good happy boxing day and

welcome to today with tom harwood and olivia utley. now britain's face serious travel disruption this boxing day as railway workers go on strike again amid a dispute over pay later on in the programme we'll be joined by the presenter of how clean is your house, aggie mackenzie, who'll be giving us top tips on how organise top tips on how to organise house after those festive celebrations. plus will debating will all of with the will be all of this with the political i'll be a man conor that's all coming up after a look at the latest news . tom and look at the latest news. tom and olivia, thank you very much. good morning and happy boxing day. it's 10:01. and i'm good morning and happy boxing day. it's10:01. and i'm bethany elsey , the gb newsroom. at least elsey, the gb newsroom. at least 30 people are believed to have died as a result of a severe arctic freeze that continues to grip of the us and canada . grip of the us and canada. officials say the worst hit area is the city of buffalo in new york , amid the snow , ice and

york, amid the snow, ice and freezing temperatures . thousands freezing temperatures. thousands of flights have been cancelled and more than 150,000 homes are still without power . that's down still without power. that's down from 1.5 million on christmas day . from 1.5 million on christmas day. russia's from 1.5 million on christmas day . russia's defence claims day. russia's defence claims three of its military personnel have been killed at an airbase. hundreds of miles from the front line of its war. ukraine. moscow alleged were hit by falling debns alleged were hit by falling debris from . a ukrainian drone debris from. a ukrainian drone that it says was shot down. the governor says no aircraft was damaged . the base in russia's damaged. the base in russia's southeast . it's the second southeast. it's the second attack on the military site this month. it's understood it stores long—range strategic jet bombers. kyiv not yet commented on the incident . the bombers. kyiv not yet commented on the incident. the final skiers who were missing after an avalanche in the skiing area in western austria have now been found. local reports say the avalanche happened yesterday afternoon and it was initially thought that ten people had been buried. helicopter has searchlights and avalanche dogs

which are used in the operation to locate the missing people after initial fears that they had been buried under the snow. the uk's rail network effectively shut down today as members of the rmt union hold a fresh round of strike action in a dispute over. hundreds of trains usually run on boxing day, but they've all been cancelled and thousands of people been forced to make alternative plans . the aa alternative plans. the aa expects 15.2 million calls on roads today as a result, eurostar has also dropped all of its services, which run to london paris, brussels and amsterdam as a result of the rmt action . while travel expert action. while travel expert simon calder said the strikes are destroying the uk's railways . 1 million people like me who don't have a car or access to a car, who have to travel by rail and to be told come back middle of january , good enough. the of january, good enough. the rail unions i think, have completely misjudged the government is completely misjudged. it the passenger and the taxpayer are caught up in

this middle of this kind of ideological row . and it's ideological row. and it's absolutely all it's doing is destroying the rail, railways. police say a shooting at a pub in liverpool on christmas eve in which one woman was killed was not a targeted attack. the is continuing for the gunman who killed the 26 year old woman in wallasey on merseyside . she was wallasey on merseyside. she was celebrating christmas friends and family when she was shot and killed. the woman was taken to hospital where she later died. four men were also taken to hospital with gunshot injuries . hospital with gunshot injuries. the uk security agency will stop covid 19 data early next month . covid 19 data early next month. the chief data scientist says . the chief data scientist says. it's no longer necessary as the is now living with the disease , is now living with the disease, but that covid will still be monitored. data had been weekly dunng monitored. data had been weekly during the peak of the pandemic , and every two weeks since april this year. and shoppers are expected to spend less in the sales today as the cost of living continues to rise. new

research by barclaycard payments found the average customer intends . buy found the average customer intends. bu y £229 worth of items intends. buy £229 worth of items intends. buy £229 worth of items in the post—christmas sales . in the post—christmas sales. that's 4% less compared to last yeah that's 4% less compared to last year. the study also found that a number of shoppers expect to turn to reselling sites to buy items or to offload unwanted presents . you're up to date on presents. you're up to date on gb news. we'll bring you more news as it happens. now let's get back to tom and olivia . get back to tom and olivia. good morning and welcome to today with tom harwood and olivia utley . today we're olivia utley. today we're talking about the strikes. thousands of commuters facing travel chaos. this boxing day as rail workers strike over a pay dispute. i'll be joined by a former executive member. the rmt

union. meanwhile, thousands shoppers are taking to the stores today to. enjoy the boxing day sales. but experts warn consumers are less likely to splurge this year due to the cost of living crisis . and cost of living crisis. and showbiz reporter ali phillips will be in the studio talking us through the best and the of the christmas day specials . and of christmas day specials. and of course this show is nothing without you and your views . without you and your views. email us on gb news gb news or tweet me gb news to have your say . while leading the show. say. while leading the show. this morning, thousands of commuters face travel disruption after network rail. rail workers , whale workers, rail workers continue striking over pay and working conditions. network rail said britain's railways will remain closed for a second consecutive day. members of the rail and transport union remain on strike until 6 am. on

december the 27th. gb news national reporter theo chikomba has the latest. let's cross live to birmingham . warning. it's to birmingham. warning. it's another quiet morning here in birmingham following christmas day and christmas eve as well, where there were strikes taking place and where, of course, most people were with their families at home. but today is boxing day sales across the country. but the rails remains at a complete standstill . the rails remains at a complete standstill. i'm here at birmingham new street, a through that in the early hours of this morning and all the departure boards completely empty. and now passengers who may missed the announcement are coming here and they're being turned away. it's going to be like this until tomorrow , where trains will be tomorrow, where trains will be running again just around 7:00 in the morning, depending where you live, it could be after 8:00. so this has been a long running dispute. the rmt union for several months now have a negotiating , having negotiations negotiating, having negotiations with the rail delivery group and

of network rail. but they simply the deal that they've been offered isn't enough for their workers. so in terms of pay but also condition and maintenance work, which has been talked about during unsocial hours on the weekends as well. so disruption is continuing for passengers who rely on using the train and just another announcement as well . in january announcement as well. in january just a few union which represents train drivers , they represents train drivers, they will be striking on the 5th of january. so another a day where rail travel will be faced with disruption as well. seems like it's never ending at the moment .thank it's never ending at the moment . thank you for bringing us the latest there from new street station. we'll be catching up with you later in the program. well here in the studio now to discuss this further, i'm delighted be joined by the delighted to be joined by the former senior assistant general secretary of the rmt union, steve hadley. steve over christmas, strikingly over christmas, strikingly over christmas, is that is that really proper .7 well, look, really proper? well, look, people don't only lose money by going on strike at any time of

the year, and it's not a decision that's been taken lightly . but they fall for this lightly. but they fall for this strike quite squarely with the government . have not only not government. have not only not helped have been an absolute obstacle to any sort of negotiations . they've tied the negotiations. they've tied the hands of the company , the hands of the company, the network rail and the train operating companies. they've not allowed them to negotiate . allowed them to negotiate. they've set limits on negotiation . and we have a negotiation. and we have a situation where, you know, the whole country is in chaos. what have they said? every work there. it's not been not being able to travel around the christmas . there are able to travel around the christmas. there are bigger things at stake . your whole things at stake. your whole national health service is at stake . you know, this is this stake. you know, this is this this a government this is a government that's waging ideological class war waging an ideological class war on workers and has been doing so for ten years. so i wouldn't every worker wherever during the union are not to support the nurses on but actually taking strike action themselves . it strike action themselves. it seems from the polls that public support for these train strikes is ebbing away a little bit. it's in december than it was in november, and now only 30% of

the public are in support. is that a bit of a for the unions? well i mean, obviously when there are strikes, no one likes not being able to travel around the country at 30 at a convenience and public support will go on. but ultimately, pubuc will go on. but ultimately, public support win disputes. if it was public support, the nurses would be on a hell of a lot more money. and the politicians would be probably on the minimum wage. ultimately it's industrial power that . so it's industrial power that. so yeah, a i wouldn't dismiss pubuc yeah, a i wouldn't dismiss public support, but it's industrial strength that matters. and that's why i think every worker needs to be fighting for our national health service right now. of course, industrial strength matters, but pennies and pounds matter. to 40. fewer people are now commuting on the railways than did before the pandemic. there's less money going into the railways, and there's an inflationary environment whereby people are asking for higher wages despite less money coming through fares. how does the economics that possibly add up? well, because we have a crazy

system that funds the railways. we don't have the companies actually making a profit. they from the railways. what we have is subsidies private is subsidies to private companies . for example, companies. for example, a rolling stock companies which will build the trains and rent them to the train, operating paid over 100 million during covid. when the trains were running to the shareholders , running to the shareholders, well, they paid a lot of to money these people working on the railways as well, keeping people jobs. actually the people in jobs. actually the government that the government that that the companies pay that the government that. so what we government paid that. so what we have is a system where hundreds of millions getting out of millions are getting paid out . people have made pay raise . people have made a pay raise in years. people's real, in three years. people's real, real earnings has gone real terms earnings has gone down by over 20. and people just not having it. they're fighting back, which workers are doing all over the country and. i applaud for it. but where's applaud them for it. but where's the come from the money going to come from here? the tories will have here? well, the tories will have to stop giving friends tax to stop giving their friends tax hikes they loopholes where hikes and they loopholes where they stick their money they can stick their money offshore to stop funding offshore to have to stop funding . there's no always money for war, isn't there? there's always billions of pounds spend that

ukraine russians can kill ukraine so russians can kill ukrainians ukrainians can ukrainians and ukrainians can kill russians. need a change kill russians. we need a change need we need a change. and absolute society and the system we're living in, we can no longer have this system of capitalism which is geared for profit, which is killing the planet. the way , the rich planet. by the way, the rich know this is going on. that's why tracts of land. why they buy not tracts of land. is a reason, though, why is there a reason, though, why rail workers should be prioritised pay rise? prioritised for this pay rise? there pot and there isn't a ongoing pot and the median pay for railway because it's over 7000, 37,000, which is far higher than the average wage in the country. why should rail workers be prioritised? we that's why we should a general strike we should have a general strike we should have a general strike we should a general strike, should have a general strike, not change government, not just the change government, but system. but to change the system. because there who's because every out there who's been austerity, been hammered since austerity, since went belly up since the banks went belly up and course, the bankers and of course, the bankers haven't paid the price for that, it's working class people. that's what should do. and that's what we should do. and every there should every worker right there should be pay as be fighting for a pay rise as well. change of system well. and the change of system we're in. well, steve hadley, thank you very much for joining us this morning and talking

through those issues, really interesting to get that perspective here. of course , on perspective here. of course, on those rail strikes. but to delve further this, i'm now joined by a socialist party industrial organiser and trade unionist, rob williams. rob, thank you for joining us this morning. as you be agreeing a lot of what steve hadley said there, that you'll you'll one thing, perhaps a strike as well . of course . i strike as well. of course. i totally agree with the point, steve made and solidarity to those workers taking action . i those workers taking action. i mean, at the moment, you earlier that the support for worker strike in is going down actually two of the figures even your is incredibly it shows that there is massive for workers taking action and that's because the cost of living crisis is so generalised . you know the tories generalised. you know the tories famously and their media would love to out workers divide and rule . you know that these rule. you know that these workers are greedy etc. but they can't do that when inflation is at something like 4. these

really are striking rule number of reasons, by the way, to keep the train safe, etc. but the pay raise that's being imposed is like a virtue of 10% pay cut. so when cost of living crisis is so generalised , then workers are generalised, then workers are supportive of other workers taking and is directly said . you taking and is directly said. you know, at the moment what is clear is that if workers take action against what is a week and divided tory government, it can push them back, it can push employers back. is there a bit of a danger, though, that these rail workers end up being sort of if you're part of the festive reference turkey is voting for christmas? we know that commuting is already down. train travel is reliant on people doing leisure trips and visiting their friends and family. it's also being said that border also being said that the border force working better force seems to be working better without force workers . so without border force workers. so is there danger that these is there a danger that these industries become hollowed is there a danger that these indlandzs become hollowed is there a danger that these indland people )ecome hollowed is there a danger that these indland people lose 1e hollowed is there a danger that these indland people lose theirllowed is there a danger that these indland people lose their jobsed out and people lose theirjobs because they're overplaying their well, first of all,

their hand? well, first of all, if these weren't effective, then you wouldn't be running a programme about it. then we wouldn't have the barrage of propaganda . the truth is, these propaganda. the truth is, these strikes incredibly effective look, the government wanting to go see it with the nurses , they go see it with the nurses, they wouldn't negotiate. don't pay with the nurses leaving them with the nurses leaving them with a 10% pay cut . that is with a 10% pay cut. that is because this government weak. it's not a position of strength . they don't want to give an inch to anyone because they know the workers generally are feeling the cost of living crisis. the point, steve made is absolutely right. this is a destruction of this is a fundamental problem. i've seen a statistic at the start of the rail strikes that if all the subsidies have been given to the private companies were put together and given as a pay rise, then every rail worker in britain would get a pay rise , a britain would get a pay rise, a pay britain would get a pay rise, a pay rate, a pay rise of britain would get a pay rise, a pay rate, a pay rise 0 f £60,000 pay rate, a pay rise of £60,000 each. but who's being funded into the coffers of the private sector over a of the of the

private rail owners. that's why they should be taken back into pubuc they should be taken back into public ownership. rob williams the billions that were spent out of taxpayers money during the pandemic supporting jobs pandemic was supporting the jobs of those who worked the of those who worked in the railways. i want to pick up on a point that steve hadley raised a moment ago that that money is failing for perhaps supporting the plight of the ukrainians so far in total , £2.3 billion has far in total, £2.3 billion has been spent on supporting ukraine, a large sum of money, a transformative sum of money to help these people with their plight . but help these people with their plight. but it's help these people with their plight . but it's nowhere close plight. but it's nowhere close the kind of money that the rail orindeed the kind of money that the rail or indeed all the other unions are asking for. the nurses are asking for a 19% pay rise. that's about £40 billion. the railway workers are asking for double digit increases as well, running into the perhaps tens of pounds, adding everything up . we pounds, adding everything up. we are looking at such a vast

quantity of money, head nowhere close to any other kind spending that we've seen recently . i'm that we've seen recently. i'm sure lots of people can agree . sure lots of people can agree. on the compassionate case that people need more money. i'm just not sure that anyone's spelled out where on earth this money might come from . well, first of might come from. well, first of all, the reason why workers are asking for the pay rises are is because real inflation something like 14% double about the nurses asking for 19% they're asking for 5% plus inflation . and by for 5% plus inflation. and by the way, they've signalled that they're willing to negotiate with the government, the government, the troika wanting to negotiate. but you talk about injections , the economy. let's injections, the economy. let's be about it. the tories are more worried about work as they didn't put that money into the economy because they worried about workers they were worried about workers they were worried about the and they realised that workers didn't have an income dunng workers didn't have an income during covid. then it would be catastrophic for the economy. but don't forget the banks were bailed out 14 years ago. they

bailed out 14 years ago. they bailed out 14 years ago. they bailed out billions and billions of pounds. don't forget, we took some of them into public. i don't remember that that happened at the time because it a crisis, by the way a crisis of the making of capitalism. and the making of capitalism. and the point steve that about an alternative society it's . alternative society it's. absolutely right we need a socialist society that brings the main economic levers of the economy into socialist public ownership . three things are no. ownership. three things are no. what has happened during covid what i'm doing the banking crisis is an absolute indictment . i think this couple is going to neoliberalism we've had for the last couple decades. but i'm afraid that's all we've got time for rob williams. but thank you so much for speaking to us today . the time. . i really appreciate the time. let's political let's bring in now political commentator healthy allen kushnen commentator healthy allen kushner, who's with us throughout the program today to get your views. i suppose, first of it's we've been talking of all, it's we've been talking about strikes and the specific the two commentators we've spoken to have brought it back to the idea of the system of

almost bring the government of replacing capital is with some utopian form of socialism. is that what's behind these strikes? i thought it was quite stark that both of the commentators that we just on were talking about replacing capital with socialism. we've got remember that capitalism got to remember that capitalism is a system has lifted billions of people out of poverty around the world and think the change that needs to happen is actually reforms for our public service. we things like the nhs , we look at things like the nhs, when we look at things like the railways, mentioned, railways, as you mentioned, we are commuters, are seeing less commuters, which means going , the means less revenue going, the companies, means that does companies, which means that does need be reformed. we've got need to be reformed. we've got things only operation things driver only operation which the unions are demanding is kind of enshrined within practises when here in london have drive rolling operation on the tube if it's good enough for tfl wasn't good enough for the rest of the national systems in this country. it is interesting to see the railways this to see how the railways in this country seem to run on a code of practises that were established decades and decades even decades and decades ago, even european countries. you have a

lot more modern practises that are more efficient. are far more efficient. precisely. i think one of the things which is also quite surprising is that the sunday rail literally runs rail service literally runs because to go into work because people to go into work on those days rather than it being a proper day week being a proper seven day week services service we see on the continent. so there are reforms that need to happen on the railways much railways and that is very much what is . he's what mark harper is. he's saying, yes, we can have negotiated they've negotiated shifts, but they've got reforms to got to include reforms to working that the working practises that the unions claiming that this isn't a sort of coordinated strike action . listening to steve action. listening to steve hadley and williams there , hadley and rob williams there, it sounded they it very much sounded like they pushing a of general pushing for a sort of general strike by pushing for these socialist of socialist policies of the seventies do think it's seventies. do you think it's just coincidence all of these just a coincidence all of these people feeling the pinch, people are feeling the pinch, the cost of living at the the cost of living crisis at the moment, to go on moment, their choosing to go on strike is it a more a real strike or is it a more a real push for very different kind of politics that we're seeing. right. everyone is feeling the pinch the living pinch of the cost of living crisis. people the private crisis. people in the private sector the public sector. i sector in the public sector. i certainly haven't had an inflation pay rise, but inflation busting pay rise, but obviously all of the unions say that they're working in hock

that they're not working in hock with when you hear with other. but when you hear two prominent people in two people, prominent people in the union movement calling for a general strike, it kind of does suggest that perhaps behind closed doors, working closed doors, they working together. i suppose there's always that distinction that we need between sort of the need to draw between sort of the union leaders and, the more political people top , the political people at the top, the trade movement the trade union movement and the workers who might sort of workers who might not be sort of i know ascribes to the communist or followers of mr. marx or , or followers of mr. marx or, otherwise, i think perhaps when we talk to the leaders of these movement, they might have different aims . the people that different aims. the people that they're purporting to represent . yes, of course. i mean, the leaders of organised movements, whether trade whether or not that's a trade union, or that's the union, whether or not that's the conservative , have conservative party, have sometimes different goals sometimes a very different goals to actual membership . but to the actual membership. but what is important is that we actually focus on the membership, people and the membership, what people and the services that the services they provide to people up and down the . and i we're the country. and i think we're going to talking about going to be talking about hospitality know, hospitality later on. you know, the , especially the the economy, especially the hospitality , is being

hospitality industry, is being clobbered these strike action clobbered by these strike action just at the time when we're having the first normal christmas since the end of covid. well, thank you very . covid. well, thank you very. i'll and we'll be back to you i'll be and we'll be back to you very shortly. will indeed. very shortly. we will indeed. well, up on today well, coming up on today the merchant rated boxing day sales are now on thousand of shoppers are now on thousand of shoppers are expected to take to the high streets to benefit from the big discounts on offer . but experts discounts on offer. but experts warn that retailers face a tncky warn that retailers face a tricky year because of the cost living crisis. we're back after short .

break good morning , boxing day. it's good morning, boxing day. it's just coming up. good morning, boxing day. it's just coming up . 1025 and you're just coming up. 1025 and you're with me, tom harwood olivia utley here on gb news. we're in today for bev turner december is

the biggest month of the year for most uk retailers, but data from the retail sales index shows makes up one fifth of this year's sales. so if shows makes up one fifth of this year's sales . so if you've year's sales. so if you've received money, a christmas gift or maybe even some gift vouchers, you'd expect to bag some boxing day bargains. now that the sales are on. but this yearis that the sales are on. but this year is different. the value of goods purchased during the boxing day sales is predicted to be nearly 10% lower than last yeah be nearly 10% lower than last year. well our yorkshire reporter anna vakili is live in the high street in leeds . reporter anna vakili is live in the high street in leeds. us reporter anna vakili is live in the high street in leeds . us i'm the high street in leeds. us i'm annaisit the high street in leeds. us i'm anna is it living up to predictions what's the street like right now this morning on boxing day . morning. yes it is boxing day. morning. yes it is you know certainly for people here that are out shopping but it's not as busy as it been expected to be last year. there are major shops are closed that you would normally to see people queuing outside like next we know that that's open from sort

of six in the morning with people even camping out at one point. but they've decided to close today. it opened up tomorrow and the same happened with and spencer's and with marks and spencer's and john lewis as well. so we're not seeing as much footfall but people out here trying to people are out here trying to get the bargains as they not all shopping but that's what the british retail council have said that a lot more people now shop in online rather than in the stores . when been stores. but when i've been speaking shopperstoday, speaking to shoppers today, they've that still they've said that they still sorry, still do like to go out into the stores, look and feel the items to get what they're buying. and they've said that they've actually seen better deals the stores than online and there's a lot of people that have out as well exchanging items they might not necessarily have the right clothes size so they're out swapping items and some bargains at the same time . some bargains at the same time. but certainly the cost of living is impacting on the amount of people that are coming out on the street with people struggling to afford luxury items throughout the day. we'll keep you updated with the amount

of people on the street. but certainly does feel a lot more subdued food and you've not got that influx of customers that you expected to see on boxing day . thank you expected to see on boxing day. thank you very much, hannah. that's great. well, let's move this on now. bringing political commentator alby , political commentator alby, who's with us , of course, who's with us, of course, throughout the show i suppose it is odd we've had multiple christmases now where people haven't been able to go to the shops with the high has taken an absolute beating but perhaps i was naive thinking that this year would have been a bit for the shops. well, it comes back to our early discussion about if people can't get to shops, they can't spend their money, the shops. and actually another thing that we've seen, of course, was on black friday and cyber monday. we also saw pretty , pretty disappointing results . , pretty disappointing results. the retailers then as well. so this is a really tough time for retail we a of retail retail as we see a lot of retail businesses making the bulk of their money during this

their money really during this season. interested to season. so be very interested to see in april when it's earnings season to see how a lot of these major retailers have been report and probably not very good results feels results. it often feels as though high is just in a though the high is just in a permanent existence fuel crisis which is getting worse and worse and it feels definite . i've and it feels definite. i've heard this from a lot of people who run shops that the government doesn't seem to be doing about it. is there a doing much about it. is there a sort of bullet solution? sort of silver bullet solution? you know, would scrapping business or business rates altogether or something a be move that something be a be a move that could make a new to change could make a new year to change the this ? i think the trajectory of this? i think you've was going to you've seen that was going to scrap business rates. it might have something we have been something which we would seen. would have already have seen. of course, something course, it was something which i think rachel think keir starmer and rachel rees called for earlier in the year and of course one of the big problems at the moment is actually the government actually how is the government going fund public services going to fund public services and scrapping business rates. it's quite it's obviously quite a big revenue generator for the exchequer looking at business rates, certainly is something which small up and down which hinders small up and down the is probably the country is probably something which would be wise

from a government looking to reignite high there reignite the high street. there was some tinkering with was some sort of tinkering with business with regard to business rates with regard to how warehouses taxed how warehouses were taxed compared high street shops and not quite sure the detail of it. but i think warehouses are going to taxed obviously slightly to be taxed obviously slightly more than street shops more highly than street shops just in order to make up for onune just in order to make up for online sales and all rest of it. but it does strike me that this is a conservative government that whenever it can, we will to raise taxes rather than cut them to try equalise things , i to try and equalise things, i suppose.i to try and equalise things, i suppose. i mean, you could argue why should the government be propping stores if propping physical stores if things moving ? that's the things are moving? that's the way force the markets way the force of the markets works think there works do. you do you think there is good argument saving is a good argument for saving the street ? yes, i think the high street? yes, i think there absolutely good there is absolutely a good argument the high argument for saving the high street. talk to a of street. if we talk to a lot of people in these left behind behind johnson behind towns that boris johnson of course, turned blue with 2019 general election what they want are the high streets reinvigorated . these are places reinvigorated. these are places of community where. people come together. it gives people pride of there was of place. of course, there was a conservative to save the high street, but a lot of these small

businesses the backbone of businesses are the backbone of the economy and yet the british economy and yet i suppose we're going to see suppose we're not going to see any particularly good results for we in for businesses while we in recession and all the independent forecasts there's a saying that is in the middle of what we are at right now. we've had one quarter of negative growth just been revised down to —o.3. growth just been revised down to —0.3. we're expecting next quarter to be negative as well, i suppose. is there any room for hopein i suppose. is there any room for hope in this pretty dark economic time. we should always remain hopeful and. i'm certainly hopeful that the government will get a hold of things and deliver better results businesses and results for. businesses and individuals next year. i think another thing which is really hindering the moment hindering business at the moment is labour. you is of course the labour. you know, a cafe around the know, there's a cafe around the corner my house which every corner from my house which every monday because i simply can't the staff, which is in stark contrast to the government's kind anti immigration kind of anti immigration message, it's not necessarily the pro—growth agenda that we for britain to reinvigorate the high street reinvigorate high street and reinvigorate the economy . really interesting economy. really interesting point there. yeah. thank you very be back to you

very much. i'll be back to you very much. i'll be back to you very after break, sit very soon. after the break, sit back, relax and plan your christmas tv viewing with the help of top tips , showbiz guru help of top tips, showbiz guru ali phillips . that's after your ali phillips. that's after your morning news. ali phillips. that's after your morning news . good ali phillips. that's after your morning news. good morning. it's 1031. i'm bethany lc in the gb newsroom jersey police have confirmed woman who was injured in an explosion at a block of flats in jersey earlier this month has died in hospital on christmas day. jersey confirmed kathleen mcguinness death. the blast which took just after 4 am. on the 10th of december, destroyed the building in st heuen destroyed the building in st helier. her death now brings the total number people killed in the incident to ten. the inquest into their deaths will open this friday before being adjourned . friday before being adjourned. the investigation into the incident continues . at least 30 incident continues. at least 30 people are believed to have died as a result of a severe freeze

that continues to grip much of the us and canada. officials say worst hit area is the city of buffalo in new york state . amid buffalo in new york state. amid the snow, ice and temperatures. thousands flights have been cancelled and more . 150,000 cancelled and more. 150,000 homes are still without power . homes are still without power. russia's defence ministry claims three of its military personnel been killed at an air base hundreds of miles from the front line of , its war with ukraine. line of, its war with ukraine. moscow alleged they were hit by falling debris , a ukrainian falling debris, a ukrainian drone that it says was shot down. kyiv not yet commented on the incident . down. kyiv not yet commented on the incident. uk's rail down. kyiv not yet commented on the incident . uk's rail network the incident. uk's rail network effective early today as members of the rmt union hold a fresh of strike action in a dispute over pay, strike action in a dispute over pay, hundreds of trains usually run on boxing day, but they've all cancelled and thousands of people have been forced to make alternative plans . the air alternative plans. the air expects 15.2 million cars on uk roads today and eurostar has

also dropped of its services, which run to london , paris, which run to london, paris, brussels and amsterdam come as a result of the rmt europe today on tv and db plus radio. this is don't go anywhere. tom and olivia, we'll be back in just a moment moment.

it's just gone 1036 on boxing day morning and watching gb news tom harwood and olivia utley in for bev turner. well, lots of you this week. it's all about putting up your feet and turning on the festive telly. but there are still lots of treats . are still lots of treats. entertain us this boxing day here to get some top for your post—christmas viewing is , post—christmas viewing is, showbiz journalist ali phillips . so, ali, what should be

watching in the next few days? there is so much tv on, it's really difficult to of pick and choose from everything. so what i've done is i've done a top two, or two for each day two, one or two for each day today. afternoon, today. this afternoon, this evening, is the repair evening, 8:00, bbc is the repair shop christmas special. if you've not seen the repair shop jay blades and how take items that sentimental people and they repair them it sounds a bit like why would i want to watch that but box stories. it's but at the box stories. so it's why is so important why that object is so important that it's a massive that person it's a massive changen that person it's a massive changer. and today they are going to repair battered going to repair a battered trombone or elderly tree , trombone or an elderly tree, which is a bit of a landmark. and they're going to amend projector. so you can imagine the stories people's youth, the stories from people's youth, you they take if you know, that they take in. if i were to ever go on it, i would take that my dad take a chessboard that my dad taught me to play on some taught me to play chess on some of pieces. i mean of the pieces. i mean it's a nice what it's not anything fancy some of pieces are fancy but some of the pieces are a and stuff and it a bit chipped and stuff and it could buy a new one, but it doesn't have that meaning. so i would take what would definitely take that. what would definitely take that. what would if you would you guys take in if you were to go on repair were going to go on the repair shop? if you're to start? shop? if you're going to start? yeah, well, i was thinking i

used nice cassette used have a very nice cassette player spent all my player which i spent all my childhood listening to harry potter songs and it potter cassette songs and it finally broke and had to jam, finally broke and i had to jam, whisk, head down the play boxes and make it look like it was seven years. i still think it's hiding somewhere. but i would love to get that . i remember the love to get that. i remember the days when you used to stop and start things start to record things on the radio and when the radio and when and when the radios came on and you knew that there going to be a there was going to be like a little blip, like signal went crazy, got so annoyed . and these crazy, got so annoyed. and these early harry potter's cassette tapes as it was like tapes as well, it was like stephen fry was a third pound to me. it like when i went, was me. it like when i went, i was thinking what mine would be, what would you be? and was having trouble to think having a lot of trouble to think of something vaguely sentimental . realised i was back . and then i realised i was back home yesterday home with my parents yesterday and i saw that they put something out the garden that something out in the garden that used live in shed . and this used to live in a shed. and this is life doll that i built is a life size doll that i built with my dad when i was younger andifs with my dad when i was younger and it's sitting out in the garden. obviously there's no room for it. and why would you

keep a life sized papier mache pot ? dolly but so it's sitting pot? dolly but so it's sitting out there getting a little bit on and getting a little bit too, which is kind of nice its own way, but perhaps that needs to be brought five glasses. be brought in five glasses. sounds quite. it was awful. it took a year. yeah, every me and my dad would be sort of. yeah. working on it. first papier mache, then got some fibreglass and made a real project. i would sit in it, it had of you know the bit the that were in the thing that you could move around easily on the top easily will lights on the top too i might i might have to find a picture to see if we can get it all on screen a bit later in the show. how about eight the show. how about you eight and to be my and i would have to be my apartment after last night on line my entire family line hosted my entire family around in the and they promised i'd go for 930 in fact on my christmas menu i had a disclaimer at the bottom saying it was kate on thursday it was by kate 20 on thursday night midnight of night at our past midnight of course, they welcomed by by hours completely hours and they completely trashed palm. they say trashed my palm. and they say they're get around they're going to get around the sofa me tidy sofa and help me tidy up. i don't that that

don't believe that all that well, once you get home once you get sorted, you chill out get sorted, you can chill out tonight of the tonight because one of the things on channel at things that's on channel 4 at 9 pm. tonight is the big fork of p.m. tonight is the big fork of the year. and love these the year. and i love these i love the end of the year when love at the end of the year when we i make fun of we look back, i make fun of everything that's as everything that's happened as awful might been. awful as it might have been. i think british thing is that think the british thing is that we with a of we just have to take with a of salt as much as can salt laugh as much as we can make fun of it. so tonight that's carr hosting that's jemmy carr hosting and he's a really good line. he's got a really good line. we've stephen merchant we've got stephen merchant katherine ryan, maisie, adam, jonathan matafeo. jonathan ross, andrew matafeo. if she is, if you don't know who she is, she's called she's in something called starstruck, which series that starstruck, which a series that is good watch , not is a really good watch, not christmas watch, but a really good tomorrow . good watch. and then tomorrow. so kind of staying away from christmas bit, but something that really good. want to that really is good. you want to see is a film . 1917 00i see you see is a film. 1917 00i see you my way through . so, okay, so my way through. so, okay, so this george mackay dean chapman and colin firth , it's summoned and colin firth, it's summoned as is oscar winning world war i film, two soldiers attempting to deliver a message to the front lines. it's really remarkable. it's all in one long shot, no

camera at all, apart from one bit where cheek as he goes to sleep is sort of the cutaway. but it looks it does work. yeah. you think it would be so compelling, but it really is a first for tv because you've only ever seen elsewhere before. and then we get into wednesday now. so is what everyone's like. so this is what everyone's like. what day of the week is it? where the 28th of where they say the 28th of december, am pick december, wednesday? am i pick out picks? got an out two picks? they've got an afternoon you want to afternoon run if you want to snooze out finding oh, snooze in and out finding oh, this sequel to finding this is the sequel to finding nemo, by degeneres easy nemo, voiced by degeneres easy watch . no one could argue about watch. no one could argue about this one. it's family friendly. so that's really good. and then in the evening, again, not christmas eight, am christmas eight, but one i am desperate to see . it's 9:00 desperate to see. it's on 9:00 on one. it's called on bbc one. it's called mayflies. compston who mayflies. it stars compston who gets my massive take straightaway and it's two part adaptation of andrew o'higgins novel of the same name mayfly a two part. so wednesday 28, we're going to see part one nine, then the next night, part two will be on. so that's quite because it's easy and it's bbc one and

they're quite good at these short spots, sort of gist of short spots, the sort of gist of it. tear jerker. short spots, the sort of gist of it. tear jerker . so it. so it's a tearjerker. so too many tears get won when one has been diagnosed. cancer but it's meant to be absolutely brilliant. the novel is brilliant. the novel is brilliant. really written. and so yeah , this is an adaptation so yeah, this is an adaptation of that. so i think that one i know it's not christmasy for martin compston. brilliant actor everything he's in line of duty raising . so i think that's one. raising. so i think that's one. and just finally lighter for us , the audience god absolutely love waiting for this on thursday when you haven't got a clue what's going on in the world. thursday, 29th of december on channel 4 at 9 pm. is prince andrew, the musical . is prince andrew, the musical. british actually, i think clips of it and it looks brilliant so you know his famous interview that he did yeah i'm so there's a scene of that and obviously it's a musical and the song he sings post interview it said i nailed that's the title i he sings about how he nailed it and he's dancing around oh my god. i have been pelted by adverts for

this on my instagram and i to say the concept is great. say i mean the concept is great. the nothing like nothing the actors nothing like nothing like the people they're trying to that's they are to portray. that's what they are brilliant . to portray. that's what they are brilliant. he's amazing. got brilliant. he's amazing. you got kieran hodgson who credible kieran hodgson who is a credible actor and comedian. you've also got jedi beat. harry enfield's it and bag of chips. if you were writing what what is the cast is brilliant it's a massive musical parody how on earth if they managed to get back in that story i mean to see the really hoping from what i've seen is going to be kind of book of mormon style . and it's just so mormon style. and it's just so silly really executed. well, the trailers you say well. ali phillips, thank you so much for that rip roaring look through everything that we can expect on our festive telly season. apart from course gb news, which will be on 24 seven through the festive period well , boxing day festive period well, boxing day is always a big day for football, though. both premier league and championship football throughout the day and obviously

we've we've been five weeks off the premier world cup and i think we've all kind forgotten where we were at. so can you talk . well arsenal five points talk. well arsenal five points ahead at the top of the table. they've not won the league since 2004. given the 2004. enormous given the financial strength of manchester city , even manchester united, city, even manchester united, and the prowess that and certainly the prowess that liverpool have shown recent liverpool have shown in recent years the fourth years for main ice, the fourth one, about also going one, what about also who's going to they're playing to win that? so they're playing tonight against west ham at 8:00. till your 8:00. you're up till your christmas party. did i mention that ? so, yeah, two and a christmas party. did i mention that? so, yeah, two and a half hours sleep, actually, no. but listen, they could eight listen, they could go eight points clear now, points clear tonight. now, the issue here is boxing day is always day for football, always a big day for football, but effectively starting but we're effectively starting the what at the the season. what we get at the start season is free start of the season is free results. the players results. where are the players that. terms of that. well, that in terms of their fitness, are their match fitness, where are they of their physical they in terms of their physical fitness, they terms fitness, where are they in terms of the of sometimes you get the argentine players, example, argentine players, for example, who've are who've just the world cup, are they come back they going to come back and fancy a to brentford? and fancy a trip to brentford? and this after the world this is so soon after the world cup, first time. we cup, it's first time. well we had because never had a world had to because never had a world cup in as you mentioned,

cup in as you as mentioned, they're middle of they're in the middle of a season. determined that it season. we've determined that it disrupt the schedule too much. so be at so it's just got to be up at know, some the championship know, some of the championship matches division matches just in the division below where maintained qpr are they started weeks not they started weeks ago so not mucking around they've games they started weeks ago so not m|thatg around they've games they started weeks ago so not m|that inaround they've games they started weeks ago so not m|that in that d they've games they started weeks ago so not m|that in that roster've games they started weeks ago so not m|that in that roster that's games in that in that roster that's not including cup games and there are going to be questions around players fitness terms around players fitness in terms of look in january look in february we get the february where we get the inclement weather, we get postponements, rearranged postponements, we get rearranged fixtures. a fixtures. it's going to be a nightmare. to nightmare. it's going to be a huge battle of endurance who huge battle of endurance for who wins now. but as for wins the title now. but as for the arsenal can hang on, they've lost his lost their striker, gabriel, his news cups. they've news of the world cups. they've got to deal with. so as i say, though, west sounds though, they beat west sounds like sign like out of form, although sign form because they form doesn't matter because they will five weeks. will fight for five weeks. so what's form when what's form was form when haven't played for five weeks you you've got you put to rest. you've got players back injury. players back from injury. who knows going go knows which way it's going to go but exciting on but it can be very exciting on the and you talk about the yeah and you talk about player mentality, i mean i suppose going to be suppose all eyes are going to be on without doubt. i mean on harry without doubt. i mean it's since he it's two weeks ago since he blazed penalty over the blazed that penalty over the bar, we were watching the gb bar, but we were watching the gb news was the news christmas possibly was the good keeping his

good thing about keeping his christmas many christmas past. aren't too many football so football enthusiasts there so they the policy they carried the policy is carrying normal which was carrying on as normal which was so conte so yeah look he's antonio conte they guy called roberto they played a guy called roberto baggio famously baggio back in 1994. he famously a the bar in a a penalty over the bar in a world final to lose italy. the league now concept references. he's team mate baggio's in he's a team mate baggio's in that game but 29 years ago and he said baggio spoke him and he said baggio spoke to him and said actually feel said he can actually feel himself himself dying himself part of himself dying inside the inside when realised that the ball ball and it ball going over the ball and it was going to impact the whole nation. now how harry nation. now how about harry redknapp night redknapp on ball last night harry kane hit the ball over the bar. antonio conte said, look, i know both men. harry kane is different animal. he's somebody who will able to park it and get back into league. back into the league. and i think he will well. he's think he will as well. he's normally reliable most normally very reliable for most penalties. that was an aberration. was costly. aberration. yes, it was costly. but it. it was but let's let's it. if it was not life death. no. well, not life or death. no. well, let's park football for a second, because it's also a big racing today. is a huge racing day today. this is a huge racing day today. this is a huge racing mean, again, racing day. i mean, again, boxing the biggest boxing day one of the biggest days i i've counted days of the year, i i've counted 11 meetings 11 races all the major meetings were leopardstown , market were world leopardstown, market rallies the rallies and wincanton all the ones of kempton park, ones we've of kempton park, a

big one as well. now my in big one as well. now my job in one jobs to one of my previous jobs was to go and inspect the pitch on day and on christmas day. sometimes have to get up about four in the morning, as my previous morning, just as my previous part night party part previous night party was winding the winding up. get to the racecourse, get pitchfork racecourse, get a big pitchfork , the ground , put my foot into the ground and ground and see what the ground felt like. grounds . then we get a like. the grounds. then we get a thermometer type device to see what temperature would be what the temperature would be like. able predict the like. he be able to predict the weather in day. weather for later in the day. the would to the racegoers would have to bnng the racegoers would have to bring umbrella that kind of bring an umbrella that kind of stuff. i do have a tip. vanessa williams, press the williams, on long press at the king george kempton park. king george in kempton park. i think 3:00. but think that's spent 3:00. but go on if get you on the pull on on if can get you on the pull on the african carriage gambling if . you fancy that. yeah. and finally, some sad news as well. yes very sad news, actually. we've had and it's been in the offing for just a while we've had and it's been in the offing forjust a while mean offing for just a while mean he's the family of pele the former brazilian striker considered by many to be the very best of all time. he's 82 years old. he's been battling cancer since going to hospital . cancer since going to hospital. the boy has been battling cancer for a couple actually for a couple of years, actually but admitted to hospital

but he was admitted to hospital in on november the in sao paolo on november the 29th. daughter also his 29th. his daughter also his granddaughter, kellie granddaughter, also our kellie has the end of life is has said that the end of life is nigh so we await announcement on that later today, possibly even tomorrow . we'll be right across, tomorrow. we'll be right across, of course, for you here on gb news was very sad. i suppose we shouldn't end shouldn't really end on something very your something very, very sad. your christmas night. something very, very sad. your christmas night . why christmas party last night. why did on so long? it went on did it go on so long? it went on so my family don't so long. because my family don't when you take a hint so i said we've got the christmas special eastenders nine. i said, oh, eastenders nine. so i said, oh, you for it's an no you can stay for it's an hour no matter . with the charm of mick matter. with the charm of mick carter after that think carter after that then i think it pictures hair. so it goes in pictures hair. so that's it's the ham and cheese croquettes so that's my that's my nieces partner. they're taking two and he was i say one that's my brother. they know plus but don't think then i'll come round there was my picture up on the there james is asking where i got my phone from otherwise and i've moved over towards my sister in law who's off camera as my two nieces and oh, they're both , but they won't

oh, they're both, but they won't take them in. they're going to go on for crazy. well, fantastic. down was fantastic. hosting ability. oh that was the first course. now if you want to go all reviews you've got to these days include the wi—fi pass code on the on the table very good just the cocktail station and was quality streets and crystal as well yeah no fundsi and crystal as well yeah no funds i think we have that in my household as well but also my household as well but also my house we had some sort of as as the evening went on we started you know playing with the gifts we all sort of given each other and my sister got most well it was a really well—meaning gift for her boyfriend i think we've got a picture of it coming up it's a jigsaw made of a picture, a sentimental picture right me. the problem with this picture is it's about 50% blue sky and totally identical pieces of blue sky. you know how many hours you are trying to put this? i think we've got some more pictures that we can go through here

because did buy because miraculously we did buy this these identical blue jigsaw pieces trying , you know, by now pieces trying, you know, by now bye bye bye. yesterday also, this went on a bit too long and perhaps we were a bit longer because there was alcohol involved , but we ended up involved, but we ended up i think we've got one more picture that may well be able to come up onto screen. we've got a whole can we all know we don't have it generally. well, what sort reason was a reason to . stick reason was a reason to. stick with us here on bbc2 because it's up to them to find out did did my myself my mother and my sister's boyfriend actually were we able to finish that puzzle. well stick with us here on gb news. i mean find out for now aidan mcgivern and alex phillips, much for phillips, thank you so much for joining really, really joining us. this really, really fun and spirited segment. now for many , fox hunting is as much for many, fox hunting is as much a part of boxing day as leftover turkey and discarded gifts. and the 2005 hunting ban has done little to dampen huntsman's enthusiasm. now, by law, the must now drag tails of hunting

foxes. but figures released today reveal a seemingly flouting the law, and little is being done to . stop them. well, being done to. stop them. well, our southwest england reporter geoff moody has talking to people who both sides of this debate . the traditional boxing debate. the traditional boxing day meat, horses, hounds and the thrill of the chase . we have to thrill of the chase. we have to change what . we do. after the change what. we do. after the hunting came in. it isn't exactly the. but it's as close as we can make it. know, we lay our lines. we chase those lines. i mean, there are clearly people who don't want us to do what we're and given that we we're doing. and given that we are that can are hunting the law, that can only be one conclusion. and that is issue of is that this isn't an issue of hunting that . but the league hunting for that. but the league against cruel sports says many hunters adapted. they're hunters haven't adapted. they're doing exactly what they used to. they've compiled 300 reports of suspect to illegal hunting. the hunting act is there, but with witnesses seeing foxes still

being chased or in some instances still being killed , instances still being killed, both of which are illegal under the areas, but exempt options in the areas, but exempt options in the law, making it terrible , the law, making it terrible, difficult to actually bring a prosecution certainly a successful one. concerns, too, about public . pip donovan is about public. pip donovan is from action against fox hunting . she's been campaigning alongside other groups grantham against blood sport and protect the wild to stop their local huntin the wild to stop their local hunt in somerset from gathering in town on safety grounds. they say the hunt in chard properly appued say the hunt in chard properly applied for a road closure. as somerset county council said to us was too late to do anything too late to do anything to get roads closed properly, bearing in mind the road closure is about public safety. it is not about public safety. it is not about being minded about the hunt. about being minded about the hunt . it's about public safety. hunt. it's about public safety. it's about taking making sure the public are not put at risk. somerset council have admitted they made mistakes. they told gb news we can confirm that the

council is not using any powers to close roads for hunt meets this year. we have spoken to the hunts, identified by action against fox hunting and to have confirmed they meet on private land and the third will not be closing the road. we apologise for any misunderstand in relation to this matter . acts relation to this matter. acts against fox hunting, drawn blood. it's now a battle wills with both sides hunting for loopholes. it's the spirit of the law. we to see being adhered . so we want changes to ensure that that proper spirit that let's protect british wildlife is actually enforced . and that's is actually enforced. and that's what would be calling on whichever is in after the next general election to do for if opinion polls are to be . the opinion polls are to be. the party that introduced ban could be picking up the scent a year or two. look at all this. this tells you the real truth of the matter. punching is very much part england. old england and modern england and. we're here

to stay here . but for how much to stay here. but for how much longer ? geoff moody gb news news longer? geoff moody gb news news and thanks to geoff for that. that's the end of first hour. we'll be right back with yet another hour of excellent here on boxing day. after the weather , looking ahead to today's weather and the uk is looking sunny , blustery with showers sunny, blustery with showers often wintry in the north. let's take a look at the details . a take a look at the details. a mixture of sunshine and showers across the southwest of england. these showers blustery and heavy times. feeling a little colder than recent days with temperatures closer to average across south—east. it's dry and bright . plenty of prolonged bright. plenty of prolonged sunshine while breezy on the coast. blustery showers will move eastwards across wales. these occasionally turning over high ground with brighter spells at times . a generally dry day at times. a generally dry day for most across midlands, but plenty of prolonged sunshine.

some scattered, blustery may affect western and northern areas for a time. staying dry for most across north—east england with plenty of sunshine, although risk of a few wintry showers . high ground. showers. high ground. temperatures struggling to reach about four or five celsius. wintry showers continue to move eastwards across of scotland with snow falling over any high ground. breezy particularly on the coast . those in ground. breezy particularly on the coast. those in ireland will see a day of sunshine and showers. these turning wintry over high ground at times breezy and feeling colder than recent days. showers will continue to affect western areas . these affect western areas. these often wintry in the north spreading east later. and that is how a weather shaping up the rest of the day .

a very good day. morning to you. you're with me, tom harwood and olivia utley here standing in for bev turner on gb. before midday, we're to get to the bottom of the strikes hold of this country . bottom of the strikes hold of this country. britain's space travel chaos this boxing day as railway strike workers go on amid a dispute over pay. railway strike workers go on amid a dispute over pay . and amid a dispute over pay. and later on in the program we'll be joined by the presenter of clean is your health. maggie mckenzie who give us her top on how to organise your house. post—christmas celebrations. and we'll be discussing all this with . our studio guest political with. our studio guest political commentator esther albie amankona . that's all coming up amankona. that's all coming up after . look at the latest news . after. look at the latest news. thanks tom and olivia, very good

morning to it's just gone 11:00. i'm bethany lc in the gb newsroom jersey police have confirmed woman who was injured in an explosion at a block of flats in jersey this month has died in hospital on christmas day. kathleen mcguinness his death brings the total number of people killed in the incident to ten. the blast took place just after 4 am. on the 10th of december. destroyed the building in st helier . an inquest into in st helier. an inquest into the deaths open this friday before being adjourned while the investigation into the incident continues , at least 30 people continues, at least 30 people are believed to died as a result of a severe arctic freeze that continues to grate much of the us and canada officials say the worst hit is the city of buffalo in new york state. amid the snow, ice and freezing temperatures , thousands of temperatures, thousands of flights have been cancelled and more than 150,000 homes are still without power . russia's still without power. russia's defence ministry claims of its

military personnel have been killed at an airbase. hundreds of miles from the front line of its war with ukraine. moscow allege they were hit by falling debns allege they were hit by falling debris from a ukrainian drone that it says was shot down. the government says no aircraft was damaged at airfield in russia's southeast . it's the second southeast. it's the second attack on the military site this month. it's understood it stores long—range strategic bombers . long—range strategic bombers. kyiv has not yet commented on the incident . the final two the incident. the final two skiers who were missing after avalanche in a skiing area , avalanche in a skiing area, western austria have now been found . local reports say the found. local reports say the avalanche happened yesterday afternoon and it was initially thought that ten people had been buned thought that ten people had been buried under snow. helicopters searched and avalanche dogs which used an operation to locate the missing people . the locate the missing people. the uk rail networks are effectively shut down today as members of the rmt union hold a fresh round of strike in a dispute over pay. hundreds of trains usually on boxing day, but they've all been

cancelled and thousands of people have been forced to make alternative plans. the expected 15.2 million calls on uk roads today. eurostar has also dropped all of its services, which run to london, paris, brussels and amsterdam as a result of the action . travel expert simon action. travel expert simon calder . the strikes are calder. the strikes are destroying the railways . if destroying the railways. if 1 million people like me who don't have car or access to a car, who have car or access to a car, who have to travel by rail to and be told, come back to january isn't good enough. rail unions, i think, have completely the government is completely misjudged . the passenger and the misjudged. the passenger and the taxpayer are caught up in this middle of this kind of ideological row . and it's ideological row. and it's absolutely all it's doing is destroying the rail, railways police . a shooting at a pub in police. a shooting at a pub in liverpool on christmas eve in which one woman was killed was not a targeted attack. the search is continuing for the gunman killed a 26 year old woman in wallasey on. she was

taken to hospital but later died. four men were also taken to hospital . gunshot injuries . to hospital. gunshot injuries. the uk health security agency will stop publishing covid 19 data early next month. the chief data early next month. the chief data scientist says it's no longer necessary as the country is now living with the disease, but that covid will still be monitored. data had been published weekly during the peak of the pandemic , and every two of the pandemic, and every two weeks since april this year and shoppers are expected to spend less in the sales today as the cost living continues to rise . cost living continues to rise. new research by barclaycard payments found the average customer intends buy around payments found the average customer intends buy aroun d £229 customer intends buy around £229 worth of items in the post—christmas sales as 4% less compared to last year. post—christmas sales as 4% less compared to last year . the study compared to last year. the study also found that a number of shoppers expect to turn to reselling to buy items or to unwanted gifts . europe to date unwanted gifts. europe to date this is gb news. we'll bring you more news as happens. now let's get back to tom and. olivia .

get back to tom and. olivia. good morning and welcome you all with olivia utley and standing in for bev turner gb news. today talking strikes. thousands of are facing boxing day chaos today as rail workers strike over a pay dispute. we'll be by former member of the rmt union and the presenter of clean is your house. jacqui mckenzie will be giving us her top on how to organise your after the festive penod. organise your after the festive period . and of course, this show period. and of course, this show is nothing without you your views. email us on gbp at gb news or tweet us gb news to have your say . now news or tweet us gb news to have your say. now leading the day to day it's not leftovers from

christmas lunch, but it's thousands of commuters facing travel disruption after . the travel disruption after. the network rail workers continue their strike over pay and working . network rail said working. network rail said britain's railways will remain closed for a second consecutive day . members closed for a second consecutive day. members of closed for a second consecutive day . members of the rail, day. members of the rail, maritime and transport union remain on strike until 6 am. on december the 27th. so let's cross live to our gb news national theo to report to even theo chikomba whose birmingham new street station . theo, what's new street station. theo, what's it like ? pretty empty. i'm it like? pretty empty. i'm expecting . yeah, it's pretty expecting. yeah, it's pretty empty. no one can go in or out to the station unless you work for network rail. and it's going to be like this all day until tomorrow in. the third day of rmt union strikes. now this is over pay conditions and we have met a lot of them over the picket line, over the last few weeks. love them, saying simply conditions that are in place at the moment simply aren't good enough but also for enough for them. but also for the of the passengers . the safety of the passengers. use railway . 15.2 million

use the railway. 15.2 million people are expected to be on the roads as they make alternative travel arrangements today . and travel arrangements today. and if you are thinking of getting a train, they are advising you to think about a slightly way for you to travel today of . course you to travel today of. course is the day after is boxing day. the day after christmas and people will be going their centres. going into their centres. normally there are several trains running on boxing day, but this year a complete standstill . just in a couple of standstill. just in a couple of weeks time, we'll be seeing union members take to the picket line as well . train drivers line as well. train drivers across the country said there'll be more disruption as the weeks come in the next couple of weeks . welfare. thank you for bringing us. that's even though it's not particularly happy news. well, happy boxing day anyway. we'll be catching up with you in day, no doubt . with you in the day, no doubt. and still further into this now, joined by royal expert at the institute of economic , len institute of economic, len shackleton . len good morning. shackleton. len good morning. i'm so of course there are those

who are saying now that the government should give in and accept these rail demands. we know that inflation set to go down next year is . it really down next year is. it really worth the government spending . worth the government spending. let's be honest, there's not very much political. it has left on keeping this fight going . i on keeping this fight going. i think it probably from that point of view because i mean , point of view because i mean, you give it to one of these rather impolite demands where you draw the line, you've got a huge number of public sector workers from public sector workers from public sector workers railway workers who are putting in these claims and the cost to the taxpayer , to nobody cost to the taxpayer, to nobody else is not a top cost . the else is not a top cost. the government, of course, it's a cost to the taxpayer, will run into many billions , could be put into many billions, could be put to better use. so argue now . to better use. so argue now. earlier on the programme we spoke to steve, formerly of the executive of the r m t himself and he was saying that the government find billions upon , government find billions upon, billions of pounds during covid to give to the private rail companies, he said. not very

much of that flowed down to the to the workers, the rail companies. i'm not sure how true that is, but he was saying that got given to these companies dunng got given to these companies during covid. why can't billions given to the workers now? is he right ? well, billions course right? well, billions course were given to the workers during covid. then the public sector of all the railways. nobody was furloughed, nobody lost their job. they had a much better time than people in the genuine private sector . they talk the private sector. they talk the rail is a red herring amendment. the rail companies a busted flush. several been taken over by the operation of last . that's by the operation of last. that's a completely different kind of question to ask. yeah you can always find money on the back of the government finds every and again but you've just keep doing this and in case of the railways i would argue the to do this because what the railways are railway workers are doing is trying only to put in a massive

wage claim but also to defend working practises which haven't changed fundamentally in 50 years. and they really need to change. the rail system which is shrinking by the day in of its pubuc.i shrinking by the day in of its public. i mean this obviously can't go on forever , though. and can't go on forever, though. and yes, the government can make the points that you've just made . points that you've just made. but at some point that's going to have to be some movement. what what in long term is what what in the long term is the to this crisis ? the the solution to this crisis? the solution to this crisis, i think, is for unions to sit down with the government and negotiate productivity changes which could follow genuine wage increases , not just draw on the increases, not just draw on the bottom of those pits of made up models in the treasury, which eventually will have to pay back in one form or another. and the short run, we'll just lose time . so i think you cannot really begin these serious talks with the rail units unless you've got productivity issues on. the table. it's not just about

money, despite what the real unions will try to tell you. how easy are those productivity reforms there? any sort of low hanging fruit there that could really spur the way that all of rail services run that could increase the efficiency of our rail services ? though there are rail services? though there are few low hanging fruit, but it is reasonable to pay unions for things which will return genuine productivity in the future and that have been identified areas in maintenance . example the use in maintenance. example the use of drones and maintenance . this of drones and maintenance. this whole business of driver operated trains, which is a nonsense you know got travelled in to fenchurch street year after year on trains which were dnven after year on trains which were driven just by the, you know , driven just by the, you know, the doors, by the drive, no guards board, perfectly safe , guards board, perfectly safe, successful railway , but other successful railway, but other parts of the network are just

operated on this business. they employ a guide or woman who just presses the buttons about the doors. and that's that's limit of their job. that's the point that i'm very much so. yeah there are productivity gains which could be made in the short run and it's there are not the government will have to pay for these productivity gains but just suggests that they're not on the table at all and that we just have to whack out more money. we have done year after year the generations, in fact , year the generations, in fact, these issues were on the table, 50 days ago . well, thank you 50 days ago. well, thank you very much, len, for speaking to us today . let's continue this us today. let's continue this conversation now . thanks, len. conversation now. thanks, len. chance let's continue this conversation now . political conversation now. political commentator sam dowler, some thanks for joining us. commentator sam dowler, some thanks forjoining us. i suppose it's a really situation here. we were listening to len shackleton there saying if we move to driver only operation like they have in many european countries , that could of course fund , big

, that could of course fund, big wage rises . but of course that wage rises. but of course that would, i suppose, mean job losses. fewer people running the trains , though it would be more trains, though it would be more efficient and perhaps lead to a more cheap service to run and higher wages or whatever . higher wages or whatever. there's an economic case to be made that , but i suppose it's made that, but i suppose it's a hold a political to make . well, hold a political to make. well, of course. i mean, i don't know if you've ever on the dlr, which driverless completely. i mean how long before the rail the rail network is completely you know because of the fact that they're closing they're closing ticket booths all the time. so this is so obviously this is a bit like like you just said, this has going on for over 50 years. so i don't understand. i mean , every time there's a rail mean, every time there's a rail strike, we hear about the same issues again. so tell me why each consecutive government for the last 50 years hasn't been able to get to the bottom of this and some and somehow sort these problems out because they're not anywhere. once again, here we on boxing day

hardly any trains. i mean i'm in devon but i'm i drove i wanted to get the train but i drove down because i have back in london and i just i mean, this london and ijust i mean, this was i just wasn't sure whether i was i just wasn't sure whether i was going to be able to make it or not. it's affecting, obviously, boxing sales. it's affecting and, you affecting the economy. and, you know, know, know, and along with, you know, the cornucopia of other strikes. i on i mean, the hell's going on right . yeah. is that a bit right now. yeah. is that a bit of a problem? mentioned that you had down to devon. do had to drive down to devon. do you think that's a bit a you think that's a bit of a problem for unions the line problem for unions down the line that stop relying on that people will stop relying on trains? know the people trains? we know the people aren't commuting as much as they were people only were any more. people are only using well. people are predominantly using train predominantly using the train for purposes . and is for leisure purposes. and is there point people think, there a point people think, well, my rail, my travel card for the month isn't me enough trains. i'm just to stop using them. could we be looking at the beginning of the end, maybe even of the railway industry as we know will? no, i don't. well, know it will? no, i don't. well, this this is the thing mean. there are two reasons why i wanted drive down of all like

wanted to drive down of all like even with the price of petrol it was cheaper me own in a was cheaper for me my own in a car to drive and drive back car to drive down and drive back again and that's why it took me again and that's why it took me a five out to get down here. and it'll be 5 hours get back tomorrow. but it was thought, i mean by train it was ove r £100. mean by train it was over £100. and and also i wasn't to and also and also i wasn't to know whether were going to run or not. however, one thing i will say to the viewers is check your your local trading company, because i mean there's all this talk about there's no trains running was sometimes running all where was sometimes are it's skeleton it's are sometimes it's skeleton it's are sometimes it's skeleton it's a service and there's a skeleton service and there's one per hour. it's interesting don't just give up because you had on news funny go had on the news it's funny go and check going on but again as say we've got a different crisis i slowly train i mean slowly getting a train supposed to be cheaper than driving . i mean literally i'm driving. i mean literally i'm just case in point . it is not at just case in point. it is not at all. it's we've feeds into this sort of sense , this general sort of sense, this general malaise the sense that malaise and the sense that nothing's working in this country. then it would almost better for new trains to be running all than, have running at all than, have the hope buying ticket, and

hope of buying a ticket, and then it just doesn't turn up. gb news commissioned polling last week that suggested more than half, or at least a plurality of people in this country no longer agree that things in this country . i wonder if this is a country. i wonder if this is a time for the government to get more radical. they've proposed what's called a minimum service level requirement legislation in order to enforce really a minimum service on the railways . do you expect that could be popular ? i think obviously you popular? i think obviously you speak to the person on the street and they see you know they see this grim outlook they see cost of living crisis. they see cost of living crisis. they see all these strikes. and, of course , would think, oh, course, would think, oh, britain's broken britain's not working. but think and i think working. but i think and i think that there is some sort of an there's politics and there as well. there's you know, we'll see the tories that, you know, denve see the tories that, you know, derive reputation in derive their reputation is in the moment. so the doldrums at the moment. so i who's that the aren't who's to say that the aren't going to stick in the noise then right the right time to , to right at the right time to, to make even worse than make them look even worse than they at time, you

they are. but at the time, you know, it's a perfect of . know, it's a perfect storm of. disasters all over the country . disasters all over the country. and, you know, i think where can we turn? we can't a train. we can't, you know , we can't get can't, you know, we can't get any birthday cards. can't, you know, we can't get any birthday cards . we can't, any birthday cards. we can't, you know, can we can an ambulance if granny falls over or down the stairs, what is going on literally . or down the stairs, what is going on literally. is or down the stairs, what is going on literally . is there or down the stairs, what is going on literally. is there an argument for the government actually , although it doesn't actually, although it doesn't have that much political popularity to expend , is there popularity to expend, is there an argument for getting really tough on the unions? is there an argument that? the incentives for are actually keep for the unions are actually keep all rail services in to keep those as you say, because as len said earlier, people , the trains said earlier, people, the trains who just press one button. is there an argument that rishi sunak should go in there and do a sort of. margaret on the on the unions or ? do they just not the unions or? do they just not have sort political have that sort of political power moment ? i have that sort of political power moment? i think what power the moment? i think what i think we, the tories, are quite politically weak at the moment if they, you know, they were going to do that the with the railways i'll think about doing with the nurses. they going with the nurses. are they going to with the ambulance

to do that with the ambulance they don't they have they don't they don't have the clout everybody to clout to do it for everybody to they which they can't pick and choose which which fight. which they're going to fight. i mean, obviously, i said, mean, obviously, like i said, there's year problem with mean, obviously, like i said, therethe year problem with mean, obviously, like i said, therethe railways problem with mean, obviously, like i said, therethe railways andlem with mean, obviously, like i said, therethe railways and but with mean, obviously, like i said, therethe railways and but it'sh with the railways and but it's something that isn't going to go . and i think a lot of british people understand what the people don't understand what the problems are because they hear things oh , somebody's things like, oh, somebody's getting paid 60 grand, press a like every now and again, they're well, that's they're like, well, that's ridiculous. we ridiculous. but we because we don't the don't because we don't know the ins it's complicated. ins and outs. it's complicated. it's just like with the it's not just like with the nurses want money it's to nurses want more money it's to do with the whole infrastructure itself . so i mean, i'm, itself. so i mean, i mean, i'm, you know, i'm certainly not an expert mean, how how, expert on this. i mean, how how, how people get into one how everyday people get into one stand what they're really for, really tricky decisions for the government to perhaps they will be more bold in the new year. but for now, sam dowler, thanks for joining us and talking forjoining us and talking through that. so let's all in this conversation out now with the political alby ancona . he's the political alby ancona. he's with us for the whole program. and i'll be i suppose there is a big choice for rishi sunak here . does he want to be mr. thurlow

like he was in the pandemic, try and be mr. nice and give free money to all the people , the money to all the people, the consequences later on as there are clearly consequences later. well, does he want to be more thatcherite and actually have some battles ? i think what you some battles? i think what you see not does need be more firm especially with the strike because i think part of the problem generous the problem from how generous the government was during the covid pandemic because it created this attitude within the british public, that money can always found solve problem . extra found to solve a problem. extra billion here and actually in there. it doesn't really matter . so we fast forward two years from furlough and if we have the nurses asking for extra money, we have other public sector workers asking extra money workers asking for extra money and oh, it's fine and public saying, oh, it's fine , we can just them this , we can just give them this extra that's going extra money. that's not going to be going be any be that's not going to be any consequences. of course, now consequences. but of course, now we happened. truss we saw what happened. liz truss we anymore . the we can't borrow anymore. the financial going financial markets going a bizarrely. so the government has to be more firm because we simply cannot afford these inflation busting pay rises and

as well the strikers . we've also as well the strikers. we've also got the problem as we've seen of people just not really back to work after the pandemic. you've a huge proportion of people of working age choosing to drop out of the workforce. what does what does the government do about that or is it just a question of people are lazy than they once were? well, i think the government has tried to introduce some policies around more work coaches particularly for over 50 years that have decided that they just to stay at home. is the majority of at home. this is the majority of people this people that make up this group of people who are economically inactive. think called inactive. i think being called and course this feeds and of course this feeds into labour we would labour shortages that we would earlier. big things earlier. one of the big things holding up british economy holding up the british economy are labour we've got to get british people into work but also where there are acute labour shortages. we've got to bnngin labour shortages. we've got to bring in hard working people from to plug those gaps from abroad to plug those gaps whilst we train up the british population mean, that's population. i mean, that's exactly based exactly what a points based migration is supposed to migration system is supposed to do able to be flexible to do be able to be flexible to these particular but these particular demands. but is that that compatible with the sort of tory majority ? we know

sort of tory majority? we know that there are plenty people in red who constituencies who are actually worried about high level levels of immigration and wanted see migration wanted to see net migration reduced. and that's why they voted brexit. does voted for brexit. how does rishi sunak square up? i think, which is, you know, got actually is, you know, it's got actually talk immigration talk about the immigration figures that we saw later on this year, i think this year, which i think referencing of around 500,000 in a analytical way. you know, a more analytical way. you know, a more analytical way. you know, a lot of those immigration numbers were coming from the ukrainian support scheme, were coming from the british national overseas scheme with kong, overseas scheme with hong kong, were coming from the huge afghanistani resettlement scheme, and then some students. and then around 150,000 economic migrants. obviously these are still big numbers, but if we actually about the numbers in a more analytical way, i think the british public will understanding because ultimately , as i was mentioning earlier on in, show business having to in, show business is having to close can't the close because i can't get the staff. acceptable the staff. isn't it acceptable the economy stifling because can't get the staff isn't acceptable. i don't believe a single british person would reject a visa for a

malaysian nurse or an indian doctor . i malaysian nurse or an indian doctor. i think these are the kind of things i say to exactly what have points based system is supposed to deliver rather than just the open door to anyone doing it. sector by sector. i think there is a case that the government can make for shortage occupation lists to be filled. it's not making it that strongly at the moment. it's not making any strongly the moment any case strongly at the moment well, christmas after the well, happy christmas after the break. for many shoppers, boxing day is the perfect opportunity to find some great deals . but is to find some great deals. but is there an appetite for shopping christmas during this case ? a christmas during this case? a cost of living crisis ? oh, we cost of living crisis? oh, we we're going live the views of the shopper. we're going to put we'll be going live to leeds to get views of shoppers that shortly .

it's 1125 on boxing day it's1125 on boxing day morning and is tom harwood and olivia utley in for bev turner on gb news. well, december is biggest month of the year for most uk , month of the year for most uk, but data from retail sales and tax that the november makes up over one fifth of this year's sales . if you've received money sales. if you've received money a christmas gift, you would expect to bags and boxing day bargains. now the are on. but this year is different. the value of goods being purchased dunng value of goods being purchased during the boxing day sales is predicted to be nearly % lower predicted to be nearly% lower than last year. our yorkshire voter, anna riley is live on the high street in leeds for us . so high street in leeds for us. so how busy is it where you are today ? good morning. well, it's today? good morning. well, it's certainly busier than it was first thing this morning i've noficed first thing this morning i've noticed that a lot of shops are

actually later. so around 8:00, 9:00, rather than the 6 am. opening times seen before with stores like max. and that could well be that stalls next marks and spencer and john lewis have decided not to open today but tomorrow instead footfall has increased but it's not as much as i expected to see , you know, as i expected to see, you know, the cost of living that may have put lot of people off, people without that spare income to spend. without that spare income to spend . and this is what people spend. and this is what people had say that spoke about had to say that i spoke to about their habits today. so their shopping habits today. so what you out today? it's out my dad, because we go and shopping and what kind of bargains are you looking for ? and it's you looking for? and it's cheaper than . it would be cheaper than. it would be usually. and what's you out into the shops rather buying online to get these deals because you've got the postage , the you've got the postage, the deliveries and stuff. so just come out here. so the boxing day sales, what's brought you out today? look we're over visiting

from australia , so we are trying from australia, so we are trying to get some bargains and we have a little boys birthday tomorrow. so we thought we'd be smart and do the shopping today. so we thought we'd be smart and do the shopping today . and what do the shopping today. and what have you picked up on? you seen many deals . i have you picked up on? you seen many deals. i think have you picked up on? you seen many deals . i think there's some many deals. i think there's some deals is a bit less places open than i would have to have seen. we're used to it being a bit more open in australia than it here. so there's quite the buzz we were expecting . but there are we were expecting. but there are some really good deals, particularly like something like boots. there was a lot of really good sets like the christmas gift packs were very cheap . so gift packs were very cheap. so people are saying that they did expect it to be busier, but they'd seen some really good deals on in the shops compared to online and so that they were glad that they'd come out to do their shopping today. glad that they'd come out to do their shopping today . and we'll their shopping today. and we'll keep you updated throughout the. well, you much. well, anna, thank you much. i hope it's too not coles on the high street there in leeds , but high street there in leeds, but yes, we be catching up with yes, we will be catching up with you throughout the day . thank you throughout the day. thank you. let's bring in now the

political commons peter albie amankona , who's with us through amankona, who's with us through the whole show and i'll be i just was watching that package there , listening to the views of there, listening to the views of those people saying they were hoping it would be better. they were disappointed shops were disappointed that shops were disappointed that shops were . just into were closed. just feeds into this sense malaise that the country's not really in a great place right now. i think when it comes to retail well, i think one of the trends that we have been seeing for decades now is this shift physical retail to onune. this shift physical retail to online . and what we saw during online. and what we saw during the pandemic was really that speed up . so these big queues, speed up. so these big queues, the boxing day sales people getting up at 6:00 in the morning to get the train or drive to go and queue drive into to go and queue outside of next door debnam's or house which are now house of fraser which are now disappeared street disappeared from the high street maybe us. but i one maybe behind us. but i think one of things might be of the things that might be cause because we cause for positivity because we saw a lesson a lesson good sales before christmas a lot of these stores have a lot more stock left over than they would have done. usually which means there's out on high

there's better deals out on high street than there would street today than there would have what have been in years. so what i would if , have been in years. so what i would if, you're at home would say if, you're at home watching television as soon as we finish, onto your we finish, get out onto your local sales. do not turn local high sales. do not turn off the television midday. but that was . a i mean that's that was. a i mean that's fantastic news for shoppers of if people didn't buy before christmas and they're buying now but it's not brilliant news for retailers themselves . how will retailers themselves. how will those small businesses fare in 2023, 2022 was called the year of the squeeze boom. we expect just to see more and more shops closing the high street, do you reckon? i think 2023 will be a year of a bigger you know, inflation is scheduled to come down this year , but it's still down this year, but it's still running high. we're seeing sort of high single digits, low double digit figures of inflation. and that's going to be in their be hitting people in their wallets. they won't have as wallets. so they won't have as much money spend the high much money to spend on the high street. if we can get that street. but if we can get that inflation, inflation down, if the a at the recession comes a close at the recession comes a close at the this year, as many

the end of this year, as many forecasters predicting forecasters are predicting perhaps 2024 can be a better year for retailers. the question is, these businesses is, can these smaller businesses , family businesses, get , family run businesses, get through a really tricky 2023? and is the big for rishi and this is the big for rishi sunak, i suppose everything on inflation really crashing next yearis inflation really crashing next year is predicted to do . if that year is predicted to do. if that happens, then maybe all of these strikes sort melt away a bit. we get new ppi with a more reasonable level of inflation . reasonable level of inflation. really, really big gamble . seem really, really big gamble. seem to take hope. yeah well, after the break, house clean. house, clean your house. star maggie mckenzie be joining us to talk about the big clean up . that's about the big clean up. that's after your morning news . good after your morning news. good morning. it's11th 31. i'm bethany lc the gb newsroom jesse have confirmed a woman who was injured in an explosion at a block of flats in jersey earlier this month has died in hospital

on christmas day. 73 year old kathleen mcguinness , whose death kathleen mcguinness, whose death bnngs kathleen mcguinness, whose death brings the total number of people killed in the incident to ten. the blast took place just after 4 am. on the 10th of december, destroyed the building in st helier . an inquest into in st helier. an inquest into the deaths will open this friday before being adjourned while the investigation into the incident continues . at least 30 people continues. at least 30 people are believed to have died as a result of a severe arctic that continues to grate much of the us and canada . officials say the us and canada. officials say the worst hit area is the city of buffalo in, new york state. amid the snow ice and freezing temperatures of flights have been cancelled and more than 150,000 homes are still without power . russia's defence ministry power. russia's defence ministry claims three of its military personnel have been killed at an airbase. hundreds of miles from the front line of its war with ukraine. moscow they were hit by falling debris from a ukrainian drone that it says was shot down. it's the second attack on

the airbase month. it's understood the site stores long—range strategic bombers . long—range strategic bombers. kyiv hasn't yet commented on the incident and the uk's rail networks are effectively shut down today as of the rmt union hold a round of strike action and. a dispute over pay. hundreds of trains usually run on boxing day . they've all been on boxing day. they've all been cancelled and thousands of people have been forced to make alternative plans. the a expects 15.2 million calls on uk routes today. 15.2 million calls on uk routes today . you're up to date on tv, today. you're up to date on tv, onune today. you're up to date on tv, online and dab plus radio this gb news. don't go anywhere . tom gb news. don't go anywhere. tom and olivia will be back in just .

a good morning. happy boxing day. it's 1135. all just 1136. and you're with tom harwood olivia

utley standing in for bev turner here on gb news. you've been sending in your views, which are, of course , most important are, of course, most important to us of pete . hello. pete says to us of pete. hello. pete says unions want to bring down the government and are not really interested in their members. that's interesting because of course that's what steve hadley was almost implying, that this was almost implying, that this was almost implying, that this was a more societal struggle than just simply about pay and conditions, that this was almost about changing the economic system of the country. we're talking to a member of the rmt executive . yeah, which is a view executive. yeah, which is a view that the unions are claiming that the unions are claiming that they're not these strikes. but certainly there are some at the top who think this is a sort of overthrowing of project overthrowing capitalism . well, gary has capitalism. well, gary has written suggestion in written in with a suggestion in saying the workers striking saying that the workers striking , all public sector workers with good pensions, they certainly are . why don't they give up some are. why don't they give up some of their pensions to facilitate their not quite sure how their wages? not quite sure how that work in terms of in that would work in terms of in of future commitments of ,

of future commitments of, payments that could be delivered now. but i mean, maybe they could look into it . and could look into it. and marianne's written pushing marianne's written in pushing back steve hadley former back steve hadley from former chief the rmt was on talking about how perhaps we should using spending less money on the people in ukraine. she disagrees . she says shame on steve hadley. how can make comparison with a railway earning an average wage ? 37 case the average wage? 37 case the abhorrent suffering those in ukraine. it's i think that is a personal point, particularly when it comes to who work on the railways. many them are in quite well—paid jobs. and perhaps that's why there's less sympathy for the railway strikes compared to the nurses strikes. some people in the railways, i mean, if they're doing and all the rest of it with all these old working conditions, they can be on 5080. the median depending on yourjob is between 37 k and 58 k and the median pay in the country is 33 k. so that might be a sentiment echoed . really be a sentiment echoed. really interesting stuff. steve in dudley has written in to say , dudley has written in to say, can't the unions just be honest

7 can't the unions just be honest ? the rail strike is all about bringing the government down. if they were honest about it, they might get some support as well. steve but wants bring the government down. but i suppose in history unions have brought down governments. 1973, ted heath's government brought down. 1979 jim callaghan's government brought down by these strikes. yes although perhaps bringing down a labour government from strikes bit easier. down a labour government from strikes bit easier . you strikes is a bit easier. you know, that's the there's the theory that labour just in theory that labour is just in theory that labour is just in the pocket . a the unions pocket. a conservative government seems to be holding out the hope that it'll gets the it'll be labour who gets the blame these strikes. it's blame for these strikes. it's a vain so far . well, it vain hope so far. well, it certainly wasn't labour who got the in 1973 when 74 when the strikes in 1973 when 74 when ted heath sort of went to the country saying who governs. that was his big election question. and the public came back with the answer. not you not. well let's get more on these on issues of the day, because of us are inundated guests piles of presents endless food over the

christmas . presents endless food over the christmas. but what presents endless food over the christmas . but what should you christmas. but what should you do with all of those leftovers from donating unwanted and tackling the huge post—christmas clean up? we have aggie mackenzie , a cleaning expert and mackenzie, a cleaning expert and presenter of how clean is your house? with us this morning to give us all the tips tricks. so, aggie where do we begin ? where aggie where do we begin? where do you begin ? i know. well, it do you begin? i know. well, it depends on how many people. my top tip always is if somebody else offers to do christmas, go there . and you haven't got there. and you haven't got anything else to do . but anything else to do. but essentially it's a case of delegating . number one, get delegating. number one, get everyone involved , get everyone everyone involved, get everyone jobs and. set a timer. you've got so much to do, so much cleaning . but you got so much to do, so much cleaning. but you might find that the oven needs a good clean andifs that the oven needs a good clean and it's a good time of year to do it . after the christmas roast do it. after the christmas roast .been do it. after the christmas roast . been in probably a lot of spillages then get it done. otherwise that grease will get baked on it just as harder to do. similarly with any stains on

apple tree. sort the night because the longer you leave them heart of the arctic to remove in the longer term and in terms of like wrapping paper and stuff it's a really good idea to recycle it but you recycle all wrapping paper. and so a good way of knowing whether and it's recyclable or not is to scrunch the wrapping paper in your hand. and if it stays a bowl, then that's good for recycling, but it kind of unravels . that's it kind of unravels. that's a clue. this so since the general has rubbish like those . that is has rubbish like those. that is such an interesting travel . i such an interesting travel. i had no idea. so. so perhaps we should sort of have to bin bags of wrapping paper for the recycling and one for otherwise . what about all of those or all of the wrapping for all of those presents? because especially if there are little children in your gathering, there's going to be host of perhaps be a whole host of perhaps plastic cardboard wrap, all plastic wrap cardboard wrap, all the rest of it. and almost as

much as the wrapping paper , i much as the wrapping paper, i know, it is. and also, know, indeed it is. and also, i think if you have small children and they've got far too many presents, i think a good idea would be to just of put would be to just kind of put some to one side for some of them to one side for later in the week, month a year, because if kids are overwhelmed with too much stuff and they can't see the value of anything, it all gets . and in the ten i'm it all gets. and in the ten i'm difficult . and the other thing difficult. and the other thing is, you know , got too much food is, you know, got too much food as well . a lot of us have too as well. a lot of us have too much food at this time of year and, you know, the whole kind falling off the shelves and the rest of it. so my tip is to make good use of your freezer and, you know, most things can be frozen milk. so if you've got too much milk and it's about to run that , what you do is you you run that, what you do is you you end right with a sharp on the label but if it's got four days left or veggies left or whatever put it in the freezer , that when put it in the freezer, that when you take you know, how much how much length the has because once

you put it in the freezer kind of arrests the and deterioration of arrests the and deterioration of the milk. so when you bring it back and you you know how much time you've left on that note you know you freeze note and you know you freeze mostly anything you just wrap up and a in foil or plastic as well maybe so that the food protected from freezer burn. now is worth tidying whole house up if for example you're going to have sort of multiple parties you have people over for christmas day then you do another one on boxing day couple of days later you might have another family round. point do sort round. at what point do you sort of i'm going to of think, well i'm not going to tidy the house three times over? quite exactly . i think and what quite exactly. i think and what you need to do is just kind of tie it to your own level of satisfaction. don't want it to anybody coming into this because it's they're more it's actually they're more interested the company and interested the company food and dnnk interested the company food and drink than what's maybe drink rather than what's maybe lurking corner just make lurking in your corner just make sure that your nice and clean the taps are shiny and know that's enough and you know the

whole recipe is over. that's the time to . give a good, deep clean time to. give a good, deep clean and now a very specific question here, but i think there will be other people wondering. this, too. how are you actually supposed to red wine out of supposed to get red wine out of anything ? because my granny anything? because my granny always salt or wine doesn't always said salt or wine doesn't seem work . me always said salt or wine doesn't seem work. me no , you're seem to work. me no, you're right. it doesn't. salt will often set stain and white wine , often set stain and white wine, adding more chemicals and bigger to the stain. no wine stains . to the stain. no wine stains. this works every single time. as soon as you can, you should have lots of soda water on standby. it's also for great and you know, overindulging and hangovers . you want to grab the hangovers. you want to grab the water , walk it straight onto , water, walk it straight onto, the stain, and don't worry about what's in your carpet because carpet's go through lots of washing in the manufacturing. so it's to add the soda water and see the stain kind of spreading. so you then you get a clean white towel and work from outside and just nice and gently

if you're up too hard, you might and damage to fibres of the carpet and keep going with the soda water and the towel, you know, using a clean bit towel each time and eventually all that red wine will come out of the carpet. there's always on a beige carpet as well . is still beige carpet as well. is still the red one, always always. and it's always when you hold a piece of jam and taste not particular christmas eve always always goes down. yeah i know . always goes down. yeah i know. well, aggie mackenzie has been delight and an education to have with us here on day. thank you so much for giving up your time and no doubt helping many, many people who may well be hosting this christmas for joining us. well, let's bring in political commentator albie amankona who's been listening in throughout that interview. how much is your house. well, my house at the moment is a complete because we're getting our front room renovated . so we actually renovated. so we actually didn't spend christmas my flat. we spent it at grandparents spent it at my grandparents house. that to

house. but i think that to protect actually about wine protect actually about red wine was . fantastic i too was of the was. fantastic i too was of the view that you sold white wine but to know that you just you say soda water and rub from the outside in. i think that's going to help millions of people especially wine at this especially mulled wine at this time that affects all of time of year that affects all of the very good people actually, which is learnt it last year when hosting the first when i was hosting for the first time can recyclable time you can use recyclable dishes to your turkey and your sprouts your everything chucking in the oven and if you only got one oven they squeeze . so one oven they squeeze. so instead of using metal trays that to wash up, that's that you have to wash up, that's what you spend your time washing up these so these are up with. these so these are things feel a like things that sort of feel a like tinfoil sort semi—rigid tinfoil and sort semi—rigid yeah. cos end of grace from the pound our costs fiver. that's a large dish . yep. no. yes well large dish. yep. no. yes well i'm vat notes. we have our next story say which of course cake

king charles iii gave his first christmas speech yesterday to the nation from inside st george's chapel in windsor close course to where the late queen is buried . let's hear from karen is buried. let's hear from karen walker , our gb news royal walker, our gb news royal reporter , to tell us more about reporter, to tell us more about the monumental . was charles iii? the monumental. was charles iii? first christmas message monarch and thanks. it's the first televised speech that the king has done in the united . televised speech that the king has done in the united. his majesty's grandfather and great grandfather , king george the grandfather, king george the fifth. and king four six based both broadcast christmas messages. but it was on the radio rather than television . i radio rather than television. i think that's particularly significant that the king chose st george's chapel to deliver his first christmas message because it was literally just metres away from the final resting place of his mother , the resting place of his mother, the late to queen elizabeth ii. and his speech very much tribute to the life and service of his mother . the life and service of his mother. thanks the public for their love and support.

mother. thanks the public for their love and support . sympathy their love and support. sympathy dunng their love and support. sympathy during the national mourning periods. he he cannot thank you in the public enough for the love and sympathy. he also spoke of the late queen's everlasting light and the queen's faith in god and in her people . and the god and in her people. and the king referred to the fact that perhaps or at he gave a nod to the fact that he very much wanted to continue his mother's work and service to this the united kingdom . his majesty also united kingdom. his majesty also paid tribute to the armed forces and emergency service workers who had worked over the period of the queen's death. but also in the months since. i it was particularly significant. he referred to specifically the pubuc referred to specifically the public sector workers include ing teachers and emergency services . as i've already services. as i've already mentioned because in the last month there have been public service strikes. nurses have gone on strikes , train drivers gone on strikes, train drivers have gone on strikes . even have gone on strikes. even ambulance drivers have as well.

now, the king did not officially specifically refer to the strikes. he remained much impartial, but he did give a slight nod to the work and the service that the public sector provides . he also referred to provides. he also referred to the cost of living crisis , the cost of living crisis, affecting many in great. but he paid tribute to communities who have really supported those in need and he he didn't refer to this . we understand that his this. we understand that his majesty has made a private donation to fuel poverty charity over christmas who are helping those struggling pay the fuel bills over cold winter months . bills over cold winter months. now the king is a head of state. he's head of the church of england and obviously, chris, christmas is very much a christian celebration . but the christian celebration. but the king was conscious and aware that he head of estates which and welcomes many faiths. so the king refers christianity clearly

and it was recorded in a church . but he also referred to synagogues. he referred to mosques temples, gurdwaras . synagogues. he referred to mosques temples, gurdwaras. he wanted to include all religions in the message of christmas. and that's one of compassion, kindness and love and some extends as well. and i think that theme of a multi—faith king , something we're going to see going forward throughout his majesty the king's reign . there majesty the king's reign. there was no mention of harry and meghan funnily enough, he did mention prince and princess of wales. but i think it was perhaps wise that he didn't mention harry and meghan, because if he did. i suspect all of the would be about . but the of the would be about. but the overriding theme that of selfless dedication specifically referring to his mother the late queen elizabeth ii. but think again it's a theme we're very much going to see him carry on as we get closer to his . and

as we get closer to his. and then beyond this, we continue with the reign of king charles iii and we've just heard that that speech yesterday, the king's was the most watched programme of christmas day. which was it? it's 8.1 million viewers. the number that we've been told , which is 12% of the been told, which is 12% of the population, even though i'm not sure if that's particularly high or even instinctively thought it would be higher , maybe people would be higher, maybe people are still enjoying . and i are just still enjoying. and i don't how many people tuned don't know how many people tuned into year into queen's speech last year that would be an interesting comparison. do you think it's a high or low number? gbviews@gbnews.uk uk is the email address to into, but let's get reaction to all of this. author news with our political albie amankona who has been with us throughout the programme . i us throughout the programme. i suppose first of all, this speech from the king a bit more than previous speeches talking about other faiths. yes. and not just talking about other faiths , talking about people with no faith at all. i think that's not

something that we would have seen queen, who is who seen from the queen, who is who is absolute of devout is absolute a woman of devout faith . i i'll just read faith. i mean, i'll just read out to you that he out the line to you that he said. so whatever faith said. so whatever whatever faith you whether you have you have or whether you have none isin you have or whether you have none is in this life giving none, it is in this life giving light and with true humility that lies service others. that lies our service to others. and very much i'm an atheist and i very much i'm an atheist and think is probably one of and i think is probably one of the felt included the first times i felt included in christmas speech coming in the christmas speech coming from and. of course, from the monarch and. of course, we saw in the census figures earlier year that people earlier on this year that people of really growing of no faith are really growing quite in this quite falsely in numbers in this country. so perhaps it's a sign of new leadership of a new style of leadership from our monarch for the years to you expect to come. and would you expect sid the king to mention meghan and harry, or do think it was sensible of him? no, i think it was was very shrewd of his majesty the king, not to mention his his wayward family, the duke and duchess, sussex or montecito , as we might want to call them in his christmas speech. it would have just overshadowed everything . you this everything. you know, this was an important speech it's the first that a king's first time that that a king's had broadcasted on had been broadcasted on television . because her majesty,

television. because her majesty, the was the queen for the queen, was the queen for such a long time. the televised wasn't something which wasn't really something which wasn't really something which was when she was widely available when she first broadcast her speech was all the radio. so, no, i all on the radio. so, no, i think it was a very good decision, to mention the decision, not to mention the duke duchess it duke and duchess of sussex. it is interesting, though, that we also heard in this speech the topic been topic that we have been talking about predominantly through this morning's programme, is morning's programme, and that is the struggle, some might say is the struggle, some might say is the of people in the face of the cost of living and indeed cost of living crisis and indeed the strikes that we've seen. he didn't get political. he has been political in the past in his role as prince of wales. been political in the past in his role as prince of wales . do his role as prince of wales. do you think he struck the right tone there sort acknowledging it, but not getting into the argument? i think he's got to tread very carefully when he starts speaking the plight starts speaking about the plight of workers because of public sector workers because of public sector workers because of political discourse going of the political discourse going on moment. it's hard to on at the moment. it's hard to be political when you're talking about sector workers. about public sector workers. there no mention necessarily about public sector workers. thfamily no mention necessarily about public sector workers. thfamily businesses.1 necessarily about public sector workers. thfamily businesses. private sarily of family businesses. private sector are also feeling the pinch at this time of year and indeed also struggling through the cost of living crisis. so

one might argue that that was politics. so i would say to you , the advisers in the speech writers, to just very carefully, when we're talking these issues that could construed as that could be construed as political certain sections of political by certain sections of society, always society, it's always very difficult if you are the monarch of the country standing in a gilded chapel and everyone knows you as wearing sort of robes , you as wearing sort of robes, crown jewels and all the rest of it, not that he did in the speech. it, not that he did in the speech . it's quite hard to talk speech. it's quite hard to talk about poverty when you're sort of holding that position. it is hard talk about poverty, but hard to talk about poverty, but it note that the it is important to note that the royal do donate a lot of royal family do donate a lot of to money charity. i think the king a number of private king himself a number of private donations charitiesthis donations to charities this yeah donations to charities this year, obviously publicise year, which obviously publicise . so, yes, of course, we all know that the royal family are a very wealthy, but they also do a lot this country and they provide thought, leadership and. they provide community and traditions that , carry people traditions that, carry people through tough economic times. through in tough economic times. and think when we see the and i think when we see the coronation next year, we're going nation together going to see the nation together to our new monarch. to celebrate our new monarch. yeah. with that coronation ,

yeah. and with that coronation, there's about it being there's been talk about it being a scaled down occasion a sort of scaled down occasion to reflect the fact that we are going through a cost of living crisis. do you think that's sensible now the time to sensible or is now the time to show great britain its very best? think we've seen some best? i think we've seen some recent reports denying that going to be a scaled back coronation, actually coronation, which i actually think which is the think is which i think is the right decision if we're going to have a monarchy, it have a monarchy, let's do it properly. point in this properly. what's point in this scaled back nonsense? we want it done properly . an amazing done properly. an amazing coronation. the first time i seen both a king and a queen this very much looking this century. very much looking forward to it. well, i'd hate to have a sort of style have a sort of spanish style monarchy. around monarchy. they only walk around in like , well, in suits. it's like, well, what's of them? what's the point of them? i want to my ridiculous clothing on to see my ridiculous clothing on them and all the golden silver in the world. well, that's finally today in this programme . talk about something that we brought last hour and that my anfics brought last hour and that my antics of . now here it is. antics of. now here it is. here's here's this puzzle . i here's here's this puzzle. i should explain the background to

this . my should explain the background to this. my sister should explain the background to this . my sister got should explain the background to this. my sister got this should explain the background to this . my sister got this puzzle this. my sister got this puzzle for her boyfriend. it was a really nice thing to have done. it's sort of make you own this company produces a photograph of yours to become a puzzle . yours to become a puzzle. trouble is, the picture she chose has rather lot of monotone in it. and so i think we've got another picture here of really to get through puzzle where all of the pieces looked exactly the but you did a stellar job given but you did a stellarjob given the most . well we left the the most. well we left the audience on a bit of a cliff—hanger here at the end of the last hour was the puzzle finished did all of these identical pieces actually in know sort of slightly less than say , way you managed to be fit? say, way you managed to be fit? and i believe there it is the finished . absolutely yes. so i'm finished. absolutely yes. so i'm really glad that we managed to do that. but no to anyone doing of those make your own puzzle things perhaps a big blank things perhaps a big big blank bits of singular colour blocks and not the easiest way to go. just a gentle, gentle . but i'm

just a gentle, gentle. but i'm not the only one that's been hitting the puzzles this christmas. miranda and david have sent this in to gb news views. gb news dot uk and this puzzle took 11 hours on a rainy day and they sent it in for us from perth, austria earlier. it's great to know we've got viewers down under and thought that she looks more that she looks rather more complicated than normal for this . we complicated than normal for this. we puzzles this christmas? i are absolutely terrible at puzzles like , literally just can't put like, literally just can't put two pieces together. my mother in law has tried many times to get interested. can't do it. well, if it helps, i found that sort of at the end of a christmas lunch when you're all a bit merry, that's almost the confidence you need for confidence that you need for this one is for toddlers. that's my goal. well, i have to say, the one we did last night, it was a 500 piece, one. this evening, have got thousand evening, i have got thousand piece the london piece puzzle. it's the london tube map, which i absolutely adore and one for absolute nerds

. it's got the northern line extension and the full elisabeth light on it too. i am over the mood on that note, where have you spending your christmas? have a wonderful boxing day. that's it from us on live. yes. coming up next, it's mark longhurst sees .

well, let's wish you a very merry christmas. this boxing day with gb news live. i'm mark longhurst. and coming up for you this boxing day afternoon , if this boxing day afternoon, if you're heading out to see family or grabbing a bargain in the boxing day sales , well, you'll boxing day sales, well, you'll have to hit the roads as britain's railways are at a standstill till rmt members on strike again in their dispute over pay and conditions. it's