>> good morning, and welcome to sunday with michael portillo. april is upon us. and the cherry. now is hung with bloom along the bough . in our case a along the bough. in our case a tumbling fluorescence of arts, culture, politics and world affairs. an eventful week in politics in both england and scotland. north of the border. the application of the hate crime and public order act is prompting concerns for freedom of speech with the harry potter author jk rowling daring scottish authorjk rowling daring scottish police to arrest her for describing as men some who identify as women in whitehall. as david cameron says that british support for israel is not unconditional, as the foreign office generally thought to be arabist, succeeded in turning the foreign secretary andindeed turning the foreign secretary and indeed the prime minister. does that secure a victory for hamas.7 i'll also explore the westminster honeytrap scandal with my excellent political panelin with my excellent political panel in a few moments time . a panel in a few moments time. a few weeks ago, i was joined by a

kasra aarabi, an iranian critic of the regime of the islamic repubuc. of the regime of the islamic republic . when we discussed his republic. when we discussed his work and the possible threats to his safety . since then, kasra, his safety. since then, kasra, his safety. since then, kasra, his friend and fellow iranian journalist parisa zarati has been stabbed, apparently in a state sponsored terrorist attack denied by the iranian government . kasra will rejoin me to discuss that attack . how does discuss that attack. how does one explain the growing divide between men and women in generation z or z over values and political beliefs .7 numerous and political beliefs? numerous studies from many countries show that where a key determinant of political view was once age, now the young are fracturing along gender lines. sociologist ashley frawley will consider that, and our resident science expert andy lound will look ahead to tomorrow's solar eclipse . plus, tomorrow's solar eclipse. plus, stefan kyriazis will be here to talk about a reworking of alfred hitchcock's the 39 steps that will be touring the country. before all that, your news headunes before all that, your news headlines with ray addison .

headlines with ray addison. >> thanks, michael. good morning. 11:02. our top stories this hour. rishi sunak says the government continues to stand by. israel's right to defend its security. six months on from the october seven terror attacks marking the occasion, the prime minister said the uk is shocked by the bloodshed and called for an immediate humanitarian pause in fighting. he also urged hamas to release its hostages and implored israel to get aid into gaza more swiftly . well, gaza more swiftly. well, meanwhile, the foreign secretary has used the occasion to stress that the uk's support for israel is not unconditional. that the uk's support for israel is not unconditional . writing in is not unconditional. writing in the sunday times, lord cameron said there is no doubt where the blame lies over the death of three british aid workers, and added that this must never happen again. john chapman james henderson and james kirby died in airstrikes carried out by the idf on an aid convoy on april 1st. former chair of the defence select committee tobias ellwood, told gb news the uk will be

obuged told gb news the uk will be obliged obliged to stop arms sales if israel has broken international law. >> i absolutely support israel's right to prosecute and to go after hamas after what they did. but i also disagree with israel's military response, which seems to be without clarity of what its strategy is, what's the governance structure that it's working towards? what is going to be the post security environment that it's building? what is actually in what we're seeing is actually in information, we're seeing this, conflict beyond the conflict spread beyond the middle east because of what's going on, because what israel is doing, that is why david cameron is saying there needs be is saying there needs to be conditions on what's going on. >> the government is preparing to deploy a royal navy ship to get more aid into gaza. the vessel, which is not being named for security reasons, will deliver vital supplies . it's deliver vital supplies. it's part of an international effort to establish a new humanitarian maritime corridor in the eastern mediterranean. the foreign office has announced a £97 million package for aid

deliveries. logistical expertise and equipment support. the deputy prime minister has denied claims that the uk is failing to prepare for war. oliver dowden is defending the government after outgoing armed forces minister james heappey told the telegraph only ministry of defence officials attended a wartime preparation exercise which was meant for the whole of government. former defence secretary ben wallace has backed him up, saying that too many in government are, quote, just hoping everything will go away . hoping everything will go away. but oliver dowden told gb news they're putting in the work . they're putting in the work. >> i don't know the specific incident that james was referring to. it is the case that we carry out wide scale, exercising programmes across government. indeed, i did one recently for a national power outage in involving several thousand different people across government. now, of course, there is more work that we need to do across different areas,

but we have stepped up considerably. our effort. >> two people have been arrested on suspicion of murder after human remains were discovered in a park in south london, the met police say a 44 year old man and a 48 year old woman are now in custody after the body parts were found in rodan fields in croydon. the force say they believe the remains are those of one person. however they have been unable to formally identify the victim at this time. a post—mortem examination is expected to take place today. well. meanwhile, police are hunting for a suspect after a woman was stabbed to death in broad daylight in bradford, west yorkshire. police were called to the city centre on saturday afternoon following reports of an attack by a man who then fled the scene. the woman was taken to hospital where she later died. the force say she is yet to be formally identified, but is understood to be 27 years old. her family have been informed and are being supported by officers . well by specialist officers. well scotland remains at risk of power cuts and travel disruption

as storm kathleen continues to bnng as storm kathleen continues to bring strong gusts and heavy rain. 43 flood warnings are currently in place and the met office has issued a new yellow wind warning affecting the east and northern highlands, the isle of skye and the hebrides yesterday . winds reached 73mph yesterday. winds reached 73mph in drumalbyn , south lanarkshire. in drumalbyn, south lanarkshire. the scottish environmental protection agency says there is real danger to life around causeways, coastal roads and paths. meteorologist john kettley told us it's still causing problems. >> yes, storm kathleen, certainly creating a few problems in the north—west of the country in particular, but it's blowing everywhere and it's still blowing pretty strongly this morning well. i'm sure this morning as well. i'm sure there are a few trampolines being over, few garden being blown over, a few garden fences coming down as well. kathleen only the kathleen is only just to the north—west of hebrides. it's north—west of the hebrides. it's just easing slightly, but it's still gusting miles an still gusting over 60 miles an hour parts of the north—west hour in parts of the north—west this morning. >> finally, almost 5 million people have reported dental

problems the nhs111 people have reported dental problems the nhs 111 helpline problems to the nhs111 helpline over the last five years. government data analysed by the labour party revealed that around 965,000 people were referred for treatment in the last year alone. shadow health secretary wes streeting said calls are skyrocketing with people having to turn to private dentists or even carry out their own treatment . health minister own treatment. health minister dame andrea leadsom says that the government's dentistry recovery plan will make services faster. however, dentist doctor sam jethwa told us the situation is getting worse and there are lots of dentists who are burning out who aren't able to stay in the profession because they're having to see 30, 50 patients a day to diagnose , treat, get them day to diagnose, treat, get them out of pain, all this sort of thing on a routine basis every single day. >> that can't be sustainable for anyone. and then we have an issue of the lack of new dentists coming in and the time frame being such a long time frame being such a long time frame from getting someone qualified. so it's , it's qualified. so it's, it's becoming more of an issue .

becoming more of an issue. >> well, for the latest stories, sign up to gb news alerts by scanning the qr code. it's on your screen right now, or go to gb news. common alerts. now straight back to michael. >> thank you. ray addison, the appalling hamas terrorist attack on israel. exactly six months ago prompted an outpouring of sympathy for israel and expressions of solidarity amongst the world's democracies. the support has proved short lived, as many governments now take an increasingly hard line with the israeli government over its management of the war in gaza. has its management of the war in gaza . has our foreign office gaza. has our foreign office turned the foreign secretary and the north of the the prime minister north of the border? the snp government has this week enacted a law that was passed 2021. hate crime passed in 2021. the hate crime and public order act criminalises stirring up hatred

against minority groups, with thousands of complaints already lodged . will it restrict freedom lodged. will it restrict freedom of speech to consider those questions i have with me, the political commentator matthew stadlen , conservative life peer stadlen, conservative life peer daniel moylan and writer and broadcaster emma webb, welcome back to you all, emma, shall we start with you? i wonder if j.k. rowling or rowling had been arrested, whether that might not have brought the whole edifice tumbling down. >> i think it's a very clever strategic move from her, because she is too big to cancel in many ways. so she does have the ability to take the stand that she has, her willingness to put herself in that position to get arrested has, in one sense clarified the law , because now clarified the law, because now it will be very difficult for them to arrest anybody for misgendering, but in the on the other hand , she's also sort of other hand, she's also sort of changed the interpretation of what the hate crime legislation

could mean . so i think jk could mean. so i think jk rowling is a is a hero of free speech in that respect, because this legislation , as with the this legislation, as with the legislation that's recently come in in northern ireland, is fundamentally bad law, because it is its aim is to transform scottish society, to make scotland into a nicer place by using, controlling speech in order to control thought, because the aim is to get rid of hatred within society, and the concern all along has been that this was going to overwhelm the police. so police resources in scotland have been cut and have been diminishing, and already they've received , i think it's they've received, i think it's around 6000 complaints. the police will have to prioritise resources towards this, away from other things that probably people in scotland would much rather them deal with things like theft and burglary, which is a similar issue to what's been happening here in, in

england as well, so fundamental. this is a bad piece of legislation. and jk rowling, particularly on the issue of, women's rights and sex based rights, has taken a stand that i think is extremely clever , think is extremely clever, daniel moylan, in the last days of nicola sturgeon's reign , a of nicola sturgeon's reign, a rapist who identified as a woman was sent to a women's prison before being redirected after protest to a men's prison. i wonder whether the scottish government isn't guilty of misgendering that this woman is now in a male jail. how can that possibly be allowed under the new law? >> i know it's a it's a terribly worrying thought that, they may be misgendering and not living up to the standards that they expect. the scottish people to, to meet. i think emma's been generous in what she's said, because i don't think this is. i didn't mean to be. well, i think you have been generous in some ways, because i don't think this is aimed at making scotland a

nicer place. i think is nicer place. i think this is aimed at scottish society aimed at making scottish society into a model of, of what the woke, glitterati want. society to be. and it's essentially aimed at stopping, working class people expressing themselves and men in particular, and white working class men are the target of this. so jk rowling has escaped. and that sets a precedent, as emma says, for how the law might be applied. but but that precedent won't last forever, and there will be cases further down the road where the police will say, well, misgendering in this case was different from what jk rowling said. so perhaps we will prosecute. we have no real protection. scots have no real protection, from from that sort of approach. so i think emma's being rather generous in what she says. it's more worrying than matthew staton . than matthew staton. >> the, the, the act was passed with support by all parties except for the conservatives. so i mean, labour i think is

somewhat on the hook with this as well. what what's your own view, and is there the potential here to cause comparative embarrassment not only to the snp but to labour too? >> well, i am a staunch defender of freedom of speech. i think, like most of us are , and i'm like most of us are, and i'm certainly a defender of freedom of thought . i also don't want to of thought. i also don't want to live in a society where hate is prevalent, and i think for any of us who have spent time online, particularly, there is a lot of hatred out there and i think we've got to be a little bit careful. i mean, you bring up this case of a rapist who is clearly male . in the 1980s and clearly male. in the 1980s and 1990s, when i was growing up, when there was still a lot of homophobia around there, still some. but i'm very grateful for the fact, even though i'm not gay myself, that that that has sort of receded. gay people generally would be tarred with this idea that homosexual men were paedophiles. and that was very, very damaging. and i think

we're at risk here with picking out some cases where someone who identifies as a woman, as a trans woman and is a rapist has got to be careful that we're not trying to tar all trans people. the vast majority of trans people , with that brush. people, with that brush. >> i think what people are trying to tar is the government that has been so thoughtless with its legislation. matt, let me stick with you, but change the subject completely. do you buy into idea that the buy into the idea that the foreign office is arabised and has secretary has turned the foreign secretary and prime minister? and turned the prime minister? >> mean, unlike daniel, >> i mean, unlike daniel, i haven't actually worked the haven't actually worked in the foreign have, i have foreign office. i have, i have i've unlike you, i i've said, unlike you, i haven't. so it's quite tricky for to comment on that. and for me to comment on that. and unless wrong, i think david unless i'm wrong, i think david cameron, was prime cameron, when he was prime minister the early days or minister in the early days or early years him being prime early years of him being prime minister this country, talked minister of this country, talked about gaza as being an open air prison. so he clearly has a lot of sympathy for the conditions under which gazans have lived

for a very long time. under which gazans have lived for a very long time . does that for a very long time. does that make him anti—israel? no, i don't think it does . he's don't think it does. he's written an important piece in today's sunday times in which he expresses his support of the israelis right to defend themselves. but says that our support of them cannot be unconditional . and i think the unconditional. and i think the vast majority, or certainly a majority of people in this country, would agree with the foreign secretary. >> the article is probably more nuanced than some of the headunes nuanced than some of the headlines have to have suggested, and i think it is worth reading. emma let me put it to you. we, we pulled out of afghanistan and left the afghans in lurch. and we're getting in the lurch. and we're getting very weary of supporting ukraine. and now we've made it clear after six months that we don't give unconditional support to israel . what kind of message to israel. what kind of message does this send to allies to and potential enemies? >> well, i think that you've you've hit on what i think is a fundamental problem with the way that they've been making certain

statements and particularly david cameron, around this issue of what is essentially friendly fire. that they are not being a good ally to israel, particularly after what happened on october 7. i think that the comments , particularly of alan comments, particularly of alan duncan, who was in the foreign office during david cameron's premiership, at a time when there were a number of incidents of friendly fire in libya . beau of friendly fire in libya. beau biden was also the vice president to obama when there were numerous issues of friendly fire in afghanistan . varne, fire in afghanistan. varne, including people being killed at a at a wedding, a large number of women and children during war and conflict , horrendous things and conflict, horrendous things like this happened. now, that's not to say that they're wrong for wanting israel to look into what happened with this, this airstrike on these aid workers

is but at the same time, israel have apologised. israel has shown their willingness to look into that. i think that and this is a point that brendan o'neill made, perfectly in this week's spectator that i think they're trying to launder their own reputation through their criticisms of israel. and it seems to me that they're trying to bend to pressure from protesters and other political pressure that they're facing to be more pro—palestine. and i think that that is actually, i think, morally reprehensible, daniel moylan, it strikes me that politically at least, it could scarcely be going better for hamas, what has been achieved after six months is that the lifelong allies, the democracies of israel , are, to democracies of israel, are, to some extent at least peeling away , is this not exactly what away, is this not exactly what hamas would have hoped for? >> and i think that the best thing that's happened for hamas is this demand for a negotiated ceasefire, because effect coming from the west, because effectively it it gives hamas

the upper hand in any negotiations . and we go back to negotiations. and we go back to brexit. if you're told you can't walk away, you've got to do a deal walk away, you've got to do a deal, you can't walk away, then you'll have to accept the terms that are offered by the other side, is what parliament side, which is what parliament told boris johnson's government. and tell israel they've and if you tell israel they've got to accept a deal, sit down with hamas , then hamas, of with hamas, then hamas, of course, can start to dictate the terms . and i think that is their terms. and i think that is their principal military objective at the moment is to get a ceasefire, because if there's no ceasefire, because if there's no ceasefire, they will not survive. the israelis can destroy them. >> i wanted to do a very quick run around. we've only got a moment left on on this issue, i'm a friend of william wragg. i'm a friend of william wragg. i'm a friend of william wragg. i'm a friend of aubrey allegretti . aubrey allegretti is allegretti. aubrey allegretti is a friend of william wragg. aubrey allegretti is the journalist who reported the william wragg story for the first in the times. is first time in the times. is there a case for a sort of declaration of friendly interest so that we know what's going on between presenters, members of parliament? >> journalists don't know quite

how it how that would materialise, but we're all human beings, aren't we? and we're human beings in the media as we are in every other area of society. and i'm sure that our views as pundits, and i hope not, but i suspect investigations as journalists are influenced by with whom we're friends with. think of james forsyth when rishi sunak was the chancellor, they were they were best friends. now he's working for him. and james forsyth was was the political edhoni forsyth was was the political editor. i think, the editor. i think, of the spectator and a columnist in the sun. >> let's give the others a go. emma. >> i for the most part avoid commenting. if someone that i'm close with is in the news or something like that. so i think you should be able you can you should be able to trust journalists honest, trust journalists to be honest, where it's relevant and where it's not relevant because everybody everyone. i everybody knows everyone. i don't you could sort don't think that you could sort of have a blanket declaration of all the people that you're all of the people that you're you're close to or spend time with, but i think you can trust people, to be honest. >> daniel, do have thought? >> yeah, i think people should. journalists should make it clear

if choose to write about if they choose to write about people should people they know, they should make because the make that clear, because the framing a story , especially framing of a story, especially if you're breaking story for if you're breaking the story for the time, how you frame the first time, how you frame it, is very important here. we've seen william wragg framed as victim, not everybody as a victim, not everybody would necessarily see it that way. and other journalists might have written it very, very differently. so i think it would help know i found your views, help to know i found your views, thoroughly interesting. >> thank you very much for joining me on a sunday morning. it's emma webb , daniel moylan it's emma webb, daniel moylan and matthew stadler after the break, there is grave concern for iranian dissidents after a journalist was stabbed outside his london home. we'll be speaking to expert kasra aarabi

welcome back. on friday, the 29th of march, a journalist

working for the persian language tv channel iran international was stabbed in the leg outside his home. what appears to have been an attempt to intimidate him. pooja zarati is already back at work, saying admirably that the show must go on. the regime of the islamic republic has denied any involvement in the attack, although police believe that the attackers fled abroad . the violence raises abroad. the violence raises frightening questions about the security of iran's critics overseas. and joining me now to discuss it is kasra aarabi, who's director of research into the iranian revolutionary guard corps at the united against nuclear iran organisation and a non—resident scholar at the middle east institute , first of middle east institute, first of all, my sympathy to your colleague who suffered this attack and indeed to your community. we do. we think that this was an attempt to kill him . this was an attempt to kill him. >> so i've spoken to pooja, who's a very close friend of mine. and this has all the hallmarks of a targeted attack.

puri himself told me that at that present time, when the two attackers struck , he had lost attackers struck, he had lost full control. if they wanted to kill him, if they wanted to stab him in the neck, if they wanted to stab him in the heart, they could have. but they precisely targeted the leg. still, obviously a horrific, horrific attack. this was a targeted attack. this was a targeted attack to send a very, threatening message to persia, so it was orchestrated, well planned . the fact that they have planned. the fact that they have now fled the country , reveals now fled the country, reveals that it has all the hallmarks of an attack by the islamic repubuc an attack by the islamic republic of iran, the regime. and we cannot forget the death threats has been facing , has had threats has been facing, has had wanted, dead or alive, posted, erected by the islamic revolutionary guard corps, the irgc in tehran . and we also irgc in tehran. and we also can't forget that there have been more than 15 terror plots on british soil that have been, foiled by m15 and that was

announced by m15. despite all this , the british government has this, the british government has yet to prescribe the irgc as a terrorist organisation. >> and what would be the value of that? >> so the prescription of the irgc is not just a symbolic move. it would put maximum limitations on the irgc's ability to operate on uk soil. so not only are we seeing that the irgc is directly conducting terror plots on british soil, but that it is using methods identical to isis and al—qaeda to nurture home grown radicalisation. home—grown extremism here in london and across the country. the current sanctions regime on the revolutionary guard does not prohibit its ability to disseminate, propagate its jihadi propaganda , so jihadi propaganda, so proscribing the irgc would give the government a full mandate to kerb those activities . it would kerb those activities. it would also equip our local police, our local teachers, etc, our local

communities with the necessary tools to prevent against irgc and shia radicalisation, which is a current loophole. again blind spot the current prevent program. the government's prevent program is exclusively focused on salafi jihadism, so sunni islamist extremism and again proscription would change that. i talked to commission members and they've told me for example, kasra, we know at this centre they are spreading their radical islamist ideology , but radical islamist ideology, but our fear is because the irgc is not prescribed. if we take action, we'll be labelled islamophobic and that will end our careers in general. >> you think that deterrence is the only thing that is effective against the regime? give us examples of deterrence by other nafions examples of deterrence by other nations and where we fall short. >> so there is a major deterrence gap right now. and i don't think proscribing the irgc would equip our government, would equip our government, would equip our , you know, would equip our, you know, bureaucrats to take effective action. but it won't change the calculus by the regime in iran. the regime in iran believes it

can get away with escalation without facing any direct consequences . now look at the consequences. now look at the methods through which israel has been using. israel has been directly targeting the irgc's terrorist commanders inside of the country and across the region. and as a result, the country and across the region. and as a result , the region. and as a result, the revolutionary guard, khomeini, the 84 year old supreme leader who rules, by the way , as god's who rules, by the way, as god's representative on earth, has knows not to mess around with israel and has is fully deterred . and, britain and the us must work together to target the irgc stem terrorist commanders , stem terrorist commanders, including in iran, target the assets these command and control centres where terrorist operations are being planned to be carried out on british soil. >> the television station is presently operating in britain, but this wasn't always the case. at one time it felt it couldn't tell me about that background. >> yes. so iran international were notified that the current setup that they had was not safe and the government could not

guarantee their security. and as a result, they were forced to move to washington , dc, where move to washington, dc, where the americans could guarantee their security. i mean, that sends a very weak message, to the islamic republic. if the islamic republic can get in its operatives or has local operatives or has local operatives or has local operatives or is able to hire local gangs in the uk and get them out of the country within hours of an attack? i mean, that sends that's extremely, extremely worrying. now, as we said, perry is back at work. we are doubling down, we will not cow to intimidation and threats because this is bigger than just perry. and i say that as his close friend. and this is what he said to me. this is about our values. this is about ensuring that the iranian people's voice is and that this is heard globally, and that this regime suppress iranians regime cannot suppress iranians or silence iranians inside the country or outside. would you be so kind to send our best wishes to you and his family? >> and thank you so much for coming on today to talk to us.

thank you. michael indeed. that was, kasra as arabi, after the break, i'll ask why young men and women are diverging in their values and political beliefs. we'll be discussing tomorrow's solar eclipse as well. stay with us, please

welcome back. studies in numerous countries. britain, america, germany, and south korea show a growing chasm in values and political beliefs between men and women of gen z or gen z, those born roughly between 1997 and 2012. males and females increasingly fail to see eye to eye on many important issues. women are becoming significantly more left wing men are either staying put or they're shifting slightly to the right to explore why that might

be. i'm joined by author and sociologist ashley frawley. welcome to gb news. so what is the sort of evidence that we have that shows that the genders are moving apart in this way ? are moving apart in this way? >> well, you've basically gone through the major findings, in a lot of countries, we're starting to see a divide in terms of the values held by men and women in in asia in particular, you can start to see that, men are increasingly feeling left behind. and, and women are feeling more, i guess you would say, empowered . and this is the say, empowered. and this is the same obviously we've seen in the, in english speaking countries where women are rejecting older roles and drifting toward the left and men, as you say, have stayed put or, or gone to the right. and there's also intergenerational divides in terms of values, which is kind of a more of a long standing trend. you know, you've had studies about this going back to the 19, well, even before 1960s, but especially

before the 1960s, but especially dunng before the 1960s, but especially during was a big during the 1960s, this was a big question why there this question like, why is there this huge divide in huge generational divide in terms of the younger terms of values of the younger sort of student generation and the older generation, but the gender that the gender divide in that and the way that's increasing way that that's been increasing is that's really is something that's really caught of social caught a lot of social scientists attention. caught a lot of social scieand:s attention. caught a lot of social scieand:s atte has n. caught a lot of social scieand:s atte has changed? i caught a lot of social scieand:s attehas changed? i mean, >> and what has changed? i mean, one might be ever one thing might be the ever growing importance of social media, and another might be the metoo movement. >> that's exactly it. and the question is kind of how how widespread is this? you know, it's, it's not the entire population. it'sjust it's, it's not the entire population. it's just suddenly sort of up and change their values. and all women have drifted toward the left. it's just a trend, and it may be that people who are more online, well, it's certainly the case for younger people and younger women. the more online they are , women. the more online they are, the more likely they are to report mental health problems, the are to be the more likely they are to be anxious, more likely they anxious, the more likely they are be to be drifting toward are to be to be drifting toward what now call the left. what we now call the left. although i would that although i would dispute that that that is actually the left, and we're starting to see and so we're starting to see these sorts of things, happening

, and what sort of reactions have men had to the metoo movement? i think you might have used the phrase that they feel left out. tell us a little bit more about what we know about this. >> yeah. so this is placed a huge wedge, i think, between men and women. that's really unfortunate. on the one hand, you do understand, like, women wanted to kind of push back against some of the things that they'd been dealing with for a really long time, if you, you know, if you are a young woman, probably your sense of growing up was defined by you realise that body is changing that your body is changing because other people make it really obvious. that's just really obvious. and that's just such a weird thing to have to go through as a young girl. so it makes sense that people are rejecting this. on the other hand, how people hand, like how people used to meet other was, know, meet each other was, you know, catcalling on the street. you know, i cat called my own husband 20 years ago, and you know now we meet each other know that now we meet each other onune know that now we meet each other online and this is in had an incredible effect on our

relationships where now people are like, i should vet you beforehand before i meet you, i should be able to see a sort of cv and make sure that you're the sort of person that i should meet. and even then, i'm going to tell a friend before i go out and meet you. so we already have this wedge of distrust before you've even met somebody. whereas idea that would whereas this idea that you would just put yourself out just sort of put yourself out there is, is just, do you there is, is just, wow, do you not realise that that's not acceptable anymore? we've acceptable anymore? and so we've the, way the, the sort of natural way that to fall into that people used to fall into relationships has started to degrade. we have much degrade. and we now have much more a bureaucratised system more of a bureaucratised system for, negotiating the relationships between men and women. and that's had a really, really negative effect. it sort of paints all men as predators. and the other hand, sort of and on the other hand, sort of all as sort of damsels. all women as sort of damsels. not definitely not the case, but that's sort of the message that you and a responsible you get. and as a responsible person, kind you get. and as a responsible pethink kind you get. and as a responsible pethink like kind you get. and as a responsible pethink like that, kind you get. and as a responsible pethink like that, like kind you get. and as a responsible pethink like that, like you're nd of think like that, like you're not really to go up and not really supposed to go up and approach that's approach somebody that's harassment shouldn't harassment and someone shouldn't approach bit approach you. that's a bit weird. you that there's weird. you know that there's a process these things. don't process for these things. don't

you , ashley frawley, i wish you know, ashley frawley, i wish we longer to go into this we had longer to go into this because obviously the because it obviously has the most social most important social consequences , including, for consequences, including, for example, like example, on things like the birth huge political birth rate and huge political consequences. perhaps we'll return another day. return to the issue another day. thank you so much for being with me today. thank you . now, if me today. thank you. now, if you're one of the growing number of our us cousins who tunes into gb news, you might be interested to hear about the eclipse to hear about the solar eclipse tomorrow, the of which the tomorrow, the area of which the total falls stretches total eclipse falls stretches from mexico across dallas, texas, montreal. for those in texas, to montreal. for those in britain, only a sliver of the country, mostly in north wales, is geographically placed to see a partial eclipse. here to explain more is science journalist andy lound. hello, andy. welcome back to welcome back to gb news. >> thank you . thank you for >> thank you. thank you for having me. >> so these things total eclipses that is occur reasonably frequently about every 18 months or so. and some people race around to see them. isuppose people race around to see them. i suppose what distinguishes this one is that a lot of people

in the united states have the opportunity, if the cloud cover is suitable , to see a total eclipse. >> absolutely. this one is quite amazing because of the numbers of people that could actually get access to see it right across the united states, from fairly low down in the south all the way to the to the corner of canada. so it's quite a fantastic opportunity for so many people to actually observe the eclipse. general public, of course. and of course, the access as well for other nations to send their people across as well with airports and flying , well with airports and flying, it gives you a great opportunity for loads of people to turn up on the united states doorstep to take a look at the eclipse, but also, of course, it means that the eclipse is going to be passing world's passing over some of the world's most sophisticated science facilities. universities don't have loads of money to have to spend loads of money to fly off to one part of the world or other. they're actually or the other. they're actually on site in some or they on site in some cases, or they only have for hour only have to drive for an hour or so. so that's going to give a completely different perspective or so. so that's going to give a c it1pletely different perspective or so. so that's going to give a c it will ely different perspective or so. so that's going to give a c it will be different perspective or so. so that's going to give a c it will be probably perspective or so. so that's going to give a c it will be probably the spective or so. so that's going to give a c it will be probably the most ve . it will be probably the most watched the public's point watched from the public's point of view. eclipse in history,

possibly studied , possibly the most studied, eclipse in history because of the accessibility , of scientific the accessibility, of scientific facilities for this eclipse , as facilities for this eclipse, as we were seeing from the pictures on our screen there as the moon passes in front of the sun, in the zone where there is a total eclipse to be viewed, darkness pretty much occurs. >> and that means that you'll be able to see some planets and stars, and that has a relationship with studying, einstein's theory of relativity. what is the connection? >> yes, because part of einstein's theories was that the gravitational field of a of any planetary body, particularly the sun, will actually bend light. and therefore the stars that you look at are slightly in the wrong position. and that's because of the bending of the light. and this actually proved dunng light. and this actually proved during an eclipse. so this is quite important. and again, what during an eclipse. so this is quitwillportant. and again, what during an eclipse. so this is quitwill get ant. and again, what during an eclipse. so this is quitwill get to:. and again, what during an eclipse. so this is quitwill get to do nd again, what during an eclipse. so this is quitwill get to do is again, what during an eclipse. so this is quitwill get to do is you'll, what during an eclipse. so this is quitwill get to do is you'll get at you will get to do is you'll get students to go out actually students to go out and actually do this study while you're there to have a at the nearby to have a look at the nearby stars nearby of stars visually nearby line of sight to if they are sight effect to see if they are in right place or not. and

in the right place or not. and if they're not, you do your calculations to work out how that actually bent. that light is actually bent. that's quite an important that's really quite an important study. that study. and the fact that that was proven eclipse was proven with an eclipse changed course of the way changed the course of the way people about gravity and people thought about gravity and the way light moves through space, there are many other things to be studied. i know that some people are going to be studying animals, which have a tendency either to crowd together protectively or indeed for reason, to mate at a at for some reason, to mate at a at a time of day when they wouldn't otherwise do so . so there's otherwise do so. so there's a great of science in all of great deal of science in all of this. thank you very much this. i thank you very much indeed. andy lound. well, i will be by the brightness of be eclipsed by the brightness of stefan after the break, stefan kyriazis after the break, so

welcome back. the day is always too short. when stefan kyriazis brightens, it,

too short. when stefan kyriazis brightens, it , stefan, you've brightens, it, stefan, you've been to see eugene o'neill's a long day's journey into night, which i think is one of the most harrowing plays i've ever seen. i've seen it many times. i'm drawn back to it like a moth to a flame, which production are you talking about? >> so we're talking about the latest production, which is on at the wyndham's, which is where latest production, which is on atwas wyndham's, which is where latest production, which is on atwas last dham's, which is where latest production, which is on atwas last time|'s, which is where latest production, which is on atwas last time as which is where latest production, which is on atwas last time as well.| is where latest production, which is on atwas last time as well. this/here it was last time as well. this time we've got brian cox and patricia clarkson the two patricia clarkson as the two leads. this is very much i mean, you said you're drawn back to it. it's very circular play. it. it's a very circular play. it of goes round and round it sort of goes round and round and can be a little bit and it can be a little bit frustrating, but you get this growing of doom that growing sense of doom that everybody involved is circling i don't drain the don't know, a drain death. the end. and it's one day in a family's life and it is. it's family's life and it is. so it's beyond autobiographical. the father's james, the father's name is james, the mother is mary, the older brother is jamie. all the same as eugene o'neill's family? they all repeat the patterns. the father faded actor. the father is a faded actor. the mother is suffering with an addiction. the brother is an alcoholic, exactly the same alcoholic, all exactly the same as real life. it's in monte as his real life. it's in monte cristo cottage in connecticut, the same as eugene o'neill's

family's cottage. and it's a it's a play. it's about family. and it's one of those first great american family dramas, which we've it all which has then we've seen it all through tennessee williams, all the arthur miller, the way through arthur miller, all to osage all the way to august osage county . and it's beautiful, it's county. and it's beautiful, it's harrowing and it's four characters all in their own misery , all not quite able to misery, all not quite able to connect, but it's also that thing of family you can love and hate. you can support, you can pull them down. and it does that tremendously. it's very starkly staged. it's supposed to be an unloved home, which the mother mary is always attributing a lot of their problems to. for me, the staging was a little bit. it was beautifully there's probably some pictures there. it's beautifully it's beautifully spartan, but it's a little to scandi chic for little bit to scandi chic for me. you know, it all looks like it's plain wood and everything, but probably that but probably you think that would fortune and that's would cost a fortune and that's not the point of the play. this play, think , pulls out play, i think, pulls out everybody's isolation, so it's a little bit cool and cold. certainly at the start it took a little bit of time to find its

rhythm. certainly brian cox, patricia was actually patricia clarkson i was actually watching thinking is she acting badly ? but then you realise that badly? but then you realise that actually it's a very disconnected character that's fractured. so she's not quite a real person. and there's that sense you can't she has an addiction, you can't quite feel who she is. and by the end, as it builds, it all falls apart. it all gets terribly upsetting. and her final line of i was happy for a time , by then the happy for a time, by then the whole audience was in it, and that line just falls quietly and is devastating. so it's beautiful. i think you probably saw jeremy irons, and i think i saw jeremy irons, and i think i saw lawrence olivier. >> oh, wow. >> oh, wow. >> okay. yeah >> okay. yeah >> and i and i've been to the house. oh, really ? because the house. oh, really? because the cottage, the house exists. the cottage, the house exists. the cottage exists. and just to fill in, this was written during world war two. it, 1941. >> yeah, yeah . >> yeah, yeah. >> yeah, yeah. >> eugene o'neill didn't want it to be performed for 25 years.

not at all. his will was, as it were, broken. it was first performed in 1956. anyway, you would recommend going to see it? >> i would, i would recommend for sort of completist and it is a beautiful, staggering work. i mean the words, the staging, the thoughts behind it. mean the words, the staging, the thoughts behind it . yes. the thoughts behind it. yes. the performances, it didn't quite get me, but it's still impressive. powerful piece. yes, absolutely. yeah yeah. >> that's a kind of rather middle ranking review. yeah we now have, some things which are completely different because they kind of escapist. first of all, first of all, the 39 steps, i rather object to people saying that it's alfred hitchcock's because it was written by john buchan. originally it was, but anyway , it's. well, is it, anyway, it's. well, what is it, anyway, it's. well, what is it, a it's been around a revival? it's been around forever, hasn't it, not quite. without giving it all away, if we watched the clip, we've got the trailer. it'll show you exactly what they're doing.

>> golly. >> golly. >> if i were on stage, i would drop that steering wheel when that steering wheel is chucked in. so. yes. that's not exactly the way john buchan wrote it. so this does look hugely entertaining. >> yeah, it's not quite. it's not quite hitchcockian. it's exactly the same story. so it's a sort unsuspecting chap . a sort of unsuspecting chap. this time he was canadian i think originally. now it's back to being a posh brit, and he gets involved in international espionage . he thinks he's trying espionage. he thinks he's trying to save allies from a to save the allies from a nefarious foreign plot. all of thatis nefarious foreign plot. all of that is there. the escape up to scotland , train rides, murders. scotland, train rides, murders. it's all there. but as you it's all in there. but as you can see, it's done rather as a spoof. and this was written. it was written by a group for was written by a small group for a touring theatre, and

a local touring theatre, and then re adapted by patrick barlow, and that production, which you're thinking about 2009. went on to win tony awards, olivier awards . it's awards, olivier awards. it's massive. you can see it's all that kind of thing that when they're in the wind, they're doing all of this. lots of funny accents up to scotland and accents go up to scotland and they're all out house, very, they're all out the house, very, very silly . it's jolly japes. i very silly. it'sjollyjapes. i love some of the creativity. the two ladders, step ladders with the across massive the ladder across for a massive bndge the ladder across for a massive bridge that they're crossing, all of things. it's all these sorts of things. it's very inventive it's fun. very inventive. it's very fun. they it's four actors they say it's four actors playing 130 characters. i don't know that i caught that many, but it's yes, it's jolly japes. it all feels a little bit posh. am dram, thoroughly entertaining. they keep it going. where is it? this is on. well it was. i saw it at richmond, but this is an absolutely huge national tour. so it launched in richmond. but it's going all over the country i think until august. and it's only 3 or 4 days in each place. so if you think that's a lot of places up until august. so it's

absolutely everywhere. and it's just fun. just sounds fun. >> evening out . and i >> splendid evening out. and i daresay splendid evening daresay another splendid evening out many people will have out that many people will have enjoyed because it's been going for 25 years. is mamma mia? >> well, yes, because april the sixth, mamma mia is their 25th anniversary show . it's anniversary of the show. it's also this is ageing us all, the 50th anniversary of abba winning the eurovision. so it's on the same day. so it's all circling through. we had bjorn in town from abba and he popped up. i was there last night. he popped up on the stage at the novello theatre, where it's currently running, and he gave a beautiful speech. running, and he gave a beautiful speech . do we have a little speech. do we have a little clip? we have got a little trailer and this is for the 25th anniversary of the film . anniversary of the film. >> here i go again. my, my, how can i resist you? mamma mia i can i resist you? mamma mia! doesit can i resist you? mamma mia! does it show again ? how.

does it show again? how. see that girl ? watch that scene. that girl? watch that scene. diggin the dancing . queen diggin the dancing. queen >> almost the most telling thing about that clip was the audience at the end on its feet, which i imagine happens every night. >> absolutely on its feet. and they're very clever, it's a little bit like the tina musical, you get a bit of a medley at the end , so it's medley at the end, so it's wonderful all the way through, but at end you get a kind of but at the end you get a kind of megamix of three massive songs, and absolutely, we're and by then, absolutely, we're all last night was all on our feet, last night was truly because they had truly special because they had the cast back from the original cast back from 1999. audience. some of 1999. in the audience. some of them well, them came up on stage as well, so there a real charge in so there was a real charge in the air. but it's just when bjorn came on stage and he's like, people always asking like, people are always asking him, is he? what does him, how proud is he? what does he about music ? and he feel about his music? and he's like, he feels much more gratitude feels humble gratitude and he feels humble when people and tell him when people come and tell him that music affected them, when people come and tell him thmade music affected them, when people come and tell him thmade nemotionaled them, when people come and tell him thmade nemotional connection. when people come and tell him thmade know, otional connection. when people come and tell him thmade know, where connection. when people come and tell him th made know, where would ction. when people come and tell him th made know, where would we n. and you know, where would we be without said. and the without music? he said. and the show we can see it's cheesy

show is we can see it's cheesy andifs show is we can see it's cheesy and it's fun. it's a very light piece, but it's still about family dramas. and also judy taymor came up on stage who's the producer? and she made the very powerful point three women, female director, female producer, writer of the producer, female writer of the show back in the day. that was pretty extraordinary . and this pretty extraordinary. and this show, 70 million people have seen this show. it's fun. i'm. i grew up on abba. so for me, it's a no brainer, but it's beautifully done. masmari in the lead is stunning. >> and as if we hadn't had enough of abba, we've got abba voyage going as well, and that's proving to be a tremendous success, isn't it? >> that's across in east london at the royal elizabeth park, and yes, incredible. that's yes, that's incredible. that's these of i don't know if we these kind of i don't know if we call them the holograms, but they're avatars of abba. >> and i've been i've seen that too. and it's a remarkable show. but i shouldn't have distracted you. mia! what you. so mamma mia! what distinguishes the years? distinguishes the 25 years? they're having party. but they're all having a party. but what is it? is it touring, what else is it? is it touring, or is it just this one at the moment? >> i mean, it's touring all over the world and there are always

touring productions. this at touring productions. this one at the is just at the the moment is just at the novello, it was to celebrate novello, and it was to celebrate the actual theatre in london, the actual theatre in london, the it and everything the launch of it and everything that it's, that came from it. but it's, it's, it's still going strong 25 years. does like the music. years. it does like the music. it doesn't age and it's a feel good the audience. and good show. the audience. and i've a lot of audiences i've been in a lot of audiences recently happy recently that weren't so happy or thrilled. the or weren't so thrilled. the audience happy. what more do audience is happy. what more do you want? >> no, you've given us. you've given there. given us two evenings there. they're obviously going to be enormous. 39 sets of mamma they're obviously going to be enorrand.. 39 sets of mamma they're obviously going to be enorrand.. 3!day's of mamma they're obviously going to be enorrand.. 3!day's journey ma mia! and a long day's journey into is not a bundle of into night is not a bundle of laughs. into night is not a bundle of laughs . no. and you're slightly laughs. no. and you're slightly iffy about the way it's presented this occasion, presented in this occasion, but i be drawn it i should probably be drawn to it yet again. just can't keep yet again. i just can't keep away. thank you very much, stefan are stefan kyriazis, you are watching michael portillo gb watching michael portillo on gb news, news channel. news, britain's news channel. that concludes first hour of that concludes the first hour of the stay with me. the programme. stay with me. we'll discussing and we'll be discussing israel and ukraine after the break and we'll discussing patricia we'll be discussing patricia highsmith. you after the . break. >> a brighter outlook with boxt

solar sponsors of weather on . gb news. >> hello. here's your latest weather update from the met office for gb news. we'll see a mixture of sunshine and showers across the uk. quite blustery winds too. we'll have the remnants of storm kathleen up towards the north—west of scotland. they're tightly packed isobars, indicating those blustery these bands blustery conditions. these bands of rain here on these occlusions moving the west at times moving in from the west at times bringing a fair few showers, most the showers up towards most of the showers up towards the north—west, some the north—west, merging to some longer of rain. in fact, longer spells of rain. in fact, we a wind warning in force we have a wind warning in force across west of scotland across the west of scotland throughout afternoon. gusts throughout the afternoon. gusts of up 60 miles an of wind here up to 60 miles an hour or so at times, and notice quite a few showers moving in across wales into northern england far south—west england and the far south—west of too, in the of of england too, in the best of the sunshine towards the south—east of 17 south—east we'll see highs of 17 celsius fahrenheit, but celsius 63in fahrenheit, but feeling towards the north celsius 63in fahrenheit, but feethat towards the north celsius 63in fahrenheit, but feethat blustery)wards the north celsius 63in fahrenheit, but feethat blustery winds the north celsius 63in fahrenheit, but feethat blustery wind as1e north celsius 63in fahrenheit, but feethat blustery wind as we |orth celsius 63in fahrenheit, but feethat blustery wind as we goh in that blustery wind as we go into the evening and during the overnight period. showers overnight period. those showers across uk will overnight period. those showers acrosto uk will overnight period. those showers acrosto ease uk will overnight period. those showers acrosto ease for uk will overnight period. those showers acrosto ease for a uk will overnight period. those showers acrosto ease for a time.uk will overnight period. those showers acrosto ease for a time. butvill tend to ease for a time. but nofice tend to ease for a time. but notice the more persistent rain working back in from the

south—west parts wales. south—west into parts of wales. certainly by the end of the night and towards the north, showers continue towards the north—west clear spells elsewhere, some clear spells allowing turn quite allowing it to turn quite chilly, parts scotland chilly, parts of scotland dipping to mid dipping down into low to mid single but holding up in single figures but holding up in the south with that cloud of rain in. as monday, rain coming in. as for monday, outbreaks push outbreaks of rain gradually push up south across much of up from the south across much of england and wales will be some brightness a time, brightness for a time, particularly out towards the east best the east and southeast. best of the sunshine generally sunshine though generally reserve scotland. reserve for parts of scotland. still some blustery showers towards of towards the far north—west of scotland, temperatures once scotland, and temperatures once again 16 or 17 again peaking at 16 or 17 celsius southeast, again peaking at 16 or 17 celsia; southeast, again peaking at 16 or 17 celsia bit southeast, again peaking at 16 or 17 celsia bit cooler southeast, again peaking at 16 or 17 celsia bit cooler towards1east, again peaking at 16 or 17 celsia bit cooler towards the t, north. >> that warm feeling inside from boxt boilers, sponsors of weather on

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>> good afternoon, and welcome to the second hour of sunday with michael portillo on gb news. the deaths of three british aid workers distributing food in gaza on behalf of the charity world central kitchen has ramped up pressure on the british government to criticise or even to sanction israel. hundreds of lawyers signed a letter to rishi sunak warning that britain could be in violation of international law by sending arms to the israelis. we will consider that letter with legal director of uk with the legal director of uk lawyers for israel, natasha hausdorf . vladimir putin is hausdorf. vladimir putin is believed to have enlisted as many as 300,000 extra troops ahead of an anticipated summer offensive. ukraine remains starved of vital artillery and air defence systems in the united states. even a vote on more military aid for ukraine is thought to be weeks away. spectators. svitlana marinette will join me to look ahead to what the summer has in store for her home country. when patricia

highsmith devised the character of thomas ripley, a charming new york vagrant with murderous tendencies, she was confident that she was on to a winner. but she could scarcely imagine how many successful adaptations of her work would be produced. the latest of them, a new netflix series called simply ripley, has now been released . we'll discuss now been released. we'll discuss the enduring appeal of the character with author alex lehmann. and finally, as part of my taste of britain series, i'll be speaking to the fantastic baker cynthia stroud, m.b.e. who's going to bring in some of her delicious creations for me to try all of that ahead. but first, your headlines with ray addison. >> thanks, michael. good afternoon. 12:01. our top stories . rishi sunak says the stories. rishi sunak says the government continues to stand by israel's right to defend its security. six months on from the october 7th terror attacks marking that occasion, the prime minister said the uk is shocked

by the bloodshed and called for an immediate humanitarian pause in fighting. he also urged hamas to release its hostages and implored israel to get aid into gaza more swiftly . well. gaza more swiftly. well. meanwhile, the foreign secretary has used the occasion to stress that the uk's support for israel is not unconditional. writing in the sunday times, lord cameron said there is no doubt where the blame lies over the death of three british aid workers. and he added that this must never happen again. john chapman, james henderson and james kirby died in airstrikes carried out by the idf on an aid convoy on april 1st. former chair of the defence select committee, tobias ellwood, told us the uk will be obuged ellwood, told us the uk will be obliged to stop arms sales if israel has broken international law. >> i absolutely support israel's right to prosecute and to go after hamas after what they did. but i also disagree with israel's military response, which seems to be without clarity of what its strategy is,

what's the governance structure that it's working towards, what is going to be the post security environment that it's building? what seeing is actually in what we're seeing is actually in inflammation. we're seeing this, conflict spread beyond the middle east because of what's going on, because what israel is doing, that is why david cameron is saying there needs to be conditions on what's going on. >> the deputy minister has >> the deputy prime minister has denied claims that the uk is failing to prepare for war. oliver dowden is defending the government after outgoing armed forces ministerjames heappey forces minister james heappey told the telegraph rafe only ministry of defence officials attended a wartime preparation exercise which was meant for the whole of government. former defence secretary ben wallace has backed him up, saying too many in government are, quote , many in government are, quote, just hoping everything will go away. but oliver dowden told gb news they're putting in the necessary work . necessary work. >> i don't know the specific incident that james was referring to. it is the case that we carry out wide scale,

exercising programmes across government. indeed, i did one recently for a national power outage in involving several thousand different people across government. now, of course, there is more work that we need to do across different areas, but we have stepped up considerably. our effort. >> a man in his 20s has been arrested on suspicion of murder following the discovery of a human torso at a nature reserve in salford. greater manchester police launched a murder investigation after the body part was found wrapped in plastic at kersal wetlands. the victim is believed to have been older than 40. chief superintendent tony crowley says the suspect, who is from the local area, will be questioned later on today. meanwhile, two people have been arrested on suspicion of murder after human remains were discovered in a park in south london. the met police say a 44 year old man and a 48 year old woman are now in custody after the body parts

were found in rodan fields in croydon . the force say they croydon. the force say they believe the remains are those of one person. however, they have been unable to formally identify the victim at this time. a post—mortem examination is expected to take place today . expected to take place today. well scotland remains at risk of power cuts and travel disruption as storm kathleen continues to bnng as storm kathleen continues to bring strong gusts and heavy rain. 43 flood warnings are currently in place and the met office has issued a new yellow wind warning affecting the east and northern highlands, the isle of skye and the hebrides to yesterday . winds reached 73mph yesterday. winds reached 73mph in drumalbyn, south lanarkshire. the scottish environmental protection agency says there is real danger to life around causeways, coastal roads and paths . meteorologist john paths. meteorologist john kettley told gb news it is still causing problems. >> yes, storm kathleen, certainly creating a few problems in the north—west of the country in particular, but it's blowing everywhere and it's still blowing pretty strongly

this morning as well. sure this morning as well. i'm sure there are a few trampolines being over, a few garden being blown over, a few garden fences coming well. fences coming down as well. kathleen is only just to the north—west the hebrides. north—west of the hebrides. it's just slightly, it's just easing slightly, but it's still gusting over 60 miles an hourin still gusting over 60 miles an hour in parts of the northwest this morning. >> the latest stories, sign >> for the latest stories, sign up gb news alerts by scanning up to gb news alerts by scanning the qr code on your screen right now, or go to gb news. com slash alerts now back to michael i >> -- >> thank 5mm >> thank you. ray addison for news headlines that are dominated by israel and gaza. and hundreds of lawyers signed a letter to the government this week alleging that britain is violating law by violating international law by delivering weapons to israel. the claimed that the the letter claimed that the ruling of international ruling of the international court justice a court of justice found a plausible risk of genocide in gaza, where it says conditions

are catastrophic . the letter are catastrophic. the letter went on to say that britain has a legal obligation to prevent any such genocide. i'm joined by natasha hausdorf, legal director of uk lawyers for israel . of uk lawyers for israel. welcome back to gb news und us . welcome back to gb news und us. the law in this conflict is very important. we sometimes call it lawfare, and i would say that this letter has had quite a big impact with a lot of people taking it at face value. but what it says about israel being in breach, about the possibility of genocide and so on, that this is all established. but you argue with some of that, don't you? >> well, i would say that it's perhaps using and abusing the law. and this letter has now also been the subject of a response sent also last week to the prime minister, signed by now over a thousand lawyers, including former of the including former members of the supreme well as the supreme court, as well as the justice minister, former justice minister. forgive me , lord minister. forgive me, lord wolfson, the former director of pubuc wolfson, the former director of public prosecutions , lord public prosecutions, lord macdonald. there are very senior

lawyers indeed that have signed on to this. a letter calling out not just the serious error and mistakes of law that was set forth in that original erroneous letter, which you've referenced , letter, which you've referenced, but also unfortunately, calling out the basis upon which the supposed legal assessment was made, which is a false basis. it's a quoting hamas statistics in terms of casualty figures . in terms of casualty figures. and so this combination of false facts and false law , coupled facts and false law, coupled with really problematic legal analysis , has clearly, shifted analysis, has clearly, shifted the debate and is the subject i'm afraid of, of serious , i'm afraid of, of serious, misinformation. it's a situation which the public are being misinformed on. >> a lot hangs on this. we heard tobias ellwood a moment ago in that clip, saying that britain would need to move into line with international law, that this up with britain, this would end up with britain, etc. etc. properly, you know,

not supplying to israel. so not supplying arms to israel. so a hangs on it. so let's a lot hangs on it. so let's begin with what is it that has been misunderstood about what the of the international court of justice has said? >> well, the clear error that this letter was predicated on was a misstatement that the international court of justice held in january, in its provisional order that israel, well, some have called it plausibly guilty of genocide. what the letter in fact referred to was a seemingly invented turm of plausible risk. now that doesn't feature in the judgement at all. and the day after this letter was released, the pre—eminent legal journalist, joshua rosenberg pointed out this error and in fact clarified for all of those 600 signatories that the court had in fact considered the plausibility that the right south africa was claiming in its application to the international court of justice the plausibility that those rights fell within the genocide convention. it's a remarkably low threshold, but it is important and a significant distinction. what may sound like a technical one, because it puts

the lie to this suggestion that israel has in any way even plausibly been found guilty of genocide, or that there is , in genocide, or that there is, in fact a plausible risk that has been established. and that is unfortunate , namely, the false unfortunate, namely, the false bafis unfortunate, namely, the false basis upon which all of the discussions we've seen over the last few days about arms embargoes have been predicated. and causing serious and clearly it's causing serious damage got damage because we've got a series of, civil servants who are voicing their concerns. but principally the critical issue here is that hamas is drawing succour from the manner in which this discussion has shifted. they've already rejected offers of a ceasefire that the americans have endorsed. and what we see is that this very dangerous position that is being advanced is working to hamas's favour. it is prolonging the conflict because all that hamas have to do in order to, succeed in order for them to be victorious in their eyes is survive and these calls for an immediate ceasefire off the back of this misinformation . varne of this misinformation. varne are serving hamas's purpose,

prolonging this conflict and ultimately costing lives on both sides . sides. >> let us deal with another legal issue, which the issue of applicability, i mean, is the judgement. whatever it is applicable to britain, this is the icj provisional . i beg your the icj provisional. i beg your pardon? >> yes, yes. well, it's not a judgement in the sense of there's been no ruling on the merits, but critics see this is a case between south africa and the united kingdom and any ruling. forgive me. i'm so sorry. between south africa and israel, your question is to do with the united kingdom. so, any decision ultimately by the court will binding on the parties will be binding on the parties to the case. that's another misstatement of international law to suggest that the uk would be bound by by those specific findings. however, the united kingdom is a party to the genocide convention, as of course, is israel , genocide convention, as of course, is israel, and that is the legal hook that has been used. if you ask me. the allegations of genocide are so palpably unfounded. it it is a blood libel that has been advanced , but it has been done advanced, but it has been done so for particular legal reasons.

and that is because it serves as a hook both for israel but also ultimately for the united kingdom and other signatories to the genocide convention. >> so the counter letter, which is signed by thousand lawyers, is signed by a thousand lawyers, which mentioned today and which you've mentioned today and counting counting, more counting and counting, more people adding their names. people are adding their names. i dare they be to the dare say they might be to the first letter well, that first letter as well, so that deals with arguments . yes. deals with these arguments. yes. >> it points out the error that the first letter was based on. it's a much shorter letter than would be required to counter. absolutely every element of the first one. there is more rebuttal forthcoming now are numbers of people being killed relevant ? relevant? >> obviously, there is a dispute between the ministry of health, which is hamas controlled, which produces one set of figures, other figures which are circulating , however, is it circulating, however, is it denied that large numbers of civilians are losing their lives, including lots of children? >> well, i think the difficulty with that is defining large numbers. what is clear is even on these unsubstantiated and

many have called them out as false numbers that hamas has been putting out there internally inconsistent, and the manner in which they have gone up on a daily basis is a real cause of alarm in terms of the consistency. and there's an awful lot of open source analysis , which in fact, the analysis, which in fact, the letter footnotes, is the letter footnotes, this is the response which is response letter, which is important people realise. important for people to realise. but aside from that, even but quite aside from that, even if we were going to go according to the hamas themselves, to the hamas figures themselves, taking the fact taking into account the fact that israel knows that it has killed at least 13,000 terrorists, which are not accounted for in those figures at all, there's no distinction between terrorists and civilians that hamas puts out. they they fail to. >> do you know how israel knows that it's killed 13,000? so on the basis of intelligence, the numbers could in fact be far higher than that. >> but because israel is democratic and accountable, it only out information only puts out information it is 100% is an 100% sure of. there is an intelligence basis of the individuals that they have identified that are killed, that have links either with hamas or palestinian, islamic jihad or other terrorist organisations

operating in the gaza strip , operating in the gaza strip, trying to target israelis on a daily so those numbers, daily basis. so those numbers, we can in fact, trust they are the subject of accountability andindeed the subject of accountability and indeed applications by ngos on a regular basis to the courts in israel. so if we compare the numbers that we know that of terrorists, that have been killed and also take into account, the fact that we don't know how the people that hamas are claiming have been killed have been killed. what we do know is that hamas have been killing their own civilians. they've shooting them, killing their own civilians. they've them.|ooting them, killing their own civilians. they've them. eveng them, killing their own civilians. they've them. even the em, killing their own civilians. they've them. even the americans bombing them. even the americans have this is have established that this is the well of course, the case as well as, of course, committing grave war crime committing this grave war crime of civilians as human of using civilians as human shields order to drive up the shields in order to drive up the civilian casualty figures, taking all of that , taking into account all of that, the minister, the israeli prime minister, benjamin , assessed on benjamin netanyahu, assessed on the basis of the information he has that the israeli government has, that they are looking at it as civilian to combatant casualty ratio of 1 to 1. that is unheard of in armed conflict, not not to speak of the kind of armed conflict that israel is

involved in, in the intensity populated gaza strip, where hamas has spent 16 years embedding its terror infrastructure in civilian neighbourhoods. when we compare that to the global average put out by the united nations, which is 9 to 1, it's incomparable and it's unprecedented, the measures that israel has been taking to protect civilian life , it protect civilian life, it couldn't be further from the claims of that utterly misguided letter briefly, letter last week, quite briefly, can from the legal can we move from the legal arguments to the political one? >> i would put it to you that hamas that six months ago today launched a attack on launched a savage attack on israel, murdering and raping and taking hostages has today achieved amazing political objectives. that is to say that the democracies of the world, which are supposed to be the natural allies of the democracies, israel, one by one, are reducing their enthusiasm or peeung are reducing their enthusiasm or peeling away or thinking about withdrawing their support and aid. is not hamas delighted with this result ? this result? >> oh, of course, this has been its objective for the last six months. that's why it deploys

these appalling tactics and it uses its breaches of international humanitarian law to its advantage. i mentioned earlier that hamas has only hope here is to survive. that's why there have been calls for israel to be prevented from going into rafah and ending this war with hamas being destroyed and the hostages being returned. let's of course not lose sight of the 134 hostages that remain within the gaza strip , i know that the the gaza strip, i know that the foreign secretary has today again called for the hostages to be returned. but linking that with calls for an immediate ceasefire before the hostages are returned and hamas is defeated, is serving hamas's purposes here, and it is encouraging them. and that is critical not just in respect of israel, because hamas is an iranian proxy, just like hezbollah, that continues to fire on israel in the north of the country. and these proxies don't intend to end their battle against the west with israel. israel is fighting the west's war here, and these calls are doing untold damage to that much

broader objective. also very clear. >> thank you very much, natasha hausdorf. after the break, i'll be speaking to ukrainian journalist marionettes of the spectator magazine. as russia prepares a new summer offensive to take more ground in eastern ukraine. thank you

welcome back. these are perilous months for ukraine. starved of ammunition and vital weapons, the country is poorly placed to fend off an expected russian offensive in the summer, which vladimir putin is believed to have mobilised up to 300,000 more troops in washington . more troops in washington. although the republican speaker of the house, mike johnson, is reportedly keen to do a deal on aid, a vote might not happen for weeks. to look ahead to what all

that might mean, i'm joined now by svetlana baranets, who covers her native ukraine for the spectator magazine and welcome back to gb news. vladimir putin supposedly recruiting another 300,000 soldiers, which on the one hand is very threatening. on the other hand, i suppose it's a kind of testimony to the rate of attrition that russia has suffered during this war so far. >> yes , of course, but also he >> yes, of course, but also he has over 400,000 soldiers on ukraine's frontline . and there ukraine's frontline. and there are big fears in ukraine that actually russia's upcoming offensive can be really successful . first is because successful. first is because ukraine doesn't have enough weapons and ammunition to find them back. and second, because we don't have so many people in our army . we don't have so many people in our army. that's we don't have so many people in our army . that's why the topic our army. that's why the topic of conscription has been all over ukraine. and only last week, zelenskyy lowered the age, or minimum age for conscription from 27 to 25 years old. so

younger men are going to be called up to the ukrainian army. and also ukraine is preparing by building defensive lines in donetsk , luhansk, kharkiv donetsk, luhansk, kharkiv regions and also in sumy region and the border with belarus, our intelligence says that there there are no signs that invasion from belarus can happen. but, this week lukashenko said that he doesn't want a war. but he is preparing it. and he his troops, his troops have been exercising. so we need to be ready in that case, if they just decide to attack again from all the sides . attack again from all the sides. >> so the question of conscription in ukraine is now settled. minimum age of 25, is that right? >> yes, minimum age of 20. >> yes, minimum age of 20. >> and that will lead to another tranche of men being enlisted men and women , men obliged men and women, men are obliged to enlisted , but women can to be enlisted, but women can volunteer, but they have not been conscripted. but they can join the army, of course. and those men enlisted, they will be trained from 2 to 3 months. and

then they will go to the front line. >> what do you think are the critical shortages of weapons and equipment, it's very bad, right now, our soldiers have to find a way out, how to replace the shortage of artillery shells. so the lounge, homemade drones instead of artillery and of course, the damage capability is not the same. you can't compare it, but they have to do at least something, and they only successful ukrainian strategy so far has been a striking, russian, drone factories inside of russia and other factories of that produce weapons and oil refineries, energy facilities . it's the only energy facilities. it's the only way to make war painful for russia. >> tell us about the importance of this city. kharkiv so kharkiv is the second largest city in ukraine. >> and for the last two weeks, russia has been bombing it every day. as as we talk right now, just like two minutes before

going live, i checked the news and kharkiv is being bombed right now. and last week, russia destroyed all the power plants in the city, leaving 200,000 people without electricity . so people without electricity. so there are talks that kharkiv can be the goal for russian offensive. also, our government says that all of this is russian disinformation and they're not going to attack kharkiv . and but going to attack kharkiv. and but they're really fierce that they are preparing for it because they are destroying the city. they are making. of course, people are start leaving the city they feel in city because they feel in dangen city because they feel in danger, they are being danger, because they are being bombed day and don't bombed every day and we don't have enough defences to have enough air defences to protect yesterday de protect it, yesterday de zelenskyy said that ukraine needs, 25 patriot air defence system to cover all of ukraine, and they would have to come to the united states, would they not, no. from any of our allies . not, no. from any of our allies. all of our allies combined. i mean, western allies, they have over 100 patriot systems . right. over 100 patriot systems. right. but and we are asking for 25,

but even not 25, if we have like , from 5 to 7, it will boost our air defence a lot. but and our foreign minister recently said like, give us them and patriots. i don't understand why they don't do that because you don't suffer everyday attacks as ukraine suffer. and i mean, we will give them back when everything is over. why can't you give? give them the patriots. yeah. >> tell me a little bit about ukrainian public opinion towards, for example, the united states, this tremendous package is delayed in in the house, as i was saying a moment ago, it doesn't look like they'll even be a vote on this for some very long time. so what do ukrainians think? are they are they angry? are they frustrated? what's what's the feeling about it, they are very angry. and it looks like us is losing its, looks like us is losing its, look like a global power, you know, and we feel like, abandoned . and they promised to abandoned. and they promised to help us as long as it takes. but

it seems to be over and this, of course, affects not only your ability to fight the war, but it affects your morale. >> and morale is a very important factor in war two. >> yes, and but we were very lucky. for example, the czech repubuc lucky. for example, the czech republic started the artillery shells initiative and they found like over over 1 shells initiative and they found like over over1 million shells, globally , or even buying them globally, or even buying them from russian allies. and like different countries , they joined different countries, they joined and they like, gave some money to buy the artillery shells for ukraine. but how long we are going to last on those artillery shells? we don't know. you know, the thing is that, those, countries from eastern europe, they know the real threat of russia and they feel threatened all the time, for example, by baltic countries. give us all what they have, all of their weapons, because they know that the threat is real. and they could be next. but the us, i think they they feel that they are so far from russia and also they worry about their oil pnces they worry about their oil prices can go up if ukraine strikes russia energy facilities

and for us, it sounds ridiculous. >> yes. and it's not only the difference between, as you say, the baltics and the united states. i was making the point last week on this program that there really is a divide in europe, depending upon far europe, depending upon how far you russia. so, you you are from russia. so, you know, and france can know, britain and france can take easily, whereas take this fairly easily, whereas the baltic states and poland are, you know, deeply exercised. thank you very much indeed. svetlana marinette from the memorial arboretum in staffordshire, has started a fundraising campaign month fundraising campaign this month to raise £45,000 to restore its shot dawn memorial. it shot at dawn memorial. it commemorates the hundreds of servicemen , during the first servicemen who, during the first world war, were court martialled and executed for crimes such as desertion or cowardice. our west midlands reporterjack desertion or cowardice. our west midlands reporter jack carson has this report . has this report. >> in world war i, 309 soldiers from britain and the commonwealth were shot at dawn, the majority killed for the likes of desertion , cowardice likes of desertion, cowardice and sleeping at post. appearing at their court martial with no real opportunity for defence, these men were told they had

brought shame on their country and would be held in the highest disregard to discourage anyone else from the same. today, else from doing the same. today, it's recognised that many it's widely recognised that many of the soldiers were likely suffering from post—traumatic stress disorder. in 2001, the shot at dawn memorial was unveiled at the national memorial arboretum as a way to remember the hundreds who had been killed. now, more than 20 years on, the arboretum has launched a fundraising campaign to preservation of to ensure the preservation of the site. mark ellis is the national memorial arboretum lead. >> it's a really important memorial here at the arboretum , memorial here at the arboretum, a must see for very many of our visitors. so millions of pairs of feet of have walked around it and looked at it. but it's also in an area of site that gets a lot of flooding, particularly in recent times. we need to raise around £45,000 to renovate and restore memorial , around £45,000 to renovate and restore memorial, and to restore the memorial, and to make sure that we can look after it for generations to come . the it for generations to come. the posts need replacing, the ground needs , relaying and redoing in needs, relaying and redoing in front of the statue are six

conifer trees to represent the firing squad, aiming for the target around the statue's neck. >> andy dickerman is the sculptor behind the piece, obviously very young looking , obviously very young looking, the disc around his neck is actually a target . they used to actually a target. they used to either pin a piece of paper to them or have some sort of target for the firing squad to aim at, so it was over the top of the heart, you'll see that it's got no buttons , these epaulettes no buttons, these epaulettes fallen from his shoulder. part of the court martial would have been dishonourable discharge. so they'd been stripped of rank and insignia, his feet attracting this block. it's kind of a metaphor for the fact that he's trapped in a situation that he can't extricate himself from , can't extricate himself from, and then, obviously blindfolded, hands behind his back. hands tied behind his back. >> the memorial sits on the eastern edge of the arboretum site, where it's the first to be touched by the sun's rays . at touched by the sun's rays. at dawn on the 7th of november, 2006, the british government agreed to give a posthumous pardon to those executed for varying military offences in the

first world war, one of those soldiers was 17 year old herbert burdon . he was part of the first burdon. he was part of the first battalion, northumberland fusiliers , and at 16 he had lied fusiliers, and at 16 he had lied that he was two years older so he could fight in the war. ten months later he was court martialled after leaving his post, reportedly comfort post, reportedly to comfort a bereaved friend stationed nearby. the officers considering burdon's case, heard his unit had been issued orders to make for the front just before he went missing, private burdon faced the firing squad on the 21st of july 1915. at 17, he was still too young to even officially be in his regiment. work begins on the memorial in early may, and with the help of pubuc early may, and with the help of public donations, the arboretum hopes the memories of those shot at dawn can live on for decades to come. jack carson gb news, staffordshire oh oh jack carson talking about this shot at dawn memorial. >> in a few minutes i'll be discussing the enduring fascination with the character of thomas ripley. but before that, your headlines with ray

addison. >> it's 1231, our top addison. >> it's1231, our top stories this hour. rishi sunak says the government continues to stand by israel's right to defend its security. six months on from the october 7th terror attacks, marking the occasion , the prime marking the occasion, the prime minister said the uk is shocked by the bloodshed and called for an immediate humanitarian pause in fighting . an immediate humanitarian pause infighting. he also an immediate humanitarian pause in fighting . he also urged an immediate humanitarian pause infighting. he also urged hamas in fighting. he also urged hamas to release its hostages and implored israel to get aid into gaza more swiftly . meanwhile, gaza more swiftly. meanwhile, the foreign secretary has used the foreign secretary has used the occasion to stress that the uk's support for israel is not unconditional . writing in the unconditional. writing in the sunday times, lord cameron said there is no doubt where the blame lies over the death of three british aid workers, and he added that this must never happen again. john chapman, james henderson and james kirby died in airstrikes carried out

by the idf on an aid convoy on april 1st. will the deputy prime minister has denied claims that the uk is failing to prepare for war. oliver dowden is defending the government after outgoing armed forces minister james heappey told the telegraph only ministry of defence officials attended a wartime preparation exercise, which was meant for the whole of government. former defence secretary ben wallace has backed him up, saying too many in government are, quote , many in government are, quote, just hoping everything will go away . a man in his 20s has been away. a man in his 20s has been arrested on suspicion of murder following the discovery of a human torso at a nature reserve in salford, greater manchester police launched a murder investigation after the body part was found wrapped in plastic at kersal wetlands. the victim is believed to have been older than 40. well, for the latest stories, sign up to gb news alerts by scanning the qr

code. it's on your screen right now, or go to gb news .com/ alerts. michael. we'll be back right after this

i >> welcome back. a new interpretation of tom ripley has been released on netflix to positive reviews . is the latest positive reviews. is the latest in a catalogue of on screen depictions of the roguish character who lies, cheats and murders his way from near vagrancy in new york to the most glamorous cities in europe. tom ripley first came to life in the pages of patricia highsmith's thriller the talented mr ripley, and as my next guest has written this week, highsmith knew almost immediately that she was on to a winner with such a compelling character. alex lehmann from the spectator magazine joins us now. very nice to see you on gb news

and just before we start talking, we're going to look at a little clip from the netflix adaptation . adaptation. >> you're a very hard man to find . no address, phone, office. find. no address, phone, office. >> tom waits, tom. >> tom waits, tom. >> tom waits, tom. >> tom ripley . tom. ripley. >> tom ripley. tom. ripley. thomas >> ripley. >> ripley. >> i like the name. tom. what ripley. >> well, a number of things are obvious from that clip . the obvious from that clip. the first being that it's in black and white, and another being that it stars andrew scott. now, what do you what do you make of it ? it? >> well, i thought it was really

good.i >> well, i thought it was really good. i mean, it's very slow and actually episode, if actually the first episode, if you're to be a you're expecting this to be a sort edge of seat thriller, sort of edge of seat thriller, you'd be disappointed you'd be quite disappointed because very, very because it's a very, very carefully paced character study. and murdering and obviously when the murdering starts , it's it does speed up a starts, it's it does speed up a bit. but i mean, for an american series on netflix, it's quite experimental because it's all in black and white. it's set over eight parts, which makes it, you know, about eight hours in duration. but it's the way in which if we take the anthony minghella film from 1999, which is more operatic , much more is much more operatic, much more sympathetic lead character and so , 25 years later, we so forth, 25 years later, we have a completely different interpretation as this interpretation of ripley as this man is almost man who essentially is almost like malignity, as like motiveless malignity, as coleridge said. but except, of course, what's interesting about ripley is he has a very clear motive. it's that enjoys motive. it's that he enjoys doing the things he does. and i think scott's marvellous. i mean, he's i thought he said that he didn't enjoy murder unless it was strictly necessary. but one feels with ripley this is always tongue in cheek. there's always sense cheek. there's always a sense that get away with it, that if he can get away with it, he will.

>> thing that struck me >> another thing that struck me about was that it's about the clip was that it's obviously beautifully shot, and about the clip was that it's othink;ly beautifully shot, and about the clip was that it's othink thataautifully shot, and about the clip was that it's othink that might lly shot, and about the clip was that it's othink that might be shot, and about the clip was that it's othink that might be a|ot, and about the clip was that it's othink that might be a legacy i think that might be a legacy of i think it of lockdown, because i think it was filmed around in italy, was filmed around 2021 in italy, so underpopulated so it's very underpopulated streets, which normal streets, which under normal circumstances very circumstances would seem very strange, in of strange, but in the case of this, it works perfectly because there a sense that ripley is there is a sense that ripley is almost everything and almost consuming everything and everyone almost consuming everything and eveande think that works >> and i think that works incredibly well. >> did it you to watch it >> did it weary you to watch it in black and white? it is only in black and white? it is only in and white. in black and white. >> we're talking about >> well, if we're talking about black is it makes black and white is it makes italy, which is a beautiful italy, which is such a beautiful country, sinister and country, seem very sinister and i black and white should i think black and white should be often actually. be used more often actually. i mean, we've had it in mean, when we've had it in cinema recently, does work cinema recently, it does work exceptionally well because you have gorgeous deep blacks have such gorgeous deep blacks and so forth. and greys and so forth. and i mean all the casts look amazing in not everyone will be familiar >> not everyone will be familiar with talented ripley, so with the talented mr ripley, so let's away . and how let's step back away. and how many did patricia many books did patricia highsmith that featured ripley? >> five. and she started off with a talented mr ripley in 1955, was inspired 1955, and she was inspired because she was in positano and she was standing on her balcony , she was standing on her balcony, and she saw this young man

walking along the street, and she thought to herself, that man is he's been sent is american, and he's been sent here. and that gave her the idea of creating this character , who of creating this character, who i think is her most indelible character. and he is somebody who generations of readers have found, to their found, have taken to their hearts, despite the fact that he is this on the one hand, he is very charming and very erudite and very cultured, and he is a psychopathic murderer, so he pays you money, you take your choice. >> and why was ripley sent to europe? what was his purpose? >> well, ripley is initially sent to europe by this man called greenleaf to retrieve his son, dickie, who's a kind of playboy this rather playboy leading this rather licentious italy . licentious existence in italy. and of course, what ripley does is initially he is attracted to dickie and to his lifestyle. and then, in the fullness time, then, in the fullness of time, he dickie and assumes he murders dickie and assumes his and all is his identity. and all this is done. it's incredibly done. and it's incredibly carefully created prose. i mean, highsmith fantastic prose highsmith was a fantastic prose stylist, but of course, what she also knew . her first novel, also knew. her first novel, strangers on a train, was adapted for film by alfred hitchcock. so the very

hitchcock. so from the very start her career, there's start of her career, there's always sense that she always a sense that she understood what it would like understood what it would be like for screen adaptation . i suppose for screen adaptation. i suppose the surprise that have is the only surprise that i have is we've two major we've only had two major adaptations the talented adaptations of the talented mr ripley . in 25 adaptations of the talented mr ripley. in 25 years, you'd have thought there might have been more and if someone were now trying to make a choice, if we if we've sort of titillated them, they think, oh, this an them, they think, oh, this is an interesting subject delve into. >> would you say that they should anthony should watch the anthony minghella should minghella 1999 movie, or should they this black and they now watch this black and white on netflix? one white version on netflix? one being, what, four times being, what, at least four times longer the other? longer than the other? >> minghella film >> the anthony minghella film is, money, of the is, for my money, one of the greatest ever made. so i greatest films ever made. so i recommend anyone to recommend that anyone goes to watch first. but this is watch that first. but this is fascinating. i mean, this is experimental in best way. experimental in the best way. it's cast. it's got a fantastic cast. i mean, andrew scott has been the man moment for quite some man of the moment for quite some time now. and mean, this is time now. and i mean, this is a great performance. it's miles away what was doing on away from what he was doing on stage all of stage in virginia or in all of us on film, but he's us strangers on film, but he's so compelling that ignore so compelling that you ignore the fact that he, in his late 40s, is years older than the 40s, is 20 years older than the character that highsmith

created, that created, and he's got that absolute where you're absolute magnetism where you're not sympathetic towards but not sympathetic towards him, but you does you understand what he does next. that's the key to next. i think that's the key to ripley. the fact that he is ripley. it's the fact that he is this but you always this character. but you always he's steps ahead of he's always two steps ahead of you, as a reader as viewer. >> i think i'm sold. thank you very much indeed. alex lamam talking there about ripley , as talking there about ripley, as it's called simply on netflix. more labour for me after the break, as i'll be sampling delicious cakes brought in by baker and food judge cynthia stroud. stay with us. i thoroughly

welcome back. transformation. you will see in a moment that the breakfast bar before me has been festooned with delicious looking cakes. they are the work of my guest, baker extraordinaire, cynthia stroud. cynthia, to have you cynthia, marvellous to have you here. you. and you have

here. thank you. and you have a very successful, i believe , very successful, i believe, wedding cake business, is that right? >> yes. i do, which is great. >> yes. i do, which is great. >> how do people access your business? well well. >> so this is the awkward bit so they can't actually technically order any more cakes from me because i've shot that bit now. >> i've now gone into helping people set up their own businesses, specifically young girls baking girls who well and baking businesses are not particularly baking businesses. >> sorry, baking businesses. >> sorry, baking businesses. >> well, the whole idea is that it is . the idea is based on it is. the idea is based on around baking business, but you can actually extend that to anything that, you know, has anything that, you know, has anything to do with craft. >> so you brought three magnificent specimens here, and you are going to direct the order of events, which with which one should we begin? >> i think it's actually worth working from lightest to darkest because it gets messier and better. all right. yes so that's why i restart from the spot. >> so i believe this is the lightest. yes. and what i'm going to do is i'm very gently going to do is i'm very gently going to do is i'm very gently

going to angle this towards the camera that it won't camera and hoping that it won't slide off. >> you know, most men are so nervous when do it that that nervous when i do it that that is a gorgeous cake. is that is a gorgeous cake. >> me a little bit about that. >> so that is, a twist on the classic victoria sponge baths. well, i don't like to do anything ordinary , so that's anything ordinary, so that's actually a bucks fizz cake. so it's cross between an orange it's a cross between an orange cake. if you imagine the taste of an orange cake with the fizz of an orange cake with the fizz of an orange cake with the fizz of a champagne cake, we have to taste . taste this. >> you do, how complicated was that to make? i mean, it sounds pretty complicated. >> it really isn't . no, you just >> it really isn't. no, you just use. you can use any oranges you have in a fruit basket. i use the zest, and then you make a simple syrup from the orange juice. and any bit of champagne you have left over that's lost its fizz. and you drizzle that, as you say, it's lost. >> its fizz. will we be aware of that champagne in this cake ? that champagne in this cake? >> i want you to be the judge of that. >> okay, great. i'm so. i'm being mother here. i must say, it is a thing of beauty. okay.

>> thank you. thank you so much. >> thank you. thank you so much. >> have a fork. thank you. let us taste so , as you say, us taste so, as you say, victoria sponge is the basis of it all. >> indeed. yes. thank you. >> indeed. yes. thank you. >> you can. there is a zest to it. — >> you can. there is a zest to it. isn't that remarkable. >> it's like an orange cake. but then it has that slight champagne taste. so you feel a bit more grown up than if you were eating standard sponge. >> and a bit jollier as well. exactly. and what's that . what's exactly. and what's that. what's the lining between the. >> so the lining is , a classic, >> so the lining is, a classic, strawberry conserve and buttercream, which also has some champagne in the buttercream and buttercream. >> now, you said to go from light progressively towards darker. yes. which implies we're going to go to this fellow here. exactly let me do my bit of right . i'll exactly let me do my bit of right. i'll put exactly let me do my bit of right . i'll put that showing right. i'll put that showing this to the camera. okay, what art are we talking about here? >> so this is tiffin, which is

actually my children's favourite because it's basically what you do when you have biscuit, leftover chocolate leftover some raisins and milk chocolate. so all the easter eggs went into that. >> oh, really? hum any calories in that at all? >> no, no, of course not. if you're standing up, there's no calories. everyone knows this. >> so what? what is on the outer edges of this? so it's a biscuit base? >> yes. you melt some butter and syrup . syrup. >> it tastes quite a. >> it tastes quite a. >> and then you mix it in a saucepan, you flatten it all and then you put some melted chocolate. >> it takes a bit of force to get through it. it does because it's very, very biscuity . it's very, very biscuity. >> it is very biscuity. >> it is very biscuity. >> but it's also holding together very nicely. >> exactly. >> exactly. >> i'm not sure i even >> so you i'm not sure i even need a fork for this one. >> you don't? it's more like a bar. really? >> yeah. let's have a go at >> yeah. so let's have a go at that. >> go for it. »- >> go for it. >> that's marvellous. thank you. so you make it sound like a real improvisation . is it. is this an

improvisation. is it. is this an invention of yours? pretty much. >> well, most of my cakes are improvisations. but i don't like to do anything ordinary. and i found that if i would put my own twist on it, the clients come back to me. and then i started offering this, saying i can customise something for you. >> were you experimenting with wedding cakes recently? really? i would have thought people would be a bit conservative about wedding cakes. oh no no no no, i, i ended up with about 21 different flavours because if you tell me my nan used to make this and that thing and nans are the origin of invention because . the origin of invention because. they had to make what was in the cupboard. >> so if you describe to me what your nan used to make, because i'm an organic baker, i learned how to bake myself by playing. i would often be able to recreate that a stable format for cake. >> now apart from baking, and now you've moved on to advising businesses, been businesses, you've also been a judge, food judge , a tv food judge, a food judge, a tv food judge. that's but

judge. yes, that's right, but not in country , it's i've not in this country, it's i've done some of some tv food judging in this country, but mainly in canada, mainly in canada america . i'm not canada and america. i'm not sure, but it's not. it's not so much advising businesses. i don't do this for, you know, as a consultancy, it's more just i just want young girls know just want young girls to know you turn any craft into a you can turn any craft into a business and make money, tell me about the judging. did that come naturally to you? i mean, were you squeamish about, you know, telling people your frank opinion? >> what do you mean? was judgy? >> yes. yeah. will you judge me? yeah. >> well, yes . i wasn't squeamish >> well, yes. i wasn't squeamish because i would. i would never because i would. i would never be mean to anyone . i think be mean to anyone. i think because learned bake at because i learned how to bake at home by watching youtube. i mean, how much of a high horse can i have? really? so i know how to talk to people, understanding that they're baking because they're trying to boost confidence. but boost their self confidence. but wanting be better. wanting them to be better. and then would tell you how then i would always tell you how to monetise whatever you're doing, i'm very doing, you know? so i'm very good at figuring the good at figuring out the shortcuts your business shortcuts to make your business more viable. >> did you get to the stage?

have you got to the stage in baking you make baking where you don't make mistakes? because, mean, very mistakes? because, i mean, very often watching this often when we're watching this baking television, baking on television, terrible things they ? things go wrong, don't they? things don't rise. that ought to rise. you beyond that? rise. have you got beyond that? >> yeah, i mean i have i've done over 4000 wedding cakes. you i have gone a little bit past that. but i've also got to the point now where i don't really necessarily measure anything , necessarily measure anything, my, don't i thought that was absolutely essential . absolutely essential. >> no it's not that is such i mean, people i guess people say that because they want it to seem like more of a, an art and a, you know, no, the truth is you, it's chemistry. you will see how the butter behaves, and you will know when something is off, so let's hope the butter isn't now we hold this one till last. >> yeah. partly because you said it was. things were going to get messy. >> it is a messy one. >> yes, i'd like the camera to focus it on that cake and tell me all about it. >> so that is. it is a brownie,

but it's quite a fudgy , soft, but it's quite a fudgy, soft, gooey brownie. that brownie is really best eaten warm because then it's still a little bit oozy. that's cooled a little bit. >> it looks a little bit like the surface of the moon. yes, indeed. was this intentional? yes yes. >> because the underneath that is not underneath that is not completely solid because you don't really want it to be a cake. it's meant to be, it's meant to get your fingers messy. you're meant to have to lick your fingers when you finish that, right? yes. >> let's put that to the test. there you go. and you'll have a slice, too, won't you? >> oh, okay. >> oh, okay. >> here you go. >> here you go. >> thank you. >> thank you. >> so this is where it gets messy. >> so this one, this bit here is meant to be very, very fudgy. >> i see. absolutely. >> i see. absolutely. >> so the profile of the slice changes as you get towards the middle . that's where all the middle. that's where all the fudge is largely. well these are

absolutely delicious. thank you michael. >> any seasonality to this. can you eat this any time of year. >> absolutely . i just think you >> absolutely. i just think you know what. everybody deserves good cake all the time cynthia stroud congratulations by the way on the mbappe. >> thank you. absolutely charming to have you on the show. >> thank you for bringing this range of delicious cakes, which i've enormously enjoyed , thank i've enormously enjoyed, thank you to all of my guests. i'm always so impressed when people come into a studio on a sunday, i back at the same time i will be back at the same time next week and very much looking forward to seeing you then. and we are going to continue to eat. these cakes are just so much wish that you could taste what we're tasting now. until next week. goodbye . week. goodbye. >> looks like things are heating up. boxt boilers sponsors of weather on gb news. >> hello! here's your latest

weather update from the met office for gb news. we hold on to unsettled weather across the uk over the next few days, all of us seeing further rain at times quite blustery winds to storm. kathleen starting to move off now away towards the off the sea now away towards the north and of scotland. north and west of scotland. nofice north and west of scotland. notice low pressure notice how low pressure gathering once again towards the south—west that's set gathering once again towards the so bring/est that's set gathering once again towards the so bring/est wind that's set gathering once again towards the so bring/est wind andthat's set gathering once again towards the so bring/est wind and rains set gathering once again towards the so bring/est wind and rain aset gathering once again towards the so iheadest wind and rain aset gathering once again towards the so ihead into wind and rain aset gathering once again towards the so ihead into wind anyback aset gathering once again towards the so ihead into wind anyback to et we head into monday. back to this evening, though, the showers are starting to ease across and wales, at across england and wales, at least a time as we least for a time because as we go the early hours of go into the early hours of monday, outbreaks monday, further outbreaks of rain in from the rain start to push in from the south—west, certainly into parts rain start to push in from the so wales, st, certainly into parts rain start to push in from the so wales, by certainly into parts rain start to push in from the so wales, by the ainly into parts rain start to push in from the so wales, by the end' into parts rain start to push in from the so wales, by the end ofilo parts rain start to push in from the so wales, by the end of theyarts of wales, by the end of the night, whereas towards the north a blustery picture, a very blustery picture, certainly the evening, a very blustery picture, certaiiheavy the evening, a very blustery picture, certaiiheavy showers evening, a very blustery picture, certaiiheavy showers around g, a very blustery picture, certaiiheavy showers around for a some heavy showers around for a time, starting to time, those showers starting to ease early hours ease into the early hours more in way clear spells in the way of clear spells developing across the north of in the way of clear spells devuk)ing across the north of in the way of clear spells dev uk and across the north of in the way of clear spells dev uk and in'oss the north of in the way of clear spells dev uk and in someie north of in the way of clear spells dev uk and in some ruralth of in the way of clear spells dev uk and in some rural spots, the uk and in some rural spots, it could turn quite chilly by monday morning as monday monday morning as for monday itself, outbreaks of itself, with those outbreaks of rain across parts rain are out across parts of wales also become more wales will also become more widespread the south, widespread from the south, across wales. as we across england and wales. as we go the day, some of go through the day, some of those outbreaks of rain turning quite across southern quite heavy across some southern

areas further north, northern whereas further north, northern ireland, sunshine ireland, seeing some sunshine before arrives later. and before rain arrives later. and for scotland, mostly fine for scotland, it's a mostly fine day. winds, the day. lighter winds, more in the way on sunday. way of sunshine than on sunday. and it shouldn't feel too and here it shouldn't feel too bad with those gentle bad with those fairly gentle winds. temperatures of 10 to 12 celsius 16 17, celsius peaking at 16 or 17, though towards the south—east of england. unfortunately, tuesday looks the looks very unsettled across the uk, dominating the uk, low pressure dominating the scene. outbreaks of scene. further outbreaks of rain, blustery, too, rain, quite blustery, winds too, particularly the particularly wet out towards the north and west of the uk and it stays pretty unsettled the stays pretty unsettled into the week ahead, perhaps a bit drier and warmer to come and a little bit warmer to come thursday. temperatures to thursday. temperatures up to 19 celsius. >> f- e feeling inside celsius. >> feeling inside from >> that warm feeling inside from boxt boilers sponsors of weather on

gb news. good >> hello and welcome to gb news sunday. and thank you for joining us this lovely sunday lunchtime. i hope you're having a wonderful weekend out there. i'm dawn neesom, and for the

next two i'll keeping next two hours, i'll be keeping you tv, online and on you company on tv, online and on digital radio. got a digital radio. we've got a cracking coming up for you, cracking show coming up for you, so dare anywhere right ? so don't dare go anywhere right? angela facing fresh angela rayner is facing fresh questions tax affairs. questions over her tax affairs. she she has done she maintains she has done absolutely but absolutely nothing wrong, but how damaging could it be for her party in an election year ? then party in an election year? then on the other side of the coin, we have boris johnson, who says it would be insane to ban arms sales israel, and his sales to israel, and his criticised the foreign secretary for it out. but for failing to rule it out. but is bojo right? and research shows are more likely shows young men are more likely to be right wing, while young women are more likely to be left leaning. why might that be? and are we ever going to have any more babies at this rate? discussing that with my panel. but strangely enough, this show isn't about me waffling on. it's about you and what you think your views so let me know your thoughts on all the stories we're talking about today or anything else you want to gossip

about. basically very simple.