sunday tonight on barrage , all the tonight on barrage, all the energy companies literally robbing that customer. energy companies literally robbing that customer . as we'll robbing that customer. as we'll talk about the tax situation and what are the tories thinking , what are the tories thinking, we'll look at a worsening situation in ukraine and joining me on talking points , former me on talking points, former chelsea owner ken bates , a man chelsea owner ken bates, a man never shy of giving an opinion. all of that comes out after the news headlines with ray addison . tha news headlines with ray addison. tha latest from the gb newsroom. two

men have been arrested on suspicion of murder in connection with the stabbing of a 23 year old man in a birmingham nightclub. semi—professional footballer cody fisher was stabbed to death on the dance floor of the cray on the dance floor of the cray on boxing day. hundreds of people were there at the time . people were there at the time. his family say their hearts were broken following his death. west midlands police say a 22 year old man was arrested in birmingham centre last night. the 21 year old was arrested in london . police are appealing for london. police are appealing for any information on the weapon used in a shooting which killed a 26 year old on christmas eve in wirral. merseyside police say they are working to establish whether it could be connected to any other incidents in the area. beautician elle edwards was fatally shot at the lighthouse in a man remains in critical condition. two people have been arrested in connection with that incident . border force staff and incident. border force staff and driving examiners are the latest to stage industrial action .

to stage industrial action. members of the pcc's union working at multiple uk airports are continuing their strike over pay ' are continuing their strike over pay , jobs and conditions, pay, jobs and conditions, driving examiners have begun a five day walkout affecting more than 70 test centres in the east of england and the midlands. border force chief kevin saunders has told us airport disruption has been minimal . it disruption has been minimal. it would seem that the government got away with this military people will will not be doing the more , more involved people the more, more involved people from abroad . they'll probably be from abroad. they'll probably be out only handling the brits, which is probably 95% of the traffic anyway . so yeah, they traffic anyway. so yeah, they border force got away with it this time round. pope francis has asked for prayers for his predecessor. former pope benedict, saying he's very sick. the vatican says the 95 year old had a sudden worsening of his health but is receiving constant medical care. the former head of

the catholic church became the first pope in 600 years to resign when he stepped down in 2013. and provisional met office figures show 2022 has been the warmest year on record . by the warmest year on record. by the end of december, experts say we will have seen the highest annual average temperature. it'll be the record set in 2014 of just under ten degrees celsius . met office says every celsius. met office says every month apart from december has been warmer than average . on tv, been warmer than average. on tv, onune been warmer than average. on tv, online and on disney plus radio. you're watching gb news. back now to nigel . now to nigel. farage good evening . they made it much good evening. they made it much harder for us to pay by cheque . harder for us to pay by cheque. quite difficult sometimes to pay by telephone. yes, but the energy providers did was the

bafic energy providers did was the basic bully us into having direct debits. but i'll bet very few of you who signed to those direct debits read the pages and pages of small print because of all the accompanying legislation . i've got to tell you, for i one, most certainly didn't. . i've got to tell you, for i one, most certainly didn't . and one, most certainly didn't. and now we learn that the direct debhs now we learn that the direct debits can go up even way above our actual energy consumption . our actual energy consumption. and now the energy companies have built up a positive cash balance of £2 billion worth of our money. i find the situation almost unbelievable. surely we used to in life to pay for what we use, for paying for what we need. we use, for paying for what we need . and yet it's almost like need. and yet it's almost like having an open bank account. this has been done with very little debate with very little discussion and virtually no comment in public at all from ofgem , who was supposed to be ofgem, who was supposed to be the regulator looking after our interests . the regulator looking after our interests. i'm the regulator looking after our interests . i'm pretty annoyed

interests. i'm pretty annoyed about it because it comes at a time when people genuinely are strapped for cash. so our debate this evening to kick the show off with is, ah, the energy providers literally rubbing their consumers. let me know your thoughts. farage at gb news dot uk . well, clive moffat joins dot uk. well, clive moffat joins me, former head of uk energy, a regular on this programme. clive. over the last year we've discussed many of the problems in the energy sector. we've talked about supply price . many talked about supply price. many other things . but this must come other things. but this must come for lot of people as a bit of a shock. i made the point to begin that when you sign up for a direct debit, you don't read the reams and reams of small print. so what's actually going on here ? i so what's actually going on here 7 i think so what's actually going on here .7 i think the energy supplies are basically doing what they can to protect their own cash flow from their own liquid assets. flow from their own liquid assets . and they quite like the

assets. and they quite like the idea that they can get away with that. but the point is that all channels the weak point here , channels the weak point here, ofgem, i think, have failed in the last two or three years to have really effective regulation of the retail sector . and it of the retail sector. and it started really with the expansion in competition which shouldn't have been allowed to happen with a lot of companies coming in, not having enough resources to withstand the volatility in wholesale gas changes prices. and we saw a lot of them go bust. and since that point of rebellion ballast and in some ways if you like have become more prone towards the needs of the supply as they have the customers . well, i agree the customers. well, i agree with that. but you say go bust. you know, in a free market, firms going bust is part of capitalism. but this case actually the bill has been taxpayer funded, hasn't it .7 taxpayer funded, hasn't it.7 exactly. the bill under the it gets picked up all the get transferred to other suppliers and they the bill has become in

all of us. i mean it's almost very embarrassing for ofgem to be , you know, for the, for the be, you know, for the, for the accounts for bulb for example to show that there's going to be a loss of upwards of 4 billion, which is going to be paid for by consumers . and i think consumers consumers. and i think consumers in both consumers and taxpayers say people are being basically not treated well. i think all sham have not done a good job to allow the energy cap to be changed every three months. instead of maybe six. they support to the idea of government coming in and underpinning a minimum price to consumers by basically underpinning suppliers cash flows of the difference between what they could charge and what they were having to pay for wholesale gaps in the market and. in some ways, you know , all and. in some ways, you know, all of these things , even the of these things, even the so—called flexible to scheme introduced by national grid recently, which doesn't really work properly, is guaranteed basically linked to customers

have to be on metered and has been to some extent engineered in such a way that the suppliers effectively get the money. the question is just all that money initially get transferred back to the customer. well i want to say if they cancel off with national grid one number, you see, i wonder about of this see, i wonder about all of this now you mentioned ofgem and in response to this breaking in the news yesterday , ofgem have news yesterday, ofgem have responded by saying that they concluded that complete pletely ring fencing , credit balances, ring fencing, credit balances, that's the money being held. all money being held by the energy suppliers . as i say it again, suppliers. as i say it again, completely ring fencing, credit balances would remove a large piece of working capital that would keep prices down for customers. so basically arguing that it's a good . i mean, i that it's a good. i mean, i thought were there for asked the consumer there arguing it's a good thing that these people have positive advance from us.

what is this allowed. i totally agree with that. i said on this programme, i think some time ago that in fact what the supplier should be asked to do in this circumstance is if it is actually be a is give effectively give credit to consumers by offering them deferred payment . it's not deferred payment. it's not exactly where on their own credit balances . and i think on credit balances. and i think on top of this customers are aware that as taxpayer as their baby now the supplier has with huge amounts of money so that they can the cap can be maintained until next april it's going to be reviewed . are we really not be reviewed. are we really not saying that much of this is caused by the introduction of caps a few years ago 7 caused by the introduction of caps a few years ago .7 i think a caps a few years ago.7 i think a lot of caps a few years ago? i think a lot of it the problems were the decision to actually introduce a cap. but i also think the problems go back further than that. i mean , remember years that. i mean, remember years ago, almost ten years ago in a

debate across the road here talking about the need do we need more competition and the governments were obsessed about having more competition and we already had six, probably six or eight competitors in the retail market. and the ofgem took the decision to almost the door decision to almost open the door to comers , anybody who had to all comers, anybody who had a respectable piece of consumer soft billing software could come into the market. no proper checks were done. and jonathan really and his team have now admitted that they didn't do checks. cowboys basically , checks. cowboys basically, people are doing checks now. they're not at balance they're not at those balance sheets and saying , what's the sheets and saying, what's the proportion credit for proportion of credit for consumer credit? as far as a proportion , liquid assets of proportion, liquid assets of these organisations , we're these organisations, we're basically allowing them to sustain their position at the expense of consumers . so i think expense of consumers. so i think we need to get to a position once this cap thing is reviewed and hopefully is removed . we're and hopefully is removed. we're getting back to a market operation. then i think we seriously need to probably

before that get look at it and whether or not while has fit for purpose what i with that now what about people at home. clyde this is really important times are tough i bet there's hardly a family christmas where november's bill wasn't discussed particularly those on metres because they were seeing double the bills they had in october. exactly i bet this was discussed as much as the king's speech was discussed around the christmas lunch table so people can check their situation, can't they, with that provider, they can email them. they can them. the update on account and if they find that they actually have a credit that is lodged with that provider, they can ask for the money back. yeah. so almost they'd be having to do the job of the supplier calculating what they've used relative to what they've used relative to what they paid and why should they be asked to do that if they're already paying for a service which they're not getting ? i which they're not getting? i think it i mean, the other thing that i think that needs to be

done, we've been told there's going to be a public information campaign to 25 million quid to try and help people adjust their demand and situation and. we've seen nothing of that . and i seen nothing of that. and i think the suppliers should be basically told that they're going to find that they are. but we but they can request a refund . that's the important thing. you know , and ofgem, to be fair you know, and ofgem, to be fair to ofgem do, put this on their website. but they exactly advertised it. so what i want to say to people particularly those who are, you know, facing very tough is get touch with tough times, is get touch with your supplier, see if you have a positive balance with them . it positive balance with them. it may mean checking a metre. if you're on a smart metre, they'll now already and if you have a positive cash balance, you can ask for it be returned to ask for it to be returned to you. if you have any difficulty with that provider and they're not paying you money back, then get in touch with this programme. farage at gb news dot uk at i promise you we will get those suppliers jumping around a

bit with the threat of going to the ombudsman, sticking with the whole energy side of things. ursula von der leyen, the unelected leader of the european commission, said the other day that we're going to set cap on what we're going to pay russia for oil a comment on that and putin's response . well, first of putin's response. well, first of all, that is a plausible scenario most analysts , scenario most analysts, economists would agree, is the global price for oil is a global market for oil. and no subsection of the world market could try and a cap about what is prepared to pay it may go getting any oil as the outcome that they would have to look at the internal implications of that for their economies and consumers obviously . i know consumers obviously. i know i just don't see that as happening and neither do i did. i see when we saw months ago when they were trying to put an on the importation of gas. i mean, that

didn't really work either and it's i think this whole thing about europe trying to barricade itself in way is not going to help with price. it's not certainly not going to help consumers, but it's also filled with contradictions because we learn now that france is importing even more natural gas from russia than the germans . from russia than the germans. and what are we to believe ? and what are we to believe? well, as i say , i on the market well, as i say, i on the market will prevail and europe has shown that he's prepared to almost say one thing while market wise things are being done. market wise things are being done . it's extraordinary as done. it's extraordinary as even done. it's extraordinary as ever. thank you. final thought for me as we're talking about utilities . this is for me to utilities. this is for me to thames water . please stop thames water. please stop writing to me. please stop wasting your money. please stop me that it is now urgent that i get a water metre. you explained in the first letter to me. you want me to have a water metre because you want to manage well, that worries me. i feel that's

more of a threat than a promise of a bright, happy future . your of a bright, happy future. your last letter to me said , unless last letter to me said, unless i have this water metre , you're have this water metre, you're going to put me on a different tariff. well, i tell you what, thames water , when you stop the thames water, when you stop the weekly or even biweekly leaks of water occurring in roads all around my area, often leading to road closures , i might just road closures, i might just think about it. until then, stop wasting everyone's money. stop writing to me . thank you very writing to me. thank you very much indeed . writing to me. thank you very much indeed. in a moment, we'll look at another of the king's speech that took place on christmas day. that was nobody has yet even discussed .

so your thoughts all the energy providers literally robbing their customers ? well, lots and

their customers? well, lots and lots of it. but i'm surprised, perhaps of this one. one viewer says easiest question on planet earth . yes, yes and yes. paul earth. yes, yes and yes. paul says, of course we, are this is rip off . at the end of the day rip off. at the end of the day it's all about maximising profits for the shareholders , profits for the shareholders, the expense of the consumer . the expense of the consumer. well, paul, i have to i think ofgem, i think that's exactly the role that they are playing . the role that they are playing. i don't know about rip off britain . it's certainly broken britain. it's certainly broken britain. it's certainly broken britain literally wherever you . britain literally wherever you. at this says of course we are . at this says of course we are. and finally, another viewer . at this says of course we are. and finally, another viewer. yes . ju and finally, another viewer. yes. ju informed them you no longer need their services and they go away. well, yeah, i tell you what , well, yeah, i tell you what, whoever you are, you know, if you can manage without electricity , if you can manage electricity, if you can manage without gas , then bully for you.

without gas, then bully for you. but the truth is, most of us simply can't do that . okay, simply can't do that. okay, let's move . i'm joined by rafe let's move. i'm joined by rafe rafe heydel—mankoo. you here with us all through as the nights when the crowds were queuing outside here to go and see the queen's coffin . and see the queen's coffin. and you're a royal expert and you've noficed you're a royal expert and you've noticed something about the king's speech that nobody else has commented on. rafe, tell us what it is. yes so i thought the king gave an excellent speech. and for me, the nadir, the low point came at the very beginning, in the very end, where we had a mixed choir at st george's chapel, windsor, singing the national anthem and the carol at the end. now, why doesit the carol at the end. now, why does it matter? well, it's the first time in the 670 history of st george's that you've had a mixed sex choir , an english, all mixed sex choir, an english, all male choral tradition is part of our gift world civilisation. if i can put it like that. i'm a catholic . are catholics can't catholic. are catholics can't hold a candle . anglican choral hold a candle. anglican choral tradition and at the core of its

beauty is the fact that it's all male men and boys, and together they produce a unique sound and it's a sound that most critics would of matchless beauty, but for the you know, for the last few years woke bishops and woke deans have been vandalising this 900 year old ceremony in, the name of inclusion and equality. but rafe , i can hear people but rafe, i can hear people spitting feathers , as you're spitting feathers, as you're saying, all of this. we're living a world of equality. what's wrong with you? well, this is just it. this the same thing as having anybody be an artist these days and get exhibited in galleries. when you are when you are diminished quality the in the of quality in the in the of quality. i think got your critics and your critics will say no , he's wrong. the quality say no, he's wrong. the quality is exactly as good as it was before. well, i anyone with an ear can listen and find the difference for themselves. i think there's no fine. the sound and the sound. an all male choir at evensong, for example. and it's just such a tragedy that we're diminishing had 11 we're diminishing that we had 11 such choirs in 2018. now we only

two left westminster abbey and king's college, cambridge , st king's college, cambridge, st george's just went to work this yeah george's just went to work this year. and i think it's a tragedy to see. well, i have to say, rafe , this is the only broadcast rafe, this is the only broadcast channelin rafe, this is the only broadcast channel in this country that would get somebody on to give that opinion. but i'm pleased that opinion. but i'm pleased that have. i have say that you have. i have to say i sort have noticed it. but sort of have noticed it. but i just perhaps we've been doing this now for a few years. but this now for a few years. but this was the first time you said that actually happened at st that had actually happened at st george's chapel, windsor, first time 670 years. how's the time in 670 years. how's the king doing? well i think the king doing? well i think the king is on actually a very good job in this christmas period and actually setting out his stall as sovereign. that's really what this christmas speech is all about. you have to take this speech, his concession speech together, because still, in that penod together, because still, in that period transition , the period of transition, the accession coronation . this accession and coronation. this is all about cementing his role, putting his own modern stamp on the monarchy, renewing his bond with with the people . and so with with the people. and so i think if his if his mother was elizabeth's the great. i really

get the sense on these last two speeches he wants be seen as charles the compassionate somebody really concerned about the welfare of the peoples in his kingdom. that's why that speech to me you know was full of kindness empathy , of kindness and empathy, humility i comfort also . and i humility i comfort also. and i think that's something which you know i support is very much that spirit of christmas. i thought i thought the fact that it's a christian festival that he celebrated that. but he said, you know, all religions celebrate the triumph of light over darkness. i hope he got that right. i mean, is actually playing of the faith, playing the role of the faith, isn't he ? well, it's very isn't he? well, it's very tricky. yes. i mean , he wanted tricky. yes. i mean, he wanted to really reaffirm that fact that understands because of that he understands because of his criticising this his critics criticising this point, that is supreme point, that he is supreme governor of the church of england christian england and is a christian monarch. but yes, the more delicate part was actually trying that you can be trying to show that you can be simultaneously of the simultaneously a defender of the faith and defender of faiths . faith and defender of faiths. and, you know, and the monarchy has always been like that. so, you because we wouldn't you know, because we wouldn't have had an empire had we not

been faiths been tolerant of other faiths and victoria onwards, and from victoria onwards, the queen and for the king and for rules empower. but most rules that empower. but most people christian, they people weren't christian, they were and muslim. the were hindu and muslim. now the has to roost and the has come home to roost and the king understands, like he king understands, much like he did seventh, who did with the seventh, who famously said, you know, his many friends and was very many jewish friends and was very proud said, am proud catholic. he said, i am a king all peoples. and i think king of all peoples. and i think the has that, too. but the the king has that, too. but the important thing, the delicate thing is ensuring that you thing here, is ensuring that you respect other faiths, you respect other faiths, but you really of the really affirm the primacy of the christian religion christian faith. religion and of the established church in england to which england and scotland. to which i thought did actually. i know thought he did actually. i know we had some last night from david starkey over personal praise for the public sector, particularly the role particularly some of the role actually strike, actually going on strike, including of including the royal college of nursing. over nursing. but we'll pass over that for now. ray rafe, you've worked in the past as a government adviser. we're about to go into 2023. i so few political now between the frontbenchers of the conservatives and the labour party. shocking figures . you party. shocking figures. you know the homework's been done . know the homework's been done. it's in the house of commons

library. some well—established think tanks. the resolution foundation, etcetera. i mean amazing, isn't it, that if you're a single parent with a couple of kids on 50,000 a year, if over the next decade your pay increases to 60,000 a year, you'll be increases to 60,000 a year, you'll b e £800 better off. you'll be £800 better off. people pay marginal tax rates. that's low. that's not on all your income, folks. being that last bit of it marginal. your income, folks. being that last bit of it marginal . tax last bit of it marginal. tax rates up into the 90. what the hell they thinking? and combine that with the dramatic decline in wages since 2008 in this country comparable to the rest of the g7. it's an absolute tragedy and you have to actually despair. think what is the conservative party all about? you know, the highest tax rates since the second world war. and the government has failed on defence. we have one of the smallest armies. the government has failed on immigration. the government failed in government has failed in reversing long march through reversing the long march through the bbc, the institutions on the bbc, failed to reform the civil service, failed to change our schools, teaching critical race and gender theory. the one thing

we thought you could rely on was sound management and sound economic management and low rates. well we know what low tax rates. well we know what they've done to the economy with quantitative easing fuelling inflation. on the inflation. but here we go on the tax rate system and the labour party have open here. it's party have an open here. it's not actually antithetical for a progressive party to have lower tax rates . jfk democrats in the tax rates. jfk democrats in the sixties were opposed by the republicans for that tax . of republicans for that tax. of course, blair and brown, we've known largely low tax rates, compassionate . and yesterday, compassionate. and yesterday, wes streeting was out and about, you know, shadow cabinet ministers we not ministers saying we will not increase taxes for the middle class is now. i think they'll go for non—dom and earners and for non—dom and high earners and that's separate debate for that's a separate debate for another . but yeah, i mean another day. but yeah, i mean the labour party economically now the tories on now outflanking the tories on the right. yeah, i think the problem with tories is problem with the tories is they've some polling which says that the nation wants that only 6% of the nation wants to for trust nomics type of to go for a trust nomics type of hard cutting and they want to appeal to the red wall. so they think to have think that they need to have higher rates. but actually higher tax rates. but actually that's assumption was that's an assumption that was actually look actually done. the growth look to people in, the red

to see the people in, the red war are actually strivers who want to get ahead in life. and there's they're just people there's they're not just people looking and looking for benefits and handouts levelling only. handouts but levelling up only. i more. and i couldn't agree more. and finally, ralph, i've criticised in times elsewhere , but in the times and elsewhere, but using phrase well, look, using the phrase well, look, i better used optimistic, better used to be optimistic, but using the phrase broken britain. but how it feels britain. but that's how it feels me. i think this entire country is a broken nation, is in a terribly desperate state. and you just to think it needs you just have to think it needs actually death actually the death the conservative to have the conservative party to have the revival of conservatism in this country. interesting, because there's hope here otherwise. there's no hope here otherwise. rafe rafe heydel—mankoo as ever. thank you. but coming on and giving us your very unique. a giving us your very unique. in a moment, be joined by moment, we'll be joined by general richard dannatt general sir richard dannatt down. the situation in down. the line. the situation in ukraine appears to be deteriorating , perhaps a very, deteriorating, perhaps a very, very worrying way .

just over six weeks ago, we saw russian forces withdraw from curzon air and move back behind a very important strategic hiding behind a river can be a very good place for an army to be. this was taken by almost the entirety of the british press as being sign that ukraine was making tremendous advances in this war. i compared to a tactical retreat, not perhaps the same as the hindenburg line , 1917, but saying do not underestimate the determination of the russians here. well we now see that in cars back route and other cities . now, they may and other cities. now, they may be by ukraine, but they're coming under sustained shelling . some of it, of course, is aimed at infrastructure, but inevitably there will be a significant number of civilian casualties are now beginning to see ukrainian civilians leaving.

curzon on and other areas. i have a really dark feeling about what russia intends to do to those ukrainian cities over the course of this winter . am course of this winter. am i right? am i wrong? well former chief of the general staff , lord chief of the general staff, lord richard dannatt, joins me from norfolk to discuss that very issue . lord dannatt is the issue. lord dannatt is the beginning of , the classic putin beginning of, the classic putin tactic , literally shelling towns tactic, literally shelling towns and to the ground . well, he's and to the ground. well, he's been doing that really pretty much since the 24th of february. and his initial attack from belarus to key failed , he's belarus to key failed, he's resorted to the soviet era tactic of artillery strikes to wear down defences and then move forward. but the situation around him is particularly interesting. in your introduction, quite rightly, you said that we all celebrated what was obviously ukrainian success in recapturing a person, but

from the russian point of view, that got about 20,000 troops on the west side of the river and serious danger of having those encircled and affected it had going to baghdad have been captured. so they withdraw and that was pretty sensible to do from their point of view. no situation as you suggested, is the russians have dug what first world war style on the east bank of the river and the ukrainians control its own city. unfortunately the russian lines of that post, the city that is within artillery range. so we knew it was going to happen. the russians are shelling hirshon on a daily routine basis and making life very difficult in that city. it was , after all, 300,000 city. it was, after all, 300,000 and population. it went to something 70,000. and now people are leaving and you can't blame them for leaving . but this is

them for leaving. but this is not the determinant move of the war. this is a very difficult situation around the southern front around here. if the ukrainians wanted to. but of course they couldn't. they could mount an assault river crossing across the river 200 300 metres wide and that would fail. that is not the right thing to do. what they've got to do at some point in the not too distant future is mount another counter offensive elsewhere in the country . yes. as you say, country. yes. as you say, attacking across a river likely to be a very dangerous operation . there are i mean, clearly no prospect, no realistic prospect of peace talks of any and it's very difficult, i know, to get predictions. but it feels to me, although this whole situation could go on for many. although this whole situation could go on for many . well, yes. could go on for many. well, yes. i mean, i i'm just picking up my ball and not sure whether my crystal ball any better than the. first of all, nigel . but i the. first of all, nigel. but i think my take on the situation

is that inevitably it's winter , is that inevitably it's winter, the war of movement has literally got into the deep freeze. yes, we're seeing shelling of the civilian population, so we're seeing a very determined russian attack by drone on ukrainian power infrastructure . that'll be infrastructure. that'll be a failed attempt to try and undermine the ukrainian population's will to continue . population's will to continue. it won't work. we've got two ukrainian people living with us and they're quite clear in touch with a father in in ukraine. the morale of the ukrainian remains very high. so what we're going to see at some point in the late winter , early spring, the winter, early spring, the russians having mobilised a lot of additional troops, poorly trained , terribly equipped trained, terribly equipped clothing, terrible , they will clothing, terrible, they will try and mount another. i'm happy to say at this stage, i'm almost certain of the evidence presented. it will. now, that is the moment that the ukrainians with the benefit of western

arms, ammunition, the training we've been giving them, they've been 10,000 ukrainian has been trained in this country to be combat infantrymen with the capable machine that they've built up when russian offensive in a few weeks months to come fails as i'm sure will. that's the moment for the ukrainians to mount a really vigorous counter offensive in same way that they did around hockey in september. really push the russians back. and you know if they are able to strike decisive blows . i think strike decisive blows. i think the morale of the russian army, other conscripts recently mobilised people is so brittle that they may well collapse and this is the moment for the battle are to change the dynamics , the campaign to dynamics, the campaign to change. and that's moment not now. that's the moment that negotiations could start because remember president zelenskyy has said he wants the whole of ukraine back in ukrainian hands so he's not going to negotiate

anything less than that. putin, on the other hand , has got to on the other hand, has got to get something out of this this precise moment . the negotiating precise moment. the negotiating positions are impossible what's got to change is battlefield. and i think the ukrainians , over and i think the ukrainians, over time in the next few months could well change the battlefield . that'll change the battlefield. that'll change the dynamics of the whole war. lordina, thank you very much indeed for your thoughts, your views on this situation. thank you . whatever happens, there you. whatever happens, there will be a lot more loss of life . the bbc? yes the bbc. they've just spent . the bbc? yes the bbc. they've just spen t £7 . the bbc? yes the bbc. they've just spent £7 million of your money modernising update thing. yes, they've been to a couple of design shops and they've got new logos. let me put those up on the screen for those that are watching on television , those of watching on television, those of you listening on radio have the really the benefit of this one because they are so sort of ugly, cuboid structures goodness only knows how all of that cost.

7 million quid, but that's the bbc. they just to be modern and trendy, but they failed with this one in a moment. on talking a man who banned the bbc from leeds united football club, former owner of chelsea and many other football, ken bates joins me in a moment.

it's time for talking pints. i'm joined tonight by a man who's an entrepreneur, his own many football clubs always , always football clubs always, always spoken his mind never shied away from controversy is kevin bates, who joins me to talk. it's an absolute pleasure to have you on the program . now tell me, who the program. now tell me, who wants to meet one of my heroes? well, thank you. that's a good start, isn't it? how does a guy who comes from pretty modest

circumstances and a you know, not an easy start in how do you out there and create the money the ideas to lead all the other things that you've done ? well, things that you've done? well, first of all, i've had my share a lot , but first of all, i've had my share a lot, but something in the bankrupt blames and they never acknowledges . i'm a good acknowledges. i'm a good listener . acknowledges. i'm a good listener. you acknowledges. i'm a good listener . you know, when you're listener. you know, when you're a good listener, i like that, you, you're unit erm and you listen. yeah. and joe and john one famously said you know they've recounted his humble beginnings , how much do you want beginnings, how much do you want it for. one of my granddaughter actually did that in a, in a box . and as you walk into the apartment standing here, how much you it and that wanting it a lot does that mean that you just worked hard you kept trying things. it was not i was no

really inquisitive. i wanted to emerge lucky. there was lucky . i emerge lucky. there was lucky. i mean, i had a good estate education, grammar school as you before the war. yeah. second book not . and then i was book not. and then i was interested in economics and those days they didn't do university degrees in that kind of stuff i wasn't interested in what was on offer even female made it so i left and i got a job in local government, which is a civil service . yeah and it is a civil service. yeah and it lucky again because they just a sort of apprenticeship scheme so instead of going to one job they moved you all the way around . so moved you all the way around. so i had three months this department three months of that and of course i was a kid, so i was the one that the post to the telephone goes by the post.

listen the telephone goes listen to this and is talking also showed up around a all yeah and onto business and making money i got go got the 18 and could stand but and this animal show of course no date of national service two years and i applied three years although i'm not going three years and beg you to call me say to work things you expensive the world a king's expense but . if i have a expensive the world a king's expense but. if i have a medical and i've got money cards this is and i've got money cards this is an interview we see i think it was me called up and i well i thought well i'm not part of that i'm not going back to the local council. so i got a job. i was british region, it was in for seven weeks as a week to find out what would like nine weeks show you. did you that was like you said ouija board anotherjob and a week to show

me notice . and don't trust me notice. and don't trust statistics because one of my job was to make them up as they went along. but you got into haulage and all sorts of things and were but this upset with football thatis but this upset with football that is you senior was a public figure you know for decade after decade after decade over all over want to be a footballer professional . yeah i mean cut professional. yeah i mean cut long ball or cripple and i'd known nate operations all my life thanks to great always the hospital a job with grateful . hospital a job with grateful. but being born here with you in step yes when you don't the ball if you got clubfoot it's like it goes anywhere . so i had to train goes anywhere. so i had to train myself to keep left foot, which is handy because there was a shows you left footed players so help me a bit and oh yeah oh saturday morning you play for

schools at the afternoon you play schools at the afternoon you play for your club and the sunday morning it was a free phonein sunday morning it was a free phone in the local park and we got football, football, football and it got in my blood . so you and it got in my blood. so you start off you know you start off you don't it as a professional player but you decide now that buying football clubs running football clubs is going to be okay a bit later. well i met my father , i was 20, which isn't father, i was 20, which isn't quite as bad as it sounds . and. quite as bad as it sounds. and. he was a lorry driver , broke his he was a lorry driver, broke his wrist and you had to get sister, which i didn't meet until 20 and me and he couldn't cope so partial so he was a load of they had a small lorry business trailer base i guess you know holding up at the police station and we met each other and we got on and he said, come on, work

with me. so i did, but. i wasn't on three questions when i was a kid . eight, on three questions when i was a kid. eight, nine you on three questions when i was a kid . eight, nine you over my kid. eight, nine you over my head through buckingham palace by sunday morning. what should i do? why why not for a three easy question. answer to ask. three most difficult question to answer . most difficult question to answer. well, i'm going to ask you those questions back, because , you know, you've been because, you know, you've been involved with wigan oldham , involved with wigan oldham, chelsea football comes up for sale a quid it's got debt, it's got terrible problems. what made you think you could turn chelsea around ? well i bought oldham in around? well i bought oldham in 1960, 65. yeah and so i showed it when i went to the virgin islands . then when i came back, islands. then when i came back, major mine, freddie pye, was a

merchant major metal merchant in manchester. and bobby charlton was a friend . they got i bought was a friend. they got i bought wigan when they asked me to go in with them and i said no . so in with them and i said no. so fred said, why not? i said, well ben con i can't see bobby charlton for much money in the club . his reputation knew fred . club. his reputation knew fred. if a man like walton , in fact if a man like walton, in fact some level brought it. i'm saying out they got in trouble. so took over with him. so out will within a business do they pay will within a business do they pay something? very great, palmer life and the accountant was dealing that was also running chelsea they bought him an unofficial administration he said to me friends of mine chelsea so long social we did the deal. if i did not publicity

. yeah, one by £1 they needed £300,000 . i'll try not make it £300,000. i'll try not make it through . basically chelsea just through. basically chelsea just played tottenham . and those played tottenham. and those treasures . one third, one third, treasures. one third, one third, one third. the bundesliga, the away club, one third being shelled out, among other. and so the suggestion box i had enough, they rang up and said , we ought they rang up and said, we ought to check, share about the same amount, which one show about . amount, which one show about. but it had bounced if i checked all that loose. so they balance the wages, check. that's why we sat down on the way to fight it out and david mears , chairman of out and david mears, chairman of said , oh, we can't finish or said, oh, we can't finish or won't you put your money now? sure and next week i said, if you think a group of 300,000, chris, had into that and somebody's got air. but you'll be what time then. i'll think

you will appreciate the deal. we did the deal. this group did the deal did the deal. this group did the deal. and then lord chelsea . now deal. and then lord chelsea. now the other good. i said to me , the other good. i said to me, would you like to be my guest tomorrow at the graham club and be paying your pension and know my place? said that's very kind of my lord. thank you very much for the fact that i own the club and even it can you i mean, listen, you know , time time is listen, you know, time time is never on our side . you showed never on our side. you showed great patience with chelsea. it took time . but by the middle took time. but by the middle late nineties, you were fa cups and doing amazingly, with the 80, the eighties were the time of fighting everybody saw it. but but that's the other quality, isn't it? you know, you talked luck, you talked about being a good listener. but patience is an important patience clearly is an important cause. own it, you know. and cause. you own it, you know. and yeah, know. you did it yeah, i don't know. you did it and you sold to abramovich. and you sold it to abramovich. you go off to you band you go off to leeds, you band the bbc . why did you buy in the the bbc. why did you buy in the bbc ? leeds? up, up. bbc from? leeds? well, up, up. no third bit be north. yeah. you

a popular studio somewhere in leeds. a popular studio somewhere in leeds . and the guy would show leeds. and the guy would show obviously and jemmy i and you know what bbc like. yeah i know but i but i know that but he would p p c that you totally to tell me for what moment of football. now you look at you know all these years your great passion americans buying is not game that i've but interim dropping. yeah i mean you know in my day you one things nay above you're talking about the money being pumped into man city or whatever else it may be . no or whatever else it may be. no mention of you were the first one. yeah but now you got menu. not you . city, everton, not you. city, everton, liverpool yeah. arsenal yeah, i think ashton miller. chelsea yeah, you got the saudis buying

new but then premier league is seen to be a global oil event where it should be for people around the world watching. yeah but it's an english game . and but it's an english game. and again, game man got drama basically football originating from villages , you know, chef from villages, you know, chef regional chef when i a new most of them just all dubai churches for example queens park rangers which venetian jews . institute which venetian jews. institute and i when i found my first football club it was mellitus bullet points in football coach where the football club in run but and you had to draw loyalty yeah i, i mean it's not a city a fantastic trophy but it is what it is one club but no, but it is what it is can and england you know we got to the of the euros

last year we had a run in the world cup english football was not a bad place is it? i world cup english football was not a bad place is it ? i think not a bad place is it? i think it is. if you go quickly to america they have they i think about national games and each of them competed each of the games they have about ten clubs in a league you know promotion litigation and all those owned by wealth management companies. and to them, i football club. yeah it just another it's a commodity. yeah. yeah just know commodity. yeah. yeah just know commodity. yeah. yeah just know commodity. yeah yeah . listen can commodity. yeah yeah. listen can i get that i get that. i understand that. well you've given a lot of people a lot of entertainment over many, many years. you i mean, i remember growing, you know, and into early can be it's all over the back pages and sometimes the page. so look at it became very quickly on that well first came in football you you only got

your news the newspapers yeah trump and they were written by general yeah. and they were written often even checking the facts. yeah yes, i but the internet's not that much . can internet's not that much. can we're out of time ? you've never we're out of time? you've never afraid of putting people right. okay, big, your opinion . thank okay, big, your opinion. thank you for coming on to a great guest. i'm done for today. you for coming on to a great guest. i'm done for today . i'm guest. i'm done for today. i'm back with the tomorrow at 7:00. right now, i'm going to hand you over to . wow what an absolute of over to. wow what an absolute of a show that was. nigel, you've got to love on the telly right ? got to love on the telly right? there's loads to come your way. i'm filling in for the wonderful mark steyn. i'm reliably informed that on the mend you'll be pleased know. get be pleased to know. we'll get stuck see the scheme stuck right in. see the scheme at the top is the true extent of radical islamism in the uk being, hidden in some being, hidden from us in some kind epic government cover kind of epic government cover up. discuss nhs is up. we will discuss the nhs is it oh some kind of sacred or is it oh some kind of sacred or is it just a fatted calf? does it

actually need saving? will it cost is far too much to save it and how do we end wokeism once and how do we end wokeism once and for all? i got stuck right into that. you have to go with charlie bates loathe to tell charlie bates is loathe to tell us tonight 8:00pm. i see us about tonight 8:00pm. i see that you i hello there i'm that after you i hello there i'm cleansing with you. a weather update . it's a lively night into update. it's a lively night into thursday morning with rain showers , some clearer skies showers, some clearer skies strong , showers, some clearer skies strong, winds and also some health snow . now all courtesy of health snow. now all courtesy of an hour of low pressure to the south of that. that's where we've seen the coastal gales overnight as that weather front stalls across the far north of scotland and rain will return to the northwest so overnight. a lot of wet weather around a batch of showers will merge to form a longer spell of wet weather across northern england. wales west country pushing over eastwards returns eastwards as more rain returns to central western to the central belt. western parts of and northern parts of scotland and northern ireland the hours ireland through the early hours of morning. start in of the morning. a cold start in the relatively mild the north, relatively mild further south, but showers never too far away. however, through the morning there will be some sunshine around central and

eastern of england further eastern areas of england further showers will clear northern england and mass of showery england and this mass of showery rain will move from northern ireland western scotland to towards the east. now, of course, england and wales, most bouts towards the bouts will be down towards the west where we'll see the odd heavier but the winds won't heavier one, but the winds won't be as wednesday . even be as strong as wednesday. even so, these showers be heavy, some sunshine in between . sunshine in between. temperatures not as high either . now through thursday evening, we'll see a lot of the showers ease. we'll see a lot of the showers ease . could even see the risk of ease. could even see the risk of some ice across the far north—east of scotland as rain returns to northern ireland. this rain is heavy. in fact, the met office has issued a warning for heavy rain across central and southern parts of scotland into of into friday. again the risk of some over the higher ground some snow over the higher ground thickening friday thickening cloud on friday bnngs thickening cloud on friday brings further spells of wet weather wales. west weather towards wales. the west country . the winds pick up some country. the winds pick up some strength so . let's have look strength so. let's have a look at that as it tracks across at that rain as it tracks across and more across and wales. more rain across scotland ireland scotland and northern ireland clearing northern ireland later on in the pretty cold in on in the day. pretty cold in that wind under all that cloud . that wind under all that cloud. and outlook into the

and here's your outlook into the new weekend. we lose the new year weekend. we lose the strength of the wind. we gain some skies, always the some skies, but always the chance some rain in the chance of some rain in the south—east on .

sunday welcome along. wonderful i'm patrick christys covering for the great my south mark steyn boy do we have a good show for you this evening? first up, alan mendoza, executive director of the henry jackson society , will the henry jackson society, will be here to discuss whether the prevent program is disproportionately focussed on right wing extremist them, which is hardly been the major source of terror attacks over the past few decades how it then few decades. now how is it then we our very own charlie we have our very own charlie peters here to a look at peters here to take a look at the act 2010, which the equality act 2010, which elevates values into the deep facto state. religion should