anyway . anyway. >> good afternoon. britain. it's 12:00 on thursday, the 20th of june. i'm tom harwood, and i'm emily carver. >> and we have some breaking news coming up . well, the bank news coming up. well, the bank of england, they've got an announcement exactly at midday. will those interest rates finally go down.7 >> they've been held at 5.25% for quite some time now. it's been years since we've seen an interest rate cut. of course , interest rate cut. of course, they've been rising in line broadly with international interest rates for the last couple of years. and i can reveal now that they have once again been held, 5.25% interest rates held for a further month. >> a further month. well, that will be a disappointment to some. well, the public, some members of the public, but also to quite a few economists actually , who have been arguing actually, who have been arguing that now is the time to start bringing them down. of course,

inflation has now gone back to the 2% target, so it'll be very interesting to find out what exactly their reasoning is for this. is it because we're in the bouts of a in the middle, in the midst of a political campaign, a general election campaign, or is it just caution .7 caution? it just caution? caution? >> of course, this was what markets expected. despite inflation returning to 2, there are some strong international headwinds. we'll have all the reaction and analysis after your very latest news headlines . very latest news headlines. >> tom, emily, thank you very much. and good afternoon to you. it's just after 12:00. and the top story this lunchtime, as we've just heard there . as we've just heard there. as expected, the bank of england has held interest rates at 5.25. that's for the seventh time in a row despite inflation. finally reaching the target of 2% for the first time in three years. that news yesterday and the news this lunchtime will now come as a blow to borrowers who will

continue to pay a high rate on any loans that they take out, like mortgages. however, it's not bad news for all. as high interest rates as i just mentioned, increase the return on savings . with just two weeks on savings. with just two weeks to go until the general election, rishi sunak is under more pressure after two conservative candidates have been accused of election betting. sir keir starmer is calling on the prime minister to withdraw his support . withdraw his support. >> this candidate should be suspended and it's very telling that rishi sunak has not already done that . if it was one of my done that. if it was one of my candidates, they'd be gone and their feet would not have touched the floor. >> laura saunders and her husband, who's the conservative's campaign director and another candidate , craig and another candidate, craig williams, both face investigations by the gambling commission. a member of the prime minister's protection team was also arrested last night amid similar allegations . was also arrested last night amid similar allegations. in other news, a friend of the missing british teenager, jay slater, insists he would have

tried to get help if he was in trouble. lucy law says the 19 year old from lancashire did manage to ring her during their houdayin manage to ring her during their holiday in tenerife, where he admitted he didn't know where he was, despite jay's mobile phone being on just 1% battery, he managed to send her a photo of his location. his mother has now joined a team of mountain rescuers and local police on the island. on that search, which has now entered its third day to election, news. and michael gove says the tories are still capable of pulling off poll defying election victory despite forecasts of a labour landslide. yougov data suggests the conservatives will slump to their lowest number of seats even their lowest number of seats ever, while labour could win a 200 seat advantage. it's also predicting significant gains for the lib dems, who could win 67 seats. their sixth result six times, rather their result than 2019. the community secretary, michael gove, told us this morning the race for the

conservatives isn't over yet. >> i want to make and am making whenever i can, that strong case and certainly when i am with conservative candidates out in the field, people are responding to the case that they are making. so i feel a sense of optimism about that. but at the same time, there are these opinion polls and you entirely understandably ask me about them. and so my point is, well, i'm not convinced they're right. i'm not convinced they're right. i really think it is possible that we can do significantly better than these polls indicate . but in fairness, if you ask me a fair question about them , i've a fair question about them, i've got to say, well, if they are accurate, then i fear the consequences. >> and elsewhere on the campaign trail today, housing as it is at the centre of the conservative party's campaigning, the prime minister says he's the only leader who will help first time buyers, and pointed to the conservatives plan to abolish stamp duty on properties worth up to £425,000. he says that will help young buyers to get on the property ladder. meanwhile,

labouris the property ladder. meanwhile, labour is also pitching its message to house buyers today. sir keir starmer says voters associate the conservatives with spiralling mortgage costs following liz truss's mini—budget. he says while it may be helping labour in the polls, there is still work to do i >> opinion polls do not predict the future and i'm well aware that every single vote has to be earned and it will only be earned and it will only be earned if people put their trust and confidence in labour. and this is a choice election , a this is a choice election, a choice between carrying on. with the 14 years now we've had of chaos, of division, of failure and the breach of standards which we're seeing today in relation to this gambling story. >> emissions created by burning fossil fuels should be considered when granting planning permission for new drilling sites. that's according to a ruling by the supreme court. sarah finch challenged a decision by surrey county council to allow the expansion of an oil well site in 2019. her appeal was challenged by the

council , appeal was challenged by the council, which argued that the law did not require the downstream effects of emissions to be considered, but today's ruling overturns that original decision to grant planning permission , and the prince of permission, and the prince of wales will be in frankfurt in germany later to support the england men's football team in tonight's clash with denmark in the euros. prince william , who's the euros. prince william, who's president of the fa, will join thousands of english fans to cheer on gareth southgate's side in their second group stage match. a win tonight will see england into the last 16 knockout stage, with a group game still to spare. and it comes after three england fans were arrested yesterday for bottle throwing , abusing a bottle throwing, abusing a police officer and being in possession of drugs. the uk football policing unit, though, says the vast majority of supporters are behaving extremely well . for the latest extremely well. for the latest stories, you can sign up to gb news alerts by scanning the code on your screen, or go to gb news. common alerts .

news. common alerts. >> thank you sam. now it's 1207 >> thank you sam. now it's1207 and this is good afternoon britain on gb news. >> and we start with that breaking news. the bank of england has decided to hold the base rate. this for the seventh consecutive time at 5.25. yeah. >> the vote was seven two on the monetary policy committee . seven monetary policy committee. seven in favour of holding two in favour of cutting. but that does that mask actually greater dissent within some of those who were weighing the decision in their minds? let's speak to vicky pryce, the economist and business consultant. vicky, this is what markets expected. but what does it tell us about the future ? future? >> we're not going to know what the bank of england really thinks. apart from, as you rightly said, there is a22, seven split right now , which is seven split right now, which is a bit of a worry. i had hoped that by this time we would have had more people joining those

who wanted to see a cut, but we're not going to get full details of what their thinking is. i don't think today not as much as we would have done otherwise, because of course, we're having the elections, coming up. and one of the reasons, i think that we haven't seen the drop that should have happened this month is because the elections have been called the elections have been called the snap election, which has prevented also quite a lot of the policy makers. those were decided today to come out and tell us what they actually think. normally you get loads and loads of, talks given by them for various occasions, so you get some idea of what they're thinking and that gives you and the markets a little bit more perspective of what may happen next. and now we haven't had it. happen next. and now we haven't hadit.so happen next. and now we haven't had it. so we are you know, it's a bit of a sort of blind alley really, in terms of the exact timing of what will happen next. and my view is that we are going to see a cut. we'll see a cut to the first opportunity. so we'll see it in august. vicky why should an election campaign get in the way of the bank of england's job? it's a very interesting question , one the interesting question, one the reason that has been given,

anyway by anyone who understands the way that these things work, is that if they cut rates now, or even if they make any pronouncements about where the economy would be, it would be seized by one or other of the parties, so it would suddenly become political. and given that the bank of england is independent, that's going to be a bit of a problem. >> interrupt vicky. but isn't a hold in interest rates equally political? it's still a decision i >> -- >> yes, you're absolutely right . >> yes, you're absolutely right. but what it doesn't do is give necessarily any great help to one or other. and you you could have thought indeed, the way that you're thinking about it, that, holding it means that they're not giving any ammunition or any help to , the ammunition or any help to, the incumbents, because of course, they've all been saying that, you know, the economy has turned a corner and inflation is down and interest rates will come down soon, and then they'll take the credit , so it could be seen the credit, so it could be seen either way. and you're right. it's a very dangerous position to be in, so what i was looking at is what happened in europe,

the european central bank decided to cut rates, which it did do a couple of weeks ago at the time of, elections going on in europe. so, in fact, the day they decided to cut rates, there was already an election for the european parliament in the netherlands , and there were more netherlands, and there were more elections happening between then and then the following sunday. so they decided, obviously, to ignore any of that concern and went ahead and cut rates anyway. but of course, those rates are not going to be seized by any of the of the parties in, other in government or wanting to work in, in parliament, in the european parliament, who have any dominance or any others that might want to argue that the whatever is going on is not, going in the right direction, so, so, but surely it has been used a little bit in the campaigns , but here we seem to campaigns, but here we seem to have gone into almost purdah for an independent central bank as well. and that is a bit of a problem. and it has prevented ,

problem. and it has prevented, in my view, that cut taking place that should really have happened. >> many people would have said that this perhaps could have happened, not this time, but maybe the time before or even the time before that. but but of course, in the context of uk inflation falling now as it is back to 2, back to that bank of england target, it hasn't been like that everywhere in the world. in the united states, we saw that tick up in inflation. has what's been happening in other countries actually been feeding into the bank of england's decision here, in that it's not just that we're an island, although it's delicious to be an island, that that actually all these other countries and these concerns about global supply chains and global inflation uptick have fed into this, too . into this, too. >> well, yes, anything could happen. and you're absolutely right. we have seen also in the eurozone a bit of an uptick . right. we have seen also in the eurozone a bit of an uptick. but really we're talking about sort of 2.7. we're very, very close to the targets, that have been set by the central banks. and they are the same ones

practically everywhere. the 2% target. you don't have to meet that target all the time. and you're right again, saying that we could easily have cut rates before , and, and not really before, and, and not really jeopardise anything very much in terms of where inflation is going since most of it, is unked going since most of it, is linked to external factors such as energy and food, not very much linked to anything else. but, the european ons have cut their rates, despite the fact that knew full well that inflation was going to go up a little bit, and it goes up a little bit, and it goes up a little bit, and it goes up a little bit and partly because of, petrol prices going up, we've seen that here as well in our inflation figures of, of, that have come out yesterday, but also so, they, they are, you know, not particularly concerned this the europeans about, the fact that. yes, indeed, if you look at the 12 month basis , what look at the 12 month basis, what you're comparing it with, which is the month of the year before, may have had more subsidies given to the energy sector that month, which are now no longer there, or anything else that could have happened, so you have

to take risks up to a point. if you're a central bank, you cannot possibly be adjusting your expectations of interest rates every time. there might be a little bit of a move up or a little bit of a move down in the us is a bit different in that, of course, it's growing quite significant. and one of the reasons why the federal reserve hasn't done very much is, is because of that. it's it has a fiscal and monetary expansionary , policy. right now in the us, they're spending huge amounts on propping up the economy anyway through bidenomics loads and loads of money going into particular sectors, supporting , particular sectors, supporting, the green economy and everything else and being quite protectionist in doing so, europe and the uk are not in that position where, yes, things are picking up, but from quite a low base and therefore , the low base and therefore, the interest rate cut here should have been much more imminent than, than perhaps the markets, have been adjusting in terms of their expectations on when it will actually be amazing how the united states gets away with

these huge, huge deficits , big these huge, huge deficits, big spending, big tax cuts. >> but of course, we're not allowed to do that in the uk. vicky pryce, thank you so much for joining us and talking forjoining us and talking through this, this yet yet another hold from the bank of england on interest rates. yes. >> a few of you actually getting in touch and saying this isn't a problem for you, gary says rates are currently normal. glad they didn't cut them. left wing. larry says yes. interest rates stay the same. my savings are making loads and with no mortgage on my two houses, i'm quids in. hashtag loving it. is that a bit of a wind up, left wing larry, and tony says, holding. well, he thinks it's political . he thinks they'll political. he thinks they'll drop them when labour get in. >> well, the expectation is now that there'll be this august drop feeds into my theory of keir starmer being the luckiest man on the face of the planet. not only is inflation, down at normal levels, interest rates are expected to fall as soon as starmer gets in. but also immigration expected to halve next year without any further changes. i mean, keir starmer is just going to rack up political win after political win after

political win. well, we shall see. >> we shall see anyway, these stubbornly high interest rates and the cost of living of course, continue to have an impact on households across the country. how is it affecting you and will it change how you vote? >> well, throughout the election campaign we've been asking voters about the things that matter to them during the campaign and joining us from manchester is the landlord, simon astley , who's always voted simon astley, who's always voted laboun simon astley, who's always voted labour. she's joined by gb news reporter sophie reaper. take it away, sophie. >> good afternoon to you both. yes we've just heard, of course, that interest rates will be remaining the same. so to talk a bit about that, simon joins me now . we're up on the scaffolding now. we're up on the scaffolding of one of her properties. so safety first, of course. simon, we just heard about interest rates. what's your initial reaction? i just hang on. >> bumblebee. oh there's a bee. the perils of summer. there we go . go. >> television. >> television. >> we're not having any falls today, especially off the scaffolding , of course, a little scaffolding, of course, a little bit disappointed. as are hundreds of thousands of people with mortgages and loans where

we're not going to see a fall in the interest rates and therefore a fall in our monthly payments. but i'm not surprised. i have to say , i'm not surprised that that say, i'm not surprised that that they've stuck where they are. i think we're going to see them come down in the future. but 5.25% is kind of, it's kind of average . we've got so used to average. we've got so used to interest rates being really, really super low . i remember really super low. i remember when i first bought a property in 1996, you know, those kind of 5, five, 6% mark between 4 and 6. it's pretty normal really. we're just not used to it in terms of you as a landlord, of course, this means that for another month, this is the seventh month in a row your the rates at which you'll be paying back will remain the same . back will remain the same. >> how does that impact you and how does it impact how you're going to vote in two weeks time? >> it impacts me, of course , >> it impacts me, of course, because i'm paying more for the mortgage like lots of other people on a monthly basis. but it's not just that, is it? everything's been more expensive . taxation is through the roof. just everyone feels like you're just taxed at every which way you turn, you tax when you go to

supermarket, you tax when your council tax. i mean, i'm really nervous about labour not talking about whether they're getting an increase council tax , i'm a increase council tax, i'm a landlord, but this may surprise people. i'm also a human being. so there are other things which affect me vie which the political parties are talking about. you know, the taxation is about. you know, the taxation is a really big one. you know, things like national health, the national health service , my national health service, my other half has had five operations in the last four years, and we've had to pay for private health care because we haven't been able to get it on the national health because it's just broken. and that kind of stuff is a protecting us on a, on a daily basis as well. so there's a, there's a whole other host of things that are affecting me as an individual, both as a woman, as a, as a business owner, you know, on a daily basis, not just interest rates. and yeah , both parties. rates. and yeah, both parties. >> well, we've obviously been heanng >> well, we've obviously been hearing manifestos from all the major parties over the past week or so. has there been anything in those manifestos that's really made you think that's who i'm going to give my vote to. and this is why. or is it just been a bit of a wet lettuce for

you. >> well, round here in south manchester, the conservative party is a non—starter anyway. so it's always between in my particular constituency it's between labour and lib dems , i'm between labour and lib dems, i'm not particularly fond of a lot of the lib dem policies. i've got to be honest , but labour got to be honest, but labour make me nervous. they really make me nervous. they really make me nervous. it's more about what they're not saying than what they're not saying than what they're not saying than what they are saying. and yeah, the next week i think hopefully they'll be more substantial, so substantial flesh to the bones of the manifesto , because i of the manifesto, because i think there's just not enough in there really, for me to make a call yet. >> so there's two weeks to go and you've still not made your decision. well, there we go. and thatis decision. well, there we go. and that is why it's so important that is why it's so important that we as the people's channel, we have our people's voices like cyan, who can give us a real insight into what the people of this country are thinking as we reach was two weeks away now from that general election . from that general election. >> really, really interesting. thank you so much, sophie, and thank you to cyan astley there, who's a landlord up in near

manchester, very interesting. worried about what labour isn't saying rather than what they are saying. lots of people want more meat on the bones polling what, 20 points ahead of the conservatives at the moment? people do want to know what's happening with council tax, what's happening with other taxes. >> so, yeah, but of course, if you're the labour party, you're sitting there 20 points ahead of the polls. what incentive do you have to say anything at all beyond what's written in the rather thin manifesto there? i mean, why, why would you try to change the dynamic of this election campaign that has been going oh so well for you so far? >> no sense of moral duty anyway. >> politicians. emily, next up, are the conservatives at risk of being not only out of power but out of opposition after the election? >> we are , of course, referring >> we are, of course, referring to that bombshell poll. this is good afternoon, britain, where

gb news. >> good afternoon. britain. it's 12:23. now things appear to be going from bad to worse for rishi sunak. as it was revealed a second conservative party candidate now being investigated for allegedly betting on the date of the general election . yes. >> this comes as the latest polling forecasts the conservatives are on course for an electoral wipe—out, with one poll predicting that even rishi sunak himself could lose his supposedly safe seat of richmond in north yorkshire , where he has in north yorkshire, where he has a majority of over 27,000. >> just astonishing. let's speak now to gb news political editor christopher hope, on board the conservative battle bus. now, christopher, i hope the signal will hold for us this time. i know it's sometimes been tricky, but my goodness, what's the reaction to these polls ? reaction to these polls? >> well, the polls are a disaster. there were three polls yesterday in the space of an houn yesterday in the space of an hour. three mrp seat by seat

polling involving thousands , polling involving thousands, tens of thousands in some cases of people that the most eye catching was the one in savanta with the telegraph giving the tory party 53 mps after the election , down from 365 at the election, down from 365 at the moment. labour get 516 mps, up from 202. interestingly, reform gets zero, but i think the way they calculate savanta their polling is that they have now stripped out reform from others . stripped out reform from others. so in future voters will get a choice to ask and answer a question on reform itself rather than other minor parties that might affect how they're rated. but as you say, it looks like, according to the poll, and it's only one poll and it's a snapshot and the big poll is 4th of july. of course, the tories would say what they hear is that rishi sunak might lose his seat in richmond, which would be the first ever sitting prime minister to lose their seat in an election. 53 seats for the tories means they're just slightly ahead of the liberal democrats on 50, the snp in scotland to down eight from 48.

what we are seeing is a disembowelling of the tory party by the electorate. according to these polls. there were three of them yesterday . looking at all them yesterday. looking at all three, we are seeing a landslide victory for the labour party. that's what they agree on in the detail . some differ here and detail. some differ here and there, but overall the picture is a landslide for the tory party. added to that, there's been an emerging conservative party betting scandal with now two candidates being investigated for allegedly betting on the surprise date. the july 4th, polling day. it's complicated because laura saunders is the is the candidate in bristol north west. she's one we know about craig williams. he's the former parliamentary private secretary to rishi sunak. but ms saunders husband is a man called tony leigh. he's the director of national campaigning for the tory party he's in charge of the whole thing. the entire campaign . he thing. the entire campaign. he has now taken a leave of absence as of yesterday. separate of that, we know that a member of

rishi sunaks close protection team in the police has been arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office, allegedly again about the timing of the election. now, earlier, i asked michael gove on a visit to brentwood, the housing secretary, about both those issues. the polls and whether his party was corrupt. here's what we had to say in the polls. >> and it's just a snapshot. show a slightly further behind than that. but i'm convinced that as the arguments are heard by gb news voters, as they have a chance to reflect on what life would be like under keir starmer, with taxes higher , with starmer, with taxes higher, with risks to our national security, i believe that more people will decide that it would be completely wrong to hand keir starmer a blank check and they will vote conservative. >> there's an emerging betting scandal about the tory party on the date of the election. two candidates are allegedly being looked at by the gambling commission. a third individual in the party hq has withdrawn from frontline duties . in terms from frontline duties. in terms of organising the campaign. is your party corrupt?

>> no, it is the case that obviously any decision by anyone to use inside information to bet on the election date , that is on the election date, that is wrong. deeply regrettable, but i think the individuals concerned are now being investigated. and until that process is concluded, i think it's difficult for me to say more because you've got to respect the integrity of the investigation . investigation. >> so michael gove, they're saying he can't say much more. now we have heard from craig williams. he's apologised for a huge error of judgement . we huge error of judgement. we haven't heard yet from laura saunders and we haven't heard yet from tony leigh. so we are trying to get si king answer from them . they may well deny from them. they may well deny all wrongdoing. we don't know that yet , so we're waiting to that yet, so we're waiting to hear from them, but i think this is a slap in the face for party workers who have given up holidays to campaign on the surprise date, which was kept very tight by people around rishi sunak. for other people, apparently allegedly to be betting on the date of the election is almost a final inqu election is almost a final insult for many party staff who

have given up their own time to try and make this party win the election. i mean, you frankly couldn't make it up. yes i imagine there are lots of people who are absolutely furious at this. >> thank you very much indeed. christopher hope, who is on board the conservative battlebus today. >> now , the mother of missing >> now, the mother of missing jaye slater, says the continued search for her son is an absolute living nightmare . the absolute living nightmare. the 19 year old was attending the nrg music festival on the canary islands with friends. >> yes, they'd last heard from him in tenerife on monday morning when he told a friend he would walk back to his accommodation after missing his bus. >> well, joining us now from tenerife is the journalist cleo o'flynn and cleo. we've been following this story for the last couple of days. i mean, what more information do we now have, very little that would be of assurance to the family because right now there are no more sightings of jay. yesterday afternoon there was a slight shift in a sense of hope,

because the local guardia civil did say that they believed they were following new leads, that had him down in the tourist areas of las americas and los cristianos, which would have been good news because there populated areas where he would have been able to talk to people , get his phone charged. but then about three hours later, late yesterday afternoon, that was an unverified fact. and the guardia civil then said, no, we're moving the search back up to the mountains. now, we do know that there is you have the full fleet of security and search and rescue forces up there. you have the firefighters from santiago del teide, all of their forces there. you have search and rescue dogs, drones, helicopters and the guardia civil and the local police. so, you know, the island is doing just about everything it can to try and locate this young man. however, why people might think that tenerife is just sun, sea and sand once you move away from the tourist areas, as you might be able to see from some of the

pictures that people are seeing, these are rugged, mountainous areas that are up high in an altitude. that means the air is slightly thinner and there's very little tree cover, so very little shade for somebody who's lost up there for a number of days. >> yes. and cleo, how sophisticated are the police, in this area? because, i'm reading here that a friend of, of the young man is criticising the police for not acting quickly enough and not doing enough . enough and not doing enough. >> i live here, and i have seen police and search and rescue teams work very, very effectively and very well, given the kind of circumstances that they're in. i mean, i think that they're in. i mean, i think that they would have swung into action from the minute that they got the call that somebody was missing. people go missing now and then in every part of the world, and they are found or sometimes, unfortunately, they are not found for a very long time. the mountain rescue team know this terrain, and i know that there has been some criticism because they have asked for volunteer groups to

actually stay away from certain parts of the search because they just simply might be getting in the way. so they are using everything that is at their disposal. these are not simply , disposal. these are not simply, you know, roads and mountains to be searched. there are gulfs, there are ravines. these are volcanic zones. so they do have hidden traps. if you're walking down. and from what we gather, jay would have gone off the road because there's only one road up to the area that his phone was last pinged from. so if he wasn't on the main road, the only speculation, the only thing that you can conclude is that he went off the road and onto one of the unmarked paths to try and make his way down to the coast . make his way down to the coast. this is actually quite a difficult area to search, and they have been using everything at their at their disposal, and i think most of the expat community who have been following the search and rescue and helping the family are actually appreciative of the work that the police are doing. so the only thing that we can

hopeis so the only thing that we can hope is that they will be able to find this young man sooner rather than later. >> yes, indeed. thank you so much. really appreciate you speaking to us. cleo o'flynn, who's a journalist in tenerife. l, who's a journalist in tenerife. i, as as cleo said i was in tenerife relatively recently and you have the touristy areas that are very built up, but everywhere else there's a huge amount of sort of not barren but empty land that's not built upon, so yes, i can imagine and volcanic. >> yeah. >> yeah. >> yeah, indeed. very dry as well. >> well, let's hope that the police can find some more clues as the day goes on. but coming up, just stop oil strike again. and this time they've tried to target taylor swift . but this is target taylor swift. but this is good afternoon, britain on . gb news. >> very good afternoon to you. it's 12:32. the top story from the newsroom. as we've been hearing, the bank of england has announced it's keeping the base rate of interest on hold at a 16

year high of 5.25. the freeze in the cost of borrowing, the seventh freeze in a row had been expected, despite inflation falling to the target of 2. the news will come as a blow to borrowers , though, who will borrowers, though, who will continue to pay a high rate on any loans they take out like mortgages. meanwhile, the average first time buyer needs to earn more than £60,000 to buy a property, according to a leading property website. zoopla estimates that those trying to get onto the property ladder now need an income of nearly £15,000 more than they would have needed five years ago . labour is five years ago. labour is calling on the prime minister today to withdraw support for two conservative candidates who've been accused of election betting. here's what sir keir starmer had to say . starmer had to say. >> this candidate should be suspended and it's very telling that rishi sunak has not already done that . if it was one of my done that. if it was one of my candidates, they'd be gone and their feet would not have touched the floor.

>> those comments from sir keir starmer come as laura saunders and her husband, who is the conservatives campaign director, and another candidate, craig williams , face investigations by williams, face investigations by the gambling commission, a member of the prime minister's protection team was also arrested last night amid similar allegations . and the russian allegations. and the russian president's touched down in vietnam this morning, continuing his diplomatic tour of asia. vladimir putin met with president stowlawn, aiming to boost ties and establish a strategic partnership. the vietnamese president congratulated putin on his landslide victory in recent russian elections, which were dismissed internationally as neither free nor fair . dismissed internationally as neither free nor fair. for the latest stories, you can sign up to gb news alerts by scanning the code on your screen, or go to gb news. common alerts

>> good afternoon. britain. now, just in a moment. we're going to be live from stonehenge to bring you the very latest on the cleanup operation there. but throughout the campaign , the throughout the campaign, the general election campaign, that is, we've been hearing from voters right across the country to get their thoughts on the big issues of the day . issues of the day. >> yes. so today we hear from james hitchcock, from wales. >> so i'm coming at this with a great interest in food, farming and nature. it's an issue that is hugely important to all of us. and the decisions that are made in the next five years really are going to have impact for the next 30 years and beyond . we've heard a lot of talk, and there's often a lot of hubris around food, food security and how we should spend our money on supporting farming. it's particularly relevant here in mid wales because it's very rural, very rural economy, 90% of wales is farmed . and while

of wales is farmed. and while it's true that wales has devolved decision making powers through the senate, for the environment, it which also includes agriculture that doesn't really make the westminster elections any less important. there's a huge amount that can be, signalled in the form of leadership. while mention of plans to invest in nature and commitments to nature in most of the main parties manifestos , none of them really manifestos, none of them really go far enough. if we were to see fewer woodlands, more polluted rivers, less wildlife possible and probable that fewer people would come here, and that's less income, less diversification opportunities. and that is a degenerative spiral where we want a regenerative spiral and a restorative, hopeful future. >> well, there we go. that was james hitchcock in wales. >> now, two activists have been arrested after they've broken into a private airfield in stansted to vandalise several

planes. it's all because they're demanding an end to fossil fuels within the next few years. well, this is just one day after two other people were arrested for spraying orange powder paint all over the ancient monuments of stonehenge . stonehenge. >> it does feel as though this is gaining momentum, doesn't it, two, two incidents in two days, one targeting a prehistoric structure for something that i imagine hundreds of thousands , imagine hundreds of thousands, if not millions of people go to view every year. and then today, targeting private jets or rishi sunak their just stop oil are a disgrace. that's what he had to say yesterday, and we also had keir starmer who said, just stop oil are pathetic and those responsible must face the full force of the law. so both the conservative leader and the leader of the opposition getting their tweets out with their disgust. >> but can we just have a look at that, that, video again of stonehenge being targeted,

because here what i think is remarkable is you have a tourist there just trying to tackle the, there just trying to tackle the, the vandals and grab away that and good on her. there needs to be more people in society like this tourist who was there to see the majesty , the beauty of see the majesty, the beauty of this 5000 year old monument. and actually, to be honest, that woman there who's just sidling up. i mean, what on earth when things like this happen, more people need to jump in and not violently. but but pretty quickly and swiftly stop this going on. if good people stand idly by, more stuff like this happens. >> absolutely. i'm not sure what i would do in this circumstance if i saw these oiks doing that, i imagine i'd probably do the same as this lady here. >> i like to think i'd run up and try and grab that, i think i would you know, i'd certainly, scream and shout a little. >> i imagine i'm not sure i'd

try reasoning with them, but then, you see, this gets further and perhaps more dangerous. >> there's a wire cutter there. they're cutting into an airfield. i mean, this is beyond criminal damage. this is genuine security concerns here. >> they're so entitled. they're such losers. let me let's be frank, that they're willing to just, you know, commit these criminal acts with no thought of what might happen to them. totally reckless as, for their cause that they deem more important than anything else. it was they were trying. and the outrage today is that rumour has it that they were trying to target taylor swift's private jet. or at least her private jet is in the vicinity. jet. or at least her private jet is in the vicinity . and this is, is in the vicinity. and this is, taylor swift, who has millions, if not hundreds of millions, if not billions of fans across the world. she's boosted the gdp of the world, with all of her concerts and all of her fans buying all her merch and the like and her songs and music, and she brings joy to people. so i imagine the swifties are going to be rather furious. and here's where i get slightly concerned.

>> it wasn't that long ago that you had someone known as the unabomber in the united states, a radical environmental activist who didn't just cut through wire, smash windows , vandalised wire, smash windows, vandalised monuments. he created nail bombs and sent them to civilians and killed people. now, i don't think it's that big a step to say if you believe your environmental cause is above anything else, above the law, above politics. frankly, if you believe the world is heading for some sort of, armagedda ian situation, why would you stop at spray painting a plane? yeah, just why wouldn't why wouldn't you start sending people to their death, as we saw with that environmental activist, the unabomber in the united states several decades ago? yeah, it raises some very serious questions. >> well, lots of questions about whether this group should be

proscribed as a terrorist organisation. banned outright, joining us now from stonehenge is gb news, south—west of england reporterjeff is gb news, south—west of england reporter jeff moody, jeff , tell us what's happened jeff, tell us what's happened since this incident . since this incident. >> well, in the last hour or so, the two people that were arrested here yesterday , a 21 arrested here yesterday, a 21 year old woman and a 78 year old man have now been released on bail. the police say they are still investigating the incident. in the incident and they're working with english heritage. but we have heard that there is no significant damage to the stones , english heritage to the stones, english heritage have been working throughout the night and early on this morning to repair the damage, and they say they have succeeded. they've been using handheld blasters to blast away the paint, just stop oil said a few hours ago. don't worry about this. it'll all wash away in the rain. but english heritage are saying that's actually the worst thing that could happen. they've been hoping and praying it doesn't rain , and they've been working rain, and they've been working very hard to try and get the

damage sorted out before any rain. luckily, none is forecast for today because if you think about it, this paint was made with corn flour. what anyone that uses corn flour to cook knows that if you add to water corn flour, it goes all thick and sticky and starchy . and and sticky and starchy. and that's the worst thing that you would want on those stones , would want on those stones, which are also covered with 50 different species of lichen or lichen, however you pronounce it, so they've managed to get rid of the damage there, and it is open. and of course , they're is open. and of course, they're now preparing for, 5000 people to descend on stonehenge for the summer solstice . this evening, summer solstice. this evening, people are going to be watching the sun go down over the stones, and then wait all night long for the stones to for the sun to come up over the stones the following morning . but of following morning. but of course, yes, they've also been targeting taylor swift to trying to get, we presume, trying to get to her private jet, managing to vandalise two private jets on the way, now just stop oil are saying that the reasons that

they are doing this have changed slightly. they've always said, haven't they, that what they want is no new oil and gas licenses. well, the labour party is saying that they're not prepared to introduce any more of such licenses , and if the of such licenses, and if the polls are to be to be believed and there's a labour government coming in next month, there will be no new licences. so why then are they still protesting ? well, are they still protesting? well, they're saying that now it's no longer enough. not to have any new licences. they want us to end all use of gas and oil by 2030. so they're basically giving us six years to phase out all use of gas and oil. they're holding us to ransom . holding us to ransom. >> yes. well, it does sound like it.thank >> yes. well, it does sound like it. thank you very much indeed. jeff moody who's there? you can see stonehenge in the backdrop there . it was only last month there. it was only last month that the government's political violence adviser suggested that just stop oil might be one of the groups that they that the government should ban, should

prescribe acts similarly to terrorist organisations. we're going to be having that debate a little later on in the show, whether it is time to just clamp down on these types of groups, because they do seem to be getting worse and worse and worse. >> is there anything that they've done that's legal ? is they've done that's legal? is there any stunt that they've performed that hasn't resulted in arrests ? in arrests? >> s well, i mean, gluing your hand to a road is illegal, isn't it? >> obstruction of the highway, storming up to the to the stage at a at a performance of les miserables , shocking. i mean, miserables, shocking. i mean, this is not sort of civilised behaviour, smashing private property as we're seeing here above the magna carta. i mean, this is a group that exists only to commit criminal acts. i can't think of a single act that's done that is not criminal. how? how on earth are we just sort of thinking that? i mean, can you thinking that? i mean, can you think of any, any organisation that was set up to commit criminal acts that we just allow to continue?

>> funny how they've changed their aim. now the goalposts have shifted. now they don't just want no new oil and gas licenses , they want to bring licenses, they want to bring back. they want to get rid of all oil and gas by 2030. funny that, isn't it? when in just a moment we're going to head to royal ascot to get the best and brightest from the world of racing. stay with us. this is good afternoon, britain on

gb news. well, i know sometimes some of you complain that we don't read out enough views. so we're going to get to some. lots of you very irritated to say the least, about just stop oil and their, well, extravagant to, mark jones says, can the law please get tougher with just stop oil? we need tougher consequences for these eco terrorists. mark says they are terrorists. they're disruptive, destructive , and disruptive, destructive, and sometimes even endangering life. like when they block traffic .

like when they block traffic. >> like maggie has an idea just stop oil should go and live in their own commune and exist without gas or oil . i think without gas or oil. i think they'd find it quite difficult, says maggie. >> and, bill, bill, says emily, it would be no holds barred from me . i would have taken their me. i would have taken their extinguishers, these idiots extinguishers, these idiots extinguishers , and covered them extinguishers, and covered them in the stuff and their own transport. well, there you go. taking matters into your own hands. >> and craig has some information for me. the person information for me. the person in the cap from stonehenge that i said was a tourist running to help out, was actually a member of staff. it was the gentleman in the blue shirt who was a tourist. so good to see that we had both a member of staff there, try thing. and then the blue shirted man there was the tourist. so says craig. so thank you for that update. >> they can't be these hooligans can't be allowed to get away with this sort of stuff. and jen's written in she says supreme court has just stopped stopped oil in the north sea. well, not quite, but there is a landmark ruling which could have a huge impact on oil and gas in this country that we've heard today and doesn't it doesn't it show actually that that just

stop oils ambition isn't isn't against what the government has legislated for. >> it's precisely what the government has legislated for. i mean, the climate change act is the basis for this decision of the basis for this decision of the supreme court, which has, effectively stopped this oil and gas project from surrey county council because they couldn't guarantee that the oil or the gas wouldn't be used in a way that might emit carbon in the future. i mean, on the basis of that argument, it my goodness, how do we extract any oil or gas at all? and if we don't extract any oil and gas, frankly, what do we do when the sun doesn't shine and the wind doesn't blow? >> it wasn't even on the basis of the carbon emissions from the extraction itself . extraction itself. >> if it was on the basis of potential carbon emissions from future use of that oil and gas, am i right? >> right. and so , huda just stop >> right. and so, huda just stop oil think that they're protesting against, i mean , the protesting against, i mean, the government is at the moment being more just stop oil e than the just stop oil lot and the labour party is promising to end

any new licensing in the north sea. i mean, i mean, who who do they think they're protesting against? literally everyone in any position of power in this country, whether it's the parliament, the government, the courts, whatever they all agree with. just stop oil could it be that they're searching for meaning in life, a purpose , meaning in life, a purpose, anyway, when we come back, rishi sunak flounders in the polls . sunak flounders in the polls. sir keir starmer holds his lead. is there any way back for the conservatives this good afternoon? britain . afternoon? britain. >> a brighter outlook with boxt solar , the sponsors of weather solar, the sponsors of weather on . gb news. on. gb news. >> welcome along to your latest weather update from the met office here on gb news. >> the solstice today, and for many it's a good looking day drive fine hazy sunshine and fairly light winds. high

pressure is dominating. there is an old weather front that's been sinking south, generating quite a bit of cloud over parts of northern england, north wales in particular, but say here, just making the sunshine fairly hazy, a bit more cloud into western scotland , who could even be the scotland, who could even be the odd spot of drizzle here and there. but for most places dry and fine. some lengthy spells of sunshine for east anglia and southern counties of england in particular. that's where we'll see the top temperatures 22, 23, maybe 24 celsius elsewhere, generally high teens or low 20s. certainly feeling a bit warmer than it has done for most of june. so far through this evening. not a great deal of change. cloud just starting to thicken in western scotland. a little bit more in the way of drizzle. just creeping onto the west coast. a bit more cloud across the northern isles. temperatures here struggling in the low teens for much of the day . but across the the low teens for much of the day. but across the mainland we'll get up to 1819 starting to dip away through this evening. but certainly much of southern scotland, most of northern ireland dry and fine through this evening and a lovely, pleasant summer's evening across the bulk of england and wales, with temperatures still in the

20s, even at 6 or 7:00 this evening, as we go through the night, we will start to see a bit more cloud pushing into western scotland. start to see more of a change here as we see rain creeping in over the highlands and the western isles, and later in the night the cloud will start to thicken more across northern ireland, most of england, wales staying dry and clear. quite a chilly night again across eastern counties of england . temperatures certainly england. temperatures certainly rural spots down into single digits . any morning mist and fog digits. any morning mist and fog will clear pretty rapidly on friday morning, and another fine day across many central and eastern parts . day across many central and eastern parts. but day across many central and eastern parts . but further west eastern parts. but further west we will see a change. more cloud across western scotland, some outbreaks of rain here and some showery rain creeping into wales and certainly northern ireland. come the afternoon . many central come the afternoon. many central and eastern parts, though, do stay dry and fine, and a touch warmer with temperatures up to 23 or 24. >> that warm feeling inside from boxt

gb news. >> well. good afternoon. britain. it's 1:00 >> well. good afternoon. britain. it's1:00 on thursday, the 20th of june. >> i'm emily carver, and i'm tom harwood . harwood. >> pressure on rishi sunak as more details emerge over members of his team being investigated for placing bets on the day the general election would be announced. how far does this scandal go ? scandal go? >> and the bank of england has held interest rates for the seventh time in a row, keeping the base rate at 5.25. but what does this mean for you and your mortgage or your savings ? well, mortgage or your savings? well, we'll hear from an expert. >> an england england could progress to the knockout stages of the euros today . if they can of the euros today. if they can overcome denmark. can gareth southgate deliver england's first major trophy in 58 years? i think so . i think so. >> i think it's about time we win against denmark. really?

>> absolutely it is. and i must say that you said that scotland didn't. you know pigs will fly when scotland wins a match. they actually did a shock draw. they didn't win better than you didn't win better than you didn't win better than you didn't win the match far better than you didn't win the match. your hat? no. >> i stand by exactly what i said. >> no pessimism goes. >> no pessimism goes. >> pigs will fly. optimism optimism. >> but yes, england, i suspect, will win this evening. >> if anything, it's just revenge for the vikings . i mean, revenge for the vikings. i mean, it's about time that we demand some reparations from the danish people. actually they invaded our country. they colonised our country and about politics, doesn't he always. oh, just look at we the united. oh, well, england was invaded by a number of different people. and i think if we can't moan about that , if we can't moan about that, what can we do as a nation? >> watch the football. but yes, i imagine, i imagine there may be a few people who are clocking off a little bit earlier than usual to secure their place at the pub, i imagine. >> i feel like that's probably let us know if that's you, if anything, that will. when the gdp figures for this month come

out, will will they have been boosted by all of the pub attendants that that no doubt will be taking place? >> well, we told earlier that, 5 million pints, 2 million pints are wasted when we score because because all the cheering, everyone goes like this and some idiots decide to sort of chuck it everywhere. >> oh, no. that's allowed. >> oh, no. that's allowed. >> that's allowed. let us know your thoughts. are you watching the match this evening? gbnews.com/yoursay say, let's get the headlines . get the headlines. >> tom. emily, thank you very much . good afternoon to you. much. good afternoon to you. it's just after 1:00. and the top story from the newsroom this lunchtime. the bank of england has held its interest rate at 5.25. that's the seventh time in a row it's been held. that's despite inflation finally reaching the target of 2% for the first time in three years. yesterday, the bank's governor, andrew bailey, said policymakers need to be sure that inflation will stay low. meanwhile, the

average first time buyer needs to earn more than £60,000 to buy a property, according to a leading property website. zoopla estimates those those trying to get onto the property ladder now need an income of nearly £15,000 more than they would have had last five years ago . with just last five years ago. with just two weeks to go until the general election, rishi sunak is under more pressure after two conservative candidates have been accused of election betting. sir keir starmer is calling on the prime minister to withdraw his support. >> this candidate should be suspended and it's very telling that rishi sunak has not already done that. if it was one of my candidates , they'd be gone and candidates, they'd be gone and their feet would not have touched the floor. >> well, those comments from sir keir starmer come after laura saunders and her husband, who is the conservative campaigns director, are now facing investigation by the gambling commission and so is another candidate, craig williams. he's a former aide to the prime minister, rishi sunak, and a member of the prime minister's

protection team was also arrested last night over similar reported bets . a friend of the reported bets. a friend of the missing british teenager, jay slater, insists he would have tried to get help if he was in trouble. lucy law says the 19 year old, from lancashire rang her during their holiday in tenerife, admitting he didn't know where he was despite jay's mobile phone being on just 1% battery, he did manage to send her a photo of her location. his mother has now joined a team of mountain rescuers and the local police on the search, which has now entered its third day here in the uk. michael gove says the conservatives are still capable of pulling off a pole, defying election victory. that's despite forecasts of a labour landslide . forecasts of a labour landslide. yougov data suggests the tories will slump to their lowest number of seats ever, while labour could win a 200 seat advantage. it's also predicting significant gains for the lib dems. they could win 67 seats. that's six times their result in 2019. but community secretary

michael gove told us earlier the race isn't over yet . race isn't over yet. >> i want to make and i'm making whenever i can, that strong case and certainly when i am with conservative candidates out in the field, people are responding to the case that they are making. so i feel a sense of optimism about that. but at the same time, there are these opinion polls and you entirely understandably ask me about them. and so my point is, well, i'm not convinced they're right. i'm not convinced they're right. i really think it is possible that

will join thousands of fans to cheer . of fans to cheer. on gareth southgate's side . in. this are southgate's side. in. this are behaving extremely well . and behaving extremely well. and finally, we've heard in the last few minutes that sir ian mckellen will now miss all remaining london west end dates in the play. player kings after

he fell from the stage during a show. the veteran screen and stage actor says he is having physiotherapy, light exercise and a lot of essential rest at home. after three nights being spentin home. after three nights being spent in hospital, he was performing at the noel coward theatre when he lost his footing in a fight scene and fell from the stage. his understudy will now perform in his place in the play now perform in his place in the play for its final dates . while play for its final dates. while the 85 year old recuperates . for the 85 year old recuperates. for the 85 year old recuperates. for the latest stories, you can sign up to gb news alerts by scanning the qr code on your screen or go to gb news common alerts now, though, it's back to tom and . emily. >> good afternoon britain. it's 1:07 now. both labour and the liberal democrats have been called, or have been calling for, the suspension of a conservative party candidate after she became the second being investigated for allegedly betting on the date of the

general election. >> yes, this seems to be building in momentum. it comes as the latest polling forecasts the conservatives are on course for an electoral wipe—out with one mrp poll predicting the party will be reduced to just 53 seats in parliament, which would be their worst result in history. >> well, let's speak to gb news political editor christopher hope, who's with us in westminster. and christopher, you've been following the conservatives around today. let's start with this developing story on on continued candidates seeming to have taken bets. what's going on? yeah yeah. >> hi, tom. hi, emily. yeah, it beggars belief. i think this tory party, when they call this election and surprise everybody, but they forgive them. they're so far behind the polls, they had to get everything right. they have not got everything right. there was the catastrophic early , early catastrophic early, early leaving from d—day by the pm. rishi sunak .

leaving from d—day by the pm. rishi sunak. it's been quite a lacklustre campaign. they're going backwards in the polls . going backwards in the polls. and then today we hear that another candidate , this is laura another candidate, this is laura saunders, the candidate in bristol north west, has been reportedly under investigation for betting on the date of the general election july the 4th. don't forget, no one knew it was going to happen. it was a big surprise this was a secret hell by a few people around the pm. as many as 40, i think george osborne has said the former tory chancellor on his podcast. we now added to that we have craig williams. he's a former parliamentary private to secretary rishi sunak. he's apologised . so he made a huge apologised. so he made a huge error of judgement for a flutter on the date of the election. laura saunders hasn't commented yet, but her husband is someone called tony lee, he he's the director of campaigning. he's running the whole election campaign as of yesterday. he's now taken a leave of absence. we can't get hold of mr lee, so . so can't get hold of mr lee, so. so we have no comment from either mr lee or laura saunders . but mr lee or laura saunders. but there's pressure now on the party to withdraw support for

laura saunders and probably craig williams, too, because it looks bad, michael gove has said as much when we spoke to him earlier. it clearly looks bad. i asked michael gove whether will there be any more people implicated in this emerging? what could be a tory betting election scandal? and he said he didn't know of any more. but frankly , where this ends, we frankly, where this ends, we don't know. labour are putting pressure on saying these people shouldn't be allowed to stand the election, given what's happened here. there's a further twist to it. a close protection officer to rishi sunak and one officer to rishi sunak and one of these people, important people who protect the prime minister from threats. he he's been arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office again allegedly on betting on the timing of the election. this is the last thing this party needs given they are so far behind in the polls. needs given they are so far behind in the polls . we've got behind in the polls. we've got this this savanta poll, overnight in the telegraph , overnight in the telegraph, predicting an election wipe out, tories down to 53 seats, just more than lib dems on 50, down

from 365 at the moment. labour mps from 365 at the moment. labour mp5 516 from 365 at the moment. labour mps 516 even rishi sunak the prime minister loses his seat, the first sitting pm were it to happen ever to lose their seat in an election, the tories say, of course, incorrectly . there's of course, incorrectly. there's only one poll that matters. and that's right, it's july, july the 4th and this is a snapshot. nothing more than that. but three big mrp polls, mass polls yesterday, 10 to 1000 people surveyed. they all forecast a labour landslide. what are they going to do? they're trying to do now the tory party is stop a landslide developing into a complete wipe—out of the entire existence of this party. >> and christopher, i understand you asked michael gove about this landmark ruling from the supreme court relating to oil and gas extraction . can you tell and gas extraction. can you tell us more ? us more? >> that's right. the issue of oil and gas licences is a political issue . the tory party political issue. the tory party says it will keep giving out licences for oil and gas drilling in the north sea. labour says no more as they seek

to go towards this goal would be decarbonising the economy by 2030. i asked mr gove, michael gove, the housing secretary, about this ruling in the in the courts today and here's what we had to say. >> i think we need to look at the judgement specifically, but there is a clear dividing line between the conservatives and labour here. we believe that we do need north sea oil and gas. we do need to grant new licences that overall, of course, over time, our reliance on fossil fuels will continue to diminish. but we can't move to net zero overnight. and ed miliband's policy, the labour policy, i'm afraid, would risk blackouts and dramatically increase energy bills . bills. >> that's michael gove and i should say, by the way, sirjim should say, by the way, sir jim ratcliffe, who owns oil refineries in scotland through ineos , his company, he's been on ineos, his company, he's been on stage today. he's been asked about this idea of decarbonising the country by 2030. he has said, that's absurd. so you've got big business here questioning the idea of decarbonising the uk or as best

they can by 2030. if labour win power . power. >> really, really interesting stuff there. but of course it all ties together, doesn't it? after all, the conservatives have passed a lot of this legislation. christopher hope, thank you very much for joining us and making that all very clear. >> well, quite. yes, anyway , the >> well, quite. yes, anyway, the bank of england have decided to hold the base rate for the seventh consecutive time. it is at 5.25. well, this comes despite the inflation figure, of course, reaching the bank's target 2% just yesterday. well, the shadow chancellor, rachel reeves , says conservatives are reeves, says conservatives are to blame for the increased pressure on households. >> well, i respect the independence of the bank of england and they've made their judgement. i know that many families, though, will be looking for interest rates to come down because as higher mortgage rates, higher rents since the conservatives budget almost two years ago has put real pressure on family finances, and many people will be looking for an interest rate cut soon. >> interesting . well, let's talk >> interesting. well, let's talk now to keith barber, director of

business development at the family building society, because , keith, let's start with the more macro before we go to micro, because it's true to say that around the world, these high interest rates have been really biting people . well, is really biting people. well, is it fair to say that the uk has been particularly out of kilter from comparing ourselves to the united states of america or the european union ? european union? >> no, i don't think so, uk rates have been , pretty much in rates have been, pretty much in line with what's been going on elsewhere . obviously, bank base elsewhere. obviously, bank base rate is different in the us and in the eurozone slightly, but the direction of travel has been up over the last sort of 18 months, two years. and those rates have then that would have been

for the benefit of the economy? vie of course, for people with mortgages, i don't think it's the right decision. >> we think they should have stopped putting bank base rate up when it got to about 4.5, and let that take effect , therefore, let that take effect, therefore, you know, the logic is that they should be bringing it down at this point. the problem is with the uk mortgage market, we've got 80% or more of people on fixed rates. so just putting bank base rate down won't immediately help those people because they've got to wait for their fixed rate to come to an end.so their fixed rate to come to an end. so the longer this goes on at these higher rates, the more we're locking up the economy because people's spending won't be, available to put on other, more constructive things than their mortgage. >> that is such an important thing to raise, keith, because it had been the case 20 or 30 years ago that the bank changing an interest rate would change the majority of mortgages almost instantaneously , whereas now we instantaneously, whereas now we have a huge , huge proportion of, have a huge, huge proportion of, of rates that are set for a year

or for two years or even five years. i mean, this is going to take a long, long time to filter through the system. i yes, and it means that borrowers have to make some quite difficult judgements when their fixed rate comes to an end. >> do you take a new fixed rate, or do you sit on a variable rate and hope the bank of england is going to cut their rates soon and then take a fixed rate or do you take a two year rate or a five year rate? it really is very difficult for individuals to make that decision , and they to make that decision, and they need to have help from, financial advisers who can guide them through that decision process. yes, it is there. there is one. sorry. go on. group which is benefiting from these rates. of course, staying higher for longer . rates. of course, staying higher for longer. and that's savers. you know, they're getting a real rate of return at the moment of 3, and that's the first time i think i've been able to say that for many years. >> yes, we have had quite a few messages from people who say, you know, quite enjoying these high interest rates . it's

you know, quite enjoying these high interest rates. it's more of the same. please, thank you very much indeed. keith barber , very much indeed. keith barber, director of business development at the family building society. great to get your perspective on this. >> now, the mother of missing, jaye slater says the continued search for her son is an absolute living nightmare . absolute living nightmare. >> yes, the 19 year old was attending the nrg music festival on the canary islands with some friends. they'd last heard from him in tenerife on monday morning . that was when he told morning. that was when he told a friend he would walk back to his accommodation after missing his bus.so accommodation after missing his bus. so it's all deeply concerning. we were speaking to a journalist based out there in tenerife, talking about the scale of this rescue well search and rescue operation, they still haven't been able to locate this very young man. >> absolutely . and of course, we >> absolutely. and of course, we know that there was a phone call , the phone ran out of battery and the search has now been going on for several days. but let's get the latest with the journalist gerard cousins, who is in marbella for us. and

gerard, what is the scale of this operation now ? this operation now? >> well, the police are not talking about numbers, but, the civil guard have got at least four units involved in the search. sniffer dogs, helicopter , mountain rescue people. and of course other other agencies are involved. firefighters civil protection workers with drones. so it is a big operation. >> friends have been speaking to the media, some concerned that he could have been kidnapped. i guess at this stage we have no idea what's actually happened to him . him. >> no, i mean, i think, you know, the fact that the focus is on this mountain area in northwest tenerife shows you that this is the hypothesis that police are working on at the moment, but obviously the family have expressed their concerns that there is something suspicious , that they believe he

suspicious, that they believe he could have been kidnapped. the police haven't ruled anything out, they've said that they're keeping an open mind, and let's see what happens in the course of the next, the next few days. but but the focus as far as we're seeing at the moment is, is, is, is the search on this mountain area that he was last seen. >> and of course, tenerife is such a popular, holiday destination for many brits, this seems like a fairly unusual occurrence. so what do we know about the, frankly, how used authorities are to this sort of mountain search and rescue in the very rough terrain that does exist around those built up areas? well the one of the teams, one of the police teams thatis teams, one of the police teams that is involved is a is an expert team, with expert police mountaineers. >> so they will be well trained. for the job that they're doing, obviously this area is very different from the southern part of tenerife, about 45 minutes south, with the tourist areas of

los cristianos, playa de las americas, which which we've all heard of, this is a very different terrain and a different terrain and a different climate, because at night it gets , it gets a lot night it gets, it gets a lot colder, but no, no, the, the police involved, the different police involved, the different police teams involved all have expertise in their particular areas . so, expertise in their particular areas. so, you expertise in their particular areas . so, you know, top people areas. so, you know, top people areas. so, you know, top people are on it. >> and gerard just, just finally, of course, tenerife is not english speaking, is there will it be quite difficult for the family and friends of this young man to be able to communicate with the authorities over there, or is that something that in general, they'll all speak english and be able to do so? >> well? the, the mum is speaking on a regular basis to british consular, people that will be her point of contact. culturally, the police are different over here, so the guardia civil will not have put a liaison officer alongside the family to be keeping them up to date on developments, the family will be getting their

information, via the british consular people , but they tell consular people, but they tell me that they're happy with, the mum tells me that she's she's happy with, the way she's being treated by the british consular , treated by the british consular, so there won't be a language barrier there. obviously okay. >> that's very interesting. thank you so much. gerard cousins . really great to speak cousins. really great to speak to you, well , cousins. really great to speak to you, well, up cousins. really great to speak to you, well , up next, should we to you, well, up next, should we be taking more serious action against just stop oil? should they even be prescribed in a similar way to terrorist organisations? this, of course , organisations? this, of course, follows those actions at stonehenge and, an airport

okay. well, it's one 24in the afternoon. and in the past 24

hours or so. just stop oil . hours or so. just stop oil. activists have taken it upon themselves to spray orange powder all over stonehenge. and they've also now broken into stansted airport. >> well, they painted several private jets with orange paint. after breaking in with a wire cutter, they claimed taylor swift's jet landed just hours beforehand . beforehand. >> and yes, the protest group have warned there could be more targets this summer. now, both rishi sunak and keir starmer have criticised their actions on x on social media. i think rishi sunak called them a disgrace and keir starmer called them pathetic. >> but let's debate now whether just stop oil should be prescribed and forbidden, let's, join with the political commentator benedict spence, who thinks they should be, and the senior meteorologists at the british weather services, jim dale , who thinks they shouldn't. dale, who thinks they shouldn't. >> excellent. >> excellent. >> two sides. absolutely. benedict let's start with you. why should they be? i think this is long since crossed over the

bounds from what people might consider legitimate protest, i think the incident with stonehenge. i don't really care that people say , oh, well, it's that people say, oh, well, it's only cornflower or whatever it is, it'll wash off really easily. this is an international monument. this is deep history. this is the last sort of echo from time of human beings who don't actually have a voice anymore. beyond the remnants that they've left us. it is something for all of humanity and for people to sort of set the precedent that it's acceptable to attack it, even in acceptable to attack it, even in a very minor way, i think is unacceptable . but when it comes unacceptable. but when it comes to the question of stansted airport, well, then actually you're talking about a security threat. actually, you cannot have whatever it is that you think your protest is, whatever however well—intentioned you think it is, at the point at which you start, you know, trying to trespass, break and enter into an airport, or interfere with people's jets, you know, no matter how rich they may be, whatever you might think about them, that is a security threat to individuals. thatis security threat to individuals. that is a security threat. on a broader level, we all know about

the levels of security that are appued the levels of security that are applied at airports for very good reason , if you think that good reason, if you think that you can flout those rules for your your personal sort of pet, project, i'm afraid you've got another thing coming. you know, if this was another group that had other sort of political minds, let's say it was, a gaza protesters or something like that, i think people would be absolutely livid. and i think that we allow these people because environmentalism is seen as this morally good thing. i think we've allowed these people far too much leeway in getting away with your points, to benedict, jim. >> i mean, benedict there, he sounds entirely reasonable. how can you possibly argue with that? >> well, good afternoon to the pair of you, the actual question here is, is, is, is should we essentially ban, jso from , essentially ban, jso from, existence, in other words, making them into terrorists? i think that's what the what the question is they're not terrorists. we if we go back a hundred years or so and talk about the suffragettes, we've got a general election coming up very shortly in which , millions

very shortly in which, millions upon millions of women are going to be voting . to be voting. >> the suffragettes killed people. they set off bombs , they people. they set off bombs, they exploded. they tried to kill the prime minister. they killed citizens in this country. they were terrorists . were terrorists. >> well, you could argue that. and emily is sitting next to you with a vote coming up in a couple of weeks, thanks to the suffragists, not the suffragettes. let me speak. let me. >> got him on his, the element, the elephant in the room here. >> the big elephant in the room is climate. that is what they're trying to bring to the attention of. now i don't condone the way that they're doing it . i of. now i don't condone the way that they're doing it. i think tactically they're all wrong. >> jim, sorry if you're comparing them to the suffragettes, do you think that it would be entirely reasonable, as the suffragettes did, to plant bombs in people's homes and transport networks, to blow things up, to kill people? is that what you're justifying here? >> yes. so come up with your loaded comments because that's just pathetic . actually, you just pathetic. actually, you just pathetic. actually, you just justified that action. you know what the suffragettes purpose was? their tactics may,

may and certainly were at times wrong. but nonetheless, they've got us to where we are today. we need to get to the same place as far as climate is concerned, if you keep your eyes down wide short, then you will. you will not see what's going on around the world in terms of in terms of the, the, the, the heat and the floods that are going on. okay, not in the uk too much, but everywhere else. it's happening right in front of your eyes and you are just ignoring that big elephant that sat behind you. and we're talking about powder paint i recognise. >> okay, let's bring benedict back in. i guess the argument is that it would be a bit extreme to ban them outright , that it would be a bit extreme to ban them outright, i think. >> i mean, you want to take the sort of the suffragist slash suffragettes argument, the end goal for both both wings of the movement, if you like, was the democratic empowerment of half of the population. that's not an extremist perspective. i think just stop oil and extinction rebellion and all of these organisations , their attitude organisations, their attitude towards climate change is

extremist. their solutions to climate change are extremist. everybody can have a position on the environment and recognise that there are several different routes that you can go down that do not involve, for instance , do not involve, for instance, the sort of the sweeping decimation of energy policy , decimation of energy policy, which is ultimately what they're asking for. and that will make people a lot poorer in the short term. it will increase poverty in the short to medium term. so actually, i don't think these are things i don't think that these are things that can be compared. >> okay. a final a final word to jim. you just wanted to come back on that. >> all of this all of this, it will make you poorer. i'll tell you what. it will make us dead if we don't do anything about it. we seeing what's going on around the world. it's getting worse and worse and worse. these people who, generally speaking, on the right of politics, are just missing it completely, making their excuses up as the climate ramps and will continue to ramp. i you know, we can talk about powder paint till the cows come home. but the real real extremes here are coming in the form of climate. and they're being missed for political reasons. okay. >> well, thank you very much indeed. jim dale and benedict

spence, good stuff. well, up next, we're going to be joined by the shadow secretary of state for science, innovation and technology, peter kyle, to get his take on the supreme court's ruling . ruling. >> very good afternoon to you. it's just after 1:30, the top story this lunchtime. experts say the pieces of the puzzle are now almost in place for an interest rate cut in august. that's after the bank of england kept it unchanged today at 5.25. the cost of borrowing hadn't been expected to move, however , been expected to move, however, the news will come as a blow to borrowers who will continue to pay a borrowers who will continue to pay a high rate on any loans they take out, like mortgages. well it comes as figures suggest the average first time buyer now needs to earn more than £60,000 to buy a property leading website zoopla estimates those trying to get onto the property ladder now need an income of nearly £15,000. more than five years ago . sir keir starmer is

years ago. sir keir starmer is calling on the prime minister to withdraw support for two of his conservative candidates, accused of election betting, saying that labour wouldn't tolerate such behaviour. >> this candidate should be suspended and it's very telling that rishi sunak has not already done that. if it was one of my candidates, they'd be gone and their feet would not have touched the floor. >> well, the labour leader's comments come as laura saunders and her husband, who's the conservative's campaign director , and another candidate, craig williams, face investigations by the gambling commission. a member of the prime minister's protection team was also arrested last night amid similar allegations . questions arrested last night amid similar allegations. questions remain about the whereabouts of a british teenager who's gone missing while on holiday in tenerife. a friend of 19 year old jay slater says he rang her on 1% battery, saying he didn't know where he was. he was attending a music festival on the spanish island and hasn't been seen since monday . the

been seen since monday. the russian president has touched down in vietnam this morning, continuing his diplomatic tour of asia , vladimir putin met with of asia, vladimir putin met with president stowlawn, aiming to boost ties and establish a strategic partnership. the vietnamese president congratulated putin on his landslide victory in recent russian elections, which were dismissed internationally as neither free nor fair . that's neither free nor fair. that's the latest from the newsroom. for now, i'll be back at 2:00 with your next update. until then, you can sign up to gb news alerts. just scan the code on your screen or go to our website i >> -- >> cheers. britannia wine club proudly sponsors the gb news financial report . financial report. >> well, let's get a look at the markets this afternoon. the pound will buy you $1.269 and ,1.1830. the price of gold this

hour £1,844.82. that's per ounce. and the ftse 100 is at 8239 points. >> cheers. britannia wine club proudly sponsors the gb financial report

good afternoon. britain. it's 1:37. now, sir keir starmer is campaigning on the issue of the economy in north yorkshire today, with the labour party pledging to bulldoze planning restrictions and get britain building again. restrictions and get britain building again . that's building again. that's accompanied by a promise of 1.5 million new homes over the course of the next parliament. yes, the labour leader has also promised to hit the ground running if his party is privileged enough in quotes to serve the country well. joining us now is peter kyle, shadow secretary of state for science, innovation and technology . well, innovation and technology. well, peter, we're going to start with an issue that has hit the headunesin an issue that has hit the headlines in the last couple of hours. and that's this supreme

court ruling on an oil well down in your part of the world, actually. well, next county over in surrey, the supreme court has said that has ruled against the planning permission for this . planning permission for this. well, there have been protesters, campaigners who have taken this planning decision to the court saying they haven't considered the downstream emissions from this . what's made emissions from this. what's made with the oil after it's been extracted . and what do you make extracted. and what do you make of this decision ? of this decision? >> thanks, tom. it's good to be back on the show again , well, back on the show again, well, firstly, the rule of law stands and the court obviously is there to interpret the law as it stands on statute. i haven't read the ruling yet, but it's clear that what they're doing is just making sure that when planning decisions are made, that they are done in a lawful way. i don't think this was a judgement that was specifically on oil . this was a judgement on oil. this was a judgement that was specifically saying that was specifically saying that councils have to take an overall decision about when they

do do something and make a decision that does lead to emissions. they need to show how overall that council will reduce emissions over time to meet the legally binding targets that are set. set in law signed by theresa may's government . theresa may's government. >> i'm surprised that you're not that you're not more angry about this, actually, peter, because, i mean, after all, isn't your party campaigning on tearing away these planning restrictions on making it easier to perform economic activity like this, to grow the economy? and yet this decision that was granted planning permission in 2019 has spent the last five years in the courts . it's been raked over by courts. it's been raked over by environmental activists. this is why we're not growing, isn't it? this is why . this is why. >> well, the issue here is that so many decisions are holding back our country. are because of bureaucratic approaches to planning. just because you expedite planning, particularly when it aligns with our national priorities as set out in the industrial strategy, that we

will put out in our country as part of a decade of national renewal . if we win part of a decade of national renewal. if we win in part of a decade of national renewal . if we win in two weeks renewal. if we win in two weeks time is to expedite the priorities of our country, including in areas of regulation and planning that does, in plain english, in corners. as we in plain english. >> would this have been , would >> would this have been, would would this have been approved under labour or would it still have spent five years in the courts ? courts? >> well, if where there are areas which align with our national priorities, we will find ways of expediting it through the planning process. now, we have said already that we are not going to set out new oil and gas licences. we're going to allow the existing ones to expire. but what we will be doing and it will have an impact in in a similar way as perhaps we will be expediting things which are to do with the new technologies of the future . so technologies of the future. so carbon capture and storage, for example, wind farms , including example, wind farms, including onshore wind farms. now, when they align to our priorities , we

they align to our priorities, we will find ways of expediting it. that doesn't mean bypassing communities. it doesn't mean a sort of circumventing law. it can be done lawfully, as we saw with covid during the vaccine programme, all of the laws can be adhered to. what it does mean is investing in the jobs of the future , the innovations of the future, the innovations of the future, the innovations of the future, so that britain can become a world leader so that not just we're doing things like sustainable technology, sustainable technology, sustainable energy production domestically , we can get to the domestically, we can get to the point because we will have a state backed energy company, which is gb energy, that we can get to an economy of scale and we can we can invest in, in innovation so early . we can innovation so early. we can start expecting exporting these technologies right around the world as, as sir patrick vallance said, if we don't export it, we will end up importing it. let's be, let's be proud of britain. >> one could say that our oil and gas back, our innovators. >> let's start. >> let's start. >> but just to just to continue on oil, just stop oil their

actions in the last two days have, as you can imagine, horrified , quite a lot of our horrified, quite a lot of our viewers and listeners on this channel, with the attack on stonehenge , with this latest stonehenge, with this latest activity at stansted airport, do you think it's time to ban this group ? group? >> mr farage? i think what they're doing is counterproductive. i think the attack, as you saw keir starmer's comments and those of us in the labour party, their their attack on stonehenge was reprehensible. it should never have happened. what they're doing is counterproductive because what they're doing is making this issue into a divisive issue . actually, if divisive issue. actually, if you'd heard me speaking a moment ago, we will be creating new jobs of the future. we will be creating new wealth for our country , opportunities to take country, opportunities to take advantage of the global market. if we get this right. this isn't all about just stopping things . all about just stopping things. this is about actually selling these issues as a as a transition to the future. and our country has always succeeded , whether it's the industrial revolution at the beginning, the technological revolution we've

undergone in the past, the white heat of technology in the 1960s, every time britain has embraced the opportunities of the future, we succeed as a country. >> so that is of course, true. but peter, carl, this is a this is a campaign group that has blocked roads. >> it's a campaign group that stopped play at sports matches. it's a campaign group that interfered in theatre productions. it's now breaking into airports, trashing heritage sites. i mean, is it not time now to ban it? keir starmer says that those responsible must face the full force of the law. what about the group itself? what about the group itself? what about the group itself? what about the group itself ? about the group itself? >> well, what we've had in the past and where we fail with this is every single one of the actions you have just outlined is already unlawful. what we need to do is make sure that the police have the powers and they have the officers, they have the resources they need and the structure and backing of government to actually enforce the law as it stands today. any of those actions should have resulted in arrests and

prosecutions. they should have ended up in the courts. but unfortunately, we have a backlog in the courts of 45,000 people because of how badly managed the court system is . most of these court system is. most of these issues don't never make it to the courts. so let's fix the system. let's get make sure that when people are acting unlawfully in areas like this, we just enforce the law . we just enforce the law. >> now to something completely different. the labour party has put out a video of keir starmer perhaps competing with ed davey for the most scenic and lovely parts of this general election campaign. walking through the lake district with gary neville, now in his conversation with gary neville, he was saying how much the labour party has changed, how he's trying to bnng changed, how he's trying to bring forward a new group of people and they were talking about this to each other. but but gary neville backed jeremy corbyn in 2019. this was just two men who both backed jeremy corbyn talking to each other about the party. they voted for last time. they voted for last

time in this election. >> you are seeing keir starmer and his changed labour party going to the election with a fresh labour party with fresh ideas, fresh policies. yes and fresh people too. what we need to do is not just attract people who voted for and supported jeremy corbyn in the past, but also people who supported, boris johnson in the past. that's the whole point of politics. it should be about attracting people and bringing people together around a core set of values, principles and policies. and that is what you are seeing from keir starmer's changed labour party. it is great that gary neville is out there supporting keir starmer. it's great that john caldwell, who backed boris johnson , has now backed boris johnson, has now come across to the labour party. it's great that we see two tories mps in the last six weeks coming across and joining labour in our mission because they, they, they distrust the tories on the small boats issue and on the nhs. so they come to labour because we have the people, the politics and the ideas , the politics and the ideas, the policies that are going to tackle the challenges. >> through a decade of gary. >> through a decade of gary. >> gary neville isn't one of

those that you've had to persuade recently. is—he thank you very much though, peter kyle, you are the shadow science, innovation and technology secretary. thank you very much . yeah, no interesting stuff. >> but in a moment we're going to be heading to nottingham because england fans are escaping the workday there. they're off a bit early. fans. yeah. well they're awaiting that kick off with denmark. we're going to

good afternoon. britain. it's coming up to 10 to 2. and get this. the three lions will be roaring back into action when they face denmark in their second group stage game of the euros. >> yes. tournament fever is in full swing in germany with england fans. look, there he goes, taking his kit off. oh, seeing a bit too much makes you proud to be british. they're already enjoying a splash of excitement. look at him. he needs to make sure they put the sunblock on, don't they? sorry. sun cream as they gather in mass in frankfurt. >> well, manager gareth

southgate hopes to reward them for their support and build on that one nil victory over serbia i >> -- >> know lama. >> know that we can play better than we did the other day, but i thought the players , in what is thought the players, in what is an incredibly pressurised moment , started the game exceptionally well and defended brilliantly throughout the whole game , and i throughout the whole game, and i think they'll be better for that game. i think they'll be better for having a game under their belt as well as anticipation is growing. >> our reporter , will hollis >> our reporter, will hollis will be enjoying it with fans in nottingham now . and will joins nottingham now. and will joins us now. will, what's the feeling like are people preparing for what will be a big game? >> well, i think most people are still in work, maybe trying to get out a little bit early. >> the sun is starting to shine and the beer is starting to flow here at the fan zone at bink's yard in nottingham, where when work is finished, some 500

england fans will be coming down to celebrate and to watch that group c clash. >> england taking on denmark. it was a little bit of a shaky start to the tournament at the weekend, when england only just managed to beat serbia with that early goal from jude bellingham one nil, but a very nervy end to the match. now lots of people in nottingham , in a city that loves nottingham, in a city that loves its football, are excited for the euros and they are backing england and i've been asking after that performance , can after that performance, can england go all the way in this tournament ? tournament? >> i think they'll proceed into the next round, but after that i think they've got some serious competition. >> gareth southgate is shocking . >> gareth southgate is shocking. he's tactically inept, doesn't know what he's doing. he'll never get a club job after england. i'd rather have graham potter. >> i think england might win it, to be honest, but anything could happen. you know, it's a bit of an unusual year, i think . an unusual year, i think. >> yeah, i think england will get to at least the semi—finals, but i think that'll be our toughest game because i've got us playing france there. but then if we get past that then i

think there's no stopping us. >> well, if england are going to win, they need one thing. they need goals. and what happens when people score? well, of course, the fans, particularly at fan zones like here in nottingham, they celebrate. new research from aldi shows that every time england scores, a pint goes in the air, 5 million pints are going to be lost dunng pints are going to be lost during this tournament when pints go in the air. but we know that it pints go in the air. but we know thatitis pints go in the air. but we know that it is going to be good for the tour for england and for the uk. hospitality sector. uk hospitality says that £300 million extra is going to be put into the uk coffers and if we go all the way, it'll be £800 million extra into our economy just because of england's performance at the euros. >> well, fingers crossed if anything , if >> well, fingers crossed if anything, if anything can raise the uk economy from the slight doldrums that it happens to be in right now, it's football. well, we're gonna win. thank you. >> we're gonna win, tom, you think you feel it? >> always got to have the hope. you always got to have the hope.

>> i felt that four years ago. but, sadly, it wasn't to be. you're going to be watching. i will be, yeah. >> yes. me, too. >> i'm gonna. well, i mean, i'm also going to be preparing for the show that i'm doing at 8:00 this evening, so i'm gonna have to. yes, i might have to dip in and out. i'm not quite price for you. >> well , one you. >> well, one pint? no. not allowed. >> as long as i'm under the limit. under the legal limit? >> absolutely not allowed. i, on the other hand , you know, a the other hand, you know, a little glass of rose might be nice, but, yes, we've got lots more coming up on the show. rishi sunak is, of course, facing a lot of questions about several members now of his party allegedly betting on the announcement of the general election. it's not looking great, is it? i mean, there's lots of questions of whether rishi sunak should have, you know, done something about this sooner. >> soonen >> yeah, it seems very, very odd. i mean, there was the one story that was a parliamentary aide putting £100 on it and you think, oh, that's a bit silly of him. what's going? and then you hear about the policeman and then you hear about the second parliamentary candidate, and you're starting to think, this doesn't look just look like someone being a buffoon. it

looks like either an incredibly unfortunate series of events or something more sinister. >> it'sjust something more sinister. >> it's just such an outrageous thing to do . i mean, you have no thing to do. i mean, you have no right to. you have no right to set a bet on something you have secret information about, if thatis secret information about, if that is what's happened here, but we'll be back in just a tick. this is, of course, good afternoon, britain. we're on gb news with britain's news and election . channel. election. channel. >> a brighter outlook with boxt solar sponsors of weather on . gb news. >> welcome along to your latest weather update from the met office here on gb news. the solstice today and for many it's a good looking day. dry, fine, hazy sunshine and fairly light winds. high pressure is dominate and there is an old weather front that's been sinking south, generating quite a bit of cloud over parts of northern england. nonh over parts of northern england. north wales in particular, but

say here, just making the sunshine fairly hazy, a bit more cloud into western scotland, who could even be the odd spot of drizzle here and there. but for most places, dry and fine . some most places, dry and fine. some lengthy spells of sunshine for east anglia and southern counties of england in particular. that's where we'll see the top temperatures 22, 23, maybe 24 celsius elsewhere, generally high teens or low 20s. certainly feeling a bit warmer than it has done for most of june. so far through this evening. not a great deal of change. cloud just starting to thicken in western scotland. a little bit more in the way of drizzle. just creeping onto the west coast. a bit more cloud across the northern isles. temperatures here struggling in the low teens for much of the day . but across the the low teens for much of the day. but across the mainland we'll get up to 1819 starting to dip away through this evening. but certainly much of southern scotland, most of northern ireland dry and fine through this evening and a lovely, pleasant summer's evening across the bulk of england and wales, with temperatures still in the 20s, even at 6 or 7:00 this evening, as we go through the night, we will start to see a bit more cloud pushing into

western scotland. start to see more of a change here as we see rain creeping in over the highlands and the western isles, and later in the night the cloud will start to thicken more across northern ireland, most of england, wales staying dry and clear. quite a chilly night again across eastern counties of england . temperatures certainly england. temperatures certainly rural spots down into single digits . any morning mist and fog digits. any morning mist and fog will clear pretty rapidly on friday morning, and another fine day across many central and eastern parts . day across many central and eastern parts. but day across many central and eastern parts . but further west eastern parts. but further west we will see a change. more cloud across western scotland, some outbreaks of rain here and some showery rain creeping into wales and certainly northern ireland. come the afternoon . renee come the afternoon. renee central and eastern parts, though, do stay dry and fine, and a touch warmer with temperatures up to 23 or 24. >> that warm feeling inside from boxt boilers sponsors of weather

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>> good afternoon. britain. it's 2:00 on thursday, the 20th of june. i'm tom harwood , and i'm june. i'm tom harwood, and i'm emily carver. the future of oil and gas projects in the uk could be under threat. this follows a landmark decision by the supreme court. we're going to be joined by the leader of the climate party. is this a good thing. >> and the search for missing british teenager jay slater enters. now its fourth day. this in tenerife. jay's mother says she's in a living nightmare. we'll keep you updated. >> and england could progress to the knockout stages of the euros today. if they can overcome denmark. can gareth southgate deliver england's first major trophy in 58 years? now we were to talking peter kyle in the last half hour. he's

the shadow secretary of state for science, innovation, technology and he said something quite interesting about labour's plans for growth and economic development. that was, of course , is not allowing new oil and gas licenses, but allowing a lot more wind farms and solar farms. >> and what did you make of that? >> well, it's interesting , isn't >> well, it's interesting, isn't it, because currently wind farms and solar farms receive a level of subsidy. hum, there is also a level of tax, but oil and gas has a 75% windfall tax placed upon it. one of these things is more generative of income for the treasury than the other . the treasury than the other. >> i think they're going to have trouble with this. i think they're really going to have trouble with this if they get elected with what to do about oil and gas. we know there are

unions who are very angry at the prospect of job losses in that industry . it prospect of job losses in that industry. it is key, particularly up in scotland as well, huge amounts of money into the treasury's coffers from oil and gas. they continue to use it as a cash cow. the government does with these windfall taxes. labour saying they want even more of a windfall tax on these oil and gas companies. what are we going to do? are we going to be able to boost green technology in such a way as to completely rid us of the need of gas and oil, or is that just completely out of, you know, reality , and are we just going reality, and are we just going to end up importing more oil and gas at more expensive, more dirty oil and gas for that one? it just doesn't quite stack up. >> it's interesting because in to order allow oil, wind and on the the wind isn't so shining? well, we have back up gas generation. >> well, they'd say all we're

going to have storage, we're going to have storage, we're going to have big batteries that can soak up all of this energy and keep it there for a for a not rainy day. >> okay. so we haven't we haven't seen big breakthroughs in battery technology . this in battery technology. this would probably mean everyone having a battery in their house perhaps that's thousands of pounds per household. i mean, i don't think the storage issue has quite been worked through. >> yeah. i mean, does it all add up for you at home? let us know. gbnews.com/yoursay is the way to get in touch, but let's get the headlines. >> tom. emily, thank you very much. good afternoon to you. it's just after 2:00 leading the news this afternoon. as expected , the bank of england has held its interest rate at 5.25. that's the highest level since 2008. it's a blow, though, to borrowers , but could be good borrowers, but could be good news for those with savings. the bank says it needs more certainty that inflation will stay low before considering a rate cut. well, it comes as the

average first time buyer now needs to earn more than £60,000 to buy a property. that's according to a leading website. zoopla estimates that those trying to get onto the property ladder now need an income of nearly £15,000 more than they did five years ago, with just two weeks to go until the general election on the 4th of july, rishi sunak, under more pressure after two conservative candidates have been accused of election betting. sir keir starmer is calling on the prime minister to withdraw his support. >> this candidate should be suspended and it's very telling that rishi sunak has not already done that . if it was one of my done that. if it was one of my candidates, they'd be gone and their feet would not have touched the floor. >> well, those comments from sir keir starmer come as laura saunders and her husband, who's the conservative's campaign director , are now facing an director, are now facing an investigation by the gambling commission . so is another tory commission. so is another tory candidate, craig williams, a former aide to the prime minister, rishi sunak, and a member of the prime minister's

protection team, was also arrested last night over reported bets . a friend of the reported bets. a friend of the missing british teenager, jay slater, insists he would have tried to get help if he was in trouble. lucy law says the 19 year old, from lancashire rang her during their holiday in tenerife, admitting he didn't know where he was despite jay's mobile phone being on just 1% battery. he did, though, manage to send her a photo of his location. his mother has now joined a team of mountain rescuers and the local police on their search, which is now into its third day. back here, michael gove says the conservatives are still capable of pulling off poll defying election victory, despite forecasts of a labour landslide . forecasts of a labour landslide. yougov data suggests the conservatives will slump to their lowest number of seats even their lowest number of seats ever, while labour could win a 200 seat average. it's also predicting significant gains for the lib dems, who could win 67 seats. that would be six times their result in 2019. however,

their result in 2019. however, the community secretary, michael gove, told us this morning the race for the conservatives isn't yet over. >> i want to make and am making whenever i can, that strong case and certainly when i am with conservative candidates out in the field, people are responding to the case that they are making. so i feel a sense of optimism about that. but at the same time , there are these same time, there are these opinion polls and you entirely understand ask me about them. and so my point is, well, i'm not convinced they're right. i really think it is possible that we can do significantly better than these polls indicate . but than these polls indicate. but in fairness, if you ask me a fair question about them , i've fair question about them, i've got to say, well, if they are accurate, then i fear the consequences for michael gove there. >> speaking to us this morning. well, in some health news, another 45 people we understand are now being treated in hospital following the ongoing outbreak of e coli that's been unked outbreak of e coli that's been linked to lettuce in pre—packed sandwiches . the uk health sandwiches. the uk health security agency says those

additional 45 cases were recorded between june the 14th and june the 18th, bringing the total number of confirmed cases total number of confirmed cases to now 256. and health experts say that figure is still likely to rise further as nhs labs, test specimens and link cases to the outbreak. it comes after some sandwiches and wraps sold at major retailers including sainsbury's, asda and boots have been recalled due to contamination concerns . it's contamination concerns. it's understood the post office has accidentally published the names and addresses of hundreds of wrongfully convicted subpostmasters online. in the documents, seen by the daily mail, shows the details of those taking legal action after becoming victims of the horizon scandal. that document has now been taken down since it was spotted, and the post office says it's investigating how it came to be published . emissions came to be published. emissions created by burning fossil fuels should be considered when granting planning permission for new drilling sites . that's new drilling sites. that's according to a ruling by the

supreme court. sarah finch challenged a decision by surrey county council to allow the expansion of an oil well site in 2019, but her appeal was challenged by the council . they challenged by the council. they argued that the law did not require the downstream effects of emissions to be considered. today's ruling, though , today's ruling, though, overturns the original decision to grant planning permission , to grant planning permission, and sir ian mckellen will miss all remaining london west end dates in the play. player kings after falling from the stage dunng after falling from the stage during a show this week , the during a show this week, the veteran screen and stage actor says he is having physiotherapy, light exercise and a lot of essential rest at home. after spending three nights in hospital, he was performing at the noel coward theatre when he lost his footing in a fight scene and fell from the stage. his understudy, will, will perform in his place for the final dates , while the 85 year final dates, while the 85 year old recuperates . for the latest old recuperates. for the latest stories, you can sign up to gb news alerts by scanning the code on your screen, or go to our

website now, though, it's back to tom and . emily. to tom and. emily. >> good afternoon britain. it's 2:09. now. are the tories in turmoil? the party is facing fresh allegations of sleaze after it was revealed a second conservative candidate is being investigated for allegedly betting on the date of this general election. >> yes, and this comes a day after fresh polling predicted rishi sunak's party is heading for electoral wipe—out, certainly seems a little , chaotic. >> meanwhile, the labour leader, sir keir starmer , has been sir keir starmer, has been continuing on the campaign trail talking about the economy, his pledge to build more homes over the course of the next parliament, 1.5 million and to hit the ground running if elected. >> there they are with their hard hats on the high viz jackets on to. >> yeah, let's speak to our political editor, christopher hope, who is live in westminster for us alongside our political

correspondent olivia utley, who's in york. olivia, why don't we start with you? because you've been following the labour lot around. what are they saying ? >> well, 7 >> well, there in north yorkshire this morning, just outside york, talking about their pledge to build more houses over the next parliament, keir starmer also talked about reforming various elements of renting. so for example, removing well in buying, removing well in buying, removing those ground rents or at least reducing them to sort of peppercorn rates and also stopping, he said. the bidding wars that can take place in private renting, where one tenant offers the asking price on a particular flat, and then another comes in and gazumped them, as it's known, offers a bit more and ends up getting it, he says. that is one of the reasons why rental prices are being pushed up, and labour wants to put a stop to it. of course, ultimately the reason why rental prices are being pushed up is because there is not enough supply, and keir

starmer is promising to fix that . it is possible that labour will have a slightly easier time fixing this issue than the conservatives, because the conservatives, because the conservatives tend , on the conservatives tend, on the whole, to be a little more nimby ish as it's known. so people in sort of pretty rural constituency offices, often around the sort of south—east of england who are worried, sometimes very understandably, about new homes being built in their areas as labour is a slightly more urban party, it might be a bit easier for them to start to tackle this crisis and keir starmer is certainly making the right noises. we also talked to him this morning about those polls that came out last night , which suggested total night, which suggested total decimation for the conservative party and labour getting perhaps the second biggest majority since the second world war. are bigger majority than tony blair. well, some of the labour people i've spoken to here today are actually a little bit worried about those polls, because they're worried that it's going to encourage complacency in their voters. this is what keir starmer had to say when i asked him about it earlier.

>> polls do not predict the future, and i'm well aware that every single vote has to be earned, and it will only be earned, and it will only be earned if people put their trust and confidence in labour. and this is a choice election, a choice between carrying on with the 14 years now we've had of chaos, of division, of failure , chaos, of division, of failure, and the breach of standards which we're seeing today in relation to this gambling story. >> well, keir starmer has said over and over again, and he just said it again there that polling isn't an actual real predictor of what's going to happen on election day . and he is really election day. and he is really encouraging labour voters in safe labour seats to bother to turn out on polling day. all of that said, you could say that actions speak louder than words. and in the last few days, keir starmer has been targeting conservative seats with majorities of about 15,000. that suggests that labour is feeling very, very confident indeed. and it could be on election day that there are some of those labour voters living in safe labour seats, perhaps in london or birmingham or manchester, who

just think, well, what's the point in bothering to turn out to vote at the moment, that's probably labour's biggest fear , probably labour's biggest fear, but a pretty, pretty nice worry to have. if you're keir starmer. >> well, thank you very much indeed, olivia. and i must say, what a stunning setting there up in york. really beautiful, christopher, you've been on the conservative battlebus today. how are they handling this, gambling probe ? gambling probe? >> yeah, well, it never rains, but it pours for, michael gove, the tory party, rishi sunak. i was with mr gove when he went to see a housing project. some building work been taking place in west london. he was pressed, i'm afraid, both about the very bad polls overnight. the triple mrp poll giving labour a majority of over 100, a landslide victory , and also the landslide victory, and also the emerging story about investigations by regulators into whether people linked to the tory party, at least two

candidates, whether they had had early knowledge of the election date and put money on, here's what he had to say when i spoke to him amid the polls. >> and it's just a snapshot show a slightly further behind than that. but i'm convinced that as the arguments are heard by gb news voters, as they have a chance to reflect on what life would be like under keir starmer, with taxes higher , with starmer, with taxes higher, with risks to our national security, i believe that more people will decide that it would be completely wrong to hand keir starmer a blank check and they will vote conservative. >> there's an emerging betting scandal about the tory party on the date of the election. two candidates are allegedly being looked at by the gambling commission. a third individual in the party hq has withdrawn from frontline duties . in terms from frontline duties. in terms of organising the campaign. is your party corrupt? >> no. it is the case that obviously any decision by anyone to use inside information to bet on the election date, that is wrong . deeply regrettable, but i wrong. deeply regrettable, but i think the individuals concerned

are now being investigated and until that process is concluded , until that process is concluded, i think it's difficult for me to say more because you've got to respect the integrity of the investigation . investigation. >> michael gove there. so we knew one of the candidates has apologised for it. that's craig williams, the other candidate, laura saunders , in bristol north laura saunders, in bristol north west, hasn't yet commented, her husband is running the entire national campaign for the tory party. a fourth individual, a policeman, has been arrested . a policeman, has been arrested. a close protection officer of rishi sunak, he's been arrested on suspicion of misconduct in pubuc on suspicion of misconduct in public office, allegedly linked to the timing of the election. the thing with the tory party is this tom and emily. when they started out 20 points behind in the polls, they had some advantage. they got the lead on rivals , nigel farage pulled out. rivals, nigel farage pulled out. he felt like it was too soon to fight the election. but they they couldn't afford anything to go wrong. and i've had these repeated, mistakes that they have generated themselves. the d—day withdrawal issue for rishi sunak was a disaster. leaving

that early and then today, people betting or leisurely betting they will deny it or wouldn't, or one of them has confirmed it, but betting on the date of the of the general election when it was such a secret. this looks dreadful . and secret. this looks dreadful. and no wonder sir keir starmer is saying these candidates should lose the support of the party leader. >> goodness me. well, christopher hope and before you of course olivia utley as well. thank you very much for talking us through the latest twists and turns of this. general election campaign. >> not to be pedantic, but did you notice that, sir keir starmer said polls do not predict the future, that's exactly what polls attempt to do. they do predict the future, i guess. maybe he meant dictate the future. polls don't dictate the future. polls don't dictate the future. polls don't dictate the future. no i think i think what he meant was that opinion polls are a snapshot, not prediction. >> so they show no opinion polls tell you what people think at this moment in time, not what they might think in a week or two weeks. >> if the polling is like this today , it will be like this on today, it will be like this on election day. >> yes, but that's a snapshot of

opinion rather than a prediction, who do you think is right ? i think i'm right. right? i think i'm right. anyway, the future of oil and gas projects in the uk has been thrown into major doubt after the supreme court ruled that the environmental impact of burning fossil fuels must be considered in planning applications for new projects, not just the impact of extracting the oil. >> the case was brought before the court after an oil drilling project in surrey was granted planning permission all the way back in 2019. >> well, joining us now is ed gemmell, a leader of the climate party. ed, thank you very much indeed for joining party. ed, thank you very much indeed forjoining us. we do need oil and gas still, don't we? >> what we need immediately. now, we're certainly not going to need it in the future. and the quicker we get our heads around that and start developing other things, the better. i mean, this is a fantastic ruling. it's clearly obvious we should be considering all the effects on it when we do an environmental impact assessment, not just the effects of the actual drilling part of it. and this is totally logical. we already do it in the nuclear industry . we already assess the

industry. we already assess the environmental impacts of what they have to do in the nuclear industry when they deal with that nuclear waste afterwards and actually get rid of it in a safe way. so exactly the same thing should be happening in the fossil fuel industry as well . fossil fuel industry as well. >> so hang on. ed gemmell the elected government of this country says that we need to be drilling oil and gas at this moment in time. it perhaps not in decades down the line, but at this moment in time we do the local council granted a licence for this to be drilled . the for this to be drilled. the company owns the land and has invested millions of pounds in drilling. this what business do a few campaigners have in stopping all of those democratic processes from taking place? >> well, put it this way, we have a democratic process which has allowed us to elect a government which has provided for the fact that we need to environmental impact assessments when we do these things. so that was a democratic process which led to that. that democratic process has allowed to us now allow the courts to get on in

deciding whether the legislation is being followed or not, what the court has said, it hasn't said that you can't do it. it said that you can't do it. it said that you have to consider those environmental, environmental impacts when you are considering those cases for giving planning application for fossil fuel projects. the same happensin fossil fuel projects. the same happens in other industries . you happens in other industries. you know, this is no different. what they're just saying is , is that they're just saying is, is that it's obvious that when you're burning the product of that extraction and there is an environmental impact and that should be considered, it's obvious and it's part of the democratic process arriving at it. i think, though, there's an upside to this. i mean, look, oil and gas is old news. and we now for 20 or 30 years have ignored in this country the vast reserves we have of tidal power and wave power . reserves we have of tidal power and wave power. there's a government study actually, from probably five years ago now from the from bays department saying that we could have up to 20gw of tidal power happening in the uk. completely predictable . we could

completely predictable. we could keep the lights on, know when it's working. if we'd had that at the moment when the ukraine. >> there's a difference here though, isn't there of energy? making money isn't the difference here that there's no one, there's no company that says, i really want to make this tidal lagoon. i want to invest tens of millions, hundreds of millions of pounds in making this tidal lagoon . but there are this tidal lagoon. but there are lots of companies saying, actually, we'd quite like to drill some oil. and even if you tax us at 75, we'd still like to dig this oil. i mean, that's the fundamental market imperative here. is it not that there is private investment that wants to do one thing, perhaps not so much the other? >> you're absolutely right . but >> you're absolutely right. but that's actually because our tax system has got it all the wrong way round. every time we tax these companies. more on the windfall tax. we're still allowing them tax rebates which can come up to over 100% of what we're taxing them . so when they we're taxing them. so when they get this 100% rebate for various infrastructure levies and various other things, when they go drilling for oil in the north sea. so actually by taxing them

in certain circumstances, we're incentivising them to go back and do more drilling. it's crazy. whereas on tidal barriers, because you get your tax rebate only when you're making a profit. we're de incentivising tidal barriers, which is something we're rich in, in this country. and we could be doing all the time in the future, forever more . the future, forever more. >> okay. well, thank you very much for putting your case across. ed gemmell , leader of across. ed gemmell, leader of the climate party. i mean, it'd be a lot of gas boilers to rip out, wouldn't it, if we were to say absolutely no to the old gas. yeah, yeah. >> well there is there is a plan to phase out gas boilers, but i'm not sure we've quite decided what we're going to replace them with yet. >> well we ask quite anyway. up next we're going to get the latest on jay slater, the missing teenager in tenerife. concern is growing over his whereabouts. stay with

us. >> good afternoon. britain. it's 2:25 now. the mother of missing jay slater says the continued search for her son is an absolute living nightmare. >> yes, the 19 year old was attending the nrg music festival on the canary islands with some friends. they'd last heard from him in tenerife on monday morning when he told a friend he would walk back to his accommodation after missing his bus . bus. >> well, joining us now is our reporter, charlie peters, because , charlie, this is an because, charlie, this is an absolute nightmare situation for the family. what more do we know ? >> well, 7- >> well, a 7 >> well, a nightmare situation, that's what his mother is saying. >> but we've also heard from his best friend on the island, lucy, who has accused the spanish authorities of not doing enough on this search. now, with the timeline that we have, we understand that on sunday evening, jay slater was at the nrg festival on the island. he was last seen there at about

845, in a snapchat video. and then moved on to an undisclosed location, reportedly with some other people. and then lucy heard from him again in the morning in a phone call at 815, where he said that he was dehydrated. he cut his leg on a cactus and that he was intending to make his way home by foot. what many are saying is an 11 hour walk for a typical person back to his accommodation from a rural area in north—west tenerife. you're seeing some of the footage now on your screens. if you're listening in. it's a dry and arid mountainous area and we can see some footage of the search and rescue teams working on that location later on. on monday morning. we understand that lucy reported him as missing to the british embassy, but it wasn't until tuesday that specialist mountain rescue teams and a helicopter were deployed into this search. so that's the allegation coming from his close friend on the

island that they're not doing enough. island that they're not doing enough . but the civil guard, the enough. but the civil guard, the authority looking after this and running this search operation, they say that they've got four units, including the helicopter, some of the drones we've also seen on our screens, and also sniffer dogs involved in this search. but she said it's been longer than 72 hours now. and there isn't enough going on. they are still asking the same questions that should have been logged at 10 am. on monday, when i first reported this. there have also been other concerns raised by lucy, who said that the final phone call was odd and that his disappearance was suspicious and weird. now, she made those comments as the focus moved back into this rural massacre area of northwest tenerife. the last time his phone record showed him his location showed him was at 850, which was in the rural detenerlo park, which we're seeing in the northwest of the screen . the search continues

screen. the search continues now, but after four days many are describing this as a crucial part of the operation . part of the operation. >> well, thank you very much indeed for bringing us that update. charlie peters , our update. charlie peters, our reporter there in westminster. now, in other news, two activists have now been arrested after they took it upon themselves to break into a private airfield in stansted y well, to vandalise several planes. they're demanding an end to fossil fuels by 2030. well this is just one day after two other people were arrested for spraying orange powder paint over stonehenge . well, joining over stonehenge. well, joining us now from stonehenge is our south—west of england reporter, jeff moody, jeff , arrests have jeff moody, jeff, arrests have been made. what next? >> arrests have been made. yes. and the two people that were arrested here at stonehenge have now been released on bail, wiltshire police are saying that they want to buy themselves a little bit more time before they have to charge them or release

them. so they've released them on bail and they're continuing their investigation , working their investigation, working closely alongside english heritage . well, english heritage heritage. well, english heritage say that they've now managed to remove all of the paint from the stones. the all of the yellow , stones. the all of the yellow, the orange paint has now gone, just stop oil yesterday said, well, you know, you don't need to worry about it because it's only it's only cornflower. and as soon as it rains, it'll all wash away . but, english heritage wash away. but, english heritage is saying something completely different. they're saying , well, different. they're saying, well, you know, if you did wait for the last thing you want to do is wait for rain. because when you've got cornflower and you add water to it, it makes a very sticky mess that's going to sticky mess that's going to stick even further to those stones. i mean, much harder to get off without damaging the stones itself. so they're saying that the only reason that they've managed to clear everything up is that there hasn't been any rain. if there had been rain , the damage might had been rain, the damage might have been a little bit more severe and a little bit more permanent. but we're expecting around 5000 people to come here

for the summer solstice this evening . the gates open at about evening. the gates open at about 7:00 and people will be coming to watch the sun set over the stones, and then to wait for the sun to rise only a few short hours later, over the stones, again celebrating that summer solstice as normal. but of course, we're now hearing that there have been two arrests in stansted, where two more protesters others managed to get into a part of the airport and damage some of the private jets. they're not the one owned or borrowed by or used by taylor swift, but that one was on the site as well, just stop oil , for site as well, just stop oil, for a long time they've been saying, haven't they, that what they want, what they're trying to achieve is no new oil and gas licenses. well, if , achieve is no new oil and gas licenses. well, if, as we're led to believe, sir keir starmer will be forming the new government in a month's time, they're not planning to release any more licenses anyway. so just stop oil have said this is no longer enough to wait for a

labour government and hope there are no licenses . they want to are no licenses. they want to totally phase out the use of all fossil fuels in this country by 2030. that's just six years time i >> goodness me. well, jeff moody, thank you very much for bringing us all of that live from stonehenge. >> yes, thank you very much indeed. >> yes, thank you very much indeed . now coming up, could indeed. now coming up, could your local pharmacy be going on strike? we're going to be heanng strike? we're going to be hearing why certain businesses are taking action against what they claim as insufficient support from the government against their growing financial hardship. stay tuned . hardship. stay tuned. >> just coming up to at 2:32. the top story from the newsroom this afternoon . as expected, the this afternoon. as expected, the bank of england has held its interest rate at 5.25. that's the highest level since 2008. it's a blow for borrowers, but could be good news for those with savings. the bank says it needs more certainty, though, that inflation will stay low

before considering a rate cut. it comes as figures suggest the average first time buyer now needs to earn more than £60,000 to buy a property, leading website zoopla estimates that those trying to get onto the property ladder need an income of nearly £15,000, more than they did five years ago . sir they did five years ago. sir keir starmer is calling on the prime minister to withdraw support for two conservative candidates who've been accused of election betting, saying that labour wouldn't tolerate such behaviour. >> this candidate should be suspended and it's very telling that rishi sunak has not already done that . if it was one of my done that. if it was one of my candidates, they'd be gone and their feet would not have touched the floor. >> well, it comes as laura saunders and her husband, who's the conservative's campaign director, and another candidate, craig williams, face investigations by the gambling commission, a member of the prime minister's protection team was also arrested last night amid similar allegations. lie—ins questions remain about

the whereabouts of a british teenager who's gone missing while on holiday in tenerife. a friend of 19 year old jay slater says he rang her on just 1% battery on his phone, saying he didn't know where he was. he was attending a music festival on the spanish island and hasn't been seen since monday . the been seen since monday. the russian president has touched down in vietnam this morning, continuing his diplomatic tour of asia. vladimir putin met with president toe lam, aiming to boost ties and establish a strategic partnership. the vietnamese president congratulated putin on his landslide victory in recent russian elections, which were dismissed internationally as neither free nor fair . that's neither free nor fair. that's the latest from the newsroom for now. i'll be back with your next update at the top of the hour. until then, you can sign up to gb news alerts by scanning the code on your screen or go to gb news. common alerts

>> right. 2:37. and coming up today is martin downey. he's, he's got to go head to head against england for a show today, don't you, martin? but what have you got in store? are you going to have some football cheer? >> hahahahahahahahahaha. i'm watching the match. i'm watching the. >> so it's got to be one of those. someone's got to bravely and forlornly carry on in the face of overwhelming odds. of course , it's all about the course, it's all about the foosball in frankfurt . will the foosball in frankfurt. will the great dane smokers? or will gareth southgate's boys bring home the bacon? all eyes on the build up, including those wonderful shots of those slightly sozzled fans taking a little dip in the marketplace? there and we'll have some information from inside the team selection process and of course, the fan zone in nottingham, my

hometown. and that report today , hometown. and that report today, about 5 million glasses of beer get thrown in the air. i've never spilled a drop in my life. why spend £6 for a pint of beer and throw it in the air? what a waste of time. what a waste of money. but as i say, i'll probably be going like this. are we going? and rishi sunak! >> yay i >> yay! >> yay! >> one of those. >> one of those. >> well, martin, what we will have to do is have two television screens, one fixed on gb news and yourself, and the other on the game. we'll be watching your commentary and reaction throughout. martin thank you so much. >> the football on catch up. you can always watch the football on catch up, yes. there's nothing, you know. nothing says england match at the euros. then a slightly overweight men taking their kit off and jumping into a, large barrel of water. >> yes, yes, let's hope it is water. and let's hope that, that thames water has nothing to do with it, but, but, in other and slightly more serious news now, thousands of pharmacies across the uk are taking part in an unprecedented day of action over funding pressures. >> yes, pharmacies are turning

their lights off in protest in what the national pharmacy association, who represent these independent community pharmacies , have described as the first of its kind. >> well, let's make some sense of this. now. we're joined by the chief executive of the national pharmacy association, paul rees, and paul, first of all, why do you feel the need to take this action? >> de—banking well, what's happened over the last ten years andifs happened over the last ten years and it's been a bit of a hidden crisis , is that in england, 1400 crisis, is that in england, 1400 pharmacies have closed down in wales and northern ireland there have been closures and in scotland there's a risk of closures as well. and this is because of gross underfunding . because of gross underfunding. >> over the last ten years there's been a 40% real terms cut in investment from the nhs into community pharmacies. >> and so pharmacies are on their knees and their network of pharmacies that people rely on to get their medicines, to get medical advice . that network is

medical advice. that network is crumbling before our very eyes and, i know we've all seen in the news just how many pharmacies are having to shut up shop. >> and of course, rishi sunak did talk a lot about putting pharmacies first. so people can, you know, use a pharmacy instead of going to a gp. but if they're closing, that's real danger territory . but is there an issue territory. but is there an issue with pharmacies having to sell drugs and the like under market value? is there an issue there that it's costing so much to get this medicine ? this medicine? >> it's a huge issue. >> it's a huge issue. >> what's happened over the last ten years is the government has decided to try to squeeze costs out of the nhs by, in effect, targeting pharmacy to reduce the amount they spend on medication. >> so what's happened now is that the total amount we spend on medication in the uk is half that of what is spent in france, germany and other comparator nafions germany and other comparator nations and so pharmacies are struggling with that limited pot

to buy medicines. that's why we've got this chronic medicine shortages crisis with medicines for lots of serious issues going short, increasingly affecting lots of patients across the country. and at the same time, pharmacies are in the red. so about 75% of all pharmacies are now in the red, and lots of pharmacies are only to only able to keep going because the owner is borrowing from their auntie or their uncle, or they're remortgaging their home. and it's such a serious crisis. >> you need to be you need to be able to charge more to remortgage the home. >> paul, do you need to be able to charge more? yes for the medicines? yes yes. >> essentially what the government should be doing is paying government should be doing is paying for medication. the same. thatis paying for medication. the same. that is the case in france and germany because pharmaceutical firms are global companies. and if the uk is not paying the market rate, they'll prioritise france, germany and other nafions france, germany and other nations every single month. in england alone, the shortfall in the funding for medication from

the funding for medication from the nhs is £108 million. that means that pharmacists are having to put their hands in their own pockets to subsidise doing nhs work for the public. no other clinicians in the uk are expected to do that. >> no, that does sound extraordinary that on the one hand the government is saying, well , you've got to pay hand the government is saying, well, you've got to pay under market rate for all of this stuff. and then on the other hand, they're not filling up the shortfall with funding you. that seems like a double sort of government problem. what are the next steps from here? >> well, we hope that the next government , whoever forms that government, whoever forms that government, whoever forms that government, will properly give pharmacies a new deal, which means increasing the percentage given to pharmacies from the nhs budget from 1.6% to 2.5, ending the £1.3 budget from 1.6% to 2.5, ending the £13 billion funding black hole enabling pharmacies to carry on serving their local communities, which means patients can go to their local pharmacy on the high street without fear. it's going to

close because ten pharmacies are closing a week, and also patients can then access their medicines. the more pharmacies are squeezed , the less they've are squeezed, the less they've got to spend on medicines. the more medicines shortages there will be. and patients and the pubuc will be. and patients and the public are the people who end up suffering. >> okay. well, paul rees, who head of the national pharmacy association, really appreciate your time. i do wonder if some of these pharmacy closures, however , are to do with the however, are to do with the internet and brick and mortar shops are in all areas, of course, suffering. i mean, you don't see any blockbusters anymore, do you either? >> it sounds like maybe they need to raise those prescription costs because, you know, you get a lot of prescriptions completely for free. but i don't get paracetamol off the nhs, can't you? >> i don't think we should expect the number of pharmacies to stay exactly the same, when lots of people now get prescriptions online and delivered straight to their doonl delivered straight to their doon ican delivered straight to their door. i can sort of understand why some are closing, but there does seem to be a problem as well. >> boots. boots are closing and they also have their online offering. so i don't know, i don't know. i think people need

them. community pharmacies , but them. community pharmacies, but clearly there's some issues. maybe they need to charge us more for these things . i'm sure more for these things. i'm sure none of us want that. >> well, today is one of the most glamorous days of the royal ascot racing event. it's ladies day! >> woohooi yes, spectators will be descending on the course. attendees, celebrities, members of the royal family are all expected. >> let's cross to our royal correspondent cameron walker, who's there at ascot for us. and cameron, what's going on today ? cameron, what's going on today? >> well, tom, in the last half an hour, members of the royal family, led by the king and queen in the first carriage, have done the royal procession here in the parade ring of royal ascot . they were met with huge ascot. they were met with huge cheers from the crowd, people chanting god save the king as well. it was really lovely, patriotic atmosphere. we've just had the first race run, the norfolk stakes and we've had a number of horses come out onto this grassy bit of the parade ring cooling down, having buckets of water chucked onto them . these are with their them. these are with their owners and those associated with the horses. we're just waiting for the first trophy to be

presented later on. but as well as as the king and the queen in royal procession, we have the duke and duchess of edinburgh who celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary yesterday. we had mike and zara tindall as well a lady, sarah chatto. that's the daughter of princess margaret and some and some of their guests as well. it's a really exciting day for the king and queen because they also have and queen because they also have a horse riding in the race in the king george the king george v stakes. all eyes are on on water there for that particular race, which is later on this afternoon. but of course, as you said, tom, it's ladies day golden cup day, and everyone is incredibly glamorous. as people were entering the royal ascot earlier on today, i spoke to them to see how excited they were. >> oh, it's a great day out . >> oh, it's a great day out. >> oh, it's a great day out. >> must be all the outfits and everybody looking so fabulous . everybody looking so fabulous. yeah, i just love the races. yeah, i just love the races. yeah, because i went to newton abbot on friday as well, races for ladies day. so i just i just love the races really. >> well maybe sophie for me. yes. yeah. like sophie. yeah.

yes. yeah. like sophie. yeah. yes. yeah. like sophie. yeah. yes. yeah yeah yeah. i'm coming. >> yes . >> yes. >> yes. >> i'm hoping kate will be here, but i'm not sure. >> just everything really. >> just everything really. >> just everything really. >> just the atmosphere so far. it's amazing. and i've heard a bit later on that everyone gets together and has a little sing song downstairs. so yeah, really looking forward to that. yeah seb gorka hinckley. >> yeah, they certainly do have a little sing song after all the races. a gilded water is the king and queen's horse riding at 3:10 today. but of course they've got a long way to go to beat queen elizabeth ii's record dunng beat queen elizabeth ii's record during her 70 year reign. she won had over 20 winners at royal ascot. so it's still all to play for the king and queen. >> thank you very much indeed . >> thank you very much indeed. cameron walker, our royal correspondent. there are soaking in the atmosphere. i love seeing the ladies. yes, they always look fab. >> oh no, it's really marvellous to see everyone turn out so wonderfully for it. and the weather is holding too. >> it's not like this. some of the other races where the daily mail the next day is just awash with pictures of, you know , the with pictures of, you know, the prosecco bottles legs akimbo and all of that , much more, you

all of that, much more, you know, sophisticated affair, perhaps . yes, yes. perhaps. yes, yes. >> well, shall we return to what is undoubtedly going to be incredibly sophisticated? if anything more sophisticated than royal ascot? yes. we're going to be heading to nottingham for england fans as they prepare to escape the working day. perhaps a little early for that kick off

>> well. good afternoon. britain. it's 250, and, tournament fever is very much in full swing in deutschland, with england fans already enjoying a splash of excitement as they gather en masse in frankfurt. there he is. this chap are taking his kit off and diving into a fountain. very dramatic. good stuff. you've got a cheer from the crowds. i'm sure. another three guys there with their little sun hats on. >> and, of course the weather is not particularly warm . not particularly warm. >> ladies, it's not ladies day, is it? >> it's not ladies day over in,

germany, but, but of course, it's probably a single woman above 15 degrees, and therefore everyone shirts come off. but the three lions will be roaring back into action when they face denmark in the second group stage of the euros. as the pints continue to flow, they're giving us their pre—match predictions . us their pre—match predictions. >> i suspect an easy win, two nil for the next round and, crack on from there , it'll be crack on from there, it'll be tight. group stages generally are, but i think we've got more than enough. we've got more than enough to beat them. i think they'll be more worried about us than we are about them. yeah, yeah, we need to go for it, mate . sitting back too much. we need to, go for it. you know what i mean ? mean? >> away way . >> away way. >> away way. >> yes. they're probably going to be a little bit. a little bit half cut later. anyway, as the anticipation grows, our reporter , will hollis will be enjoying it with fans in nottingham , it with fans in nottingham, will, are you enjoying it with fansin will, are you enjoying it with fans in nottingham ? fans in nottingham? >> well not yet, because nobody's left work yet. but

there are 500 or so people coming here to the bink's yard in nottingham city centre , in nottingham city centre, because i'm told that they have the biggest outdoor screen , not the biggest outdoor screen, not just here in nottingham, but in the east midlands as well, and lots of people coming here to enjoy the spirit that the european football tournament puts across the entire country. and one of the people that's here to make sure that this event goes off without a hitch is ben hicklin, the head of events for the bink's yard and the island quarter. ben, what's the island quarter. ben, what's the atmosphere going to be like here when people do finish work? >> when they when they do finish work, i'm sure it's going to be absolutely fantastic. >> the opening game was brilliant. >> here again, we had 500 people down celebrating. it was a great result for england and the atmosphere was electric and we've got the biggest screen in the east midlands. >> what can people expect if they come to a fan zone like this one here in nottingham? >> well obviously sunshine today, which is great. >> hopefully a fantastic performance from, from the football team. >> we've got lots of bars open, we've got our barbecue smoker open as well. >> so you've got everything that you need. >> you've got football, you've

got food and you've got drink and a tournament like this, whether it's the euros or the world cup, any time that you get a fan zone, you get a lot of people spending a bit more money than they usually would. >> and uk hospitality, the trades body, says £300 million extra is going to be put into the economy. what does that mean for the hospitality sector? i think it can only be a good thing, can't it? >> you know, whenever we have a competition like this, we always see a spike. so let's hope england do really well and continue through the competition, which means that everybody in the uk, in the hospitality sector, can continue to enjoy the profits. >> and while we know that the football doesn't start until 5:00 and you've got lots more things to do, so thanks for making a little bit of time to speak to us on gb news. but people are coming through that doorin people are coming through that door in 15 minutes, many of them leaving work early, i'm sure. >> well, i feel very, very fortunate that, we clock off in 45 seconds. >> so lucky old ac, perhaps it's straight to the pub. sadly, sadly, no need to skive. is there ? no need to sky for me there? no need to sky for me anyway, well, very good luck to england of course, we'll be watching. let's. we can do it. bnng watching. let's. we can do it. bring it home.

>> i think this is the year. i know we say this every single yean know we say this every single year, but this, this time, this time it's really , really, really time it's really, really, really going to be the year. >> this time it's really, really been this close since 1996. >> and i think, i think 2024 is the time that it finally will come home. not since 1966 have we won an international trophy. it's about it's about time. don't remind us. time >> it is about time. but, martin daubney is up next. and make sure he keeps his eyes on you and not on his little. you know, ipad . ipad. >> a brighter outlook with boxt solar sponsors of weather on . gb news. >> welcome along to your latest weather update from the met office here on gb news. the solstice today. and for many, it's a good looking day drive. fine hazy sunshine and fairly light winds. high pressure is dominating. there is an old

weather front that's been sinking south, generating quite a bit of cloud over parts of northern england , north wales in northern england, north wales in particular, but say here, just making the sunshine fairly hazy, a bit more cloud into western scotland , who could even be the scotland, who could even be the odd spot of drizzle here and there. but for most places dry and fine. some lengthy spells of sunshine for east anglia and southern counties of england in particular. that's where we'll see the top temperatures 22, 23, maybe 24 celsius celsius . maybe 24 celsius celsius. generally high teens or low 20s. certainly feeling a bit warmer than it has done for most of june so far. through this evening. not a great deal of change. cloud just starting to thicken in western scotland. a little bit more in the way of drizzle. just creeping onto the west coast. a bit more cloud across the northern isles. temperatures here struggling in the low teens for much of the day, but of course the mainland. we'll get up to 1819 starting to dip away through this evening, but certainly much of southern scotland, most of northern ireland dry and fine through this evening, and a lovely, pleasant summer's evening across the bulk of england and wales, with temperatures still in the 20s. even six at 7:00 this

evening. as we go through the night, we will start to see a bit more cloud pushing into western scotland. start to see more of a change here as we see rain creeping in over the highlands and the western isles. and later in the night the cloud will start to thicken more across northern ireland, most of england, wales staying dry and clear. quite a chilly night again across eastern counties of england. temperatures certainly rural spots down into single digits. any morning mist and fog will clear pretty rapidly on friday morning and another fine day across many central and eastern parts. but further west we will see a change. more cloud across western scotland, some outbreaks of rain here and some showery rain creeping into wales and certainly northern ireland come the afternoon. renee central and eastern parts, though, do stay dry and fine and a touch warmer with temperatures up to 23 or 24. >> that warm feeling inside from boxt boilers sponsors of weather

gb news. >> a very, very good afternoon to you. it's 3 pm. welcome to the martin daubney show on gb news. we're broadcasting live from the heart of westminster all across the uk. on today's show , the tory election campaign show, the tory election campaign has been overshadowed, overshadowed by reprehensible and deeply wrong betting scandal, with two mps facing a gambling commission probe. rishi sunak bet the house on a snap election. but thanks to this scandal, will his gamble spectac backfire? and the mother of missing teenager jay slater has said that her son's mystery disappearance is an absolute living nightmare. well all the latest on the case, plus speak to a missing persons expert to try and make sense of the case that's gripping the nation . and that's gripping the nation. and in just two hours time, england take on denmark at the euros. can gareth southgate's boys bnng can gareth southgate's boys bring home the bacon, or will the great danes smokers in frankfurt? we'll have all the

build up ahead of the big kick off and