hello there. it's 6:00 on michelle dewberry and this is dewbs & co of the show where dewbs& co of the show where we'll get into some of the things that have got you talking. let's face it, something that's got everyone talking recently is doom and gloom , because six months at gloom, because for six months at least , all gloom, because for six months at least, all we've had about now is fact that this is is the fact that this country is on bnnk is the fact that this country is on brink of an economic on the brink of an economic catastrophe. the most recent catastrophe. but the most recent figures i have to say. okay, i know they are not fantastic, but they have been a lot better than expected , said things haven't expected, said things haven't been as bad as perhaps they

could have been asking, is it time now for a little blast of positivity about britain's prospects .7 i think so. but prospects? i think so. but i suspect that many of you might disagree with me and the head of the food standards agency has said that we should all stop bringing cake and sugary snacks into our office because our colleagues might be tempted to overeat. goodness me , is this overeat. goodness me, is this all a little bit lecturing? a bit nanny state? a bit step too far, or is it simply helpful advice? and the church of england, after five years of constant fashion, has closed the church door on same sex marriages. they will allow priests to bless a civil partnership, but not to conduct the actual ceremony. is that fair enough or is it basically turning a cold shoulder to gay christians ? and finally, the christians? and finally, the labour party is adopted. the mantra of take back control, where we had that before, not least though they're focusing their attentions on things like devolution and removing power control from london. do you

think that is indeed the cure to the economic inequality that exists in this country? and finally , the way to get us all finally, the way to get us all levelled or for stepping up on gauging hope or whatever the terminology is we're supposed to use these days. give me all your thoughts on that. but first, let's bring us to speed. let's bring us also up to speed. what's nice place is headlines what's a nice place is headlines . michelle, thank you and good evening to you. the prime minister has said he wants to ensure all serving police officers in the force are fit to serve all forces in britain will now have to double check their officers and staff against the national police database to identify anybody who shouldn't be in the service serving officer david carrick was sacked from the metropolitan police yesterday after admitting to 49 criminal charges , including 24 criminal charges, including 24 counts of rape against 12 women over an 18 year period. rishi sunak called the abuse of power

seen by the met this week as despicable and something that needed to be addressed immediately . needed to be addressed immediately. i think needed to be addressed immediately . i think the vetting immediately. i think the vetting process is have been significantly strengthened over the past couple of years and this particular individual and corporate would not have passed those vetting process is today . those vetting process is today. but what we want to do is make sure that there aren't serving police officers anywhere at any stage career indeed stage in their career or indeed staff forces who staff in police forces who shouldn't be there as nurses in england staged a two day strike, the labour leader is urging the prime minister to admit the nhs is in crisis. members of the royal college of nursing from 55 nhs trusts are all walking out in a long running dispute over pay in a long running dispute over pay and patient, safe day. thousands of operations and appointments are expected to be cancelled . speaking at a cancelled. speaking at a hospital in harrow , though, the hospital in harrow, though, the health secretary, steve barclay said patients are the real losers during strikes and he insisted he is working constructive really with unions

. this isn't affordable, it'd be an extra . this isn't affordable, it'd be an extr a £56 billion a year and an extra £56 billion a year and obviously that would take money away from patients services, essential services that we need to invest in given the backlogs we have from the pandemic. so we're focusing in particular that investment, that we're focusing in particular that investment, tha t £6.6 that investment, that £6.6 billion of extra investment over the next two years into the front line, into patient services to deal with those could be back . meanwhile 10,000 could be back. meanwhile 10,000 ambulance workers are to go out on strike in the coming weeks as part of their ongoing dispute over pay and staffing levels . over pay and staffing levels. paramedics, emergency care assistants and call handlers will all walk out on the sick the february and the 20th of march. the union says it's been left no choice following no action from the government . action from the government. rishi sunak insists the government is working to improve access to emergency care. but sir keir starmer said patients are left waiting for hours . mr. are left waiting for hours. mr. speaken are left waiting for hours. mr. speaker, it's 12:03. if somebody phones, if somebody phones 999

now because they have chest pain, some fear it might be a heart attack when with the prime minister expect an ambulance to arrive . and i know . mr. speaker, arrive. and i know. mr. speaker, it's absolutely right that people can rely on the emergency services when they need them and that's why we're rapidly implementing measures to improve of the delivery of ambulance times and indeed urgent and emergency care. but i'd say to the honourable gentleman, if he cares about ensuring that patients get access to lifesaving emergency care when they need it, why won't he support our minimum safety? legislate meanwhile, the education secretary has been holding talks with the national education union in a bid to stop their strike action next month. teachers are planning to walk out for seven days across february and march . the union february and march. the union says no real progress on pay has been made and they're no nearer to a solution . as you've been

to a solution. as you've been hearing, the rate at which pnces hearing, the rate at which prices are rising has slowed for the second month in a row. but the second month in a row. but the cost of some food has hit a 45 year high. the office for national statistics says the rate of inflation fell to ten and a half% in december. that's down from 10.7 last month. it says falling fuel prices were largely behind the slowdown with the average petrol cost down by 8.3 pence a litre since last month. now, a missing couple and their newborn baby have enough cash to allow them to stay off grid. that's according to the latest statement from police investigating the disappearance . mark gordon, constance martin and their child of a missing for 11 days. they were last seen getting into a taxi to london from essex . mr. gordon is a sex from essex. mr. gordon is a sex offender while ms. martin comes from a wealthy, aristocratic family . the police worry that family. the police worry that ms. martin and the baby have not

had enough medical attention since the birth . and lastly, since the birth. and lastly, internet journal news. and at least 14 people, including one child, have been killed in a helicopter to crash near ukraine's capital, kyiv. ukrainian officials stated more had died earlier , but local had died earlier, but local emergency services have revised the final number. ukraine's interior minister and his first deputy were among those who lost their lives in the crash , which their lives in the crash, which happened near a nursery in the town of bravery. the cause of the crash isn't yet known. you're up to date on tv, online and dab plus radio with gb news the people's channel. when it's time for and co. thanks for that and welcome, everybody. i'm with you until 7:00 tonight alongside me, we've

got the former brexit party mep and now the ceo of first property group, ben habib. let's not forget if you're a regular viewer, you will remember that ben habib is also the man that said he would never give me a job. i didn't say never. you could retake your gcse. yes as long as i actually read gcse then he might might give me a chance. but i believe you should be able to handle rejection in this day and age and this allowed back on again. also alongside him, the political commentator , joe phillips. good, commentator, joe phillips. good, good evening. welcome. i want to said good afternoon good afternoon i remember i've afternoon and i remember i've being long actually today being so long actually today it's longer holding it's it's no longer holding it's probably thursday friday what day. depends you're day. oh depends where you're watching me. watching from. they called me. good you. good good morning to you. good afternoon. anyway, afternoon. good evening. anyway, whatever it is to whatever time of day it is to you, it's 6:00 and you're very, very welcome with us tonight. you know, the drill as well. so it's just about us. it's it's not just about us. it's about you at home as well. get in all the usual ways. in touch in all the usual ways. sheep use gbnews.uk or twitter. if that's thing, you can if that's your thing, you can

tweet me at gb news. my favourite thing . my favourite favourite thing. my favourite part of the show is your comments. i have to say on what i look like, what would i do without guys there at home without you guys there at home to me and my fashion to critique me and my fashion choices? phil, you said i've brought memories of your childhood back to watching what you races with. penelope pitstop . you remember that? i do . lots . you remember that? i do. lots of you saying, you've got to put your sunglasses on tonight because i'm dazzling you . but because i'm dazzling you. but you is too much doom you know what is too much doom and out there right now is and gloom out there right now is not decided. so bring a bit of brightness, bit positivity brightness, a bit of positivity to this world. if you're listening, you can't what listening, you can't see what i'm just it for i'm wearing. just take it for me. i absolutely fabulous. me. i look absolutely fabulous. speaking the brightness speaking of the brightness that i to the studio i want to bring to the studio tonight, i'll tell why. it's tonight, i'll tell you why. it's because our top story tonight, all ever see and read and all we ever see and read and hear and everything is doom and gloom at the moment in this countries. and it strikes costs gloom at the moment in this co living,. and it strikes costs gloom at the moment in this co living, crisisit strikes costs gloom at the moment in this co living, crisis catapults:osts gloom at the moment in this co living, crisis catapults ,ists of living, crisis catapults, where you cannot afford to put your heating on, you name it. it's very depressing stuff. and when at all the when you look at all the predictions so predictions predictions, so many predictions right everything is

right now, how bad everything is going but we've been going to be, but we've been paying going to be, but we've been paying attention because if paying keen attention because if you might have noticed you have, you might have noticed it. is as bad as it. not everything is as bad as predicted expected. for predicted than expected. for example , inflation is better example, inflation is better than we expected. the property market, apparently there's supposed to be a massive crash that hasn't really happened or doesn't seem have and doesn't seem to have been. and we've had a graph on gdp. we've even had a graph on gdp. i'm wondering so get a lot for right now. i was just i didn't even get to the end of my sentence. ladies and gentlemen, i was just about to say, is it time for a bit of positivity? but before i go, cinemas and disney was laughing. do disney was laughing. so do i take it? well, only you don't think it is all the gdp think it is only all the gdp point. i mean, it's rounding point. i mean, it's a rounding errors and we have growth of 0.1% november. is 0.1% in november. that is a rounding error. i think there is some positivity in the medium in the . what you the immediate term. what do you mean surrounding mean by the weight surrounding it? because lots of the predictions was actually saying they predicting that they were predicting that the economy going contract by economy was going to contract by about it didn't. but it about 0.2. so it didn't. but it may it may revised down. about 0.2. so it didn't. but it may know,y revised down. about 0.2. so it didn't. but it may know, these revised down. about 0.2. so it didn't. but it may know, these are evised down. about 0.2. so it didn't. but it mayknow, these are preliminary. you know, these are preliminary figures . they then get checked figures. they then get checked and maybe i'm being

and yeah, maybe i'm being positive. i said there there is some there is some optimism there some good news in the immediate term. and the good news is, as you said, inflation has dropped a bit, particularly the cost of gas in the news. you know , the newsreader mentioned know, the newsreader mentioned the cost of petrol coming down, but actually gas has halved in in costs since last month. and of course, that has two benefits. it it benefits the consumer, but it also benefits the government because the government had capped the cost of government finances of gas. so government finances under less pressure. interest rates have dropped and actually gilts have had a very good month, which that the bank month, which means that the bank of funnily enough, made of england, funnily enough, made a gilts. do you a profit on the gilts. do you remember it had gilts remember it had to buy gilts after the mini budget. it's actually profit on the actually made a profit on the purchase of those skills ago now though it doesn't that it does, but it made a £3 billion profit. so not to sneezed at. so that's not to be sneezed at. so that's not to be sneezed at. so think in the immediate term so i think in the immediate term , things looking as bad , things aren't looking as bad as they were. i said to as they were. but i said to emily carver, who was sitting in for you last week, that actually

the fundamental issue the really fundamental issue with economy is not so much with our economy is not so much the debt level, which is horrendous , but over time can be horrendous, but over time can be managed, not so much tax rates , managed, not so much tax rates, which over time could be cut, even though they're at a post—world war two high or inflation, which over time would come down the real problem with the economy , as far as i'm the economy, as far as i'm concerned, is that it does not pay concerned, is that it does not pay to work . so when you look at pay to work. so when you look at the medium to long term, because your net wages that you get, if you're a median , if you're you're a median, if you're earning the median wage in the uk or worse, less than the median wage is actually not a million miles away from what you would get in benefits. so we've lost the need to work. we've become quite a benefits culture, a wealth distribution culture and you know , that's really and you know, that's really damaging for the medium to long term. we've got to get people back into the workplace . back into the workplace. unemployment is at historic lows, but unemployment figures only measure those who are looking for work. we've actually got 5.6 million people on

universal credit , a staggering universal credit, a staggering number of people depending on the state. and actually, you say we've reduced people's need to work actually by paying so many people to sit at home and then continuing with this whole kind of work from home thing. not only if we reduce the need, but the desire to work. these days as well is on the decline. if you ask me. but joe phillips, have you got positivity about the as well? i would the country as well? i would say it worm at the end of it was a glow worm at the end of a tunnel. you know, it may a tunnel. you you know, it may be that inflation has peaked, but i think there are several things to take into consideration. one is that, you know, boost it happened with know, the boost it happened with consumer spending because of the world cup and christmas. now we're going into the traditionally, you know, regardless of economic crisis, this period is really bad for consumer spending . everybody's consumer spending. everybody's tightening their belts after the christmas. of living is christmas. the cost of living is still very high . and whilst the still very high. and whilst the inflation rate is dropped, a fragment food inflation is horrific . and i think the

horrific. and i think the problem is that , you know, even problem is that, you know, even if we all sat here and all three of us said, no, it's great news, things are looking up, it's not looking up. when you go and do your weekly shop or when you're paying your weekly shop or when you're paying your train fare paying for your train fare or when you're going to buy the kids school uniforms, or you're thinking filling cup, thinking about filling the cup, you ben says the cost you know. and ben says the cost of has come the cost of gas has come down. the cost of gas has come down. the cost of fuel is gone. but it is still very, high. and i think very, very high. and i think there be questions. it is there will be questions. it is as comes . and think also as this comes. and i think also the is this delay the other thing is this delay say that whilst this might be an indication the pressure is indication that the pressure is not great on manufacturers not so great on manufacturers and suppliers, it will take quite a long time to trickle through to customers. so i think, you know, in terms of feeling good, i think we're a long way from that. yeah. and you know, i am a capitalist at heart, ben. i do admit that often and i don't mind a little bit of profit making, but we talk about food inflation and all it. and you say all the rest of it. and you say about might take time about all things might take time struggle i think struggle through. i think actually a lot of actually there's a lot of products, all rest of it

products, all the rest of it that are just being round off for no reason other than the can . and it annoys me undoubtedly . . and it annoys me undoubtedly. you know who in the end is going to foot the bill. it is always the consumer. ultimately manufacturers put up their pnces manufacturers put up their prices , wholesalers put up their prices, wholesalers put up their prices, wholesalers put up their prices, retailer put up their pnces prices, retailer put up their prices and this is the consumer that fits the bill. and that's why wage growth is important. but the other aspect that i think seems to be entirely lost on this government is that cutting taxes puts more money into people's pockets just as wage growth does. and it actually if you cut taxes, it makes it pay to work. so it's socially a much better tool to use rather than just raising wages and raising the public sector bill, which happens if you cut taxes, it administration tried that whole technique of cutting got language to wage wage growth ends up in the same place you end up with the government picking up the tab anyway . so i government picking up the tab anyway. so i think government picking up the tab anyway . so i think cutting taxes anyway. so i think cutting taxes , reducing the burden on the

individual, reducing the burden particularly on the working and middle classes in these straitened times, is a really critical thing. the government has to get to grips with our budget for that. joe cutting taxes. but a lot of my viewers will actually be saying raise the for people that have the taxes for people that have got higher incomes and it's higher. well, and that's why liz truss and kwasi kwarteng went so wrong because the headline was about, you know, a cut for the tax rate or abolishing the tax rate on on bankers bonuses. i mean, what's actually going to happenis mean, what's actually going to happen is because tax rates have been frozen, then as people get , they won't know about bankers bonuses. , they won't know about bankers bonuses . by the way, those two bonuses. by the way, those two things got conflated. well getting rid of the 45, bring it back down to four and cap on bonuses. but those two things that got conflated. but in the end it was the very wealthy who would rather than would have benefited rather than the also, know, the rest. and also, you know, i mean, got it wrong for mean, they got it wrong for a variety of reasons, least of variety of reasons, not least of all they didn't go through all that. they didn't go through the bill and they didn't publish their but you their findings. but you know, that ancient history.

that was ancient history. liz truss aeons ago. truss was, you know, aeons ago. but think, you know, as wages but i think, you know, as wages might creep up and the rise, some indication they've gone up about private sector about 7% in the private sector and about 3% in the public sector. but in real terms, because of inflation , it's still because of inflation, it's still a net loss . but that will then a net loss. but that will then take people into the tax brackets that have now been frozen. well, that's the problem with that high tax setting that you might find that you get a wage increase, but you're then paying wage increase, but you're then paying more tax so you won't feel any benefit. and that's the conundrum , i think, facing the conundrum, i think, facing the go. ask you at home, how go. let me ask you at home, how do you feel at the moment? i'm trying of trying to give examples of things that are a little bit more statistic, more positive statistic, actually, at least at least on paper feel like paper. but do you feel like things are getting better or do you sit there and feel more positive optimistic? or positive and optimistic? or i anxiously, michel, you know, talking about but i think i think your point, michel, about the cost of living and the point that you're making to bend it is , i would think, almost undeniable that many, many

supermarkets are just racking up the prices at an alarming rate. yeah, i think they are. and i think shame on them actually, because then you have all of these supermarkets that buy products and i look at and i think, come on now there is no way exactly your supply chains have put this pressure on, not increase by that much. yeah, i think it's something that, you know what, food inflation in know what, food inflation is in germany. well, i mean , germany. well, 20. i mean, that's i walked and what's that? but what was was though but what was i was though i thought i was was about this thought i was was about 60 this is than the headline rate is higher than the headline rate of but 16% just for of inflation but 16% just for december. but overall it's 30. but mean, things like bread , but i mean, things like bread, butter and milk and cheese have gone up. absolutely phenomenally. but if you look at something like i think it was a tin of high end soup or a heinz beans or something that have gone up something . like gone up from something. like $0.75 gone up from something. like $075t gone up from something. like $0.75 t 0 £1.87. and you sort $0.75 to £1.87. and you sort think, hang on a minute. you know , that is not pos sible for know, that is not pos sible for it to be that much. but i think

those kind of things should be named and shamed. well i think the supermarkets, you know, we we've heard in the last few weeks, you know, some of the leading supermarkets been leading supermarkets have been making profit . well, making a lot of profit. well, some of them also to be fair, are actually paying their way workers more . i think one workers more. i think one company has already announced its third increase in the last year. its third increase in the last year . so all its third increase in the last year. so all of its third increase in the last year . so all of those its third increase in the last year. so all of those things are to be taken into the private sector as much , much ahead of sector as much, much ahead of the curve than the putting in the curve than the putting in the public sector. yeah well, let me know. i'm specifically interested. do you feel any better off at the moment? feel any more optimistic at the moment? your thoughts on moment? i want your thoughts on that. got so much going on that. i've got so much going on tonight i want to talk tonight as well. i want to talk tonight as well. i want to talk to you about devolution. do we need more of it in england and what look like to what would that look like to you? would work? gay you? how would it work? gay marriage, do you think is marriage, do you think that is what england what the church of england should be doing or not? nannies do need people to tell you do you need people to tell you not take cakes into work ? it not to take cakes into work? it might make people fat. i've never understood that. by the way, it's your birthday, way, when it's your birthday, you're be the person

you're supposed to be the person taking cake and don't think, taking the cake and don't think, oh, birthday, want the cake oh, my birthday, i want the cake provided let me know provided to me. but let me know what thoughts that. what your thoughts on that. but i'm asking are you feeling i'm asking you are you feeling better , more wealthy or more better, more wealthy or more optimistic at the moment? i want your thoughts on that. on devolution , collins been in devolution, collins been in touch saying i live in a devolved country in wales. it's been a disaster. you can witness the state of the nhs in wales and the waste money caused by and the waste of money caused by the shop and its hanger the talking shop and its hanger on say? i've on departments. you say? i've got was asking got to say, colin, i was asking this a couple of days this question a couple of days ago. starmer reckons ago. keir starmer reckons he's the man. so out the nhs. why then the labour run nhs in then is the labour run nhs in wales in such a situation? why are they testing out all these great policies in thought processes that poll says the processes on that poll says the more i say often, the more i am convinced that if make an excellent prime minister thank so much says i don't speak that much sense he told me wouldn't hire i'll never forget that hire me. i'll never forget that every i see him go every single time i see him go off because it doesn't involve maths. michelle actually maths. michelle well, actually i could a contractor then. you could be a contractor then. you don't have to me. you don't have to employ me. you

could just contract the services to the tax to me, do it outside the tax net. you in getting the job done. oh, hey. hey, we'll go to break minute. can i have break in a minute. can i have a proper chat about it? i might not be here after the break, hoping be against hoping i'll be against a subcontract to myself. to ben. ben it says liz truss had the right but it didn't suit right idea, but it didn't suit the and the banks. the stock market and the banks. now they're blaming for now they're all blaming liz for the because the the inflation because of the mini she never had mini budget, but she never had time to implement. right. time to implement. he's right. he's spot on that man. yep keep regardless of any glimmer of an upswing in the economy, the uk's future is culturally bleak and avoidable downward spiral into worked dystopia. what's it is brainwashed university ideologues hold the levels of power. well i started my segment saying is it time to be a bit more positive? i got to say, i think the short answer is you're not all sharing my positivity , not all sharing my positivity, boss. i did get a glow worm at the end of a total, so i'll take that quite well on my head. i'll go to a break. when i come back, i will have of your i will have some of your responses to that topic. we've just been getting into, also just been getting into, but also

the food standards the head of the food standards agency as saying, it agency says, as i was saying, it shouldn't take into work for your colleagues to basically date get date to watch. they might get fat. so we need that kind of advice. is that bit nanny advice. is that a bit nanny state is it just simple, state or is it just simple, commonsense? me and commonsense? you tell me and i'll see into .

that. welcome back to dewbs& co with me. michelle dewberry keeping you company until 7:00 tonight alongside it for the former brexit party mep , now the former brexit party mep, now the ceo of property group , ben ceo of property group, ben habib. if i had a pound for everyone that's emailed in so you should be the next prime minister. they're not up to you can't do your maths . actually. can't do your maths. actually. how about 74 in my view. oh i've lost my train of thought. yes. joe phillips. hello. welcome he keeps me company as well.

political common sense. joe phillips. in all seriousness, phillips. no in all seriousness, irrespective of so a of irrespective of my so a lot of people you be prime people want you to be prime minister. go into minister. would you go into politics? habib mean politics? ben habib well, i mean i politics? ben habib well, i mean l yep politics? ben habib well, i mean i yep . i mean politics obviously i yep. i mean politics obviously fascinates me. otherwise i don't want to have another go on all would stand for parliament, for the commons, probably not stand for the commons. i think i can do a lot more outside the commons. i can tilt the debate and i can you know, come on, brilliant shows like this and make points heard and a politician's answer . make points heard and a politician's answer. i'm a prime minister in waiting. what do you think? get in touch. let mina. philip, i'm going to just share this message because i have to say you'll get in trouble for this. because i've said this. philip because i've said this. philip because i've said this a times been in this a few times i've been in trouble. says, michel, trouble. philip says, michel, i haven't any of an haven't seen any sign of an economic slump. i go out economic slump. when i go out all i see is people queuing for coffee and eating out. doesn't seem hard times me. i've seem like hard times to me. i've got say , i have noticed the got to say, i have noticed the opposite to what i often read in the media. if i've tried to go to restaurants, packed, go to car parks, packed restaurants

packed, shops packed and i have kind of thought to myself , i kind of thought to myself, i thought everyone was kind of struggling, but i see differently. maybe i'm looking in the wrong place. it's not in london everywhere. yeah london or everywhere. yeah mayfair is not a great yardstick for the country to hang around the likes of mayfair. i wish i the likes of mayfair. i wish i the one me the best thing. of course. go there all the time there. but no, i travel a lot actually the length and breadth. so i mean i think i think there is a fair point in that. and i think certainly amongst younger people, they don't necessarily think about and i think part of it is the sort of cashless, you know, i'll go and get a coffee or i'll have a muffin, i'll have i'll buy a sandwich. and, you know, you can soon rack up 50 quid a week that's quite quid a week and that's quite a lot of money that could be being saved a house deposit. i saved towards a house deposit. i mean, people are mean, lots of people are struggling hugely . mean, lots of people are struggling hugely. i mean, lots of people are struggling hugely . i have no struggling hugely. i have no doubt about that. for sure. but i think there are other people who perhaps don't realise what they're spending and how much

they're spending and how much they are. it's all on the cards. it's all on the cards. yeah. anyone that works with me on the show will know i am very tight indeed.i show will know i am very tight indeed. i do nothing but whinge about the price of coffees and today i splashed out and i bought my senior produce that coffee cost lunch. coffee and it cost £4 lunch. it's ridiculous. it's ridiculous. that ridiculous. and that was with a discount for pound. that's not bad for two coffees. well, every 335. but i mean, you know, if you're doing that every day, which i would know and wish you time, you wouldn't if he's listening in my head, don't get carried away. i don't get bobby session. you are not going for me. today's christmas present, isn't it? yeah, definitely not getting tea every week getting a cup of tea every week because i what know what. because i take what i know what. and of cake. oh yes, and speaking of cake. oh yes, because what place is right? we are going to talk about cake because the head of the food standards agency is basically suggested that people should talk, stop taking sugary snacks into the office. this is professor susan jebb. she basically says doing so is making it more tempting for your colleagues to overeat . it was

colleagues to overeat. it was expanded a little bit mechanical . it's bizarre analogy some things to do with passive smoking, let's ignore that smoking, but let's ignore that and kind of focus on the and just kind of focus on the premise. do you think we need to be told don't take cakes to the office? no, i don't. and i think, know, and i think think, you know, and i think it's sense. i have to say it's common sense. i have to say that when i worked in an office, i quite nauseating. i found it quite nauseating. i mean, literally nauseating. the amount of cakes and biscuits and things that were constantly coming in because it was always somebody's birthday or something . you know, when i started work, you see across the you couldn't see across the newsroom cigarettes . newsroom floor for cigarettes. and that so you had to go and that was so you had to go back passive smoking back to the passive smoking thing. but i actually think eating in the office and what made me so cross was that, you know, people bring these to the office wall. well, my point is, is that it's i think it's actually quite discussed eating well, eating a meal. yes i do. because you see all these plates of cakes and things and then, you know that next morning there would still be the plates over these awful , you rock hard

these awful, you know, rock hard , cheap. i say laziness of the laziness. well, anyway , i mean laziness. well, anyway, i mean susan jebb did go on to say things about the watershed and advertising of sweets and sweet products which successive governments have failed to implement despite promising to do so. i do think it is common sense . i don't think it's sense. i don't think it's particularly helpful for somebody to say thou shalt not bnng somebody to say thou shalt not bring cake in. but i do also think that it's quite easy to get into a rut and a quite a lot of evidence from health studies does show that a little nudge in the right direction , encouraging the right direction, encouraging people to use the stairs instead of the left to go out, get some fresh air at lunchtime , you fresh air at lunchtime, you know, that sort of thing does help. and you're talking here about people who are predominantly doing sedentary jobs, which we know is not very good for your health. so i think it is a bit of sort of, you know, it's common sense. when did this start anyway, this bringing cake saying, well, i never with you. i've never never start with you. i've never done i'm tired, but it'll done too i'm tired, but it'll never because it

never happen because now when it is birthday, say, i want is my birthday, i'll say, i want to bring cakes in, but it's disgusting what the food standards association me standards association told me not is it nanny state, do you not to is it nanny state, do you think? is it just common think? no. is it just common sense well sense or what, ben? well i completely with you . i completely agree with you. i think, you know, eating in the office over eating in the office can disgusting thing can be quite a disgusting thing to what was. well, i to behold. but what was. well, i mean, you know, it's like we were when we were school. we weren't allowed any weren't allowed to walk any walking think i agree walking eat. and i think i agree with that. go to detention. even if you were sucking a cough. sweet, if you were i mean, sweet, if you were seen. i mean, i eating in the street, i think eating in the street, unless you are, you know , street unless you are, you know, street food or on a beach or maybe chips or something like that. but i think it's disgusting. yeah. oh, the parrot. i mean, i think that's really the think that's not really the debate. debate here is debate. the debate here is a tangent again, but the debate here is the government really doing the right thing by micromanaging the way we live? and as you may have heard me say in the past, michel, you know, we've now lived in 25 years of nanny state. tony blair introduced it . and i say this

introduced it. and i say this often, but it's true. and boris johnson took it to witness status , you know, locking us up. status, you know, locking us up. and i don't want to have a big debate about lockdowns, but locking us up in order to prevent people from getting ill was in social was the ultimate in social intervention. we were told that you can't decide yourself whether you're vulnerable or elderly and prone to get the virus or you feel concerned about getting the virus. you can't make those decisions yourself. the entire country is going to be locked down and we've gone too far with the nanny state. it has become this wetness. and i took photograph wetness. and i took a photograph on the here. i don't know on the way here. i don't know what you're brilliant. you look at that. it works . great at that. it works. great photograph. so every time i come to gb news, i walk up the staircase to patent it and i see this and it makes my eyes roll because i'm being given instructions by someone presumably undecided. collins direction on to navigate the direction on how to navigate the staircase. you know . so that's staircase. you know. so that's the staircase. it says, no move . biles, please. i've got my glasses . it says, i'll read it glasses. it says, i'll read it for you and it says, please use

the lifts. no mobile , please the lifts. no mobile, please hold the handrails. the lifts. no mobile, please hold the handrails . and you hold the handrails. and you reckon that's not a cinch? you know what? i think a lot of this is yeah, i look at stuff is a bad. yeah, i look at stuff like that. i don't see nanny state. what i see is everyone needs to have a look in the mirror because people mirror because too many people dash to sue the government, this institution, be institution, and there will be some entity that uses the stairs. like what? you should use the stairs, trips over because they're using their mobile phone not holding the mobile phone on, not holding the handrail, tries sue handrail, and then tries to sue to ever because oh you to flog ever is because oh you should have told that was should have told me that was a hazard. that's what i blame all this on. i remember going to this law on. i remember going to a very, very large multinational oil company where i was working. and you had to go through a health safety briefing health and safety briefing before you went down this spiral staircase . but that will have staircase. but that will have been, i think, them trying to protect themselves from police . protect themselves from police. i'm sure it is, but it is the sort of point where you think, for goodness but but even for goodness sake, but but even that that fear of that that that that fear of being sued comes out of legislate that has been legislate passion that has been put place by nanny state. put in place by the nanny state. but comes out people

but it also comes out of people not turning around and saying, don't course, don't be ridiculous. course, you've personal you've got to take personal response third response ability. third party liability nanny liability is part of the nanny state. and just want to give state. and i just want to give you stat, i think says you one stat, which i think says it all. when the conservatives took 2010, the civil took office in 2010, the civil service employed 480,000 people because services , for goodness because services, for goodness sake, are meant to be a small state party. then it now employs 510,000 people. that's 30,000 extra people working in the civil service. has our lives, have our lives improved by that percentage ? and the cost of that percentage? and the cost of that is about one and a half billion a year. so you know, there's a cost associated with this nanny state, but don't about the breakdown in the economy . this breakdown in the economy. this is part of it. but there's too much government. there is a huge cost to us all as taxpayers for the for the results of obesity . the for the results of obesity. and we know that that puts a huge burden on the health service . and, you know, it service. and, you know, it causes all sorts of things like diabetes and various other health problems and issues. i mean , you know, you look around

mean, you know, you look around and you see small children that are really overweight now and you think, what on earth look , you think, what on earth look, i'm not against guidance. and i do. i think the pendulum of anarchy, if you like , at one anarchy, if you like, at one extreme and complete, totally tearing government control at the other . the tearing government control at the other. the pendulum is too far over in this direction . the far over in this direction. the electorates being infantilized. we're not being given the opportunity to make decisions for ourselves then and the pendulum has to swing back for if no, if for no other reason, but for economic ones. because we can't afford this as a country. well, you let me know what you think, too. this, by the way, do you think it's a bit nanny state? do you think that the government is to do more eating and eating in public really well on the tube mother, who was that politician? was it ed miliband or whatever the miliband bacon sounds like eating a burger bacon sandwich isn't fine, but i still don't

think we should be balanced. i would. i don't think. but that's part of the problem. why people get fat in the same ways people don't realise, how much they're spending, they're eating without stopping to think, oh, by the way , you mentioned own way, you mentioned our own current trends. get this, more than 80% of children that were born in 2022 who would survive to the age of 65 would be overweight or a based on that, get me appalling and appalling . get me appalling and appalling. it's appalling . i mean get me appalling and appalling. it's appalling. i mean i'm about start a whole other i almost think it's akin to child abuse. well i was about to say the same thing a little bit shouting at me for that's what it is. it's a it's a dereliction of duty as a parent to let your child would you get the state to intervene and legislate against parents? no. but i think you could go some way. and one of the ways is to ban advertising, because we know how it is on hard pressed parents. and you got kids nagging, you know, to get more sugan nagging, you know, to get more sugar, more things, more sugar, more salt. well, that a pester power as well as very powerful

power as well as a very powerful thing that's a whole other thing and that's a whole other a debate in itself if a child is a base based only on dietary situations, of course i'm not saying anything to do with illness or anything like that. is that a form of child abuse? i think that is a debate for another day. is that a divisive and that is for sure. and that will not is for sure. i'm going to take a break. sarah says. i've been banging on about england being the country england being the only country in uk that doesn't have its in the uk that doesn't have its own i've been own parliament. i've been wondering ever wondering why, but nobody ever listens me when i'm listening listens to me when i'm listening to and will be to you, cyril. and that will be coming a little bit later in coming on a little bit later in my programme. do we need more devolution across england? i want thoughts that , want your thoughts on that, boss. want to talk about boss. i also want to talk about the church of england is basically short basically stopped short of allowing its priests to conduct same sex marriages that has divided opinion, i can tell you. do you agree with that. oh, no, tell me and i'll see you .

i'm michael portillo. join me on tv news on a sunday morning for topical discussion. debate arts and culture and sometimes even ethical dilemmas . i don't always ethical dilemmas. i don't always agree with you, michael . michael agree with you, michael. michael portillo sundays on tv news the people's channel, britain's news . channel hello there. welcome back to dewbs& co with me. michelle dewberry with you till 7:00 tonight and alongside me i've got the former brexit party mep and now the ceo of first property group, ben habib and the political commentator joe phillips. lots of you guys have been getting in touch , lots of been getting in touch, lots of you about this subject that will be coming on to in just a second about the church of england and gay marriage. colin says the reality the church england reality is the church of england would the rules on gay would split if the rules on gay marriage were and that marriage were changed. and that is church of england are is why the church of england are stuck status quo rather stuck with the status quo rather than to down be able to

than being to down be able to have a backbone to resist public pressure. do you agree that pressure. do you agree with that or not? david says to many people who've never stepped foot in a church think is their right to tell the church what to do . to tell the church what to do. your thoughts on that, mike says we've had nearly 30 years of devolved government. michelle is achieving nothing apart from promote separatist agendas. i'll be coming on to that as well a bit later on in the program about devolution. do you think that we need more of it? i tell you what. well, i've started something earlier someone something earlier on. someone wrote sense they don't wrote in a sense that they don't see of kind of see much sign of kind of economic struggling their economic struggling in their area where they live. lots of people have written in saying, i completely agree, i live here and i live there . i don't see and i live there. i don't see it. do you see it? do you kind of go out and see coffee shops , of go out and see coffee shops, packed restaurants , shopping packed restaurants, shopping centres and wonder what's going on? you tell me thoughts. vaiews@gbnews.uk is the email address, but let's move for on because church of england bishops have decided that they want allow that priest to

conduct same sex marriages. i mean, we've had about five or so years of consultation on this and it really does kind of divide people as to whether or not this is all of progressive and should happen or whether or not actually it's quite insulting to the religion and the kind of foundations of it. why do you stand joe phillips ? why do you stand joe phillips? i'll come to you first. your thoughts. well, bearing in mind that it took 20 years from the beginning of the movement for the ordination of women to actually the first women priests being all ordained, i think five, six years on this consultation to get two blessings of a civil. same sex partnership is lightning speed for the church of england. it moves at a very, very slow pace. and i think , you know, it is and i think, you know, it is certainly not for me as a non religious and not member of the church of england to even begin to tell them how they should run their operation is because, you

know, the catholic church doesn't allow women priests , the doesn't allow women priests, the church of england does . i think church of england does. i think this is some step towards progress. obviously, there will be people who are disappointed that it doesn't go far enough. but what they're proposing is that if you have a same sex civil partnership ship civil ceremony, you can then go to church and have that a blessing. and that's, by the way, no one's going to be forced into doing exactly, exactly . so i sort of exactly, exactly. so i sort of think, you know, that is it is some progress , not as the some progress, not as the archbishop of canterbury said earlier today, it's not as far as some people would have liked it to go. he's also said and it to go. and he's also said and it's probably too far from for other people, but the church of england is literally a broad church with very conservative views and very , you know, views and very, you know, modernising views. it's sad for gay christians who feel and many of them have been quoted after this announcement saying that we have, you know , we're getting have, you know, we're getting crumbs from the british bishops

. we're being second rate. but .we're being second rate. but it does seem to me that this is somewhere of a pragmatic, happy medium . hmm. somewhere of a pragmatic, happy medium. hmm. ian has somewhere of a pragmatic, happy medium . hmm. ian has literally medium. hmm. ian has literally just a second emailed in saying the church of england has forgotten the prime time rule of commerce. the is always wrong if they refuse to marry such couple, they cannot expect to see those customers again. now, ian makes a point. i mean , the ian makes a point. i mean, the census that was conducted 2021 or whatever, i think that brought that up. yeah, i think it's about 46% of people now identify as being christian . so identify as being christian. so the fairfax sector, it's on the decline in this column, first time below 50. yeah it is on the decline . does that mean that the decline. does that mean that the church should be looking at ways ? oh, goodness me, how can i make myself more progressive and right on and all the rest in order to appeal to the next generation of people or not? well, on the specific issue of gay marriage and, you know,

conducting gay marriages in church , i think that's a huge church, i think that's a huge theological and philosophic debate to be had. and indeed modernisation of the church itself. i think is a very complex affair, but at a very bafic complex affair, but at a very basic level. we discussed that census. i don't know if you recall, michel, the census came out the day i was on with you, and i was reluctant then to give examples of why i thought the church had alienated people . but church had alienated people. but it seems to me remember now. yes. yeah. i was reluctant to do it and i didn't want to offend people. i'm not a hugely religious person, so i've got to be careful. don't want to be be careful. i don't want to be one those people telling the one of those people telling the church what to do. not being a regular it regular attendee myself. but it seems to me that as a as an institution goes, it it either has some god given tenets or it doesn't. and it seems to me just, you know, justin welby has bent over too much in order to modernise the church. i mean, so much so that he gets involved in

every potential issue , which has every potential issue, which has nothing to do with him. so you know, he's got a view on brexit that's got nothing to do with the church. and can i can i can i just finish? that's correct. yes. and that's a good example of why he's alienated people. you know, the majority of this country for brexit. he country voted for brexit. he a dean at trinity college, cambridge, the other day, said , cambridge, the other day, said, jesus christ has got the hallmarks of transgender. i mean, that's an absolute affront. i imagine , to anyone affront. i imagine, to anyone who holds christian values dearly . and the fact that this dearly. and the fact that this this this debate has been going on in the church for 5 to 6 years. should we adjudicate gay marriages? let me just put this into context. there are a quarter of a million gay couples married in the united kingdom . married in the united kingdom. that's 0.8% of the population . that's 0.8% of the population. there are 6000 gay marriages a yeah there are 6000 gay marriages a year. if they can't get on happily with civil arrangements , you know, it just boggles the mind. and i think is an example.

this is a really good example of work where a minority interest is being champ pinned at vast cost to the exclusion of the majority's view and it's just a non—issue. the church and we've wasted five or six years on the subject. yeah. i mean, i have to caveat what i'm about to say by saying that i'm neither gay nor christian, so make that as much wear on my next opinion as you will. but i do find it peculiar that if your you know, i am i was christian . and as a child, was christian. and as a child, i must admit, i think my parents did it more to be trendy than anything else. i think it was more the done thing more than religious reasons, but if you wanted married as a gay wanted to get married as a gay couple and you determined marriage in the sense of the village just aspect because the civil partnership holds the same way in law in terms of either recognising your relationship, partnership, marriage , etc. why partnership, marriage, etc. why do you need to go to a religion

that doesn't recognise that and say , absolutely, i need to do it say, absolutely, i need to do it in this way? why should that religion bend to your demands? yeah the only people who could answer that question are people who are gay christians. we can't . and i think that you know, it would be interesting to see if somebody christian's out there who's got a view on that. but i just want to take issue with ben about are there any game muslims actually, are there any gay muslims watching this that would go to that local mosque and demand that their local imam conduct what you love performing , watching that reaction ? i , watching that reaction? i know, but i'm asking a genuine question i'm not overly religious if you are and you have a religious framework that dictates whatever , how does this dictates whatever, how does this work in terms of, you know, your life has moved on and you think that the relationship should follow? so i'm going to take a break actually, but i want to return to this really ponder it in the and if you are out in the break. and if you are out like a christian, muslim, gay, whatever religion, can you whatever with religion, can you get let me know? gb

get in touch and let me know? gb views a gbnews.uk. i'm just the man and i'll see you . views a gbnews.uk. i'm just the man and i'll see you. in two nine .

and i can say hi there. i'm michelle dewberry. this is dewbs & co dewberry. this is dewbs& co we're with you right through till 7:00 this evening. ben habib to philip still keeps me company. i do . by the way, if company. i do. by the way, if you had sound issues, then i've got to say it was me, not you. we're back and we're talking about. we're going to pick up that conversation. i was just having a second ago, actually, about in the church of about marriage in the church of england. chris says, rather than berating church of england, berating the church of england, michel don't consider michel why don't you consider other religions? i'm not berating anybody . quite frankly, berating anybody. quite frankly, i'm not gay, nor am i a christian . and actually, i'm christian. and actually, i'm trying to understand why it is

seen and requested and demanded that a religion steeped in goodness knows how many years back needs to change to accommodate the needs of today's society. that's a question i'm guessing a ben habib, your thoughts? sorry. well mean. i was just during the break, you know, i mentioned to you that i've got a very close family relation who and catholic relation who is gay and catholic and devout catholic, and quite devout catholic, believe or not. but i don't believe it or not. but i don't think he would i don't think he would wish i haven't asked him, but i don't think he would wish to get married in a church. i don't think would see it as don't think he would see it as as a necessity. and he'd takes from his religion, whatever he whatever gets . you whatever succour he gets. you know, it's a very deeply personal thing, isn't it? i'm trying to find someone out there. is there is there anyone watching this that is religion . watching this that is religion. so religious and gay and would want a marriage within the confines of your religion. it has to be church of england, by the way. it can be anything you tell me. get in touch if you like. you see you could. you

could have been having this argument several ago when gay couples civil couples wanted to have civil ceremonies have their ceremonies and to have their relationships and relationships validated and legalised and, you know, for all sorts reasons, tax, pensions children , property as well as children, property as well as everything else. that was a long fight to get same sex marriage. recognise it and civil partnerships and it's been says this is such a very personal thing for anyone who is you know a devout believe what is it specifically about needing to have this ceremony because the marriage ceremony is specifically recognised within religion as often between a man and a woman. but we will you can have your civil partnership, you get all the kind of respects and everything and equality in law. you can also now go to the church of england and you can get that bless. so your relationship recognised under relationship is recognised under the framework that religion.

the framework of that religion. you treated equally you between are treated equally and respect . so is it and with respect. so what is it 7 and with respect. so what is it ? why is that not enough? but say this is work , this is this say this is work, this is this is minority is getting in this case the religion to take the knee to their demands. i think and i see it a break i see it as and i see it a break i see it as a breakdown in the fabric of our country. i think they talk , they country. i think they talk, they attack our culture. they this is the woke. i'm not done by gay people. i'm talking about the woke attack, our cultural heritage , our self—confidence, heritage, our self—confidence, because that they're promoting a political ideology . and they political ideology. and they want to they want they want to get to they want to get the church to take the knee and woke is a deeply, deeply damaged thing . it's not an ideology . thing. it's not an ideology. it's a deep, damaging movement . it's a deep, damaging movement. you know, it's this championing of minority rights, ostensible championing of minority rights , championing of minority rights, the detriment if necessary, of the detriment if necessary, of the majority. and that's i've got a real problem with that. yes. but then let's talk about

yesterday's news, if you like, that dismissing something as for women, police officers or women who complained about the behaviour of rapists, a serving police officer, but that's they, that's not i mean that's but it is because it's the sort of thing that people we see people will latch on, people who perhaps aren't as bright or as educated as you and go, oh, if you can't take a joke, you shouldn't police shouldn't be in the police force. it'sjust shouldn't be in the police force. it's just bit shouldn't be in the police force. it'sjust bit of shouldn't be in the police force. it's just bit of banter force. it's just a bit of banter . wrong with you? . what's wrong with you? love wrong month or wrong time in the month or something that . that sort something like that. that sort of dismissive , you know, in the of dismissive, you know, in the same way that banter excuse is appalling behaviour, homophobe , appalling behaviour, homophobe, misogynistic, racist . so too misogynistic, racist. so too does writing anything requiring an institution to change the way it's well , i an institution to change the way it's well, i think in terms of the police force it's about time. that's what i'm talking about. the church, you know, but the church. but the church changed to have women ordained . changed to have women ordained. this is a conversation within

the church of england and, you know, to a certain extent, i don't think any of us three can possibly understand why it is so important for a gay christian to want to get married in church. i mean, in the same way as, you know, why does anybody want to get married in church? apart from that, it's usually prettier than a register office. i always wanted to get married church, wanted to get married in church, but that was kind . but only because that was kind. the dream you're sold as the dream that you're sold as a girl. this long white dress, which is a different thing to, you know, saying . but if you if you know, saying. but if you if you know, saying. but if you if you feel that because of your sexuality, even if you're in a syllabus, same sex relationship, if you feel the church that is, you know , the guiding light of you know, the guiding light of your life and the way you live your life and the way you live your life and the way you live your life is treating you as lesser than somebody else, then obviously that's a an issue for some people, but i don't think that's work. i think it's i think it's such a personal issue. yeah well, get in touch with your thoughts. bishops by

the way, a jew this week , i the way, a jew this week, i think it is to apologise , think it is to apologise, actually, to members of the lgbtq, whatever that the terminology is the right one. now, apparently they want to apologise for the way that that community has been treated by the church. barbara has been in touch, saying most people a rule bookin touch, saying most people a rule book in their place of work do. if so, why then does everyone seem to think it's okay to change their gear? hey then alex deakin here with your latest weather update from the met office. it's cold and frosty again overnight and indeed for much of tomorrow. most not seeing any showers. but where we are seeing showers, they are a wintry mix of sleet, snow and hail, low pressure just edging away from the east. winds still coming down from the north. a subtle shift in the wind direction, bringing more showers into north wales, northwest england. so some snow possible here and things could turn icy . here and things could turn icy. we have a number of met office yellow warnings for yellow warnings in place for snow ice and icy conditions. snow and ice and icy conditions.

also possible across the south—west of england for many central and eastern parts is just dry and clear and cold, minus two, minus three to start the day. that's in towns and cities , rural spots cities, rural spots significantly lower. so a frosty start to thursday, still some sleet and snow showers for north—west england. northwest of northern ireland, and more snow coming in to northern scotland, although here maybe turning a little bit more to certainly close coast . there'll be a close to coast. there'll be a bit of wind here, but elsewhere out of the winds , temperatures out of the winds, temperatures struggling up above freezing three or four degrees for most in the afternoon, even in the sunny spells . but quickly, sunny spells. but quickly, temperatures dropping back below, freezing through tomorrow evening. so again, a fairly extensive frost . still some extensive frost. still some showers for north wales, northern ireland and particularly northeastern scotland. so again , ice is scotland. so again, ice is likely to be a hazard on friday morning. fog is also likely some dense patches of freezing fog across parts of northern england, north wales and northern ireland could last for most of friday, but most of us

on friday just dry, fine and sunny a bright, crisp winter's day with temperatures stumbling up a degree or so still below average, but actually with a little breeze in the sunshine shouldn't feel too bad. 5 to 6 celsius. so the cold weather is persisting . signs of a change persisting. signs of a change slowly . and i do mean slowly. slowly. and i do mean slowly. milder air creeping in from the west over the east will stay cold right through the weekend .

tonight on farage, well, there may be strikes looming but growth figures a few days ago better than expected inflation down today will debate is the worst of the economic crisis behind us. we'll have look at

liz truss. she's trying