good evening. it's the first bold thing rishi sunak's done . bold thing rishi sunak's done. yes, he's going to veto nicola sturgeon's equalities legislation. we'll was he right to do so.7 came legislation. we'll was he right to do so? came to get your views another horrendous case from the metropolitan police a serial rapist but hundreds more police officers under investigation. what is going wrong with our police forces? and joining me on talking points, well, he'll be familiar to you, of course, from a touch frost that he's appeared over the years , over the last over the years, over the last half a century in many of the greatest tv programme games ever

seen. john lyons joins for talking points. but before we do all of that, let's get more news with holly, mental host . nigel. with holly, mental host. nigel. thanks very much indeed. and here are the latest gb news headlines. first of all, let's concentrate on the strikes that are going to hit the uk and february could be hit by mass disruption as several industries, including schools , industries, including schools, universities and the rail network and westminster are all planning to go on strike. train drivers with the rmt and aslef unions will be striking on the first and 3rd of february and a long running dispute overjobs, pay long running dispute overjobs, pay and conditions as the action coincides with 100,000 civil servants walking off the job. meanwhile, more than 70,000 university staff in the university staff in the university and college union will stage the first of 18 days of action and teachers in the national education union will

strike for seven days in february and march. in their dispute over. one. in other february and march. in their dispute over . one. in other news dispute over. one. in other news today, the home secretary says the independent inquiry looking into the police officer who murdered sarah will also consider the crimes of david carrick . the home office has carrick. the home office has launched a review of police standards to make sure officers who are not fit to serve the pubuc who are not fit to serve the public can be sacked. that's after former met police officer carrack pleaded guilty to 49 offences, including dozens of rapes over an 18 year period. he was officially sacked today at a misconduct hearing held in his absence . while speaking in the absence. while speaking in the commons earlier on today , ms. commons earlier on today, ms. brafman said police culture must change. this case will rightly throw a spotlight once again on women's safety . no throw a spotlight once again on women's safety. no one throw a spotlight once again on women's safety . no one should women's safety. no one should suffer abuse or feel frightened or harassed, whether they are at home, out and about or online . home, out and about or online. we are taking concert action to

prevent violence against women and support victims and survivors relentlessly pursue perpetrators and strengthen the system as a whole . now the system as a whole. now the scottish secretary has defended the uk government move to block hollyrood controversial gender bill. it's the first time westminster has made an order under the scotland act to prevent a law from scottish parliament going to royal assent . alister jack says the reasoning behind the move is that the hollyrood bill would undermine equality laws in the rest of the uk . the bill would rest of the uk. the bill would have serious adverse effects on the operation of the equality act 2010. and as i've set out in my correspondence with the first minister yesterday. i prefer not to be in this situation. the united kingdom government does all we can to respect devolution settlement and to resolve disputes . it settlement and to resolve disputes. it is open to the scottish government to bring back an amended for bill reconsideration in the scottish

parliament. now the climate activist greta thunberg has been detained once again during climate protests in germany. the 20 year old was escorted away by police after taking part in demonstration against the expansion of an open pit coal mine in the west of germany . it mine in the west of germany. it follows protests over the weekend , with german police weekend, with german police saying investigations have been started against a 150 protesters following violent clashes. while the protesters say germany should be using more renewable energy instead of mining for more fossil fuels, the german government says it remains committed to phasing out the use of coal by 2030. you are up to date on tv, online and plus this is gb news. the people's channel. well, now it's time for fart . fart. good evening. well, one thing

about rishi sunak , he was put in about rishi sunak, he was put in to give us a bit of stability after the chaos of boris and that very brief 45 day period of distrust . and he certainly has distrust. and he certainly has brought stability, but none of it's been terribly exciting or very radical until now . and the very radical until now. and the first bold thing that rishi sunak has done as prime minister is quite rightly , in my opinion, is quite rightly, in my opinion, to veto the new equalities legislation in the scottish parliament passed nicholas sturgeon just a couple of weeks ago and it's the right thing to do, in my opinion for several reasons. firstly, it almost certainly, although lawyers will always argue this to the nth degree, but it almost certainly runs in contradict given to a 2010 equalities act . secondly, 2010 equalities act. secondly, because it is really, really bad legislation , you don't believe legislation, you don't believe me? have a about this over half of all transgender inmates in scotland's prisons began to transition in during or after

their convict . and yet the their convict. and yet the scottish parliament even, you know, passed an amendment, you know, passed an amendment, you know, that says that sex offenders , sex offenders, males offenders, sex offenders, males , sex offenders can still , after , sex offenders can still, after their convictions , designate their convictions, designate themselves as females and be put in scottish female prisons. that is my definition of really badly thought through legislation , a thought through legislation, a sort of herd mentality that we have to recognise identity rights. well, what about women's rights? and that is, i think , a rights? and that is, i think, a very, very big issue here , but very, very big issue here, but perhaps even bigger than that, it's the first time in 25 years that a british government has said no to a piece of scottish parliament legislation . i've parliament legislation. i've been wondering for the last couple of days , has sturgeon couple of days, has sturgeon actually wilfully tried to provoke this ? surely not. but provoke this? surely not. but what does it mean? is this going to be a big plus for nicholas

sturgeon in her battle to break scotland from the united kingdom or to the majority in scotland, say no. actually westminster here has really done its job. we may have devolved powers , but may have devolved powers, but we're still part of a united kingdom. difficult to predict how this debate goes. i have a sense myself that on this one, sturgeon has bitten off more than she can chew and a commonsense majority will actually see her case weaken . i actually see her case weaken. i think she's doing all of this because, frankly, she's in so much trouble with the scottish pubuc. much trouble with the scottish public. that's my much trouble with the scottish public . that's my thoughts. but public. that's my thoughts. but you tell me. was rishi right to do what he did? let me know your farage at gb news dot uk. well joining me to discuss all of this, william close, the leader of the social democrat party. let's deal with the specifics of the law to begin with. i quoted you , you know, the fact that a you, you know, the fact that a convicted male sex offender can check, can read , designate . it's

check, can read, designate. it's bad law, isn't it? check, can read, designate. it's bad law, isn't it ? well, leaving bad law, isn't it? well, leaving aside whether it is or whether it isn't, it's certainly a mess now. it's a mess and it's a mess because the scottish bill puts the legal provisions in direct conflict act, as you said, with the equality act 2010. now it's obvious , isn't it, that we're obvious, isn't it, that we're one country and can't have two different laws that are in conflict with each other in the same country . there's lots of same country. there's lots of examples of where in fact the british government setting out today where the precise conflicts are. and there are many of them single sex clubs. single sex schools, for instance . i mean, i live in northumberland . there's a quite northumberland. there's a quite a big town on the on the north edge of our county, which is barrack. it's a travel to work area. so theoretically , you area. so theoretically, you know, someone could get a could that six nine for a different sex a legal sex would be granted across the border into northumberland should northumberland should northumberland accept that and i

think that this has been done deliberately by. so you think sturgeon is stirring the pot here? yes. i mean, it's impossible. this will be worked out in the court. it'll probably go to the court of session and then it'll end up at the supreme court. and i think is on a winner, because it's quite clear that it's in conflict. right. and cant that it's in conflict. right. and can't strike out the 20, and you can't strike out the 20, whatever you think of the 27 equality act, you can't strike it out. right. so i think sunak will win. was he brave in doing this? think had to do it. this? i think he had to do it. i mean, in a way, was it interesting that it was keir starmer who over the weekend he thought it was wrong for 16 year olds to be able to change genders? and i wonder whether in some ways the labour party helped push him into this . you helped push him into this. you could probably argue that. i mean, i think i just i don't think that being particular brave, i think what's brave, nigel. i think what's happening been happening is that they've been put a situation. look, put into a situation. look, we've had to evolution for decades right so it's the, decades now, right so it's the, you know , the scotland that goes you know, the scotland that goes back to the nineties and never

in any occasion previous to this is holyrood deliberately drafted a bill which is knowingly and i use the word in conflict the uk law and they've done it . now do law and they've done it. now do you think the sturgeon's done that by accident. i don't . now that by accident. i don't. now the polling suggests in scotland and you know as we discussed in the green before in the show, it depends a bit how you ask the question, but if you ask the scottish public, you know, do they they in fulsome support of this legislation, only 20% are in fulsome support and 60% are quite strongly opposed. so she's taking a heck of a risk here, isn't she? she is taking a risk but as you say, she's in trouble. scottish health service is in trouble. and she got a direct route now because there's no referendum route . what's she no referendum route. what's she for? you know what you're going to do? i think she's using this particular issue. and what irritated me, nigel about this was that she what a lot of progressive say when they're asked about this they accuse people reacting to it of stoking

a culture war. ridiculous. that's what she said today . come that's what she said today. come off it. come of it. we're not you know, there's a green an msp thatis you know, there's a green an msp that is now talking about gender recognition rights for eight year olds. that's what she's saying. and do you think it goes down to 16? it stops, then ? i down to 16? it stops, then? i don't know. no, i get that. you know, i completely get that. look, i think it's bad law. the idea that at 16, without any medical diagnosis. but anybody asking you, do you to think again? nothing all i think it's very, very bad law . i think it very, very bad law. i think it will i think it will remain a small minority . but just back to small minority. but just back to this point of devolution, which i know you feel quite strongly about, there's no going , is about, there's no going, is there, on scottish devolution wealth devolution, we are where wealth devolution, we are where we are . i think we're where we we are. i think we're where we are and the data shows that it and i think you have to accept it . i think happened is it. i think what's happened is that blair probably the worst government in british history. blair left england . and so , blair has left england. and so, you know, england were not

treated on par. you know, england were not treated on par . they're not treated on par. they're not treated on par. they're not treated in the power, you know. well devolution, nor the northern irish. they've got a government in scots and the engush government in scots and the english sort of there english are sort of left there in between. i don't think in between. and i don't think that can last. and our policy in the is to have english the sdp is to have an english parliament and think you kind the sdp is to have an english pa sorment and think you kind the sdp is to have an english pa so many and think you kind the sdp is to have an english pa so many layers:hink you kind the sdp is to have an english pa so many layers of1k you kind the sdp is to have an english pa so many layers of government of so many layers of government price english parliament price for an english parliament is of a is getting rid of quite a dysfunctional particular institution, which is the house of lords . but a separate of lords. but that's a separate debate. don't, i the debate. well, i don't, i the house of lords is a revising chamber. if we were to have an engush chamber. if we were to have an english parliament wouldn't it sense only days sense to have to have only days and the building that exists already. evelyn english votes for laws. could have for english laws. you could have that. i don't think that that. but i don't think that really that. my, my really deals with that. my, my vision is for an english sensibility come out and is there i would personally have there i would personally have the parliament probably in york another . the parliament probably in york another. yeah no no it isn't isn't it isn't another layer . isn't it isn't another layer. you get rid of the laws and you can have a unicameral situation with the uk parliament, you can have a committee system which can scrutinise other places, do that. do you think there's an

engush that. do you think there's an english demand for this? think there yeah, the there is. yeah, i think the i well let's find out why why don't see if they vote sdp don't we see if they vote sdp at the so that whatever i the election so that whatever i tell you what whatever devolution has . this tell you what whatever devolution has. this is the first really big test of devolved powers in 25 years. i'm with you. i think rishi sunak wins this. i think he's got the lord , his side. he's got vast lord, his side. he's got vast majority on his side. i just think nicholas sturgeon may with this one a bit more than she can chew. i agree. thank you, william, for joining chew. i agree. thank you, william, forjoining us very william, for joining us very much indeed . well, let's see how much indeed. well, let's see how this plays . you know, one thing this plays. you know, one thing for certain is the sturgeon will play for certain is the sturgeon will play the grievance card all the way through . she's jolly good at way through. she's jolly good at that. i just don't think this time she's going to get big support in scotland, particularly when they understand some of clauses understand some of the clauses in this legislation . now in this legislation. now a moment we discuss the metropolitan police officer , an metropolitan police officer, an absolutely horrendous us. and it went on for nearly 20 years. case of rapes and sexual

assaults nine times what led to believe the metropolitan police could have this man but the wider worry is there are up to a thousand police officers across this country currently on charges of bad behaviour, sexual misbehaviour and worse. what is going with our police forces? all of that we debate in just a couple minutes .

so was rishi sunak right to veto sturgeon's legislation? some of your thoughts that have come in. james says absolutely correct to block appalling law . yes, james, block appalling law. yes, james, i think it is actually very bad law. i read some of it out to you.sean law. i read some of it out to you. sean says . yes, it is you. sean says. yes, it is a dangerous bill that scotland

doesn't want or need . the doesn't want or need. the polling would certainly back that up. and by the way those figures i quoted, about 20% of scots being firmly in favour. that figure is pretty consistent, right ? the entirety consistent, right? the entirety of the united kingdom, it's about 20% who think this is a good idea. a strong 60 to 65% who think it's a very bad idea. another yes, of course. rishi should block this dangerous piece of legislation . more piece of legislation. more controversially . another viewer controversially. another viewer says, well, is it controversial 7 says, well, is it controversial ? you tell me 100. yes it is a biological impossibility for a man to become a woman and, vice versa. the conservative party should oppose the woke ideology thatis should oppose the woke ideology that is based on people's feelings and biological lives. well, on that very strong but stronger point than some of the previous one. and i bet a lot of people do feel that that, you know, we need to respect minorities respect how people

feel. but we also do genuinely need to that women's have come further in 100 years than had in the previous thousand . several the previous thousand. several do we actually want them to go backwards? so i think, you know, perhaps in areas like women's sport, we're beginning to wake up to that now. we were pretty shocked, i think, by the case of wayne , the metropolitan police wayne, the metropolitan police officer, the former member, member of nuclear constabulary , member of nuclear constabulary, about horrific abduction and murder that occurred . but murder that occurred. but yesterday we learned of perhaps an even more extraordinary case of a man who'd committed rape after rape sexual assault. after sexual assault been going on for 17 years. now on occasions were told or which the met had red flags and didn't. told or which the met had red flags and didn't . but an even flags and didn't. but an even bigger problem than that exists. well chap chowdhury who joins me former detective superintendent at the met's sheridan where we

saw the cousin's case, i thought, well , you know what, thought, well, you know what, it's horrific, but you're going to get one bad person in any large group of people in any section society of life. this case that we learned about yesterday you know. nye and opportunities for this to be stopped now smart road is taken over the matter very recently he's made quite a strong i think in some areas. he's made quite a strong i think in some areas . how do you assess in some areas. how do you assess this particular case ? do you this particular case? do you know what is absolutely shocking . shocking. but it's absolutely devastating for 12 women. brave women who came forward , some of women who came forward, some of whom had come forward previously, who'd come into. isn't that the point? yeah and that's the point. i think what's more shocking and more devastating is the fact that this . animal applied to join the this. animal applied to join the police force in 22,000. he got

through the net. there were two allegations that had been made against him, one for harassment, i believe , and one for a i believe, and one for a burglary or domestic matter. he went through a vetting process the following year and he got through. he then spent the next 18 years of his service raping, violating , abusing and, violating, abusing and, coercively, controlling women, isolating them, locking them in cupboards, urinating eating on them, beating them with whips . them, beating them with whips. but what is shocking and devastating is that those nine occasions police were aware that there'd be an allegation of harassment, that there's been domestic domestic abuse allegations , is that they'd been allegations, is that they'd been reported . allegations in plural reported. allegations in plural only occasions in plural. by various women. they probably didn't even know each other. so there's a pattern of behaviour here by this individual to allow him to continue. he kept slipping the net. he was either . there was no criminal

investigations against him. there was no misconduct . there was no misconduct. sometimes on some occasions it wasn't even passed through to the professional standards, the internal investigations teams, and that why he was allowed to continue . he's raping and i and that why he was allowed to continue. he's raping and i and these were repeated rapes of people in many in many many cases even more worrying to me than that and that's pretty worrying . but the bigger worrying. but the bigger question i'm asking is there are up to a thousand police officers around the country facing a whole of misconduct allegations . i've no doubt some of them , . i've no doubt some of them, you know, are false claims that have been put in. and, you know, being a police officer is gets harder and harder frankly, with each year that goes by and they're with everything they're filled with everything they're filled with everything they and things be taken they do and things can be taken out context. but but there out of context. but but there are of that thousands, many hundreds of allegations of serious sexual misconduct . are

serious sexual misconduct. are the police having a problem recruiting talent to the police have the right vetting procedures . i have the right vetting procedures. i mean, have the right vetting procedures . i mean, you've been procedures. i mean, you've been part of this organisation as your career and successful in it. i mean, what's the problem? vetting is a real problem, although rarely will now tell you.the although rarely will now tell you. the commissioner , that he you. the commissioner, that he has made some significant changes. for example, he's now that if somebody comes to notice for domestic abuse, they will review the individual. they may subsequently then review their vetting . so that's a good little vetting. so that's a good little start , for starters. but you've start, for starters. but you've got those officers are coming into the organised action that go through a tick box on an onune go through a tick box on an online process and they will say no, i've not been to groups or no, i have not been watching . no, i have not been watching. and if they tick those boxes, it's not necessary that the organisation within scrutinise and robustly check that. so i'm hoping that that will change. and remember , these aren't just and remember, these aren't just about new recruits . gary carrick about new recruits. gary carrick had been in for 22 years. there

are officers within this organisation that will have the same traits , personality same traits, personality behaviours . rex red flag behaviours. rex red flag behaviours. rex red flag behaviours who have been embedded in a toxic culture across policing that will have a real difficulty . their mindsets. real difficulty. their mindsets. they may be within that process of those invested nations and i hope, i hope they're exposed. they're investigated and they kicked out the organisation , you kicked out the organisation, you know, not all thousand, but a lot of officers, some of them i mean, some of those. and i'm not trying to defend bad behaviour, but some of the people that are up on charges misconduct are up on charges of misconduct are whatsapp chat groups where sometimes officers, police officers display a slightly dark humour , you know, given you know humour, you know, given you know yourself how horrible the job can be, it's difficult to differentiate, isn't it, between laddish banter that doesn't look acceptable, looks horrible and actual misconduct. big difference , dark humour and the difference, dark humour and the groups. if you look at the channg groups. if you look at the charing cross whatsapp groups,

for example, i wasn't. no, no, no. i know. of course we have a dark humour because i can tell you that i used to go home sometimes in tears would take me a long time to get to sleep because of the fact that some of the stuff you were dealing with when you're dealing with, you know, or shooting know, triple murders or shooting things you know, critical things or, you know, critical incidents violence against incidents and violence against women and stuff like that, you are going you're then are going home and you're then trying debrief yourself. trying to debrief yourself. i remember having some banter and some humour and i'm proud of some humour and i'm proud of some of the things i was involved in because i could should have spoken was a stressful environment. it's a stressful environment. it's a stressful environment, but that's not an excuse use. i mean, he had the name if i can use it dave . yeah. that you know use it dave. yeah. that you know the saying oh it wasn't connected criminality he had red flagged behaviours he displayed like no i have failed on this. and that is absolutely right. i mean you part of it did you see that of behaviour was were you subjected to that kind of behaviour by colleagues. look i subjected to a lot banter.

subjected to a lot of banter. banter okay. say there was stuff you could live with. yes. stuff that i could live with that i deau that i could live with that i dealt stuff that i dealt with, stuff that i actually brushed under the actually just brushed under the carpet. challenged. carpet. some stuff i challenged. i challenged significantly my service . i was a whistleblower service. i was a whistleblower that made my life very difficult. that makes life very difficult. that makes life very difficult for officers. now who want to call out these type of officers who misbehave who are corrupt, who are go over the top, who's humour, who's dry sense of humour, overstep the mark, but they don't have the courage to do it because they're not supported by the organisation because those whistle blowers fear that they're going be to they're going to be to victimised action themselves. one of the things i try to do on show isn't just to highlight what the problems are , but to what the problems are, but to try and think of a way we can solve them . you know, i can solve them. you know, i can maybe a lot talented people don't want to join the police anymore. they see it as being a very, very difficult job. i also suspect that some of this

misbehaviour is more common in society as a whole than it was perhaps at the time when you joined the met. can you think anything we can do to try get a higher calibre of person operating in our police forces? well, i think that people that come into the organisation know they're to be subject to they're going to be subject to more scrutiny than average member the public. however member of the public. however they average member of they are the average member of they are the average member of the public before they join. they these are people that they know these are people that are made up of, you know, society and community when you come yes know come into policing. yes know that have a sense of that you can have a sense of human, that you can behave in a certain also understand certain way, but also understand that are a professional that you are a professional person. you there to serve the public. you are there to protect the public. you're there to protect victims of crime victims tastic, all those sorts of things. and therefore, you have got to have a certain level of professional ism about you. so you've got know when you you've got to know when you come into organisation , some of into the organisation, some of the that had and the behaviours that you had and we biases, you have we all have biases, you have them , i have them, you probably them, i have them, you probably have them a lot more than. i do, but i'm not let you get away

but oh i'm not let you get away with but just saying how with that. but just saying how it is but my point is we all have biases and at times you've got to understand when is the right time for you to say, you know what, i've got to be impartial this police officer impartial in this police officer are there to be impartial. how to protect public. i want it to improve. but let me be honest. if you you say so what role has been imposing september last year he was a former police officer . he year he was a former police officer. he was the year he was a former police officer . he was the assistant officer. he was the assistant commissioner. the deputy assistant of counter—terrorism. so he knows some of the challenges, but i have to give you some credit and we have to give him time actually change give him time to actually change the of the organisation. the culture of the organisation. it's to tough because it's going to be tough because he's to start with he's got to start with a leadership the of the leadership at the top of the tree and the managers at the on the ground as the fish rots from the ground as the fish rots from the head down, it rots from the head down. but the fact is you've managers that you've also got managers that also those and that has also protect those and that has got stop and that is part of got to stop and that is part of the culture that has to stop. chairman chowdhury, thank you very joining. very much indeed forjoining. not one that no, there

not an easy one that no, there are quick obvious easy are no quick obvious easy answers or solution. in a moment, we'll discuss a radio to institute action. can bruce and p0p institute action. can bruce and pop master . institute action. can bruce and pop master. it's about to end. i'll ask .

was that question that bbc radio two is a very, very firmly established and embedded institution in this . it's the institution in this. it's the most listened to radio station across the whole of europe because in earlier days it was wogan and jemmy young that very much made it what it was, but in recent times has been one particular feature every day midweek on radio that people tune into in their millions. have a listen. it's familiar. yes, of course . it's almost .

yes, of course. it's almost. fools. the host is the genius scot. ken bruce. now, ken bruce has been at the bbc for 45 years, but he's done this mid—morning slot. he's done this slot from 9:30 until midday. he's been doing for 31 years and hot on the heels of steve right and the afternoon and steve wright's gone as well. after more than two decades. yes. after 31 years. ken, bruce is leaving the bbc and he's off a bow. media greatest hits radio . bow. media greatest hits radio. so what's happening at the bbc ? so what's happening at the bbc? are they clearing out the old guard to make way for youth and diversity? well all i can say is if they are i think they may be making quite a big mistake. if they are i think they may be making quite a big mistake . ken, making quite a big mistake. ken, bruce has never i don't think in his whole radio career ever offended anybody . it's really offended anybody. it's really easy listening, pop master is a game that everyone wanted to play, and if they try to replace

him with somebody doing pop master in view, it won't work. onto more and i think somewhat depressing issues the home office. yes that department in whitehall all the people in charge of dealing with the migrant crossings and everything. well they've been having a whole series of in the house seminars educate and training. yes. and this is about diversion. and in cluding word aids that must not be used in the future. and one of them unbelievably , is they're not to unbelievably, is they're not to use the word homosexual any more. no, no , no, no, no, no. more. no, no, no, no, no, no. because that reduces a person to a purely being . and you can't a purely being. and you can't even use the word mate if you know an office email or an office conversation because somehow that implies lad culture . the most depressing thing about all of this is that the home office on the rare occasions when people are

actually in the office in whitehall , not working from home whitehall, not working from home has repeated series of these workshop s and i think the whole culture that is deeply embedded within , our civil service is so within, our civil service is so rotten , gives such poor return rotten, gives such poor return for public money. frankly, i would close the whole lot down and start again. yes, i'm even more radical than jacob rees—mogg on this one that i thought was interesting is we're constantly being the benefits of renewable energy. the of electric cars and the benefits of going with this new fairly untested technology. what it turns out that in very very cold weather many battery vehicles are up . 50% less efficient in are up. 50% less efficient in terms of their speed energy storage and discharge, up to 50% less efficient and this follows hot on the heels of the story

that i ran last week , which is that i ran last week, which is now to drive an electric car a long way up. britain's motorways now costs more when you recharge it. service stations per mile cost more unbelievably than driving leaded petrol . there's a driving leaded petrol. there's a lot more work to be done on before. by 2035, we stop any future sale of petrol and diesel cars out . finally, the weather cars out. finally, the weather has changed. yes, it is flat calm in the english channel, but it's been down to about minus four in dover in the last 24 hours and the first boat for a couple of weeks docked in the harbour in dover border force boat with 45 people on board and. those of you watching on television can see these pictures now? i'm sorry . say pictures now? i'm sorry. say that the pictures are very , very that the pictures are very, very dark. and the reason for this is whenever migrant boats are coming in at night and they can see someone there filming, they actually unbelievably but they

actually unbelievably but they actually look and you see how darkness is watching on television they turn off the pontoon lights so that the press can't get good pictures as if they want us to think it's not happening. that boat came in with 45 on board. there are two more on the way and over 300,000 people crossed the mediterranean in 2022. that number is 45% higher than it was 2021. guess what their favourite destination is if rishi sunak is going to act to stop the boats and save the conserve party. i suggest he does so very, very quickly. now joining me in a moment, he's an actor who's been on our screens in many big, big tv programmes, including a touch of frost. he's been around for half a century. we'll out what makes a great actor. i'm joined by john lyons on talking points in just a couple of minutes . coming up on

couple of minutes. coming up on dan watson tonight has sunak he has a backbone by blocking the space gender bill and will sturgeon use this to further independence drive britain's top commentators including women's rights activist sharon davies, weighs in. plus have harry and meghan proven they don't want to make peace their enemies after rejecting jeremy clarkson's apology ? and should we fear the apology? and should we fear the world economic forum? all that plus kelvin mackenzie , laurence plus kelvin mackenzie, laurence fox and, meghan kelly on down walton tonight 9 pm. to 11 pm. on .

gb news before i introduce my talking points guest, let's see a clip of them and a touch frost which he was for on over 17 years . go.

he was for on over 17 years. go. for bellboys, they say, as better to bellboys, they say, as better to be born lucky than to be born. but we're going to do all about you. but i'm going home for a pint. but you always take him in, jack . bring him in tomorrow. in, jack. bring him in tomorrow. rea real life, he's john city. he joins me. okay. by john welcome to the great pleasure . thank you to the great pleasure. thank you very much. and you surprise me with that. i didn't know you were doing well up there. we are. we do brief you on everything. obviously, the your background. yeah you come from

an archetype east end or. well, the east end was the old east end war time baby. very much . end war time baby. very much. father was a docker. yes wasn't much money around . but was there much money around. but was there a great sense of community. yes, there was my father, not. was he a docker the whole family were , a docker the whole family were, yeah. and that was going to be my fate when i left school at 15. yeah in fact, i did have a an interview at the play at tower bridge and for some reason , tower bridge and for some reason i , tower bridge and for some reason , i don't know why i did it. i deliver greatly failed. i don't know . i had no plan. i certainly know. i had no plan. i certainly didn't think about being an actor ever . but didn't think about being an actor ever. but i didn't think about being an actor ever . but i deliberately actor ever. but i deliberately failed it and it was a great disappointment to my father. i will tell you, because all my brother he he followed my father the docks. and as i say that was going to be me. but no , i didn't going to be me. but no, i didn't take that path. my was an office cleaner . yep. so it was nothing cleaner. yep. so it was nothing to with showbusiness. what's lot

of people going to acting come from quite middle class backgrounds they been i was listening to patricia hodge at the weekend you know great great actor but you know very middle class background. she was coming or watching west end shows when she was six years old and then treading the boards at ten and but for coming from that you know archetypal working class east end background where did acting i know it never occurred to me ever in my life until i got . to 17 and to me ever in my life until i got. to 17 and there's a chance remark from somebody i'm playing football a sunday on hackney marshes where thousands of men and boys played every sunday. and i play for a small club, small pub side . and it just so small pub side. and it just so happened a chap joined the pub side and he was a journalist with a local paper. the london advertiser, and he wrote the showbiz page. and for some reason about two weeks later we're having pint just like

that. yeah and for some reason, i don't know why . he that. yeah and for some reason, i don't know why. he did it. i don't know what he saw. but he suddenly turned to me and said, tell me, john, have you ever thought about becoming an actor? i said. he said, no , seriously. i said. he said, no, seriously. and out of his pocket, he took a card, a business card of a new drama school that was at the theatre royal stratford , east theatre royal stratford, east london. he said in about two months time he said, i think you should try that one. i'd never thought of that before. two days later, i'm looking at this . i'm later, i'm looking at this. i'm now 17 and i'm looking at this card and i thought, i wonder why not? and made the phone call. i got audition pieces. i went along to the audition and i got in and i did three years of drama that was with the bobble accent. yeah, very strong. oh, a very strong cockney accent. yeah. but i had to have one lovely teacher . she took me lovely teacher. she took me under her wing and she would, she volunteered to come in every morning at 9:00 school, started ten and we did a 1 to 1

elocution lesson . and i did that elocution lesson. and i did that every for three years. well, it certainly works. well, it's meant that i can play many, many parts. what do you do? resilience i read the 1970s. i read the stuff you were appearing in some the biggest tv . i mean, you appeared in upstairs downstairs. all right. but if the comedies that interest me, it's the seventies comedy's heyday. if you're in some episodes of on the buses , some episodes of on the buses, george children and they see it's what i think of as carry. q yes it's a very british kind of he very much so. does it still exist today ? i don't think so. exist today? i don't think so. they don't really make programmes like that anymore. no at that time, during the late sixties and certainly all through the seventies i used to do at least once a month, they were knocking these out thames television read of huge in london weekend. they were knocking them out left, right and centre. and i was lucky . the

and centre. and i was lucky. the people saw that i had a sense of humour and pleased got a bit of comedy, timing and. i was employed quite a bit on those, but no, i don't think i don't think we make them anymore. well, had found work well, they had found the work on. they they were but on. oh yes. they they were but they were a little bit nerve wracking because you did a lot of it. you would start on a monday and film with a live audience on friday night. so you just five days now, you're doing a performance in which you're doing a television performance , doing a television performance, but you've got an audience alive or you've got to ways of acting. yeah. and you don't know when the laughs are going to come, if they're going to come at all. so it was a little nerve . yeah, but it was a little nerve. yeah, but after a while you get used to it and yes, you quite enjoy it. we had a look at some clips from uk of the is. i still think it's funny, but maybe if i do that, maybe a younger generation wouldn't. but on from yes you know you get this incredible break a few years later. yes you

know david jason is doughboy yeahi know david jason is doughboy yeah i he plays the role he is the role yes people shout his name in the street is doughboy. the many years and i heard that this programme a touch of frost was going to begin and they were you know, playing is number two. and i thought, it's never going to work. jason's type cast, it's never good. i mean, did you worry that. well, no, i worry about it. a few people did say to me, how do you think they get with doughboy? and i also do know that david himself was apprehensive. let me say about it, because he didn't quite know how the audience were going to accept him as this policeman , accept him as this policeman, this downtrodden policeman , this downtrodden policeman, trying to solve cases , murder trying to solve cases, murder and, leer and things like this . and, leer and things like this. and what they go back to del boy, what they think that's still boy . but no, they didn't. still boy. but no, they didn't. the first episode went out , i the first episode went out, i think it was 1992. yeah, in

december . think it was 1992. yeah, in december. yeah. and the next day it went straight to the top of the charts and we never looked back. we only did three at the beginning that year and we carried on and we carried on for another 17 and a half years. so no people got away from that idea and they could see that david was you as an actor? i view as an actor, yes. because he a precarious very much a perfectionist. you can get great roles. but the goal or the income goes to nothing. yes that's got to be the dream, isn't it? working with david, a popular tv series? it is it. do you 17 years out of it? you get 17 years out of it? i mean, it is and you're absolutely right and i do thank him not. only him. but who ever looked down on me? yes and what it does for you as well, if you're lucky enough to get into a successful opens up a successful series, it opens up many , many doors for you. so many, many doors for you. so with that with . the what can i with that with. the what can i say? the profile that it gave me, it meant that i got a lot of work off the back of. it yeah. well then i went into the

mousetrap . longest running play mousetrap. longest running play in the world. i did that on three different occasions. pantomime which you're still doing. i still doing i finished two weeks ago and i've been doing panto now. i did three six with jim davidson . yeah. who you with jim davidson. yeah. who you will now. yeah so yes it opened many, many doors and if you're not doing that you're on cruise is due. cruise is. yes, i do. do actors ever retire ? i hope not. actors ever retire? i hope not. but i must say , i'm now coming but i must say, i'm now coming up but i must say, i'm now coming up to 80. yep, yep i'm coming up to 80 and i've been now doing it for 62 years. and i've been so, so lucky and so , so fortunate so lucky and so, so fortunate and, able to do all that work that i've done. but my wife and my daughter, laura have been saying to me, dad, you really slow down and they're right. certainly with pantomime twice a day to shows a day at work yeah, but you seem to have an energy and enthusiasm for it and it's all here, not just because you were obviously quite worried

about being typecast as george yes, from the yorkshire frost, but you've obviously been. no, i haven't . no, i've played many haven't. no, i've played many part, hence the name. yep. not the title , not just george. so the title, not just george. so it's meant that i've played many other parts since then . doctors, other parts since then. doctors, lawyers , even judges . and that's lawyers, even judges. and that's helped with the voice as . well, helped with the voice as. well, advice . so a young man or a advice. so a young man or a young woman thinking about a career in acting ? yeah, well, it career in acting? yeah, well, it is difficult. it's probably more difficult now than it was when i started in 64. there was a lot of work about now on there's not as work for actors and also in theatre. and if you go i do tours of plays which i do but all those plays that go out now they've only got maybe four actors, five actors in them, whereas years ago you would have had ten actors. now it's one set for actors. so it is difficult, but if you want to try it too, it's no good saying in ten years

time, oh, if . it's no good saying in ten years time, oh, if. but you've it's no good saying in ten years time, oh, if . but you've got to time, oh, if. but you've got to be ready for a lot of knock backs to follow your dreams in life. you have indeed drawn a line as you see one of the most contented people i've ever had. this program i am. well, please, i am. and i'm a very lucky actor . what a strength to that. and also in my private life. thank you. brilliant. thank you . okay? you. brilliant. thank you. okay? i've got 2 minutes left. it's barrage the barrage. what have you sent me today? i have no idea . mick asks when will the idea. mick asks when will the nhs diverse diversity trainers go on strike and constitute a national emergency. i don't think we'd miss the diversity trainers , the nhs one little trainers, the nhs one little bit. any more than we would in the home office whitehall. behind me . the home office whitehall. behind me. but we do have a major problem with the nhs and the problem is we keep pumping more money and we're not getting at the other end the return and

we've got to think about it very, very hard. and at least there is now a debate on this even keir starmer saying that we have a sentimental attachment to the nhs, but that cannot cloud us . it needs the nhs, but that cannot cloud us. it needs to be the nhs, but that cannot cloud us . it needs to be reformed the nhs, but that cannot cloud us. it needs to be reformed . us. it needs to be reformed. richard asks why we not putting our homeless people in hotels to help them get back on their feet? we can afford it. richard. i think this is a sort of slightly backhanded way of saying , do people across the saying, do people across the engush saying, do people across the english channel go into four star when we have vat? star hotels when we have vat? even veterans that significant numbers of living on our streets . i do numbers of living on our streets .i do get numbers of living on our streets . i do get the point and of course any civilised party wants to help those people that have fallen through the net of a living homeless. but it's not as quite as simple as it sounds because not everybody in that situation actually wants be helped. and very often there are deeper psychological drink or drug issues . deeper psychological drink or drug issues. i get deeper psychological drink or drug issues . i get the point drug issues. i get the point you're making, but it is an

absolutely a dunk. now, i advertised last night farage at large we're going out round the country with this show doing live audiences and i put seven dates up on your screen and i have to tell you from aberdeen from aberdeen luton is sold . from aberdeen luton is sold. exodus sold out. bolton's sold out newcastle sold out. norwich have sold out. aberdeen are sold . and that within 24 hours of advertising them, there's a few tickets left next thursday in crawley gbnews.uk, but that's it for me. i would hand you over now to laurence fox . good now to laurence fox. good evening, nigel. tonight we will be talking about fishing , mental be talking about fishing, mental health and whether we've let down the younger generation generation . hello. the weather generation. hello. the weather stays cold during the next 24 hours. frost, ice , and in some hours. frost, ice, and in some places, further snow , blizzards places, further snow, blizzards and drifting snow in scotland,

meanwhile, across the north of scotland, we've got this area of low pressure that's bringing some heavy rains , sleet and snow some heavy rains, sleet and snow to the northern isles . it's to the northern isles. it's going to push a stronger wind into the north of the mainland, along with inland blizzard conditions and drifting snow . so conditions and drifting snow. so above 100 metres for northern scotland, predominantly we'll see the worst of the conditions with further 15 centimetres of snow building up and gale force winds leading to blizzards drifting during tuesday evening . that does tend to ease later in the night. further wintry showers in the west. mixture of rain, sleet and snow and a cold night to come with temperatures a few degrees below freezing in many risk icy many spots and a risk of icy patches, towards the patches, especially towards the west the south. so watch out west and the south. so watch out for those. first thing, there'll be showers of and be further showers of rain and sleet across southwest england, wales ireland wales and northern ireland dunng wales and northern ireland during , there will during wednesday, there will still showers coming into the still be showers coming into the nonh still be showers coming into the north sea along with a strengthening rain strengthening breeze and rain and the snow and sleet around the coast. snow inland hills. but in inland and over hills. but in between , especially through the between, especially through the central swathe , plenty of sunny

central swathe, plenty of sunny skies and 5 to 6 celsius in the south four degrees in the north, making it a little less cold compared with tuesday, but with a stronger breeze might feel just as chilly then the breeze that drops out on wednesday nights with , clear skies. for nights with, clear skies. for many, it's going to be another frosty night widely . once again, frosty night widely. once again, there'll be some icy patches around first thing thursday and temperatures across the country away from coastal areas, a degree or two below freezing. but into thursday morning. we've got an area of and light rain pushing into cornwall that's just brushing the southwest and they'll be further sleet and snow showers into the north of scotland along with a brisk wind from the north. but in between actually for many it's a fine . actually for many it's a fine. on thursday, sunny spells but still feeling quite chilly . still feeling quite chilly. friday brings thicker cloud into the west but also we'll see milder air spreading from .

good evening. you're with gb news in a moment headlines. but first let's bring you the latest news headline this hour and february , likely to be a month february, likely to be a month of disruption to public services as schools and the rail network, as schools and the rail network, as well as nurses and civil service is all plan to stage industrial action. train drivers with the rmt and aslef unions will be striking on the first and 3rd of february in a long running overjobs, pay and conditions , the action coincides conditions, the action coincides with 100,000 civil servants walking out from jobs. meanwhile, more than 70,000 university staff , the university university staff, the university and college union will stage the first of 18 days of strike, as well as teachers . the national well as teachers. the national education union for seven days in february and march in a dispute overpay . well, also in dispute overpay. well, also in the news today, the home

secretary says the independent