ofa of a post office apology of a post office executive who sent an email in 2010 saying her conviction was brilliant . 2010 saying her conviction was brilliant. david 2010 saying her conviction was brilliant . david smith told the brilliant. david smith told the post office inquiry today that with hindsight, he post office inquiry today that with hindsight , he understood with hindsight, he understood the anger and upset, as well as the anger and upset, as well as the substantial distress he'd caused to sima misra and her family, saying he was sorry for the way his email had been perceived and portrayed. mrs. misra was falsely accused of stealing £74,000 and had to give birth wearing a probation tag. she said i was eight weeks pregnant. they need to apologise to my youngest son. it was terrible. between 1999 and 2015, more than 900 subpostmasters were prosecuted due to the flawed horizon it software . flawed horizon it software. today, the prime minister said his plan is working as new nhs figures showed hospital waiting lists in england had fallen for the fifth month in a row. over 305,000 people have been waiting more than a year to start routine hospital treatment at the end of february, but that's down from just over 320,000 at

the end of january. the government and nhs england both pledged to eliminate all waiting lists of more than a year by march next year. and rishi sunak said there's more yet to be done. >> well, when i became prime minister, i said that cutting waiting lists was one of my five priorities. and whilst we haven't made as much progress as i would have liked, today's figures show that we are making headway towards that goal over the last five months, a reduction of around 200,000 in the overall waiting list, which is positive . and if it wasn't is positive. and if it wasn't for industrial action, an extra 430,000 patients would have been treated so whilst there's of course a lot more work to do, the plan is working . the plan is working. >> hundreds of tata steel workers are set to go on strike over the proposed closure of port talbot's blast furnaces in wales. around 1500 steelworkers based in port talbot and llanwern in south wales have voted for industrial action over the company's plan to close the

furnaces , resulting in the furnaces, resulting in the potential job losses of 2800 positions. it's the first time in over 40 years that port talbot steelworkers have gone on strike. as you've been hearing , strike. as you've been hearing, the former prime minister boris johnson, has attacked rishi sunak's flagship no smoking policy as absolutely nuts as he criticised the state of the conservative party while at an eventin conservative party while at an event in canada. the prime minister's plan would prevent anyone who's turning 15 this year or younger from ever being able to legally buy tobacco products. borisjohnson products. boris johnson expressed his frustration at the idea. >> some of the things that were, were, were doing. now, i think that are being done in the name of conservatism. i think they're absolutely, absolutely nuts. but, you know, we're banning cigars and what is i mean, maybe, maybe you all think that's a great idea. i just can't i can't see what what is the point of banning with a party of winston churchill wants to ban , i mean, donnie, donnie to ban, i mean, donnie, donnie and break, as they say in

quebec. you know, it's just it's just it's just mad. >> boris johnson for the latest stories, sign up for gb news alerts, scan the qr code on your screen or go to gbnews.com. slash alerts . slash alerts. >> climate hysteria has officially reached its peak and in doing so, undermined itself. the united nations climate chief, simon steel, has boldly declared that we have two years to save the world. he went on to say, some of you may think the title of today's event is overly dramatic, melodramatic even. well, some people would certainly say that, and i'm one of them. but what does mr steel actually have to say to back up these bold claims? first, he makes this claim we are at the start of a race which will determine the biggest winners in a new clean energy economy. >> each country's climate

responses will be key to whether they rise up the ladder or fall, but the markets do not concur with this sentiment. >> if it makes economic sense to pursue the green agenda, the markets would naturally follow this trend. so why then, in china and india, two of the biggest emitters of carbon dioxide in the world, still burning indeed burning coal and indeed building more stations, this more coal power stations, this leads me on to the next point, which is that steel talks which is that mr steel talks about global cooperation and coming together. countries like china in china aren't interested in coming the green coming together for the green agenda. because doesn't agenda. why? because it doesn't make economic sense to do so, especially you still have a especially when you still have a partly subsistence economy. mr steel this for many steel also said this for many countries, they will only be able to implement strong new climate plans if we see a quantum leap in climate finance. >> this year. >> this year. >> so he admits that this will cost a fortune, but then goes on to undermine his entire point because it's hard for any government to invest in

renewables or climate resilience. >> when treasury coffers are bare. debt servicing costs have overtaken health spending. new borrowing is impossible and the wolves of poverty are at the doom wolves of poverty are at the door, so it's clear that we can't afford it . can't afford it. >> then he, rather predictably, goes on to adopt the socialist language of inequality. goes on to adopt the socialist language of inequality . before language of inequality. before saying this, we need a new deal on climate finance between developed and developing countries. >> more concessional finance, especially for the poorest and most vulnerable countries. >> well, that translates into saying that he wants you, the british taxpayer, to pay climate reparations . and i can assure reparations. and i can assure him there is no democratic mandate for that in the united kingdom. but finally, mr steel went to on say this at the spnng went to on say this at the spring meetings, we need an ambitious round of replenishment for the world bank's international development association. >> ida doing so could lift hundreds of millions of people

out of poverty . out of poverty. >> but everyone knows fundamentally that the way the world has lifted millions out of poverty is through the provision of cheap energy, and then is one way do that. and that's by way to do that. and that's by boosting supply bringing to boosting supply and bringing to an costly green agenda. an end the costly green agenda. and now we have the perfect excuse to do that. the world is apparently going to end two apparently going to end in two years. uk contributes years. well, the uk contributes just 1% of global emissions, and only before we all only two years before we all doom and there's nothing we can doom and there's nothing we can do about it. so it's too late. surely there's need to try. surely there's no need to try. we concentrate on what we we should concentrate on what we can improving living can do. improving living standards cheap energy as can do. improving living standlets cheap energy as can do. improving living standlet me cheap energy as can do. improving living standlet me know ap energy as can do. improving living standlet me know your1ergy as can do. improving living standlet me know your thoughts. ever. let me know your thoughts. male margaret gbnews.com. well, i'm now by three very i'm joined now by three very distinguished men who i think have just about managed not to pass out with irritation at what i've just been saying. they disagree with me very strongly. the environment lawyer and campaigner for defend our juries, tim crossland, the chairman of london climate change partnership, bob ward, and conservative mp former and the conservative mp former conservative mep stanley

johnson. well, thank you very much for joining johnson. well, thank you very much forjoining me. tim, it does seem to me that this type of overstate amount damages the green agenda. when you say it's two years before we're all doomed makes it very easy for people like me to say, well, if it's two years, why are we bothering? >> maybe we should get away from looking to the future and looking to the future and looking at predictions and looking at predictions and looking what's actually looking at what's actually happening yesterday what we happening now. yesterday what we heard farming groups the heard from farming groups in the uk was that the level of rainfall is damaging our british food security. it's slashing weeds production, putting prices up for consumers. this is happening now. homeowners in carlisle now are unable to get insurance for their homes because of the flood risk. how many times they've actually already been flooded . so when already been flooded. so when you talk about abandoning the green agenda, what you're really talking about is abandoning your constituents are feeling constituents who are feeling these impacts right now. >> it's not because this is similar levels of rain that we've had in the 1870s, and that

similarly wiped out a crop that yeah similarly wiped out a crop that year. this has happened before , year. this has happened before, before in somerset. the main reason the levels flooded ten years ago is because the environment agency had stopped the dredging of the drains that had been built in the 18th and 19th century to make the land more productive. it was a deliberately environmental policy that made farming on the levels more difficult. >> jacob, what you're advancing there is science. you're not a scientist. you're you're saying things that are contrary to the scientific consensus, which is i'm challenging the science. i'm not challenging the science. >> just saying things >> i'm just saying these things have before. that's not have happened before. that's not denied the science, not on denied by the science, not on this scale. the uk, the this scale. when the uk, the weather been wet before, we weather has been wet before, we all that the level of all know that the level of impact on crops not just in the uk but around the world, is unprecedented. crops need heat to grow. bob >> well, the met office evidence is clear. sirjacob. it is really clear. sirjacob. it is really clear. sirjacob. it is getting rainier in the uk. the level of flooding is more. the level of flooding is more. the last 18 months have been the wettest 18 month period we have

ever had . that's on record. ever had. that's on record. that's wrong to claim that we've seen this all before. >> how long do the. >> how long do the. >> that's why your constituents are suffering. >> how long do the records go back to 1836. >> you quoted the 1870s. it isn't. that's right. it wasn't in the 1870s. no. >> if you take it for 12 months, around 18, while you can cherry pick whatever you want, you who are your constituents? >> your constituents want to hear what you're going to do about people go for about it. most people go for annual rainfall. care annual rainfall. i don't care about it. >> i'm saying have cheap energy. >> i'm saying have cheap energy. >> you want to do >> why don't you want to do anything about it? >> because we making >> because we are making the poor and the poor in this country and in the world in uk. world poorer in the uk. a kilowatt hour of electricity is $0.44. in the us it is $0.17. thatis $0.44. in the us it is $0.17. that is ruining our economy and making my constituents cold and p00h >> well, as you know, jacob, >> well, as you know, sir jacob, you spent £78 billion of taxpayers money bailing out consumers because the price of natural gas went up £78 billion. that went into the pockets of the energy companies. and you clawed back half through the windfall tax. that's not why you

saved their money. the people are poor and cold because of your policies on fracking. >> and we've kept coal and haven't had this green agenda we wouldn't in the 1950s. wouldn't need in the 1950s. >> want to pick on your >> i want to pick up on your analysis of the speech now, jacob, i didn't think were jacob, i didn't think you were very fair. >> this guy, this man , mr >> this guy, this man, mr steele, he didn't say the world is going to come an end. steele, he didn't say the world is gheg to come an end. steele, he didn't say the world is ghe did. come an end. >> he did. >> he did. >> he did. >> he even said no. he said, we have his speech here. i'm have got his speech here. i'm sorry. read the speech word sorry. i've read the speech word for said that within for word. he said that within two years we have to get our act together. otherwise we are certainly going the targets. >> he begins by the bit >> he begins by the very bit i quoted we have two years to quoted that we have two years to save world may sound a bit save the world may sound a bit melodramatic. well, and that's why i quoted him. >> but the one who made >> but you are the one who made it sound because you say two years. two years. the world years. in two years. the world may be melodramatic, but it's not the as saying the world not the same as saying the world is in two years, is going to end in two years, which the impression which is the impression you gave. saying is he's gave. what i'm saying is he's saying something really, really important. g20 actually are important. a g20 actually are producing the producing still 80% of the world's emissions. g20 world's carbon emissions. g20 the countries, including, the rich countries, including, by india and china. by the way, india and china. yeah but they're not rich, not

in per capita terms . they in gdp per capita terms. they are still producing. i'm not, i'm not i'm not here to argue the individual. i'm taking the g20 as a whole who are on the whole are richer than the people whole are richer than the people who are not g20 now. okay well, that's not quite true in two years. >> e because in two >> that's not because in two years of countries aren't years lots of countries aren't in who aren't as big as in the g20 who aren't as big as china and india, the china and india, where the populations are richer. so it's not accurate. not completely accurate. >> years time, he is >> in two years time, he is saying of climate saying in terms of climate finance, saying the next finance, he's saying the next cop at baku in in cop meeting at baku in in azerbaijan has absolute need to concentrate on climate finance. and i think he's right. he thinks he's right about that. >> but that is higher taxes for british people. >> well, we are part of a world. so you are advocating higher tax for british people? >> i because i'm not i want >> i am because i'm not i want tax am one of the people who do >> i am one of the people who do believe in the myth . what believe in the myth. what people, other people think of sustainable growth. i think sustainable growth. i think sustainable and sustainable growth does work and sustainable growth does work and sustainabltaxes. do something generates taxes. i do something with liam fox and it was called the case for carbon carbon

taxing the case for carbon pricing. if you have a proper carbon pricing system, you will generate quite a lot of funds and you'll also deal with climate change. >> i mean, i think sandys made a very important point that taxes will have to go up in the west to pay for this type of approach that mr steele is advocating. i don't people in the are don't think people in the uk are the highest rate in 70 the highest tax rate in 70 years. want to pay higher taxes. i think public want to i think the public want to protect themselves. >> to protect the >> they want to protect the people that they love. and i think need to be honest. we think we need to be honest. we need level the public. think we need to be honest. we neisi level the public. think we need to be honest. we neis true evel the public. think we need to be honest. we neis true that the public. think we need to be honest. we neis true that fossilhe public. it is true that fossil fuels have lifted out of have lifted people out of poverty historically. it is true our are highly our economies are highly dependent on them. it is also true that what sustains us is destroying us. but now think destroying us. but now i think your point honest about. your point be honest about. >> i think your point is fundamental. i got figures fundamental. i got the figures here. billion here. there are 1.9 billion people 1990, in absolute people in 1990, in absolute poverty. that has gone down to 700 million. it's 35, 17.1. poverty. that has gone down to 700 million. it's 35,17.1. this is a phenomenal achievement created by increasing trade and

by cheap energy that that has made 1.2 billion people's lives better. there are another 700 million we need to lift out of poverty. that's cheap energy. it's not expensive energy. >> but what we're seeing now is that it has done that historically. it is now putting more and more people into poverty. it is about to destroy. we're really interesting. the evidence for fossil fuel companies themselves back in the 80s said the rate of 80s said that the rate of climate change that we're seeing now, we will see the end of economic growth in 2025. this was in 19 1980 because of the impacts that the climate crisis is having. >> but if i can bring you in, countries with cheaper energy pnces countries with cheaper energy prices are growing faster and you've seen this, that us has grown much faster than europe because it's had fracking and it's had cheaper energy. and this really important . this has been really important. energy costs correlate very strongly growth and strongly with gdp growth and with lifting people out of poverty. >> well, i'm not sure where you've been for the last two years, but we've just had a massive cost living crisis in massive cost of living crisis in britain was mainly driven

britain that was mainly driven by we're dependent by the fact that we're dependent on gas and that that on natural gas and that that natural gas spiked people natural gas spiked and people could to choose between could had to choose between heating or eating. they don't tell me fossil fuels are cheap. they're demonstrably not. >> they didn't have that in america because they'd done fracking they their own fracking and they had their own supplies, we hadn't done we supplies, and we hadn't done we don't we don't we don't don't we don't have we don't have. >> we're not the united states. we don't have all that gas. you can fracking your constituents back, and see popular back, god, and see how popular that is. but the point is that when you accuse india and china of not being interested in the green agenda, it's people like you who complain about the fact that is building so many that china is building so many cheap vehicles that cheap electric vehicles that they're outcompete british. >> can british manufacturers in favour of them competing ? i just favour of them competing? i just don't think the electric vehicles are any good. the electric vehicles. stanley, you're an electric vehicle, man . you're an electric vehicle, man. >> i'm not actually, you're not having just semi said that they do work. i have just as you know, spent eight weeks in china. i've got to say the revolution which you see there

is an energy based revolution. a part of that is also the electric graeme le saux with a lot of coal in china. china has 1200 million people and china has still a per capita income, which is way below even the uk. >> thank you very much to tim, bob and stanley. i'm very grateful for them coming in because they probably knew my views before they came. and this is just sort discussion is just the sort of discussion we like to have. so we need and like to have. so thank you, coming up, can you guess how many deportations of foreign criminals last foreign criminals were made last year? news the home year? gb news asked the home office, i'll tell you the office, and i'll tell you the number break. and from number after the break. and from one the family one member of the johnson family to another, find out why our formidable former prime minister to another, find out why our fo notiable former prime minister to another, find out why our fo not happyyrmer prime minister to another, find out why our fo not happy with' prime minister to another, find out why our fo not happy with the �*ne minister to another, find out why our fo not happy with the upcomingir is not happy with the upcoming cigar ban. plus, you'll want to keep watching for interview keep watching for my interview with one of europe's with an heir to one of europe's longest lasting dynasties to discuss new

book. well, you've been sending in a lot of mailbox. i'm glad to say. carter says absolute rubbish. what nonsense. i'd rather have a 25% cut in my energy bill and take my chances . george says take my chances. george says surprise, surprise. it rains in scotland . the great flood of scotland. the great flood of murray in 1829. the muckle spate see the water rise to one foot under the central span of telford's famous craig galaxy bridge, and i probably mangled the pronunciation . and peter, the pronunciation. and peter, thank you peter, i like your comment. it's almost like watching the bbc three climate advocates versus jrm . bring them advocates versus jrm. bring them on, i say before the break. i asked if you could guess how many foreign criminals the home office deported in 2023, promising to reveal the answer and unfortunately, we have no idea because the home office has got muddled. gb news asked the home office and it explained it had a disruption to its data system . we do, however, have the system. we do, however, have the figures to september 3577, but

government inefficiency to one side. the point is that any foreign criminal should be deported. crucially, before serving their sentence. as it currently stands, nearly 12% of people in prisons are foreign, making up about 10,000 of a total of 85,000. just to add inqu total of 85,000. just to add insult to injury, news today has revealed an afghan sex offender has won his deportation case owing to the fact that he would have faced the risk of mob violence in his home country of afghanistan. while i have my most intellectual panel with me, gb news is senior political commentator nigel nelson and the journalist and conservative peer paul goodman. nigel shouldn't we just remove people as quickly as possible ? possible? >> certainly, if you can find somewhere to send them home. well which home? i mean, the we take the issue of the afghan if you are facing , danger or even you are facing, danger or even death in your home country , we death in your home country, we cannot under international law, send them back there. and nor should we. we're a civilised country. we should not allow

people to be persecuted or even worse , killed in their home worse, killed in their home country. so the question then is where do they go if they don't go home? >> but this creates perverse incentives. doesn't it? so you're getting the issue we've had on false conversions to christianity people who have christianity and people who have committed sex offences want to tell everybody they've committed sex offences because we then won't send them back. >> i mean, just we >> well, i mean, just because we have few wrong'uns doesn't have a few wrong'uns doesn't mean every asylum seeker is mean that every asylum seeker is one. so, this particular one. so so, this particular afghan, you're talking about can't be sent back because he faces danger at home. and if thatis faces danger at home. and if that is the law, judges has got no no option but to. but to grant him refugee status in this country. >> i've had a constituent write to me, say that we should basically get rid of everybody who's come illegally within 24 hours of them landing. i think she's right. don't you? >> sure. the home >> i'm not sure. the home office from what you were saying a few moments ago, is in a position to do that. but i'd like to i'd

like to just come back briefly to the point about the afghan and what, nigel said. then we can discuss whether the home office should be in a position to do that not. it seems to to do that or not. it seems to me there are two fundamental issues here. we keep coming back to first, all about to the first, all about citizenship. owe a prior citizenship. do you owe a prior duty protect your citizens? i duty to protect your citizens? i think the answer is yes. now to nigel's point that you're sending someone abroad potentially to face the death sentence. you come up against a second question, which is, are the courts now more political with a capital p than they were? if you look at this case, it's not the case that the court said the government of afghanistan will subject this person to capital punishment. it's a decision about what a mob might or might not do . or might not do. >> that sounds like creeping politicisation to me. >> yes . and because i actually >> yes. and because i actually agree with nigel, i think we shouldn't as we don't have the death penalty ourselves, send people face a capital people back to face a capital charge . and on the other hand, charge. and on the other hand, i don't think your constituency wants to send everyone in wants to send everyone back in 24 agree with that.

24 hours. would agree with that. no, i think she probably no, no, i think she probably would. think she wouldn't want would. i think she wouldn't want to risk life and limb, to take a risk to life and limb, but it becomes pretty theoretical when you say there may mob who will stand may be a mob who will stand outside their house and shout at them. >> that is my instinct. looking at the case and this question of whether are are taking whether courts are are taking decisions that elected people should make is a very big topical question. >> and nigel, that's a very fair point , isn't >> and nigel, that's a very fair point, isn't it? >> it is. but i would have thought i would have thought that, paul, that what they're doing is they're interpreting the law actually stands. the law as it actually stands. and so if you can't send someone back to a back to a country because they face risk of harm because they face a risk of harm in that country, that purely in that country, that is purely interpreting isn't this interpreting the law, isn't this isn't this interpretive law that parliament hasn't said ? parliament hasn't said? >> if there's a mob outside your house, you can't be sent back because parliament never legislates to that level of detail. that's right. it's used this broader concept threat this broader concept of threat to create a view of a very theoretical. >> but that's what judges are

there for, that they have to interpret the laws that they have become more political because they've decided to replace the judgement of not a political decision. >> there's question when >> there's a question about when you're interpreting and you're interpreting the law and where cross a boundary, where you cross over a boundary, when actually begin to make when you actually begin to make the that's the question the law. and that's the question that's stake here. harold that's at stake here. harold wilson one of the dominant wilson was one of the dominant political figures the last century. >> his premiership changed the century. >> tof premiership changed the century. >> tof britain.ship changed the century. >> tof britain. now:hanged the century. >> tof britain. now nearlyd the century. >> tof britain. now nearly 501e face of britain. now nearly 50 years after he left office, it has been revealed by his press secretary, joe haines, that the former prime minister had an affair with member affair with a member of his staff two years staff during his last two years in downing the liaison in downing street. the liaison was secret until this was kept secret until this month, haines lifted month, when haines lifted the lid. the question as people lid. the question now, as people froth the revelation, is froth over the revelation, is whether affects the way in whether it affects the way in which wilson be remembered. which wilson will be remembered. prime eight years, prime minister for eight years, he responsible my he was responsible for, in my view, damaging the british economy value of the economy as the value of the pound meanwhile, he pound fell. meanwhile, he enacted of reforming enacted a number of reforming social policies, abolishing the death decriminalising death penalty, decriminalising homosexuality and doing away with should with theatre. censorship should this sensational new detail trigger a re—examination of his legacy? or is it mere prurience?

nigel you actually worked for joe haines, so this is very much something you know about. >> yes, one of the things that joe never actually told me about either i did work him, either when i did work for him, yeah.i either when i did work for him, yeah i i either when i did work for him, yeah. i i think that the yeah. i mean, i think that the why joe did this was that his view is that at this late stage, when all the participants are now dead, it is right to put this in the history books to actually. so you've got everything accurate about harold wilson's premiership. that seems right to me. question of whether people would think less of harold wilson was what happened . harold wilson was what happened. probably not. they didn't have john kennedy . john kennedy. >> but all the conversation on wilson has been about the late marcia falkender rather than this particular member of staff. doesit this particular member of staff. does it change the view of that and how power in relation to him and how power in relation to him and her dominance of him, which is i mean, i don't know from first hand, but obviously has been reported. >> well, i mean, joe's sidekick from the from those years , from the from those years, bernard donoghue said that harold wilson in fact, have harold wilson did, in fact, have a with marcia falkender,

a fling with marcia falkender, but before he was but a long time before he was prime minister, it certainly everyone's thought of marcel falconer's influence. according to what, joe haines is saying, is that janet hewlett davis didn't have any particular influence on harold wilson. she was in love with him. and in the last years of his premiership, she made him happy. >> when is this mere vulgar curiosity, like the fact that we talk gladstone doing his talk about gladstone doing his night convert night walks to convert prostitutes, now there's prostitutes, and now there's a bit salacious stuff on harold bit of salacious stuff on harold wilson, or it change how we wilson, or does it change how we think the country being think the country was being governed and the level of cover up so on? don't it up and so on? i don't think it changes one changes very much what one thinks harold as thinks about harold wilson as a bloke , because the master, bloke, because the master, falkland affair has been written about extensively. >> so it's not as though, people were under the illusion if you follow harold wilson's story that you know, he had a very conventional private life and we've had the shocking revelation. so that doesn't really change anything, it seems

to me. and fundamentally, it doesn't change anything about the politics. i mean, wilson was, you know, some people will think, he was a rather grey, ineffective, ineffectual prime minister sort of your view. but he was actually terrific election winner. yeah. >> i wouldn't call him. >> i wouldn't call him. >> he won, he won, he won, you know, five out of the four elections. >> phenomenal campaign. the white heat of technology. absolutely. i mean, he was very he was blair in this he was like blair in this respect that he was able to put his finger on the pulse of the nation. yes >> compared blair, doesn't >> compared to blair, he doesn't sort much. this >> compared to blair, he doesn't sort owlish much. this >> compared to blair, he doesn't sort owlish owlish:h. this >> compared to blair, he doesn't sort owlish owlish donnish rather owlish owlish donnish figure. was a terrific campaigner. >> i want to ask you about this because he had a very carefully cultivated image a man of the cultivated image as a man of the people. he smoked a pipe in people. so he smoked a pipe in public. but i think one of boris johnson's private. johnson's cigars in private. indeed, in indeed, he went round in a gannex to look like an gannex mac to look like an ordinary chap. in fact , he was ordinary chap. in fact, he was smoking cigars and having affairs. does this change the view of what type of person he was? >> i don't think so. i mean, that's the image bit, and

politicians have always had had image creators . and in harold image creators. and in harold wilson's case, it was joe haynes. so joe, for instance, turned down a knighthood that was offered to him after he left number 10 because he didn't want to change himself. but certainly when it came to harold wilson's image, he designed that for that reason. but that goes back to things like john major's soapbox or whatever. i mean, politicians do to have a particular do that to have a particular image they put out to the public, as indeed you do . public, as indeed you do. >> i'm who i am. it's very >> i'm just who i am. it's very straightforward. anyway, thank you up next, you to my panel. coming up next, a former prime minister a certain former prime minister whose have heard whose father you may have heard of, has invoked another of, too, has invoked another former minister his former prime minister in his censure of the nanny state's attack on and cigar attack on tobacco and cigar smokers. forget smokers. plus, don't forget today's book today's nations book club features archduke eduard von habsburg on his new book, the habsburg on his new book, the habsburg way

well, we've been discussing deportations and harold wilson's. and you've been sending in your mail. moggs graham says the softer we are on migrants, the greater their incentive to flock. it is incentive to flock. here. it is unsustainable. regardless of laws. the law to laws. we must change the law to suit our needs. and michelle says michelle's charming comment. i'm annoyed at comment. i'm really annoyed at nigel's i do like him, nigel's comment. i do like him, by the way, so i'll pass that on about the mob attackers that might be in wait for him in his home country. where are the rights of his victims? i'm so tired and frustrated at the powerlessness we have. well, michelle, think is a fine michelle, i think that is a fine point . when one thinks of the point. when one thinks of the conservative it's hard conservative party, it's hard not have even of not to have even a flash of memory of sir winston memory of one sir winston churchill , a memory of one sir winston churchill, a man who saved europe from fascism and preserved british liberties . all preserved british liberties. all mentioned mental image of sir winston will inevitably include his donning and puffing on his favourite and juliet, favourite romeo and juliet, a cigar accompanying bowler hat and throngs of adoring crowds. however, contemporary conservative party leadership has moved away from sir winston's trademark habits as

rishi sunak last year announced plans to phase out all legal means of smoking over the next few years. speaking in canada alongside firebrand freedom loving ex—australian premier tony abbott, boris johnson's bofis tony abbott, boris johnson's boris johnson lamented his successors plan to ban cigars as being distinctly uncon servative. >> i look at some of the things that were, were, were doing now, i think that are being done in the name of conservatism. i think they're absolutely, absolutely nuts. we're banning cigars . and what is i mean, cigars. and what is i mean, maybe, maybe you all think that's a great idea. i just can't i can't see what what is the of banning were the the point of banning were the party of winston churchill wants to ban was absolutely nuts. >> fine pithy way of >> very fine and pithy way of putting it. and on the topic of illustrious british cultural figures defending freedom of choice, the boss of 007 preferred motor brand, at least in the films , it's an aston in the films, it's an aston martin. the films in the books, as many gentlemen do. bond preferred a bentley anyway, he has said , a hard doctor no to

has said, a hard doctor no to the state's attempt to coerce car makers into transitioning to electric vehicles , claiming they electric vehicles, claiming they will only stop making petrol cars when they have absolutely no other choice at the earliest. that will be 2027. so is it time for big government to die another day? i'm joined now by my distinguished panel gb news senior political commentator nigel nelson, and the journalist and conservative peer paul goodman. so we should have a freedom to smoke cigars and our children and our children's children and our children's children's children should have this right, too. >> i love borisjohnson's this right, too. >> i love boris johnson's way of having his cake and eating it, because , there he is, because, there he is, spontaneously answering a question. by the way, it's very seldom he's rude in public about rishi sunak governance. it's not something he tends to do well, i was just sort of thinking back to the johnson government and in fact, if i remember rightly, there was a fracking ban, there was ban on junk food was a ban on junk food advertising after, 9 pm. and of course, there was, you know, the

biggest intervention of biggest state intervention of all, was lockdown. all, there was lockdown. so boris's ability to project what is genuinely a part of him, this sort of freedom loving bit, well, occasionally do the opposite is fabulous. but of course he is right on the issue . course he is right on the issue. he's right on the issue. >> and this is a terrible distraction for the conservatives. when you've got an coming we're an election coming up, we're deaung an election coming up, we're dealing something dealing with something that's fundamentally unenforceable. >> well, it's clearly something that the prime minister wants to do. i suppose it must be the case that very few people, i imagine, in his circle smoke. perhaps that is fed into his interest in the policy in some way, that's a fair point, isn't it? probably not. many of them smoke, and most of them did maths to 18, and those were his big conference announcements. but doesn't really the but it doesn't really set the pulse of voter, does pulse racing of the voter, does it. no. >> and i think he was looking for something at party conference he sort of conference to say. so he sort of grabbed this policy. i think grabbed on this policy. i think the minister to smoke the last prime minister to smoke was cameron, who it in was david cameron, who did it in secret, surreptitiously. yeah. that's nick clegg as that's right, and nick clegg as well, deputy. they were

well, his deputy. so they were both smokers, i mean , i both both smokers, i mean, i think that, boris johnson's argument seems to be the same one you would have for legalising crack cocaine if it's all about freedom, it's a freedom of choice , introduced freedom of choice, introduced because this policy is so bizarre that i've got lots of children, and my two eldest children, and my two eldest children will be able to carry on buying cigarettes for the rest of their life. >> numbers 3 to 6 will not be able to. this is just weird, isn't it? when you get to 50 and you're 50, one year old sister can buy you a packet of cigarettes. it's a bit stupid. >> it is weird. i mean, if you're you're born on new year's >> it is weird. i mean, if you'thatyu're born on new year's >> it is weird. i mean, if you'that you'll)rn on new year's >> it is weird. i mean, if you'that you'll be on new year's >> it is weird. i mean, if you'that you'll be able ew year's >> it is weird. i mean, if you'that you'll be able to year's eve that you'll be able to smoke. if you're born on new year's year's day, year's new year's day, you won't. and seems to be won't. and that seems to be ludicrous. while i'm in ludicrous. so while i'm in favour the policy in general, favour of the policy in general, i things like that, i think that things like that, the anomalies that it will create need to sorted out. so create need to be sorted out. so it may be, for instance, you extend the whole do extend the whole thing, not do it and you make it all in a rush, and you make it all in a rush, and you make it for anyone born after the it gets royal assent . gets royal assent. >> and now switching to aston martin, switching gear one might

say makers if it has to be said the most beautiful cars that one ever sees. isn't it marvellous that they're going to stick to petrol, they're going to make proper cars and they're not going to be bullied into these nasty electric cars. won't nasty electric cars. that won't work well, had sort of work well, you've had sort of three environmentalists in sort of you time of giving you a hard time earlier on this evening, it's back the it's back to the to back to the it's back to the to that again. if you that argument again. if you think that climate change is worth doing something about, then that includes aston martin. that should be happening now. we keep moving our targets back, 2030. it used to be for everything to be electric . now everything to be electric. now it's 2035. the idea will make the one and a half degrees by, 2050 is fast going out the window. >> think of that wonderful scene in goldfinger when james bond is driving his aston martin around the swiss mountains . driving his aston martin around the swiss mountains. he wouldn't be able to do that in an electric car, would he? >> he'd run out of power, of coui'se. >> course. >> i suppose the answer to that

is there weren't electric cars then, and some of them might be able to do it, but i don't entirely agree with this. this argument about targets on the whole, i think a more conservative approach with a small and what small c is incentives, and what we to see about we are beginning to see about the is that the nearer the targets is that the nearer they get, less likely it they get, the less likely it looks though you're going to looks as though you're going to hit them so they get moved back. but estimate interesting but in estimate is interesting because a cost issue because it's not a cost issue with cars. with most cars. >> with family cars , the >> with family cars, the electric car is just more expensive than the petrol car. aston martins are very, very expensive cars and if they have an electric motor, that probably makes them a bit more expensive , makes them a bit more expensive, but not significantly the type of people buying them. so this is a really, i think, important statement. >> i'm not a master of the economics of aston martins, but it to me quite likely it just seems to me quite likely that the people who run the firm seen a commercial opportunity here to carry on with petrol cars, carry on with petrol, whilst other maybe whilst other people maybe switching bentley switching because i see bentley has decided to stop has just decided to stop production of. >> it's its w12 engine, >> i think it's its w12 engine, it's phasing out its petrol

engine, taking orders and engine, taking last orders and aston martin's going to carry on. so we'll all be like james bond will be preferring aston martins in more modern era , martins in more modern era, having preferred bentley's in the older era. >> well clearly 2035 they're >> well clearly by 2035 they're going have to whether going to have to do it whether they like or not. they like it or not. >> do you think they will? >> do you think they will? >> don't you think law will >> do you think they will? >> don again think law will >> do you think they will? >> don again because law will >> do you think they will? >> don again because peopleill >> do you think they will? >> don again because people will change again because people will shift it back. see the shift it back. they'll see the cost say, oh, we're cost and they'll say, oh, we're not doing that. >> well, if they it back >> well, if they shift it back again, worse and worse. again, it gets worse and worse. i just think that that i mean, i just think that that we're then keeping up to our we're not then keeping up to our to promise isn't what to our promise isn't what climate you worry about climate what you worry about actually happening and actually what is happening and that face politicians that when you face politicians with a choice of making life more expensive their voters, more expensive for their voters, they not going to do they say, we're not going to do that. >> e- e“ >> that's right. yes and when you easy you face them with an easy choice of saying, well, some future date, we'll do something you won't like, 2050 is a long time you won't like, 2050 is a long timi appreciate i mean, >> i appreciate that. i mean, what government needs to be what the government needs to be doing, and especially with electric sure electric cars, is making sure you've ev charging points you've got ev charging points around place. there none around the place. there are none in when i look to buy in my area. when i look to buy an electric car, it would cost

£7,000 more and i'd have to rip my garage apart to put 800 quid's charger quid's worth of electric charger in make it easier. in it until you make it easier. it ain't going to happen. so i go back to what paul was talking about. incentives. those are the kind that would kind of incentives that would make to electric cdl’s. >> cars. >> and the lines of an aston martin are so beautiful. one doesn't want them interrupted or not having that power as not having that roar of power as they from a traffic they move off from a red traffic light. thank you to my panel. coming next. state of the coming up next. state of the nafions coming up next. state of the nations book features nations book club features archduke von habsburg on archduke eduard von habsburg on his the habsburg way.

well, we've been talking about bofis well, we've been talking about boris churchill and aston martins . and i've had a male martins. and i've had a male mogg from ian fleming's nephew , mogg from ian fleming's nephew, who says my uncle ian would heartily approve of your sentiments. three petrol astons and bentleys. well, thank you very much, adam. al also says a photographer pulled winston's cigar of his mouth, causing cigar out of his mouth, causing his surprise scowl. that

his surprise and scowl. that image later , is image seconds later, is recognised the finest photo recognised as the finest photo churchill sat for. and now, churchill ever sat for. and now, time for the moment. you've all been waiting for state of the nafions been waiting for state of the nations book club with archduke eduard von habsburg for his new book, way. the book, the habsburg way. the habsburg are raised from habsburg dynasty are raised from switzerland in the middle ages and came to rule swathes of central and eastern europe in various forms for over 600 years. they established a seat of power in vienna, which was transformed into a cultural and imperial metropolis. revolution, however, swept across europe in 1848 and unsettled the secure, structured existence that characterised life under the habsburgs as military defeats and nationalist fervour. in the wake of 1848 eventually led to the compromise of 1867, when the weakened habsburgs ceded to sovereignty demands from their hunganan sovereignty demands from their hungarian subjects and established the dual monarchy of austria—hungary. austria hungary continued a slow decline, which was immortalised by authors such as stefan zweig and joseph roth.

through the rest of the 19th century. ultimately, in 1918, after the defeat of the central powers in the first world war, the empire was dissolved and the last habsburg emperor, 30 year old charles the first, was sent into exile. initially to switzerland and then to madeira, and yet the habsburg name has not disappeared from european political life. i'm so delighted today to be joined now by archduke edward of austria, hungary's ambassador to the holy see. well, your excellency, thank you very much for joining me. you are the archduke of austria. can you explain to me what that means and how you come to have this fantastic title ? to have this fantastic title? >> i'm not the archduke. i'm one of the archdukes of austria . of the archdukes of austria. because, very simply said, every habsburg is an archduke of austria, and it's a title that we discover that we had in the 15th century from a very spunous 15th century from a very spurious documents that was supposedly written by caesar

himself. and at. at first the emperor didn't agree with this document that we found. but a bit later, a habsburg was emperor, and then it became law. so since then we are archdukes . so since then we are archdukes. >> your family were minor princes and then suddenly became holy roman emperor , emperor holy roman emperor, emperor rudolf in the 13th century. >> yes, indeed, rudolf was a count somewhere between switzerland, france and germany , switzerland, france and germany, around the lemon lake and then after the interregnum, which were nearly 50 years of no emperor. the prince electors decided to take someone who was harmless, friendly, old, and would certainly not found a dynasty. and so they chose rudolf of habsburg and so his job was to clean up the empire again . and one of the things he again. and one of the things he had to do is to to, see that parts of the empire that had

been taken over by others , been taken over by others, ottokar i of bohemia, had taken austria, would get into good hands, and he handed it to his sons. and that's how the austrian power base of the habsburgs came about. the emperor, who's best known in the united kingdom, is the emperor charles because he was the charles v, because he was the nephew of catherine of aragon and was, of course, the emperor. >> at the point at which the reformation came about. yes. now his election is fascinating because france is the first of france and henry the eighth. they think they've got a chance of being holy roman emperor. but of being holy roman emperor. but of course, they don't know. >> they don't. the >> they don't. and the interesting thing that interesting thing was that nobody expected it to be that unanimous. how he was , how he unanimous. how he was, how he was. and the moment he became emperor, thrown into one emperor, he was thrown into one of greatest crisis because of the greatest crisis because reformation divided his empire into opposing opposing parties . into opposing opposing parties. you never had that, you never had that in the history of the holy roman empire. so he agreed to doing the diet of worms and to doing the diet of worms and to confront that heretic luther, to confront that heretic luther,

to give him free access and to guarantee his safety and then he made a very, very clear statement i'm very proud of. i have to, as a catholic, i have to say, he said very clearly, for, for 2000 years, 1500 years, the greatest things of the church have agreed to these points. why should i follow one german monk on this? my ancestors always stood with rome, and that's what we'll do. and so luther is a heretic, according to him. >> then the first world war and franz joseph, very elderly emperor at that point, dies. what 1916, 1916? and it doesn't quite end there , but it almost quite end there, but it almost does. >> it almost does. >> it almost does. >> in fact, if you ask my habsburg family members what who their favourite habsburg is, of all these great characters we just spoke about, all these great characters we just spoke about , they would just spoke about, they would point to that friendly, mild spoken , moustache wearing young spoken, moustache wearing young man that ruled for one and a half years, lost the war, lost

the empire and died miserably in exile in madeira at one and a half years later , or a year half years later, or a year later. and, why why is this, this harmless man? many people don't even realise he exists for us habsburgs for and many such a great example, because he is a giant of faith. he's a giant of faith, and his faith influenced his social politics, and his faith influenced everything. especially that from the first moment that he was on the throne , he tried to bring about peace in this terrible first world war, being called by the pope. but he tried to jump onto every possible peace initiative because he had seen battle in the trenches. he has been he's been on every front of the war. so he's a great example to all of us. >> tell me what happens when a habsburg goes to meet his maker in bodily form and gets to the doors of the cathedral, that's

beautiful , we have the knocking beautiful, we have the knocking ritual. it's absolutely beautiful . and i've seen it beautiful. and i've seen it twice. although i never lived in an empire. but they resurrected this thing, when empress zita, the last austrian empress, was buried, i was present. and when otto, her son, was buried, they twice did this again. very touching , the coffin arrives at touching, the coffin arrives at the door of the capuchin croft, which is the burial place of the habsburgs, and the master of ceremony knocks at the door and he says, and the voice from inside the capuchin monk says, who is there? and the master of ceremonies will, say all the titles , franz josef, emperor of titles, franz josef, emperor of austria, king of hungary , king austria, king of hungary, king of croatia and all that, like 30s of titles . and he will say, 30s of titles. and he will say, we don't know him, and then he will knock again, said, who is there? and then the master of ceremony will list all the achievements of the ruler and

again the voice says, we don't know him. and the third time he knocks and he says, who is there ? franz josef, a poor sinner. and then the door opens and he can enter. why did the habsburgs do that? because the habsburgs were profoundly aware that they were profoundly aware that they were an example , to their were an example, to their subjects with their death , with subjects with their death, with their way of being buried. they wanted to teach a good catholic what it means to die. and a habsburg ruler was as much a poor sinner, even if he was horrendously dressed than anybody in his reign. and people took notice. people took notice. this is the way you die. and yeah, perhaps . yeah, yeah. yeah, perhaps. yeah, yeah. nowadays we don't think much about death. but the habsburgs did all their lives and it underpinned their their faith. >> we haven't, unfortunately, got go into , the emperor got time to go into, the emperor maximilian's, instructions on, on his death, which, again, are so symbolic . yes, it is so symbolic. yes, it is a wonderful book. i greatly

enjoyed reading it. your family is one of the most interesting in the world. perhaps only the windsors provide you with any serious competition. >> absolutely. >> absolutely. >> thank you so much, your excellency, for coming on and talking and for the work you do as ambassador to the holy see. >> thank you very much for your time. thank you . time. thank you. >> well, i'd strongly recommend the book. that's all from me the book. and that's all from me . patrick . up next, it's patrick christys. are you christys. patrick, what are you going discussing this evening? >> yeah, i'm just getting some news now that three news through now that three of harry been harry kane's children have been injured horror car crash in injured in a horror car crash in germany. apparently, they've injured in a horror car crash in germ taken pparently, they've injured in a horror car crash in germ taken to arently, they've injured in a horror car crash in germ taken to hospital. |ey've injured in a horror car crash in germ taken to hospital. we're been taken to hospital. we're going detail on going to have more detail on that developing story . going to have more detail on that developing story. i'm also asking whether or not it's time to forgive party to forgive the labour party over the gone about the way that they've gone about smearing who were smearing people who were concerned trans kids, £4 concerned about trans kids, £4 billion given to asylum seekers . billion given to asylum seekers. and you don't have to swim to join the royal navy. i'm also asking why people on the left seem to hate britain. jacob well , that will all be very interesting as always and is coming up the weather and coming up after the weather and i'm that will be

i'm glad report that it will be sunny the next fortnight, sunny for the next fortnight, because taken my umbrella because i've taken my umbrella to repaired swaine adeney to be repaired to swaine adeney and i it in and brigg, and when i took it in there, that i wouldn't there, showed me that i wouldn't need the fortnight. need it for the next fortnight. >> and that will give them time to restore weather to restore their fine weather shielding accoutrement in somerset, you the somerset, as you know, the weather's always sunny, so it's my rather than my london umbrella rather than one in god's one that i would need in god's own county. >> a brighter outlook with boxt solar , the sponsors of weather solar, the sponsors of weather on gb news. >> good evening. welcome to your latest gb news weather update. well, it will be a cloudy start tomorrow but it should brighten up later on in the day. but for the far northwest we'd like to see fairly persistent rain. high pressure is starting to spread its influence into southern areas of the uk, but further north and west will see weather fronts push in through the next few days. and evening, much few days. and this evening, much of the rain will be restricted to the far and west of to the far north and west of scotland. parts scotland. also parts of northwest england. will northwest england. cumbria will likely heavy bursts of likely see some heavy bursts of

rain throughout evening. rain throughout this evening. elsewhere throughout the night, it should stay largely dry away from the coast and over the hills, but it's going to be a very cloudy and mild night. temperatures again, double digits by for a minimum across the far north—east scotland. the far north—east of scotland. it fairly dry and it should be a fairly dry and bright start. perhaps some areas in the midlands well, but by in the midlands as well, but by and it's going be and large it's going to be a fairly to day. fairly cloudy start to the day. it'll likely quite cloudy it'll likely stay quite cloudy and much of the day and wet for much of the day across parts western across parts of western scotland, north—west england, northern but northern ireland as well, but elsewhere brighten up elsewhere it should brighten up and it will feel fairly warm once again in that sunshine we could see temperatures as high as degrees on friday. that as 21 degrees on friday. that band of rain becomes a more weak feature, but it will sink into more northern areas of wales more northern areas of wales more widely across northern england, perhaps into the midlands on in the day and midlands later on in the day and saturday. behind it, it turns much unsettled. some much more unsettled. some showery outbreaks of rain. it'll also turn considerably colder for those northwestern areas, but in the south it should remain largely dry and bright for weekend . for the weekend.

>> looks like things are heating up boxt boilers as sponsors of weather on

gb news. >> in a moment. headliners. but first the news at 11:00 on gb news. the top story . a post sub news. the top story. a post sub mistress who was wrongly jailed while she was pregnant, has refused to accept the apology of a post office executive who sent an email in 2010 saying her conviction was brilliant. david smith told the post office inquiry today that with hindsight , inquiry today that with hindsight, he understood the anger and upset as well as the substantial distress he'd caused to seema misra and her family , to seema misra and her family, saying he was sorry for the way his email had been perceived . his email had been perceived. mrs. misra was falsely accused of stealing £74,000 and even had to give birth wearing a probation tag . she said later probation tag. she said later i was eight weeks pregnant. they

need to apologise to my youngest son. it was a terrible time . son. it was a terrible time. between 1999 and 2015, more than 900 subpostmasters and mistresses were prosecuted due to flawed horizon it software . a to flawed horizon it software. a moroccan asylum seeker on trial for the murder of a pensioner in hartlepool has told the police he was motivated by the conflict in gaza. 45 year old ahmed khalid denies murdering 70 year old terence karney, as well as the attempted murder of his housemate javid noori last october. he says he carried out the attacks as an act of revenge for israel's killing of children in palestine. he said he's also been accused of assaulting two female police officers who'd interviewed him after his arrest . the royal mail has said it's working to remove counterfeit stamps from circulation after an increase in reports of fakes being sold in shops and online. the telegraph reports today, china is flooding britain with counterfeit royal mail stamps,

with small retailers buying forgeries online. it's understood that the fakes were causing a rise in complaints when stamps bought from legitimate stores were being deemed fraudulent, resulting in a £5 fine. a new poll has suggested rishi sunak and other conservative government ministers may keep their seats in the next general election because of voter id confusion. a poll by the campaign group best for britain found that 16% of people didn't know they'd need photo id to vote in upcoming local and general elections. it means around 5 million people could be turned away from polling stations. the government passed legislation in 2022, and the new rules came into force last year . and the former last year. and the former american footballer oj simpson has died of cancer at the age of 76. his family says he died surrounded by his children and grandchildren . oj simpson was grandchildren. oj simpson was

sensationally acquitted of killing