mental health. the bar in relation to what we consider to be emotional, mental, psychological well—being feels very, doesn't it? very, very low now, doesn't it? >> unfortunately, the pendulum has swung very far in that has swung very, very far in that direction and what? direction and you know what? work is for your mental

work is good for your mental health. obviously some people really course, and really struggle, of course, and there's difference. really struggle, of course, and there's he'sference. really struggle, of course, and there's he's goinge. really struggle, of course, and there's he's going to make >> but he's going to make a speech today and he's going to set the government is set out how the government is going and at least set out how the government is going more 1d at least set out how the government is going more 1d ewhonst set out how the government is going more 1d who say 150,000 more people who say they've health issues they've got mental health issues back workplace. good back into workplace. good on him. back into workplace. good on hin not though. let us know >> not easy though. let us know all of your thoughts this morning. get involved gb views all of your thoughts this m

is expected to hold interest rates at 5.25, for the fifth time in a row today. it comes after the inflation rate dropped faster than expected in february , hitting 3.4% during the month, the lowest for two and a half years. it's good news for the bank of england and its decision makers on the monetary policy committee. they still expect rates to be held steady as they meet today, and the decision will be announced at midday. meet today, and the decision will be announced at midday . a will be announced at midday. a long awaited report into women's state pensions will be published today. the review will look at how increases in retirement ages have affected women born in the 19505. have affected women born in the 1950s. an ombudsman has been looking at potential injustices resulting from the decision to raise women's retirement age, to bnng raise women's retirement age, to bring it in line with men's in 2010. and it's bad news for chocolate lovers, as some easter eggs are at least 50% more expensive this year. researchers are blaming climate change for the increase after dry weather in west africa led to a spike in

global cocoa prices, brands including maltesers, lindt and cadbury's cost at least 50% more than a year ago, while others have shrunk in size. and that's according to which . and for the according to which. 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/ alerts. now it's back to andrew and . bev. to andrew and. bev. >> hello! welcome to britain's newsroom on gb news with andrew pierce and bev turner. >> so three staff members from the london clinic are being investigated over allegations they tried to access the prince of wales medical files. they could face prosecution, of course, under data protection laws. health minister, maria >> the health minister, maria caulfield, confirmed police caulfield, confirmed the police have to look at the have been asked to look at the case. joining us in the studio is a political editor of the daily sam lister and daily express, sam lister and barrister for the barrister and columnist for the perspective, sam fowle. so good

morning, sam . sam fowles, if morning, sam. sam fowles, if i can start with you, just explain to us from a legal point of view, what's at the heart of this story , right? this story, right? >> this is everyone's favourite phrase protection . there's phrase data protection. there's personal data and then there's sensitive personal data. and sensitive personal data. and sensitive personal data is anything to do with things like your health or your political opinions. and that's the level of information that we give the highest level of protection to. so if you if you're holding this data on the part of someone , data on the part of someone, you've got to have high levels of security and you can't be doing anything with it unless you've got good reason. you've got a very good reason. and in the case of, of this and so in the case of, of this leak, what the information commissioner will be looking at is were there sufficient safeguards in place, what sort of harm has occurred as a result of harm has occurred as a result of this, this data leak and in some circumstances, the repercussions could be very, very serious. >> so, sam, if they've just looked at it, maybe just for prurient reasons, or maybe they were hopefully trying to flog

it, but if they've just seen the information but it's gone no further. is that against the law ? >> 7- >> it's not. 7_ >> it's not. if 7 >> it's not. if you're a medical professional and you're looking at someone's medical data, maybe you're not. >> maybe you're an ancillary worker at the clinic. >> and that so that's where the line drawn . if you are line is drawn. if you are someone that doesn't an someone that doesn't have an entitlement to that data, doesn't and doesn't have a good reason looking at that reason to be looking at that data, then it is a breach . data, then it is a data breach. whether they just look at. >> so that's against the criminal law. >> that's so that's against the data protection and it data protection law. and it could the criminal could be against the criminal law on the level law depending on the level of seriousness. if you are in seriousness. so if you are in the situation where you're you're not just looking at it, you're not just looking at it, you're flogging it. yeah. well then then we not we may be in criminal territory there and would that apply to the doctors who are working in the hospital but not specifically charged with her care ? with her care? >> so her team understandably would need to look at the notes? princess of wales. but if you're just somebody treating somebody else you else in the hospital and you decide a little bit nosy,

decide to be a little bit nosy, you do have right to do that. you do have a right to do that. as a medic. >> no, don't think you would, >> no, i don't think you would, because the thing sensitive because the thing with sensitive personal there's a very, personal data, there's a very, very limited set of circumstances that you can you can access it. and obviously one of those circumstances is, is medical necessity. but that key word is necessity. so just being a bit curious that whether you've got doctor in front of your name or not doesn't make that a necessity. >> okay, sam lister, let's bring you in. this is a terrible pr disaster for the hospital, isn't it? i mean, it's awful . it? i mean, it's awful. >> i mean, i'd like to say i'm. i'm surprised i'm not. i mean, it was kind of inevitable. when you've got a story of this magnitude that somebody was going to do this. but i think it is incredibly disappointing, i hope the full force the law hope the full force of the law is brought to bear on these people if they are found to have misused this data or even looked at it for their own personal gratification. is incredibly,

gratification. it is incredibly, sick. i mean, he says it is, isn't it? and it just breaches every single boundary of trust , every single boundary of trust, you know, for anybody, anybody going into hospital has the right to privacy, whether you're the princess of wales. exactly. it's funny, though, isn't it, that it's happened in this instance. >> and when queen was >> and yet, when the queen was ill in hospital, we never had ill in in hospital, we never had this. didn't it. the this. we didn't have it. the same because same with i guess, because she was 96. was 95, 96. >> . but this is a very >> so. but this is a very beautiful 42 year old and people are and we know the whole world is curious. >> the world wants to >> the whole world wants to know. there a whole know. but there is a whole difference 96, which is difference between 96, which is an old lady. >> yeah. and she's bound to have health issues. >> just, i just want to >> and i just, i just want to make clear that actually, if these had tried to sell these people had tried to sell this british this information, the british press bought it, press would not have bought it, touch bargepole. touch it with a bargepole. no but they have sold it but they could have sold it abroad. think in america. abroad. and i think in america. exactly the exactly and i think that's the problem. know, this is very problem. you know, this is very tempting you're that tempting if you're in that situation, you can a situation, that you can make a lot of money selling this lot of money by selling this information, you would not information, but you would not be to do that in the, in be able to do that in the, in the interest. be able to do that in the, in the yeah. interest. be able to do that in the, in the yeah. in interest. be able to do that in the, in the yeah. in princessterest. >> yeah. in the princess of wales. yeah. she's one of wales. yeah. she's she's one of the famous women on the

planet. >> and it's interesting yesterday street they yesterday downing street they normally to normally are very, very clear to make distinction between make a distinction between you know, don't about know, we don't talk about the royals but they actually went as far yesterday to say, look , far yesterday to say, look, everybody has a right to a private life. and this is, this is, you know, they took that step obviously this is step because obviously this is really of trust . and really a breach of trust. and they to make it clear they wanted to make it clear that. >> e- e— e will have talked to >> and rishi will have talked to the audience. >> and rishi will have talked to the he audience. >> and rishi will have talked to the he probably audience. >> and rishi will have talked to the he probably have audience. >> and rishi will have talked to the he probably have audierto. and he probably have talked to prince william too. >> yeah. yeah. >> yeah. yeah. >> he'll about it. >> he'll know all about it. >> he'll know all about it. >> exactly. >> exactly. >> a legal >> from a legal point of view. then. sam, would a complaint have made by princess herself? >> no. this the way that data protection law works is it doesn't matter if anyone if anyone complains. in fact, the responsibility lies with the hospital to disclose if there is a data breach. so if you're losing data, you've got a legal responsibility to admit it. right. and you know, the hospital could be looking at fines in the, in the potentially in the region of millions . if in the region of millions. if this a if this turns out to this is a if this turns out to be very serious. >> would be a fine rather >> so it would be a fine rather

than being potentially incarcerated. >> well, there is a possibility of individuals being incarcerated. but there's also the possibility of the organisation being penalised. devastating the data. >> devastating for a clinic like the london clinic, which famous around the world for looking after royalty. people who've got after royalty. people who've got a lot of money really , really a lot of money really, really tough and for but for any clinic, right. >> as well, because there is i just, i just googled nhs data leak the this morning when i was preparing for this, and there is a list of various different hospitals and trusts where patients data has been been leaked online been sent. there was one case where 20 trusts leaked it to facebook and what inadvertently, i think part of it was inadvertent. certainly and but there is also deliberate plans to sell patient sell patient data that are being considered as well. so it's

really, really good. i think that this this story is kind of making us focus on how important health information is and how personal and private , and sort personal and private, and sort of it's about your personhood, isn't it? it is that we it's really good. we're focusing on that because it's a much wider conversation across the health sector. we need to have completely and especially as we're moving towards so much of our online and our data being online and particularly our nhs data particularly on our nhs data being place your being in one place on your little app this really little app this raises really important questions. >> on to >> definitely. let's move on to a your front page. a story on your front page. >> sam, i'm so sorry. i just >> sam, i'm so sorry. ijust need give a statement. so need to give a statement. so everyone the london everyone at the london clinic says hospital acutely says the hospital is acutely aware of our individual, professional, ethical and legal dufies professional, ethical and legal duties regards patient duties with regards to patient confidentiality. we take enormous the enormous pride in the outstanding care and discretion we aim to deliver for all our patients that their trust in patients that put their trust in us day they continue. we us every day they continue. we have systems in to monitor have systems in place to monitor management of patient information of information and in the case of any breach, all appropriate investigatory, and investigatory, regulatory and disciplinary taken disciplinary steps will be taken . there's no place at a hospital for those who intentionally

breach any of our breach the trust of any of our patients or colleagues. >> no place, >> well, if there is no place, whoever if have breached whoever if they have breached it, fired. at it, they've got to be fired. at the least. let's move on to the very least. let's move on to a great story on the front page of daily express, written by of the daily express, written by our lister, the our very own sam lister, the political now, the lot political editor. now, the a lot of pensioners will felt of pensioners will have felt very the budget. very fed up with the budget. yeah, cuts them. yeah, no tax cuts for them. yeah. and also the autumn statement had statement when we had the second, the first national insurance cut, sam, that didn't apply pensioner s either. the apply .to pensioners either. the triple sunak saying apply .to pensioners either. the triple be sunak saying apply .to pensioners either. the triple be there sunak saying apply .to pensioners either. the triple be there underak saying apply .to pensioners either. the triple be there under future ng apply .to pensioners either. the triple be there under future tory we'll be there under future tory government. remind people what the is and it's important. >> the triple lock protects pensioners. it means that every year when pension state year when the pension state pension rises, it goes up by a minimum of 2.5. but it can go up by more. so it's linked also to inflation and wages. right. and so that's meant that over the last two years we've had big rises 8.5% in april coming in this april, 10% last year. and that's because of inflation and wage rises, obviously that's really costly. and so there's always a question about is the triple lock going to remain. will they ditch, will all the

parties ditch it, because it runs out basically this year. yeah. we know now the yeah. so we know now the conservative party have told me that this will be in their manifesto come what may. the triple lock will be in their manifesto. i think that's something very, something that our readers very, very hear. i'm sure your very keen to hear. i'm sure your viewers too, so now need to viewers too, so now we need to hear will labour, will labour match it? >> how expensive? well we don't know how expensive it is because inflation is tumbling very fast. but recognition also but is this a recognition also that may have got it wrong that they may have got it wrong with the budget and the autumn statement cutting tax taxes statement not cutting tax taxes for pensioners? >> i they're conscious >> i think they're conscious because the national because obviously the national insurance cut, helps workers. it doesn't help pensioners. so pensioners were hoping for an income tax cut that didn't happen. so i think this is a very conscious move to say, look, actually we're really conscious rely conscious that pensioners rely on the triple lock to get a good rise every year and we will stick to it. so i think they they really want to make clear that they thinking about that they are thinking about pensioners comes to pensioners when it comes to writing that manifesto. >> i was at book >> you know, i was at a book launch last night in

westminster, ashcroft's westminster, michael ashcroft's book rayner, book about, angela rayner, angela rayner, the deputy labour leader, not a single tory mp. i spoke had a good word to say spoke to had a good word to say about the budget, not one. this was a waste of i think it was a waste of time. i think it missed opportunity. >> a bit flat, didn't >> it fell a bit flat, didn't it? i mean actually it's it? yeah. i mean actually it's a huge amount of money. huge a huge amount of money. i mean, over last six mean, £900 over the last six months on your national insurance in a tax cut for workers. but it doesn't seem to have really hit home with people. really didn't. have really hit home with peoright. really didn't. have really hit home with peoright. samy didn't. have really hit home with peoright. sam andin't. don't go >> right. sam and sam don't go anywhere. you'll back after anywhere. you'll be back after the and we're going be the break and we're going to be talking about this work and pensions we've pensions secretary. we've just been clamping been talking about him, clamping down scrounge was good. down on the scrounge was good. who the firing line? what who is in the firing line? what is the line between a mental health condition and actually just swinging the legs? you don't have to go to work. this is newsroom on

gb news. so most are either work and pensions. secretary has cursed a

bit of a storm this morning. >> and i'm glad he has, because he says britain's approach to mental health is in danger of going because normally, going too far. because normally, anxieties are now being anxieties of life are now being labelled as mental health. he wants to get more brits back into the workplace. >> so let's talk to joe hemmings, behavioural psychologist show psychologist friend of the show morning line morning joe, where does the line lie? do you think between people who genuinely are struggling to get out of bed in the morning, repeated days of depression or anxiety , and those who are using anxiety, and those who are using it as excuse , like bad? it as an excuse, like a bad? back in the 80s, i think the line lies between getting people to understand, and that probably starts in schools learning resilience and learning to understand that it's okay to have a bit of mild anxiety, or a bit of stress. >> they're all right. they're not a behavioural disorder. they're not a mental health issue that should prevent you from so i think what we've from work. so i think what we've got is a scenario where, yes, it's great people are talking about their mental health more, but actually are they understanding it. there's a lot of self—diagnosis going on,

there's a lot of gps who are willing to say, fine , i'll sign willing to say, fine, i'll sign you off quickly because it's easier them understand easier for them and understand the pressure they're under, and we've got out of 2.5 million people unemployed, two thirds of those or not working, and two thirds of those have mental health disorders will stress and anxiety of a mild form is not a disorder. and i just think if that message could be delivered at an earlier stage, you wouldn't have this this idea as well. >> it's like modern life. we put all this emphasis on leisure time and look after yourself and prioritise your rest , whereas prioritise your rest, whereas actually work is good for people . and we've forgotten that joe having in his speech, is that right ? right? >> work is good for your mental health. >> getting out and having a purpose in the morning is anyone will tell you it might not feel like much fun when your alarm goes off, but get out do it goes off, but get out and do it and feel better. and you feel better. >> oh, such a good point. >> oh, it's such a good point. again, needs taught. again, that needs to be taught. work about earning work is not just about earning money, being money, it's about being with other getting other people. it's getting satisfied. it's having satisfied. faction. it's having a to get up. it's

a reason to get up. it's personal goals, you know, it's sort of social mobility. it's perspective. actually. i think if people work , they've got mild if people work, they've got mild anxiety and they've got a good work structure that understands that people go through these sorts of things, then work is a godsend for those people because otherwise you've got too much time at home worrying about, you know, and fretting about your anxiety, therefore probably amplifying it when you're at work in a good, understanding work in a good, understanding work environment, you will get the sort of perspective where that just might disappear. but then without any medical intervention whatsoever. yeah, okay, joe, thank you for clarifying that. >> short but sweet. we've got to love leave you. we've love you and leave you. we've got the sams in the studio. joe hemmings there, sam, what? it's got the sams in the studio. joe h very ings there, sam, what? it's got the sams in the studio. joe hvery difficult'e, sam, what? it's got the sams in the studio. joe h very difficult one.|m, what? it's got the sams in the studio. joe hvery difficult one. this,hat? it's a very difficult one. this, isn't because don't want isn't it? because you don't want to people who are to make those people who are suffering a pathological , suffering from a pathological, clinical medical illness, mental illness to get lumped in with those people who just can't be bothered to get out of bed in the morning. >> yeah, i think this really

upset me, actually, this these comments from from our stride as, as someone who is who is diagnosed with, with anxiety and depression disorders and has struggled with that for, for years seeing sort of that that community weaponized by merlin just clearly another way to sort of try and play re suss this kind of scroungers and strivers, thing that that worked for them in previous elections. in fact, if you were really interested in deaung if you were really interested in dealing with that problem then let's see them not punishing people or undergoing mental health crisis, but fixing the reasons that they are in this position. we have an nhs that currently we're having to treat people in mental health crisis in a&e because they haven't properly provided mental health services. got , a situation services. we've got, a situation where more and more young people are struggling with mental health issues and receiving zero help for it at all. so what i would like to see is politicians, instead of saying, i'm going to take take people

who are already suffering and punish them further in order to win a couple of votes. let's see a proper, set of policies that is going to deal with this. the core of this issue, he's trying to say there are 2.4 million people, young people on sickness benefit permanently. >> why? i don't buy it. i don't buy that. we've got this huge outbreak of mental illness. i think people are swinging the lead. they're skiving. and the number have increased since 700,000 since covid. they didn't go during covid and they go to work during covid and they don't want back. well, don't want to go back. well, that's it's about. that's what it's about. >> the reason people are >> part of the reason people are on long sickness is it on long time sickness is it takes six to get an takes six months to get an appointment the nhs. appointment in the nhs. if you're so you're lucky, so that's key. so that's thing number one that's number thing number one that's number thing number one that's people out of that's keeping people out of work. think right work. and i think it's right that people are talking that more people are talking about health because about mental health because we are about so are better educated about it. so we understand these we understand some of these problems. idea that you problems. but the idea that you can just get signed off after seven with a with a gp, seven minutes with a with a gp, a number one, if he's not happy with that, well then put some money into gp so gp's can spend a proper amount of time with

with patients. and two it's also just not true if you want to get signed off, you have to go through a longer process. >> mean the bleeding >> well, i mean the bleeding heart here, the seven heart liberal here, the seven minute appointment, 94% of people who have this seven minute appointment with the gp are signed off 94. i mean, that cannot be right . of course it cannot be right. of course it can't. it cannot be right, this is a huge problem. the welfare bill is ballooning . yeah. and bill is ballooning. yeah. and this is working age. people should be in work. the default should be in work. the default should be in work. the default should be that people who can work should be in work. and we have to find a way of people who have to find a way of people who have mental health problems being in the workplace. it's not that you physically cannot do it . as mark steyn says, men working is good for your mental health. yes, people getting up, having a purpose, having a reason to get dressed, to get out, to socialise is for good your mental health. >> let us understand then. from your personal perspective, we don't huge amount of don't have a huge amount of time, if you don't mind

time, but if you don't mind revealing about revealing a little bit about your experience. sam, what is the difference between a day when you can be here on the telly being and telly and being brilliant and being lawyer and dynamic, and being a lawyer and dynamic, and the you literally the days when you literally can't that, there's when can't do that, there's days when i am of everything and i am scared of everything and absolutely terrified and terrified to leave the house, terrified to leave the house, terrified to leave the house, terrified to talk to people, terrified to talk to people, terrified to talk to people, terrified to leave my bed. >> and i can deal with that. and i've been able to deal with that through healthcare , through private healthcare, because i've got a job that pays me very well and so i can spend money on on that. if if, but these things started when i was a student and i was a bursary of 15 k and what i was offered was group therapy on the nhs. and given that sort of my, my, my particular issues manifest around being in groups , it was around being in groups, it was so i could wait for, you know, wait for six months for something that was likely to make me, make me worse. i got lucky, got a job that allowed me to pay for pay for therapy, pay for medication when we're

running out of time. >> and i think my worry is that people who genuinely do struggle like you and manage it really well going lumped in well are going to get lumped in with who are not with those who are not completely and completely understanding. and you in your life to you need someone in your life to say, up, get go to say, get up, get out, go to work. come on. stop. don't go anywhere. >> a brighter outlook with boxt solar sponsors of weather on . gb news. >> hi there and welcome to the latest gb news forecast from the met office. fine. in the south today some warm sunshine even, but a very different story for scotland and northern ireland where it is already turning wet and windy. the heaviest of the rain and the strongest winds affecting western scotland. bands also moving bands of rain also moving through eastern and southern scotland times , although with scotland at times, although with some drier spells in between and then late morning then through the late morning and early afternoon that rain reaches now reaches northern ireland. now for england and wales. bit of for england and wales. a bit of rain the far north of rain for the far north of england , otherwise plenty england, but otherwise plenty of dry sunny

dry weather, even some sunny spells. less breezy here, but even so, out of the breeze it's going to feel pleasant enough. 1516 celsius. then the rain tumbles its way southwards overnight. it's going to affect northern england during the evening, as well as parts of wales , before it tends to fizzle wales, before it tends to fizzle out and slow down on its journey south. it will eventually end up in the southwest, where it will be a damp start to the day. but the south—east avoids it through much of the night. although staying cloudy here and as a result, frost but a cold result, frost free. but a cold start day for scotland. start to the day for scotland. northern ireland, northern england from the word england showers from the word 90, england showers from the word go, interspersed by sunny spells, but it's not going to feel very spring like. those showers coming in heavy at times and with snow falling above 500m for scotland, the wind very strong in the north and northwest, brighter spells emerging across southern and southeastern parts later but feeling colder . feeling colder. >> that warm feeling inside from boxt boilers . sponsors of

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gb news. >> very good morning. it's 10:00 >> very good morning. it's10:00 on monday. the 21st of march. this is britain's newsroom on gb news with me. bev turner and andrew pierce. >> so three staff have been suspended. they are employees at the london clinic. they're being investigated for allegedly pounng investigated for allegedly pouring over the princess of wales records . wales medical records. >> potentially very serious for the london and the and the london clinic and the and kensington palace investigations ongoing to see if criminal prosecutions are warranted. more details shortly . details shortly. >> and is it time for us all to toughen up, find out why. the work and pensions secretary, mel stride, thinks that mental health culture has gone too far. >> and a leading charity wants all political parties to put a ban on mobile phones for under

16 seconds in their election manifesto . manifesto. >> a metropolitan police diversity team has come under fire for sharing videos that include claims that black women have to work harder than their white colleagues . could that be true? >> a year ago, the kc review said that the met was institutionally racist. >> they fought back against the claim, but we've uncovered footage of their diverse city teams complaining about systemic bias in the force. i'll have all the latest this hour. >> let us know your thoughts this morning. vaiews@gbnews.com. and whilst sophia wenzler reads your news, we're going to go and check the emails . emails. >> thanks, bev. good morning . >> thanks, bev. good morning. it's 10:01. i'm >> thanks, bev. good morning. it's10:01. i'm sophia wenzler in the gb newsroom . your top in the gb newsroom. your top story this hour. government

plans to deport migrants to rwanda have been set back again after the house of lords inflicted a series of defeats on the bill. seven proposed changes, including a provision to ensure due regard for domestic and international law, were passed by peers. the bill will now be delayed until after easter, when mps will have to vote on the bill again. the legislation aims to revive the government's plan to send some asylum seekers to rwanda. it comes after yesterday was a record day in the channel, as 450 migrants crossed in small boats, the highest number this year so far . the bank of england year so far. the bank of england is expected to hold the interest rate at 5.25% for the fifth time in a row today. it comes after the inflation rate dropped faster than expected in february, hitting 3.4% during the month, the lowest for two and a half years. it's good news for the bank of england and its decision makers on the monetary policy committee . they still policy committee. they still expect the rate to be held steady as they today , and

steady as they meet today, and the will be announced steady as they meet today, and th

shadow work and pensions minister alison mcgovern says labour has a plan. >> what needs to be addressed is to make sure that we have good work in this country that supports people's good mental health. as i just mentioned . and health. as i just mentioned. and alongside that, we need a mental health as part of our nhs health system as part of our nhs that can really help people . you that can really help people. you know, if you're a child or a young person needing mental health support, the waiting list can be years long and that's not good enough. so we need. labour's plan to support our health service, including mental health service, including mental health support. with 8500 extra mental health workers. so that we can improve that quality of service for people. that's labour's plan . labour's plan. >> in other news, three staff members from the london clinic are being investigated over allegations that they tried to access the princess of wales medical files. the individuals could face prosecution under the data protection laws, and also could be sued for damages by katherine . it's understood the katherine. it's understood the king's medical records were not compromised when he was treated

at the same hospital for an enlarged prostate . the london enlarged prostate. the london clinic has promised investigatory regulatory and disciplinary steps will be taken . and it's bad news for chocolate lovers, as some easter eggs are at least 50% more expensive this year. research teachers are blaming climate change for the increase after dry weather in west africa led to a spike in global cocoa pnces. to a spike in global cocoa prices. brands including maltesers, lindt and cadbury cost at least 50% more than a year ago, while others have shrunk in size. and that's according to which the energy and climate intelligence unit says the price hike is to down the impacts of climate change, worsened by the el nino phenomenon , a natural phenomenon, a natural reoccurring fluctuation in weather patterns in the tropical pacific . and a paralysed man has pacific. and a paralysed man has appeared to play chess online after receiving a brain chip from elon musk's company neuralink . a video posted online neuralink. a video posted online shows a patient who has no movement below his shoulders, moving a cursor across a laptop screen with nothing but his

thoughts. the video shows him playing chess and turning off the laptops. music 29 year old nolan darbar, who was paralysed after a driving accident, is the first patient to receive the chip . chip. >> became intuitive for me to start imagining the cursor moving, basically it was like, using the force on a cursor and i could get it to move wherever i could get it to move wherever i wanted, just stare somewhere in the screen and it would move where i wanted it to, which was such a wild experience . such a wild experience. >> 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 andrew and . bev. andrew and. bev. >> 1006 with britain's newsroom on gb news with andrew pearson. bev turner. >> so you've been getting in touch at home. thank you very much about the royal records breach. howard in somerset

morning. said in your morning. howard has said in your discussion attempted morning. howard has said in your discussicrecords attempted morning. howard has said in your discussicrecords breach, pted morning. howard has said in your discussicrecords breach, you do medical records breach, you do not state if royal records not state if the royal records records accessed. records were actually accessed. we don't know. we don't know this thing, howard. if not, this is a thing, howard. if not, it immensely reassuring it would be immensely reassuring to hospital systems to report the hospital systems were to were sufficiently robust to have prevented this, rather than implying their put implying that their system put patients risk of exposure. >> i my hunch is there's been something pretty serious to suspend staff for the hospital to tell to the talk to the kensington palace . i don't think kensington palace. i don't think it's somebody just thought, oh, let's have a go because lots of people could do that. yeah, i think i'm pretty amazed if they if somebody hasn't got to it. >> absolutely. >> absolutely. >> but whether could do >> but whether they could do anything the information is anything with the information is another could. it's >> i guess they could. it's whether they and haven't whether they have and we haven't seen american seen it in any american publications or australian publications or australian publications or australian publications or whatever. god. >> if imagine if >> imagine if imagine if somebody publicised it. >> horrific. >> it was horrific. >> it was horrific. >> yeah , but but but >> but yeah, but but but everyone would follow it. that's the terrible thing . it would be the terrible thing. it would be follow my leader. >> curiosity. we to >> immense curiosity. we have to remind that is remind ourselves that privacy is important. is important

important. privacy is important for all individuals. mental health. paul. there are days when i get very anxious, but you have to make a decision in life whether you're going to give up and on social services or and rely on social services or take responsibility and take personal responsibility and deal worst thing deal with it. the worst thing i did my mental health was to did for my mental health was to retire and jamie's retire at 45, and jamie's crossed you . how dare crossed with you. how dare andrew off people with mental health problems? >> say them off. >> i didn't say them off. >> i didn't say them off. >> the nhs invested in mental >> if the nhs invested in mental health, would be health, the country would be a better place. people don't get health, the country would be a bettcare.ace. people don't get health, the country would be a bettcare they people don't get health, the country would be a bettcare they neede don't get health, the country would be a bettcare they need . don't get the care they need. >> what i'm saying is, just to be clear, 2.4 million people are. many them very young, no are. many of them very young, no longer working on full time . we longer working on full time. we are paying for them because a lot of them are saying it's their mental health. i don't buy it. that's what i'm saying. i do not buy that many people have mental issues, and mental health issues, and i think mel stride's got a point. get grip. it's what we used to get a grip. it's what we used to call the difficulties of life. >> do you know what i think a lot of the youngsters as well, what they lack, they call it mental health, but they lack confidence. don't believe mental health, but they lack co themselves don't believe mental health, but they lack co themselves anymore. elieve mental health, but they lack co themselves anymore. they; mental health, but they lack co the believe; anymore. they; mental health, but they lack co the believe they've re. theya mental health, but they lack co the believe they've got'heya don't believe they've got

anything contribute. they anything to contribute. they don't there's any point anything to contribute. they don't to there's any point anything to contribute. they don't to workthere's any point anything to contribute. they don't to work because 1y point anything to contribute. they don't to work because they're going to work because they're going to work because they're going wage. going to make a low wage. and then on instagram then they look on instagram and someone's in a £6 someone's living in a £6 million, never be afford million, never be able to afford to a house. difficult. to buy a house. very difficult. and rowena. rowena yeah, absolutely rowena and rowena. rowena yeah, absolmyy rowena and rowena. rowena yeah, absolmy son's rowena and rowena. rowena yeah, absolmy son's now rowena and rowena. rowena yeah, absolmy son's now 53. rowena and rowena. rowena yeah, absolmy son's now 53. he'sena says, my son's now 53. he's worked a maximum seven worked for a maximum of seven years life. he smoked years in his life. he smoked cannabis his teens. i asked cannabis in his teens. i asked the police help , but they the police for help, but they just told me that cannabis will be legal five years anyway. be legal in five years anyway. he's surfs, get minimal he's sofa surfs, get minimal benefits me haven't benefits and told me i haven't got work when he did got the work ethic. when he did work did well, but he was work he did well, but he was made redundant couple of times made redundant a couple of times and after being told and just days after being told how doing and how how well he was doing and how pleased his work. how well he was doing and how pleait's his work. how well he was doing and how pleait's that, his work. how well he was doing and how pleait's that, isn't his work. how well he was doing and how pleait's that, isn't it, his work. how well he was doing and how pleait's that, isn't it, rowena?'k. and it's that, isn't it, rowena? it's being able to pull it's that being able to pull themselves their themselves up by their bootstraps, youngsters and bootstraps, these youngsters and somehow know life's somehow go out and know life's not be it's not going to be perfect. it's not going to be perfect. it's not going to be perfect. it's not going amazing. it's not going to be amazing. it's going to be happy every day. you're happy you're not meant to be happy every day. not what human every day. it's not what human being, looks like. being, human looks like. >> life. life isn't >> it's called life. life isn't easy. stride is saying this easy. mel stride is saying this as we seem to have as a culture. we seem to have forgotten work is for good forgotten that work is for good mental health. a very old mental health. it's a very old fashioned and it's right fashioned dictum, and it's right it is. >> your e your coming in >> keep your messages coming in gbviews@gbnews.com. three

gbviews@gbnews.com. right. three staff members from this london clinic have been suspended over claims they tried to access princess medical records. princess kate's medical records. >> prosecution >> they could face prosecution under data protection laws, be sued data protection sued if the data protection breach . breach is proven. >> the king was also, of course, treated the in january treated by the clinic in january for the issue his prostate, for the issue with his prostate, but understood his but it's understood that his records were not affected. >> well, joining us now in the studio a great friend this studio is a great friend of this program, the royal correspondent studio is a great friend of this progwriterhe royal correspondent studio is a great friend of this progwriterhe royal cole. pondent studio is a great friend of this progwriterhe royal cole. michael and writer michael cole. michael never seems stop, does it? never seems to stop, does it? this , three people this story, three people suspended. i people are asking us, by email and text. do we know for a fact whether her records were accessed? it strikes me that they must have been for it to have been taken so seriously by the clinic. who've already apologised to kensington palace . kensington palace. >> yeah. good morning andrew. good morning bev, the question of the hour is why no arrests? the metropolitan police have issued a statement saying they're not even aware of a referral by the london clinic to

the information commissioner's office. he's our guardian . he's office. he's our guardian. he's our watchdog on privacy and under the 2018 data protection act , it is under the 2018 data protection act, it is illegal. it under the 2018 data protection act , it is illegal. it is act, it is illegal. it is a crime to obtain an to retain or to disclose information data without the express permission of the data controller. in this case, the building we're looking at right there, the london clinic, prestigious most famous hospital in this country, the resort of famous and royal personages from around the world. when they have medical problems, and all we've heard is that three members of staff have been suspended. now, it would seem to me, i mean, they haven't got this information off a clipboard on the end of the princess's bed, it's been hacked out of the data system. the internet system, the computer

system that they have at the hospital. and that would leave a very, very definite trail, which is easy to follow . these are all is easy to follow. these are all allegations. but if they happened, we need to know. we need to know that the police are on the job. but according to their spokesman, they haven't even been, informed of this referral . so until that happens, referral. so until that happens, nothing can happen apart from us to say which we do. it was vile. if it happened, it was despicable . and it was illegal. despicable. and it was illegal. it was a felony, a serious crime that can be punished by an unlimited fine. unfortunately we know jail time is associated with that, but it is being taken very seriously. >> michael, over the years, how have the royals chosen their medical teams ? they must surely medical teams? they must surely have people that have worked with the family for years, and because the trust issue is so important. >> yeah, well, they have the

queen had a number of physicians, 2 or 3, who were called upon from time to time. >> indeed , one of them used to >> indeed, one of them used to do my annual medical in south kensington. that was just his day job. but actually he was one of the queen's physicians. and obviously they have the very best people on call, and they are people they know and they trust. and they go to the palace or wherever that royal personage just happens to be. and it's all done very, very discreetly. and it always used to be done at the king edward vi! hospital, which used to be called the king edward the seventh hospital for officers. and indeed and andrew will know this in 1963, history was made because the queen went to that very hospital to receive the resignation of harold macmillan, after the tumour scandal. now it was very, very sad and hugely tragic. you will remember that , the princess of remember that, the princess of wales, when she was, duchess of cambridge, she went into that

very same hospital, king edward the seventh, with severe morning sickness. and during that time two morons on the radio in australia rang the hospital for their radio show live , and they their radio show live, and they pretended to be prince charles and the queen and a poor tragic nurse and gave them some innocuous information. and of course , it created a scandal. course, it created a scandal. that poor woman, who was the mother of two children and overseas nurse who came to here work and do a good job. she committed suicide . so these are committed suicide. so these are not trivial matters. and people may be thinking, well, given this story, too much emphasis , this story, too much emphasis, but around the world you know it because you're looking at the world's press. it's number1 or world's press. it's number 1 or 2 story. if it's not number one. yeah. so it's a serious matter. and what i'm asking this morning is what's the met doing about it? >> okay, michael, thank you so much. we're asking the same question . question. >> we are because if they've

been suspended and a law has been suspended and a law has been broken , why aren't the been broken, why aren't the police investigating it? and that be because health that could be because the health minister corvo said minister and maria corvo said they're aware of it, and they should doing about should be doing something about it. thank you. michael that >> yeah. thank you. michael that could three doctors who get could be three doctors who get struck moment of struck off from a moment of stupidity. nosiness, know, stupidity. nosiness, you know, idiot, . idiot, idiot. >> because what? we don't know. >> because what? we don't know. >> just have a quick look. you can can't you? can imagine, can't you? >> it mawkish? is it is it >> is it mawkish? is it is it voyeurism, was somebody voyeurism, or was somebody trying make money. yeah. trying to make some money. yeah. which different. which is really very different. >> spokesperson >> right. a spokesperson for the london have london clinic has said we have systems place to monitor systems in place to monitor management of patient information. in the case of information. and in the case of any , appropriate any breach, all appropriate investigatory, regulatory and disciplinary taken disciplinary steps will be taken . there is no place at our hospital those who hospital for those who intentionally the trust intentionally breach the trust of of our patients of any of our patients or colleagues . colleagues. >> so up next, the work and pensions secretary, mel stride. he's upset people. he's upset labour party for sure , because labour party for sure, because he say people should stop using mental health systems. excuse not to get a job. do you agree? is the system being manipulated ? is the system being manipulated? is the system being manipulated? i think he's right. this is britain's and

gb news. it's 1018. there's all noises off here. i mean, bev and i are even bothered because we've got carole malone causing noises here. watcher and broadcaster. >> it's all professional commentator. >> jonathan, listen , it's all >> jonathan, listen, it's all professional chatter. >> deciding what >> well, just deciding what stories to see. stories we're going to see. >> are both bev and i think >> i we are both bev and i think this is a really important story. the work and pensions secretary saying enough. >> yes. he is saying if that's what he's saying gone on what he's saying it's gone on too this mental health too long. this mental health culture, health, tide culture, mental health, the tide is turning. feel turning. is turning. i feel it's turning. there kemi badenoch kemi there was the kemi badenoch kemi badenoch report this week wasn't hers, she commissioned it hers, but she commissioned it independently. and that was about diversity schemes and companies . she's telling she's companies. she's telling she's telling companies they don't work, they too work, scrap them. they cost too much money. now what we've got mel who's the and mel stride, who's the work and pensions secretary, saying that the is out the mental health culture is out of and we know it is. we

of control and we know it is. we know there are 2.3 million know that there are 2.3 million people who are who are off work . people who are who are off work. a lot of those are with mental health problems. a lot of those happened after the pandemic, and they're which they're claiming benefits, which would stride as basically saying, we can't afford new rules were put in place for that would define what a mental health issue was and what it what it should have been more specific about. it should have been directed at people who are suicidal. it was never meant to be directed at people who've got a bit of anxiety , who were a bit a bit of anxiety, who were a bit bluesy, a bit fed up. and what stride is saying is what's happening is young people are going to the doctor and after 3 or minute consultation, going to the doctor and after 3 or mibeing onsultation, going to the doctor and after 3 or mibeing signed tion, going to the doctor and after 3 or mibeing signed off|, going to the doctor and after 3 or mibeing signed off with a they're being signed off with a mental health issue and there's no requirement for them to come back to work with that, which means it could be for off a yean means it could be for off a year, two years, whatever. and that's costing fortune. that's costing a fortune. >> it strikes, says in his >> and it strikes, says in his report. it's very old report. it's a very old fashioned isn't it? but fashioned view, isn't it? but it's a good one. men get work. going is good for your going to work is good for your mental health.

>> it shouldn't be an >> it's and it shouldn't be an old view. if old fashioned view. you know, if you're and you're sitting at home and you're sitting at home and you're you're you're worried and you're anxious you're anxious and whatever, you're going more worried and going to get more worried and anxious. longer you're anxious. and the longer you're off need a reader. off work, you need a reader. it's to very to go it's going to be very to go back. what saying back. and what he's saying is, and we've take account of and we've got to take account of this, saying it's very and we've got to take account of this, nowaying it's very and we've got to take account of this, now that| it's very and we've got to take account of this, now that we're ery and we've got to take account of this, now that we're more aware good. now that we're more aware of mental health. he's saying it's people with it's very good that people with serious now serious issues are now being seen treated in they seen and treated in a way they wouldn't have been. maybe ten years he said, and years ago. but as he said, and frank, pandemic. frank, for the great, pandemic. yes. he says, you know that yes. says he says, you know that it's you know, it's right. we're discussing it. but there's too many people using it as an excuse. where, where medicalising normal problems like anxiety people being like anxiety and people being fed relationship. >> break—up. >> break—up. >> yes, jonathan, it feels like the movement towards accepting people who to day life people who find day to day life difficult was incredibly well intentioned, and we could probably trace that back, what, 20 years or so? 25, 30 years. that's good. we needed to suicide is still the biggest killer of men under the age of 45. in this country. so something needed to be done. but

where has it gone wrong? because i feel like to some degree, it has gone wrong with this younger generation in particular. well i think it depends on where you start asking the question, doesn't it? >> i mean, you could start from saying, well, we have so many more people to more people who appear to be depressed, to have depressed, who appeared to have poor mental health. so that means that we need to do something them that something to tell them that they're actually ill. they're not actually ill. whereas could say, whereas actually you could say, what about modern society what is it about modern society that making people depressed? that is making people depressed? what current what is it about our current society making more and society that is making more and more unable to do work? society that is making more and more is unable to do work? society that is making more and more is it? unable to do work? society that is making more and more is it? do nable to do work? society that is making more and more is it? do you e to do work? society that is making more and more is it? do you think?» work? society that is making more and more is it? do you think? what? what is it? do you think? what is carol, i'm not is it? i don't, carol, i'm not i'm psychoanalyst . right. i'm not a psychoanalyst. right. and i'm not i'm not an expert in mental health. i'm mental health. i mean, i'm fascinated by it. have often fascinated by it. i have often thought about actually retraining in my, retraining it, and maybe in my, in 40s. but that's a separate in my 40s. but that's a separate issue. do think that mental issue. i do think that mental health a is a fundamentally health is a is a fundamentally important and doesn't health is a is a fundamentally impthe nt and doesn't health is a is a fundamentally impthe attentionand doesn't health is a is a fundamentally impthe attention an deserves. 't get the attention it deserves. we might get more worse i >> -- >> you might get more words, andrew. >> it doesn't get more resources i >> -- >> it absolutely does. the government has just put aside 2.3 billion, apart from all the

benefits that is paying out to deal with mental health issues to people in mental health, they say they are critically under—resourced . under—resourced. >> so of course they would say that the nhs is critically well, that's and that doesn't make it. that doesn't make it. >> that doesn't make it untrue. look, the point is, obviously it's have it's legitimate to have a conversation about can we get more people into work who want to work, who are ready to work and actually are not at the moment? >> do they want to work? >> do they want to work? >> we should go back into a 19705, 19805 style thatcherite. we 1970s, 1980s style thatcherite. we want the workers and not the shirkers. i just don't think it's helpful debate to have right now. so is it okay? it seems to come . it seems to come seems to come. it seems to come around every 15 years, carol, that we kind of have the benefits claimants or the scourge of society every 15 years. >> this is a current problem. you can't under the you can't sweep it under the carpet saying it comes around carpet by saying it comes around every years. we an every 15 years. we now have an education system that is teaching to be powerless, teaching kids to be powerless, to non resilient against to feel non resilient against the things that happen to them in every day life . the problems

in every day life. the problems that kids are experiencing now, the are the kind the vast majority are the kind of anxieties that you had. i had and all us at this table had and all of us at this table had as children. and i'm not saying it's fashioned way, just it's the old fashioned way, just get with it and deal with it. get on with it and deal with it. but doesn't entirely be but it doesn't entirely to be off work years a time. off work for years at a time. >> think the thing is, we are >> i think the thing is, we are actually we agree on we are actually we agree on we are actually on than actually agreeing on more than we here because you we think here because what you said what is it about said about what is it about social of today's life social fabric of today's life that making people think that is making more people think they or they are depressed or to actually depressed? that's they are depressed or to actlcritical depressed? that's they are depressed or to actlcritical question,d? that's they are depressed or to actlcritical question, isn't at's they are depressed or to actlcritical question, isn't it?; the critical question, isn't it? there's a lot of unhappiness. i think a lot into tiktok. >> and you have you have chances and people with no experience whatsoever telling kids what a mental health issue they're saying. if you feel this, if you feel that, yeah, you've got a mental health issue. so that's one of the issues that should stop social, social. >> trust >> we also have to trust doctors, don't we? >> say that someone >> when doctors say that someone right is there many right there is there are so many reasons that's and i got it. reasons and that's and i got it. >> got it. >> i've got it. >> i've got it. >> but also i also think that it should a political issue. should be a political issue. i kind of think that should kind of think that it should take no, it's take it out. no, it's a

political about what makes political issue about what makes people unhappy. i think that actually should no. actually it should be. no, no. carol not curing them. if carol not just curing them. if you scoff, but it's actually you may scoff, but it's actually it's it's legitimate to it's a no. it's legitimate to say how can we improve people's quality of life? we are so focused left and right. focused at left and right. >> do you really think kids today worse than kids 25 today have it worse than kids 25 years ago? today have it worse than kids 25 years (years ago? do you really >> 30 years ago? do you really believe that? >> ways? >> in some ways? >> in some ways? >> in some ways? >> in ways, yes. i asked >> in some ways, yes. i asked you before in what way? >> social media, one. look, >> social media, for one. look, when old when i was 13 years old at school, had tough time for a school, i had a tough time for a number reasons, but god , number of reasons, but my god, i'm glad that i didn't get home last the at end of the last at the at the end of the day and the bullying didn't continue, example. continue, for example. >> it's >> that is true. no i do, it's a huge issue. >> kids are killing themselves in ever in their bedrooms without ever leaving bedrooms because leaving their bedrooms because the bullying is constant. >> which one charity is >> which is which one charity is trying make a political trying to make a political issue. going talk issue. we're going to talk about in hour by banning in the next hour by banning smartphones the under 16 smartphones for the under 16 seconds. banning seconds. i hate banning anything, am on anything, but i am totally on board is. board with that because it is. it criminal what we're it is just criminal what we're doing mental doing to children's mental health, phones being health, with mobile phones being allowed schools allowed to have them in schools as well . what is it? as well. but what else is it? it's people aren't it's a diet. people aren't eating enough , people

eating well enough, people aren't moving or getting enough exercise. all i think exercise. we all know, i think if you go, i think anybody goes to gp says i'm to the gp and says i'm depressed. the should say depressed. the gp should say right. start, improve your right. for a start, improve your diet, your sleep , diet, improve your sleep, improve exercise, come back improve your exercise, come back in months tell me do in three months and tell me do you it's easier you know what it's much easier for probably has about seven >> he probably has about seven minutes consultation. they minutes for a consultation. they say okay, you're obviously a bit mentally, depressed , mentally, mentally depressed, whatever note, whatever thing. here's a note, here's come here's pills, go away, come back. that's what they do back. and that's what they do because anymore because there's no time anymore for anybody. because there's no time anymore for anyboobviously obviously >> well, obviously obviously i think the medical that's if they even a gp, it's even get to see a gp, it's probably it's probably an online people probably it's probably an online peo exactly. people can't get >> exactly. people can't get a gp appointment. think there's gp appointment. i think there's a conversation to be a whole other conversation to be had, about had, by the way, about medicalizing emotions. medicalizing human emotions. i think that's no, no, that's, that's, a completely that's, that's a completely legitimate conversation to have about know, our about our people. you know, our people . obviously there are some people. obviously there are some people, you know, got many people, you know, i've got many friends they could not friends who say they could not live of live without their sort of antidepressant medication, live without their sort of anticbutassant medication, live without their sort of anticbut but nt medication, live without their sort of anticbut but that'incation, live without their sort of anticbut but that's but:ion, live without their sort of anticbut but that's but that's but, but but that's but that's how that's how they're experiencing. and you know, that's i feel very sorry for them and very happy they them and very happy that they are function with those are able to function with those pills. there pills. but there is a conversation to had.

conversation to be had. you know, not it's not know, it's not a it's not a political issue. >> but rather than demonising male think you male strippers, i think you should work. male strippers, i think you showell,ork. male strippers, i think you showell, completely welcome conversation. >> having proper >> having this is a proper conversation >> having this is a proper c don't;ation >> having this is a proper c don't think he is >> having this is a proper cdon't think he is demonised. i don't think he is demonised. >> i'm not, i'm not, i'm not demonising mousetrap. >> you're going on about this is turning back the thatcher turning back to the thatcher shirkers versus. >> if m- >> i'm saying if there is a risk that that conversation is under is underlying what is underlying this, what the so that been has been that has been tried has been very, very clear. >> has said it's good that >> he has said it's good that serious mental problems serious mental health problems are at. and but are being looked at. and but what also says is we cannot what he also says is we cannot be afraid to have this conversation. there many conversation. there are so many conversations, can't conversations, things we can't have, about, like have, conversations about, like diversity, like we have diversity, like we can have conversations about them right how. >> now. >> we can't have such nonsense. >> we can't have such nonsense. >> we can't have such nonsense. >> we can't have these kind of well, we can't because you get demonised have if you demonised if you have if you have the have a conversation about the trans transphobic. trans group, you're transphobic. >> debate >> open this debate right. >> open this debate right. >> miles miles. stride mel >> and miles miles. stride mel stride obviously stride mate, it's obviously legitimate to talk about how we can get people into work. what i think is risk this is think is the risk of this is that then sort of becomes the that it then sort of becomes the ends of the conversation, gets chopped it becomes a chopped off, and it becomes a much conversation about

chopped off, and it becomes a much are conversation about chopped off, and it becomes a much are faking ersation about chopped off, and it becomes a much are faking mental about people are faking mental illness, turning it into that? no, i'm saying there is a risk of the conversation develops into that. >> some people fake do do >> some people do fake it. do do you think they do? you not think they do? seriously, the question. seriously, answer the question. do they or do they not? >> let me answer it. i'll answer then. >> let me answer it. i'll answer then . of course there are people then. of course there are people in every situation who in every single situation who will abuse a system. that doesn't mean that the system needs to change for those people, it means you need to deal with those people who are abusing the system. >> you have millions >> when you have millions of people, have when you people, people you have when you have young people have 2.4 million young people off we need to look at why off sick, we need to look at why and we need to sort that problem i >> -- >> you can't have a generation of young people off work and, and ultimately frightened to go to work because of the anxieties that involved work can't equal anxiety of work. >> we've clearly a number of >> we've got clearly a number of people who feel they can't people who feel that they can't work . and, you know, that's, you work. and, you know, that's, you know, doctors assess what know, doctors to assess what they can be done about it. but, you know, we have to go back to the austerity years when people who had legitimate illnesses had

to this incredibly to go through this incredibly demeaning and degrading assessments , and people took assessments, and people took their own lives. it just their own lives. it was just such an appalling period. and it's really shameful. period. >> shouldn't have in >> it shouldn't have been in british. shouldn't british. it shouldn't have been assessed people. british. it shouldn't have been ass if sed people. british. it shouldn't have been ass ifsed read people. british. it shouldn't have been ass ifsed read about people. british. it shouldn't have been ass ifsed read about the ople. british. it shouldn't have been ass ifsed read about the way. >> if you read about the way that people about the that people assess about the dehumanisation place dehumanisation that took place in who were sick when the in people who were sick when the government was just the overriding objective get overriding objective was to get people work to ignore people into work and to ignore actual not a bad actual people's not a bad objective get people into objective to get people into work. not a bad. it's a it's a bad demonising people to question they're doing. question what they're doing. >> it's not demonising them to examine the illness they are saying they have. and a lot of people in what stride says a lot of people self—diagnosing of people are self—diagnosing now. anxious and now. they're a bit anxious and they , oh, i'm mentally ill. they go, oh, i'm mentally ill. so they time off work that so they get time off work that can't allowed. can't be allowed. >> have a friend who's >> i have a friend who's a psychotherapist saw some psychotherapist and she saw some patients recently, and she said what now in her what she's seeing now in her practice for the first time and being a therapist for 30 years, she students come in and sit she has students come in and sit there and they say, i'm worried because i've got exams coming up . and she says, you're meant to be that's what all

be worried. that's what we all do , have sleepless nights. do, is we have sleepless nights. and but they've been and she said, but they've been taught emotional taught that normal emotional reactions were saying reactions like you were saying before, jonathan, are now not part of the normal human psyche, which people used to suffer in silence before. >> you know, when i was at university, there were people depressed in their rooms. they never sought any help. i mean, isn't when people are isn't it better when people are actually seeking help? >> when multi—millions are? >> no psychotherapist right. >> no psychotherapist is right. you should anxious about your exams. >> i'm not saying that. i'm not saying about exams saying that anxiety about exams is guess there aren't is bad. and i guess there aren't enough enough people >> there aren't enough people like psychotherapist >> there aren't enough people like say, psychotherapist >> there aren't enough people like say, well, hotherapist >> there aren't enough people like say, well, you erapist >> there aren't enough people like say, well, you can ist >> there aren't enough people like say, well, you can sit here will say, well, you can sit here and £80 an hour and i can and pay me £80 an hour and i can indulge your anxiety, i can indulge your anxiety, or i can tell this is normal, have tell you this is normal, have confidence, but confidence, life is tough, but you not enough you are tougher and not enough people seem to ever feel like they can say that to people, particularly the young, because they're being told they're being indulged. >> the fact that people are going friend like that going to your friend like that shows want medical shows that they want medical help, shows that they want medical heland a lot of them do need >> and a lot of them do need medical you know what? we medical help. you know what? we probably more probably are agreeing on more than here, right? than we realise here, right? though more to come this

though a lot more to come this morning. and more from jonathan and next hour. but and carol in the next hour. but first, it's time for news first, it's time for the news with wenzler. with sophia wenzler. >> bev. thank you. it's 10.30. >> bev. thank you. it's10.30. i'm sophia wenzler in the gb newsroom . your headlines. a long newsroom. your headlines. a long awaited report has found thousands of women may have been affected by the department for work and pensions failure to adequately inform them that the state pension age had changed. the parliamentary and health service ombudsman has been looking at potential injustices resulting from the decision to raise women's retirement age, to bnng raise women's retirement age, to bring it in line with men's. in 2010, the women against state and pension equality campaign have lobbied for compensation to address the resulting injustices. they're hoping to be awarded £10,000 in compensation from the government . the from the government. the government plans to deport migrants to rwanda have been set back again after the house of lords inflicted a series of defeats of the bill. seven

proposed changes, including a provision to ensure due regard for domestic and international law, were passed by peers. the bill will now be delayed until after easter , when mps will have after easter, when mps will have to vote again. the legislation aims to revive the government's plan to send some asylum seekers to rwanda . the bank of england to rwanda. the bank of england is expected to hold the interest rate at 5.25% for the fifth time in a row today. it comes after the inflation rate dropped faster than expected in february, hitting 3.4% during the month, the lowest for two and a half years. it's good news for the bank of england and its decision makers on the monetary policy committee. they still expect to be held expect the rate to be held steady as they meet today, and the decision will be announced at midday . and it's bad news for at midday. and it's bad news for chocolate lovers, as some easter eggs are at least 50% more expensive this year. researchers are blaming climate change for the increase after dry weather in west africa to led a spike in global cocoa prices. brands including maltesers, lindt and

cadbury cost at least 50% more than a year ago, while others have shrunk in size. and that's according to which . and for the according to which. 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/ alerts . news .com/ alerts. >> for stunning gold and silver coins, you'll always value rosalind gold proudly sponsors the gb news financial report , the gb news financial report, and here's a quick snapshot of today's markets. >> the pound will buy you $1.2776 and ,1.1703. the price of gold is £1,703.26 per ounce, and the ftse 100 is at 7806 points. >> rosalind gold proudly sponsors the gb news financial report .

report. >> still to come this morning, the met police are at the heart of another race row. you won't believe what they say in one of their videos to prospective recruits. britain's recruits. this is britain's newsroom .

gb news. so good morning. the met has been branded embarrassing after footage emerged of its outreach teams telling prospective recruits black women have recruits that black women have to work harder than white colleagues. wrong ? colleagues. is that wrong? >> so the outreach team also featured of an officer featured footage of an officer saying didn't want saying he didn't want to invalidate minorities who saying he didn't want to inval racially minorities who saying he didn't want to inval racially abusive orities who saying he didn't want to inval racially abusive to ties who saying he didn't want to inval racially abusive to him vho were racially abusive to him while on duty. so let's have a look. >> being woman in today's >> being a woman in today's world and being a black woman does extra layer of does have an extra layer of complexity, however, and struggle and means that often, at times i have to work much harder to be seen, to be heard, and to receive the same level of equality as my white female

counterparts . counterparts. >> so joining us now is our reporter, charlie peters, who uncovered the footage. what's going on here, charlie? >> well , the met connected is >> well, the met connected is the profile we've just seen. this is one of the outreach teams that the met police has to improve representation and recruitment from communities that are typically not as representative as the met police wants them to be in the force. as you all remember , a year ago as you all remember, a year ago today, the kc review was released saying that the met was institute openly racist, sexist, homophobic, and since then the met's has been through quite an extensive struggle session to not agree with that analysis . not agree with that analysis. but at the same time, we've uncovered that its outreach teams, its diversity hiring processes are, in effect, agreeing with that analysis. we've also seen some footage on met connected of people wearing vr goggles, virtual reality to see life as a black female police officer where they talk about the systemic and institutional and unconscious bias that they witness. so in a

way, the outreach team is using the language of the kc review that the met police is trying to avoid. >> and this unconscious bias, they witness is this amongst their colleagues. >> that's the that's the claim which which goes even further into saying the met police into saying that the met police has an internal and systemic problem, is some of the problem, and that is some of the language and the captioning that we're met we're seeing on these met connected videos. haven't got connected videos. we haven't got the but other parts of the clip, but other parts of footage that see on the footage that you can see on the website, the gb news website website, on the gb news website includes footage another includes footage of another black officer saying that black police officer saying that he invalidate he doesn't want to invalidate people abuse him in the people who abuse him in the streets because of the met's past. he says he past. he says that he understands it and doesn't want to situation . now, to oppose that situation. now, i've spoken to critics of this. as you can imagine, there are quite a few alka sehgal, cuthbert from don't divide us. that group saying that that campaign group saying that this was embarrassing and had a whiff of desperation, essentially saying that while it's important to have outreach and to try and include people as much as possible for that recruitment stage, you might not do that if you're telling people

black colleagues have to work so much harder to be heard, recognised and progress. much harder to be heard, rec> the question. >> well, here's the question. i mean, at mean, if their recruitment is at the is that the highest level, is that because offer of the job because the offer of the job is great, is because of this great, or is it because of this outreach in many ways, outreach footage? in many ways, agreeing with some of the negative stereotypes typically associated with the met, that it is a racist force, that if you

are a woman, you're going to struggle more. if you're a black woman, you're going to struggle even more . what's causing that even more. what's causing that problem they problem and how are they achieving levels achieving better levels of recruitment in, recruitment from minorities in, you despite this messaging you know, despite this messaging they're putting out? >> i suppose if i was a black woman wanting apply for the woman wanting to apply for the police, saw a workshop police, and i saw a workshop like colleagues like that where colleagues had vr aware vr headsets on to become aware of own internal racism of their own internal racism bias, whatever you want to call it, i think i'd find that quite reassuring. yeah, think reassuring. yeah, i think they're going to they're going to that i might need, to understand that i might need, or i might a little or that i might feel a little under undervalued in that environment. >> but to use the terms systemic is the is the controversy there, because that ties into the kc report's language about it being an institutional issue. and let's not forget, is about let's not forget, this is about recruitment. this is outreach. is is it very good for is it is it is it very good for an employer to tell potential employees because of your identity? you're going to have to work so much harder than others. >> they say their multiverse . >> they say their multiverse. how much more diverse is the metropolitan police? what is the percentage now of non—white officers? >> well, the stats change every

day, day out. they can't day, day in, day out. they can't keep a latest figure on it, but i'll have the latest figures later today from press later today from the press office. them up to the office. they have them up to the end of february, but i think it's not as representative as they want it to be. >> yeah, no, a lot of work to be done. a statement. done. let's see a statement. >> charlie, >> thank you. charlie, this is from met police. said from the met police. they said we're the most diverse we've ever we know that ever been, but we know that there to do. we'll there is more to do. we'll continue every effort to make sure attracting sure we're attracting a workforce that sure we're attracting a workfi diverse that sure we're attracting a workfidiverse possible.1at is, as diverse as possible. we're committed to we're equally committed to making inclusive making the met an inclusive place where all of our place to work, where all of our people thrive. people can thrive. >> next, before you >> now, up next, before you resign, irish leo resign, the irish pm leo varadkar wanted to change the wording irish wording in the irish constitution include families constitution to include families not marriage. it was not based on marriage. it was decisively in a decisively rejected in a national referendum. was that the end of his career? you're with newsroom on

gb news. a leo varadkar resigned as taoiseach or irish premier yesterday . this were taoiseach or irish premier yesterday. this were his parting words. >> i know this will come as a surprise to many people and a disappointment to some, and i hope at least you will understand my decision . i know understand my decision. i know that others will. how should i put it ? cope with the news just put it? cope with the news just fine. that is the great thing about living in a democracy. there's never a right time to resign high office. however, this is as good a time as any. >> so that follows the crushing referendum defeat where varadkar tried to change the wording in the irish constitution to include families not based on marriage. and he won't mention when he kept standing in the way of brexit. of course he was a big opponent to brexit, so good riddance. or will he be missed? of course, he was also the first openly gay taoiseach as well, so let's speak now to peter tatchell and jamie bryson. good morning gentlemen , peter, just

morning gentlemen, peter, just let's start with you . he really let's start with you. he really had to fall on this sword, didn't he? this this referendum didn't he? this this referendum did not go the way that he intended it to do. why was that intended it to do. why was that in your mind? >> well, i was very surprised by the referendum result because . the referendum result because. because over the last two decades, irish public opinion has become increasingly liberal and progressive. and of course, most voted massively in favour of same sex marriage when a referendum was held, some years back, but this one was, as you say, it was, to extend the definition of a family to all durable relationships , not just durable relationships, not just those within marriage. so it would extend to include, cohabiting couples , both cohabiting couples, both heterosexual and same sex. also extended families where mum and dad and kids lived together with perhaps elderly grandparents or a sick aunt. so it was an attempt to make the family more

inclusive and embracing the other aspect of the referendum was to expand the constitutional definition of care, to remove it from exclusively referring to the duties of women within the home in a bid to sort of make responsibilities in the home more open to everyone that you know, everyone in the family, in the home should be taking responsibilities. it shouldn't just be constitutional and left to women. >> jamie, the taoiseach completely called this wrong because it was a massive rejection of his attempt to redefine the family. i'm not quite sure why a government thinks it needs to redefine the family. what's it got to do with the government ? the government? >> i think it's probably a product of like our own government and great britain and northern ireland and westminster , i think they spend some of their policy makers spend far too much time on twitter, and get carried away with the hyperbolic agenda and feel as if they need to do these things. i mean, they would better mean, they would be far better focused leo focused on. for example, leo varadkar issues in

varadkar has massive issues in the republic of ireland, with immigration, with working class people not being able to get jobs and not being able to get proper housing or all of those issues . but instead, this proper housing or all of those issues. but instead, this is what he's decided to focus his attention on. so i think he badly misread the mood of ordinary people. and i think it probably follows a trend that we're seeing in america that we're seeing in america that we're in, in great we're seeing in, in great britain, as well, if you look this morning at the polling for the form is that many ordinary people are just fed up of this utter woke nonsense and utter hyper woke nonsense and actually just want governments utter hyper woke nonsense and actualion ust want governments utter hyper woke nonsense and actualion and vant governments utter hyper woke nonsense and actualion and govern/ernments utter hyper woke nonsense and actualion and govern as1ments utter hyper woke nonsense and actualion and govern as they're to get on and govern as they're meant to do, and constantly trying to virtue signal and si king likes on twitter. and i honestly do think, far too many policy makers are spending far too much time on social media, and that small, too much time on social media, and that small , unrepresentative and that small, unrepresentative bubble. and that's driving policy and the defeat which leo varadkar has suffered, i think , varadkar has suffered, i think, demonstrates all of that. but of course, from a unionist perspective , nobody will be sad perspective, nobody will be sad to see him go, his conduct over

trying to stop brexit was absolutely appalling. he went to the european union, held up pictures of ira bombs in an effort to get political leave. they'd show there's no self—respecting unionist will have any warm words for leo varadkar . it's good to see have any warm words for leo varadkar. it's good to see him 90, varadkar. it's good to see him go, i mean, we want to have friendly relations with our nearest neighbour. between the two jurisdictions. that's. of course we do. there was great relationships with, for example, bertie ahern and anna kennedy and the kennedy kc, but in terms of leo varadkar, he demolished all of that and that will be his legacy in terms of, in terms of unionism . unionism. >> peter, i think it's so fascinating this this event in ireland, actually, because i think what it shows is that the left, we might call them the left. i guess i'm not sure what that means anymore, but the very, very liberal minded those and i would probably include you in this, peter, actually, with some the you've done some of the work you've done over the years have pushed it so far in terms of redefining tradition in terms man, woman,

family. and it's almost the backlash. it feels like that movement always wants more and more and more. and in an attempt to exceed public appetite, the pushback now towards a small c conservative mindset is extraordinary . extraordinary. >> well, you are right. at one level, i agree that for the average person in ireland, like here in britain, the real focus is the cost of living crisis. people are struggling to make ends meet and that really should be the focus of every government. having said that, this referendum was well intended, i think it's good to recognise that there are men and women who do not get married but live together , maybe for 20 or live together, maybe for 20 or 30 years, bring up their kids well , the idea was to say that well, the idea was to say that they should have a recognition as a family. the family should not be strictly revolving around people, in a traditional

marriage. so the principle was good. but i do agree governments have to focus on the bread and butter issues that are really hurting the general population . hurting the general population. and, you know, it's right that working class people have been left behind and that has got to be addressed. that is actually more important than this well intended constitutional change. >> and jamie, i was just looking at the figures . they're huge. at the figures. they're huge. 68% rejected the amendment on changing the definition of the family, 74% on care about whether it should just mention women. that's massive. a measure of just how badly misjudged this was. yeah >> and i think, look, there's been this, trajectory over recent years or if we must do away with all traditional values , all traditional family values, we must dispense with all of that , and i we must dispense with all of that, and i think as, as it was very succinctly put in some of the last questions there, where does that end, you know, we're going to redefine a man can now

call himself a woman. we're going to redefine biological sex. we're going to redefine, the tradition of marriage. we're going redefine all of these going to redefine all of these things. and does it end? things. and where does it end? there's traditional anchor in there's no traditional anchor in society left. and tradition is not a bad thing. traditional values is not a bad thing. it's not. and for a number of years, it's almost as if people who hold traditional values and views were demonised and were seen somehow outcasts. and seen as as somehow outcasts. and it was like a popularity contest on social media as to who could be more hyper woke, who could be more ridiculous, in order to, to, to to, get likes and retweets and nowhere we see that more. and i think this wasn't technically part of the irish referendum. and the transgender issue, for example. mean, issue, for example. i mean, where any of this end, you where does any of this end, you know, if i decide this morning to self—identify as an elephant, i mean, are they going to put me in it's complete and in the zoo? it's complete and utter nonsense. and people just want their governments get on want their governments to get on with governing people can live their they their own lives however they wish confines the wish within the confines of the law. and don't need the

law. and we don't need the government neither the government and neither the pubuc government and neither the public ireland, which is public of ireland, which is a foreign country, obviously, or our government great our own government in great britain ireland, britain and northern ireland, meddling utter nonsense meddling in these utter nonsense issues , which are really just issues, which are really just fascinations the hyper woke fascinations of the hyper woke twitter dodi, to be quite honest, peter, can i just add there though, that you have to be careful about defending be very careful about defending traditional , because traditional values, because traditional values, because traditional meant that traditional values meant that women were second class citizens, that people were citizens, that gay people were criminalised , and that a lot of criminalised, and that a lot of very bad things happened. >> so i'm not saying toss out traditional values, but i think we be very careful in we need to be very careful in defending values, defending traditional values, which oppressive which were often very oppressive to sections of society. i think it's great that ireland and britain have moved on to be more accepting and understanding of people who are different and particularly and we have to move on, gentlemen, we have to move on, gentlemen, we have to move on as well. >> but thank you. good discussion, such interesting issues. us know your issues. let us know your thoughts at home on that. stay with going to be with us. we're going to be looking the bank of england. looking at the bank of england. of it might. there might of course it might. there might be rate change be an interest rate change today. go anywhere. here's

today. don't go anywhere. here's thea brighter outlook with boxt >> a brighter outlook with boxt solar sponsors of weather on . gb news. >> hello. welcome to your latest weather update from the met office for gb news. a bit of a north south split today. rain moving across scotland and northern ireland, most of england wales. dry low england and wales. dry low pressure hitting iceland and these weather fronts coming from that low pressure providing the cloud and the outbreaks of rain. that rain fairly patchy over northern england, but some showery rain across lincolnshire and yorkshire, and fairly damp and yorkshire, and a fairly damp afternoon through northern cumbria. certainly soggy for a good of northern ireland. good part of northern ireland. central and southern scotland. but northwest turn but the far northwest does turn brighter. is very brighter. but it is very blustery here, much of the south of uk. bit misty and of the uk. yes, a bit misty and murky first thing, but brightening up this afternoon and see bit of and where we see a bit of sunshine. very mild again. 1617, perhaps 18 celsius. the perhaps even 18 celsius. the rain, though, is going to trickle south, clearing from northern ireland and southern scotland this evening, spreading into then

into northwest england, then into northwest england, then into wales. so turning damp here, much of the south still mostly dry through the night, turning windy everywhere, particularly across the far north. a very blustery night here with showers coming in. here with the showers coming in. they'll snow over the they'll fall as snow over the tops the and it will tops of the hills and it will turn colder here. another fairly mild night in the south. different feel though, tomorrow morning across the midlands and east anglia , much of southern east anglia, much of southern england seeing cloud and outbreaks rain outbreaks of rain that rain slowly moving across the southeast. so quite day. southeast. so quite a damp day. the likely to linger in the rain likely to linger in kent. it brightens up further north. lots of showers packing into scotland and northern ireland snow on the ireland again. some snow on the hills a chillier feel for hills and a chillier feel for all temperatures lower tomorrow and the and feeling even colder with the wind . wind. >> that warm feeling inside from boxt boilers . sponsors of boxt boilers. sponsors of weather on . gb news. weather on. gb news. >> well thanks, alexander. this is a hobby horse of bev turner. should smartphones be banned for children under the age of 16? we're going to be having that discussion with britain's

newsroom with gb news. you know what she thinks this is the people's .

channel. morning. 11 am. on thursday, 11th of march. this is britain's newsroom on gb news with andrew pearson. turner. pearson. bev turner. >> time to toughen up? >> so, is it time to toughen up? find out why the work and pensions secretary, stride , pensions secretary, mel stride, thinks mental health thinks that mental health culture you've culture has gone too far. you've been divided by this on the been divided by this one on the emails. me tell you , all emails. let me tell you, all eyes on the bank of england as they decide what to do with interest rates at midday today . interest rates at midday today. >> i'm at the bank of england here in the city of london, the bank of england's monetary policy committee . they're in the policy committee. they're in the building behind me. will they cut interest rates at 12 noon today after yesterday's fall in inflation? stay with gb news to

find out . find out. >> i very much hope they do so. a leading charity wants all political parties to put a ban on mobile phones for the under 16 in their election manifesto. i think the vast majority of parents agree with them. we're going to be joined by that charity shortly . charity shortly. >> and plummeting birth rates. a new shows. britain's going new study shows. britain's going to be more reliant on to be even more reliant on immigration remainder of immigration for the remainder of the being told of the century. we're being told of a staggering social change. i think we've already had one of those. >> get in touch with us. gb views at gb news. com is the email address first for the very latest news with sophia wenzler. >> thanks, bev. good morning. it'5 11:01. >> thanks, bev. good morning. it'511:01. i'm >> thanks, bev. good morning. it's11:01. i'm sophia wenzler in the gb newsroom. your top story this hour. thousands of women may be owed compensation

after a report found that the department for work and pensions failed to adequately inform them that the state pension age was changing. the parliamentary and health service ombudsman looked at potential injustices resulting from the decision to raise women's retirement age to bnng raise women's retirement age to bring it into line with the men's. in 2010, the women against state pension inequality campaign hoped to be awarded £10,000 in compensation from the government, claiming that millions of women had suffered financially because they weren't warned about the changes. but the report has recommended payments below 3000. government plans to deport migrants to rwanda have been set back again after the house of lords inflicted a series of defeats of the bill. several proposed changes , including a provision changes, including a provision to ensure due regard for domestic and international law, were passed by peers. the bill will now be delayed until after easter, when mps will have to vote again on. the legislation aims to revive the government's plan to send some asylum seekers

to rwanda. it comes after yesterday was a record day in the channel, as 450 migrants crossed in small boats. the highest number this year so far. meanwhile, a south sudanese migrant has been jailed for piloting a dangerously overcrowded small boat as it made its way across the english channelin made its way across the english channel in august. 31 year old charles pannemaker has been caught steering the vessel with 52 other migrants, many of whom were forced to sit on makeshift flooring. the home office has released a series of images taken force . the bank taken by border force. the bank of england is expected to hold the interest rate at 5.25% for the interest rate at 5.25% for the fifth time in a row today. it comes after the inflation rate dropped faster than expected in february, hitting 3.4% during the month, the lowest for two and a half years. it's good news for the bank of england and its decision makers on the monetary policy committee . they still expect the rate to be held steady as they meet today will be today, and the decision will be announced midday. the work

announced at midday. the work and pensions secretary is warning that britain's mental health culture has gone too far. speaking as he unveiled plans to get 150,000 people back into work, mel stride said that the benefits bill was being pushed up benefits bill was being pushed ”p by benefits bill was being pushed up by a sharp increase in the number of people who are on long time sickness. in an interview with the telegraph newspaper, he suggested an increased public focus on talking about mental health had led to people self—diagnosing conditions. it comes as the welfare bill is set to hit £100 billion this year. shadow work and pensions minister alison mcgovern says labour has a plan . labour has a plan. >> what needs to be addressed is to make sure that we have good work in this country that supports people's good mental health, as i just mentioned. and alongside that, we need a mental health system as part of our nhs that can really help people. you know, if you're a child or a young person needing mental health support, the waiting list can be years long and that's not good enough. so we need labour's

plan support our health plan to support our health service, including mental health support. with 8500 extra mental health workers. so that we can improve that quality of service for people. that's labour's plan i >> -- >> in other news, three staff members from the london clinic are being investigated over allegations that they tried to access the princess of wales medical files. the individuals could face prosecution under the data protection laws, and also could be sued for damages by catherine. it's understood the king's medical records were not compromised when he was treated at the same hospital for an enlarged prostate . the london enlarged prostate. the london clinic has promised investigatory regulatory and disciplinary steps will be taken . and it's bad news for chocolate lovers, as some easter eggs are at least 50% more expensive this year. researchers are blaming climate change for the increase after dry weather in west africa led to a spike in global cocoa prices . brands global cocoa prices. brands including maltesers, lindt and cadbury cost at least 50% more

than a year ago, while others have shrunk in size. and that's according to which the energy and climate intelligence unit says the price hike is down to the impacts of climate change, worsened by the el nino phenomenon , a reoccurring phenomenon, a reoccurring natural fluctuation in weather patterns the tropical pacific patterns in the tropical pacific . and for the latest stories, sign to gb news alerts by 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 andrew and . bev. andrew and. bev. >> good morning. it's 1106 andrew and. bev. >> good morning. it's1106 with britain's newsroom on gb news with bev turner and andrew pierce. you've been getting in touch at home about the mental health issue, particularly in joanne says, i used be joanne says, i used to be a psychiatric nurse for 25 years. i mel stride. the i agree with mel stride. the youngsters nowadays do game the system. first hand. system. i saw it first hand. they openly brag about gaming. they openly brag about gaming. the benefit to the the benefit system to the liberal created this liberal left have created this wrapping them in cotton wool. wrapping them up in cotton wool. and i live near and richard says i live near people who say that they have such issues, but they've never

worked. they've food worked. they've got three food deliveries of deliveries a day courtesy of justeat and seem more than happy to the state. so many to live off the state. so many people than happy to people are more than happy to collect there's no collect benefits. there's no contribution to society. >> very >> he's raised a very interesting area, i really think. mel stride. think. well done mel stride. he's probably one of the least. most people probably wouldn't know he walked in know mel stride if he walked in this if he. this room. if he. >> mean if he strode in this >> you mean if he strode in this room, would know who he room, nobody would know who he was. it's very important >> but it's a very important debate. triggered, debate. he's triggered, and i think proper think we need to have a proper discussion. was very discussion. and i was very disappointed labour disappointed with the labour spokesman on breakfast this morning. tories, morning. just saying. tories, tories, terrible tories 14 years. not that. years. it's not about that. >> yeah. this is mel strauss. if he walks in your room this afternoon, ladies and gentlemen, you who there you will know who he is. there he walking he is, walking there purposefully the lectern purposefully up to the lectern to talk fact that he's to talk about the fact that he's a big rishi man. >> he worked with rishi at the treasury, i think he's he's treasury, but i think he's he's opened really important debate. >> i do think important >> i do think it's important because . then similarly, i because. but then similarly, i also teachers who also feel sorry for teachers who don't quite know how to handle this employers who don't this issue. employers who don't quite know how to handle it, employers want to say, come employers who want to say, come on, buck up, you're doing a good

job. get up tomorrow morning, come be fine. come to work. you'll be fine. we'll, you if you need to we'll, you know, if you need to take coffee we'll take. take a coffee break, we'll take. but come you're all right. but come on, you're all right. >> you think working >> don't you think working from home >> don't you think working from hcyou are mentally, if you've if you are mentally, if you've got towards got inclinations towards depression anxiety, working depression and anxiety, working from at the same from home, staying at the same wall computer screen, not wall or a computer screen, not engaging having wall or a computer screen, not e|routine having wall or a computer screen, not e|routine about having wall or a computer screen, not e|routine about getting having wall or a computer screen, not e|routine about getting on having wall or a computer screen, not e|routine about getting on aaving wall or a computer screen, not e|routine about getting on a bus] a routine about getting on a bus or train to go to work or or a train to go to work or walking to work, socialising with people, it all adds to it. it my girls came home from it does my girls came home from school the other day. >> i think i told this story. it was mental health week and they spent lot time spent a lot of time talking about health got in the about health and she got in the car. she went, oh mummy, i feel like have a mental like i need to have a mental health condition. and it was because are so because teenagers are so stressed is social stressed stuff. it is social contagion . they want to fit in contagion. they want to fit in and therefore and they're very young. 121314 and therefore and they're very young. 12 1314 they should be having a nice time and not worrying about mental health. they should. right. moving on. yeah joining us now in the studio is barrister sam fowles, who i'm sure has got his head in

his hands listening to us about that. >> sam disagree with me. don't you sam. >> and you were you were very honest in first hour about honest in the first hour about the that you've some the fact that you've had some mental health struggles the fact that you've had some mental hbuth struggles the fact that you've had some mental h buth st do gles the fact that you've had some mental hbuth st do gles to draw yourself. but we do need to draw a people a distinction between people like struggled, like you who've struggled, who've who've taken who've managed it, who've taken responsibility for it, and teenagers who are just looking around, to be around, going, i need to be mentally unwell to here. mentally unwell to fit in here. >> yeah, think definitely >> yeah, i think we definitely need distinction. need to draw that distinction. i just stride is just don't think mel stride is doing i think what he is doing it. i think what he is doing it. i think what he is doing treating the end of the doing is treating the end of the problem, saying, i've identified this, i think it's an issue. so i'm going to do do something about it by finding someone to punish. actually, what we need to is treat start the to do is treat the start of the problem. days, problem. and kids these days, from onwards , are from my generation onwards, are facing far greater stresses than than previous. >> do you mind me asking? >> do you mind me asking? >> i'm 30. i'm 35. >> next month, the fact that you had to even pause to think about thatis had to even pause to think about that is quite reassuring. 30 year olds do that as well. not justi'm. yeah, large of my >> i'm. yeah, a large part of my stress at was not being stress at school was not being good maths, but, genuinely good at maths, but, genuinely though, the we've had successive generations where remember

generations where and i remember doing exams and basically being told it doesn't matter how well you do in your exams because the economy has crashed, you're probably get a very probably not going to get a very good i'm told that was good job. i'm told that that was that feeling that all of that was the feeling that all of us and that's not just my us had. and that's not just my generation. happened to generation. that's happened to generation. that's happened to geraretion generation. that's happened to gerare raising groups kids we are raising groups of kids that going out into a world that are going out into a world that are going out into a world thatis that are going out into a world that is just hopeless because of the circumstances that have been imposed on us by others. and so it's not it's no surprise there is a is real mental health difficulties there. and what we haven't done is provided ways of deaung haven't done is provided ways of dealing with that. and let me just give you an example of what works. so in my set, we didn't used to but in my set we realised that , if you're realised that, if you're mentally healthy, you're going to be a better worker. there's no point having someone that's that's got mental going through a mental health crisis, not fully functioning. they're not going in court. going to do well in court. they're going to give good they're not going to give good advice. together and advice. so we come together and we make big effort to make

we make a big effort to make sure our juniors get the help they deserve. and we pay for it. we it. many of them have we fund it. many of them have a problem, there's not that many people , so i'm not people in my set, so i'm not going to i'm not to going to i'm not going to divulge that had a rough percentage. >> well, we know at school. >> well, we know it's at school. there i think it's three there are i think it's three children of every of children out of every class of 30 now be repeatedly off school. >> that's 10, 10% >> that's 10, 10% >> and 12 12.5% of >> that's 10, 10% >> and 1212.5% of kids have an eating disorder at the moment. and so these are really shockingly high numbers. and it's not, you know, 12.5. you're looking at the millions. they're not they're not all of them making that up. >> and these youngsters in your legal set who have to take time off or need extra support, off or need some extra support, what they moaning about? what are they moaning about? moaning terrible what moaning is a terrible word. what are their are they expressing their concerns about ? concerns about? >> well, and i'll just talk about myself because i don't want divulge other people's want to divulge other people's mental health concerns. but i don't story. so is it don't want your story. so is it paying don't want your story. so is it paying the rent? >> is it family relationships? is it health? >> yeah. >> yeah. >> so it is. it's what i mean. mel stride has said yeah it's the these everyday stresses but because that's what. >> that's we've always,

>> but that's what we've always, always sam. always been around sam. >> always been an issue >> and it's always been an issue for different. >> people are different and >> but people are different and firstly some people have more everyday stresses than others. and are far more likely to and you are far more likely to have struggling with with have be struggling with with mental if you are mental health issues if you are in poverty, for example, but the it's your lawyers aren't, well, no. so we're, they're not worried about that, but they, they for me it was worrying about doing the, you know, an incredibly difficult job and being able to perform in an incredibly competitive environment and feeling like i wasn't to scratch even wasn't coming up to scratch even when i even when i was. that's an concern . but if an everyday concern. but if i was thinking about that and worrying about that all of the time instead of performing, i wouldn't have been doing the job that my our clients need me to do. go away , you get do. so you go away, you get therapy, you get help, and you come back. therapy, you get help, and you conwhat:k. therapy, you get help, and you conwhat else are they >> what else are they complaining youngsters? >> for example, some >> well, so for example, some people get concerned about people do get concerned about about because the, the about money because the, the junior end you, you don't get paid until you don't get salary.

you just get what you what you earn. so it takes six months to, to get paid. so you go six months without any money. twas ever yeah, that ever thus which. yeah, but that is it's everyday thing is again, it's an everyday thing that incredibly stressful, that is incredibly stressful, particularly of cost particularly as a result of cost of living, things like that, and, know , for, for, for me, and, you know, for, for, for me, it was always the, the, the social being in a being in a social, a social setting and this, this can have hugely, you know , physical impacts. so one know, physical impacts. so one of the ways it affects me is i stop eating . and so just before stop eating. and so just before christmas, there was again purely everyday things, but because of the way my brain is made up, my physiology, they affected me in a certain way . made up, my physiology, they affected me in a certain way. i basically stopped eating for a month, lost loads of weight and you know, and i've been go to therapy every , every week. so therapy every, every week. so i'm up to my therapy every week to, to get over that. but all of that cost loads and loads of money. >> were you also the generation that weren't allowed to lose at school? because for me, i can trace this back. you know, i

think it was under tony blair when you couldn't have competitive sport in schools. they took away competitive sport. so a sports day, everyone gets a lolly and, you know, you gets a lolly and, you know, you get prize, a medal for get a prize, you get a medal for the smile in the 100m the best smile in the 100m running race. imagine my daughter fell about you daughter fell about that, you know , and therefore didn't know, and therefore we didn't allow build allow children to build resilience because you didn't lose anything. you would never see the exam results on a wall in case it upset their feelings. so different to when we were at school where we'd be like, well, yeah, you haven't done very well , you'll be right. do , but you'll be all right. do better time. buck up. better next time. buck up. >> it was an incentive to >> well, it was an incentive to do better. >> for me it was. so i was >> well, for me it was. so i was at school in the in blair at school in the in the blair years. and if anything, years. and actually if anything, it the it was the opposite. it was the it was the opposite. there incredibly high there was an incredibly high pressure sports, at pressure to win at at sports, at academia, you're private academia, at you're in a private school, school, school, sam no state school, state school. incredible pressure because and pressure to win because and particularly, you know, towards the i did my a levels the end and i, i did my a levels at the start of the financial crisis because we knew there was only a relatively small number of that were going to have a of us that were going to have a nice that you had to do

nice life and that you had to do everything you could to get everything you you could to get into small group the, at into that small group at the, at the and so you had to the very top. and so you had to win all the races, win all the matches, top in the, in the matches, come top in the, in the class, only few. class, only a few. >> you're going to have a nice life this is how it felt when i >> this is how it felt when i was i was a teenager, was when i was a teenager, because seeing in real because we were seeing in real time , we were seeing the economy time, we were seeing the economy collapsing and jobs disappearing around us. >> the economy bounced back. >> the economy bounced back. >> well, except except it didn't for huge numbers of people, wages stagnated. >> so yeah, people got jobs, but they were bad jobs. they were insecure jobs. and so and this is another everyday thing that drives your mental health. having an insecure job, not knowing that you might be able to you're going to be able to come back every, every day and get a wage that destroys people knew phenomenon sam. knew phenomenon though, sam. >> get why >> that's what i don't get why this causing so many mental this is causing so many mental health but health issues, but this is a phenomena that's been around forever. >> but you see, i, i think you are to something there are on to something there because live in a world because you we live in a world now where can't really start

now where you can't really start your own, you can start your own small business. you can, you can, but it's so expensive. if you wanted to do painting and decorating or you to be, decorating or you want to be, you know, a gardener, a plumber, or you want you can't open a shop , it's you. no one's buying shop, it's you. no one's buying anything online, so you cut everything. you can't open a little on high street. little shop on the high street. so the jobs look like so what do the jobs look like for this generation? ali for this generation? moeen ali mainly sat behind a mainly it's sat behind a computer, typing away, making money else at the money for somebody else at the top of the tree. and the teenagers are not interested in doing driving or riding doing that, or driving or riding a bike to deliver uber eats or something that, which, something like that, which, you know, all right one know, you might be all right one day, it's going the next day, but it's going the next day. >> the reason yes, >> and i think the reason yes, this is i mean, could be this is i mean, we could be having this conversation right, about in the, in the 19th about miners in the, in the 19th century. same thing. right? yeah. different, century. same thing. right? yeah. different , though, yeah. what's different, though, is we know more about is that we know more about health we understand the health now. we understand the issues more. you know, you we'd be having the same thing about conversation. conversation about miners. we wouldn't miners. but we wouldn't understand the drivers of lung cancen understand the drivers of lung cancer, more money, more people are diagnosed lung cancer

are diagnosed with lung cancer now understand it. now because we understand it. it's the same with mental health. our life expectancy is >> how is our life expectancy is going for first time in going down for the first time in decades. we we're not doing decades. so we we're not doing anything terribly well, we, anything terribly well, are we, sam? interesting. thank sam? really interesting. thank you . right, you so much. thank you. right, still come, apparently, our still to come, apparently, our beloved still to come, apparently, our belov buns still to come, apparently, our belovbuns are at risk. what? we cross buns are at risk. what? we will tell you why . this is will tell you why. this is britain's newsroom on

gb news. >> i express how that is . >> i express how that is. >> i express how that is. >> carmelo. watching on. you can hear it. yes. i don't even need to introduce you. this is a television studio. carol typekit . no, ijust television studio. carol typekit . no, i just all you talking. i was trying to tell you. it's 1120, but carol anneliese taking over she's the over as usual. she's the proprietor. it's 1120, guys. 1120 jonathan, 1120 jonathan said, jonathan, how'd put up with her? oh, stop. >> don't ask me that . >> don't ask me that. >> don't ask me that. >> go on, tell us. >> i just bought you a pastry i

just bought. >> you know, i told actually, no, actually, let's just on a serious point. >> i think it's really important that when you have completely different political opinions , different political opinions, that you're always able to engage with someone on a personal level and have a bit of a joke with them, i think that's really i think really important. i think one thing politics thing that's sad about politics now of just now is that you kind of just have be in your camp all have to be in your camp at all times and that you kind of can't, know, some people can't, you know, some people don't fraternising with the don't like fraternising with the other think other side. i kind of think i always think that's a mistake. obviously there very, very, always think that's a mistake. obvi deep there very, very, always think that's a mistake. obvi deep differences ary, very, always think that's a mistake. obvi deep differences that 'ery, always think that's a mistake. obvi deep differences that we very deep differences that we have. does have. and you know, that does impact depending impact on people depending on what are. but what the issues are. but i always it's important to always think it's important to treat that can't treat something that you can't solve in my opinion. >> well, exactly . >> well, exactly. >> well, exactly. >> my apologies. and i bought her a brownie. let's talk about rwanda, carol. >> right. goodness this bill >> right. goodness me, this bill is going to get ping pong back and forth, and it's so frustrating. it's very interesting. >> you know, just for people who might not have read the papers yet, this defeated again yet, this was defeated again yesterday. ten times. ten times defeated. now it's really dan hannan wrote a piece in i think

it was your paper, pierce, the other day saying that, you know, this is more about this is more than about immigration now. has become immigration now. this has become a sovereignty now. and a matter of sovereignty now. and this absolutely true because this is absolutely true because we, you know, we have a bunch of liberal judges and a bunch of unelected peers windbag unelected peers led by windbag welby and who are who are trying to thwart government policy. this this policy was voted on, overwhelmingly in the, in the commons. and it should have been passed. the lords are supposed to be a revising chamber. it's not supposed to be a chamber where they they're just took out government policy that they don't that's what don't like. and that's what they're they're showing they're doing. they're showing zero the commons, zero respect for the commons, the chamber, for the elected chamber, and for for the elected chamber, and for for the the vote that was passed in there deciding to follow there and deciding to follow their largely their own left wing, largely agendas on immigration. >> and it's just not on i agree with that. but here's my problem with that. but here's my problem with it. i was at a reception last night. there were a lot of lords there. yeah, and they were perplexed this is perplexed that this is supposedly emergency legislation. being legislation. why isn't it being rushed commons today rushed through the commons today ? it'5 rushed through the commons today ? it's not going to come back

till after easter. is this an emergency? this is it emergency? is this why is it rishi? engage. it is an emergency. emergency? why doesn't and doesn't he engage with it and get with it instead? it's get on with it instead? it's going until after going to wait until after easter, which won't get easter, which means we won't get a the air. why, why? a plane in the air. why, why? >> papers and >> why are all the papers and i thought you meant. why all thought you meant. why are all the they the papers saying that they can't do anything to after easter the defeat easter because of the defeat last can they tell last night? what can they tell us?what can do? they can >> what they can do? they can just through just rush it through as emergency the commons emergency votes in the commons immediately. they're in charge of they've a of the procedure. they've got a majority of 50. >> is your okay? >> so is your thought okay? >> so is your thought okay? >> can't force the lords to >> they can't force the lords to accept amendments. accept the amendments. >> can't actually >> they they can't actually because ultimately the parliament's an >> oh good. let's have an election then. can do that in election then. we can do that in the next. >> because, because the >> because, because, because the commons that passes commons has had that passes with a of 48, very healthy majority. >> these are unelected bishops. why they even i can i just why are they even i can i just say absolutely thrilled that say i'm absolutely thrilled that we consensus on an entirely we have consensus on an entirely elected here, elected house of lords here, because didn't because of course, we didn't want we wouldn't want the house, the of lords, know, the house of lords, you know, about. the house of lords, you know, abowe consensus on a fully >> we have consensus on a fully elected of because elected house of lords because you're complaining about unelected presumably you're complaining about unelected we presumably you're complaining about unelected we needresumably you're complaining about unelected we need an umably you're complaining about unelected we need an elected. that means we need an elected. theredon't necessarily we

>> i don't necessarily think we need necessarily need them. i don't necessarily think need house of lords think we need the house of lords because lot money, a because a lot of money, either a fully elected or no lords fully elected lords or no lords at all. >> i'm glad that we have consensus issue, because >> i'm glad that we have consenstossibly issue, because >> i'm glad that we have consenstossibly issldisagreese we can't possibly only disagree with don't like with the laws that we don't like what they are playing well though. keir starmer though. well, keir starmer actually have a actually does want to have a fully elected house. >> no doesn't. fully elected house. >> he no doesn't. fully elected house. >> he he no doesn't. fully elected house. >> he he alone no doesn't. fully elected house. >> he he alone money. doesn't. >> he he alone money. >> he he alone money. >> he he alone money. >> he jonathan in next >> he did jonathan in the next five parliament we they'll five year parliament we they'll have majority. have a large majority. they won't house of lords reform. >> look i if we want to have a constitutional discussion i'm very have because very happy to have that because i should full i think we should have full proportional representation and a of lords. a fully elected house of lords. but try and but in the meantime, try and concentrate. have concentrate. we're going to have if going have a house if you're going to have a house of then you accept what if you're going to have a house of pointthen you accept what if you're going to have a house of point of n you accept what if you're going to have a house of point of theyu accept what if you're going to have a house of point of the house pt what if you're going to have a house of point of the house of what if you're going to have a house of point of the house of lords the point of the house of lords is. you can't just move the goalposts. >> revising change. it's >> it's a revising change. it's not. there to thwart not. it's not there to thwart government policy. >> you're wrong because it's i'm not a manifesto not it's not a manifesto commitment. rwanda was not mentioned 2019 manifesto. commitment. rwanda was not menonlyed 2019 manifesto. commitment. rwanda was not menonly convention 19 manifesto. commitment. rwanda was not menonly convention is manifesto. commitment. rwanda was not menonly convention is that ifesto. commitment. rwanda was not menonly convention is that the :o. the only convention is that the lords will voted on in the commons. the only convention of the house of lords is that they don't vote down manifesto commitments they have. they have a constitutionally, a mandate. constitutionally, they what they like. the

they can do what they like. the government force through its government can force through its legislation parliament legislation with the parliament act has act after the parliament has ended, conservative ended, the conservative manifesto it would cut manifesto said it would cut immigration, didn't say any illegal immigration it illegal immigration and it certainly is means certainly this is the means they're doing by. they're doing it by. >> is how they're doing, >> this is how they're doing, jonathan. >> this is they're doing it. >> this is how they're doing it. this how they're doing this is how they're doing it by the rwanda and, you know, the rwanda bill. and, you know, this passed eventually. this will be passed eventually. why they just with why don't they just get on with it? well, that's what >> well, that's what what a ridiculous argument be ridiculous argument will be passed ridiculous argument will be passe will look , either you have ridiculous argument will be p.lords ill look , either you have ridiculous argument will be p.lords with ok , either you have ridiculous argument will be p.lords with a; , either you have ridiculous argument will be p.lords with a righther you have ridiculous argument will be p.lords with a right of you have ridiculous argument will be p.lords with a right of you htoa a lords with a right of peers to amend legislation as they see fit for how long, or you don't have a lords, you can't just say, you know why they're delaying? >> they're delaying because >> they're delaying it because they think that labour going they think that labour is going to soon and they won't to get in soon and they won't have to do it at all. >> well, labour is going to get in. >> that's not an >> i mean, that's not an unreasonable i think unreasonable but that's i think that's totally that's a reasonable, totally unreasonable. just be, that's a reasonable, totally unreathatble. just be, that's a reasonable, totally unreathat they just be, that's a reasonable, totally unreathat they don't just be, that's a reasonable, totally unreathat they don't like st be, that's a reasonable, totally unreathat they don't like the a, carol that they don't like the policy don't like the policy and they don't like the supreme court issuing a judgement. and then mps judgement. and then and then mps say you say it's left, but you can change the left. say it's left, but you can chahadthe left. say it's left, but you can cha had any .eft. say it's left, but you can cha had any policies at all on >> had any policies at all on immigration?! >> had any policies at all on immigration? i might be willing to into the argument, but to buy into the argument, but they keir starmer they don't. keir starmer has no policies immigration.

they don't. keir starmer has no policies goingnigration. they don't. keir starmer has no policies going tolration. they don't. keir starmer has no policies going to geton. they don't. keir starmer has no policies going to get the gangs. >> he's going to get the gangs. >> he's going to get the gangs. >> oh got the gangs. >> yeah. oh he's got the gangs. >> yeah. oh he's got the gangs. >> look that's what it >> well look that's what it comes immigration. comes to immigration. >> certainly not on >> i'm certainly not on keir starmers i think what starmers side. i think that what i find completely outrageous, i do find completely outrageous, though, cleverly does though, when james cleverly does do when james cleverly though, when james cleverly does do when when james cleverly though, when james cleverly does do when james james cleverly though, when james cleverly does do when james cleverly leverly though, when james cleverly does do when james cleverly says, y says, when james cleverly says, well, their allies , well, labour and their allies, people are risking their lives in of people who don't in the hands of people who don't care die long they in the hands of people who don't care the die long they in the hands of people who don't care the talking long they in the hands of people who don't care the talking needs they in the hands of people who don't care the talking needs to they in the hands of people who don't care the talking needs to endy in the hands of people who don't care the talking needs to end so pay. the talking needs to end so we on with the job of we can get on with the job of saving lives stopping the saving lives and stopping the boats. completely boats. it's so completely disingenuous. that is effectively that's effectively gaslighting. that's james cleverly, the home secretary, their secretary, saying that their legislation lives. legislation is saving lives. people to save people haven't wanted to save lives wanted to save lives if they wanted to save lives, allow people lives, they could allow people to safely and legally to come here safely and legally in order to claim asylum. or they could centres in france. >> so in your world, everyone who wants to come here gets to come. >> no, that's literally not what i said. what i said is the people who want to claim asylum , people who want to claim asylum, which is an internationally recognised human should recognised human right, should have to come here, not have the right to come here, not to people smugglers. >> they licensed >> they come on licensed becoming they can claim asylum when a safe country when there is a safe country that matter under that doesn't matter under international that doesn't matter under intethat'sial international law.

>> that's not international law. >> that's not international law. >> here because they know it's eafien >> here because they know it's easier. that's a soft easier. no, that's we're a soft touch. all of reasons why touch. all kinds of reasons why people well, this people like, well, this is a brilliant example of illustration of kind of what's going on with this bill, isn't it? >> back and forth. but while we're hot and crossed, we talk about hot cross buns. >> should. >> yeah, we certainly should. >> yeah, we certainly should. >> are >> apparently iceland carol are selling tick instead selling them with a tick instead of a cross. >> do you know what? >> do you know what? >> no. >> no. >> serious. do you know why >> not serious. do you know why this infuriates me? because a lot are quite lot of christians are quite rightly offended. but you know what? if you're a christian anymore in this country, you can be. they can offend as much be. they can offend you as much as like. if they're hot. as they like. if they're hot. cross was of an islamic cross bun was part of an islamic tradition. can i can bet tradition. i can i can bet my bottom dollar that it's just it is not. >> it is nonsense. >> it is nonsense. >> but you can offend a christian in this country and no one gives a damn. >> i think that's not. >> i think that's not. >> they've got rid of the christian symbol on a tin of syrup , for god's sake. syrup, for god's sake. >> it's obviously daft. syrup, for god's sake. >> it's stupid sly daft. syrup, for god's sake. >> it's stupid ..y daft. syrup, for god's sake. >> it's stupid . someone has done >> it's stupid. someone has done this because, i mean, it kind of. it makes me laugh to see it. >> it makes you laugh. >> it makes you laugh. >> you a christian? >> are you a christian? >> are you a christian? >> you a catholic? no, i'm

not. >> i'm not a christian. >> i'm not a christian. >> people who are, i can understand. >> look, it's an item of confectionery. >> you're eating it. >> you're eating it. >> people are eating buns. so if you perspective , you put it in perspective, people upset about people got upset about christmas. someone christmas. you could say someone has with something has a banner with something horrible the christian churchyard. >> but all right, because >> but that's all right, because that's a of paper. that's just a piece of paper. >> actually we have we >> well, actually we have we have in this have blasphemy laws in this country, which we don't actually, we still have some blasphemy legislation . blasphemy legislation. >> no we don't. >> no we don't. >> when was the blasphemy legislation abolished? >> when was the blasphemy leg ination abolished? >> when was the blasphemy leg in 2008. bolished? >> in 2008. >> in 2008. >> so okay, fine. >> okay, fine. so okay, fine. >> okay, fine. so okay, fine. >> i'll tell you what. >> i'll tell you what. >> recently we have >> very recently we have blasphemy legislation which which with which puts put us in line with some countries saudi some countries like saudi arabia. we're arabia. i think that we're leading on religious leading the way on religious freedom country. leading the way on religious freelt'sn country. leading the way on religious freelt's a country. leading the way on religious freelt's a really country. leading the way on religious freelt's a really pitifuly. leading the way on religious freelt's a really pitiful little >> it's a really pitiful little change. is iceland. change. it is iceland. >> silly, silly. it's me >> it's silly, it's silly. it's i don't know why they why would they why have they done it. >> because it is going to cost money. >> they obviously some some youngsters you talked about on gb news and boost their sales figures probably figures and they probably thought that tick is opposite thought that a tick is opposite to cross. it's not an emoji, to a cross. it's not an emoji, it's a christian symbol. that's got to be what it is . got to be what it is. >> somebody in a in a, it's

something that you put in your gob i have a cross. that's gob and i have a cross. that's not me, is it? >> it's a tradition. what's wrong with tradition? >> wrong, i? am >> nothing's wrong, am i? am i defending there's nothing >> nothing's wrong, am i? am i defencwith there's nothing >> nothing's wrong, am i? am i defencwith tradition. nothing >> nothing's wrong, am i? am i defencwith tradition. all hing >> nothing's wrong, am i? am i defencwith tradition. all i'm] wrong with tradition. all i'm saying cake, it's saying is tradition a cake, it's a cake. >> it's not burning down a church. >> w- w— >> it's christian tradition. >> it's christian tradition. >> it's christian tradition. >> it's outrageous. >> it's. it's just outrageous. >> it's. it's just outrageous. >> by your >> because. because by your logic , it means people can walk logic, it means people can walk around with banners with things that offend what we know that really offend what we know we're upset currently about stuff being held up about jewish people that we're saying that is thatis people that we're saying that is that is ultimately prosecutable. but but , but that is ultimately prosecutable. but but, but that's all right. >> it's hate speech, carol. that's hate speech. it's not a hot cross bun story. >> it's hate speech. >> it's hate speech. >> please. >> please. >> i'm not going as far as to say that. but as andrew says, this is christian tradition. don't at christian tradition. >> i'm not laughing because you actually laugh. >> a lot of people watching know you're laughing at christian tradition. i'm not carol. >> i'm not. i'm not carol. >> right. listen, as is his way in these days, you're going to have iceland. in these days, you're going to have maddox. iceland. in these days, you're going to have maddox. god, iceland. in these days, you're going to have maddox. god, yeaheland. in these days, you're going to have maddox. god, yeah ..and. david maddox. god, yeah. according to research, it seems that some people want to do away

with the cross design and move to tick. to a tick. >> instead published a research. >> instead published a research. >> results surprised us. >> the results surprised us. >> the results surprised us. >> i bet it did. we're putting it to test by trialling ticks . i it to test by trialling ticks. i am boycotting bonds. >> i'm boycotting their buns . i >> i'm boycotting their buns. i go to iceland if i die there. but i would boycott it. >> it's actually a far more a far more important easter story as far as i'm concerned, is the story that people are paying 50% more easter eggs. oh yeah, more for easter eggs. oh yeah, and that sort of size and that and that sort of size are going down as well. and that people afford the things people can't afford the things that they can afford a tradition, easter just tradition, easter eggs, just tradition, easter eggs, just tradition, tradition. tradition, just a tradition. >> are, the cost of >> they are, well, the cost of living tradition under living crisis tradition under thisandrew. living crisis tradition under thisyeah,w. just exactly the >> yeah, but just exactly the same hot bun same as the hot cross bun tradition . there's easter tradition. there's an easter egg. what's egg. so what's the. >> well, i'm saying that i'm >> well, i'm not saying that i'm not. a favour of ticks, not. i'm not a favour of ticks, carol. >> why like why why are >> why why like why why are you accusing favour >> why why like why why are you acyticks? favour >> why why like why why are you acyticks? i'm favour >> why why like why why are you acyticks? i'm just favour >> why why like why why are you acyticks? i'm just saying favour >> why why like why why are you acyticks? i'm just saying it's)ur of ticks? i'm just saying it's not the world. not the end of the world. >> you're saying traditions don't matter? >> you're saying traditions don't m i tter? >> you're saying traditions don't in! just say that if talk >> can i just say that if talk about revelation and blasphemy. andrew a hot cross andrew pierce has a hot cross bonnet with no butter. i do. what like? butter. what do you really like? butter. >> i've never liked.

>> are you? i've never liked. >> are you? i've never liked. >> don't like chips and you >> you don't like chips and you don't butter on a hot like don't have butter on a hot like chips. chips. don't have butter on a hot like chi|what's chips. don't have butter on a hot like chi|what's wrong1ips. don't have butter on a hot like chi|what's wrong with butter? >> what's wrong with butter? you've it's got stick. >> it's all about the butter and the but i like the hot the cross. but i like the hot cross buns. i i like the cross buns. i like i like the cross buns. i like i like the cross buns. i like i like the cross bun hot, but without butter. you know, there butter. because, you know, there are non—traditional hot are lots of non—traditional hot cross. picked chocolate cross. and i picked chocolate and raisins out and i picked the raisins out with of things. with all kinds of things. >> just. finding >> i'm just. i'm finding out revelations hang he's revelations here. hang on. he's picking raisins. do you picking out raisins. why do you have that religious. have on on that religious. >> i eat hot cross. >> and then i eat the hot cross. >> and then i eat the hot cross. >> you pick up them. >> and then i eat the hot cross. >> okay? ck up them. >> and then i eat the hot cross. >> okay? right. hem. >> and then i eat the hot cross. >> okay? right. we've got to move sophia waiting very move on. sophia is waiting very patiently. time to ban patiently. is it time to ban mobile for under mobile phones for under 16? we get want her for you on get stuck. i want her for you on hot buns. after news hot cross buns. after the news headunes hot cross buns. after the news headlines with wenzler. headlines with sophia wenzler. >> thanks, bev. it's 1131. headlines with sophia wenzler. >> thanks, bev. it's1131. i'm sophia wenzler in the gb newsroom. your headlines at least 300 migrants have arrived across the channel in eight small boats today. yesterday was a record day for crossings as 514 migrants were intercepted by border force, the highest number this year so far. it comes as

government plans to deport migrants to rwanda have been set back again after the house of lords inflicted a series of defeats of the bill. several proposed changes were passed by peers. mps will vote on the bill in the commons on the 15th of april, after the easter recess . april, after the easter recess. meanwhile, a south sudanese migrant has been jailed for piloting a dangerously overcrowded small boat as it made its way across the english channel. in august, 31 year old charles pannemaker was caught steering the vessel with 52 other migrants, many of whom were forced to sit on makeshift flooring. the home office has released a series of images taken by border force . thousands taken by border force. thousands of women may be owed compensation after a report found that the department for work and pensions failed to adequately inform them that the state pension age was changing. the parliamentary and health service ombudsman looked at potential injustices resulting from the decision to raise women's retirement age, to bring it in line with men's. in 2010, the women against state pension

equality campaign hoped to be awarded £10,000 in compensation from the government, claiming that millions of women had suffered financially because they weren't warned about the changes. but the report has recommended payments of below £3,000 and three staff members from the london clinic are being investigated over allegations that they tried to access the princess of wales medical files. the individuals could face prosecution under the data protection laws, and also could be sued for damages by catherine. it's understood the king's medical records were not compromised when he was treated at the same hospital for an enlarged prostate. the london clinic has promised to investigate . every regulatory investigate. every regulatory and disciplinary steps will be taken to and for the latest stories, sign up to gb news alerts by scanning the qr code on your screen, or go to gb news. common alerts . news. common alerts. >> for exclusive, limited

edition and rare gold coins that are always newsworthy, rosalind gold proudly sponsors the gb news financial report , and news financial report, and here's a quick snapshot of today's markets. >> the pound will buy you $1.2765 and ,1.1693. the price of gold is £1,729, and £0.63 per ounce, and the ftse 100 is at 7813 points. >> rosalind gold proudly sponsors the gb news financial report by noon. >> yep, emily and tom are here to tell us what's going on up at noon today, what we have an extra 3 or 4 minutes of our program today. it's very exciting. are you eating stars? we've stolen your air time. fabulous. bev and andrew. >> you can take more if you want i >> -- >> you can clock off early. >> you can clock off early. >> can we take 25 minutes at midday? we've got a very exciting decision from the bank

of england. will our mortgage costs all come down? will interest rates start to trickle down? well we'll learn that at midday. so we're coming on a little bit earlier today. so you've got time to cross across to the bank of england. >> what's your hunch . >> what's your hunch. >> what's your hunch. >> you can stay the same i do i think they probably it's still very still very very exciting. it's still very exciting on exciting and worth clinging on because also it's not just about the decision. it's the the headline decision. it's the members of the monetary policy committee. they vote committee. what way do they vote if a number of them vote to come down, even the majority down, even though the majority vote to stay, that's vote for it to stay, that's going to give the market various signals. sure. and of course, the commercial rates, market rates are ever so slightly looking forward in terms of what the bank of england rate will be in the future. so it could be that mortgage rates come down even though the bank of england rate stays the same . rate stays the same. >> so that's great because so many are coming of many people are coming out of their mortgage deals their fixed mortgage rates deals at moment. their fixed mortgage rates deals at yeah,)ment. their fixed mortgage rates deals at yeah, absolutely. >> yeah, absolutely. >> yeah, absolutely. >> else guys. what else. >> what else guys. what else. >> what else guys. what else. >> thing that's going >> another thing that's going down people having down is british people having

babies babies down is british people having babiesthe babies down is british people having babiesthe whole babies down is british people having babiesthe whole entirety bies down is british people having babiesthe whole entirety of�*s down is british people having babiesthe whole entirety of the across the whole entirety of the west. this new report west. really, this new report out today saying that essentially going to essentially we're going to have to the gap because people to plug the gap because people aren't we'll have aren't having babies. we'll have to the gap with to continue to plug the gap with immigration 2100, which is immigration till 2100, which is the end of the century, of course. and we'll be looking into the implications of that, whether it's true, even whether it's true, and what we can do to encourage people to have more children. >> but it's entirely the case that we're living longer. we're requiring more health care as we get older because there are so many more amazing innovations. it costs more to keep people alive for longer. we're expecting , gold plated pensions expecting, gold plated pensions that rise by more than inflation each year. that's been happening recently. how is it all paid for if there are fewer and fewer people of working age in the country? either we have more babies or we have more immigration or immigrants also, get old, don't they? >> well, and also have dependents. so that is a cost. what needs to happen is people need to feel like they can have

more children and no government. >> no government is >> they don't. no government is going with this >> they don't. no government is going it's with this >> they don't. no government is going it's a with this >> they don't. no government is going it's a longth this >> they don't. no government is going it's a long terms >> they don't. no government is going it's a long term issue because it's a long term issue and they won't around. so and they won't be around. so they care exactly. they don't care exactly. >> and this is so, so often the case.if >> and this is so, so often the case. if it's decision that case. if it's a decision that affects people ten years down the it's going to all the line, it's not going to all about short termism done right. >> both emily and tom. >> they're going to be here early just before midday. >> we get few minutes >> we get a few more minutes of it. sounds it, though, it. by the sounds of it, though, for with britain's for now you're with britain's newsroom. go anywhere newsroom. don't go anywhere mobile after the

break. >> it's 1140. you're with britain's newsroom on gb news with andrew pierce and bev turner. >> so a surprising new poll. not that surprising to me, has revealed that a whopping 58% of parents think that the government ban government should ban smartphones under 16, with smartphones for under 16, with more in 5 parents saying more than 4 in 5 parents saying that the devices are harmful for children and young people. >> joined now by >> well, we're joined now by frank who's from the frank young, who's from the charity who charity parent guide, who carried survey . and

carried out the survey. and frank, it's fair say frank, i think it's fair to say that's you you think that's where you are. you think these phones be, what age these phones should be, what age would allow them to have? would you allow them to have? 18, maybe 17? well i think parents across the country have been pretty clear. >> 16 is the age that they want the law to allow children to have smartphones for the first time, dumb phones are absolutely fine before 16, but smartphones with all the access to the internet , grizzlies 16 and internet, grizzlies 16 and above. >> what kind of harms do they cause to children? do we know now empirically , frank, we now empirically, frank, we increasingly , understand some of increasingly, understand some of the harms, of smartphones . the harms, of smartphones. >> only this week a new book was published by professor jonathan haidt from, new york university, outlining some really serious new data that shows that smartphones are addictive . they smartphones are addictive. they can cause mental health problems, particularly in girls, and of course, they just provide and of course, they just provide a gateway to some of the awful

stuff that we, as parents are very aware of online. and that's why parents overwhelmingly get it that smartphones need to be banned. and i think on this, they're miles ahead of the politicians. >> yeah, i'm not a fan of banning anything. i'm a big fan of personal responsibility, actually . but what i'm finding, actually. but what i'm finding, particularly in my experience of my three and the friends of mine who have children , is that we who have children, is that we this is one area in which we really want help from the government. it's a bit like telling your child to your telling your child to put your seatbelt on the when seatbelt on in the car when they're don't they're toddlers. they don't want their seatbelt on. they're toddlers. they don't wan when their seatbelt on. they're toddlers. they don't wan when you eir seatbelt on. they're toddlers. they don't wan when you say;eatbelt on. they're toddlers. they don't wanwhen you say;eiyout on. they're toddlers. they don't wanwhen you say;eiyou don't but when you say if you don't put your seatbelt on, the policeman stop mummy. they put your seatbelt on, the politheirn stop mummy. they put your seatbelt on, the politheir seatbelts op mummy. they put your seatbelt on, the politheir seatbelts on. nummy. they put your seatbelt on, the politheir seatbelts on. why�*ny. they put your seatbelt on, the politheir seatbelts on. why are they put their seatbelts on. why are we detached ? why is it that we so detached? why is it that politicians are not tapped into this issue , frank like parents are? >> well, well, firstly , parents >> well, well, firstly, parents agree with you. about two thirds say that if a government or a future government brings in a ban for under 16 and smartphones, that would help them to have the conversation with their children, particularly their teenagers ,

particularly their teenagers, about smartphones, i just think that is a developing area that this is a developing area of policy. smartphones haven't been around for that long, maybe 15 years or so, and unfortunately, i think it takes time in westminster for science and evidence to get to a stage where politicians feel they need to act. but today's poll is a real warning sign. from parents themselves to politicians that ahead of a general election, they need to be making this one of the really big issues. >> do you think frank ? i'm >> do you think frank? i'm conscious in scotland you can vote at 16 labour. i think it's part of their manifesto to let 16 year olds have a vote. so i'm not sure you're going to get many political parties going to embrace and in their embrace this and put it in their manifesto reason . manifesto for that very reason. >> well, this is the start of a conversation, and we're not the only group that are now coming out and saying, we're out and saying, look, we're really about the really concerned about the impact smartphones. we speak impact of smartphones. we speak up parents, and we've sent up for parents, and we've sent this poll to all the political parties , and we want to start

parties, and we want to start that conversation now. if there are 16 year old voters in the future and they have a different view, that's fine. that's how democracy works. but there are an awful lot of parents out there with young children, particularly those still in primary school with their teenage years to come, who are really , really worried about really, really worried about what might happen to their child in the next few years. >> okay. thank you so much. and on a personal note, thank you for the work you're doing. i speak for me and all my mates. we're absolutely bang on board with what you're trying to achieve done. achieve here. so well done. frank their director of frank young, their director of policy bet i bet policy and research i bet i bet it, i bet won't happen. it it, i bet it won't happen. it won't even though even won't happen even though even though want it. won't happen even though even tho you want it. won't happen even though even tho you know, want it. won't happen even though even tho you know, governments it. won't happen even though even tho you know, governments listen >> you know, governments listen to that there's to that because there's not enough parents are mps. enough parents who are mps. >> discussed it with a >> and i've discussed it with a few the more elderly few of the more elderly gentleman i've met. gentleman mps that i've met. they don't understand they they don't understand it. they don't don't. their don't get it. they don't. their children long grown up and children are long grown up and gone. they don't understand what we're cates we're dealing with. miriam cates it's coincidence she's it's no coincidence that she's one mps who is absolutely one of the mp5 who is absolutely championing she's got championing this. and she's got she's got young

she's a mum and she got young kids, she gets it right. kids, so she gets it right. still to come, we're going to find out whether the bank of england interest england will cut interest rates. will britain's will they? with britain's newsroom

gb news. so it is 1148. the bank of england is expected to hold the base rate of interest at 5.25. today keeping it at a 15 year high. >> we're going to get that announcement at midday. we're going to find out for certain in about ten minutes. but first we're going to bring our we're going to bring in our business editor, business and economics editor, liam is liam halligan, whose finger is always about this. always on the pulse about this. liam, you've been gloomy about the there we the bank of england. there we are. thank you much. finger are. thank you very much. finger on pulse about interest on the pulse about interest rates long they rates for a long time. they don't in step with don't they're not in step with what think . what you think. >> no, i mean, back in 2021, when some of us could see inflation coming and the bank of

england kept interest rates ultra low, i became quite critical and said rates should have gone up. then and similarly now i think the bank of england is behind the curve. i think they should be cutting rates. today. inflation fall today. we saw inflation fall from 4% during the year to january. so prices went up 4% dunng january. so prices went up 4% during the 12 months from january 20th 23 to 2024. that inflation number, that headline inflation number, that headline inflation number, that headline inflation number came down to 3.4% yesterday for february . but 3.4% yesterday for february. but that's still quite a long way above the bank of england's inflation target of 2. but you can see the direction of travel here. you can see the way inflation is going around the world. so i think the bank of england should be getting a rate cut in now we've got the nine economists on the monetary policy committee. they're holed up england behind policy committee. they're holed up any england behind policy committee. they're holed up any minute england behind policy committee. they're holed up any minute now. gland behind policy committee. they're holed up any minute now. well, behind policy committee. they're holed up any minute now. well, inehind policy committee. they're holed up any minute now. well, in 11nd me any minute now. well, in 11 minutes at 12 noon we'll find out whether or not, as you say, bev, interest rates stay at 5.25. a 16 year high where 5.25. a16 year high where they've been since august last

yean they've been since august last year, or whether they'll start to come down. of course, lots of us with mortgages, with personal loans want those interest rates to come down. and already in anticipation of fact that anticipation of the fact that rates or the judgement that rates or the judgement that rates are likely to come down in the months, mortgage the coming months, mortgage companies have already started to lending rates, to lower their lending rates, but it isn't probably going to happen today. but it isn't probably going to happen today . we're probably happen today. we're probably going to see interest rates stay at 5.25. that is my best guess. >> and just briefly, liam, there's a number of people on this monetary committee. we will get guidance won't we, as to who voted which way . voted which way. >> indeed there won't . there >> indeed there won't. there won't be a big inflation report today. won't be a big inflation report today . we'll just get the today. we'll just get the minutes of the bank of england's monetary policy committee meeting. we'll see the split of votes , whether it's five 4 or 6 votes, whether it's five 4 or 6 three or whatever it is to hold or to cut. just as recently as last month, some members of the monetary policy committee were still voting to raise rates, which i don't really understand at all. but look, there's a

widespread , widespread widespread, widespread expectation across the money markets, across the business world that we're going to see rates held today, though, having said that, having said that, earlier this morning, the swiss central bank, i know you noticed it. andrew and bev, the swiss central bank, surprised the markets rates. i markets by cutting rates. but i don't think going don't think that's going to happen here. but, you know, we'll see about ten minutes time. >> okay. thank you very much. liam halligan there at the liam liam halligan there at the bank of england where he will be bringing you that rate decision live. let's just finish off the show looking at some the show by looking at some of the things us this show by looking at some of the things that us this show by looking at some of the things that leo us this show by looking at some of the things that leo varadkarthis show by looking at some of the things that leo varadkar debate morning that leo varadkar debate we had earlier about. really interesting. i thought that was one of the most interesting parts the show today. and parts of the show today. and what doubt hours. what was no doubt 2.5 hours. very interesting, he tim has got in touch to say leo varadkar he got it wrong again. the view of the public in ireland is the opposite of establishment. opposite of the establishment. yeah, what is wrong yeah, varadkar is what is wrong with establishment and karol with the establishment and karol said ireland has its own values and mindset. they've been badly let down by varadkar. it's wonderful that gone.

wonderful that he's gone. i don't the vote was don't think the vote was entirely against the proposals. don't think the vote was erwasy against the proposals. don't think the vote was erwas used inst the proposals. don't think the vote was erwas used ast the proposals. don't think the vote was erwas used ast 1to proposals. don't think the vote was erwas used ast 1to voteosals. don't think the vote was erwas used ast 1to vote get.s. don't think the vote was erwas used ast 1to vote get rid it was used as a to vote get rid of him. now we were discussing that, weren't we? >> yeah, wonder as well >> yeah, i also wonder as well whether is was whether ireland is was traditionally a very catholic country. varadkar openly gay man. good luck. country. varadkar openly gay man. good luck . the first openly man. good luck. the first openly gay tee shot. were they thinking why is he telling us how to define our families? >> that's right . and also on >> that's right. and also on mental health, been mental health, we've been talking this, all morning, talking about this, all morning, richard saying lots of people near him who were just using it as an excuse to claim benefits. thatis as an excuse to claim benefits. that is it. britain's newsroom from us for this week. we'll see you next week. that's right. see you next week. that's right. see you monday. >> on good afternoon britain today. not just that fated interest rate decision, but much more. did the house of lords put lives at risk last night by yet again delaying and frustrating the rwanda bill. this, as we learn, people have been stabbed in the channel on their way across to britain, is it time to

get tougher? >> and why aren't brits having more babies? the birth rate has plummeted substantially and a new report is warning that immigration, more immigration, is going to be needed to plug that gap. we'll bring you that after the weather. >> looks like things are heating up. boxt boilers sponsors of weather on . gb news. weather on. gb news. >> hello. welcome to your latest weather update from the met office for gb news. a bit of a north south split today. rain moving across scotland and northern ireland, most of england and wales. dry low pressure hitting iceland and these weather fronts coming from that low pressure providing the cloud and the outbreaks of rain. that rain fairly patchy over northern england, but some showery lincolnshire showery rain across lincolnshire and , and a fairly damp and yorkshire, and a fairly damp afternoon through northern cumbria. certainly soggy for a good part of northern ireland, central and southern scotland. good part of northern ireland, centthe and southern scotland. good part of northern ireland, centthe far southern scotland. good part of northern ireland, centthe far north—west:otland. good part of northern ireland, centthe far north—west does d. good part of northern ireland, centthe far north—west does turn but the far north—west does turn brighter. it very brighter. but it is very blustery much of the south

blustery here, much of the south of the uk. yes, a bit misty and murky first thing, but brightening up this afternoon and where we see a bit of sunshine, again, 1617, sunshine, very mild again, 1617, perhaps 18 celsius. the perhaps even 18 celsius. the rain, though, is going to trickle south, clearing from northern ireland and southern scotland evening, spreading scotland this evening, spreading into england, then scotland this evening, spreading into wales. england, then scotland this evening, spreading into wales. so england, then scotland this evening, spreading into wales. so turningi, then scotland this evening, spreading into wales. so turning damp here, much of the south still mostly dry through the night, turning windy everywhere, particularly across the far north. very blustery night here with showers coming in. with the showers coming in. they'll as over they'll fall as snow over the tops hills and it will tops of the hills and it will turn colder here. another fairly mild night in the south. different feel though. tomorrow morning across midlands and morning across the midlands and east anglia, much of southern england seeing cloud and outbreaks that rain outbreaks of rain that rain slowly moving across the southeast. a day. southeast. so quite a damp day. the rain likely to linger in kent. it brightens up further north. of showers packing north. lots of showers packing into scotland and northern ireland some snow on the ireland again, some snow on the hills and a chillier feel for all temperatures lower tomorrow and feeling even colder with the wind . wind. >> that warm feeling inside from boxt as sponsors of

boxt boilers as sponsors of weather on

gb news. >> good afternoon. britain. it's coming up to 12:00 on thursday, the 21st of march. >> interest rates in just a few moments. time will will be live outside the bank of england at the monetary policy committee announced their latest decision on interest rates. could your mortgage finally cost a little bit less? >> stabbings in the channel as the house of lords continues to frustrate the passage of the rwanda bill today, we learn that more than 400 illegal migrants crossed yesterday alone, and the rwanda legislation is delayed until after easter and plummeting birth rate. >> a landmark new study reveals. the uk will rely on more immigration to plug workforce gaps, as brits have fewer and

fewer children. what can be done and are we set for , as the and are we set for, as the report calls it, staggering social . social. change? >> right. >> right. >> well, the bank of england is about to announce its latest interest rate decision, currently sitting at 5.25% after being held four times in a row. >> yes . >> yes. >> yes. >> let's cross right away to the bank of england, where our business and economics editor, liam there for us. liam halligan, is there for us. liam, just a minute to go . liam, just a minute to go. >> just a minutes ago. liam, just a minute to go. >> just a minutes ago . the >> just a minutes ago. the decision has been made. the paperwork has all been signed off. the bank of england is about to tell us whether or not interest rates are going to fall from their 16 year high of 5.25, where they've been since last august, been held several times before. as emily said. look, i don't think interest rates are going to come down. i think they're going to stay where they

are, even though inflation fell quite sharply yesterday from 4% dunng quite sharply yesterday from 4% during the year to january to 3.4% during the year to february, that's still quite a long way above the bank of england's 2% target. as it happens, i think the bank of england should be cutting rates now because it seems pretty clear the direction of travel with inflation is down, but i don't think they will. that won't please many people with mortgages who have seen their mortgages who have seen their mortgage costs tick up in recent months, but it will please many gb news viewers and listeners who are savers, who live on the interest from their savings, because for a long time, interest rates have, of course, been lower than the rate of inflation and when interest rates are lower than the rate of inflation, your savings are eroded . and in real terms now, eroded. and in real terms now, at least for savers , interest at least for savers, interest rates are above the rate of inflation. but i don't think that will be the case for very long. but i don't think we'll see a cut in a minute's time. we shall see. here it comes .

shall see. here it comes. >> well,