even though inflation fell 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, here it comes indeed. there you go. >> there you go , they have been >> there you go, they have been held. we're hearing liam . they held. we're hearing liam. they have been held . have been held. >> okay, so let's have a look. we can put that in a special gb news graphic. i think we can see the interest rates were very, very low. ultra low before the covid pandemic. they then went to a historic low of just a quarter of i, 0.25. since then, we had 15 successive quarter of 1, 0.25. since then, we had 15 successive interest rate rises as inflation surged as we came out of lockdown and a wall of demand hit the economy, businesses couldn't supply . wall of demand hit the economy, businesses couldn't supply. in time, inflation went up, oil prices, gas prices , inflation is prices, gas prices, inflation is now coming down. but for now the bank of england is being cautious. it will be very interesting. tom and emily and you , feel free to say you know, feel free to say because looking the because i'm looking down the lens, read my, my feed, lens, i can't read my, my feed, it'll be very interesting. tom and emily, to see the split of the monetary policy committee, how they voted the nine members.

was it five four to hold? was it six three to hold? was there even a was there even even a three way split with some still voting to raise the graphic? you can see there we've had ultra low interest rates for a long time. then we had those rate rises after the covid pandemic all the way up to 5.25, and that is where we are staying for now. so when can we expect interest rates to come down? well, interestingly, earlier this morning little noticed move here in the uk. but the swiss central bank did vote to cut interest rates. and the swiss central bankis rates. and the swiss central bank is extremely influential. the us federal reserve has just held interest rates, but it said it will lower interest rates three times this year. it expects to and i think we do expects to and i think we do expect now as long as there isn't a spike in the oil price , isn't a spike in the oil price, as long as inflation doesn't surge back, we can expect an interest rate cut from the bank of england, maybe even as soon interest rate cut from the bank of nextand, maybe even as soon interest rate cut from the bank of next monthaybe even as soon interest rate cut from the bank of next month ,'be even as soon interest rate cut from the bank of next month , butzven as soon interest rate cut from the bank of next month , but certainly)on interest rate cut from the bank of next month , but certainly by as next month, but certainly by may or june. and when it comes to the political calendar, that's one tom and emily

that's one reason tom and emily is, as you guys know, and as we've been discussing for a long time now, that's one reason the conservatives are trying to delay general until delay a general election until the rishi sunak can the autumn. if rishi sunak can hold on to his leadership, or no certainties there. certainly if you look at what's going on in parliament, but the tories want the bank of england to cut interest rates 2 or 3 times before an election. they want to get 2 or 3 tax cuts in. they've already announced two. so that's why they're playing the long game. real surprises here game. but no real surprises here at the bank of england today. we did expect rates to be hold held and been held . and they have indeed been held. mortgage holders will be a bit peeved. the rate come rate cuts haven't started yet, but many savers will be happy. >> liam, you say that perhaps the bank of england should have been a little less cautious this time around and cut that interest rate. why do you suppose they haven't? is it that they're risk averse? we saw that

perhaps they were risk averse dunng perhaps they were risk averse during the pandemic over the threat of inflation. are they now overcorrecting? what do you think about ? think it's about? >> i do think there is a little bit of that. emily. yes, they were behind the curve on inflation. they didn't see inflation. they didn't see inflation coming in 2021 when some of us were were writing. it wasn't just me, a few pundits and also analysts here in the city of london were saying to the bank of england, you know, look at the commodity markets, look at the commodity markets, look at the futures curves , look look at the futures curves, look at, you know, surveys of business opinion where business leaders are saying that supply chains been completely chains have been completely dismantled by the covid pandemic, to pandemic, and they're going to take long time to put back take a long time to put back together, look at the geopolitical risk all those things pointed to inflation. and indeed, we got an explosion of inflation, didn't we? after the pandemic , all the way up to pandemic, all the way up to 11.1, a 40 year high. and it wasn't just in the uk , of wasn't just in the uk, of course. we had inflation double digits in the eurozone , almost digits in the eurozone, almost double digits in the united

states. the bank of england didn't see that coming. and more than that, it actually in many ways derided those of us who did see it coming at the time. they kept saying inflation is going to be transitory and now i think, emily, you're right. i do think, emily, you're right. i do think are overcompensating . think they are overcompensating. they are to show we are they are trying to show we are so on inflation now . we so tough on inflation now. we are against are so vigilant against inflation that not going inflation that we're not going to interest rates for long to cut interest rates for a long time. realise how serious time. so you realise how serious we about inflation and we we are about inflation and we always inflation coming. so always see inflation coming. so there of there is a bit of overcompensation overcorrecting going in my view. going on here in my view. central bank. >> liam liam can i just all >> liam liam can ijust all about credibility . can i just about credibility. can i just jump about credibility. can i just jump in here? we have got the breakdown of this vote. it was 8 to 1, eight to hold and one to cut. no one this time voted to rise as well. >> that shows you just how stuck in the mud the bank of england is. eight to hold and one to cut. but at least, at least you haven't got nbc members still

voting to raise interest rates. you had two of them voting to raise rates as recently raise interest rates as recently as last month, which strikes me, as last month, which strikes me, as know , ridiculously hair as you know, ridiculously hair shirted, if i may, if i may say so. look, they won't thank me for saying this, but i think it's fair enough. you know, they need to listen to outside economists who aren't maybe as conventional as they are. the bank of england's monetary policy committee . it's dominated policy committee. it's dominated by treasury appointees. it's woefully short of any genuine cognitive diversity . it is, in cognitive diversity. it is, in my view, characterised by a groupthink . and i'm far from groupthink. and i'm far from alone in saying that even though i was one of the first people to say it, when the bank of england's monetary policy committee first began in 1997, introduced by gordon brown to make monetary policy the setting of interest rates independent, taking it away from politicians because politicians always want rate cuts. and that does boost inflation because they want rate cuts all the time. whatever the

evidence, sometimes you do actually need rate rises. that's why it's independent. but when it was when it was created by new labour in 1997, the committee was genuinely cognitively diverse. all different opinions from the various, you know, forms of economic thought, what we call keynesians, monetary ists, people who believe in small state, people who believe in a big state. it was a much, much more healthy atmosphere, in my view, on the mpc now , the mpc view, on the mpc now, the mpc seems to only appoint people with certain, economic philosophies. with certain, economic philosophies . and i think we philosophies. and i think we really do need to. i don't want to i don't want the bank of england to stop being independent. i think the problem with it it isn't independent with it is it isn't independent enough. who enough. we need more people who don't think the way people do in the we need more the treasury. we need more diverse on that monetary policy committee . and i think, tom, committee. and i think, tom, 8 to 1, eight of them are saying hold and one is saying cut that

it should be like six 3 or 5 four. i understand why they're holding now in the round, but i think that is a skewed distribution of votes . when you distribution of votes. when you look at opinion across the city of london, outside of the bank of london, outside of the bank of england, with other independent analysts looking at the situation, we now face the fact that it is 8 to 1 means the first interest rate cut probably won't be now until may or even june, when i had a previously have said april or possibly may. >> very interesting. thank you very much liam halligan for bringing us that breaking news there that the interest rate has been held. thank you. liam halligan there. of course, outside the bank of england. good stuff. another hold a cautious approach 8 to 1. that does indicate that there's a lot of groupthink . or perhaps they of groupthink. or perhaps they were convinced by their colleagues the last time two people voted to raise. >> so that could just be these people slowly coming across. yeah, it bit bit, they yeah, it bit by bit, they couldn't go from a raise to a cut. they have to sit in that

middle point in between. >> but, but of course, the bank's decision will impact you at home and it will impact housing with high interest rates taking its toll on some mortgage owners and potential buyers across the country. >> mark bogarde , mortgage >> well, mark bogarde, mortgage expert and chief executive of the building society, the family building society, joins us now. i'm delighted to say, mark, thank you for making the time us here, what will the time for us here, what will this hold mean? and frankly, will the proportion of mpc members voting have any influence on market expectations, on what people are actually paying for their mortgage rates today ? mortgage rates today? >> so i agree with what liam says. it's a real missed opportunity today . and they were opportunity today. and they were behind the curve on the way up. and they're behind the curve on the way down, actually swap rates which most fixed rate mortgages are priced off, which is what most people take, have risen since the beginning of the yeah risen since the beginning of the year. and we've seen mortgage pricing come up, which is not

good news for mortgage holders, the markets were expecting sort of a 50% chance of a rate cut by june and three rate cuts by the end of the year , down to four end of the year, down to four and a half, which would definitely help mortgage providers. and we'll have to see how, mortgage providers behave over the coming few days and whether, swap rates come down as a result of this. they may well, not, as liam points out, for savers, which is probably most of your viewers, this is good news. in fact, it's as good news last time people got higher savings rate than inflation was 1948, and you can still get instant access money above 5. and inflation is 3.4. so you are getting a real return on your money. so good news for savers. lousy news for borrowers, yes, it's worth remembering that this is good news for savers, which will be a lot of our viewers and

listeners, but mark, what's it like out there? i've been reading that actually, the number of first time buyers is now going down. is that maybe because people are holding off as they predict, as we're you know, we're hearing that there could be potential interest rate cuts soon. >> look, it's really tough for people if we look at our mortgage holders whose fixed rate mortgages come to an end in 2024, more than half of them will see a 50% increase in their monthly mortgage payments. and that's horrible . and that's that's horrible. and that's that's horrible. and that's that's why the bank of england should be cutting, because there's all this pain still in there's all this pain still in the pipeline. if you're a if you're a first time buyer, you've got two problems. one is the deposit that you've got to raise . and then people don't raise. and then people don't really focus on how much money they can borrow. they focus on what their monthly mortgage payment is. and until rates come down, their monthly mortgage payment will be high for

borrowing an amount of money, which may well mean they can't afford their home. so it is very tough. and that that's why i believe the bank should be cutting rates now, not in the middle of the year or later in the year, but isn't this the crucial point? >> even if they were to cut rates , people that fixed a two rates, people that fixed a two year mortgage or something like that at 2, even if the rate now is cut , that fix comes to an is cut, that fix comes to an end, they'll still be seeing their rates, their their interest rate on their mortgage more than double, even though the headline rate has been cut because they fixed when it was a lot lower . lot lower. >> yeah, that's absolutely correct. and interest rates have gone from 0.1 to 5.25. so as you say there's been this huge increase. but it would make it less bad. so the quicker rates come down, the more of the people still in the pipeline to come off. 2 or 5 year fix, the less painful it would be and the more money they can then go and

spend the economy. because spend in the economy. because it's really interesting, both labour and the conservative party agree that we need to get the economy going. we need growth. well, if people are spending all their money on their mortgage payments or other debts, they won't have any money to grow the economy. so the bank needs to get the economy going, not keep sucking money out , not keep sucking money out, which is what interest rates do, which is what interest rates do, which is what interest rates do, which is why they push down inflation. but everyone's expecting a very rapid fall in inflation, and it will probably go below the 2% target. and then the bank may find itself having to cut rates more. >> well, thank you very much indeed for your expertise there. mark bogard, mortgage expert and chief executive of the family building society. seems there's a bit of a consensus among, well, liam and also mark and i don't know about you, but that a cut and a lot of people in the city that are cut was probably the right thing to do. but i can understand why the bank of england are being so cautious after up. did mess

england are being so cautious aftedidn't up. did mess england are being so cautious aftedidn't theyrp. did mess england are being so cautious aftedidn't they ?. did mess england are being so cautious aftedidn't they ? duringiid mess england are being so cautious aftedidn't they ? during the ness up, didn't they? during the pandemic. they didn't see that inflation was coming, even though they warned by so though they were warned by so many wonder if it's many people. i wonder if it's ideology getting in the way. >> perhaps even when >> perhaps here, even when inflation , you saw that inflation started, you saw that the federal reserve the the federal reserve in the united were much more united states were much more aggressive with raising rates than england was. than the bank of england was. and actually, on the morning of liz truss's mini—budget when the day before the united states federal reserve has raised rates, the bank of england held rates, the bank of england held rates on that morning of that mini—budget, which i know, i know , a lot of economists will know, a lot of economists will say the mini—budget was the cause for a lot of the turbulence. sure might have played a factor , but the fact played a factor, but the fact that the bank of england that morning almost looked ambivalent towards the threat of inflation and then you got a big fiscal loosening that afternoon , by the loosening that afternoon, by the way, that the bank played their cards that morning could have made things a lot smoother over that period. yeah. and they missed an opportunity. and perhaps, perhaps increased the

turbulence much easier, much eafien >> just to point at liz truss and say she crashed the economy without looking into the detail of everything that else that was going on globally and in the markets, paul says what will change in the next month or two, other than the fact we'll be closer to general election to closer to a general election to get of england to get the bank of england to cut rates? general election rates? is the general election a factor in their decision to hold? sunak want there to hold? does sunak want there to be huge dump good be a huge dump of feel good news? well, bank of england news? well, the bank of england is course supposed to be is of course supposed to be independent, so won't be independent, so it won't be thinking general thinking about the general election do things election or wanting to do things that into rishi sunak's that play into rishi sunak's hands. some will hands. although some people will raise how raise eyebrows and think how independent raise eyebrows and think how ind�*although clearly statutorily >> although clearly statutorily independent. but i suppose the question is we've had a bigger, bigger fall in inflation than was expected this month. will that trend continue? could it be that trend continue? could it be that next month's inflation numbers are even lower and then maybe we get an april cut? but liam was saying it's less likely we'll get an april cut now. perhaps may. is that central prediction? >> well, fingers crossed for all of out there who are on of you out there who are on a mortgage and need to

mortgage and may need to remortgage soon and may remortgage very soon and may have huge leap, although a lot have a huge leap, although a lot of people have already had that. >> already had that >> yes, i've already had that and are now on fixed rates that are at or something like are at a 5% or something like that, very costly in deed. >> yeah, well let's move on now because later in the show we'll because later in the show we'll be debating if the mental health culture that we experience in the workplace and in society more broadly has gone too far. >> do you know what, tom? i think it has. and this relates to mel stride's comments. he's the work and pensions minister. and he said, you know , people and he said, you know, people are off sick. they're claiming benefits when perhaps shapps going to work might actually help their mental health. has it all gone a little bit too far? are we talking about mental health too much? everywhere you go there seems to be discussion about mental health. is it actually making the problem worse, or do we to talk worse, or do we need to talk about more? about it more? >> and interesting because >> and it's interesting because sometimes work be the best sometimes work can be the best thing for your mental health. and if you feel a little bit

down one day and then suddenly get struck off work and are sitting there on benefits that might make your situation worse. >> yeah, but what if you hate yourjob? >> yeah, but what if you hate your job? that >> yeah, but what if you hate yourjob? that might make your job? then that might make your job? then that might make you depressed and anxious. you more depressed and anxious. >> it can work both >> yeah, well, it can work both ways, can't it? >> yeah. >> yeah. >> it's, it of course, we were talking about the work and pensions secretary saying that normal anxieties of life are being as an illness. we being labelled as an illness. we want to know what you think will be getting to your views on this subject very shortly indeed. so stick around for that. after this

i >> -- >> well away from the bank of england. prime minister rishi sunak's ambitions to send asylum seekers on a one way trip to rwanda has hit yet another wall, with the house of lords inflicting seven defeats on the

landmark legislation yesterday. >> although that is down from the ten defeats that they did last month. so little by little are we going to paint this as a victory? we can't paint this as a victory. the bill faces further setbacks. we're asking just how damaging this so—called parliamentary ping pong between the commons and the lords. how damaging could that be? and whether lives are being needlessly put at risk over this house of commons, house of lords squabbling? >> yes. >> yes. >> well, joining us now is conservative peer lord peter. lily, thank you very much for joining us, peter, on the show, when i'm reading about how the house of lords is inflicting these setbacks on this legislation and to the and fro from the lords to the commons, commons to the lords , i'm commons to the lords, i'm thinking at the same time we have 450 or so people crossing the channel in one day alone this week. yesterday we've got violent stabbings on boats that

are crossing over, and we've got are crossing over, and we've got a parliament that can't just put through some legislation that could potentially fix the problem . well, to be fair to the problem. well, to be fair to the house of lords, it would have been willing to continue sitting last night or do so on monday and tuesday. >> and then the labour party would give way and the legislation would have go through . the house of lords only through. the house of lords only has one power, and that's to ask the house of commons to think again. if the house of commons thinks again and decides it doesn't what of doesn't like what the house of lords the house of lords lords does, the house of lords can it down a bit, which can water it down a bit, which is happened last night. i'm is what happened last night. i'm pretty when it pretty confident that when it goes to house of goes back to the house of commons, they again take commons, they will again take out from the out these proposals from the house of lords. it will come back to the house of lords and the labour party will no longer oppose it, and therefore it will be defeated. sorry. the amendments will defeated and amendments will be defeated and the bill will go through. why the bill will go through. why the government has postponed

that final round of what we call ping that final round of what we call ping pong until after easter. i'm not sure i would have hoping it would get it over and done with, and that the very soon afterwards the planes would take to off rwanda and we get the deterrent effect, and that would stop people trying to come across the channel risking their lives and clogging up our asylum system, our hotels and our , system, our hotels and our, draining our budget. >> it's interesting you mentioned that because the shadow migration minister, stephen kinnock, has now said that the tories are blocking their own rwanda legislation because of this one line whip thatis because of this one line whip that is going to be on mps through until next week. the government could have heard this back in the commons sooner, but it's almost like there's a blame game going on now. the government is blaming your colleagues in the house of lords, but it seems that many in the house of lords and indeed the house of lords and indeed the labour party are saying actually this is on the government. they could have heard in the commons today,

heard this in the commons today, even in. >> well, that's correct, or certainly monday and tuesday. they could have done it. it has scope have their house of commons in session and willing to take it. but it could have been done at the beginning of next week, i don't know why they didn't do it then. that was the original plan. in fact, the original plan. in fact, the original plan. in fact, the original plan was to get it all through last night. but the labour party decided to labour party then decided to support further amendments, which initially were which initially they were apparently to do. apparently not intending to do. i mean, all this is rather tiresome as far as i suspect most of your viewers are concerned, they want to see the bills through. they're not desperately concerned whether bills through. they're not desthistely concerned whether bills through. they're not desthistely ccorerned whether bills through. they're not desthistely ccor after whether bills through. they're not desthistely ccor after easter,er it's this week or after easter, as long as as soon after the bill is ratified is agreed and the treaty ratified, the government gets planes off the ground and we start the deterrent effect. that's the sole purpose of this bill is to deter people coming by, making it very clear that if they do , it very clear that if they do, they'll have wasted thousands of pounds paying smugglers to get them to uk. and instead of being

here or the option would have been to stay in france, they'll find themselves in rwanda . so find themselves in rwanda. so they'll opt for the french option. they'll stay in france or in the schengen area and go to germany and get a job there instead of here. instead of coming here. >> you know, you say it's the government that is delaying this bill, there are many of your bill, but there are many of your colleagues in, in the house of lords who perhaps would like to delay this bill as long as possible. surely, come for a next general election? we know that that's true. we know the labour party want to do away with this policy, even if it is seen to work. well, the labour party have made it pretty clear they will, let the bill through after a certain number of rounds of this ping pong process, what is holding it is the is holding it up is the crossbenchers, the lib dems and some labour members of parliament who are not willing to go along with their front bench. they would all like to stop it defeated entirely or delay it until after the next

election. but they won't be able to. i think they're wrong to want do that. i think that want to do that. i think that would be an abuse of the powers of the house lords , but of the house of lords, but they're not going to succeed, i can you of that , well, can assure you of that, well, the labour party are saying today is that the government aren't hearing this on monday or tuesday or whenever they they could do before easter. the line from stephen kinnock, the shadow migration minister, is know migration minister, is they know it won't work. and a running scared is there an element of this whereby perhaps the government is looking at the words of suella braverman and robert jenrick , who say that robert jenrick, who say that actually the appeals process contained within this is, although much narrower than it was, it will still frustrate the process , and it won't be as process, and it won't be as strong a deterrent as it could be. is there a little bit of the government here that's a bit worried? this bill won't be the final nail in the coffin for this horrible trade in people across the channel

>> but if they have that worry, then they ought to bring forward amendments to deal with that issue. they haven't done so , and issue. they haven't done so, and so we must assume they've got some confidence it will work. i very much hope it works. i'm not a lawyer , so i'm not certain a lawyer, so i'm not certain whether very creative lawyers in the immigration business, and it is quite a big industry, will be able to think of excuses with the cooperation of the courts to pull some people off the planes and delay their expulsion. i think it's a bit unlikely they'll be able to stop planes as such taking off. and if you know you've got 30 people in a plane and three pulled off and the others go, then word is going to get round. in the camps in calais , that's just not a in calais, that's just not a risk worth taking. so i hope it will if the government's got worries that the whole thing could be undermined by the courts , then delaying it for courts, then delaying it for three weeks isn't going to

remove that problem. certainly the labour party are hoping it will go through. i mean, they would ideally like to weaken it further before it goes through, but they're not going to be able to do that. they'd like it to go through be seen to fail. i'd through and be seen to fail. i'd like through be like it to go through and be seen succeed. we shall find seen to succeed. we shall find out through . out once it's gone through. which have our hopes which of us have our hopes fulfilled ? fulfilled? >> but perhaps a little bit more delay now. three more weeks than we were expecting, tough times . we were expecting, tough times. but, lord lilley, thank you very much joining us and talking much for joining us and talking us through the, the events in the last night. the lords last night. >> well, in the meantime, while all this is going on in parliament, home office officials have confirmed that 514 migrants crossed the english channelin 514 migrants crossed the english channel in ten small boats. just yesterday, 514 in 1 day. that's the busiest day of migrant arrivals so far this year. >> well, we're joined now by gb news home and security editor mark white and mark, frankly, is it the weather? >> it is. i think the weather's

got a lot to do with it. when you've got weather conditions that are rough in the channel, then clearly you're not going to get people smugglers, being able to push these small boats off the beaches of northern france in a safe manner. and of course, we have had tragedies in recent months in the channel as well. when they have tried that in weather conditions that have not been appropriate to try to cross the english channel. so what we've got this week , monday, the we've got this week, monday, the conditions were sort of borderline. we had one small boat with 61 people that came across on monday. then today it was pretty much flat calm in the channel and that's why we saw 514 people coming across on ten small boats. by yesterday afternoon. we were reporting that 450 had crossed and eight small boats by the end of the day. now, of course, that figure far higher. and as you say, that is a record for the year so far.

the busiest day for the year so far. previously, earlier this month , at the beginning of the month, at the beginning of the month, at the beginning of the month, 401 people crossed on a single day. and i can tell you that out in the channel today again, it is another busy day with six small boats at the moment that have either crossed or are attempting to cross as we speak a overnight, two small boats loads were taken in, having been picked up in the middle of the channel by border force, taken to dover harbour with around about 100 people on board. just as we speak, the border force catamaran , ranger border force catamaran, ranger is pulling into dover harbour with another two small boatloads on board that vessel. and behind them another border force catamaran with, we understand, another two small boatloads , so another two small boatloads, so we think probably about 300 at least will be the total. so far

today. and what that does is it takes the total for the year so far to more than 4300. you compare that to where we were at this point last year. it was just over 3600. so we're more than 600 ahead of where we were last year when the government was very busy trumpeting how well they'd done in managing the boats and getting the small boat numbers down by 36. >> my security editor. wow, 4300 so far this year likely. of course, that's just an estimate as we don't know the total for today. but mark, thinking that over 300 have already crossed just today. this is no doubt an emergency. and i understand that the house of lords are blaming the house of lords are blaming the government for pushing the bill back and the government is blaming the house of lords for seeking delay it. but all the seeking to delay it. but all the all the while, the numbers just continue continue , and the continue and continue, and the government can no longer say

that cut number of that they've cut the number of crossings amount, seeing as crossings by x amount, seeing as we've a high this year. we've got such a high this year. >> well, and this is, this is one of the concerning things for the government their the government from their perspective about an election. when they're when do they have it? they're able to say that arrivals were down a third last year. but currently numbers look currently these numbers look like they're running a little bit higher. >> yeah, quite a bit higher actually. quite a bit higher, so far . and a little bit of far anyway. and a little bit of good weather changes everything, doesn't it? >> certainly can. >> certainly can. >> yes. very difficult >> gosh, yes. very difficult indeed. >> gosh, yes. very difficult indeed . and where on earth are indeed. and where on earth are all these people going to go? >> yes. well, plenty more to come, of course, over the next two hours, including plummeting birth rates, which may leave britain , heavily reliant britain heavily, heavily reliant on immigration. >> your views are already your views are already coming in on this one, so keep them coming. we're going to be discussing that and reading some your that and reading some of your views the headlines. as . views after the headlines. as. >> it's 1232. views after the headlines. as. >> it's1232. i'm sophia wenzler

in the gb newsroom. your headlines. the bank of england has held the interest rate at 5.25. for the fifth time in a row, bank governor andrew bailey said the economy is not yet at the point where rates could be lowered, but the things are moving in the right direction. 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 . lowest for two and a half years. at least 300 migrants have arrived across the channel in six small boats today . yesterday six 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. 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 chulpan maker was caught steering the vessel with 52 other migrants, many of whom were forced to sit on a makeshift flooring. the home office has released a series of

images taken by border force . images taken by border force. and it's bad news for chocolate lovers, as some easter eggs are at least 50% more expensive than last 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 costs have gone up by at least 50% more than a year ago, while others have shrunk in size. and that's according to which. for the latest story, sign up to gb news alerts by scanning the qr code on your screen, or go to gb news. com slash alerts

i >> -- >> good afternoon. britain. it's

12:37. and you've been getting in touch over some of those big questions we've been asking you today. >> yes. we asked. well, there's this new report out that says that there are plummeting birth rates in the uk and across the west, actually. and they say that we're going to need immigration to plug the gap when it comes to the workforce. so we want to know why you think people are having fewer and fewer while brits, why fewer babies while brits, why brits fewer babies? fewer babies while brits, why britwell fewer babies? fewer babies while brits, why britwell , fewer babies? fewer babies while brits, why britwell , rose fewer babies? fewer babies while brits, why britwell , rose saysar babies? fewer babies while brits, why britwell , rose says people�*s? fewer babies while brits, why britwell , rose says people can't >> well, rose says people can't afford to children anymore , afford to have children anymore, so i suppose that's got to be a big part of it. we know the cost of child care is huge. the cost of child care is huge. the cost of housing is going up far more than wages. frankly, having having a child is an expensive endeavourin having a child is an expensive endeavour in the uk. >> yeah, and it's interesting because it seems like a lot of middle class people are having fewer and fewer children leaving it and later , because, it later and later, because, yes, the cost of housing, the cost of childcare doesn't make up is too expensive for your for your wage, nigel says the uk

birth rate is falling as the country is overcrowded, houses are getting smaller and not enough housing. you cannot find childcare. school class sizes are big. there is even are too big. if there is even a school nearby. yes, i do think that's a lot to do with it. that's got a lot to do with it. the general quality life the general quality of life seems be because of seems to be because of overcrowding, because we don't have enough housing, because we don't have enough school spaces. >> for that . yes, >> overcrowding for that. yes, yes. for the for the infrastructure that we have. but we need to do is build build more and do that. >> firstly let's do that first. yeah. see then have more people build the more infrastructure and then can more and then you can have more people. well, exactly , exactly. people. well, exactly, exactly. >> if you look at the, >> i mean, if you look at the, you walk some of the you walk around some of the largest the uk today, largest cities in the uk today, and so much of it is just sort of two stories tall, like really close to transport hubs. you just have stories in just sort of have two stories in most european cities that might be five, stories tall. these be five, six stories tall. these aren't skyscrapers are talking about. central about. but look at central paris, madrid. these are paris, central madrid. these are beautiful buildings that fit many more people in. yeah. >> okay, so then you add, i don't know, an extra 10,000

people a small area of people in a small area of london. do you do london. then what do you do about the transport? we need new tube lines. need new bus tube lines. we need new bus routes. new schools, we routes. we need new schools, we need shops. we need new bus need new shops. we need new bus routes. we need new everything else as well. that's why it's such slow process. new such a slow process. new dentists, new hospitals. washington washington dc washington dc did washington dc in the last ten years has upzoned , as they call it, around upzoned, as they call it, around transport hubs. >> so where the metro stations were, they built lots of new, lots of new housing around those metro stations. and with the new taxes that those people have moved in to to, pay those taxes, they're running more services on those metro stations . so they're those metro stations. so they're well connected houses in good areas, creating more tax revenue , but also reducing the cost of rent as well. it's a win win win i >> -- >> well, i don't know, because we were just reading the other day that london, the capital city, has its highest population even city, has its highest population ever, 10.1 million. i would say that the quality of life in london taken a nosedive for london has taken a nosedive for most people, particularly when they're because we have

they're living, because we have 6 1, because we're having 6 to 1, because we're having more moving than we more people moving in than we have built. and we have houses being built. and we don't have houses being built. and we dont enough have houses being built. and we don't enough tubes either. don't have enough tubes either. >> don't run >> well, no, they don't run regularly enough. >> the same everywhere. you've regularly enough. >> tme;ame everywhere. you've regularly enough. >> tme pictureserywhere. you've regularly enough. >> tme pictures when?e. you've regularly enough. >> tme pictures when? when ve sent me pictures when? when tom's sends tom's late for work, he sends pictures and it's pictures of why, and it's because get on a tube. because he can't get on a tube. apparently the crowds just apparently the crowds are just so big get enormous. so big you get enormous. >> is because very >> this is because this is very london centric, but i'm sure it's and down the it's the same up and down the country. but it's true wherever it happens, you're it happens, right? if you're expecting service expecting a service to come x amount of times per hour and it comes half that number, then you've got twice as many people squeezing on per service. and this is because sadiq khan, frankly, has prioritised gimmicks like freezing fares and cancelled necessary upgrades to infrastructure anyway. >> well, i think we could, you know, reduce immigration. that might help. anyway. thousands of last words. 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. that's what the parliamentary and health service ombudsman has said today. >> , this long awaited

>> well, this long awaited report today report was published today and looked how women born in the looked at how women born in the 19505 looked at how women born in the 1950s were affected by the retirement age increase in 2010, which was to bring it into line with men. so i've always thought that this name, the waspi women, women against state pension inequality, well, it's about equality, not inequality. >> they weren't told in good times , but they just need times, but they just need a different name for their group. >> that's my qualm. >> that's my qualm. >> they know about that. let's cross to our political correspondent katherine forster, who's story. who's been following the story. catherine, the catherine, tell us what is the grievance here? and is the government likely to do anything about it in terms of compensation ? compensation? >> yes. well, the second question is critical, but fundamentally , this is about fundamentally, this is about what happened to, potentially 3.6 million women, in their 50s, who, were going to be affected by changes to the pension age

because, of course, women used to retire, qualify for their pension at 60 and men at 65. that disparity between the sexes has been eliminated and the pension age has been rising gradually. now, this group of women have said and have been fighting this for years and years, that fundamentally , they years, that fundamentally, they were not told, they were not given sufficient information. they weren't aware, first of all, of what was happening in terms of the pension age rising, but also in terms of the number of national insurance contributions , the number of contributions, the number of years stamps they had to pay to qualify for a full pension. now they've been fighting this for years. this report that's come out today has been five years. and fundamentally , it says that and fundamentally, it says that the department of work and pensions hasn't done its job properly in that it didn't take adequate steps to make these women informed as they should

have been . and also, though it's have been. and also, though it's now calling for redress, it says that, crucially, it doesn't believe that the department for work and pensions, it says that they will not take steps to put this right. so they think that the dwp won't put it right. so they are asking parliament directly to intervene on these women's behalf. now, the leader of the house of commons, penny mordaunt, has already stated that she thinks that mel stride, the secretary of for state the dwp, should come and address the house on this matter urgently and hopefully before easter . and hopefully before easter. parliament goes into recess at the end of next tuesday to illuminate us on what the government are going to do to put this right. now the all party parliament group on this has been pretty clear. peter aldous, who's the vice chair, has suggested payments of a

minimum of £10,000 per woman. so we could be looking at a bill possibly of £3.5 billion. and upwards. so will they pay and how quickly will they pay? because of course, we've seen time and time again , money is time and time again, money is very short. there is a general election looming post office victims. many of them haven't had proper compensation. tainted blood . similarly, the government blood. similarly, the government isn't always very good at putting its hand in its pocket when it can pass the buck and leave it to be someone else's problem . problem. >> yeah, really big questions there for the government. but also this idea that there will be some people who are really put out by this who had made plans on the basis of this. and and are really struggling to get by. there'll be other people who frankly don't need the money. there'll be people who are millionaires who fit amongst this because universal this because it's a universal

benefit . this is a really tricky benefit. this is a really tricky problem because at a time when some people are really struggling in the united kingdom , would it be right for the government to spend taxpayers money is taxpayers money because it is taxpayers money, it away hard money, taking it away from hard working, people and working, hard pressed people and giving it to people who don't need in cases ? need it in some cases? >> yes. and this is an argument that i think we might quite well hear from the government because, as you say, tom, there will be plenty of women who did know what the rule changes were, who did know about the national insurance and planned accordingly and frankly, do not need this money. we know the national debt is what is it, 2.6 trillion at the moment? we know there's no money for pretty much anything that the government really would like to do, and that's likely not to change. but of course, too, there are many women who have been plunged into real because they real hardship because they thought they were retiring. at a certain point, they planned accordingly , they worked accordingly, they worked

accordingly, they worked accordingly, found accordingly, and then they found when it was too late to do much about it, that that in fact was not the case. so certainly some women have been let down very, very badly. but i think, in terms of the government putting its hand in its pocket and paying its hand in its pocket and paying out, let's wait and see. but they tend not to be fast and money is in very short supply at the moment. >> thank you very much >> well, thank you very much indeed. forster there, >> well, thank you very much ind< political forster there, >> well, thank you very much indepolitical correspondentiere, >> well, thank you very much indepolitical correspondent .ere, our political correspondent. tom, i'm not sure if i agree with you on the whole means testing of this just because , testing of this just because, you know, a lot of people have been very responsible with the way that they've used their money. they've it well, money. they've invested it well, therefore reaped the therefore they've reaped the benefits that. they've worked benefits of that. they've worked very they've accrued benefits of that. they've worked very wealth they've accrued benefits of that. they've worked very wealth .they've accrued benefits of that. they've worked very wealth . yes. ve accrued benefits of that. they've worked very wealth . yes. mostcrued benefits of that. they've worked very wealth . yes. most of ed benefits of that. they've worked very wealth . yes. most of iti some wealth. yes. most of it might be in assets, i.e. their house. why shouldn't they receive when they arguably have ? receive when they arguably have? why should they receive and others? >> emily, if the tax burden was at a 70 year low rather than a 70 year high, i would heartily agree with you. but frankly, we're not talking about this is free money being punished,

though, because you've done the right other right thing punishing other people there is no people as well. like there is no there one who isn't there is no one who isn't punished this situation . punished in this situation. we're money from some we're taking money from some people to others. is people to give it to others. is it thing to it the fairest thing to do, to take pressed people take it from hard pressed people who making really tough who are making really tough decisions their lives? decisions about their lives? because of the tax because the rate of the tax burden now and give it to burden right now and give it to people who've lots of money, people who've got lots of money, well, more people go well, we need more people to go to work anyway. >> we' re to work anyway. >> we're talking >> coming up, we're talking plummeting birth rates, which may leaving uk heavily may be leaving the uk heavily reliant for immigration reliant on for immigration decades and decades and decades to more on that shortly

well, the falling birth rate is to leave the uk dependent on immigration all the way until the year 2100. so at the end of the year 2100. so at the end of the century, the turn of the century. >> that's all any of us be

around to see it, according to a new report. yes. well, let's get the lowdown on what this report is saying now with the statistician and political commentator jamie jenkins. jamie, , i suppose it's jamie, frankly, i suppose it's a mathematical reality. if we're not having enough babies to replace our current population and we want to pay for things that retirees like, like health care or anything else, quite frankly, you need more people to work. i suppose that's the calculation done here. >> yeah. and i think what you've highlighted here with this kind of declining birth rates is a phenomenon that's been in the uk for a while now. you got to go back to the 1950s where we were having post—war baby boom. having that post—war baby boom. and, consequence that and, and the consequence of that post—war is we've got post—war baby boom is we've got a lot of them hitting the kind of the elderly population over the decade or so. guys, the next decade or so. guys, we're to seeing we're going to start seeing those the figures. so those into the death figures. so without migration, uk without migration, the uk population from about 2035 onwards would actually start falling. some people might falling. now some people might argue that that's not a bad thing. we seem to be overcrowded

because infrastructure because the infrastructure hasn't in the hasn't been put in place the last 20 or so years. but i think, tom, what you've said is , think, tom, what you've said is, is pretty much bang on the money is pretty much bang on the money is if don't have the is that if we don't have the population do the population coming in to do the jobs, get that tax jobs, you don't get that tax receipt to pay for, just not the health care pensions that the people of. >> jamie, people coming to this country get old too. so what do you have? just a constant merry go round, a constant conveyor belt of new arrivals. then they get old and then you need to have more, and then they get old, and then you have more. meanwhile, the quality of life old, and then you have more. mesomeile, the quality of life old, and then you have more. mesome arease quality of life old, and then you have more. mesome areas ofjuality of life old, and then you have more. mesome areas of the ty of life old, and then you have more. mesome areas of the country; in some areas of the country gets less less. surely these gets less and less. surely these sorts of things, birth rates, they go up and down. yes, it might go down for a little while, but then something might change. or the government might enact policies of enact pro—natalist policies of one or the other, and it might go back up again. is not just reaching for the immigration lever a bit shortsighted. >> i think short sight is probably more short tum, because basically we're living with this

phenomenon because of short sightedness of the last 20 or 30 years, because, you know, if you're a couple now , if you try you're a couple now, if you try to get on the housing ladder in the uk, the kind of your wage to price house ratio has price of the house ratio has gone the the last gone through the roof the last 30 years. so women are having to work kind in their 20s and work kind of in their 20s and 30s just that to get 30s just for that couple to get on housing ladder. so the on the housing ladder. so the housing is part of housing crisis is a big part of this. and rightly, women want a career well. days of just career as well. the days of just staying at home looking after children, know, those are children, you know, those are kind not we today, kind of not what we seen today, but ultimately do need more but ultimately we do need more family friendly policies. if you're get the birth you're going to get the birth rate because the ons , look at rate up because the ons, look at the projections for the population, estimating population, they're estimating at a total fertility rate of about 1.6. so you need 2.1 to replace the population. so unless we encourage more births and the chancellor's increased the child benefit , allowance, the child benefit, allowance, kind of the threshold of which that gets tapered away in the recent budget, that's not going to have a huge difference . you to have a huge difference. you need policies to encourage more births and ultimately the cost

of living and a notpla. but the cost of living crisis. today i'm talking about just the general cost of living in the uk. the last 20 or 30 years has made it impossible for young people under of under the age of 30. >> really important >> it's a really important point, thank so point, jamie. thank you so much for it to us. that's for bringing it to us. that's the end the hour. but coming the end of the hour. but coming up, health culture, up, the mental health culture, has that after this. >> 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 most 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 but some 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. but north—west does turn

but the far north—west does turn brighter. very brighter. but it is very blustery here, much of the south of the uk. yes, a bit misty and murky first thing, but brightening afternoon murky first thing, but brig where] afternoon murky first thing, but brig where] aafternoon murky first thing, but brig where] a bitrnoon murky first thing, but brig where] a bit ofyon and where we see a bit of sunshine, very mild 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 this evening, spreading 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. night here north. very blustery night here with the showers coming in. they'll fall as snow over the tops of the and it will tops of the hills and it will turn here. another fairly turn colder here. another fairly mild night in the south. different feel though. tomorrow morning the midlands and morning across the midlands and east much southern east anglia, much of southern england cloud and england seeing cloud and outbreaks of rain. that rain slowly across the slowly moving across the southeast . so quite damp day, southeast. so quite a damp day, the likely to linger in the rain likely to linger in kent. brightens up further kent. it brightens up further north, packing north, lots of showers packing into and northern into scotland and northern ireland again, some snow on the hills chillier feel for hills and a chillier feel for all temperatures lower tomorrow and colder with the wind. >> that warm feeling inside from

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gb news. >> good afternoon. britain it's coming up to 1:00 on thursday, the 21st of march. >> interest rates. the bank of england has held the base rate at 5.25% for the fifth time. despite yesterday's drop in inflation. will we ever see this cut in interest and mortgage rates? >> and has britain's mental health crisis gone too far? work and pensions secretary mel stride certainly thinks so, saying normal anxieties are being labelled as illnesses as he pushes plans for people to get back to work. we'll be debating this later on. >> london drug bust thousands of pounds worth of narcotics were seized in a raid on the capital

yesterday, with the met cracking down on sophisticated drug deaung down on sophisticated drug dealing groups. we'll bring you an exclusive report. good afternoon. britain it is just 1:00 101. there we go. are we labelling too many things? >> mental health problems ? where >> mental health problems? where in the past it would be having a down day , or feeling a bit sad, down day, or feeling a bit sad, or feeling a bit worried about something ? do you think we over medicalize? >> this is the question we've been asking. we've already got some of your views, but we would love some more. rob says that he's actually been unable to work since 2014, and believe he'd love to be back in work, but the support that he needs is never there. so there is that side of this as well. are people with genuine mental health problems not getting enough support? >> but norman says, i was a war

baby.i >> but norman says, i was a war baby. i spent most of my early years sleeping under an air raid shelter, not knowing if our house would be standing the next day. i lived through rationing and more shortages and and many more shortages and fears. kids and many more shortages and fears. have kids and many more shortages and fears. have pressuresids and many more shortages and fears. have pressures ,is and many more shortages and fears. have pressures , which today have more pressures, which is why they have so many mental health rubbish. norman agrees. >> he says every generation has had it hard. i've done all right. i haven't complained about my mental health. i've got on with things had on with things and had a comfortable life . it's comfortable life. it's interesting because sometimes there is this real, genuine case. there are people genuinely, really struggling . genuinely, really struggling. but what the work and pensions secretary is saying today is that amongst those who are generally struggling, there are those who perhaps aren't or who perhaps would struggle less were they in work. and there are different ways to sort different things. should it be the first time you say, i'm feeling a bit sad , you suddenly go on the sad, you suddenly go on the dole? perhaps not. >> and everywhere you look, everywhere turn, every everywhere you turn, every newspaper every social newspaper you read, every social media tweet. you look at every instagram, every tiktok, every whatever tv show, constantly

talking mental health. talking about mental health. well, we do wonder if we've made it. yes, we are sorry. sorry i guess we are massive hypocrites today, let us know. you today, but let us know. do you agree with stride, the work agree with mel stride, the work and secretary, that and pensions secretary, that perhaps too much perhaps we talk too much about mental the pendulum mental health? the pendulum swung too far the other way. >> well, all gb news come after your headlines with sophia . your headlines with sophia. >> thanks, tom. good afternoon. it's 1:01. i'm >> thanks, tom. good afternoon. it's1:01. i'm sophia wenzler in the gb newsroom. your top story this hour. the bank of england has held the interest rate at 5.25. for the fifth time in a row, bank governor andrew bailey said the economy is not yet at the point where rates can be lowered, but things are moving in the right direction. 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 . thousands of and a half years. 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 in line with men's in 2010. the women against state pension equality campaign hoped to be awarded £10,000 in compensation, claiming that millions of women had suffered financially because they weren't warned about the changes . but warned about the changes. but the report has recommended payments below £3,000. meanwhile, shadow secretary yvette cooper says it's important to take this report very seriously. >> i think this is a really important issue because many women across the country just feel like they had the goalposts moved from them at the time when they didn't know what was changing. and so that's why i think it's really important that we look at this report. i haven't seen it yet, but i know that people will be looking really seriously at it . really seriously at it. >> 10 said that it is >> number 10 has said that it is

deaung >> number 10 has said that it is dealing migration dealing with a migration emergency after a record number of seekers crossed the of asylum seekers crossed the engush of asylum seekers crossed the english channel yesterday, 514 migrants intercepted by migrants were intercepted by border force, the highest number this year so far. and today at least another 300 migrants have arrived across the channel in six small boats. 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 on the bill. 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 colpan maker 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 . the work taken by border force. 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 a job, 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 of 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 people 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. >> 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 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 the list 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 support. with 8500 extra mental health workers , so that we can health workers, so that we can improve that quality of service for people. that's labour's plan. >> three staff members from the

london clinic are being investigated over allegations that they tried to access the princess of wales's medical files. the individuals could face prosecution under the data protection laws and also could be sued for damages by princess catherine. it's understood the king's medical records are not compromised. when he was treated at the same hospital for an enlarged prostate, the london clinic has promised investigatory, regulatory and disciplinary steps will be taken andifs disciplinary steps will be taken and it's a bad news day for chocolate lovers, as some easter eggs are at least 50% more expensive this year. eggs are at least 50% more expensive this year . researchers 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 cost at least 50% more than a year ago, while others have shrunk in size . that's have shrunk in size. 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

natural fluctuation in the weather's patterns in tropical pacific . and for the latest pacific. and for the latest story, sign up to gb news alerts by scanning the qr code on your screen or go to gbnews.com/alerts. now it's back to tom and . to tom and. emily. >> good afternoon britain. it's 1:08, with the prime minister already facing a potential revolt. he's now been dealt another blow with some sensational new polling out this morning. >> yes, it doesn't look good. according to yougov , the according to yougov, the conservatives are on the same share they received at their lowest ever ebb in the aftermath of liz truss's mini—budget. so the polling also found , and get the polling also found, and get this, that the reform party, reform uk have their highest vote share ever. >> yes , just four points between >> yes, just four points between the tories and reform at this

point. according to the latest yougov poll, both in the teens. well, let's break down the numbers with the pollster chris hopkins of opinium . now, chris, hopkins of opinium. now, chris, i know it's not your poll that was out this morning, but do you recognise this trend , a recognise this trend, a precipitated rise in reform uk with a corresponding fall in the tory vote share . tory vote share. >> yeah we do tom, to be honest, i mean our polling at savanta has also shown, you know, similar levels in terms of the records for, for reform uk and indeed for the conservative vote. share. you know, our most recent poll that savanta had the conservatives on 26. now that's considerably higher than the yougov poll, but it probably is down to some methodological differences , which i've gone differences, which i've gone into detail before on my into some detail before on on my twitter feed. but that is one of the lowest figures that we've shown for the conservatives. indeed, and the indeed, since liz truss and the week before, had them as low week before, we had them as low as 25, which low as the

as 25, which was as low as the last throes of her premiership, and this week we reform uk and this week we had reform uk themselves on 11% again. reform uk aren't in our main voting intention prompt. we put them in a second sub prompt, but that is still the highest ever figure that we've ever shown for reform uk. which just goes to show uk. which does just goes to show that generating quite that they are generating quite a lot of popularity in opinion polling at the moment. >> can we draw any parallels perhaps with ukip , the uk perhaps to with ukip, the uk independence party that perhaps shapps at this time in the election cycle? people say they're going to vote for a new party like the reform party. and clearly lots of people say that they are planning to. but then when it comes down to it, because of the way our electoral system works, they find that system works, they may find that actually they don't see their vote counting in the same way as if they voted for one of the main parties. so essentially, will through the election? yeah, i think emily, that >> yeah, i think emily, that remains the huge question for us pollsters and indeed sort of all political commentators really at

the minute, we just don't know. ultimately, showing pretty ultimately, we're showing pretty high figures, whether high reform uk figures, whether that high as yougov on 15% that is as high as yougov on 15% or, you know, still with us well above or well into double figures. but that hasn't been the electoral evidence to really back that up either in by elections or indeed in local elections. now, obviously we do have local elections around the corner. i that richard corner. and i think that richard tice party are probably going to be one of the most interesting stories from from set stories from from this set of local elections to actually, local elections to see actually, how perform . is there how do they perform. is there any electoral evidence that they are justifying their opinion polling numbers at the moment, and they are something and whether they are something of a bit of a mid firm, protest vote or indeed, are they the real deal? and i think that you mentioned ukip there, emily. i mean they ended up backing up their high opinion polling numbers with lot of numbers with a lot of councillors across the country. and then come the 2015 general election, although they didn't end up with any seats, they did end up with any seats, they did end 12% of the vote end up with 12% of the vote share the country. share across the country. so reform haven't done that yet.

and i think that does give and i think that that does give us a little of , you us pulses a little bit of, you know, of a when we know, a bit of a pause when we come these numbers. but you come to these numbers. but you know, there is nothing to suggest the minute they suggest at the minute that they couldn't that. we couldn't do that. i think we just our own just want to see it with our own eyes some actual eyes and with some actual evidence actual elections evidence from actual elections first. yes. >> i m- m— >> and i suppose it's not too long the local elections, long until the local elections, which be a test of which could be a big test of this, but frankly, when we have looked electoral events, looked at electoral events, when we at the king's we have looked at the king's wood wellingborough wood and wellingborough by elections, was on above elections, reform was on above 10% in each of those, although in rochdale nowhere near. >> yeah. and i think that again tom just you know , just just tom just you know, just just highlights the fact that at the minute they are a bit of an enigma. we don't really know kind they stand among kind of where they stand among among british electorate. among the british electorate. you know, based obviously on you know, based on obviously on this poll today, this on this yougov poll today, you know, that does imply that, you know, that does imply that, you roughly 1 in 7 voters you know, roughly 1 in 7 voters are going to be voting for a reform seems high. reform that seems quite high. and we haven't that and we haven't had that electoral evidence to back electoral evidence yet to back that some of that up. and obviously, some of those that you those byelections that you referenced , you know, the

referenced, you know, the rochdale one was particularly some circumstance given some strange circumstance given that most of the major parties didn't campaign there at didn't really campaign there at all, you would have expected reform to potentially have quite a strong showing. as it was, a strong showing. but as it was, it up being george it ended up being george galloway . and obviously galloway instead. and obviously in know, did in kingswood, you know, they did perform well, but i wouldn't have described them necessarily as performing above par based on their polling. and that their opinion polling. and that really the only evidence that really is the only evidence that we've had recently, at least, of reform , really, really doing reform, really, really doing much in terms terms of much in terms of in terms of actual electoral evidence. i think that there was a stat that i read this, this week that they've only contested two of 39 local council by elections in 2024. we just they just haven't really had been tested yet. i think that therefore, yes, these local elections on the 2nd of may are going to be really, really interesting to see how reform, end up doing. >> absolutely. thank >> absolutely. well, thank you very indeed for your very much indeed for your expertise. chris hopkins pollster. course , savanta pollster. of course, savanta with savanta with savanta, very interesting indeed. i do wonder,

when it comes down to it, whether people will vote for reform, how much of a protest vote is it at the moment when it comes to polling? because our electoral system, like it or lump it, like it or loathe it? doesn't lend itself to, voting for smaller parties. >> but it is fascinating . these >> but it is fascinating. these two parties are inching closer and closer and closer together. you've got this corresponding drop in the tory vote rise in the reform uk vote. the difference now is 19 and 15% in that poll between 19 and 15. it's quite crazy, isn't it, considering how how what the tories were on not too long ago . tories were on not too long ago. but in 2019 we did see some polls where there was crossover between the tory party and the brexit party , as it was then in brexit party, as it was then in the midst of that european election campaign , you saw election campaign, you saw westminster voting intention, whereby reform went ahead or, sorry, the brexit party as it was, then, went ahead of the tories. could we see something similar? of course, after those european elections, prime

european elections, the prime minister resigned and then boris johnson became prime minister and suddenly brexit and suddenly the brexit party fizzled went to nowhere. fizzled out and went to nowhere. but see something but could we see something similar after the local elections? could, a strong showing in the polls and in the polling stations for reform actually dislodge rishi sunak? yes. >> and also think there's probably a lot of people out there who have done the same journey, made the same journey as, lee anderson, gone from labour to the conservatives and then reform , but there you then to reform, but there you go. let us know what you make of that. are you surprised at reform is polling for only points below the conservative party, or was that what you were expecting as well? gb views or gb news. >> com now the bank of england announces it will hold the base rate . these are the bank of rate. these are the bank of england base rate for the fifth time. it's running at 5.25% here. >> to break it down, it's gb news business and economics editor liam halligan with on the money liam, you've had a bit of

time now to have a look at some of gauge some of the reaction to this decision from the bank of england. what are people who know about these types of things saying what's your analysis as well ? well? >> yeah, i've just hotfooted it back from the bank of england , back from the bank of england, crossed london, been looking at the . no surprise. the reaction. no surprise. emily. pretty much everyone expected the bank of england to keep interest rates at 5.25. they've been there since august last year. it's a 16 year high, but there is quite a bit of surprise, as we discussed in the immediate moments after we learned about the decision. there's some surprise that the bank of england's nine strong monetary policy committee voted so overwhelmingly to keep rates on hold 8 to 1. i think it was expected that maybe it would be more of a fine cut decision. maybe, you know, 6 to 3 or even 5 to 4. and if the bank of

england's voting now 8 to 1 to hold interest rates, that means an interest rate cut next month is unlikely. and maybe even the month after. so whereas we had economists saying yesterday, oh, we could get four interest rate cuts in before the end of the yeanl cuts in before the end of the year, i don't think anyone's saying that now because the first interest rate cut now looks more likely to be may or even june, rather than next month. a lot of savers will like that as we often say, but people with mortgages on variable rates and personal loans who were hoping for a rate cut today or next month are probably disappointed . disappointed. >> well, liam, we're being told we've got a graphic here to show, which is, to show what the rates have done. let's have a look at this. can you talk us through it, liam? >> sure. so we see here from the gb news graphic that back in 2017 to 2018, 2019, interest rates are creeping up a little bit. they'd been ultra low since the global financial crisis, and

then really plummeted to then they really plummeted to then they really plummeted to the floor, just 0.25, a quarter of 1% during lockdown. since lockdown, we've had 15 successive interest rate rises up to 5.25. as i say, a 16 year high. so that is where rates now are. they're likely to stay there for a couple of months yet, but i think today's , yet, but i think today's, information from the bank of england is a little bit of a blow for rishi sunak. he was saying yesterday, we've turned the economic corner. rate cuts are coming soon. we want to get lots of rate cuts in before autumn election. that's what the tories are discussing privately . tories are discussing privately. they want to get another tax cut in before an autumn election in, on top of the one that we had in january, another one coming in in april. those reductions in headune in april. those reductions in headline national insurance from 12 to 8% altogether. but it seems now, if it's going to take a little bit of time to get the first rate cut in, we're unlikely to get three in before

the next election. so a little bit of a blow to the tories strategy or so—called strategy to try and challenge labour by going long on the election , going long on the election, delaying it until the economy improves. i don't think anyone would say that the economy isn't generally improving. it is . i generally improving. it is. i don't think anyone thinks that we still in recession . in we are still in recession. in the first quarter of this year. we were in the back half of last year with economy year with the economy contracting, the economy is now expanding , contracting, the economy is now expanding, albeit very contracting, the economy is now expanding , albeit very slowly, expanding, albeit very slowly, but there won't be much respite soon for mortgage holders, and thatis soon for mortgage holders, and that is a bit of a to blow the conservative party. alongside that quite phenomenal polling that quite phenomenal polling that you both were talking about with reform. now very much creeping up on the tory shoulders. >> yeah, indeed . thank you very >> yeah, indeed. thank you very much indeed. liam halligan, their business and economics editor . we also want to know how editor. we also want to know how this decision impacts you and people across the country. gb news south—west of england . news is south—west of england. reporter jeff moody has been out and about in devon to a and about in devon speaking to a sheep less . sheep farmer no less. >> yes, i've come here down to

exmoor to talk to sheep farmer bill geen bill, is this what you were expecting, yeah. to be honest, yes it is, and, you know, obviously we'd like to see interest rates go down. who wouldn't? but at least we know that it doesn't look like they're going to go up again. and it brings confidence, i think, that, you know, think, to know that, you know, things improving and not things are improving and not getting getting worse. you say, who savers wouldn't who wouldn't, savers wouldn't for some people. >> some people. it's not good news at all. i understand that and i've got some friends down the have been living on the road who have been living on investments , and they've been investments, and they've been struggling over the last few years are delighted way years and are delighted the way things but, you know, things are going. but, you know, they rely their pension things are going. but, you know, thewell. rely their pension things are going. but, you know, thewell. reljthey, heir pension things are going. but, you know, thewell. reljthey, you pension things are going. but, you know, thewell. reljthey, you know,»n as well. and they, you know, you need economy better need a strong economy to better fund so that's the fund pensions. so that's the other side, the side of the coin. as a businessman, as coin. but as a businessman, as a farmer, need we farmer, you know, we need we need loan interest rates as need as loan interest rates as possible and inflation as low as possible and inflation as low as possible . possible. >> so explain to me why it's so important for farmers that interest rates are kept low, because you'd first look at it and well, most of you

and you think, well, most of you have inherited homes, have inherited your homes, inherited . a lot of inherited the land. a lot of farmers have been farming the land for generations . land for generations. >> so. >> so. >> so. >> so why is it so important that interest rates stay low? >> it's important i'm >> well it's important i'm actually farmer here. actually a tenant farmer here. >> you know, i can't >> so i mean, you know, i can't generate capital by where i, where i'm living, but i do own a bit of land and that helps. i mean, the banks have confidence in people with land and they will money. can't will lend money. but you can't you money by just you can't generate money by just owning have to you owning land. you have to you have to find way of getting have to find a way of getting capital and banks will lend and we borrow. when we were we borrow. and when we were borrowing it, 0.2, you know, it was a much happier place. and now we're on 5.5% plus whatever the banks add on. so yeah , it's the banks add on. so yeah, it's cost us a lot of money the last couple of years. because we've got some variable rate loans and of course anybody wants to take out a new loan, it's the same thing. you know, you're going to get a higher rate. so you know it's below now, but it's it's below 5% now, but it's still a big, big commitment. >> and typically what farmers >> and typically what do farmers want for. want capital for.

>> well one thing is buying land expanding the other one would be, replacing machinery, improving their, their buildings and, and the way they operate , and, and the way they operate, there's a lot of pressure at the moment to, to farm, in a way which protects the environment, stop water, run off, all those sort of things. and a lot of it needs capital. and if you haven't got ready capital, you haven't got ready capital, you have to borrow . have to borrow. >> okay. >> okay. >> well, it stayed the same today. bill. thank today. bill. jane, thank you very indeed. the very much indeed. stayed the same today. we are expecting same today. but we are expecting rates to fall later on rates to start to fall later on this summer. but for now, back to . to you. >> well, there you go. there's jeff in devon with a sheep jeff moody in devon with a sheep farmer there. let us know if this interest rate hold is going to affect you. are you disappointed with the way it's gone or not gone by that matter, should it have gone should should it have gone down? should it up? one person it have gone up? even one person thought should. in the thought it should. in the monetary committee, one monetary policy committee, one person go person thought it should go down. down. yes. down. oh, down. yes. >> one last time around. two >> no. one last time around. two thought go up, up. but thought it should go up, up. but now it should go thought it should go up, up. but nov1so it should go thought it should go up, up. but nov1so they're it should go thought it should go up, up. but nov1so they're coming hould go thought it should go up, up. but nov1so they're coming aroundo up. so they're coming around slowly. around

slowly. coming around slowly. they're around, has they're coming around, but has britain's mental health crisis gone too far? well mel stride, the work and pensions secretary, says that normal anxieties are now being confused with illness . now being confused with illness. we'll be debating whether that's true after this .

break. >> do we have a mental health crisis in britain ? tom? crisis in britain? tom? >> do we. well, why don't we debate that? >> emily, i think we should work. and pensions secretary mel stride has said the mental health culture has gone too far. he says normal anxieties, anxiety, anxieties of life are now being labelled as illnesses. and he essentially wants to get 150,000 people who are signed off work with what he calls mild conditions , to look for a job

instead. >> yes, well, should he do that? and are we overdiagnosing mental health? i know that it's been something that's got the inbox really going today, and we'll be talking about it some more. but remember, if you've got a personal anecdote this, personal anecdote on this, you can in gbviews@gbnews.com. can write in gbviews@gbnews.com. and we'll be looking at what some of you have to say a little bit later in the programme. but joining us now is the writer and mental health advocate rachel kelly, who feels mental health is a big issue that needs to be treated with care. and the political commentator russell kirk, who doesn't believe that there's this so—called mental health crisis. well, russell, you're probably the more contentious view here. let's start with you. are we overdiagnosing mental health? >> yes we are. >> and look, i'm not sure it's controversial , to be honest, to controversial, to be honest, to say that we now have some 6 million people in this country. so that's a huge proportion of the adult workforce that are signed off sick, and a large

proportion and a growing proportion and a growing proportion that cite mental health and indeed anxiety and the ups and downs of life as a reason not to work. now, not only does that make us very unproductive, you know, almost the kind of sick man of europe as we used to be called, but it's costing an absolute fortune. our benefit bill now is some £300 billion per annum. and, you know, on the basis that it's not affordable, this needs to be addressed. i simply don't believe that an additional 400,000 people a year, which is what the stats say , are what the stats say, are genuinely ill through genuine mental health rather than just wanting to sit at home because they feel a little bit weary. >> rachel russell makes a good point there. can we afford to have tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of people off work because of things like mild anxiety ? mild anxiety? >> well, yes, i mean, it

obviously is a good idea for people to get back to work. we know that being in work is good for mental health. it's preventative for mental health. what i would say is i don't i don't completely disagree in the sense that it may be that some of these don't actually of these people don't actually have proper mental health problems. what i would say is that we need sympathy and understanding about how we've got into this mess, and i don't blame those people for saying they've got a problem. the reason that people come forward and say they've got mental health problems is because we have real complexity over diagnosis. it's not simple diagnosis. it's not a simple issue . it's not. there isn't issue. it's not. there isn't a blood test that can say for sure , yes, you've got a mental health problem. there isn't a brain scan that you can say for sure. yes, you've got a mental health problem . it is health problem. it is self—reported. but what i would say is that people coming forward to gp's who are finding life difficult , they are then life difficult, they are then diagnosed by the gp themselves, who's got seven minutes on the clock and says yes, okay, you've got anxiety or you've got

depression. so i think we have to go back to the beginning of the story and treating people with understanding with sympathy and understanding and necessarily putting them and not necessarily putting them straight box. straight into a medical box. >> that's crazy though, isn't it, rachel? that's crazy, though, it, that you though, isn't it, that you can see gp for less than seven see a gp for less than seven minutes and be signed off work sick ? sick? >> and actually, emily, sorry, 94% of the time the stat says 94% of the time the stat says 94% of the time the stat says 94% of the time that doctor that sees you for 6 or 7 minutes will automatically just sign you off. so you can literally walk in without any real diagnosis. the other interesting thing, and i'd like what, all think like to know what, you all think of this particular, stat. this instance is that there is a huge difference in the propensity for people to be off sick through mental health and anxiety, depending on where you live in the country. so in wales , in the country. so in wales, in some parts of wales, 18% of the workforce are off sick , mostly workforce are off sick, mostly through anxiety and depression, whereas in saint albans , for whereas in saint albans, for instance, it's only 3. what is

it that makes wales such a hideous place to live? inverted commas from the base , from the commas from the base, from the bafis commas from the base, from the basis that mental health is such an acute issue there, much more than it is anywhere else. it makes you wonder if just there are certain people in parts of the country, guys that are just work shy. >> well, rachel, let's do that to you. >> i'm going to jump in there. i think it's really quite obvious what's on. i'd that, what's going on. i'd say that, a place with lower numbers place with much lower numbers has got good mental health services where people aren't instantly diagnosed with mental health kind of extreme conditions , which they may or conditions, which they may or may not have. there may be much more social prescribing. quite often people are finding often people who are finding life difficult, may life really difficult, they may have issues of loneliness, social anxiety . there's lots of social anxiety. there's lots of other things we can do without medicalizing them . and so medicalizing them. and so i think the differences in the country, yes, there may be elements of social deprivation and difficulties. wales versus saint albans, but for me it's about having better mental health services so we don't get into this mess in the first place.

>> and what do you make of this, russell? this idea that actually having better mental health services doesn't mean signing more cases, more people off. in many cases, it actually means signing fewer people i think if i'm people off. well i think if i'm going to make a political point, tom, i think it's, you know, pretty interesting really, that the areas of the country that seem most depressed seem to be the most depressed and have the worst services are all party as all run by the labour party as in, you know, wales particular. >> but can just go back >> but look, can i just go back to point about a bit of to the point about a bit of anxiety, a little bit of loneliness, of depression, loneliness, a bit of depression, having bad hair day, pet having a bad hair day, a pet that's ill. these are not reasons not to go to work. we are going to end up to hell in a hand cart economically. if we continue this woke approach , continue this woke approach, which is to be so super sympathetic to anybody that decides that they're having a bad time of it. look, life is full of up and downs, guys. get on with it . on with it. >> well, i'm afraid we have run out of time on this debate, but really appreciate both of your perspectives. rachel and russell, thanks for joining us. >> it's not fair on >> yeah. and it's not fair on the rest of who are paying

the rest of us who are paying our is it? our taxes, is it? >> no. in many, many ways, people working when people not working when they should. just health. should. not just mental health. lots too . lots of other things too. >> and course, of course >> and of course, of course there be lots of people who there will be lots of people who genuinely have real mental health they can't health problems and they can't go to work and they need to be off for some time. that should go saying we're going to go without saying we're going to be on thousands be moving on to thousands of pounds of narcotics being pounds worth of narcotics being seized dramatic raid seized in a very dramatic raid in london yesterday. >> we'll bring you an exclusive report. we were there. that's after your headlines with sophia i >> -- >> thank 5mm >> thank you. tom, it's 133. i'm >> thank you. tom, it's133. i'm sophia wenzler in the gb newsroom. your headlines. the bank of england has held the interest rate at 5.25. for the fifth time in a row, the bank governor andrew bailey, said the economy is not yet at the point where rates can be lowered, but things are moving in the right direction . it comes after the direction. 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 . the lowest for two and a half years. number 10 has said that it is dealing with a migration emergency after a record number of asylum seekers crossed the engush of asylum seekers crossed the english channel yesterday, 514 migrants were intercepted by border force, the highest number this year so far. and today at least another 300 migrants have arrived across the channel in six small boats . meanwhile, six small boats. meanwhile, a south sudanese migrant has been jailed for piloting a dangerously overcrowded small boat as he made his way across the english channel in august, 31 year old chulpan maker 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 . and it's taken by border force. and it's a bad news day for chocolate lovers, as some easter eggs are at least 50% more expensive this yeah 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 pnces. led 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 . 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 code on your screen, or go to gb news .com/ alerts . news .com/ alerts. >> for a valuable legacy your family can own, gold coins will always shine bright. rosalind gold proudly sponsors the gb news financial report , and news financial report, and here's a quick snapshot of today's markets. >> the pound will buy you $1.2727 and ,1.1672. the price of gold is £1,731.65 per ounce, and the ftse 100 is at 7854

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i >> -- >> it's 138 in the afternoon. and thousands of pounds worth of narcotics were seized in a dramatic dawn raid in london yesterday. as the met police target sophisticated drug deaung target sophisticated drug dealing groups. >> in a broadcast exclusive gb news very own ray addison was asked to ride along and film a further, rather rude awakening . further, rather rude awakening. >> daybreak in hillingdon , >> daybreak in hillingdon, north—west london, and an alleged drug dealer is about to get an unexpected wake up call from the met police officers inside the flat is a 29 year old male suspect who police believe

is part of a network distributing narcotics to over 100 people. one of my colleagues. for the met, this is just the latest arrest in operation umata, a london wide crackdown where specialist teams target sophisticated drug deaung target sophisticated drug dealing groups . detective chief dealing groups. detective chief inspector erin kerr is in charge. >> and we would call him the. the controller of this network. so he's the one that is operating , this line. he operating, this line. he controls this line. he owns this line. they are often the men of violence. so they're not just known for drug supply, but they're known for a lot of other, violent offences that impact the community. >> back inside the in the >> back inside the flat in the living room , pcs anna harwood living room, pcs anna harwood and have found what and kevin mclean have found what appears to be class a drugs that looks like crack cocaine . looks like crack cocaine. >> about an ounce. >> about an ounce. >> probably. they say the crack alone has a street value of almost £3,000. >> this is heroin, i believe

that's been divided up into individual wraps and wraps. >> ready for onward supply to the end users, this is clingfilm. these are the brown rizla papers that are used to wrap the heroin cling films used to wrap the crack, this is going to wrap the crack, this is going to be the heroin. >> so that would have made into that. this would eventually have been broken down using the scales . it was just been broken down using the scales. it was just all being done on this table. and then obviously we found a drug line that used to out the bulk that used to send out the bulk messages . messages. >> pc mclean warns the heroin could be laced with nitrosamines, a deadly synthetic opioid outlawed by the government just this week. >> basically , they're like 100 >> basically, they're like 100 times stronger than morphine and fentanyl . basically, when the fentanyl. basically, when the heroin is laced with it, they yeah, they're like lethal. >> with this latest arrest under operation umata, officers believe they've taken down the final connection in a london drugs line that's been operating for years . and thousands of for years. and thousands of

pounds of class a narcotics are off the streets. police say the suspect was arrested on suspicion of supplying class a drugs and remains in custody for questioning . but until that news questioning. but until that news filters down to the streets , his filters down to the streets, his suspected drug line will keep ringing off the hook . ray ringing off the hook. ray addison, gb news. >> gosh. imagine. imagine finding out you live in the neighbour neighbouring flat to that. >> oh, living in the neighbouring. just hearing the door being battered in by one of these police. >> west for you, a >> north west london for you, a north—west london, that's where it . it is. >> well, yeah, but that's not all of north—west london. >> no, just that particular north—west london, that particular north—west london, that paryeah.' north—west london, that paryeah. well well they've done >> yeah. well well they've done a good job. >> they've done a good job. >> they've done a good job. >> shall get context >> shall we get some context behind sorts of behind this on these sorts of raids former raids with the former metropolitan police officer, graham graham. thank

graham whettam. graham. thank you for joining graham whettam. graham. thank you forjoining us here. this seems like this was part of a sophisticated operation going after the sort of heads of these nodes of dealership . nodes of dealership. >> yeah. good afternoon. >> yeah. good afternoon. >> it's a yeah. >> it's a yeah. >> you heard from the senior investigating officer, the officer in charge of it saying mentioning lines there on about county phone county lines and phone lines. >> it part of an ongoing >> so it is part of an ongoing operation, the police are running. i think operation, the police are running. ithink started running. i think it started about the 4th of march, had a whole week long, of activities around combating drugs. this seems like follow on from seems like it's a follow on from that long operation that week long operation targeting and targeting drug addresses and known county line users or holders. so someone holds the phone line as you heard there, the phone kept on ringing even in the in property bag. yeah in the in the property bag. yeah the phone line that is used to distribute, controlled drugs. >> so that was a raid on a known premises to combat that operation. >> it's an endless battle, really, for the police, isn't it? they get one dealer, one gang, they get the ringleaders, and another one pops up, is the war on drugs , how do we put it?

war on drugs, how do we put it? is it almost hopeless at this stage? >> that's a great question. it's the misuse of drugs act came in in 1971, so it predates my policing career. so we've been combating drugs offences 40, 50 years now. years how. >> years now. >> so i've been on dozens and dozens of those sorts of raids where you push the door in and you arrest people. >> i personally, i think there needs to be a different, maybe a different approach, a different view on this. keep on view on this. so we keep on combating criminal offences of drugs, be drugs, but there needs to be maybe joined up approach maybe a more joined up approach looking maybe health looking at maybe a health approach, education approach, etc. education diversion. the sort of things you hear about knife crime, i think needs to be applied to the drugs offences, because drugs types offences, because you arrest your way you can't just arrest your way out of this drugs problem. it's clearly continuing . it's clearly continuing. it's increasing. are organised increasing. there are organised crime networks crime gangs and networks managing these county lines, bringing a lot of misery to people . but at the same time, people. but at the same time, i think there might be maybe there's different method or there's a different method or ways actually and ways we can actually try and combat this. is combat this. prevention is always than with always better than cure with these. keep these. you can't just keep on

arresting of this, arresting your way out of this, this drugs problem, which is clearly increasing. >> interesting >> it's such an interesting point there because the people that sophisticated that run these sophisticated operations , they're like mini operations, they're like mini ceos. they've got, structures and order and logistics. i mean, these people in, in the, in the real economy rather than the black economy could be could be fairly successful businessmen if they chose a different path in life. they're not thick people. they're not people who are sitting on the dole , like, these sitting on the dole, like, these are people who could be productive economic assets to this country. how do we change their lives ? their lives? >> yeah, i think that's one way that that's one aspect that he's looking at, because you're right to that some of those, to highlight that some of those, the pve to highlight that some of those, the i've been to the premises i've been to are really affluent areas, you really an affluent areas, you know, the organisers etc. >> what you saw there was that flat in north—west london. >> managing one line >> he's just managing one line above , above that individual above, above that individual there'd be somebody else and above there'd somebody above them there'd be somebody else so never actually on else. so you never actually on many these occasions, you many of these occasions, you never get the people never actually get to the people organising they're well organised, they're very well

structured, well organised, groups of individuals, gangs for want tum that are want of a better tum that are running these drugs operations. the to down the the misery comes to down the people actually delivering these drugs, quite often vulnerable people, children being used to take the drugs on because they're not stupid. they know that children are, you know, are going to be treated more favourably in the criminal justice , maybe even under justice system, maybe even under the age of criminal responsibility some them. responsibility for some of them. so it's actually, know, at so it's actually, you know, at the police officers the lower level, police officers are dealing with people are are dealing with people that are actually susceptible actually quite susceptible to being, and cultivated being, coerced and cultivated into going into a life of crime . into going into a life of crime. so it's a huge structure and a huge problem. >> yeah . i mean, the children as >> yeah. i mean, the children as young as, what, ten, 11 years old being used essentially as drug mules. i mean, what hope do you have of not, you know, going into a life of crime? thank you very much indeed. graham wetton, great to speak to and your great to speak to you and your experience. former metropolitan police i mean, as long police officer i mean, as long as it's lucrative, for as long as it's lucrative, for as long as lucrative , people are as it's lucrative, people are going to do it, aren't they? >> well, i it used to be

>> well, i mean, it used to be the queen victoria >> well, i mean, it used to be the pop queen victoria >> well, i mean, it used to be the pop quee localoria >> well, i mean, it used to be the pop quee local boots could pop into her local boots if wanted to, or send an if she wanted to, or send an underling do and pick up underling to do so and pick up some, what were then legal drugs. she she was she was on legal drugs for most of her births . she legal drugs for most of her births. she had many, many drugs. you're talking about, i well, there were opium dens, weren't there? opiates there? were there were, i think the original, the original coca cola , had cocaine in it. >> well, in other , i wonder if >> well, in other, i wonder if anyone. when did they stop? >> i'm not suggesting we go back to. they stopped that in the 19505. i think , but i wonder. i 19505. i think, but i wonder. i wonder if we can track productivity in this country. i mean, is it is it a is it a surprise that, you know, this country used to rule the waves and then and then we took cocaine out of coca cola and suddenly and suddenly the british empire crumbled. i'm not saying a direct causation. saying it's a direct causation. it'5 saying it's a direct causation. it's certainly a correlation. >> yes. the desire to go downhill when they banned smoking indoors, well, they banned in what, banned smoking indoors in what, two thousand seven. two thousand and seven. >> we had a financial >> and then we had a financial crash. mean, just saying

crash. i mean, i'm just saying this stuff, this stuff happens. >> correlation or >> right. correlation or causation coming >> right. correlation or cau ittion coming >> right. correlation or cau ittion have coming >> right. correlation or cau ittion have been coming >> right. correlation or cau ittion have been little g >> right. correlation or cauintion have been little g >> right. correlation or cauin my have been little g >> right. correlation or cauin my cheek,e been little g >> right. correlation or cauin my cheek, ibeen little g >> right. correlation or cauin my cheek, ibeen to ittle g >> right. correlation or cauin my cheek, ibeen to say. g bit in my cheek, i have to say. coming another police coming up, another police related story, the met police's outreach allegedly outreach team are allegedly warning that warning potential recruits that black have to work black women will have to work much harder than their white colleagues. what impact will this have on our police force? what's going on here? see you shortly

i >> -- >> good afternoon. britain just gone 10 to 2. now the metropolitan police is being branded as embarrassing after footage emerged of its outreach teams telling prospective recruits that black women have to work much harder than white colleagues . colleagues. >> being a woman in today's world and being a black woman 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 . white female counterparts. >> right? well, the outreach team also featured footage of an officer saying that he didn't want to invalidate ethnic minorities who were racially abusive to him while on duty. >> when i joined and black people in the public were racially abusive to me. >> i absolutely hated my existence. it took me about eight months, five months, till one of them said, do you know the history of the area that you're working in and the organisation that you're working for? said, no. said, for? and i said, no. he said, i read this watch this . so read this and watch this. so i did ever since that , the did that. ever since that, the ability to resonate with people, it's been untold , for example, it's been untold, for example, being at a crime scene and they come and they insult you, you know, that's not personal. i've learned that it's not personal,

but i'm not going to invalidate them and say, no, that wasn't me. it wasn't me. things that happened before i was born, which why as horrible which is why it is as horrible as it is. but i have no, i can't deal with that. but what i do is i tell them what i would do and just be genuine, because the thing is , they have a lot of thing is, they have a lot of frustration and i'm probably the closest thing to a police officer and a son at the same time that they've come across. so i let them vent . so i let them vent. >> he lets them vent. well, is this the right way to approach communities that are distrustful of the police, or is this giving validation to that distrust? well, joining us now is our reporter charlie peters, who has uncovered this footage. what's going on here? >> well, tom, this is coming from met connected, one of the outreach teams that deals with supporting recruitment into the metropolitan police. the force has a significant issue in its eyes, with the under—representation of ethnic minorities within its ranks. at the latest, figures released at

the latest, figures released at the end of february, some 74% of all met officers come from white british backgrounds, which is a significant overrepresentation from the 36% for the wider london white british population. and this footage has been revealed a year after the kc review into the met police, which was sparked after the murder of sarah everard, said that the force was institutionally racist. now the met has been keen to deny that institutional and systemic claim . but at the same time we have here footage from diversity officers and outreach officers essentially reaffirming that claim made by baroness louise casey last year. in response to the footage we've raised, the met police did release a statement saying that we are the most diverse we've ever been, but we know there is more to do. we will continue to make every effort to make sure we are

attracting a workforce of the future that is as diverse as possible. they also said we are equally committed to making the met an inclusive place to work, where all our people can thrive live. >> thank you very much indeed, charlie peters. great report . charlie peters. great report. we'll be back in just one tick with more on all sorts, including mental health. >> a brighter outlook with boxt solar , the sponsors of weather solar, the sponsors of weather on . gb news. on. gb news. >> hello! welcome to your latest weather update from the met office for gb news. a bit of a nonh 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 pressure providing the that low pressure providing the cloud and the outbreaks of rain. that patchy over that rain fairly patchy over northern england, but some showery lincolnshire showery rain across lincolnshire and yorkshire, and a fairly damp afternoon through northern cumbria . certainly soggy for a cumbria. certainly soggy for a good part of northern ireland,

central southern scotland, central and southern scotland, but does turn but the far northwest does turn brighter. it is very brighter. but it is very blustery here, much of the south of the uk. yes, a bit misty and murky first thing, but brightening up this afternoon and we a bit of and where we see a bit of sunshine, mild 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 spreading scotland this evening, spreading into england, 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. blustery night north. a very blustery night here with the showers coming in. they'll fall as snow the they'll fall as snow over the tops the and it will tops of the hills and it will turn here. another fairly turn colder here. another fairly mild night in the south. different feel though, tomorrow morning the midlands and morning across the midlands and east of southern east anglia, much of southern england cloud and england seeing cloud and outbreaks of rain. that rain slowly across the slowly moving across the southeast . so quite damp day, southeast. so quite a damp day, the likely to linger in southeast. so quite a damp day, the it likely to linger in southeast. so quite a damp day, the it brightens.inger in southeast. so quite a damp day, the it brightens up er in southeast. so quite a damp day, the it brightens up further kent. it brightens up further north, lots of showers packing into scotland and northern ireland again, some snow on the hills feel for hills and a chillier feel for all temperatures lower tomorrow and colder with the

and feeling even colder with the wind . wind. >> that feeling inside from >> that warm feeling inside from boxt . sponsors of boxt boilers. sponsors of weather on

gb news. way. >> good afternoon. britain. it's 2:00 on thursday, the 21st of march. >> a record day on the channel. 514 migrants crossed the english channelin 514 migrants crossed the english channel in ten small boats yesterday, the busiest day of migrant arrivals so far this yeah migrant arrivals so far this year. this, of course, comes as the house of lords continues to frustrate the passage of the rwanda bill. >> state pension uproar thousands of women stand affected as the department for work and pensions are accused of a failure to inform a change to the state pension age. the so—called waspi issue and met police diversity row in a gb news exclusive, we hear that potential recruits for the

police force are being warned that black women have work that black women have to work much than their white much harder than their white colleagues. much harder than their white colicurious >> curious. now, lots of you are a little bit annoyed with tom harwood because of his views on the waspi women. i think i've been misinformed here. >> i said it should be, it should be delivered, which is actually what baroness ros altmann, the biggest of altmann, the biggest defender of pensions and the triple lock that there is in parliament, baroness altmann been saying baroness altmann has been saying that should means tested baroness altmann has been saying that targeted jld means tested baroness altmann has been saying that targeted to means tested baroness altmann has been saying that targeted to those eans tested baroness altmann has been saying that targeted to those who tested baroness altmann has been saying that targeted to those who needd and targeted to those who need it most. that's what i said, an hour or so ago on this program. yeah. >> but i think sometimes you characterise pensioners as all being very well off. >> no , no, no, no. >> no, no, no, no. >> and it's just not true. no, but you do. emily, why did you you always talk about millionaire pensioners. you always talk about how they what did don't did i do, say that you don't have. did i do, say that you don't hathat i just say? i said >> what did i just say? i said means test it to those who need

saying some pensioners saying that some pensioners are rich not that all rich is not saying that all pensioners are. >> but you ever >> no, but you don't ever specify. you don't you specify. you don't ever. you don't ever specify how what proportion older people are proportion of older people are rich. are you saying that there are some people who happen to be pensioners are, you know, sitting precisely the opposite of means testing means of what means testing means okay, means testing means that there people who really there are people who are really struggling who are pensioner. i disagree too. disagree on that too. >> but are also some who >> but there are also some who aren't. disagree on that too. aren't. i disagree on that too. just recognising economic reality. should people who have >> why should people who have made decisions made the right decisions throughout lives worked throughout their lives worked hard, of money hard, put huge amounts of money into services , then not into public services, then not get anything in return just because you think that it's unfair on taxpayers currently when you get nothing in return? well, for example, the state pension, you just want to do away with the triple lock. you'd want it to be completely means tested. actually, i think tested. and actually, i think it's fair enough that pensioners would be a bit annoyed with that. >> what is what the precise >> what is what is the precise charge that you're making here, for example, that that for example, that i think that people who less money in

people who have less money in their should get their retirement should get more, and people who are very well their retirement well off in their retirement should get the should still get the state pension not indexed, pension but not be indexed, unked pension but not be indexed, linked wages linked to average wages increases. elaine says. >> i'm a waspi woman of 72 years. i had to start work from the age of 14. we weren't lucky. like the young of today. we had no money that no choice. the money that is owed money deserve, she owed is money we deserve, she says. >> emily, $- says. >> emily, are you conflating >> emily, why are you conflating the issue? the triple lock the waspi issue? the triple lock means testing. you're mixing everything a big everything together in a big muddle, a big muddled, avoiding the facts of the matter. we'll get more on this after your headunes get more on this after your headlines and sophia. >> thanks, tom. good afternoon. it'5 >> thanks, tom. good afternoon. it's 2:03. i'm sophia wenzler in the gb newsroom . your top story the gb newsroom. your top story this hour. the bank of england has held the interest rate at 5.25. for the fifth time in a row, bank governor andrew bailey said the economy is not yet at the point where rates can be lowered, but things are moving in the right direction. 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 . thousands of the lowest for two and a half years. 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 the women's retirement age, to bring it in line with men's. in 2010, the women against state pension inequality campaign hoped to be awarded £10,000 in compensation, claiming that millions of women had suffered financially because they weren't warned about the changes. but the report has recommended payments below £3,000. meanwhile, shadow health secretary shadow secretary yvette cooper says it's important to take this report very seriously . very seriously. >> i think this is a really important issue because many women across the country just feel like they had the goalposts moved from them at the time when

they didn't know what was changing . and so that's why i changing. and so that's why i think it's really important that we this report . i we look at this report. i haven't seen it yet, but i know that people be looking that people will be looking really it. really seriously at it. >> judith raanan number has >> judith raanan number 10 has said with said that it is dealing with a migration after migration emergency after a record asylum seekers record number of asylum seekers crossed the english channel yesterday, 514 migrants were intercepted by border force , the intercepted by border force, the highest number this year so far. and today, at least another 300 migrants have arrived across the channelin migrants have arrived across the channel in six small boats . channel in six small boats. 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 colpan maker 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 . the work taken by border force. 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 a job, 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 term sickness . number of people who are on long term sickness. in number of people who are on long term sickness . in an interview term sickness. in an interview with the telegraph newspaper, he suggested an increased public focus on talking about mental health led to some people health had led to some people self—diagnosing conditions. it comes as the welfare bill is set to hit 1000 million billion this yeah to hit 1000 million billion this year. 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 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 so need labour's 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. >> 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 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 . 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 tom and . to tom and. emily. >> well good afternoon britain. it is 2:08 and home office officials confirmed that a whopping 514 migrants crossed the english channel in ten small boats yesterday. that was the busiest day of migrant arrivals so far this year. >> well, it comes as prime minister rishi sunaks ambitions to send asylum seekers on a one way trip to rwanda has hit yet another wall, with the house of lords inflicting seven defeats, this time on the landmark legislation yesterday. >> well, joining us now is gb news home and security editor mark white and mark, this is a very busy time across the channel. what's what's driving it ?

it? >> well, it's an improvement in the weather conditions. and really it's a pattern that we see every time things calm down in the english channel. the people smugglers on the other side of that channel will push these small boats out. they haven't gone away , despite what haven't gone away, despite what we heard from the government. and of course , last year the and of course, last year the home office, rishi sunak was able to say at the end of last year that we are making a difference . it's 36% down in difference. it's 36% down in terms of the number of small boat migrants who arrived last yeah boat migrants who arrived last year, compared to the year before. now that is true. whatever we put that down to, we believe that it was actually more to do with the weather than necessarily government policy there. but whatever you put that reduction down to, there was a reduction. but worryingly now for the government this year already, we're just a quarter of the way through almost of the year and we are ahead of where we were last year in quite

significantly between 6 and 700, that have arrived, over recent days, 606 or 700 more now than we were at this point last year. so that reduction of 36% is being eaten up quite significantly . significantly. >> now, mark, what's going on in the house of commons? the government says as well in the houses of parliament, the government says that the house of lords are trying to frustrate this bill. the lords have said, well, hang on, the government could , hasten things by having could, hasten things by having this before the for having the bill, debated again and voted on before the easter. what exactly is your interpretation of events? who's holding what up? and do you suspect this bill will get through and planes will take off? >> i think the bill will eventually get through. there's no doubt about that. but it was always going to be frustrated by

those peers in the lords who were determined to do what they could to disrupt its progress. and sure enough , that's what and sure enough, that's what we've been seeing in terms of the parliamentary ping pong. now, the government had theoretically opportunity, now, the government had theoretically opportunity , of theoretically an opportunity, of course, to be able to try to push that bill back through again in the days it has available to it, but it's decided not to do it now before, the, the break. so we are going to be looking at a period after easter, and then the, it's being briefed out , of course, to briefed out, of course, to political correspondents and others , what they will be others, what they will be looking to do is to get those planes , off the ground and planes, off the ground and headed for rwanda soon after this bill is passed. but i can't for the life of me see that that is ever going to happen, because that doesn't factor in what is going to happen in the courts . going to happen in the courts. and there is no doubt we've had a whole industry, that's sprung up around being able to ensure

the best possible outcome for those claiming asylum and those lawyers, again, along with the human rights groups and the charities, will be testing this legislation through the courts. and i think it's very likely that it will go to the high court then potentially the court of appeal, and maybe right up to the supreme court again before we get a final decision. unless the government is suddenly going to be very brave and just ignore the court process and get these planes off the ground before there is any legal challenge. i cannot see that happening. to be honest, if you take them on their previous form. >> yes, mark, we live in a country of parliamentary democracy. the courts have the right to check government. they don't have the right to check parliament. parliament sits above the courts in our system of government, in our in our balance of powers, so to speak, to borrow a phrase that doesn't ordinarily apply to this

country, frankly, before what we've seen is the courts attacking the government for not following the will of parliament and the legislation to the letter of the law. as it is written, the whole point of this new rwanda safety of rwanda legislation is that parliament is expressing its will, and the courts can't frustrate that . do courts can't frustrate that. do you think they'll still give it a go ? a go? >> yeah, absolutely. i think they'll give it a go. and what you have, of course, are lawyers at the home office and other government departments who will be very strongly advising the government that they should wait for the full process. the legislature process and the legal process to run its course before just trying to run roughshod over one or the other. and that's why we've had now, frustratingly, two sets over two years of court procedures. then going back to parliament, new bills being passed and we're at that process again where this

bill will be passed in the coming weeks. but it's likely to be challenged in the courts again. and as i say, going back to my point here, will the government suddenly develop more of backbone here and decide, of a backbone here and decide, look, we've passed the legislation. we are going to get these first planes off the ground. if it's decided later in the court that, you know, we're, you know , in our of, of the law you know, in our of, of the law or international law or something, fine. but we're just going to go ahead and do that . going to go ahead and do that. it's possible, but i can't see it. well what's for sure is the house of lords is only one obstacle in the government's way. >> thank you very much indeed. mark white, our home and security editor, bringing us the very from the channel and very latest from the channel and also the passage also from the passage of the rwanda bill. >> related matters. >> yeah, two related matters. well, england has well, the bank of england has announced it will announced that it will be holding base for the holding the base rate for the fifth time, running at 5.25. >> well, it's good news for savers, but not for mortgage owners as they continue to face sky high borrowing rates. >> we wanted to know how this

decision impacts people right across the country and are yorkshire and humber. reporter anna riley is in hull and she can join us now . anna, what have can join us now. anna, what have people been saying in hull ? people been saying in hull? >> good afternoon. >> good afternoon. >> yes, well that decision to hold the interest rate at 5.25% is positive for savers. >> if you've got money in your bank account that you want that interest on, but maybe not so much if you're a homeowner with a mortgage or you're a first time buyer trying to get onto the property ladder, the decision means the cost of borrowing stays at its highest level for 16 years. we know that the bank of england's been keeping interest rates high to try and stop the surge that we've seen in sharply rising pnces. we've seen in sharply rising prices . andrew bailey is the prices. andrew bailey is the head of the bank of england. he said it's not yet time to cut rates, but that things are moving in the right direction. we know that interest rates are the bank of england's key tool

to tackling inflation, which is the increase in the price of something over time. inflation in the uk peaked in october 2022. it began to fall last yeah 2022. it began to fall last year. it's now at 3.4, but there's a target to get that level of inflation down to 2, a spokesperson from the prime minister's spoken out today about that inflation rate and also the interest rate holding , also the interest rate holding, saying with inflation dropping to 3.4, wages are rising, mortgage rates starting to fall. there's a clear sign that the economy has turned a corner after the shocks of the last few years. but like you say, what do the british public actually think to that? well, i've been out in hull this afternoon getting people's reactions to that interest rate remaining the same 5.25. and this is what they've had to say . they've had to say. >> me personally, it doesn't mean too much because i've got a private pension as well as an old age pension, but it concerns

me about the elderly who are just on old age pensions , just on old age pensions, because that affects them quite a lot. and young families as well, you know, particularly single parents and people on mortgages as well, in particular. >> it's not really you don't really get much if you think about it. >> if you look in your bank and you look at it, it's not really that much because got that much because you've got your and if you've your bills to pay. and if you've got debts or anything to got like debts or anything to pay, got like debts or anything to pay, that's just going to pay, that's just then going to go. not going to see go. so you're not going to see it the benefit. well, it's it in the benefit. well, it's better because got better because i've got a savings go up. >> but otherwise it's just rubbish really . rubbish isn't it really. >> so the majority of people that i'm speaking to here saying that i'm speaking to here saying that they still feeling the pinch of the cost of living and that they don't feel that prices are going to be that i'm speaking to here saying that i'm speaking to here saying that they still feeling the pinch of the cost of living and that they don't feel that prices are to be dropping for are going to be dropping for them any soon. but them any time soon. but certainly the health of the economy will be certainly in the spotlight for people like who

i've spoken to today. and for voters across britain in that upcoming election, that should be announced in the coming months. certainly, i'm sure that the economy and how much people have got in their savings accounts , as well as whether accounts, as well as whether they can get a mortgage on the property ladder, will be something they've got to something that they've got to consider when to the consider when they go to the ballot box. >> riley, ballot box. >> well, anna riley, thank you very us all of very much for bringing us all of that. views hull. that. and those views from hull. really interesting stuff. >> stuff , well, sally >> yeah. good stuff, well, sally mitchell, who is mortgage mitchell, who is a mortgage adviser and broker, joins us now to discuss how this will be impacting people with mortgages or perhaps looking to get on the housing ladder, with first time buyers, are people waiting ? are buyers, are people waiting? are they stalling in the hope that perhaps interest rates may come down in the in the coming months ? >> 7- >> we've 7 >> we've actually seen quite an upfickin >> we've actually seen quite an uptick in the amount of first time buyers making inquiries in the last few months. certainly since january. and with first time buyers . excuse me. what's

time buyers. excuse me. what's interesting that they often don't have the memory that perhaps someone like i do, or have have had of, really, really low rates, they've never experienced them. they've heard about them, but they've never actually had the benefit of them. so to them, as long as the affordability stacks up, they're not too hung up on whether it's a rate with a four or a five or a rate with a four or a five or a three in front of it, they just want to know that the house or flat that they want to buy is affordable, and then just get on with it. >> and i suppose this demarks the real, real issue here. it's not so much potentially the rate at the end of the day. i mean, ultimately we saw very much higher rates in the past than 5.25. i'm talking 30 years ago. odd. but it's the difference. the rate of change from one rate to another that can really affect people and really have people on the hook. if people borrowed at sort of half a

percent interest rates and then saw them shoot up to 5.25, that's changed things way more than , for example, an interest than, for example, an interest rate of 6% going to 8. >> yeah, and a lot of clients and most clients i speak to the average that they are seeing their remortgage go up by every month is about 350, £400. and that's an awful lot of money to try and find, especially when everything else is squeezed so hard with the cost of living crisis that we're still in. it's really, really tough for them. >> well, sally mitchell , thank >> well, sally mitchell, thank you very much for bringing us, really the mood of those getting mortgages at the moment and just how tough it is for some, but not so much for others. interesting stuff. >> thank you very much >> yes. thank you very much indeed. of you have indeed. and lots of you have been getting in touch about the waspi pensions in waspi women and pensions in general, whether it general, actually, whether it should be means tested the triple lock where the waspi . triple lock where the waspi. >> crucially what does that mean? does means testing the triple lock mean that some

people who are wealthy don't get any state pension at all? no means testing the triple lock. yes, you means test the yes, but you means test the whole thing increases test whole thing increases means test the could be the whole thing could be politically important. >> some of >> well, we'll get to some of the from her because the views from her because people a lot to say people do have a lot to say about this. but we're going to take quick

>> good afternoon. britain. it's 2:24 and our inbox is on fire. because so many of you have been getting in touch over the waspi issue. and actually, i just want to bring forward a view from tony, who has written in to say something that we haven't included in this conversation so far. tony was well far. tony says it was well publicised . last stop, all the publicised. last stop, all the crying, his words, he says the pensions act 1995 provided for this change. it was marginally sped up in 2010, but the

fundamental issue, the waspi issue, didn't come about in 2010 or 2011. it came about in 1995. yeah, people people know that the legislation was earlier, but the legislation was earlier, but the problem was, is a lot of women weren't told it wasn't made a fuss of it went, you know, underneath the surface and people didn't realise . people didn't realise. >> mary says. we had less wages, so smaller pensions. so we had less when we retired than less money when we retired than men, of pounds men, thousands of pounds different men. it's different than the men. it's not just longer. women's different than the men. it's not just were longer. women's different than the men. it's not just were mucheh women's different than the men. it's not just were much lowernen's different than the men. it's not just were much lower to 1's different than the men. it's not just were much lower to be wages were much lower to be equivalent to men's pensions. we need money us in need this money to help us in retirement , she says. retirement, she says. >> beverley, who's waspi >> but beverley, who's a waspi woman, in saying woman, has written in saying were the waspi living were the waspi women living under stone? i am one of the under a stone? i am one of the women who affected by this women who was affected by this change. and i were change. my peers and i were fully aware the changes. it fully aware of the changes. it was discussed on tv, was widely discussed on tv, radio and in the newspapers. as soon was made. soon as the decision was made. we weren't happy at the time, but recognised that was but we recognised that it was fair for it's to spend fair for it's wrong to spend billions this way. i'd rather billions in this way. i'd rather the post office people who suffered so much were reimbursed. >> well, susan says, worked

>> well, susan says, i worked from age 15, hardly any from the age of 15, hardly any sick off the contract with sick days off the contract with the government i would the government was that i would have at age 60. have my pension. at age 60. i received being received no notice of it being increased 66. so at age 60, increased to 66. so at age 60, i had to go cleaning three times a day to earn to money replace my promised and it may promised pension. and it may well be that that woman who just emailed saying had emailed in saying that had a very different experience from susan it's very easy to susan here. it's very easy to sit here and judge different experiences , and different experiences, and different people have planned in different ways. >> and perhaps a universalist approach here that costs billions upon billions upon billions upon billions upon billions of pounds, which which it doesn't come out for free. this money has to come from somewhere. >> i understand that, but there's also the argument that actually, as marianne says , tom, actually, as marianne says, tom, i can see what emily is saying about means testing pensioners . about means testing pensioners. if you work hard, save hard, cut back to ensure you are not a burden on anyone means testing punishes you. whereas if you spend all save nothing, don't work or worry about being a burden, you receive . everything burden, you receive. everything seems little unjust seems a little unjust and i think the contract to think for the social contract to work and for our society to be

cohesive harmonious , if cohesive and harmonious, if that's possible, you can't just have who who , who, who, have people who who, who, who, who don't work or don't or don't have much have all the receive all the all the benefit. >> well, you're arguing >> well, now you're arguing against saying that against you're saying that people some people should have, to some extent looked in 1995 when extent have looked in 1995 when the change but the change happened. but but fundamentally , it's not just fundamentally, it's not just it's not just waspi women who've been screwed over since the financial crisis. we have a 70 year high tax burden. someone earning £60,000 this year will pay earning £60,000 this year will pay more tax than someone earning £60,000 has ever spent, has ever had to pay before. tom, you do realise this isn't the first time that we've had hugely high tax rates on income? >> i mean, look at the 70s, look at the 80s. anyway, we're joined by our political correspondent katherine forster. catherine, where has this got to with relation to the government? what is their response ? is their response? >> yes. well feelings are running very high, as you've just demonstrated from the emails and the conversation

between you. but basically this report from the ombudsman that's taken five years to produce, they have said that the department of work and pensions effectively didn't do their job properly in making sure that women born in the 19505 who were going to be affected by this change, this raising in the pension age, were sufficiently aware and also so, in terms of national insurance, the number of years that you needed your stamps for to qualify for a full pension. so they are recommending compensation. they are saying that they don't trust the department of work and pensions to take it on board. and to do this, they're saying that they think that they will not take steps to put this right. and therefore they're presenting this report to parliament directly, hoping that parliament directly, hoping that parliament will act . now, penny parliament will act. now, penny mordaunt, the leader of the commons, has already been speaking about this. she said that she would expect the, mel

stride, the secretary of state for work and pensions, to appear before the house before easter. that's between now and monday. tuesday they break up at the end of tuesday for the easter recess, but the problem is, of course, that compensation , which course, that compensation, which this ombudsman has said is due, is going to be expensive. there's potentially over 3 million women affected. now, the ombudsman has suggested compensation of between 1 and £3000. but the all party parliamentary group on this, led by peter aldous, has suggested a minimum of 10,000. so the government could be looking at a bill of between 3.5 billion and 10 billion. so a significant amount of money. and let's just take a look at what the shadow home secretary, yvette cooper, said a little bit earlier about

this . this. >> i think this is a really important issue because many women across the country just feel like they had the goalposts moved from them at the time when they didn't know what was changing. and so that's why i think it's really important that we look at this report. i haven't seen it yet, but i know that people will looking that people will be looking really it . really seriously at it. >> saying that the goalposts >> so saying that the goalposts had been moved but pressed on whether labour would commit to paying whether labour would commit to paying out if they come to power , she did not say yes, we definitely will. she reverted to basically what we've just heard her say , she said, i haven't her say, she said, i haven't seen the report. we're going to take time to look at it fully. and similarly, the response from the department of work and pensions today , they have said pensions today, they have said we will consider the ombudsman's report and respond in due course. having cooperated fully throughout this investigation , throughout this investigation, ian goes on to say the government has always been

committed to supporting all pensioners in a sustainable way and that gives them a dignified retirement while also being fair to them and taxpayers. now, i think the critical word here is taxpayers because as we've got a national debt of 2.6 trillion taxes at a 70 year high, not much money around. and these women, some of them undoubtedly have had hardship as a result. but look at the postmasters . but look at the postmasters. look at the victims of the infected blood scandal. people people who have been waiting decades for justice, decades for compensation , and in all cases, compensation, and in all cases, most of them are still waiting . most of them are still waiting. >> it's a really difficult issue, and perhaps it would be a lot easier if we had a budget surplus. perhaps it'd be a lot easier if we had taxes at anything other than a 70 year high. perhaps these questions

waspi women have been talking about donkey's years . about it for donkey's years. >> well, it's not like it's just appeared since the pandemic. >> if they've been talking about it donkey's years, then it for donkey's years, then surely have known 1995. >> well, anyway, you very >> well, anyway, thank you very much. forster, much. katherine forster, political correspondent. thank you , tom. well you very much indeed, tom. well coming up. oh look, it's just it's just really obvious, like the labour party is not saying that they're going to pay this. >> i know the tory party is not saying they're going to pay this. more situation, this. it's more your situation, it's finances. it's more national finances. >> it's more your characterisation >> it's more your chartalkrisation >> it's more your chartalkrisatiorthem mostly being >> it's more your char'wellsatiorthem mostly being >> it's more your char'well off.)rthem mostly being very well off. >> no they're not emily, you are literally putting in my mouth. >> okay, well we'll debate this more. coming met more. but coming up, met police outreach allegedly outreach team are allegedly warning potential that warning potential recruits that black much black women have to work much harder than their white colleagues. saying colleagues. why are they saying this? shortly. this? see you shortly. >> the headlines this hour, the bank of england has held the interest rate at 5.25. for the

fifth time in a row, the bank's governor andrew bailey, said the economy isn't yet at the point where rates can be lowered, but said things are moving in the right direction . it comes after right direction. 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 . number 10 has and a half years. number 10 has said today it's dealing with a migration emergency after a record number of asylum seekers crossed the english channel yesterday. 514 migrants were intercepted by border force officials. that's the highest number so far this year. and today at least another 300 migrants have arrived across the channelin migrants have arrived across the channel in six small boats. so far . meanwhile, a south sudanese far. meanwhile, a south sudanese migrant has been jailed for piloting a dangerously overcrowded small boat as it's made its way across the english channel. in august, 31 year old chul van mccoy was caught steering the vessel with 52 other migrants, many of whom

were forced to sit on makeshift flooring as well. the home office has released a series of images taken by border force officials of that craft . it's officials of that craft. it's bad news for chocolate lovers. this easter. we understand 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 cost at least 50% more than a year ago, while others have shrunk in size. that's according to consumer magazine, which . and to consumer magazine, which. and the queen has said his majesty king charles is doing very well. she was speaking on a visit to belfast. camilla was handed a get well card as well for her husband, who's undergoing treatment for cancer. meanwhile, the king has been meeting the new high commissioners from tanzania singapore at tanzania and singapore at buckingham palace. those are the latest top stories. if you'd like to know more, do sign up for gb news alerts. scan that qr

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i >> -- >> good afternoon. britain. it's 2:37, and the metropolitan police is being branded as embarrassing after footage emerged of its outreach teams telling prospective recruits that black women have to work much harder than white colleagues . colleagues. >> being a woman in today's world and being a black woman 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. >> right? well, the outreach team also featured footage of an

officer saying that he didn't want to, quote, invalidate ethnic minorities who were racially abusive to him while on duty . duty. >> when i joined and black people in the public were racially abusive to me, absolutely hated my existence . absolutely hated my existence. it took me about three months, five months, till one of them said, do you know the history of the area that you're working in and the organisation that you're working for? and said, no. he working for? and i said, no. he said, this watch this said, i read this and watch this . so i did that. ever since that , the ability to resonate with people, it's been untold. for example, being at a crime scene, then they come and they insult you. you know, that's not personal. i've learned that. it's not personal, but i'm not going to invalidate them and say no, that wasn't me. it wasn't me. things that happened before i born. i was born. >> well, this was all being said on the under the hashtag embrace equity. equity but joining us now is the barrister stephen

barrett , who now is the barrister stephen barrett, who has some views on the word equity, saying that marxists have taken this word and applied it in a completely different context to the one in which it belongs. stephen what are you getting at here? >> well, you know, tom, i'm a lawyer, so definitions matter to me. >> and i tweeted the word marxist. >> i could have just said the american far left, but i don't think that the far left are contained in america anymore. and i think that they are internationalist, hard left, and therefore the terms marxist is therefore the terms marxist is the quickest way and the cheapest use of characters characters limited on twitter. >> most efficient way to >> so the most efficient way to describe them as marxist. and describe them is as marxist. and in they're using the in america they're using the word to mean equality of word equity to mean equality of outcome, which is, of course, a communist principle. >> that's that's what they believe in. that's their political philosophy , upon political philosophy, upon which i'm neutral. i'm completely neutral. but if you it's just important, you if it's just important, i think that people notice that's what's happening. >> whenever you see the word eqtu >> whenever you see the word equity british equity being used in british

pubuc equity being used in british public now, times out public life. now, nine times out of being used by of ten, it's being used by somebody from the far left to describe equality outcome . describe equality of outcome. and that's really unfortunate. >> if, like me, you are a chancery lawyer because the word eqtuin chancery lawyer because the word equity in this country has had a very specific meaning for about 900, 800, 900 years, and it means a type of our law that we practice. and it used to be, tom, that the courts until until , i think 1873, the courts of chancery, where equity was practised, were in westminster hall. >> so they're in that beautiful building that many of us, many of us visit and go through. >> and i'm sure, i'm sure you two both do. so what words? >> stephen? >> stephen? >> what word? what word do you think should using? what think they should be using? what do they actually mean do you think they actually mean if not equity? also, are you if not equity? and also, are you really the of really neutral on the idea of equality i mean, equality of outcome? i mean, it's an extreme position, it's quite an extreme position, equality outcome essentially, equality of outcome essentially, what that would mean massive redistribution of wealth . it redistribution of wealth. it would mean probably seizing property. >> it's physically impossible . >> it's physically impossible. >> it's physically impossible. >> it's physically impossible. >> if people are different, how

do you have exactly the same ? do you have exactly the same? everyone exactly the same everyone doing exactly the same thing, experiencing exactly the same well, i think on on same life? well, i think on on the definition point. >> so the first question, i think they should just use equality of outcome because that's what they mean . that's what they mean. >> equity has a specific meaning in law here. >> it also is the word of an actor's union. so we have long tradition . tradition. >> and i think what's going on is a lot of these activists, because they are very internationalist. >> the usa into >> they import the usa into britain. and actually, you know, ihave britain. and actually, you know, i have to point out on quite a lot of occasions, we are a different system to the united states of america. one thing states of america. the one thing that me constantly is that irritates me constantly is the importing of this idea of the importing of this idea of the separation of powers, which we do not have, and i will not allow it to be imported into our jurisdiction until we actually have you can't just import have it. you can't just import it by saying it. >> but we were talking about this steven, with this earlier, steven, with regards rwanda bill, of regards to the rwanda bill, of course, people saying, how course, with people saying, how dare parliament legislate something over the top of the courts. it's like parliament is

sovereign. of course, parliament takes precedence courts takes precedence over the courts . that's our system. >> is, and i find myself >> yes it is, and i find myself getting torn between laughing at and, grimacing at the house of lords these days where noble lords will pontificate an entire ignorance on our constitution, as though it is something that it is. it is not. but as to emily's second question on equality of outcome, i have to remain neutral as a as a peer, in public, as a lawyer, i am neutral on all politics, and i'm afraid that that means i can't criticise even, even quite extreme politics. i all of this is the same to me. if you want to fix british public life, you need to get everybody to understand the definition of what politics is. most people don't now. don't even understand it now. i guess of quality of outcome in in our view, i suspect is a just simply an impossibility and also not a desirable outcome. >> i respect your your neutrality on this issue , neutrality on this issue, stephen, but from my perspective, equality of outcome means why try, why bother? why

create? why grow? why do if at the end you won't see the fruits of your own labour? you won't. you won't have a society that is productive or growing. but back to this hashtag, because this does seem to be a symptom of a wider issue when it comes to perhaps even race relations in this country . the united perhaps even race relations in this country. the united kingdom is perhaps one of the most successful multiracial societies, in the world. it's actually remarkable how little it is remarked upon that our prime minister is from an ethnic minority in the united states. they have a much harder time of integration , and, frankly, of integration, and, frankly, of race relations . do you worry race relations. do you worry that hashtags like this being used by the police in this country are dragging over the sort of, sort of wars, culture wars that we're seeing in the united states ? united states? >> well, i think because of this international marxism that is what is happening. we are importing a lot of america's

problems, and it's not just the police, but it is politicising quite a of our institutions, quite a lot of our institutions, which have a history, by the way, of non—political. now way, of being non—political. now you are of our leading you you are two of our leading journalists and people come on your show and they say things like x is political. whenever they say that, can you them they say that, can you ask them to define they mean? to define what they mean? because think we because i don't think we understand anymore. and we understand it anymore. and we are lot america's are importing a lot of america's wickedness. i mean, racism is a pernicious . and when pernicious human evil. and when the americans came here during the americans came here during the war, they were lovely, lovely instances. this a lovely instances. this is a political i'm political position where i'm against but that political position where i'm aga willing but that political position where i'm aga willing to but that political position where i'm aga willing to go ut that political position where i'm aga willing to go that that political position where i'm aga willing to go that far. at political position where i'm aga willing to go that far. but i'm willing to go that far. but there were lovely instances where british people refused where the british people refused to racist way that to be racist in the way that america was , where they tried to america was, where they tried to ban black americans from pubs, and we said, no, we're not going to do that, you know? and we absolutely stood in solidarity with them. so it sort of annihilating our own history , as annihilating our own history, as well as importing a lot of foreign problems . foreign problems. >> well, that does seem to be the way we're going. well, but hey, it's so it's so true though, because there are so many instances of history that

people know how we people won't know about how we didn't segregated society didn't have a segregated society in country in the way in this country in the way that america did. in this country in the way that am indeed,i. in this country in the way that am indeed, i. the in this country in the way that am indeed,i. the americans >> indeed, when the americans were fighting war, when were fighting a war, when millions were millions of americans were fighting keep slavery, fighting a war to keep slavery, we'd it's decades we'd abolished it's decades beforehand. know , we beforehand. but, you know, we forget these things. we forget these steven barrett, these things. steven barrett, thank for talking thank you so much for talking us through really important through this really important issue. we, issue. and let's hope that we, try and speak in our own language a little bit more in this country. >> yes, black lives >> well, yes, when black lives matter the death of george matter and the death of george floyd kicked off, floyd and everything kicked off, people about people were talking about britain exactly britain as if we were exactly the as america. the same as america. it was utterly but anyway, utterly bizarre. but anyway, in response, police response, a met police spokesperson we are the spokesperson said we are the most we ever been. most diverse we have ever been. but there more to do. we but no, there is more to do. we will continue every effort to make attracting make sure we are attracting a workforce that is workforce of the future that is as diverse possible. as diverse as possible. we're equally making the equally committed to making the met an inclusive place work met an inclusive place to work where our people can thrive. where all our people can thrive. well, there you go. yeah, but such a cookie cutter response as diverse as the story, no. very, very interesting stuff. we will be back very, very shortly because there's something

interesting going on with ice cream and being political. should our ice cream be political? more on that after this

put it out. hello. >> right. it's coming up to 250 in the afternoon. and the ice cream giant ben and jerry's have vowed to continue on with their commitment to social activism. despite a change in ownership. they champion causes like social justice and climate change. >> very sure they champion against climate change rather than championing climate change. i think very few people actually champion climate change. well, anyway, they've demanded a ceasefire in gaza and advocated for lgbtq rights as they continue to blend activism with their delicious ice cream. >> you know, they're pinned. tweet. so there the tweet

they're most proud of on their twitter account is talking about the rwanda plan , which is quite the rwanda plan, which is quite easy. so they have a lot to say about our immigration policy. so shall we talk to the director at the sanctuary foundation, doctor krish kandiah, about this , krish kandiah, about this, krish, thank you very much indeed. ben and jerry's does , indeed. ben and jerry's does, come up quite often? maybe every few months when they are extremely outspoken on policies ranging from immigration to climate change, as we've said, why do you think ben and jerry's are doing this? and is it their place ? place? >> well, i'm very happy to be speaking about ben and jerry's on a sunny afternoon in hertfordshire, i believe si king justice, kindness, compassion is everyone's business. >> and so why shouldn't a company that's making delicious ice cream use some of that profit to make the world a better place? and they're not alone. actually, our little charity received support charity has received support from jude's ice cream, which is a beautiful ice cream company . a beautiful ice cream company. they even make a black ice cream

for coke made out of coconut. they're trying to use 10% of their profits help out, their profits to help out, charities, to help the environment, help refugees . environment, to help refugees. and it's got a really long tradition, this kind of social activism from business. i was just remembering the wedgwood company. there's a kind of middle of the road , trusted middle of the road, trusted brand, if you like. but their founder , josiah wedgwood founder, josiah wedgwood wedgwood, used his skills in order to make badges. porcelain. >> they're not. they're not all, you can't just say all ben and jerry's or , the morality police jerry's or, the morality police here, as if to say they're quite, they've got quite divisive opinions on policy and areas of policy. but if they said something about how the united states , has, was built on united states, has, was built on stolen indigenous land and they've accused joe biden of fanning the flames of war in ukraine, and they're demanding a ceasefire in gaza. i mean, these are all very contentious things. they're not the arbiter of

morality. are they? here >> i don't think they're the arbiter of morality, but they're using their voice. and that's what politics is all about, isn't it? it's a democracy . isn't it? it's a democracy. everyone has the chance to speak into public life . i agree into our public life. i agree with a lot of the issues that they stand for a ceasefire in gaza would be fantastic, as long as also get those as we can also get those hostages freed the same time, hostages freed at the same time, fighting change is fighting climate change is definitely something that's important, and i personally , i important, and i personally, i know you speak about this a lot. i think the rwanda scheme is a terrible one. so, businesses, individuals racist. we use our, our, our freedom of speech to shut for the good, the good in the world. >> no , they have absolutely >> no, they have absolutely every right to have political positions. i just think a lot of people find it a little odd, a little odd that pots of ice cream do. but. chris gunter. that's all we have time for. thank so much. eat some. thank you so much. go eat some. joining really appreciate it. >> that's a good way of summing it up. >> in t in a statement, it up. >> in a statement, ben and >> now in a statement, ben and jerry's have said that the independent ensures ben independent board ensures ben and the and jerry's remains on the vanguard of variety of social vanguard of a variety of social issues, black lives matter

issues, from black lives matter to lgbt rights, and continues to drive in supply chain drive its impact in supply chain through values led sourcing and the day to day operations of the business. so there we are. >> not sure that's always been the case, but hey, we can touch on that another time, that's all from thank you for from us today. thank you for joining is up next. that's joining us, is up next. that's martin daubney. so we'll be with him . him now. >> fantastic show guys. >> fantastic show guys. >> as always , tough act to >> as always, tough act to follow. >> what have i got today? they're calling it a migration emergency. an emergency? >> yet the taking next week off work. >> what kind of emergency is that? if i had an emergency leak, i wouldn't wait for a plumber to sort it out for a week. why are they dragging their heels? are they just trolling us they're going trolling us now? they're going to on this for another to vote on this for another month. is there wonder month. is there any wonder reform 15% in the reform or surging 15% in the polls, nibbling at the heels of the conservatives on 19? but we're going to dive into that data further and show there's actually a revolution going on across the red wall. and the nonh across the red wall. and the north miriam cates mp will be on

to discuss. we seeing declining plummeting birth rates in great britain . is plummeting birth rates in great britain. is it time for a conservative family based tax break initiative to encourage us to have more children? they did it in italy. they did it in japan. they did it in hungary. why not here in britain? >> that's coming up 3 to 6. >> that's coming up 3 to 6. >> but first, it's time for your latest weather forecast. >> 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 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 yorkshire, and a fairly damp afternoon through northern cumbria . certainly soggy for a

cumbria. certainly soggy for a good part of northern ireland, central scotland . central and southern scotland. but northwest does turn but the far northwest does turn brighter, is very brighter, but it is very blustery here, much the south blustery here, much of the south of yes, a bit misty and of the uk. yes, a bit misty and murky. first thing, but brightening this afternoon brightening up this afternoon and bh brightening up this afternoon and bit of and where we see a bit of sunshine. mild again , 1617 sunshine. very mild again, 1617 perhaps even 18 celsius. the rain, though , is going to 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 as snow over the they'll fall as snow over the tops hills it will tops of the hills and it will turn colder here. another fairly mild in the south. mild night in the south. different feel though, tomorrow morning midlands 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. damp day, southeast. so quite a damp day, the likely to linger in the rain likely to linger in kent. it brightens up further north. showers packing north. lots of showers packing into scotland northern into scotland and northern ireland 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 feeling inside wind that warm feeling inside from boxt boilers sponsors of weather on

gb news. >> away . >> away. >> away. >> away. >> a very good afternoon to you. welcome to the show. it's 3 pm. this is martin daubney on gb news, broadcasting live from the heart of westminster. all across the uk today. rishi sunak may have promised a stop the boats. and the government has now said we're going through a migration emergency. but its flagship rwanda bill has been delayed once again and it won't be debated again in the commons before easter . debated again in the commons before easter. some emergency and to add to the pressure on the prime minister, a massive 514 migrants crossed the channel yesterday and more have arrived

today. that's the