i'm mark taylor and welcome to what will be a very busy show. full reaction to the news that interest rates are to be the highest in a decade and what that means for you and, for me and the economy with, wholesale energy prices now lower than they were before the war in ukraine. why do we paying so much to heat our homes. crunching the numbers so you don't have is former statistician from the owners jamie jenkin . oh the government jamie jenkin. oh the government right the inflation is coming down as australia remove all new

monarch from their latest $5 notes is king charles losing his grip on the commonwealth is this his first major setback as king? doesit his first major setback as king? does it prove he hasn't quite got the pulling power of his late, great mother ? i'll be late, great mother? i'll be asking top royal author ingrid seward in my big opinion, ioo seward in my big opinion, 100 days of rishi sunak , my verdict days of rishi sunak, my verdict and reaction from the former editor of the sunday mirror, paul, editor of the sunday mirror, paul , you editor of the sunday mirror, paul, you live in the studio and following the departure of the hugely popular ken bruce as radio two season exodus of listeners to golden oldie radio stations, they've lost half a million listeners in just a quarter of a year. is the bbc in institutionally a just i'll be debating that with legendary former radio four presenter nigel rees, who has been railing against the bbc's obsession with youth and diversity to lost to get through, including big opinion. but first the headlines with polly middlehurst . mark,

with polly middlehurst. mark, thank you and good evening to , thank you and good evening to, you.the thank you and good evening to, you. the top story on gb news tonight . as you've been hearing, tonight. as you've been hearing, the bank of england has raised its base rate from three and a half to 4% today. that's the 10th increase in a row, adding ioth increase in a row, adding that inflation has begun to fall . it also says the uk is set to enter a recession this year, but the economic downturn could be shorter and less severe than previously thought. the chancellor jeremy previously thought. the chancellorjeremy hunt, chancellor jeremy hunt, supported the chancellorjeremy hunt, supported the bank of england's decision. but we it is very difficult for families, businesses up and down the country when interest rates go up. but much harder for them would be if we didn't take decisive steps to bring down inflation. and that's why the bank of england is absolutely right to do what they've done today. right to do what they've done today . and we in the government today. and we in the government must make sure we support them by what i do in the budget to sure that we make it easier , not sure that we make it easier, not harder for them to , do what we harder for them to, do what we all want to do, which is to

halve . lancashire police say halve. lancashire police say they've locate a potential new witness in the search for nicola birley . that's after they had birley. that's after they had released an image of a woman who was seen in the area where the mother of two disappeared. the 45 year old went missing last friday in st michaels on wyre whilst her dog as part of the hunt for nicola bailey. divers are searching the river wyre . are searching the river wyre. now the business secretary is urging energy companies to suspend the practise of forcibly install falling pre—payment leases . install falling pre—payment leases. earlier install falling pre—payment leases . earlier ofgem announced leases. earlier ofgem announced it was an urgent investigation into british gas after reports the contractors working for them had been unreasonably forced . had been unreasonably forced. seeing the pre—payment metres on vulnerable . the boss of british vulnerable. the boss of british gas owner centrica says he's horrified . energy and climate horrified. energy and climate minister stewart says it's appalling . brought all the appalling. brought all the suppliers last week to talk about how we better look after people because there are clear

rules and they have obviously not been followed and i need the regulator, i need the companies to do the right by people who are in the most difficult of circumstances and have been treated on this evidence appallingly. treated on this evidence appallingly . shell the energy appallingly. shell the energy company says its profits have increase by more than 53, with earnings of than increase by more than 53, with earnings of tha n £68 billion earnings of than £68 billion last year. that's the company's highest profit and its 150 year history. the energy giant has benefited from soaring oil pnces benefited from soaring oil prices due to russia's invasion of ukraine. a downing street spokesman has said. the prime minister understands anger over shell's record profits at a time of soaring household energy bills . an independent inquiry. bills. an independent inquiry. the 1998 and bombing has been ordered by the northern ireland secretary. the announcement follows long running legal action brought by michael gallagher, whose son aidan was in the real ira bombing. 29

people died in the explosion in county tyrone. hundreds more were injured . you up date on tv, were injured. you up date on tv, onune were injured. you up date on tv, online and dab radio. this is gb news. the people's . time now for news. the people's. time now for mark sitting in for laurence fox fox . fox. my fox. my thanks to the brilliant polly middlehurst host who returns in an hour's time. middlehurst host who returns in an hour's time . a very packed an hour's time. a very packed hour coming up. my last one of the week as , our new monarch the week as, our new monarch disappears from . australian disappears from. australian banknotes is king losing his grip on the monarchy . more grip on the monarchy. more reaction to rising interest rates. what does it mean for you and for me is inflation genuinely coming down? and with wholesale energy prices falling, why are we still paying so much to heat our homes? is it zero?

and following the departure of the legendary ken bruce and his radio two season exodus of listeners to golden oldie radio stations is the bbc aged. all of that to come . but first my big that to come. but first my big opinion 100 is a nice round , opinion 100 is a nice round, isn't it? it's the century in cricket, a decisive break in snooker and remember the good old days when snooker and remember the good old days whe n £100 in your old days when £100 in your pocket was a lot of money before inflation kicked in, and by reason, standards remaining minister and actually staying at ten for 100 days is a miracle . ten for 100 days is a miracle. sunak hardly got to the best possible start inheriting a poundin possible start inheriting a pound in free fall , an energy pound in free fall, an energy crisis and probable recession . crisis and probable recession. and he wasn't even elected by his own grass roots. so not exactly the strongest mandate for power either . exactly the strongest mandate for power either. but he hit the ground running with swift actions to reassure the international financial market about the bankability of the

united kingdom, which has settled nerves among the rolex. waring financiers upon his largesse. we are now sadly rely , and it's now significantly for britain to borrow money because we are once again trusted as a reasonably safe internationally and sunak's obsession . inflation and sunak's obsession. inflation will likely bear later this year and into 2024, with prices and a boost in the value of the pound in your pockets and your wage packet. things should sunnier as the year goes , it's clear that the year goes, it's clear that the year goes, it's clear that the highest tax burden since the war, a political choice, will add to our economic woes . we add to our economic woes. we might avoid recession if we cut taxes and go the liz truss route . strong argument for that, particularly tax, but sunak begs to differ. he's made a judgement that tackling inflation is the only show in town . everything only show in town. everything else is mere detail. now this has been and will be the biggest

call of his premiership. so far. but if it's the right call, then mrs. sunak start looking at new wallpaper for number 10. the nadhim zahawi tax scandal is a very bad look to say the least. but once he had proof that the ministerial code was broken , ministerial code was broken, sunak again acted . don't forget sunak again acted. don't forget bofis sunak again acted. don't forget boris johnson found it impossible to fire ministers and advisers like dominic cummings and his ill fated trip to barnard castle to remember he was testing his eyesight. he didn't get the sack . what are didn't get the sack. what are the disastrous education secretary gavin williamson stayed in post too long. and of course, boris didn't even sack matt hancock when captured on cctv tv having a snog fest lockdown breaking every rule you can think of . it's my view that can think of. it's my view that when it comes to the strikes, the woke takeover of our society, the crisis and illegal migrant crossings, the

alternative to rishi sunak the cervix for the leader of the opposition is a keir starmer hasn't got a leg to stand on or cervix with half the country effectively on strike. starmer didn't even bring it up at prime minister's questions. clear proof if you needed it, that he is in the pocket of the unions. now today's news of a hike in interest rates , more bad news interest rates, more bad news and an start to the year. credit cards, loans, mortgages will all go up. but the faith, the tunnel at its darkest before you reach the end. perhaps fuelled by brexit derangement syndrome which the political and media elites will try to blame everything on our departure from the eu britain in my view, has been a victim of huge pessimism when it comes to our post pandemic outlook. when it comes to our post pandemic outlook . look no pandemic outlook. look no further than the surprise news that the economy grew in november , but by a small amount. november, but by a small amount. i'll grant you. but more than the contraction that was

predicted. and more news today , predicted. and more news today, in fact, we avoided recession altogether at the of last year and a shallower downturn is anticipated for 2023. so the mood music defines the critics. there are two key questions. after 100 days of rishi. the first one is about his political judgement by identifying the five key things that arguably most to the british people . i most to the british people. i think he passes that test. he has promised. yes promised to tackle nhs waiting lists to grow the economy, to reduce the debt , to halve inflation and to stop the boats. if carlsberg did shopping lists that one would surely qualify . so not knows surely qualify. so not knows what he's got to do and he's got two years in which to make some serious inroads. the next question is about his character. does he have the backbone to see this through? a zero tolerance policy towards illegal migrant crossings will take legal and

political courage . cutting the political courage. cutting the debt will see britain having to live within its means. sunak will be fighting against powerful vested fixing the nhs will require bold and painful reform and halving inflation will involve mother of all fights with the trade unions as he pushes back on their inflation busting demands. strikes are a nightmare for , but strikes are a nightmare for, but they are an opportunity too and could prove to be his thatcher moments in two years time with a choice of prime minister sunak prime minister starmer. i believe it's all to play for. far from faring next election if rishi far from faring next election if fishisunak far from faring next election if rishi sunak delivers on his five point plan, that's an action . point plan, that's an action. can't come soon enough . 100 days can't come soon enough. 100 days could become .

could become. a thousand. let's get reaction to all of those issues with the former editor of the sunday mirror, political commentator and bestselling author of several books , author of several books, including a book all about boris johnson. paul, you. welcome johnson. paul, on you. welcome to studio. evening, to the studio. good evening, mark. go . i'm offering mark. there you go. i'm offering a outlook for four for a sunny outlook for four for rishi sunak. i would argue there's more than a narrow to victory for him, but you're suddenly isn't really shared by the latest opinion polls or indeed from many a tory mp i know who are expecting not to be. well, i think he's beyond the next general election. the entire class and most of the media are stuck in a doom loop. they've been wrong about the british economy, which is apparently was was recession at the end of last year. it was not. we were going to have a deep and prolonged recession this year. we are not. that's the latest for the bank of england if sunak england today and. if sunak tackles inflation, it's all to play tackles inflation, it's all to play for. well, of course. but sunak tackling inflation. sunak isn't tackling inflation. inflation will come down because of the of england's role

of the bank of england's role and. international factors not controlled by the government . controlled by the government. courage in facing down the unions, if you will make keir starmer was prime minister we'd have inflation in forever because he'd be saying yes to the rmt yes to the nurses , yes the rmt yes to the nurses, yes to teachers. come on. soon. to the teachers. come on. soon. sooner has . to the teachers. come on. soon. sooner has. his biggest battle isn't inflation is battle is against the international war warfare within his own party. factionalised and one of the reasons labour's not exactly a sort of harem of peace is head certainly is by by comparison . certainly is by by comparison. if you look if you look now mark and frankly the tory party is in and frankly the tory party is in a chaotic, chaotic state and of course you've got the boris johnson plotters . it's in the johnson plotters. it's in the isn't it interesting , that on isn't it interesting, that on the anniversary, the third anniversary of brexit and the anniversary of brexit and the anniversary you have a week of anniversaries of 100 days for bofisis anniversaries of 100 days for boris is certainly very high profile reign ranging from putin

to wipe out with a missile in fact but i think putin dreadful you know terrible terrible dictator and danger danger but that was clearly bit of black humour and i normally tape recordings taken when leaders talk each certainly if it's the president of the usa said let's hear the tape recording on that one and one. i agree with boris his stance on ukraine. let's not forget that boris back during the referendum campaign actually mitigate red for putin's invasion ukraine and said it was eu expansionism partly was to blame for . it eu expansionism partly was to blame for. it is changes to now quite but and that particular viewpoint and which he was accused of being a he was accused of being a he was accused of being a he was accused of being a putin apologist by a number of tory mp seven labour at one of my absolutely favourite journeys. but you remind me of those commentators on cnn are commentators on cnn who are still banging about trump, still banging on about trump, even though he's no longer president. bottom line is

president. the bottom line is that he still wants that, like boris, he still wants to well, perhaps perhaps and to be. well, perhaps perhaps and maybe. boris, his comeback maybe. maybe boris, his comeback is going in parallel is going to happen in parallel with with donald. but but with with with donald. but but i'm pretty clear. i'm pretty sure that sunak will fight the next election, at least after. well, they can't afford not to. i mean , this is becoming like i mean, this is becoming like a like amalgam of the thick of it. yes. prime minister and house of cards like subtlety. now, let me let me say that i don't think sunak deserves a standing ovation for his efforts so far, but perhaps , you know what his but perhaps, you know what his best qualification mark is, at least is not boris johnson , at least is not boris johnson, at least is not boris johnson, at least not trust. and i think maybe he gets warm round of maybe he gets a warm round of applause because he's settled the the international the nerves of the international financial markets and he's identified the five key things that i would argue matter most to view is the boats, to my view is stop the boats, grow the economy, cut the debt sort out the nhs waiting lists and just generally see country get on a proper sound . so that's get on a proper sound. so that's an aspirational shopping list that very few economists think he is going to achieve and of

course he's in denial over brexit's damage much in denial while even his chancellor of girls who is a remainer is also in denial . girls who is a remainer is also in denial. there is girls who is a remainer is also in denial . there is this sort of in denial. there is this sort of yellow brick road to the suddenly uplands of brexit. it just is not. and that is why the opinion polls showing that the pubuc opinion polls showing that the public have turned against brexit don't think brexit can be can be judged in the context of a three year pandemic in which we half trillion quid we borrowed half a trillion quid paying we borrowed half a trillion quid paying people stay very easy to hide behind supply. supply chain issues in isolation . there is issues in isolation. there is there is no doubt that there are brexit impacts but the long potential of brexit remains . but potential of brexit remains. but let's get back to starmer because how is storm because agree i don't think the rishi sunakis agree i don't think the rishi sunak is exactly you know sort of he's not winston churchill, let me tell you he's not even margaret. he's almost certainly going to have to lose it. rob, i would suggest you will come to rob in a second. i would suggest that than that sooner is better than starmer in every department because when it comes to the

unions or labour, the answer to all industrial strife, given the fact that they're in the pocket of the unions or labour, that's not exaggerating. let me get these points out all the these points out all but the answer. woke takeover answer. what the woke takeover offer are institutions. given the keir starmer can't the fact that keir starmer can't defend the women in his own party, define what a woman party, can't define what a woman is though married to is even though he's married to one laboun is even though he's married to one labour, the answer to one our labour, the answer to our energy crisis when they want to invest borrowed billions on flaky to have flaky renewables. we're to have to go down the renewables route . not sort of kid . so let's not sort of kid ourselves on that but starmer i mean, i'm, i'm is a labour supporter who deserted party dunng supporter who deserted party during corbyn's era but and i am critical a you know of starmer the back mainly because i think he is running scared of brexit. it's pragmatic over principle really smart because it looks like there's going to be a labour victory. so why even though the polls are turning

against brexit, he doesn't want to even flirt with that. but we are going to. in the end we are going to have i mean, i was a i'm in the strange position as you of being a remainer predicted the leave would win the referendum next text based on my rough and ready research in the red wall areas. but i also predicted the public would turn against it when . the turn against it when. the reality turned out be very, very different . and from the mis sold different. and from the mis sold of boris johnson , i mean, different. and from the mis sold of borisjohnson , i mean, i different. and from the mis sold of boris johnson , i mean, i was of boris johnson, i mean, i was involved in a debate with boris very early on in the referendum campaign when a member of the audience asked, in fact, you know , a woman expressed, you know, a woman expressed, you know, a woman expressed, you know, the fear that we had leaving the customs union and the single market would be so damaging. boris didn't quite say johnny foreigner , but he did johnny foreigner, but he did say, don't worry the eu will have to roll and keep us all that border, all the benefits of the single market and. the customs union are the new that and he was lying totally. you just didn't even miss down the

brexit was so of the media really. you're obsessed with boris. he's no longer prime minister. obsessed minister. you're obsessed with brexit. he's going to brexit. he thinks he's going to . those things happen. we're our get you know . but get over it, you know. but listen, not i'm not listen, i'm not i'm not advocating that second referendum. i think are at the moment , but referendum. i think are at the moment, but not referendum. i think are at the moment , but not not not the moment, but not not not the moment. but we may come in a few years time , but that isn't years time, but that isn't a barrier to us negotiating a closer tie to single market and the customs you all got is what this country the most respected journalist in the country. so i'm going to give you the last word on this. why would you rather 100 days of chaos drama rather 100 days of chaos drama rather than 100 days of rishi sunak's ? because i think starmer sunak's? because i think starmer would make a better prime minister. i think i think rishi sunak's has done a decent job in stabilising the markets but he hasn't got a vision . absolutely. hasn't got a vision. absolutely. he's not a politician he is a banker who is in politics. i'm glad you said banker we must get. audience yes. i owe my

education. said something else. well these fleet street journalists, they've got . journalists, they've got. they've got to watch that tongue. my thanks to carr, new political commentator, bestselling former bestselling author and former editor the sunday mirror. editor of the sunday mirror. still with wholesale still to come with wholesale energy falling, why are energy prices falling, why are we so much heat our we paying so much to heat our homes . and as all new monarch homes. and as all new monarch disappears from australian banknotes, king charles banknotes, is king charles losing his grip on the commonwealth? is this his first major setback ? but next up, major setback? but next up, following departure of the legendary ken and as a radio to audience dwindles by the hour, half a million listeners have gone to golden radio stations in the last three months. is the bbc institutionally a just. we'll debate that with a former bbc star .

next welcome back to the show. great

to have your company. now bad news for radio as they lose half a million listeners to golden oldie radio stations. that's just in three months. half a million. this off the news that the host of their biggest show in fact the biggest radio show in fact the biggest radio show in the country ken bruce is to leave the network. is it because he's 71 this follows other high profile departures from the organised, including simon mayo , steve wright, vanessa feltz and, liz kershaw. so is the bbc institutionally adjust to debate this i'm to welcome legendary former radio four presenter who after leaving channel railed against aunty obsession with diversity . nigel rees. welcome diversity. nigel rees. welcome to gb news. hello mark. great to have you on program. first of all, under what circumstances did you leave the bbc? i wasn't sacked and i wasn't lured to great british hits or whatever it's called. i left because i'd

been doing the programme for 46 years and we'd reached our 500th edition and i thought time go, but the actual prompt to leave was covid. we weren't able to do it in the we'd done it for 46 years with a studio audience. so that was the beginning of it. vanessa feltz has said just recently in an interview with with lorraine on itv that once you turn at the beeb, you become invisible . was that your invisible. was that your experience? well, it wasn't and i'm 78 now, so and when i very young, 17, retired . thank you young, 17, retired. thank you very much . when i retired , i very much. when i retired, i said to the bbc. i want to end the show so i wasn't fired and in they wanted me to stay on so. that's right. does your story buck the trend though if you did suppose it happened at radio two? it seems an obsession. younger listeners is offending the public because they're actually losing . yes. and actually losing. yes. and they're losing talent like ken

bruce. you shouldn't be leaving the organisation. bbc show on uk radio. if europe. yeah. yeah, i've heard that. yeah. yeah. well i feel that the bbc is a just this pursuing the young audience which is what they seem to want. i think it's completely misguided. in a few years , i'm misguided. in a few years, i'm told that over half the population will be 50. the average age of radio listener is 55. so who is going to play to these . if you're just chasing these. if you're just chasing after the younger and younger. that's right. and these people have been paying licence fee for decades. have been paying licence fee for decades . but also it have been paying licence fee for decades. but also it is more that my show which really grew out of light entertainment as it was called in the in the 1970s rather like a parlour. it doesn't well in the media environment of moment. but i was

, you know, playing to these older listeners, if you like . older listeners, if you like. yeah. the press on me was to go for the younger one. you think the bbc is dismissive of or even ashamed by its older listeners and viewers ? well you could say and viewers? well you could say that , but they they are infected that, but they they are infected with . this what i would call with. this what i would call positive disclaimer nation. and it doesn't only to age, it appues it doesn't only to age, it applies all sorts of other things like diversity and even disabled was leant on heavily towards the end of my programme towards the end of my programme to include people who are disabled . now the reason for disabled. now the reason for that was they said 20% off the population is disabled , whatever population is disabled, whatever that may mean . but the next that may mean. but the next point is that they thought that the guests who appeared on programme who appeared on radio and television should somehow

reflect the audience the audience out there. i don't see any need for that. and i had a wonderful email from . a woman wonderful email from. a woman who said that she spoke with an estuary accent, you know, south eastern , the london accent. and eastern, the london accent. and she said, i, i speak with a an estuary , but i don't want to estuary, but i don't want to hear the read by somebody with , hear the read by somebody with, an austrian accent. and i think really applies right across the board. just because you're disabled , do you really get disabled, do you really get anything watching a disabled person on? the tv? it's also the way that young viewers and listeners want to have young broadcasters. well eight and a half million people currently to ken bruce's radio show , i would ken bruce's radio show, i would conjecture that some of them young people. i think this guy is very talented and enjoyed his show . absolutely. you can't show. absolutely. and you can't tell really. how old he is on the radio and sounds exactly the

same to me . the radio and sounds exactly the same to me. he. the radio and sounds exactly the same to me . he. why do you think same to me. he. why do you think he left? let's indulge in some some some gossips and tittle tattle some speculate why he. i want to be fair to the okay first of all they're going for this diversity because. they the bbc to the whole country bbc wants to the whole country in output . they will defend in its output. they will defend that. and the bbc watched that. and the bbc still watched by every listened to. by millions every listened to. so he is a globally product. so i don't want to attack the beeb too much but ken bruce , he too much but ken bruce, he shouldn't be leaving the bbc . shouldn't be leaving the bbc. why is he? i'm told his salary was 400 grand. well, his on the breakfast show, zoe ball has fewer listeners is on a million. okay. so is that part of the problem and is that ageism? because i don't think that would stand in court that a guy stand up in court that a guy with a bigger show, his colleague is on the money. absolutely. well think it's absolutely about me. is it ageism ? i think it's way it's ageism? i think it's way it's evolved . you know, he's been evolved. you know, he's been there since 1973. well, why is louis and by the way, great talent the ship, but she's got a

smaller audience than men on half her salary. yeah, well, i happens to be 71. i expect they may be trying to things you see because the bbc has always been under the old in with the new. yeah but also raising salaries making that females were paid as much as if not more than men. i mean this has going on i would say for sex. well, he could do that , but i say for sex. well, he could do that, but i don't think he wants to. this wonderful offer came to him from greatest hits radio, which is very, very success for he won't get quite the same size of audience but good luck to him. yeah i take my hat off to all these people who went off. it's just that i didn't. i just. it's just that i didn't. ijust. tired. rapid fire is the bbc politically neutral ? i i should politically neutral? i i should been for a reading between the lines and is the licence continued. does it continue to be justified ? it is. is it long be justified? it is. is it long for this. well the licence fee,

i don't think it is, but not really sure what the alternative is or should be . nigel what is or should be. nigel what a treat to have a bona broadcasting legend in the studio . you so much forjoining studio. you so much forjoining us. do come back and see us again soon. now a bbc spokesperson said ken bruce spokesperson has said ken bruce explained his reasons for leaving radio in his quote and on air. we respect his decision and wish him the very best of luck in the future as. he's been a part of the radio a much loved part of the radio two. radio is hugely two. family radio two is hugely proud having a range of proud of having a range of presenters from their thirties to, years on the station to, 80 years old on the station , age range which hasn't , an age range which hasn't changed in decades. in fact, ken bruce started presenting on radio two at the of 33. radio two at the age of 33. radio two at the age of 33. radio will continue to be a multi—generational radio station that serves a 35 plus audience, a target audience , which also a target audience, which also hasn't changed in decades with listeners tuning in each week to brilliant range of programmes hosted some the uk's best hosted by some of the uk's best presenters. we continue play a wide variety of the best music from the past seven decades, including the sixties and seventies . my thanks to the bbc

seventies. my thanks to the bbc for that response . i've got no for that response. i've got no idea. why don't you hire nigel reece? isn't he brilliant ? just reece? isn't he brilliant? just imagine nigel playing a bit. phil collins more night. yes phil collins one more night. yes please . before nine as our new please. before nine as our new monarch from australian banknotes , is king charles banknotes, is king charles losing his grip on the monarchy? is this his first major setback? but next. with wholesale energy pnces but next. with wholesale energy prices falling , why are we prices falling, why are we paying prices falling, why are we paying so much to heat our homes 7 paying so much to heat our homes ? is it net zero by any chance? it's going to be a lively. that's .

next welcome back. as britons struggle the cost of living crisis, it's surprising to note the wholesale energy prices are now in cases lower than were before vladimir putin's of ukraine. so why on earth are we still paying through the nose to

heat our homes and switch the kettle and hey, watch gb news on a flat screen telly? well to discuss this, i'm delighted to welcome formerly from the office for national, a man who crunches numbers so you don't have to . numbers so you don't have to. political and economic commentator jenkins. political and economic commentatorjenkins. hi, jamie. commentator jenkins. hi, jamie. hi it very well. great to have you in. the studio. so give us a sense of the cost of wholesale pnces sense of the cost of wholesale prices and why not feeding through into our bills . yeah. through into our bills. yeah. well, it's a complex picture, obviously . remember now we look obviously. remember now we look at the energy prices we're paying. that is basically we've got a government set price. ofgem setting the price. remember a few years you'd be looking to switch to a better deal looking to switch to a better deal. pretty one deal. it's pretty much one national there at the national rate up there at the moment. the way ofgem moment. and the way ofgem set that they will track the that rate is they will track the wholesale price for about a six month period. so when we look at the kind rate that we're the kind of the rate that we're paying the kind of the rate that we're paying at the moment that actually kind actually comes before this kind of that we've seen of high spike that we've seen over winter. and remember, over the winter. and remember, now, are going now, the energy prices are going to because be to go up because they'll be reflecting some of the higher pnces reflecting some of the higher prices that we got at the

moment. bad moment. now the bad news, because touched the because you've touched upon the wholesale coming wholesale gas prices coming down. for those down. the bad news for those watching is the fact that watching now is the fact that when you think of where we are at the moment, the government is actually up bills. actually topping up our bills. so means that when we so what it means that when we look at the wholesale price coming when we get to coming down, when we get to april mean the government will save money ultimately as taxpayers money anyway, but it won't feed to bills. it might be towards back end of the year towards the back end of the year when we start seeing the energy bills coming below what we because support for because government support for people's bills people's household energy bills stops in april. well, they're going sell in a little bit, going to sell in a little bit, but it's going to be going up about 20% of what paying about 20% of what you're paying now. the price cap will now. so. so the price cap will still probably be kind of what government will be topping up the government will the amount the government will pay the amount the government will pay come now. pay will come down now. the problem got here , mark, is problem we've got here, mark, is the fact that over the last 40 years, government years, the government has sleepwalk itself . the lack of sleepwalk itself. the lack of energy security . and you go energy security. and if you go back ago, most of back 40 years ago, most of energy came from coal and if you go back 20 years ago, we

produced a nation about 30% more electricity than what we produce now. now, about a third of that come from coal, about a third of that come from gas. and most of the rest of it come from nuclear. what we've is nuclear. and what we've seen is this from coal and this huge away from coal and reliance on gas and also not just gas that we had domestically . so 20 years ago, domestically. so 20 years ago, it would all come from uk. now we import more gas than what we use domestically . the problem use domestically. the problem that got huge prices and that means got huge prices and renewables aren't fixing the problem because the renewable ironically is set by the price. so we are being basically screamed across the country with the way the system set up and. to what extent is net zero adding to the cost of our bills, do you think? well, you can't divorce the fact, mark, that with gas being seen as a clean energy compared coal. when you have these climate that go on every year we go more and more countries now across the world trying to buy gas on the world stage. and then that increases the then the demand gas, which then pushes price up for gas. and pushes the price up for gas. and also as i've just said the way

the gas prices are driving the renewable prices , we've got this renewable prices, we've got this issue, mark, that a few weeks back that big cold in the back with that big cold in the uk, also had wind at the same uk, we also had wind at the same time. that meant we were time. so that meant we were turning right on because turning the gas right on because there wasn't enough wind and there wasn't enough wind and there wasn't enough wind and there was no solar in the evening. net zero. this evening. so net zero. and this big shift over the last 30 years is a big factor. why energy pnces is a big factor. why energy prices high. the sad prices are so high. the sad thing is some people are dying there because they're afraid, know the massive know what about the massive profits from these energy companies ? i mean, is that an companies? i mean, is that an example of corruption? are we being swindled ? well, i've been being swindled? well, i've been calling this the kind of the great energy robbery, because in 2019 as a nation, you take all the businesses and all the pubuc the businesses and all the public services and all the households we spend 40 billion across the whole year on our energy. fast forward to 2022. that' s £190 billion. so that's that's £190 billion. so that's hundred an d £50 billion. would hundred and £50 billion. would fund the whole nhs for a year. you think of all those operations you're going to pay to get done. is most of to get done. that is most of thatis to get done. that is most of that is like a wealth transfer to companies. and

to foreign energy companies. and we've today out with we've had shell today out with their and people their record profits and people are well, we can tax are saying, oh, well, we can tax more, but only 5% of the shell kind of money they're talking about, the revenues are from the uk. can't tax the other uk. so you can't tax the other 95. and the strange thing of what shell's been doing as well as they haven't been paying much tax because they can offset some of profits that they get by of the profits that they get by investing sea or investing in the north sea or kind decommissioning of kind of decommissioning kind of oil and fields . kind of decommissioning kind of oil and fields. so oil fields and gas fields. so we're not getting much money in at all. and that's the big problem got all this problem when you've got all this foreign this foreign reliance and this windfall could windfall tax could be counterproductive means counterproductive if it means that companies don't that energy companies don't explore potential oil gas explore for potential oil gas fields on our shores . and that's fields on our shores. and that's what we're going to see. we're going to see with taxes too high in the uk, let's go and reduce our kind of exploration in the nonh our kind of exploration in the north sea. what that means is you've got to import gas. you've got to import more gas. and one of the winners, i suppose over the last years suppose over the last few years has us ben importing has been the us ben importing more to the a lot of it more gas to the uk, a lot of it fracked and what in this fracked and what got in this country. the uk abandoned fracking. doesn't make fracking. it just doesn't make

any so your prediction is any sense. so your prediction is that our energy bills won't correct any soon? i don't correct any time soon? i don't think they're coming down anytime soon. they will go up. that's already to go up that's already baked in to go up about 20% in april. hopefully they'll back down little they'll come back down a little bit more. but remember, we were never going to be going back . never going to be going back. what paying pre—pandemic what we were paying pre—pandemic and we've baked in basically this new and ironically the kind of huge surge the gas prices of huge surge in the gas prices is the only thing that's made renewables actually cheap in the long the governments of long term. the governments of the england raised the bank of england raised interest again today , interest rates again today, order to tackle inflation. is it your view that inflation has more or less peaked and is it coming down yet and all it is unked coming down yet and all it is linked to the energy price, the inflation, the big driver of inflation, the big driver of inflation over the last year it's been energy prices it's been the energy prices about three quarters of all the and the inflation of the country has come from energy is coming from kind of the transport costs and from food as well now and a bit from food as well now because prices aren't because energy prices aren't going up much year as going to go up much this year as well. went up last year. well. they went up last year. and say, the wholesale and as you say, the wholesale price is coming down. so

hopefully this year they'll coming compare coming down. when you compare year of energy year on year prices of energy they be not as high as they will be not as high as going up as last year. so that means will come means that inflation will come down i, i'm quite down as well. i, i'm quite critical rishi sunak and jeremy on policy on saying the government policy is plans to halve is we've plans to halve inflation if they do. absolutely more inflation will halve . so more inflation will halve. so it's not a government policy going do this. it'sjust going to do this. it's just a correction the way the date is calculated. they a calculated. do they have a point? the yielding to public sector be sector wage could be inflationary, a inflationary, though. that is a good because obviously good point, because obviously they deal then go in and say. right. will give you ten, 11% right. we will give you ten, 11% pay right. we will give you ten, 11% pay what that means pay increases. what that means is that they'll have to find money that. so potentially money for that. so potentially they'd tax it. if it they'd have to tax it. and if it goes to the private sector, if they start having to follow the pubuc one they start having to follow the public one sector public sector because one sector will influence other that will have influence other that might then companies will might mean then companies will put because of the put prices up because of the fact are going . so fact that wages are going. so we've get a this out we've got to get a ride this out if don't get these double if we don't get these double digit wage increases, that digit digit wage increases, that should see us through the best part of inflation. think part of inflation. and i think peaked. that's the good news peaked. and that's the good news for this year. think always peaked. and that's the good news for thisdone. think always peaked. and that's the good news

for thisdone. thin homework.1 you've done your homework. jenkins, see you the jenkins, great to see you in the studio soon. jenkins studio speak soon. jamie jenkins , of office for , formerly of the office for national statistics. do check his excellent twitter feed . his excellent twitter feed. jamie jenkins at stats. his excellent twitter feed. jamie jenkins at stats . jamie is jamie jenkins at stats. jamie is how you can find him well worth a read. next this is absolutely fascinating as new monarch disappears from australian is king charles losing his grip on the commonwealth? is this his first major setback? it proof that he lacks his mother's touch. is he presiding over a monarchy in decline? we'll get the views of top royal insider ingnd the views of top royal insider ingrid seward , who knows the ingrid seward, who knows the king well. see you

r ,in , in two. welcome back to the show. now troubling news for our monarch. king charles will not feature on australia's new $5 note.

according to the country's central bank, the new will pay tribute to the culture and history of indigenous australia . a portrait of the late queen elizabeth does appear on the current of the $5 note. so is king charles losing grip on the commonwealth? is this his first major setback and is it the first proof that charles doesn't have the pulling power and the midas touch or the appeal of his late, great mother . is midas touch or the appeal of his late, great mother. is king charles inevitably going to preside over a monarchy in decline? well, to discuss , i'm decline? well, to discuss, i'm delighted to welcome ingrid seward royal biographer and, editor in chief of majesty magazine. hi. ingrid's. hi. thank you very much for such a nice introduction . well, it's nice introduction. well, it's a pleasure to have you. this will be a disappointment to king charles, won't it ? well, charles, won't it? well, actually, i don't think it will be, because i this sounds crazy, but years , years ago, the very

but years, years ago, the very first time i met prince charles, we discussed some reason i can't remember . we discussed australia remember. we discussed australia and he was saying that he felt there were too many royal visits to australia and that we really mustn't ever expect them to continue , to be part of the continue, to be part of the crown and if they wanted to break away and become a republic that was fine by him and also prince charles is very into indigenous and i think he might quite pleased by the idea that they were going to you know, instead of replacing his mother , him that they were going to replace with pictures , replace with pictures, indigenous people, he would see that as a way forward indeed. but it's my opinion i don't think he will be upset at all. also the $5 note with the on is not going to go out circulation immediately. this is going to a few years and, you know,

anything could happen in a few years time of course. but know the queen's great legacy. ingrid as you know, was the preservation and indeed the enhancements of the enlargement of the commonwealth. it's charles's job to keep it together by, accepting this decision or even welcoming it. isn't he a turkey that's voting for christmas ? well, i think for christmas? well, i think charles is actually a very modern thinker. i know we think he's an old fogey, but i think he's an old fogey, but i think he's an old fogey, but i think he's a very modern thinker. and he's a very modern thinker. and he i he realises that there are a lot of the commonwealth countries had sort of said we you know, we might become republics after, you know, after the queen has died. and of course they probably want to support charles. but i mean, i think he completely that there was time for a change in the commonwealth it's very very much the queen's baby and obviously

charles wants continue it but i don't think he's going to be too upset. don't think he's going to be too upset . he wasn't upset about upset. he wasn't upset about barbadians instance. i think i he will just go with the flow on this one. indeed although is it potentially evidence if we see more story like this, ingrid , more story like this, ingrid, should we brace ourselves for the fact that nobody could replace queen and that he's he's essentially on a hiding, nothing following . and the lustre of the following. and the lustre of the monarchy is forever slightly diminished . well i personally diminished. well i personally don't think that but i mean, i'm sure , you know, quite a lot of sure, you know, quite a lot of people do. well, obviously, no one can replace the queen because she had been there for 70 years. so long. and there's no way that charles is going to be king for anything like that amount of time. so he won't have the same grandeur that the queen had. he can never have that. but

if you look at how it how he's been received so far, i mean, people seem absolutely delighted by him. and he is coming across someone that sort of broken out of his shell and he looks relaxed. is on with things, is extremely but this is something he's waited for all his life. and i think he's intelligent enough to realise that along the way the world has changed a lot. so he will just deal with these things as they as they come and confront him indeed and counter intuitively. ingrid, it seems the king has, if anything been boosted by the royal soap opera, playing out across the pond . playing out across the pond. yes, i think this a huge amount of sympathy for him . i think a of sympathy for him. i think a lot of people understand , you lot of people understand, you know, his parents and sons and not children, obviously. but you know it's very, very difficult when . families have these kind when. families have these kind of problems. and charles is wise

enough. as i said before , to enough. as i said before, to know that the minute he says anything, it's just going to it's just going to exacerbate the situation. so he obviously that the best thing is to keep quiet. however much it might irritate younger son and i'm absolutely certain that harry will be as being invited to the coronation because it's a religious he's being anointed in the of god this is not the moment to have a fight with a member of your family or indeed even discuss the matter with a member family. harry either comes or he does and i see it as being very black and white. there you've observed charles at a place quarters for a long, long time, angry . do you have long time, angry. do you have the impression enjoying the role . the impression he is really enjoying the role which slightly surprised me . i thought he might surprised me. i thought he might find all the everyday munitions of the monarchy a bit tedious

because he's so used to getting out there, doing his own thing, you know, raising for his charities. but he to be, you know, he seems really be taking it in his stride and he rarely looks as if it's enjoying himself and, you know, goodness as to have all these receptions and, you know , meetings that he and, you know, meetings that he never had to have before. but i think it's something that he's really embraced . suppose if really embraced. suppose if that's the right word and there seems to be a new fab , don't you seems to be a new fab, don't you think, which is. and camilla and william kate, they work brilliantly together . yes, brilliantly together. yes, i that's an unlucky phrase . the that's an unlucky phrase. the fab four here say that there's a there's a new dignified soul. but yes , do seem to have but yes, do seem to have brilliantly together, because easier when there's less of you. it is easier to work together . it is easier to work together. ingnd it is easier to work together. ingrid what a treat to have you on the show. thank you so much for your contribution. ingrid seward is, of course, the top

royal expert and editor in chief majesty magazine and the author of several bestselling books about the royal family. have a chat now with broadcasting royalty. dan wootton is live at 9:00. always unmissable. hi, dad. hello, mark actually, we're continuing the world theme a little bit tonight and. widdicombe, i know you're a big fan . love having you on your fan. love having you on your show on sunday nights. but she has a message sticking , charles. has a message sticking, charles. the message that might surprise people. so she's going be making a big pitch for that. plus have the always irrepressible lady, colin campbell and phil dampier, our . royal to always colin campbell and phil dampier, our. royal to always unmissable dan is live at 9:00. can't wait for that. thank for your company this week and. i'm back on sunday at 9:00 nine till 11 for mark dolan tonight. the lovely wonderful fox is looking after my show tomorrow and saturday. so i'll see you on sunday at nine. keep it gb news. and let

me tell you that the weather is next. good evening. i'm alex deakin and this your latest weather update friday. be dry for the vast majority to ease some cloud but some sunny spells poking through and a pretty mild day as well . the reason high day as well. the reason high pressure is just to the pressure is anchored just to the south of us. but it's not completely dry at the moment, far from it because northern scotland's been a very day thanks to these weather fronts they now edging south and they are now edging south and will ease down as they do so. but they're also bringing gusty for the next few hours across eastern scotland and northeast england, very blustery. the rain does fizzle . it sinks into does fizzle. it sinks into southern scotland and, northern ireland, but a light and ireland, but a light rain and drizzle turning up in northwest england, dawn to the england, around dawn to the south that places cloudy south of that most places cloudy and mild. seven or eight, and very mild. seven or eight, the low overnight more typical of maxima time of year. friday's weather then mostly cloudy with . some rain early on over north—west england. early rain on the north coast . northern on the north coast. northern ireland should fizzle out, but another damp day in western

scotland . the rain won't be as scotland. the rain won't be as heavy as it has been through today it should ease off today and it should ease off certainly along certainly by the afternoon along much of west coast. again, much of the west coast. again, most england quite a bit most of england dry quite a bit of cloud. but i'm hopeful for a few more breaks in the clouds. so some sunny spells, particularly parts particularly eastern parts of wales southwest it wales, southwest england, and it will march 12th, 13 degrees will be march 12th, 13 degrees likely as we get through friday evening. again, most places just staying dry and cloudy some drizzle at times. a western coast and hills, particularly the highlands, but say generally dry start to the weekend. still a lot of cloud around and we will see another weather , will see another weather, another band of rain coming to in northwest during saturday morning and that will spread across northern ireland by lunchtime and then through the central and into central of scotland and into southern scotland the end of saturday afternoon, behind it tends brighter for most tends a little brighter for most of wales, again, dry of england and wales, again, dry and over and cloudy drizzle over the hills the west , temperatures hills in the west, temperatures again above average 11, 12, maybe 13 degrees celsius. look at the numbers for sunday that we are going to see dip. we are going to see a dip. temperatures cooler temperatures turning cooler this weekend of

weekend but also plenty of sunshine on .

sunday no spin, no bias , no censorship. no spin, no bias, no censorship. i'm dan wootton. tonight vishy rishi has survived 100 days and number 10 twice as long as there's trolls who his camp deposed in an unhappy , deposed in an unhappy, anti—democratic coup. let's be honest about it. but it's no surprise the muslims puppet pm has failed inspire the great british public. it obviously appointing someone who has had to resign in these circumstances . you were found earlier without a seatbelt on the prime minister in your car. would you address that? but with a bombshell at times poll revealing nearly three quarters of brits have lost faith . the pm. i'll explain lost faith. the pm. i'll explain why tories must replace why the tories must replace sunak to avoid a socialist coalition from hell. that's in my digest next i'll get the

thoughts of my