good afternoon. you're gb news live. i'm tom harwood it. and here's what's coming up today. uk house price inflation continues to soar as cities the north usurped the capital's price rises in the past few years . we'll get the latest years. we'll get the latest figures from nationwide wide and the is recording more casualties ever but instead of haemorrhaging blood they're haemorrhaging blood they're haemorrhaging with new research highlighting record highs of

doctors considering to leave the service . we'll hear from a gp . service. we'll hear from a gp. plus, we have our latest gb news people polls specially commissioned asking you to vote on the cost of scottish gender laws and support for the conservative party . safe to say conservative party. safe to say a lot . the british public showed a lot. the british public showed little confidence in the government and shortly be crossing over live to liverpool to hear from the merseyside police the christmas eve shooting that tragic killed 26 year old ellie edwards . first, year old ellie edwards. first, though, it's your news update update . tom, thank you. good update. tom, thank you. good afternoon. it's 12:01. i'm rhiannon afternoon. it's12:01. i'm rhiannon in the gb newsroom. brazil has begun three days of national mourning in honour of football legend pat . the 82 year football legend pat. the 82 year old had colon cancer and died yesterday at a hospital in sao paulo. widely regarded as the greatest footballer . he's the greatest footballer. he's the only man to win the world cup

three times as a player. pele's former club santos has details of his funeral on monday morning. his body will be moved to the club's estadio leader, where the public will be able to pay where the public will be able to pay their respects. a procession through the streets of sao paolo on tuesday will be followed by a private family burial . former private family burial. former england goalkeeper peter shilton has paid tribute to the football . he was a gentleman and wherever he went he left a big impression. you know and i mean , fans just adored him, you know as i say never had to weakness really. and you know to win three world cups was was you know incredible both tributes continue to flood to for dame vivienne westwood who also died yesterday aged 81. singapore jorge described her as the undisputed queen of british fashion. the designer , known for fashion. the designer, known for her quirky style, became synonymous with 1970 punk rock

dressing bands , such as the sex dressing bands, such as the sex pistols celebs , tease pistols celebs, tease politicians and even royalty have representatives said she died peacefully surrounded her family in south london nightclub where 23 year old footballer cody died in a knife attack on boxing day has had its slice suspended. the decision follows an urgent meeting by city council after police said that being serious management failings at the club , the failings at the club, the suspension is pending a full review hearing when it will be made on whether it should be closed permanently . a 30 year closed permanently. a 30 year old man from tranmere on suspicion of the murder of elle edwards has been recalled to prison. merseyside police says a 19 year old woman from rock ferry has been bailed and a 31 year old man remains in custody . 26 year old alan was killed outside pub in wirral on

christmas eve . two other people christmas eve. two other people arrested in connection with her death have been released from custody custody . uk house price custody custody. uk house price has slowed sharply again this month to 2.8% as the market cools the autumn surge in mortgage . nationwide buildings mortgage. nationwide buildings society reports prices fell . by society reports prices fell. by 0.1% in december to the fourth consecutive monthly fall , the consecutive monthly fall, the worst since 2008. the report puts the average house price this month at just over £260,000. property expert , £260,000. property expert, russell quirk told gb news he thinks 2023 will see the housing market fluctuate . frankly, market fluctuate. frankly, i don't . the long term prospect don't. the long term prospect despite again what those some headunes despite again what those some headlines would have you believe . being actually particularly negative know the housing market is actually pretty robust. normally and if you look at it from medium and a long term perspective , it'll be fine. but

perspective, it'll be fine. but but certainly it's taken a bit of a hit, but i think it's more centre related than it is economics , even though as you economics, even though as you rightly point out the cost . a rightly point out the cost. a mortgage, of course has increased . meanwhile a think increased. meanwhile a think tank is warning households are facing a groundhog year. its living continue to be squeezed . living continue to be squeezed. the resolution foundation says 2023is the resolution foundation says 2023 is set to be just as horrendous as year due to falling pay and rising bills that. falling pay and rising bills that . predicts real household that. predicts real household disposable income will fall by nearly 4% next year. the government says it's providing support for families . the cost support for families. the cost of living crisis . romanian of living crisis. romanian prosecutors have asked for a 30 day extension to the arrest of onune day extension to the arrest of online influencer andrew tate, whose detained on suspicion of human trafficking and rape . the human trafficking and rape. the former reality tv star who is detained alongside his brother tristan had his house raided in the council. bucharest the tate

brothers have been under criminal investigation since april. they've declined to, but their lawyers have confirmed their lawyers have confirmed their detention . firefighters in their detention. firefighters in england dealt with 25,000 wildfires this summer, four times last year's figure , and times last year's figure, and the highest in at least a decade. services tackled more than 50 wildfires a day , the than 50 wildfires a day, the peak of the heatwave between june and august, when temperatures reached record breaking 40 degrees. earlier this week, the met office said 2022 was the uk's warmest year on record with a monthly average temperatures every month. apart from december this is gb news. we'll bring you more as get it. now though, it's to . now though, it's to. tom you're watching gb news live. the number of junior doctors

actively researching leaving the nhs is rising at alarming rates with over 79% reported. that's according to new data from the british association. they've a survey while preparing to balance on strike action over pay- balance on strike action over pay. medics are following close behind nurses and paramedics who carried out industrial action for the first time in over 100 years. this month. well, let's hear more now from gp dr. nathalie rout can join now thank you for the time this afternoon. i oppose first of all this is not particularly surprising to people who know gp's anecdotally. i know a number of people who've been looking at opportunity in australia, in the united of america, in europe . united of america, in europe. should we be surprised by this survey .7 well, i'm certainly not survey? well, i'm certainly not surprised that junior doctors form the majority of the doctor work led workforce . i think work led workforce. i think

they're misnamed as juniors. basically any doctor consultant level is junior doctor. so these are the people that are delivering your babies that doing your operations and doing everything in the hospitals in a&e as well. so the fact that this proposal and this huge proportion of them are considering leaving the nhs just shows how dire conditions have become . we keep talking about become. we keep talking about nhs about to, but it's already collapsed. a&e is over, over. you know you've got wait times of over 10 hours in places that . capacity is already struggling across the hospitals gp's you're having to wait for to see your gp because there a shortage of us and actually in a survey from gp's recently, 42% of us have been thinking about leaving the profession. the nhs is really

struggling at the moment and we need to take these statistics seriously . yes, it's clear for seriously. yes, it's clear for anyone who's tried to use nhs services in the last couple of years that things are really stretched. but what's is looking at the inputs rather than the. the nhs never had more money. it's never had more money compared to the population size. it's never had more money when adjusted for inflation. the budget for , the nhs has risen by budget for, the nhs has risen by 4% in the last 12 years. why the tens upon tens upon tens of billions of pounds that have gone into the nhs ? why is that gone into the nhs? why is that not made things better better ? not made things better better? well, i think you also have to understand that demand is outstripping supply . so understand that demand is outstripping supply. so our patient population has grown the complexity of our patients is growing. we an ageing population which means that people need more complex health care, they need time. and so actually

there's a lot a lot more demand for services that, no matter how much money you throw at it. we need more staff to actually provide those services . and that provide those services. and that money isn't going into the pockets of our nurses and our paramedics, our junior doctors. it's going into other areas. but there's so many things that need fixing , like the lt. systems in fixing, like the lt. systems in nhs. i'd like to know this money is going, but even with that much money we can't cope with the demand that our public needs. it is to look at sort of where nhs now sits on international comparisons . true international comparisons. true to say that a decade ago the nhs was below european average for full funding , but it's now above full funding, but it's now above the oecd average for funding . the oecd average for funding. it's now comparable to many european countries. but the outcomes, the outcomes much worse. could we learn perhaps from european countries, from the health care system, from these other systems that people

are looking perhaps to move to? should we be learning from how they manage their health systems? i'm sure there are lessons to be learnt . i don't lessons to be learnt. i don't think any health care system is . we provide on our national health service . it's free at health service. it's free at point of contact and that's something that not many other countries have the luxury of . countries have the luxury of. and i think one of the biggest things , one of the biggest things, one of the biggest things, one of the biggest things, as you can see from this surveys that we are losing staff and if you lose your staff then you have no one to run this health care service. and so a lot of this sent comes from the fact that you have an undeserved , valued, underpaid and over staff state workforce. so we need to address those in order to improve the care we are delivering in the nhs . well, dr. delivering in the nhs. well, dr. nathalie root, thank so much for your views. this this afternoon. really appreciate your time . really appreciate your time. we're going to cross now live to liverpool merseyside police are giving a press conference on that christmas eve shooting.

let's listen in. do the rest . we let's listen in. do the rest. we know that the answers to this lie within our communities? so my appeal to you is, please tell us what you know and help us get justice for at least family. particularly, we want information about the of a dark mercedes that was in the lighthouse public house and car park before the incident . we park before the incident. we want to know where it came from and where it's gone since then . and where it's gone since then. if you've got information but you don't want to speak to a police officer directly, please contact us via crime stoppers thank you . thank you . thank you. thank you. we had . an thank you. thank you. we had. an appeal from merseyside police to contact crime stoppers. if knows

any information . we'll be any information. we'll be covering more on this throughout day. but now onto our next story. will under the age of 40 be able to afford a house? that's the pressing question for many millennials across the united kingdom, battling with rising . over the last three rising. over the last three decades. 2022 has seen rapid house price growth with houses averaging a whopping £600,000. in the capital and the north is following closely behind with today's figures revealing york is the most impacted seeing 23% increases since the beginning of the pandemic. back 2020. but things be turning around in 2023. well, new shows that house pnces 2023. well, new shows that house prices may be falling, albeit ever slightly, for the fourth month in a row this month. well, let's make sense of this all now joining me is robert gardner, chief economist at nationwide building society today released

their latest house price statistics. thank for joining their latest house price statistics. thank forjoining us this afternoon, robert . i this afternoon, robert. i suppose, first of all, should we get things in proportion? we know that we've seen enormous rises over the last couple of years the falls we're seeing in these months don't make up for those rises do they know ? as you those rises do they know? as you say, if you go back to the start of, the pandemic, we've seen house prices rise with about 20% or so above where they were just before the pandemic started. in the last months, we have seen modest house price falls, but they have fairly small, as they have been fairly small, as you so since august. you say so far since august. pfices you say so far since august. prices are down around two and a half% so prices still 20% above where they were before pandemic struck. but they have fallen two and a half% since august. it's interesting to look at the office for budget responsibility's sort of companion documents to the autumn statement . a month or so autumn statement. a month or so ago, they expected house prices to sort of plateau and maybe ever so slightly over next two

years and then build up and start getting ever higher. are those projections matching now what we're seeing in the real terms data ? this is quite hard terms data? this is quite hard at the moment to understand the underlying picture because there was a massive to the housing market in september as a result of the turbulence that followed the mini budget, because mortgage rates really did spike significantly and that led to a significantly and that led to a significant off in activity since then . long term interest since then. long term interest rates have fallen mortgage rates are stopped as trend back down. so the underlying picture demand is going to become clearer in the next couple of months. i think fair to say that we're unlikely to return to the sorts of levels of activity that we had earlier this year because rates aren't going to go back to where they know, they are where they you know, they are likely moderate somewhat. but likely to moderate somewhat. but we know the economy's to shrink this the labour market is this year. the labour market is expected weaken. so, yes, we're going pick up some very going to see pick up some very weak levels we've in the weak levels we've had in the last of months. we're last couple of months. but we're likely to the sorts

likely to go back to the sorts of activity levels had of activity levels we had earlier in 2022 and 2021, when mortgage rates were that much lower. as an economist, were lower. now as an economist, were you surprised by the impact of the pandemic at the start of the pandemic, many people saying perhaps see a big house perhaps we would see a big house price in our cities in the price drop in our cities in the united kingdom as people sort of moved out of urban conurbations , perhaps moved to the countryside , wanted gardens, countryside, wanted gardens, didn't want so much live in in small flats , and yet in fact, small flats, and yet in fact, over last two years we saw enormous house rises, even in the very centre of our cities . the very centre of our cities. did that surprise you ? yeah, it did that surprise you? yeah, it did come as as a significant shock. most people expected the labour market to weaken very significantly as a result of the pandemic. remember, the economy shrank 25% at one point at the start of the pandemic, bank of england was projecting that the unemployment would rise above 9. we are projecting even larger increase. now, thankfully , increase. now, thankfully, didn't come to grasp this lot of the support measures put in place really did support the

labour market. yes. the unemployment increase, unemployment rate did increase, but modestly , about 5, but only very modestly, about 5, which still by historic which is still by historic standards. and as a result, we didn't a significant fall in housing demand. we didn't see distress, selling all those things were obviously very, very positive . and also what we saw, positive. and also what we saw, as you to was a significant sort of change in people's desire in terms of what they wanted from their housing. people re—evaluating where they could live and led to a significant increase in activity spurred on by the stamp duty holidays as well. and as a result, that really did see a massive increase in the number of transactions and house price as you mentioned especially in sort of non urban areas initially. but that trend has become marked in recent quarters things going back towards more normal sort of patterns of activity but flat price growth that has remained below that of things like properties and just finally, of course, the government has been promising to allow 300,000 homes a year to be built for quite some time now. it's failed to

that target every single year that target every single year that it has been in office and in the last couple of months, it's been reported to have removed even targets for local authorities to allow a certain amount of building within their areas . is amount of building within their areas. is there much hope for to change? much more than the very, very modest we're seeing at the in terms of plateaus or downward basically as the way that all construction system and the planning system is constituted . planning system is constituted. is there any hope of seeing any sort of significant easing of the market at all? so the surprising thing in recent years is that if you look at england in particular, what we've seen is the increase in the housing stock has outpaced growth of the population. but as you say, that hasn't led to any improvement in and a lot of what happened in house prices rise relative to earnings was because interest

rates were falling. significant over a long period of time. so as we look forward, hopefully we will see construction activity continuing outpace growth in household formation. and over time that will affordability. the challenge now, of course, is going to be if interest rates are not going return to the lows that we had in the last couple of years that going to be ongoing in of what people ongoing drag in of what people can afford in terms of monthly mortgage that's mortgage payments. and that's going a as a drag on going to act as a as a drag on the market. i think there's the market. so i think there's some encouragement terms some some of encouragement terms of supply. but the fact that of net supply. but the fact that mortgage interest rates are not going the previous going to go back to the previous levels, going make levels, that's going to make it hard people the market hard for people enter the market to really to and trader. really interesting stuff there pretty profound for people in profound as well for people in terms forming their own terms of forming their own households. but robert gardner, chief economist at nationwide society, thank you so much for your time afternoon. really appreciate it. you're with gb news live . coming up, we'll have news live. coming up, we'll have the latest gb news people's poll where. we survey the great british public, a meagre 4% of

you hold confidence now in the government to get a sense of the cost of living . more on that cost of living. more on that after this short .

break well, the results are in for the latest people's polls specially commissioned by gb news on the cost of living crisis. and it's not good news for the government. only a total this 4% of people are completely or fairly confident that the government reduce the cost of living in 23. while astounding, 70% are not confident at all, even amongst conservatives voters, 53% say they're not confident at all. whereas the

number to 90% among labour voters. only 2. 2% of conservative voters are completely confident that the government can reduce the cost of living in 2023. a statistically meaningless number. the majority of the public, 68, also believe their family's financial situation will be worse in 2023 compared to this year. and the of westminster voting intention sees the labour . on 45% of the sees the labour. on 45% of the national vote , while the national vote, while the conservative party is down to just 19. this represents three point fall for the conservatives , increasing the gap between those two main parties to 26. the liberal democrats are on 8. the liberal democrats are on 8. the greens on nine and reform uk are on 8. well, let's break down what all of those mean with the professor of politics at kent

university and the man responsible for the gb news poll, matt goodwin . matt, thanks poll, matt goodwin. matt, thanks for joining us this , i suppose forjoining us this, i suppose if your name is rishi, this is not happy reading . now this is not happy reading. now this is pretty bleak reading at the end of what's been a very difficult yean of what's been a very difficult year, both for this party and rishi. i think what you can see is you've outlined as some , you is you've outlined as some, you know, incredibly high obstacles that are now facing the conservatives in 2023, the collapse of confidence , stop, collapse of confidence, stop, loss of belief in what the conservative party is all about. now look for rishi sunak what he's going to be hoping against all of that is that inflation starts fall. there's some tentative signs already starting to, and he can get to the end of 23 with that narrative, which beginning to turn the corner. don't let labour and the snp ruin it. i imagine that will be the conservative playbook, but in order to get there he's got to reignite sense of confidence in the conservative party and his own leadership because as

you say so i'm currently it's not there at all. what is remarkable here is that rishi sunak doesn't seem to have base. very often you could sort of rely upon perhaps up to a third of the conservative party still supporting boris johnson through thick and thin, famously in the united states of america. donald trump always had his base. no matter what went on. but here this poll, we see that more half of concern active voters do not believe that their own party is going to make things better for them in the next year ahead . them in the next year ahead. what does rishi sunak to do to try and. well even win over his own people before he starts moving to . on those who moving to. on those who currently aren't voting for him him . yeah. i mean, i think it's him. yeah. i mean, i think it's always been difficult for rishi sunak because he didn't come in with that big mandate. conservative members or indeed voters . so he's always been in a voters. so he's always been in a slightly position within the conservative party. so that he's also had to deal with the legacy

of disillusioned conservatives backed boris johnson at the last election , and that's been election, and that's been another problem for him, but also rapidly deteriorating economic conditions in some sense. this time . i would say, sense. this time. i would say, though, that this isn't actually a story about british politics at. all this is also a story about the politics, inflation. and if you look at every election held around the world this people who this year, in 2022, people who are looking over the country were in power at the time of inflation and the cost of living have either been thrown out of office or have been dramatically weakened. yes, there is weakened. so, yes, there is westminster story here . rishi westminster story here. rishi sunak, the man who helped to bnng sunak, the man who helped to bring down boris johnson, struggle to connect with his party and country. but there is also a global here, which is about rishi, the incumbent prime minister who happens to be in office while these disastrous economic winds sweep through many, if not all, democracy so the deck is fully stacked against him. i can tell you that i was speaking to his team only

a couple weeks ago when they again brought out line that the path to victory the next election is narrow, but state are fully aware of the challenges that are facing the prime minister and they're not naive . they know this is going naive. they know this is going to be an uphill struggle. i do think, by the way, you told me this much than i, but this much better than i, but i think recent appointments in think the recent appointments in number james lawson , the new number 10, james lawson, the new political of the political director, some of the people who are around where she's good, she's doing generally good, strong people in the all politics. that may make a difference but the odds are stacked firmly them. yes, indeed.i stacked firmly them. yes, indeed. i will taylor as well as someone who is well known to the viewers of gb news also entering number 10. i wonder, though, if there is a point of perhaps optimism for tory strategists within this poll, perhaps i'm looking through far too rose tinted spectacles here. but looking at the words that people associate with the year ahead, these are words difficult, tough , challenging, bleak and worrying. i suppose if you're trying to manage expectations

for the year ahead, people think is going to be really tough . if is going to be really tough. if it's only slightly tough . it's only slightly tough. perhaps there's a story begin to be spun that i think that's interesting perspective for sure. i think, as you say, expectation a very low and sunak is in against the backdrop of all of those very low expectations . but at the same expectations. but at the same time, we also that it is a conservative that's being blamed for inflation, not global wins . for inflation, not global wins. we know that it is the conservative party that's currently being blamed for the strike disruption and the chaos over christmas. so those things are also things sunak's going to have to overcome . so to see have to overcome. so to see chaos in the channel again, you know , if you want, let step know, if you want, let step back.i know, if you want, let step back. i mean, if you were advising rishi sunak and saying, look, how could you make the best of this situation? i think probably what you would want to be saying is to the firstly, in the first three months of 2023, he's got to show progress on the

small boats. he's got to hope that starts coming that inflation starts coming down. and he's got to where i've got possible show that he's making a tangible difference to the cost of living now if he does those things and he re—establishes composite union re—establishes a composite union with voters that he's lost with the voters that he's lost then he indeed begin to then he may indeed begin to perhaps have a shot at an election in 2024. those things are each of them very very difficult to achieve not impossible , but very, very impossible, but very, very difficult to achieve . i suppose. difficult to achieve. i suppose. one question to ask is what are you surprised at the lack of a rishi you surprised at the lack of a fishisunak you surprised at the lack of a rishi sunak bounce? most pundits were expecting the sort of the historic lows that were that were reached by the conservatives party a couple of months ago to be a bit of an aberration , sort of floating aberration, sort of floating around 20% in the polls would , around 20% in the polls would, not be something that the conservative party would be doing for long and that changing the prime minister would change their fortunes, perhaps not to

catch up with the labour party, but turn to a 20 point but maybe to turn to a 20 point deficit to a 10.1. are you surprised that that hasn't happened ? yes or no ? you know, happened? yes or no? you know, on the one hand, the conservative party's been in power for over ten years. on the other hand, people like they already knew rishi sunak. they'd watched him closely during this wasn't a new prime minister wasn't like a new prime minister into office. he was a brand, if you like, that many people had already in the last weeks of being chancellor that they didn't really like rishi that much to begin with . so that was much to begin with. so that was always for him. always a challenge for him. secondly, look , to go back to secondly, look, to go back to your point about how can you back the positive story here if you are rishi sunak well, here's one positive story. you've got about third of the 2019 about a third of the 2019 conservative electorate currently they're currently saying they're not really to vote for anybody really going to vote for anybody or they're none the or they're saying none the above. the good story you above. so the good story you like, if you want to spin it in this way to say, actually, they're not going over to the labour party, they're just sitting politics and sitting out of politics and sunak win back sunak could win them back perhaps feeding into

perhaps is also feeding into this of a tangible bounce, this lack of a tangible bounce, but also the conservative party, you know, as a as a brand, you know when we poll voters and we also what do you think of the party tend to say it doesn't really have a purpose . it really have a purpose. it doesn't know what it stands for. it's not on the side of ordinary people. give one people. let me give you one example. take reforms in scotland at the moment on the gender self—identification scotland at the moment on the gender self-very tification scotland at the moment on the gender self-very unpopular policy, very, very unpopular policy, very, very unpopular policy, by the way. nobody supports it . a real opportunity supports it. a real opportunity for rishi sunak not going to conservatives to come out and say, a policy that's going say, have a policy that's going to stand for family values, to stand up for family values, for rights women and, for for the rights of women and, for the of children. as the rights of children. but as you've week or you've seen over last week or so, in the conservative so, nobody in the conservative party is prepared that, party is prepared to do that, because i gets back the because i it gets back to the sense the conservative party sense of the conservative party doesn't really know what it is anymore. it doesn't even really know a conservative know if it is a conservative party. so i think for all of these reasons, sort of these reasons, this sort of identity hanging over identity is hanging over the ever brexit ever since the brexit referendum. this also referendum. i think this is also clearly come across to clearly has come across to voters. mean they look the voters. i mean they look at the party they say, well, what party and they say, well, what is what's to do

is this? what's it going to do for me? how is it going to change the country? and when parties into that place parties get into that place where sure what where nobody is really sure what they do or how they want they want to do or how they want to do it, that is usually when they end facing a big they end up facing a big wipe—out the next election? well, certainly really challenging circumstances, although comeback king once been the comeback king once before coming from political to prime minister in the space of a few weeks , perhaps, perhaps he few weeks, perhaps, perhaps he could do again. i suppose we'll have to wait and see future gb news people's polls to see if things are turning around. but for now, matt goodwin, thank you so for your time this so much for your time this afternoon on news life. we afternoon on gb news life. we really well, after really appreciate. well, after the break british shoppers are changing their habits, cutting spending cost of living spending as the cost of living bites. we'll explore that . the bites. we'll explore that. the new draws the king's new year draws the king's coronation closer. we're taking a look at what to expect on may 6th. but first, it's your news update . now, soon, it's 1234 on

update. now, soon, it's1234 on rowland jones in the gb newsroom the family is elle edwards who was shot dead on christmas eve at a pub in worle have paid tribute to their most beautiful and brightest merseyside police has urged anyone with any information come forward. a 30 year old man from tranmere arrested on suspicion of the 26 year old's murder, has been recalled . prison. a 19 year old recalled. prison. a 19 year old woman from roxbury has been bailed and a 31 year old man remains in custody. two others arrested in connection with her death have been released from custody . sitting alongside owls, custody. sitting alongside owls, father tim edwards, detective superintendent sue coombs read out the family statement. there was no one as beautiful as eileen made her look her last and the way she would light up a room as she walked in. she had this way about her that as soon as he met her he instantly fell in love with her. everyone knew and met al knew how special she

was. laugh was infectious. anyone who wasn't with around her had a good time. anyone who wasn't with around her had a good time . she loved her had a good time. she loved life and had so many amazing plans . the future. she was only plans. the future. she was only just getting started . crane just getting started. crane nightclub where 23 year old footballer cody fisher died in a knife attack on boxing has had its licence suspended. the decision follows an urgent meeting by birmingham city council after police said they'd been serious management failings at the club. the suspensions pending a full review hearing when a decision will be made on whether it should be closed permanently . brazil has whether it should be closed permanently. brazil has begun three days of national mourning in honour of football legend pele . the 82 year old had pele. the 82 year old had carried on cancer and died yesterday at a hospital in sao paolo. widely regarded the greatest footballer ever , he's greatest footballer ever, he's the only man to win the world

cup three times as a player. tv online and dab+ radio. this is gb news. don't go anywhere. tom will be back in just moment with gb news life .

now two thirds of uk consumers are planning to cut discretionary spending in 2023 amid concerns about the cost of living crisis. that's according to a new survey. the accountant firm kpmg said that 61% of consumers in a poll, firm kpmg said that 61% of consumers in a poll , 3000, were consumers in a poll, 3000, were preparing to reduce their on eating out on holidays and other non—essentials . it found non—essentials. it found concerns over the cost of basic items such as food and a fuel and mortgage or rent costs as. well, as worries about how much

further these could rise in the future . these were the biggest future. these were the biggest deterrents for discretionary spending . well, joining me now spending. well, joining me now is consumer and retail expert kate hardcastle . kate, thank you kate hardcastle. kate, thank you for joining me. i wonder at forjoining me. i wonder at where inflation is now, looking at the pressure that people are feeling right, might be getting better next year. we've seen inflation come down a little bit. it may well have peaked. is this the worst it or is there worse to come ? i think people worse to come? i think people will always shop and react to the state of play right here, right now. and if don't feel that there's much leverage within the budget each week and, they're incredibly concerned about making . sure that that about making. sure that that heating is on it's hard to try and look at the bigger picture sometimes you're dealing with such a challenging situation trying to understand how to balance spend. that just doesn't seem to go as further, that you're going fail,

you're not going to fail, encourage to spend on those items. and i think that's why we've the report that we we've got the report that we have.i we've got the report that we have. i mean, looking ahead, talking to economists around world, that may this world, i think that may this might be a sharper picture of her that we perhaps that we perhaps we maybe think we're concerned it might on for years it might be kind of a snap of eight months 12 months. but that doesn't really matter when you're dealing with a household budget trying to make that budget and trying to make that you get the energy working you can get the energy working in household pay the fuel in the household pay the fuel for the car and making sure that you can meet perhaps a rent or a mortgage increased or mortgage that's increased or deaung mortgage that's increased or dealing with a pension that doesn't should doesn't look, it should be performing it should. performing as well as it should. so we'll always shop emotionally and i think we will always feel that there's a immediate reaction that stores reaction to the way that stores will feel the pain from perhaps people not shopping as they should . and yes, i suppose there should. and yes, i suppose there are going to be so many more knock on effects as well. if people spend less on those discretionary items. some businesses may not be able to

survive. that's pay packets of those who work those businesses selling those discretionary items, those non—essentials and those services . course, this those services. course, this could really have many knock on effects for months and, potentially years to come . so potentially years to come. so it's an incredibly time of year for retail because retail obviously is expecting to have had that big boost of christmas. and we that that has changed massively recent years a lot of discounting of black friday and cyber monday , a very different cyber monday, a very different retail calendar that time of year and. therefore, going into a couple of months , there's a couple of months, there's always been a challenge to when it comes to spend january and february get the credit card bills through they don't feel as flowing fluid with their anyway and people very aware this time that around we're going to be getting another hit terms of energy. but of that has implications for the businesses that are in those industries hospitality and retail particularly . there's been

particularly. there's been a rollercoaster ride for many businesses that have gone through a period where we've had the on and off lockdowns had challenges when it's come to rising costs. therefore, the upside maybe not been there to buy to start with and then we've had this incredible pinch on the purse when it comes to consumer spending and there's only so much that can be . there's only much that can be. there's only so much in terms of what retailers and hospitality industries can keep doing to try and mediate the price . try and and mediate the price. try and keep encouraging customers to , keep encouraging customers to, come back and spend. that said they are incredibly resilient. a lot of those organisations are independently owned and they work passionately in hard to put a presence out there in the high streets and we need our high streets, a high street. so a huge, huge part of the infrastructure they provide places to be. they were in an isolation crisis and i think they provide places for people to find companies find , a place to find companies find, a place to find companies find, a place to interact and engage. so we need to understand that , whilst need to understand that, whilst they're in an evolution period and they're going to look like

the traditional high streets of our they're certainly going our use, they're certainly going to be places we need to to be places that we need to ensure and feel and ensure still remain and feel and good places to be . but of good places to be. but of course, the high streets have changing so rapidly over the last 15 years, consumer spending habhs last 15 years, consumer spending habits have been shifting from the physical , the virtual . are the physical, the virtual. are we seeing that trend accelerate, continue ? where are we consumer continue? where are we consumer behaviour between the online world and the offline ? really world and the offline? really question and we saw the huge increase in terms of online spending driven because people in those lockdowns at home and looking exploring online to see what their options . and many what their options. and many people have continued to shop that way. so we probably five years, six years worth of change and evolvement in a matter of months. people have returned to the high street because people do love the different benefits it provides. and i do see each channel, as we call them, the

onune channel, as we call them, the online and offline as providing very different benefits shoppers. so i think that a very healthy way that the consumer's got choice because of the way that consumers sought alternatives. certainly they are more confident now to split their spending. we don't see in this . we just see the same type this. we just see the same type of loyalty where one consumer will just pattern towards type of retailer and always go to that retailer. we can and we can. we've that across grocery and other sectors within retail too. people are willing to try new brands . so we need this new brands. so we need this beauty a full mix of independent and bigger brands in our high streets . we have had very much streets. we have had very much the carbon sorry, the cookie cutter of look across many high streets. and i think what we need to see is identity, see do and those happen. we've to be honest, you know, our government being dealing very many different things over recent years. have had ten high years. but we have had ten high street ministers in ten years. and matter how good they may and no matter how good they may have been in role. it doesn't seem anyone's enough seem that anyone's had enough time to help to

time to really start to help to build infrastructure that's build the infrastructure that's required. lot the change required. so a lot the change that we've seen come because that we've seen has come because of those driven businesses on the high street reacting to consumer changes , the healthiest consumer changes, the healthiest position to get to is for organisations to understand that. it's very much a respects a two way street between consumer and them as a business and that that and understanding evolve and a reaction to trends that fluidity is always going to be the winning key really, really and evolving picture there. kate hardcastle , consumer there. kate hardcastle, consumer and retail expert , thanks for and retail expert, thanks for talking to us through it here , talking to us through it here, gb news life. next today of course on, the front page of just about every newspaper in the land, the brazilian football pele has died at the age of 82 after a long battle cancer. nicknamed the black pearl and the king pele won three world cups during 21 year career , cups during 21 year career, scoring 1283 goals, while

considered one of the greatest players of all. pele is the only to have won the world cup on occasions as he helped brazil to success in 1958, 1962, and the 1970 tournament's also winning the golden ball for best player at the latter. now we can cross to the former football player and manager, harry redknapp, who joins us now to share his tribute. and harry, reading this over the last 24 hours or so. i found it extra ordinary that pele appeared in his first world cup aged 17, and achieved such success so early in life. but was he always for greatness ? was he always for greatness? yeah, obviously. i mean, to play in a world cup final and to play in a world cup final and to play in a world cup final and to play in a team that won the world cup finals 17 is just incredible . i finals 17 is just incredible. i mean, you know, it's my daily debut as you know, to make a day, you 19 to play in league,

evenin day, you 19 to play in league, even in england or where. but you think it's incredible daily. 18 9017 playing the world cup, winning . scored a hat trick in winning. scored a hat trick in the semi—final , scored in the the semi—final, scored in the final . so the semi—final, scored in the final. so obviously it must have been a early age to you know people saw just at great he was and what a future he had in the game and to play in three world cup finals to play in probably best certainly for me the best football i'd ever seen or i've ever seen my life . appeared to ever seen my life. appeared to have missed out on some connection there with harry will work on re—establishing it i think in the meantime it is reflecting on one of my favourite quotes about pele, which is actually a piece in some newspaper this morning as well . it speaks about how of well. it speaks about how of composers there was beatle heaven and then the rest . when heaven and then the rest. when you think about sculptors you may well think about

michelangelo and then the rest when it comes to footballers. it was pele and the rest. it's remarkable to me see the sort of deification portion in many ways is going on in brazil right now . sometimes you get these figures who unify a society . we figures who unify a society. we saw it in the united kingdom with the sad passing of . the with the sad passing of. the queen earlier this year , the queen earlier this year, the hundreds of thousands of people queued to file past that coffin in westminster hall. i queued to file past that coffin in westminster hall . i expect in westminster hall. i expect we're going to see something similar in one of those stadiums where pele's coffin will lay to rest in the coming days as people of brazil will file past someone who they considered to be their king . well, i believe be their king. well, i believe harry redknapp , our connection harry redknapp, our connection are back up and running now. harry thank you for sticking with here. i want to cover something that i think has been not particularly remarked upon so far in? all of the various

tributes that we've heard, which is how pele united the people of brazil sometimes criticised for this but he stayed out of activism he stayed out of politics he stuck to football now some activist groups criticised him for this but it does mean that he's receiving from right across the political he's uniting a country. is there something can learn from that . something can learn from that. i believe for having problems with the sound there will be working to re—establish that . and we to re—establish that. and we will in the meantime move on to something that is fairly similar from . the death of the king of from. the death of the king of football to the coronation of a new king of the united kingdom, of great britain and northern ireland for next year. millions across the world will look on as

king. the third is crowned at westminster abbey alongside wife, queen consort camilla , wife, queen consort camilla, despite suggestions a cut price coronation. the sovereign is now expected to embrace pomp and pageantry in order to showcase the very best of britain on may the very best of britain on may the sixth. well, our royal reporter cameron walker previews the events and takes a look at coronate nations of the past, the coronation of his majesty . the coronation of his majesty. charles iii will be a chance to showcase the very best of the united kingdom . a unique moment united kingdom. a unique moment for the country , but one our for the country, but one our monarch is well prepared for. according to the archbishop of canterbury. history settling on king. have you and how evidently prepared he is? how evidently his commitment as deep as the . his commitment as deep as the. queen's the ceremony expected to be shorter than queen. the

second. king charles is conscious of the cost of living crisis engulfing britain, and it's understood wants to reflect modern britain . the service. modern britain. the service. pomp and tradition will so be focus though. but it's also a solemn religious service and remained essentially the same for over a thousand years. hundreds of thousands of people are expected to on london with millions watching on television dunng millions watching on television during the ceremony. king charles would take the coronation oath before being anointed, blessed and seated in king chair made in 1300 and used by every sovereign since 1626, all to the organ sepsis. the archbishop of canterbury will place an edward's crown on the king's head the stone of skin . king's head the stone of skin. the coronation stone is an ancient symbol of scottish monarchy seized in 1256 to rest. under the coronation chair. the stone was officially returned to scotland in 1996. it's expected to be temporarily brought back

to be temporarily brought back to westminster abbey for charles's coronation . the queen charles's coronation. the queen and i will always keep in our heart of the of this day the king's grandfather george, his sixth was crowned alongside his wife, queen elizabeth, in 1937. more than 80 years later, the queen consort's camilla will be crowned alongside husband . crowned alongside husband. arrangements for the coronation could cause diplomatic headaches, given the likely presence of selected world leaders . but it could also pose leaders. but it could also pose challenges for the royal family themselves , with the duke and themselves, with the duke and duchess of sussex reported to be on the invitation list . despite on the invitation list. despite the damaging brow over their netflix show , the coronation netflix show, the coronation will take place on saturday. the 6th of may, followed by a bank houday 6th of may, followed by a bank holiday on monday the eighth. the government has already launched a consultation extended pub openings , meaning pints can pub openings, meaning pints can pourin pub openings, meaning pints can pour in england and wales until 1 am. pour in england and wales until

1a.m. cameron pour in england and wales until 1 am. cameron walker. gb news. god save the king. and i have to say for my part i'm very glad they're not doing a cut price coronation. the whole point of the royal family is to show the pomp and the pageantry and the spectacle of the best of britain. it's right that they're doing that this time. but enough of my views. onto your views . of my views. onto your views. the topics of the day. john has written in to say that the nhs is broken . it doesn't matter how is broken. it doesn't matter how much money you throw at it. the people who work the nhs emigrate to countries where they to other countries where they get better, pay and get paid better, pay and conditions. the government conditions. if the government needs new paying system needs look at new paying system , repair the nhs and social. rob, on the other hand, says that junior doctors are well—paid and under worked. the is the selection of medical the wrong criteria are used say the students who are privileged to be selected and not the ones care most. and john says it's no

surprise that the are tanking in the polls. the country is in a mess. the public have never been so poor and taxes never so high . prospects for the future have rarely so bleak. he continues . rarely so bleak. he continues. well, we will be getting some more of your views in the next hour but that's all we've got time for in this. don't go away. as i'll be bringing you be with you until three. bringing latest headlines. but before that is the weather. hello i'm aidan mcgivern from the met office it's a wet start to the day, but the rain clears east through the rest the afternoon and it's going be cold in the far north with some snow mild elsewhere . with some snow mild elsewhere. the low pressure to the north—west of scotland at the moment. that's going to continue to drive weather fronts eastwards during the rest of dner eastwards during the rest of drier conditions following. but it's staying cold in the north of scotland where showers replace the rain and those showers will fall as rain and hill snow further south across and wales, the rain slow to clear for northern south—east

scotland as well . some dry scotland as well. some dry conditions elsewhere with some brighter spells across central parts and very mild in the south with a blustery breeze from the south—west, 12 or 13 celsius here, but cold in the north with scotland will see temperatures of four or five celsius in the afternoon . and then a little afternoon. and then a little feature comes south across northern scotland during the that will bring gales for the north—east scotland some very strong winds here 70 or 80 mile per hour wind gusts and, some snow to affect parts of northern scotland. snow accumulating over the and leading to an ice the hills and leading to an ice at lower levels. but mild elsewhere across the uk , spells elsewhere across the uk, spells of rain pushing up from the south—west and 13 celsius as we start the day across southern parts of england and wales , parts of england and wales, further spells wet weather further spells of wet weather come through saturday and it looks like new year's eve is a wet day for england and wales with outbreaks of rain on and wet day for england and wales wit some»reaks of rain on and wet day for england and wales wit some heavyof rain on and wet day for england and wales wit some heavy bursts on and wet day for england and wales wit some heavy bursts as and wet day for england and wales wit some heavy bursts as .|nd wet day for england and wales wit some heavy bursts as . well, off some heavy bursts as. well, the rain turning to snow across the rain turning to snow across the hills of southern scotland, northern and further snow showers affecting north of scotland where it will be cold.

three four celsius, very three or four celsius, but very mild in the south mild once again in the south with strong coming up with. a strong breeze coming up from southwest bringing that from the southwest bringing that mild some . and for mild air, but also some. and for the evening on new year's eve, it looks like spells of rain move up to affect central areas . further showers of wintry nature for the north of scotland but turning drier in the south sunday brings further showers . sunday brings further showers. monday is drier for many. further on tuesday .

with gb news with me tom harwood and here's what's coming up. if planning a new year's getaway might want to think again as disruption ripples across the country border force, workers

staged today with upcoming rail strikes following closely behind , we'll hear what travel expert and the cost of living crises continues to bite with energy predicted to rise from january and recession looming , what does and recession looming, what does this mean for pressed ? plus, this mean for pressed? plus, even more bad news for all bank accounts . drivers are warned of accounts. drivers are warned of higher tax and further regulation , so driving away this regulation, so driving away this state of affairs is also off the list. i'm afraid. but don't despair . list. i'm afraid. but don't despair. we've got king charles's coronation . look charles's coronation. look forward to expect pomp and pageantry as our royal looks ahead to may's. pageantry as our royal looks ahead to may's . and as ever , we ahead to may's. and as ever, we want to hear from you on all the above. do get in touch with . above. do get in touch with. your thoughts on the big news of . the day at views at gbnews.uk. first, though, here are the headunes first, though, here are the headlines headlines. thank you,

tom. good afternoon. it's 1:01 tom. good afternoon. it's1:01 nine rhiannon jones in the gb news room, the family of who was shot dead on christmas eve at a pub in wirral paid tribute to their most beautiful and bright star. police have urged anyone with information to come forward , particular on the whereabouts of dark coloured mercedes in the pub car park before the shooting. a 30 year old man from tranmere arrested on suspicion of the 26 year old's murder, has been recalled to prison. a 19 year old woman from rock ferry has been bailed and a 31 year old man remains custody. sitting alongside als father tim edwards . merseyside police read out the family statement she had this way about that as soon as he met her, he instantly fell in love with her. everyone knew and met. knew how special she was. her laugh was infectious . anyone who laugh was infectious. anyone who was a watch around her had a

good time . she loved life. and good time. she loved life. and had so many amazing plans for the future. she was only just getting started . tributes getting started. tributes continue to flood in for dame vivienne westwood, who died aged 81. sing a boy. george her as the undisputed queen of british fashion. the designer known for her quirky style , became her quirky style, became synonymous with the 1970s punk rock dressing bands , such as the rock dressing bands, such as the sex pistols, celebrity politicians and even royalty . a politicians and even royalty. a representative say she died surrounded by her family in south london . meanwhile, brazil south london. meanwhile, brazil has begun three days of national mourning in honour. football legend pele . the 82 year old had legend pele. the 82 year old had colon and died yesterday at a hospital in sao paolo. widely regarded as the greatest footballer ever, he's the only man to win the world cup three times as a player. pele's former club santos has released details

of his funeral on monday morning. his body will be moved to the club's calida, where the pubuc to the club's calida, where the public will be able to pay their respects. a procession through the streets sao paolo on tuesday will be followed by a private family burial. will be followed by a private family burial . former england family burial. former england goalkeeper peter shilton has paid tribute to the footballing legend who was a gentleman and wherever he went. he left a big impression, you know . and i mean impression, you know. and i mean , just adored him, you know , as , just adored him, you know, as i say, never had to wait in israel. and, you know to win three world cups. was was, you know, incredible crane nightclub where 23 year old footballer cody died in a knife attack . cody died in a knife attack. boxing day has had its licence suspended. the decision follows an urgent meeting . birmingham an urgent meeting. birmingham city council after said that serious management failings at the club. the pending a full review hearing when a decision will be made on whether or not it should be closed permanently

uk house growth has slowed sharp again this month to 2.8% as the market cools following the autumn surge in mortgage . autumn surge in mortgage. nationwide building society reports prices fell . 0.1% in reports prices fell. 0.1% in december, the fourth set of monthly fall and the worst since 2008. the report puts the average house price this month at just ove r £260,000. property at just over £260,000. property expert russell quirk told gb news he thinks 2023 will see the house market fluctuates. frankly don't see the long prospects despite again what those some headunes despite again what those some headlines would have you believe being actually particularly negative. you know the housing market is actually pretty robust. normally and if you look at it from medium and a long term perspective, it will be fine. but but certainly it's taken a bit of a hit, but i think it's more sentiment related than the is economics related than the is economics

related , even though as you related, even though as you rightly points out, the cost of a mortgage, of course is increased . romanian prosecutors increased. romanian prosecutors asked for a 30 day extension to arrest of online influencer andrew tate, who has been detained on suspicion of human trafficking and rape. the former reality tv star who was detained alongside his brother had his house raided the capital, bucharest. the tate brothers have been under criminal investigation , and since april investigation, and since april they have declined comment. but their lawyers confirmed , their their lawyers confirmed, their detention and fire fighters in england dealt with 25,000 wildfires this summer for last year's figure and highest in at least a decade . services tackled least a decade. services tackled more than 50 wildfires, a day at the peak of the heatwave between and august, when temperatures reached record breaking 40 degrees. earlier week, the met office said 2022 was the uk's warmest on record, with above average temperatures every

month. apart from december this is gb news. we'll bring you more as it happens. now, though, it's back to home with gb news life . back to home with gb news life. well travel disruption continues to ripple across the country from border force strikes to rail strikes with ongoing dispute over pay and working conditions . continuing conditions. continuing continuing and with chinese borders opening, there could be even hold—ups as increased testing may come into play . testing may come into play. well, let's get an update from simon calder, travel correspondent , the independent correspondent, the independent who joins me now in the studio. and simon , think, first of all, and simon, think, first of all, we should start off with effect of these strikes . what's of these strikes. what's happened over the last few and what may well be to come . well, what may well be to come. well, it's been absolutely miserable for anybody been trying to get

around particularly over christmas on the railways. yes we normally have no trains at all on christmas day and very few on boxing day. but any of those were wiped out . but in those were wiped out. but in addition to that, everything down really early on christmas eve was very late, starting up on on the 27th of december. then we went into some kind of, as it were, special lity strike. so this isn't the rmt the big row going in against network rail and train operators. this is the transport salaried staffs associate asian at great railways and west railway and the latter strike actually took out all trains on in the west midlands . network as well as midlands. network as well as london north western railway for the past two days according to my calculation, tom, this is a rare day where there are no strikes, but of course the rmt overtime ban continue and that is having a devastating effect . is having a devastating effect. for example, chiltern railways

says we're not doing anything north of banbury . whole midlands north of banbury. whole midlands network is just going to be closed down until the 9th of january and london south western railway, which runs from waterloo station out to surrey , waterloo station out to surrey, hampshire and so on. a commuter line. well, the busiest station in in the uk normally that's now running on kind of skeleton service with a couple of dozen stations with no trains at all others on the lines which are running sometimes the stations are just closed and, very restricted hours. so that's kind of the new normal . but then when of the new normal. but then when the great return to work on tuesday , the 3rd of january tuesday, the 3rd of january starts. well a lot of people will find that they can't to work because we've got two days of national strikes by the rmt then a guest strike on tuesday also on thursday fifth. that's from aslef the train drivers

union. then we go back to the rmt strike again another couple of days and then that will gradually on on some day the eighth will be getting a little bit back to normal. and then, well are saying that you might actually get couple of days of normal working the ninth and the 10th before the elizabeth line here in london . they go out on here in london. they go out on strike there. so it is absolutely never ending almost impossible to navigate. and yet remember, a few weeks ago people were singing the praises of two smaller unions that seem to have agreed new works and conditions on the railways that's not making any effect . all right making any effect. all right that was one deal that was done it was offered by network rail. okay we've got a incredibly complicated you've got multiple . and you've also got to basic lumps of employers network rail. the state run body, which runs the infrastructure on the railway . they came out with

railway. they came out with a pretty decent given everything deal pretty decent given everything deal, which about 5% last year, 4% this year, plus some good deals in terms of uplift to unions accepted that. yeah. well interesting. the transport secretary association and unite they both said actually we think is probably the best you're going to get. and so advice is to accept it. the deal went out from the rmt with a recommendation to reject it and the members duly did reject it and that and that is the crucial one because the rmt is rather bigger. yeah they are absolutely . but that's only kind of half the picture. so network rail. yeah. when they go out on strike, they bring the rail network in the country to a basically the signals . then basically the signals. then you've got the train operators , you've got the train operators, 14 of those who have represented by rail delivery group and who ultimately are the companies doing the government's bidding in terms of trains, they came up with 4% last year, 4% this year.

oh, and by the way , got all oh, and by the way, got all these modernisation plans we're going to put in and that was just reject out of hand very angrily the rmt. so we're long way from any kind of settlement talking to individual railway men and women they very fed up . men and women they very fed up. they've lost hundreds, sometimes thousands of pounds going on strike. they're going to be more money. but out . admittedly, the money. but out. admittedly, the passenger is the one who is just utterly cheesed off, as you say, very difficult to plan anything more than two weeks ahead because you've idea what because you've got no idea what what unions will doing what the unions will be doing next. move from next. well, let's move on from the depressing of the depressing picture of strikes to the strikes and move to the depressing the weather, depressing of the weather, because a lot of because there's been a lot of issues in scotland. oh, yeah, it's pretty i was going to say it's pretty i was going to say it's pretty i was going to say it's pretty horrible up there. i scotland but in terms of scotland dearly but in terms of weather yet the west coast weather yet on the west coast the latest information i have is scotland's cut off. wow from england took which is in the england b took which is in the sorry in the lowlands in the borders actually very high they've got flooding there and

that's closed the west coast mainline in both directions. i think the parallel m74 a74 is still running in terms of being open for vehicle traffic , lots open for vehicle traffic, lots of local cancellations and on caledonian green ferries. well lots of delays and cancellations due to the wild weather which of course is the tail end of this bomb cyclone in the in the us. so yeah not from the west as it's come across. so moving from the west , from the west there's the west, from the west there's also issues coming from the east with china's and potentially i can't believe we're having this discussion again, but potentially more covid restrictions. well, exactly. and there's great controversy about . this, of course, in your world, in government , . this, of course, in your world, in government, about whether or not we should reintroduce checks and very interestingly, this time yesterday when it was just being talked about, the government absolutely assured me were no plans to reintroduce covid 19

travel restrictions . i just did travel restrictions. i just did a one hour social media poll . a one hour social media poll. obviously, it has to come with lots of health warnings . lots of health warnings. respondents and so on. but almost three quarters of the people who responded , it said we people who responded, it said we want tests either everybody or for everyone coming in from china . and just in the last china. and just in the last couple of minutes, i've had a couple of minutes, i've had a couple of minutes, i've had a couple of tweets, one from debbie who says, yeah, of course we should be testing people coming in. covid is ripping through the whole of china. we went from a line saying we absolutely can't bring back testing for travel. and i suppose i'm on that side of the defence thinking. i just remember so many news this travel restrictions that were brought in. they changed 50 or 100 times during the pandemic and ultimately the evidence seems to be that they not much use, i suppose you have a restriction against someone from what if that person goes to france then comes in. oh sure,

yeah.i france then comes in. oh sure, yeah. i you've, you've then got to go back into the passenger locator forms. where have you been the past two weeks except interesting people's hotel testing these promises and all the rest it . testing these promises and all the rest it. simon testing these promises and all the rest it . simon calder, the rest of it. simon calder, thank for talking thank you so much for talking through. those enormous issues affecting time of year. affecting at this time of year. we appreciate in we really appreciate coming in to through those. well, next to go through those. well, next today , households across britain today, households across britain could face surprise energy bill hikes from the 1st of january. this is the average monthly charge expected rise due to a change in maximum rates that suppliers can charge per unit cost energy. and although majority of energy customers will be changes will be minimal . some could face paying more than . some could face paying more tha n £100 extra a year , with the than £100 extra a year, with the biggest rises seen by london merseyside north wales . well, merseyside north wales. well, what on earth is going on here to discuss this further? i'm joined by malcolm grimston from the centre for energy policy and tech at imperial college london . malcolm, what is first of all,

a unit price , the unit price a unit price, the unit price charged across the country and that the in practise it is the it's the price . that's what it's the price. that's what we're really talking about in areas the maximum amount of its maximum amount that the company who directly sells your energy supply company is allowed to charge by the regulator by ofgem . and what we're seeing going on at the moment is that it's not often that the price cap actually varies across the country. the main increase in power recently has been because the gas price has been shooting up, but regionally there are variations in how expensive it is to move around that depends on how many customers you have per square mile. it's more expensive to deliver customers in rural areas. for example and the variety of issues around maintenance of the wires . how maintenance of the wires. how close you are to your major power station and things of that

nature. so it's a relatively minor thing , as you said here, minor thing, as you said here, there's a difference of about 10% between the most areas, which is manchester north wales and the cheapest , which which is manchester north wales and the cheapest, which is which is manchester north wales and the cheapest , which is the and the cheapest, which is the northern area around newcastle in northern ireland compared to the tripling, quadrupling of pnces the tripling, quadrupling of prices we've seen over the last year. prices we've seen over the last year . it's relatively modest, year. it's relatively modest, but it is bringing to people's , but it is bringing to people's, i think of just how complicated energy is and how many bits there are that you try and fit in a fit in to come into a sensible policy. so this charge is not to do with the cost of energy, the cost of importing energy, the cost of importing energy or or producing it, all those international markets. it's to do the cost of the it's to do with the cost of the infrastructure and servicing that infrastructure . that's that infrastructure. that's right. so this is specifically at the moment about electricity that we're talking about . and that we're talking about. and it's the local wires, the england and wales are divided into 12 areas and. there's a separate area for scotland, a separate area for scotland, a separate for northern ireland. and of the old area boards pre

privatisation , those are privatisation, those are independent of both suppliers and the generators of electricity the companies that run the wire there are natural monopolies . the big no point at monopolies. the big no point at all in building an alternative energy grid just to provide competition because it will be so expensive . so they've always so expensive. so they've always been regulated by. ofgem and clearly that doesn't mean that you can't have the same policy . you can't have the same policy. all 12 of the distribution in england and wales because , they england and wales because, they face different problems at different times. and this what we're seeing here is a regular fine tuning of those costs which works the with the price . now works the with the price. now we've been looking the international price of gas very, very carefully for the few months. and there was a time where it did look like it heading back down and that this energy price cap which which may well have been costing energy price cap which which may well have been costin g £200 well have been costing £200 billion for the taxpayer , may billion for the taxpayer, may well be a lot cheaper. where has the price of gas moved now?

because it does seem to be incredibly volatile . yes i mean, incredibly volatile. yes i mean, this has been one of the really encouraging things recently directly . the ukrainian invasion directly. the ukrainian invasion , when the gas price went up to and europe as a whole went up to just ,200 per megawatt hour, but ,200 in september, it actually reached now down reached 300. it's now down comfortably below 100. we've with all due respect to our in north of scotland, most the uk has now weathered this extreme cold spell but we have a couple of weeks ago without severe strain on of gas or or or electricity europe the storage facilities are now pretty much full . so europe has a much more full. so europe has a much more position. it's a shame closed our storage facilities in the late 20 tens, but we benefit if the cost of gas in europe is coming down. now you mention the

word that's inherent in energy markets and we don't know if this is the long term issue. but the gas prices are now lower than it was before the ukrainian invasion. that's still high by historical standards , but it's historical standards, but it's much better than what we were looking at a few short months ago . and i suppose that's good ago. and i suppose that's good news for, the taxpayer, because that energy price guarantee may well no will not be as as all of those markets feared when it was announced under the liz truss administration . that's right. i administration. that's right. i mean, in effect, we haven't had a market energy and in gas and electricity recently because everybody's been pretty much charging out the price cap as pnces charging out the price cap as prices come down, you begin to get competition coming back in. it begins be worth people's while shopping around again. that puts a downward pressure on price and therefore you end up with prices coming in below price cap. so the price gap becomes less and less relevant and therefore the energy price guarantee becomes and less

relevant and, less expensive over time. now we don't know what's going to happen in the long term, even the medium term in ukraine that could well be further shocks around the corner. as things stand at corner. but as things stand at the moment, i think most people would look a lot more would say things look a lot more optimistic than three optimistic than they did three or four ago. well, it is or four months ago. well, it is a pleasure to end a conversation on energy slight of on energy with a slight note of i think it's the first time i've done this in about two years. malcolm grimston thank you so much us slight much for bringing us slight optimism that optimism as well as that excellent explanation these excellent explanation of these price rises as well. well, you're watching gb news live with me, tom harwood. coming up, we'll looking into the we'll be looking into the financial for 2023. financial warning for 2023. but before a short .

break welcome back. now the foundation

branded 2023 a groundhog year to come with research that people are over times as likely to consider their financial situation as worse rather than better over past year and half of , families in work reporting of, families in work reporting that they're trying to cut back this festive period . well, i'm this festive period. well, i'm delighted to be joined now in the studio by john ruto the co—founder of cost of living champion now stockholm and are you surprised by this sense that isuppose you surprised by this sense that i suppose everyone just feels like things are getting ever so slightly worse . i think the sad slightly worse. i think the sad truth of where we actually are is that whilst there has already been a lot of bad for consumers and households over last year or so that there quite possibly more still to come and part of the reason for that that households haven't yet seen the full effect. so a household a mortgage who fixed their mortgage who fixed their mortgage rate say in 2021 when interest rates were at the trough, will probably only be coming up to the end their fixed rate deal as we move into 2023.

and that's one of the principal areas where households going to see rises cost. so i think see huge rises cost. so i think there is still some bad news to come and there still is double digit inflation as well because of course government likes of course the government likes to how inflation to talk about how inflation seems have turned a corner. seems to have turned a corner. the very it's down to what the very least it's down to what is 10.2% high of is it, 10.2% from its high of just over 11. but i suppose turning the corner means that it is quite high. turning the corner means that it is quite high . we may have seen is quite high. we may have seen the worst of it, but the effects may still be dragging for on some time to come. there still is inflation in the system, as you it's still at 10, even you say, it's still at 10, even though rate of though perhaps the rate of change softened slightly change has softened slightly and there big bills there are still some big bills that consumers see go up. that consumers will see go up. so instance, the energy guarantee, which caps the guarantee, which caps at the moment like, the average, the typical households expenditure on energy at £2,500, that's going to move on energy at £2,500, that's going to mov e £3,000 in the going to move £3,000 in the spnng going to move £3,000 in the spring in april. going to move £3,000 in the spring in april . and that's spring in april. and that's a significant inflationary increase that that could be worth a couple of percentage points for some households on their typical inflation rate. absolutely. there is still more

to work its way through the system even are perhaps system even we are now perhaps stable around the 10% mark. so what consumers do to try better that their their situation here. obviously are huge international heads. obviously are huge international heads . what recommendations you heads. what recommendations you have for poor households and families . have for poor households and families. the first thing we set out now scope is to make a plan and we have tools to help households make a plan there are other tools available but the most important thing is to understand your situation, understand your situation, understand your situation, understand your costs, and understand your costs, and understand your costs are going to just the to change. it's not just the impact of rates and energy. as we've talked . it's inflationary we've talked. it's inflationary rises or those sneaky above inflationary rises that come around at the end of the first quarter. from your utility and other providers. so the first thing is to make a plan, make sure understand sure you understand your circumstances to circumstances and then get to work working out where and how you can money. and i know you can save money. and i know that households that many households have already i already been saving money but i think many need to go again and will want to go again in the face of, as you say continuing inflation. this about inflation. so this is about

those ticket items around those big ticket items around for these large areas expenditure while the large obviously make the biggest difference but there are also savings to be had right across right across the piece. so even those contracts that look small , maybe you don't need them. maybe there are media subscription that you don't need to fork out for every month. maybe actually there are areas where you can cut back, maybe a slower broadband speed, maybe less data your mobile phone less data on your mobile phone contract . and of those contract. and all of those things will up for household things will add up for household . numbers are big . but the big numbers are big energy, mortgage interest rates, the rent that comes , it's driven the rent that comes, it's driven from those that big , really the rent that comes, it's driven from those that big, really big numbers, really looking forward as well. the government put forward a new campaign couple of months ago trying to help people with the cost of energy in particular telling people to sort draft proof their homes and, turn their boilers down and all the rest of it. do we have any indication that that's making a difference? i think those things do and i think those things do help and i think it worth remembering that the it is worth remembering that the typical can take 5 to

typical household can take 5 to 10% off their energy bill from some of these kinds of measures the principle , one being to make the principle, one being to make sure that they don't house sure that they don't their house or they turn the heating or that they turn the heating down. do . and i down. those things do. and i think absolutely right that think it's absolutely right that consumers are made aware of these tips and these kind hints and tips and consumers follow them. they are in the main, however small, things around big increases , big things around big increases, big numbers. so households be under pressure. and we households who wanted pressure to seek help early if they if they need it. so looking forward beyond this what was it described as a groundhog year by the foundation ? are there any signs that 2024 might be slightly better if we're this sort of delayed reaction from big shocks that we saw over the last year? i'm an economist. i don't have a crystal . i economist. i don't have a crystal. i think economist. i don't have a crystal . i think the 22 economist. i don't have a crystal. i think the 22 and 23 will stand as some of the worst years for consumers on record. it's hard to see beyond that. actually many households will be

in and will be struggling through the period that we're currently in. i think what we have to for hope going into 2024 is that we've seen at that point the worst of the interest rate rises that potentially is a shift in the situation ukraine and there is a release and on energy bills and that these things come down but i wouldn't on it i would make a plan i would plan for the worst and for hope the best. that would be my advice to households. really, really important advice there. well, thank much for well, thank you so much for talking through that. john talking us through that. john ridley, cost ridley, the co—founder of cost and champion cost of and living champion cost of living i should living champion, i should say. now dot well you're with gb now dot co well you're with gb news. live with me, tom. coming up, drivers have been over multiple routes to come into force in 2023 and benjamin netanyahu is back as israeli prime minister will be heading live to tel for the latest. but first, here's your news updates updates . good afternoon. it's

updates. good afternoon. it's 131 on rhiannon jones in the gb newsroom the family of elle edwards who was shot dead on christmas eve at pub in world has paid tribute to their most beautiful and bright . merseyside beautiful and bright. merseyside police urged anyone with any information come forward. a 30 year old man from tranmere on suspicion of the 26 year old's murder has been to prison. a 19 year old woman from rockford has been bailed and a 31 year old man remains in custody sitting alongside his father, tim edwards, merseyside police read out the family statement she had this way about her, that as soon as he met her, who instantly fell in mexico , everyone that fell in mexico, everyone that knew and met al knew how special she was . her life was she was. her life was infectious. anyone who has a watch around her had a good time . she loved life and had so many

amazing plans for the future. she only just getting started . she only just getting started. crane nightclub where 23 year old footballer cody fisher died in a knife attack on. boxing day has had its licence suspended. the decision follows an urgent meeting by birmingham's city council after police said that serious management failed . the serious management failed. the club. the suspension pending a full review hearing and a decision will be made on whether should be closed permanently . should be closed permanently. brazil has begun a three days of national mourning in honour of football legend . pele. the 82 football legend. pele. the 82 year old had colon and died yesterday at hospital in sao paolo. widely regarded as the greatest footballer ever. he's the only to win the world cup three times as a player. tv, onune three times as a player. tv, online and dab+ radio. this is gb news. don't go anywhere, tony. we're back in just a moment moment.

well motorists have been warned over a new changes and rules coming 2023 that could cost them money. fuel duty adjustments , money. fuel duty adjustments, ulez expansions and electric car taxation are among the measures that will impact thousands of british drivers in the months come. well, joining me to discuss this is quentin wilson motoring journalist and transport campaigner. thank you for making the time for us this afternoon. quentin i suppose. let's run through these one by one. it would be a sensible way to go about these changes. firstly fuel duty . what's firstly fuel duty. what's changing with fuel duty this year ? well, that's the big one. year? well, that's the big one. and that's going to cost people the economy in general the most

. so the chancellor reduced fuel duty by 5% fi p rather, which cost him 2.4 billion, but that was absorbed by the fuel retailers . so he's was absorbed by the fuel retailers. so he's smarting about that. and that stops in march 23. so the office of budget responsibility say, that fuel duty may have to rise if you take the cut off from five p cut and then an additional 23. we could be looking at a rise of up to 12 p per litre . now that's up to 12 p per litre. now that's going to be really, really tough for everybody. it's going to be tough for the economy. tough for inflation, tough interest inflation, tough for interest rates. but chancellors have this problem where they they they cut duty and they think there's going to be a great political signal and it just gets absorbed and never really get any political for it. they political credit for it. so they may harder this year than may be harder this year than ever before. and don't forget , ever before. and don't forget, fuel duty has been at the same level since 2011. so that's the big one. we're all going to have to look for. the other ones

aren't quite so serious. you mentioned ved for electric cars. that's going to happen. that's still going to happen. 2025. better kind on company cars isn't going to rise until 2025 either but there will be benefit in kind for vans , vans benefit in kind for vans, vans or brands of any colour that matter and that will rise going. i think from . 688 to 730 i think from. 688 to 730 something and that's going to be a big hit on on the backbone of the economy . these guys and the economy. these guys and girls who drive vans up and down roads . we're going to be looking roads. we're going to be looking at other threats in terms of parking that industry is just out of control . £1,000,000,000 out of control. £1,000,000,000 industry. it's broadly on and we're seeing where these people who run companies live the sort of cars drive and it's out of control. and we're seeing centres and town centres being made really, really difficult by the draconian and overzealous

efforts of parking wardens. so that needs to be reined in because that's an unnecessary drag on the economy. we've got embers which are being used widely to kind of, you embers which are being used widely to kind of , you know, widely to kind of, you know, prop up prop up other things . so prop up prop up other things. so that needs to be looked carefully. i mean, the a48 london is one of the most prolific roads for speed in terms of heat cameras , average terms of heat cameras, average speed cameras . it nets speed cameras. it nets £1,000,000 a day. and again that's another drag on the economy that need to look at very carefully. so it's not going to be great for motorists this year , drivers of any any this year, drivers of any any colour or will be, you know , colour or will be, you know, built belt. they'll be paying more money and just the way it is and, the government's not kind of thinking about drivers. they're thinking about other things and they have to recoup some of this money that was paid dunng some of this money that was paid during the pandemic and taxes have always been a hugely profitable area for them. it's interesting looking at some of

the large cities in the united and the different ways the modern ways in which perhaps discriminating between types of cars now the ultra low emission zone in london is expanding proposals for similar things coming in manchester stow in cambridge many other parts of the united kingdom . is this just the united kingdom. is this just where we are going now, what with the drive for net zero and everything else? are we going to see these zones expand despite some political . i think so. some political. i think so. i mean, you in london is now going to be the whole of the area inside the m25. so it's the whole of greater expanding from just central london and that'll be just central london and that'll b e £12.50 a day if you don't be £12.50 a day if you don't drive a compliant vehicle . we're drive a compliant vehicle. we're seeing the same thing being mooted cambridge and there's a huge brouhaha about that but it is based on air quality. huge brouhaha about that but it is based on air quality . we know is based on air quality. we know we have to do something about air quality. we've got 40,000 premature deaths due to air

pollution. so well intended. but the timing is not right. absolutely. you know when the economy and consumers in such a dire strait, do we really to put another drag on them then? the question is, when do you start to do this? if it's not now, can it be next year? the year after that it ever a good time to that is it ever a good time to do this and? you look at all these buses on your right now. i ehhen these buses on your right now. i either, you know, we need electric buses, need hydrogen electric buses, we need hydrogen buses to at all buses and we need to look at all the different that we can reduce particulate and pm10 . and 2.5 particulate and pm10. and 2.5 pollution in our cities improve air quality and yet we're seeing this new proposed tax on electric vehicles not until 2025. but i suppose the government is really worried here because so much money comes through fuel duty, which of course electric vehicles don't pay by course electric vehicles don't pay by virtue of not using fuel. traditional fuel. is this the right way to go about taxing vehicles or is this just going to discourage people from buying

these things that ultimately will likely be the solution to a lot of these issues ? it is a bit lot of these issues? it is a bit counterintuitive . the counterintuitive. the government's really scoring a goal here . sure. electric should goal here. sure. electric should pay goal here. sure. electric should pay ved road tax, as it used to be called . and i think anybody be called. and i think anybody who drives electric car agrees that they should you should pay their. but the problem they are now going to be paid charged about now going to be paid charged abou t £500 every year by 2025 about £500 every year by 2025 because there's this expensive car tax on electric cars. so it's over £40,000. you get you get charged more most electric cars with any decent range are over thousand pounds. so it will as you discourage people from buying so that it's going to impact the 2030 target that the government has as as mandated that we're to. all well we're not buy any brand new diesel petrol cars again. so it is counterintuitive and. it needs to be looked at quite carefully. what they need to do is, is road

and a level easy system where we don't have fuel duty , we don't don't have fuel duty, we don't have road tax, and everybody pays for the miles they use it seems to be the fairest way. but that's a political hot potato. yeah. interesting that it is so, so such a hot potato politically because it does seem to be more equitable . much more to discuss equitable. much more to discuss here over next over the coming months and indeed years as these sort of political debates take place. but for quintin wilson, thank you for joining place. but for quintin wilson, thank you forjoining here on gb news live. appreciate your time now in international news. benjamin netanyahu has been returned as prime minister of israel after his likud party formed coalition with ultra orthodox and ultra nationalist allies for it following a period of turmoil for the country that has seen five elections in four years. many thought the uk it bad. well this will be netanyahu's sixth term in office following his defeat at the ballot back in june. but there's domestic and international about

this result, not least that it will inflame potentially the israeli palestinian conflict. well let's speak to yotam yotam cohen fino, foreign editor at jewish news. thank you for joining us this afternoon , i joining us this afternoon, i suppose, ever since election result came this this inevitability really has has been inevitable . completely. been inevitable. completely. we've known for a while now that netanyahu was re—elected again. he rose from the dead, so to say he's the master of comebacks . so he's the master of comebacks. so it's not there's nothing about netanyahu coming back. what's new is that what we are hearing what the government intends do in the past six weeks or so? we've slowly learned which laws that the new government intends to and those laws have really caused a lot of a backlash inside israel, but also

internationally in israel , internationally in israel, there's a lot of concerns about there's a lot of concerns about the minority these, especially the minority these, especially the lgbt community. one of the laws that the government intends to amend is the current discrimination law . like most discrimination law. like most countries, like most democracies , israel has a law against discrimination . the government discrimination. the government wants to change this law. so the doctors and businesses can turn away patients and clients. if a country takes their religious beliefs . in other words, if an beliefs. in other words, if an ultra doctor does not believe or agree homosexual values, then can simply turn that away. whether that's going to actually happen or not. and in practise, that's a whole different issue . that's a whole different issue. but this is just an example of what the government intends to with with regards to changing laws that really target minorities, such as the lgbt community. this is a really

interesting point because for many years israel has been able to sort of shine a light is as this liberal democracy in the middle east , the place where you middle east, the place where you can go that is most free in the middle east. they have particularly to lgbt have been a big of that pr push tel aviv pride is one of the most respected around the world. might israel suffer in terms of its international liberal reputation when it comes to its implementing more more orthodox laws for sure . there's already laws for sure. there's already such backlash. like i said, internal but also internationally, the media are really focusing on changes and they are comparing israel now to some of the other countries that they exist among the middle east andifs they exist among the middle east and it's quite interesting and fascinating that a person like benjamin netanyahu is a liberal at his core , or at least that's at his core, or at least that's what he would like to project

himself as he believes in john and montesquieu and all of these liberal values. he's one who is now allowing for the most far right extremists politicians to enter government and to change the nature of israel to simply turn back the clock israel has made a lot of progress in the past 20 years when it comes to lgbt rights, goals of rights for women and the new minister is in his government simply will not allow this because of their very orthodox view on life and their that the torah the jewish bible is more important than israel's bafic is more important than israel's basic laws. he still doesn't have a constitution but israel's bafic have a constitution but israel's basic laws so a lot of backlash here and i don't recall a government that has been so widely criticised even before was sworn in by all layers of society. i'm talking about former supreme court , former idf former supreme court, former idf israeli military generals and

defence ministers , the high tech defence ministers, the high tech industry . there are so defence ministers, the high tech industry. there are so many layers. the police are always society. they have got a wand netanyahu that issues is a danger and it's not only because of guilty in particular community that could see itself being not persecuted but at least discriminated against it's also because of the intentions by this government kerb. the supreme court's power is that the new government would like to simply pass a law that says that parliament can pass law with a simple majority , the supreme simple majority, the supreme court being able to strike it down if it goes against basic human rights. and that's a huge issue in a country the supreme court is supposed to be the monitor of politicians . it's monitor of politicians. it's interesting to see benjamin netanyahu, of course, the longest prime minister of israel, sort of appearing again

in a new form, but perhaps, perhaps more beholden to his coalition partners than he would like to be if indeed he at his core is a sort of western facing liberal and now sort of has to bend to potentially a more a more theocratic cabinet . i more theocratic cabinet. i suppose the question becomes what price power is . benjamin what price power is. benjamin netanyahu really in charge if his coalition seem to have such sway over the policy agenda ? sway over the policy agenda? it's a very good question. netanyahu would like to say that he's the guy behind the steering wheel. i doubt that that's the case . i think most people in case. i think most people in israel doubt that's the case. and yahoo! is under pressure from these far right lawmakers that really know that netanyahu has no other friends, like you said . he's a liberal man at his said. he's a liberal man at his core . at least he used to be. core. at least he used to be. but is also on trial. core. at least he used to be. but is also on trial . three but is also on trial. three different corruption cases . and different corruption cases. and he has burned virtually every

bndge he has burned virtually every bridge with other right wing lawmakers , the parliament that lawmakers, the parliament that won't once his friends that he sat in government with kids burned. so many bridges with all of them , partly because of his of them, partly because of his corruption that what he's got left of the law the most loyal and also the most extreme. lawmakers granted the majority . lawmakers granted the majority. but it's still not netanyahu's favourite allies. that would be simply to say netanyahu is smart to know that this government will do him well internationally . elite netanyahu will be the one who has to meet joe biden west to meet probably putin eventually also sunak and he's going to be the one explaining what exactly is going on in israel. and he's the leader of the of the government . so it is the of the government. so it is not a dream for him at all. it is not the government that he wanted to have , but he has no wanted to have, but he has no other options . and obviously other options. and obviously he's gathering far right lawmakers in his government because they inclined or willing

to make sure that netanyahu's trial will be cancelled one way or another. they are looking different kinds of laws that prevent his trial from continuing one of them would be simply to add to pass a law that would be that would make it impossible to a sitting prime minister. there's law that would make some of the indictments against him. so there is always an explanation for things like this . you don't go from on one this. you don't go from on one extreme to the other overnight , extreme to the other overnight, but this is because of netanyahu's and that's why he's in this government. well, something to watch very closely it's the most remarkable story of twists and turns of israeli politics in the last few years. no doubt we'll be returning to it. but for now, yotam cohen , it. but for now, yotam cohen, foreign editor at jewish news, thanks. foreign editor at jewish news, thanks . joining us now . now to thanks. joining us now. now to our viewers news, your views of the politics of the day. reg has emailed in to say because it's impossible to properly forecast costs, nobody can the price cap

right to suit the energy market. energy firms are putting up their prices to the maximum allowed by the price cap. it would have been cheaper to have let the market the price of controlling never works . controlling never works. interesting point there, graham says. how long will it take for workers and members of various unions to realise they're not for purpose outdated leaders, are destroying their industries . and goodness knows many jobs will be lost. i think that's very fair point. sometimes these leaders of trade unions be incredibly militant, more much more militant than their memberships. it's interesting. we discussing earlier with simon coulter about various unions voting different ways. often the simply following the recommendation of the and some of these people in the leadership of various the rmt in particular are explicitly political some of them have

called for a general strike. some of them are actually members of communal parties, genuinely look it up. well, steve has been emailing in to say come guys, i enjoy watching gb news great channel, but it's christmas . and we're now going christmas. and we're now going into 2023. can we please have some happy news. well, we will try and bring you the happy news. we'll be talking about the king's in just a little bit. and also we did mention that these international energy prices may well be a little bit lower coming to in the new year. there's glimmers , light in what there's glimmers, light in what is a very difficult international context, but you're here with us on gb news. with me, tom harwood don't go anywhere because we have a bumper final hour. the all that, though, is the weather. hello, i'm aidan magee from the met office. it's a wet start to the day, but the rain clears east through the rest of the afternoon and it's going to be cold in the far north with some

snow. mild and elsewhere. low pressure to the north—west of scotland at the moment, going to continue to drive some weather fronts eastwards during the rest of friday, drier conditions following . but it's staying cold following. but it's staying cold in the north of scotland where showers replace the rain and those showers will fall as rain and hill snow further south across england . wales, the rain across england. wales, the rain slow to clear for northern england and southeast scotland as well . but england and southeast scotland as well. but dry england and southeast scotland as well . but dry conditions as well. but dry conditions elsewhere with some brighter spells across central parts and very in the south with a blustery breeze from the southwest, 12 or 13 celsius here, but cold in the north with scotland will see temperatures of four or five celsius in the afternoon . and then a little afternoon. and then a little feature comes south across northern scotland during the evening that will bring gales for the north—east of scotland, some strong winds here, 70 some very strong winds here, 70 or 80 mile per hour wind gusts and some snow to affect parts of northern scotland. snow accumulating over the and leading to an ice risk at lower levels, but mild across the levels, but it's mild across the uk with spells of rain pushing

up from the southwest and 13 celsius as we start the across southern parts of england and further spells of wet weather through on saturday and. it looks like new year's eve is a wet day for england and wales with outbreaks of rain on and off some heavy as well. the rain turning to snow across the hills of southern scotland, northern england snow showers england and further snow showers affecting the north scotland affecting the north of scotland . be cold three or four . it will be cold three or four celsius, but very mild once again south a strong again in the south with a strong breeze coming from the breeze coming up from the southwest, bringing that mild air, some rain . and for air, but also some rain. and for the on new year's eve, the evening on new year's eve, it looks like spells of rain will move up to central areas . will move up to central areas. further showers of a wintry for the north of scotland, but turning drier in the south some day . further showers. monday is day. further showers. monday is dry for many. further rain on tuesday , monday to thursday tuesday, monday to thursday nights . on tuesday, monday to thursday nights. on and six it's dewbs& co by 7:00. pharrell at eight. join mog and at nine dan wootton

tonight followed by headliners on tv, radio and online. this is.

gb news. you're with gb news. i'm tom harwood and here's what's coming up in this hour. punk fashion designer dame vivienne westwood has died at the age of 81. she made her name in the 1970s with new wave styles, dressing of the most famous names in the industry . we'll have a look at industry. we'll have a look at the tributes which have been pounng the tributes which have been pouring in. and another very sad loss, brazilian footballing legend pele has died at the age of 82. dubbed king pele and the greatest footballer ever will

reflect on his glittering career . plus, controversial influencer andrew tate , who gained andrew tate, who gained notoriety for misogynist comments online, has been detained in romania as part of a human trafficking and investigation. we'll discuss the rise and downfall potentially of this interesting figure. but before all that and more, here's the latest news . good afternoon. the latest news. good afternoon. it's just gone. 2:00 on rhiannon jones in the gb newsroom. the of elle edwards who was dead on christmas eve at a pub in wirral has paid tribute to their most beautiful and brightest . police beautiful and brightest. police have urged with any information to come forward , particular on to come forward, particular on the whereabouts of dark coloured mercedes in the car park before the shooting . a 30 year old man the shooting. a 30 year old man from tranmere arrested on suspicion of the 26 year old's

murder has been to prison. a 19 year old woman from rock ferry has been bailed and a 31 year old man remains in custody. sitting el's father, tim merseyside police read the family statement . she had this family statement. she had this about it that as soon as he he instantly fell . so everyone that instantly fell. so everyone that knew and met al knew how special she was . her life was infectious she was. her life was infectious . anyone who wasn't what's around her had a good . she loved around her had a good. she loved and had so many amazing for the future. she was only just getting started . tributes getting started. tributes continue to flood in dame vivienne westwood, who died yesterday, aged 81, singable boy george describing her as undisputed queen of british fashion. the designer , known for fashion. the designer, known for her quirky style, became synonymous with 1970s punk rock dressing bands , such as the sex

dressing bands, such as the sex pistols celebs , critics, pistols celebs, critics, politicians and royalty have representatives say she died peacefully surrounded by her family in south london london . family in south london london. meanwhile, brazil has begun three days of national mourning , honour of football legend . the , honour of football legend. the 82 year old had colon cancer and died yesterday at a hospital in sao paolo. widely regarded as the greatest footballer , he's the greatest footballer, he's the greatest footballer, he's the only man to win the world cup three times as a player. pele's club santos has released details of his funeral on monday . his body will be moved to the club's estadio data, where the pubuc club's estadio data, where the public will be able to pay their respects. a procession through the streets of . sao paolo on the streets of. sao paolo on tuesday will be by a private family burial. tuesday will be by a private family burial . former england family burial. former england goalkeeper peter shilton has paid tribute to football legend who was a gentleman and wherever he went he left a big impression, you know, and i mean, just adored him, you know

, as i say, never had to weakness really . and, you know , weakness really. and, you know, to win three world cups was was, you know, incredible incredible crane night club , 23 year old crane night club, 23 year old footballer cody fisher died in a knife attack . boxing day has had knife attack. boxing day has had its licence suspended. the decision follows an urgent meeting by city council after police said that serious management at the club, the suspension is pending a full review hearing when a decision will be made on whether or not it should be closed permanently . uk house price growth has slowed sharply again this month to 2.8% as the market cools following the autumn surge in mortgage . nationwide buildings mortgage. nationwide buildings reports prices fell by nought point 1% in december, the fourth consecutive monthly the report. but the average house price this month that just £260,000.

property expert russell quirk told he thinks 2023 will see the housing market fluctuate . housing market fluctuate. frankly, i don't see the long term prospects despite again what those some headlines would have you believe being particularly negative. you know the housing market is actually pretty robust normally and if you look at it from a and a long term perspective , it will be term perspective, it will be fine. but but certainly it's taken a bit of a hit. but i think it's more sentiment related than . there is economics related than. there is economics related than. there is economics related , even though, as you related, even though, as you rightly point the cost of a mortgage. of course, has increased . romanian prosecutors increased. romanian prosecutors asked for a 30 day extension to the arrest of online influencer andrew tate , who's been detained andrew tate, who's been detained on suspicion of human trafficking and rape . the former trafficking and rape. the former reality tv star was detained alongside his brother tristan hunt. his house raided in the caphal hunt. his house raided in the capital, bucharest. the tate brothers have been under

criminal investigation since april. they've declined to comment, but their lawyers confirm their detention . confirm their detention. firefighters in england dealt with nearly 25,000 wildfires this summer for times last year's figure and the highest in at least a decade . services at least a decade. services tackled more than 50 wildfires a day at the peak of the heatwave between june and august this week the met office said 2022 was the uk's warmest year on record, with above average temperatures every month apart from december . this temperatures every month apart from december. this is gb news. we'll bring you more as it happens now though, it's back to top . top. you're watching gb news now, one of the icons of the fashion world staying westwood has died

at the age of 81. the punk pioneer and activist was surrounded family and friends as she passed at her home in south london yesterday while . joining london yesterday while. joining the. joining us to discuss this is the entertainment reporter , is the entertainment reporter, hayley palmer. hayley the fashion world is mourning today . just what was the impact of westwood? she was just absolute fashion icon . i mean, absolute fashion icon. i mean, absolute fashion icon. i mean, absolute fashion royalty , like you say, fashion royalty, like you say, the impact. you can see all over the impact. you can see all over the twitter, the tributes are really pouring in. i mean we've had something here from boy george. it says r.i.p to the great and inspiring vivienne westwood who through punk westwood who led us through punk and that by the and beyond laughter, that by the fashion but without question. she's the undisputed queen of fashion. i love . and she really fashion. i love. and she really was. i mean, if we were lined back, she actually used to be a school teacher and. then she had a chance meeting with malcolm mclaren and they he was the manager of the sex pistols and

they opened the shop in the kingsway. and i don't know if you remember it had this big clock on the king's road that used walk past. it's a very used to walk past. it's a very unusual would really, unusual shop and would really, you stare at the you know, stop and stare at the shop you'd her walking shop and you'd see her walking down road. she'd have down the kings road. she'd have orange white was orange have white hat. she was so eye catching. she was such a character . and i just don't character. and i just don't think there will be anyone like her. things in that her. and did she things in that industry , obviously, for a woman industry, obviously, for a woman and for someone who was a primary school teacher. so to reach the height of stardom and influence that she did. yes, i believe that she was getting her fashion across. but she was getting message across . she getting her message across. she had very open views about climate change, about animal cruelty. and she got message across. she used fashion to do that. i mean, you knew that when you went to see a fashion, you weren't just getting into more fashion. show you knew it was going to be something pretty out . and i mean, always . and i mean, i'll always remember naomi campbell remember the time naomi campbell came down think about came down about, i think about eight heels that meet eight inch heels that we meet tomorrow the tomorrow night. i walking the catwalk. fell over. she

catwalk. and she fell over. she laughed it off. i can remember. the time naomi campbell was dressed a traffic she dressed as a traffic cone. she had quirky, unusual had kind of a quirky, unusual idea, which, you know, we all took notice . and was just took notice. and she was just something a little bit different. i mean, she was up to her dying day . she was working her dying day. she was working on book. she was working on on her book. she was working on art . was working on her designs art. was working on her designs . and i do know that her husband will be her work and actually opening a foundation next year. i was going to ask about because obviously when such titanic figure in any field passes on their questions about what the legacy will what will be left for the future generations of vivienne westwood and the foundations part that. yes well like i say her husband says that he will be continuing her work which is so wonderful to her and i look forward to seeing what will happen next year with that. i mean, like she got that i mean, i feel like she got that message that you walk down message that you could walk down the street and you didn't the high street and you didn't have same everyone have to be the same everyone else. could change the way else. you could change the way that you and it was that you looked and it was acceptable. and i feel that acceptable. and i feel like that is something that will never

forget something is something that will never forg completely something is something that will never forg completely changed. thing is something that will never forg completely changed. theg she completely changed. the fashion she really fashion industry. and she really was icon eyes. now, you was an icon in my eyes. now, you mentioned a tribute from boy george. we've got some george. i believe we've got some images some of these tributes images of some of these tributes that on media. his that have come in on media. his that have come in on media. his that from george. even that one from boy george. even earlier we've got earlier i believe we've got victoria as well who victoria beckham as well who tweeted out a tribute there . tweeted out a tribute there. we've got kim cattrall as well , we've got kim cattrall as well, has sent in words of condolence there on instagram . and marc there on instagram. and marc jacobs, of course , who has also jacobs, of course, who has also posted there on instagram saying how heartbroken. he is . yes, how heartbroken. he is. yes, a huge impact across the fashion industry. yeah, i marc jacobs i've got he wrote on instagram did it first always. i continue to learn from your words all of your extraordinary extraordinary creations. and i love fact that she actually designed virgin air hostess uniform . i didn't hostess uniform. i didn't realise that until i found out today and i thought, oh, how wonderful. and just how many celebrities that she dressed, i mean, i can remember throughout williams the grammys. i think

williams at the grammys. i think he hat . and just so many he his hat. and just so many celebrities and also in the film sex and the as well her dresses were featured in there. so like i say there's just so many we could go on and on about it but it was just such heart breaking news when heard it last night. news when i heard it last night. absolutely. and it's interesting seeing westwood not seeing vivienne westwood not just a designer, but of course, as you mentioned, this as you mentioned, as this political figure . well, someone political figure. well, someone who spend enormous who really did spend enormous amount of time on protests and on causes that were close to her. on causes that were close to hen do on causes that were close to her. do you think that she had an influence there as as a as a political figure ? yeah, i do. political figure? yeah, i do. because every time you see interviews with her, i was looking up today and it wasn't actually about her fashion. it was the message she was trying to get across. and she actually says that like i want to get my message across . yeah, we can see message across. yeah, we can see here, you know, she's doing a protest and, you know, she really, really had strong views about climate change protest about the climate change protest was about assange. i yes. was about julian assange. i yes. and she was presenting herself

as the canary in a cage , as the canary in a cage, something similar. no, not all of these causes were always the most fashionable to coin phrase. yeah. is that because she had strong views about exactly what she wanted to talk about? like i say that for me, i the climate change was her biggest thing. she really did have strong views about. what was going to happen. and she got that message out on the multiple . know, the multiple. you know, sometimes they would wear different shirts get the different t shirts or or get the message so it's actually message across. so it's actually quite clever of combining quite a clever way of combining fashion, politics and music. i think she did it in a really great way. well no doubt she will not be forgotten very soon. hailey palmer, you to hailey palmer, thank you for to talking through the extraordinary life there dame extraordinary life there of dame vivienne westwood . well, it's vivienne westwood. well, it's been tragic 24 hours, of been a tragic 24 hours, of course, with legends , footballer course, with legends, footballer pele. also sadly passing away . pele. also sadly passing away. tributes have been pouring in to the three time world cup winner following his passing at the age of 82 after a battle with cancer . he'd been in hospital in sao since late november . the black

since late november. the black pearl , the king, pele was widely pearl, the king, pele was widely regarded as the best footballer to have graced the game, winning three world cups during his 21 year career. well i'm delighted to be joined now by chris scooter, sports journalist and presenter. thank for joining scooter, sports journalist and presenter. thank forjoining us this afternoon . just what's the this afternoon. just what's the impact around the world today . impact around the world today. for well, tell me how are you going to look at all? practically every newspaper front page in the world today is a picture of the great pele who who broke the mould and illness against the. on vivienne westwood talking about being first that was pele. he invented the beautiful game if you like that poetic way of playing and you look at every modern footballer now the recently crowned greatest of all time in some eyes not mine. lionel messi had a hero. that was pele so many of his peers did as well.

he he brought joy to the beautiful game and that sense of brazilian rhythm and the magic you can see from these photographs everywhere . he was photographs everywhere. he was the first sporting and footballing superstar sporting superstar. he and muhammad ali, if you like , of the two greatest if you like, of the two greatest of all time . and everywhere he of all time. and everywhere he went , he was of all time. and everywhere he went, he was in football being the great global game, even countries like the usa where he eventually went when finished playing at the very level with the new york cosmos . playing at the very level with the new york cosmos. he playing at the very level with the new york cosmos . he drew the new york cosmos. he drew massive crowds there. this is way back in the 1970s. and you know, he is without doubt, one of the most famous sporting figures there will ever be . figures there will ever be. quite simple as that. and, you know, they arguments will go on about who was the greatest player. pele was the first to know all the players. you see now do the tricks that pele did first. and that to me is his endunng first. and that to me is his enduring legacy. and i want to play enduring legacy. and i want to play the statistics just

unrivalled to it is remarkable to me i hadn't quite realised how young was when he first got into the game scoring in a world cup at the age of just 17. back in the 1950s, that that will never be repeated . no, we have never be repeated. no, we have we have a very young english footballer who's 90 now, jude bellingham , who you have a hero bellingham, who you have a hero like pele as and but at 17 to be playing i think when you look at the history of football the brazilians and the south americans who loved all the flair did give players like pele a chance but his his talent was unstoppable even in his mid—teens they that he was going to be very special he grew up in poverty but he just played a natural flair. and you know, tom, there , it's so interesting tom, there, it's so interesting to look at where that sense of magic comes from. south american football , you go back to the football, you go back to the history of football soccer and

in south america it was were introduced to it by the british the railway workers of the late 19th century and the early 20th. they went there and clubs were set up . messi's club, newell's set up. messi's club, newell's old boys, based on the railway workers argentina in the late 19th century corinthians in brazil from the same source . and brazil from the same source. and the difference was that the british we introduced the game invented the game as far as the modern rulebook so then the south americans came along and they introduced their sense of rhythm and magic and the dancing feet , all the rest of it. that's feet, all the rest of it. that's where it came from. and pele , where it came from. and pele, the embodiment of that, really as we saw at the age of 17. and for all his career, that sense of rhythm , magic and just beauty of rhythm, magic and just beauty and beauty, which all came to a head, really. and in the 1970 world cup, when in mexico . he

world cup, when in mexico. he won his third world cup. wonderful talent and unforgettable memories . and of unforgettable memories. and of course, for the people of brazil, a country that has had some tough times, that has course a big problem with poverty , that has experienced poverty, that has experienced political finding a national game in itself really pele and an almost unifying figure of course being referred to as the king days of national being declared this is this is something that has brought that country together and so you go to brazil and, see that way of life and, that sense of magic. i went that to the 2014 world cup there, and it just a wonderful experience because you . experience because you. everywhere you go, you walk down a street , watch games, not in a street, watch games, not in a stadium but in the street where everybody came out and they put their tvs out of the window. and that was the magic, the seed that was the magic, the seed that was the magic, the seed that was sown pele's generation

it that's just sense of imagination and freedom . anybody imagination and freedom. anybody who had that. you've only got to go now to the favelas and all the kids coming out of those places. name are for example, recently there were so many of them that the recent brazil team that should have done much better with this world cup full of fantastic twinkling dancing players just do it and players who could just do it and it is it's their national game andifs it is it's their national game and it's the spiritual home whereas the brits invented the rules , the spiritual game, home rules, the spiritual game, home football is brazil and you've seen it three days of national mourning. it's to be all over the news for days to. we saw it also with diego maradona when he died fairly recently . there were died fairly recently. there were days of national mourning . he days of national mourning. he those those two players were from peas in the pot and. as pele said himself, i hope one day we can we can reunite in heaven and that's that's that's the situation now because pele and maradona just broke the mould just wonderful footballers who who will never be matched

has made his challenge but also the same part of the world south america the spiritual of football and pele is will be the king. i think. football and pele is will be the king. i think . but what king. i think. but what a legacy. chris got to thank you so much for talking us through the remarkable life of pele that now next today , they say if you now next today, they say if you don't like the weather in britain, just wait a minute . and britain, just wait a minute. and 2022 has certainly been one of those most changeable years ever with arctic condition , with arctic condition, torrential rain, droughts as well befalling us . and don't well befalling us. and don't count on 2023 being any calmer with the met office predicting it will be one of earth's hottest years on record. our national reporter theo chikomba has story . national reporter theo chikomba has story. it's been an exceptional of weather conditions across the uk which saw dry spells that hadn't been seen since the drought of 1976. but there were some parts of england, which were affected by flooding like in yorkshire and

gloucester . fast forward to gloucester. fast forward to spring. weather began to change. many people making the most of it . then came the peak of it. then came the peak of summer, which saw new record highs in wales and scotland and temperatures reaching 40 degrees celsius in england, prompting warnings from leaders in london were particularly concerned just because of the urban heating effect. being in a global city but also because we know many families will struggle in summer keeping their kids cool so things like they will not be able to fill up their paddling pool able to fill up their paddling pool. they not be able to have regular showers throughout the course of the date cool themselves down with this north of because of the of 30 degrees because of the consequences climate change. consequences of climate change. i londoners have shown we i think londoners have shown we can be responsible in relation to pandemic. but is to the pandemic. but this is a further and london has further sacrifice and london has got to make. as temperatures soared wildfires like this one in pembrokeshire were seen and temporary hosepipe bans were introduced to control how much water people could use as reservoir levels declined . as reservoir levels declined. as summer ended, the climate has

changed. bitterly cold winds arrived from the arctic which resulted in snow falling all corners of the uk . meanwhile, corners of the uk. meanwhile, there could be more adverse weather on the way from us where cyclones parts of north america causing 59 deaths and travel disruptions . causing 59 deaths and travel disruptions. now we're waiting to get hotel. i don't know what going to go home. i don't know how i'm going to get. my daughter is at home waiting for me. my cat, my father is sick my husband has a sleep apnoea. this is our fourth day waiting to get the sunshine back home into canada. they've been taking us to the airport every day . we've to the airport every day. we've been sitting in the airport for 12 hours and sending us all with no flights. we keep getting delayed and, then cancelled and then they're not booking us hotel rooms . and by the time we hotel rooms. and by the time we get a hotel , it's one hotel rooms. and by the time we get a hotel, it's one in the morning and we have to get back up at six in the morning to come back to the airport to try and get on a flight to get home with

. 2023 around the corner could we see a similar picture as we've this year there'll be concerns about droughts again although we've had a lot of rain in recent months need a lot more drinking to stop. concerns about drought rising again because some reservoirs still recovered from the very dry early months of 2022. so as we head into the summer of 2023, there will be concerned about droughts and of the possibility of further unbearable heat . the messages unbearable heat. the messages from that climate that someone's going get hotter and drier in the years to come as the new year approaches, many will be, hoping the weather doesn't dampen . their new year's dampen. their new year's celebration plans ahead of what could be another year of record highs and lows. theo chikomba . highs and lows. theo chikomba. gb news well, you're watching gb news live. coming up, the pound on course to end 2022 with its first annual decline in four years. but while we set for six years, i should say , always set

years, i should say, always set for a comeback or , a crash next for a comeback or, a crash next yeah for a comeback or, a crash next year. well we'll be discussing what exactly is happening with these currency markets after this this .

welcome back. you're watching jb live now. 2022 will be remembered as the year the pound took a pounding after it's recording its worst year on since that brexit of 2016. although it staged of a recovery in the past few months sterling has been against the dollar for quite some dropping by more than 10% against the us currency this year. 10% against the us currency this year . so are 10% against the us currency this year. so are we heading for a crash or comeback in 2023? well, catherine is a trade economist and joins me in the studio. and

catherine , suppose first of all, catherine, suppose first of all, all currencies took a bit of a pounding against the dollar over last 12 months. the federal was quite fast raise rates and that currency strengthened in comparison to euro and the pound. yeah definite rally it started in june in may we both at both the us and uk had 1% rates they started going up by 75 basis points to really fight inflation. we did a quarter of a point in june and, then half a point in june and, then half a point and then half a point. so we got a full 1% behind them and. that's been okay for us . and. that's been okay for us. not a big issue if you compare us to the euro where we're at the moment, but have been much lower and that was not this yeah lower and that was not this year. that was in 19 2017 when we had problems with government. after cameron's . down in august after cameron's. down in august 2017, it dropped to one of seven against the euro. and when may

in a muddle and they were trying to rid of her in 2019. it also dropped in august to one of the seven. so we've been there before but i wouldn't worry about it . the before but i wouldn't worry about it. the us is our biggest trading partner for exports. we sell more exports the us than anywhere else and that's so this will really help a lot of our exporters to sell to the us it also helps our that are competing with imported goods and a lot of those imported goods are coming from the eu who is our biggest import supplier after china which is our biggest but we'll never be able to compete with china. we should be able to compete with the eu and having a lower currency will help that so it definitely will help that so it definitely will help with but a lot of exporters use components that they have to import so their costs may well go import so their costs may well 9° up import so their costs may well go up as a result. import so their costs may well go up as a result . well, it's go up as a result. well, it's that currency differential. it does where the components are coming from and a lot of parts are coming from east asia . so

are coming from east asia. so those currencies aren't that much higher except actually the south korean one is higher, but it's back to where it was kind of pre—covid . so it's not yeah, of pre—covid. so it's not yeah, it's not quite the way people would would make out to be. it's interesting to see how much the currency has moved off of the back of sort of confidence in the united kingdom perhaps polite actual stability in the kingdom, something that has been one thing for several years. the rishi sunak administration has sort of made its lease on debt being , sort of made its lease on debt being, boring being the bringer of stability , and that might not of stability, and that might not be doing for its poll ratings, but is that making the uk a more confident place ? international confident place? international investors? well i think international investors looking for government bonds probably come to the uk. they will go to the us because it's the world reserve currency and it's paying

much higher interest rate than , much higher interest rate than, the uk and a much higher interest rate than the eu. so if i was looking for a for home the large currency in the us at the moment, i suppose in times, crisis being the world currency really does have a it does help and if the world reserve currency paying the highest interest rates in the developed world, then people move money there. however there are some huge bargains to be had in the uk because a lot our uk because a lot of our companies that are denominated in pounds will be benefiting if there or if they're competing with imports. so their earnings be looking very healthy. so i do think that there will be investment coming into the but not maybe going into bonds as much as going into companies that are run and listed in the uk . so that's really uk. so that's really interesting. so we're looking forward the year ahead . do you forward the year ahead. do you see potentially more in the united kingdom's markets more inward investment , united kingdom's markets more inward investment, particularly to firms? well, i do think what will happen is we've now seen

that the us cpi course . so that the us cpi course. so without excluding food and energy has come right back down to 3.7% or 3.6. so that's a massive change. and that that hit a high in february of this yeah hit a high in february of this year. and that was all to do with covid restrictions . with covid restrictions. component parts were were in short supply or there was a big chip problem and getting computer out of southeast asia and export and shipping costs were extraordinarily narrowly . were extraordinarily narrowly. so that was really hitting the market in the us. so really got that under control. so pushing up the interest has done a lot for that . but unfortunately for that. but unfortunately everyone is suffering from the european shortage of hydrocarbons right ? because they hydrocarbons right? because they used to buy so much russia and they relied on russia, especially germany, without russia, they've had to buy from the rest of the world, which has

pushed up the price for the rest of the world. it's energy really affecting us here in this country. yes. and that's is and that's choice, because that's our choice, because unlike other countries, we unlike some other countries, we have coal, which we're leaving in we're in the ground and we're importing coal from mozambique , importing coal from mozambique, we have and gas , and we're we have oil and gas, and we're still importing gas from , still importing gas from, norway, gas from qatar and, liquid natural gas from the us as well and that is a lot more energy intensive to turn it into liquid form , you basically have liquid form, you basically have to freeze the gas and then ship 4000 miles to the uk and yet when the government proposes new licences for oil and gas when they propose a coal mine just for coking coal, not even for energy enormous political controversy, right? yes. so if the people want to complain about not allowing us use our own resources, then they can't about a low pound because we were selling our own coal rather than importing coal from mozambique selling own gas rather than importing gas the

us, we would be it right now the pound would be strong. strong strong. it would be a currency be in and unfortunately that's our choice. so we can't complain about a low currency. i think it will help a lot of people . will help a lot of people. obviously a lot of the things we import like oil and gas is in us dollars. general and if we were importing it from the us, definitely. but it's it is . and definitely. but it's it is. and so that part of it is not good. but i think if the us inflation is comes down next year , that is comes down next year, that could have some knock on effects , then they'll stop with this. the crazy rate rises and in fact they might even start bringing them down because destroyed demand in the us so optimism to end the conversation on we always like some optimism there you so much for talking us through those really extraordinarily volatile changes in the united kingdom markets i suppose catherine mcbride the trade expert thank you. now,

coming up next, one of durham university's wealthiest donors has cut off his funding and is using it to fight for free speech on campuses instead. we'll be bringing you that and discuss the rise in the potential downfall of the influence that andrew tate today detained in romania on suspicion human trafficking and we. but first of all it's your news update . good afternoon. it's 233 update. good afternoon. it's 233 on rhiannon jones. update. good afternoon. it's 233 on rhiannon jones . the gb on rhiannon jones. the gb newsroom. the family of elle edwards who shot dead on christmas eve at a pub in wirral, has paid tribute to their most beautiful and brightest merseyside police has urged anyone with any information come forward. a 30 year old man from tranmere arrests on suspicion of the 26 year old's murder has been recalled to prison. a 19 year old woman from rock ferry has

been bailed and a 31 year old man remains in. sitting alongside . ella's father, tim alongside. ella's father, tim edwards mersey sign police read out the family statement she had this way about it. but as soon he met her, he instantly fell in mexico . everyone that knew and mexico. everyone that knew and met al knew how special she was . her life was infectious . . her life was infectious. anyone who was a watts around her had a good time. anyone who was a watts around her had a good time . she loved her had a good time. she loved life and had so many amazing plans for the future. she was only just getting started started . crane nightclub where started. crane nightclub where three year old footballer cody fisher died in a knife attack on boxing day, has had its licence suspended. the decision follows an urgent meeting like birmingham's city council after police said , there'd been police said, there'd been serious management failings at the club. the suspension pending a full review hearing when a decision will be made on whether

or not it should be closed permanently and has begun. three days of national mourning honour of football legend pele . the 82 of football legend pele. the 82 year old had colon cancer and died yesterday at hospital in sao paolo . widely regarded as sao paolo. widely regarded as the greatest footballer ever, he's the only man to win the world cup three times as a player . tv online world cup three times as a player. tv online under ab plus radio. this is gb news. don't go anywhere. tell me. we're back with gb news in just a moment.

this is gb news live with me? tom harwood . moving on to the tom harwood. moving on to the fight for free speech as a wealthy donor gifted fight for free speech as a wealthy donor gifte d £7 million wealthy donor gifted £7 million to durham university has cut off

his cash over , he says, is a his cash over, he says, is a rise campus wukari. the former benefactor mark hillary will not reconsider his decision until the university get their free speech house properly in order. well, let's speak now to benjamin jones case officer at the free speech . thank you for the free speech. thank you for joining us this afternoon, benjamin. first of all, what's been going at durham university . in been going at durham university. in with various cases of free speech being suppressed for free. in fact , across the free. in fact, across the country. dealt with dozens and dozens of universities . but dozens of universities. but durham university, i'm afraid to say steve was we have 14 people in the last couple of durham university felt that free price patel could be punished, investigated or penalised in some way for expressing their views. oxford university is in second place with about five cases of people that we have

past couple of years . so durham past couple of years. so durham is particularly bad . last year is particularly bad. last year was the case of professor tim luckhurst, who was investigated for 40 unbranded student attacks against the importation of 50 things. investigating university through a process of people who are investigated by the employer and eventually he was exonerated and eventually he was exonerated and we helped him go through that. and we helped him go through that . so and we helped him go through that. so durham, and we helped him go through that . so durham, unfortunately that. so durham, unfortunately is one of the worst offenders in the uk . and then in question the uk. and then in question we're seeing that actually students to university somewhat in britain are not getting the experience that they be got. so they're not being exposed. a wide range of ideas that alumni of other generations encountered. they're not able to express views. and increasingly we're seeing modules and whole courses being overrun by one particular suspect as we

decolonise asian american critical theory and the like. and so there's not this diversity of student who have the right to face that . and we the right to face that. and we encounter i have to say this is a point of personal sadness for me . i'm an alumnus of durham me. i'm an alumnus of durham university. i was elected president of the durham union. in my day. i represented the university at the national union of students conferences , elected of students conferences, elected by my peers. this seems to have changed rapidly in the last few years. in durham university, it used to be a university , a bit used to be a university, a bit of a reputation for free speech. is this just indicative of the way that universities have changed in the last six years or so , or is this a particular so, or is this a particular problem of durham university ? i problem of durham university? i think there is a particular problem at. durham university. certainly in the casework we encounter. durham is overrepresented it but is not confined to . durham this to free

confined to. durham this to free speech where ideas are considered to be too dangerous to be expressed or even tantamount to harassment is absolutely endemic throughout the entire higher education university sector so well durham specifically but i in the last perhaps five or six years especially there been a real worst of conditions for free speech in british universities and that is reflected in polls. for instance , the academics have for instance, the academics have find about a 35% of academics feel the need to , and about one feel the need to, and about one in four students say they need to self—censor own views as well for fear of being or otherwise punished or ostracised by the university or their student union or student societies. so things have deteriorated. i think , rapidly, and the free think, rapidly, and the free speech. we're absolutely inundated with cases where we're trying to help people. we've dean trying to help people. we've dealt with with thousands of cases now of people not just in university but in wider society as well , who've needed our

as well, who've needed our system. so about 20% of our work concerns universities , higher concerns universities, higher education. one of the great things about this donation is it means we can keep our membership views very low. they started to fortnight, which is very important when everyone is having such a difficult time this so because of this winter. so because of donors like mark have donors like mark hilary have come forward and given us £400,000 over two years. that means we can keep our membership low and we put a lot of time low and we can put a lot of time into helping members who need help in finding legal help include in finding legal representation for them. in the most serious cases. no doubt you do very good work, but i do some very good work, but i suppose one of the big moral issues here is what should be done about . issues here is what should be done about. this issues here is what should be done about . this crisis, after done about. this crisis, after all, universities are diverting institutions. should they not be able to decide who hire or otherwise ? is there a bit of a otherwise? is there a bit of a dilemma here for people on the free market side of politics, sort of sometimes find themselves arguing for government . i think in this case

government. i think in this case that does have to be a government regulation because university to fail to uphold the equal treaties they already have. so as you know there is the freedom of speech the higher freedom of speech bill is making way through bill that is making way through parliament moment. and we parliament at the moment. and we have campaigning have been campaigning for improvements legislation and we're those we're hoping to see those changes the year. but changes in the new year. but unfortunately i think there is a need for government regulations, but also a need more but there's also a need for more that. something that that. this isn't something that law alone can fix. i think the higher education bill would be very important but need very important. but also we need to start rebuilding the culture of free and open debate and expression , freedom of speech. expression, freedom of speech. so the is important and it will help . but we also need help. but we also need a wholesale cultural change in universities and i think wider society as well, because all of these ideas have begun in universities and they've escaped the laboratory and are spreading throughout business and other institutions . well, benjamin institutions. well, benjamin jones case officer at the free speech union, thank you so much for talking us through those issues there. i have to say, we do have a right of reply from durham university, spokesman

durham university, a spokesman for university said that our for the university said that our policy and code of practise on freedom of expression are robust and set out clear exemptions and processes for activities affiliated to, funded by or branded as durham university . to branded as durham university. to our knowledge, we are not aware of a single occasion where a speaker has not been invited to speaker has not been invited to speak at the university due to controversial views . well, controversial views. well, that's what durham university say. students may say otherwise . but moving on, the controversial influencer and podcaster andrew tait has been detained . romania, alongside detained. romania, alongside brother as part of a human trafficking rape investigation . trafficking rape investigation. now romanian prosecutors asked for a 30 day extension to the arrest of the reality star in a statement which did not mention tate by name , they claimed two tate by name, they claimed two british citizen citizens had lured women by endangering gendering, i should say real feelings of love only them to be

sexually exploited it by members of a group that also included two romanians using physical violence and mental coercion . violence and mental coercion. now a lawyer for tate's confirmed the detention. and while the former big brother contestant did not make an official statement of host on his recently reinstated twitter account this afternoon appeared to allude to the arrest . it said to allude to the arrest. it said the matrix sent their agents now to discuss the swift rise and potential downfall of andrew tate and his complicated position in the drive for free speech. i'm joined by author and columnist emma wolfe and benjamin loughnane research fellow at the bu group. i'm let's start with you, emma you for joining us. let's start with you, emma you for joining us . what can we take for joining us. what can we take away from the most remarkable last few days in this ? well last few days in this? well i think even to call andrew tate a defender of free speech actually tarnishes the name of free

speech. this a deliberately provocative , unpleasant, nasty , provocative, unpleasant, nasty, possibly violent . provocative, unpleasant, nasty, possibly violent. i'm provocative, unpleasant, nasty, possibly violent . i'm not provocative, unpleasant, nasty, possibly violent. i'm not going to go too far in. that one unpleasant individual part of his brand is be extremely abusive about women, whether or not physically , but actually not physically, but actually certainly verbally. he talked about women being the property of men. he talked about rape victims , bearing responsibility victims, bearing responsibility for their attacks. and this is part his brand. and sadly , a lot part his brand. and sadly, a lot of men out there who this. and this man has and millions of followers he's banned on facebook instagram , youtube, facebook instagram, youtube, tiktok , briefly banned on tiktok, briefly banned on twitter as well. and we can in 2016 on twitter . and this twitter as well. and we can in 2016 on twitter. and this is you know, this is his shtick. this is what he does. this is how he lives on it. this is how he's made millions fans. he's clearly loving it. you can see from that tweet about the matrix, sending that agent that he's not taking it seriously at all. and i think i am a defender of free speech as well. but i think it's time

to end this kind of verbal , to end this kind of verbal, sometimes physical violence against women. we've seen with jeremy clarkson last week using violent language to talk about meghan markle. we're seeing it now with andrew tate and i think it tributes to a culture which is unpleasant, nasty and unfortunately taps into the way that a lot of men are starting to think about women. now, benjamin what do you say to that? should we throw andrew tate and jeremy clarkson in this sort of basket where these people shouldn't be listened to . yeah, i don't think you can compare andrew taste jeremy compare andrew taste and. jeremy clarkson. big fan of clarkson. i'm not a big fan of andrew tate. i think his is his shtick, as it were, completely provocative, deliberately designed to, cause most controversy to generate views and traffic. it's deliberately provocative . it's not about good provocative. it's not about good faith debate for conversation and he's effectively is a terrible role model for young men but because we have few good role models for young men people flock to people like this someone very good at

someone who's very good at provoking saying the things you're not allowed say. he's you're not allowed to say. he's a a bad people like it, a bit of a bad people like it, but effectively his whole schtick being a, you schtick is just being a, you know, a bit a pratt, to be know, a bit of a pratt, to be honest. so no defender of honest. so i'm no defender of but can't conflate he and but you can't conflate he and clarkson not in the same clarkson they're not in the same league but think league whatsoever. but i think he very case for free he makes a very case for free speech.i he makes a very case for free speech. i mean, someone like andrew tate who goes onto twitter been unbanned the twitter having been unbanned the other and immediately makes other day and immediately makes a back in terms a rod for his own back in terms of on against them and people are now effectively delighting the been the fact that he's been arrested. letting him arrested. surely letting him go out views . people rejects out in his views. people rejects them. that is spirit of free them. that is the spirit of free speech. the whole purpose speech. that's the whole purpose of free speech. him the opportunity go out and giving opportunity to go out and giving other the opportunity other people the opportunity to say, actually that say, we don't actually like that very wolf, what do very much. emma wolf, what do you that? that actually you say to that? that actually in it was andrew in many ways it was andrew regaining twitter account. regaining his twitter account. it was the new sort of speech administration twitterthat administration at twitter that may well result in his own downfall . well, yeah , possibly. downfall. well, yeah, possibly. it may well have been the spat regret to thunberg that you know in piece of boxes which in the piece of boxes which allegedly him in romania allegedly showed him in romania in being he's been

in fact he's being he's been being now . being for several months now. and all of this. yeah as you say the elon musk era. but this you know look at him with his big cigar and it's just pathetic. he's actually a very , very sad he's actually a very, very sad individual, but almost point tom, weirdly, in this kind of cautious era, this metoo era, which i deplore . and you know which i deplore. and you know what? you can't say anything. women, you can't say you can't even kind of someone out for a dnnk even kind of someone out for a drink without being accused . drink without being accused. sexual harassment. i all that but there is growth we have seen of maybe just seeing it being revealed . you remember the revealed. you remember the channg revealed. you remember the charing cross police officer tweets you remember this kind of stuff where we're seeing this kind of the misogynistic and actually violent and aggressive language and attitudes towards women and i think that that actually i'm no shrinking violet but i think i think it is actually in contributing to a really, really dangerous culture

in which women and i'm certainly with meghan markle but i think it is sad benjamin to completely jeremy corbyn with andrew type because it's a kind of yeah i can say this stuff when you actually and there is a line and i'm such a of free speech but i still feel as alone but on that point is there line of course we have seen some really horrendous violence against women and girls in the last year or two, in particular. has this language contributed to it? i think a completely different situation . completely different situation. and i mean, andrew side actually does say that women are inferior to men . he does say that women are inferior to men. he this is part of his philosophy. this is part what philosophy. this is part of what he there. and a lot he puts out there. and a lot thatis he puts out there. and a lot that is to generate views. it's to controversy. that's to test out controversy. that's not jeremy clarkson jeremy not what jeremy clarkson jeremy clarkson said about one particular markle particular person, meghan markle , know, not the most , who is, you know, not the most savoury of characters that he know. he said something that was effectively was effectively too far. it was a bit of a controversial joke, but it wasn't targeted at women in general andrew tate actually does make his whole his whole character and his entire schtick about superiority of

about about the superiority of men now the two men over women. now the two things completely different. things are completely different. you can't put them in the same category and there is a category at all. and there is a very clear the two. emma very clear between the two. emma you are trying to get in that. yeah benjamin but with respect, there something about, there there was something about, there was totemic about was something totemic about talking about a woman being through the streets and having excrement at her, which wasn't , excrement at her, which wasn't, was, it was broader than meghan markle i think. jeremy clarkson well, the sun completely missed the point that the editor clearly asleep all the christmas they had to quickly apologise there's something about it which is about culture of women and treating women in the public eye that that's andrew tate said that that's andrew tate said that if a woman him of cheating he to getting out the machete and then goes on talk about violent stuff which i'm not going to go into it's just not acceptable we have to accept that this is not it's just not acceptable language used about women depending on the point of language. does this this flow

into that wider societal issue ? into that wider societal issue? well, i do think, you know, free speech is the best way it's some cases the best as they say, if you have someone andrew tate coming out saying this really volatile , nasty stuff, people volatile, nasty stuff, people are to it. they're are going to reject it. they're going and go, going to look at that and go, oh, god, that is horrific. oh, my god, that is horrific. awful. you said about the machete i think most people probably, apart from perhaps very immature, young men who will out hopefully will grow out of it, hopefully most people look at that most people will look at that and that's very unsavoury. and think that's very unsavoury. if now, if you look at twitter now, i don't think anyone's really taking andrew's tate's sides, even sort of people who are even the sort of people who are massive free speech massive defenders of free speech people more conservative people on the more conservative who, might be cast. who, you know, might be cast. his all sort his defendants are all sort of disowning and saying, this disowning and saying, no, this guy know, is a quite guy is, you know, is a quite a quite a horrific person. the things said a things that he said a disgraceful. so you know disgraceful. so think you know letting those views is letting him air those views is the best way to reject those views them out in the views it puts them out in the open he's open about what he thinks and what he says and it's on us to turn around to society, say, you, on us to turn around to society, say, you, but say, you know, thank you, but no, had enough of that. no, we've had enough of that. but intellectually, you're rejecting does

rejecting that. but why does andrew tate have millions andrew tate then have millions of follow us on tiktok of followers follow us on tiktok youtube. yeah may be less youtube. yeah they may be less intellectual, less mature platforms than twitter, for example, but when he's been banned from his platform, his followers, all that we share in content on tiktok, he has made a fortune on this brand. this because because i think emma i started with you so i'll let benjamin to sum up this debate. benjamin to sum up this debate. benjamin do you say? well, i think just to answer that point, i think the reason there's so many followers is because he's a provocateur and anyone who's provocative is going to generate , least the , i promise you at least of the people watch videos and people who watch his videos and subscribe his channel of subscribe to his channel of hate, that, watching it hate, watching that, watching it to outraged tend to hate to get outraged tend to hate him. and you see a of people like this nowadays the media like this nowadays in the media and media in and on social media in particular generate clicks and money by deliberately provoking negative reactions their content. i think that's the we've got a side culture certainly by media and you know if you want attack andrew tate for that then you know you're

missing the point is the whole culture, no doubt this is a conversation that will run and run. but for now, emma wolf and benjamin in lucknow, you benjamin in lucknow, thank you so for us here on so much forjoining us here on gb you've been watching gb news. you've been watching gb news tom harwood news live with me. tom harwood go though because up go anywhere though because up next it's patrick christys with you that's the you until six before. that's the weather. hello, i'm aidan mcgivern from the met office. it's to the day, but it's a wet start to the day, but the clears through the the rain clears east through the rest the afternoon and it's going to be cold in the far north with snow mild elsewhere . north with snow mild elsewhere. the low pressure to the north of scotland at the moment. that's going to continue to drive some weather fronts eastwards during the rest of friday. drier conditions , but it's sustained conditions, but it's sustained in the north of scotland where showers the rain and those showers the rain and those showers will fall. rain and hill snow further south across , snow further south across, england and wales, the rain slow to clear for northern england, south—east scotland as well but some dry conditions elsewhere with some brighter spells across central parts and very mild in the south with a blustery breeze

. the south—west, 12 or 13 celsius here, but cold in the north. scotland will see temperatures of four or five celsius in the afternoon . and celsius in the afternoon. and then a little feature come south northern scotland during the evening will bring gales for the north—east of scotland some very strong winds here. 70 or 80 mile per hour wind gusts , some snow per hour wind gusts, some snow to parts of northern to affect parts of northern scotland. snow accumulating of hills and leading to an ice at lower levels. but mild elsewhere across the uk, with spells of rain pushing up from the southwest and 13 celsius as we start day across southern parts of england wales further spells of england wales further spells of wet weather come through on saturday and it looks like new year's eve is a wet day for england and wales without. breaks of rain on and off. some heavy as well. the rain turning to snow across hills of to snow across the hills of southern scotland , northern southern scotland, northern england further showers england and further snow showers . the north scotland where it . the north of scotland where it will three four will be cold three or four celsius. but mild once again in the south with a strong breeze coming up from. the southwest bringing milder , but also bringing that milder, but also some for the evening

some rain. and for the evening on new year's eve, it looks like spells of rain will move up to affect central areas. further showers of wintry nature for the north of scotland but turning dner north of scotland but turning drier in the south day brings further showers . monday is drier further showers. monday is drier for many. further rain on tuesday .

a good everybody will remain patrick christys on gb news. the week is winding down, but i'm certainly not because there is a lot of news out there today . are lot of news out there today. are we about to be put back some form of covid lockdown ? how form of covid lockdown? how about civil liberties on the bnnk about civil liberties on the brink of being stripped? there are calls, masks to go back home for travel and for mandatory testing to