and welcome this is calvin's common sense crusade with me, the reverend calvin robinson on your tv online and, on your wireless today . we'll be wireless today. we'll be discussing it you think liz truss was given a realistic chance to implement her radical tax cutting agenda. the issue of unity in the church of england and when it comes gay rights and the alleged comments made by justin welby on that . and a justin welby on that. and a former australian prime minister has sparked outrage from usual suspects as he hails cardinal

george pell as a saint at his funeral. but first, it's the news often you, such as . calvin news often you, such as. calvin think it was 3:00. this is the latest from the gb newsroom. liz truss has admitted she wasn't to blame less than what happened dunng blame less than what happened during her time as prime minister, but has criticised a lack of political support from . lack of political support from. colleagues. writing in the sunday telegraph in her first major comments since leaving ten, the former premier claimed she wasn't given a realistic chance to act on her policies . chance to act on her policies. she said she stands by her low tax agenda, calling it a break from leftward thinking within the party. ms. truss resigned after 49 days following economic turmoil caused by her mini budget . turmoil caused by her mini budget. earlier on, gb news business secretary grant shapps defended the government's economic plans. think that liz's instincts are conservative in the sense that we want see taxes

go lowered over a period of time but i think everyone recognises we've been through you know hell with coronavirus which added wha t £400 billion at least of what £400 billion at least of expenditure. we then had a war in ukraine has pushed up energy pnces in ukraine has pushed up energy prices and inflation and be very, very costly . police say very, very costly. police say a key witness the search for missing mother of two nicola billy has come forward . officers billy has come forward. officers appealed for a woman's on cctv wearing a yellow coat and pushing a pram in the area where the dog walker disappeared in lancashire last friday. they've called the speculation and abuse on social media towards the witness totally unacceptable . witness totally unacceptable. while forensic search and rescue specialist peter folding told gb news he thinks the police need to explore all angles of where nicola could be, not just focus on the river. we'll be looking into many other other things, are we at other people within the family that would be looking

at people who live locally weather's any you know , sex weather's any you know, sex attackers who live locally and like this i mean we don't nicola could've been kidnapped being held somewhere against the will she might still hopefully she still be alive. she might have just wandered off just with a mobile phone by a river. that's not good enough evidence for me. this needs a lot . you know, we this needs a lot. you know, we need clear that river, and need to clear that river, and then can be ruled out . the then that can be ruled out. the nurses union has called on the prime minister to make a new offer in order to avoid week's planned strikes. the head of the royal college of nursing says a meaningful offer could avert the action the nhs is facing. what many are calling the biggest strike the nhs has ever seen as tens of thousands of and ambulance staff in england set to walk out tomorrow on tuesday the health secretary has called the health secretary has called the action regrettable. saying it will undoubtedly have impact on patients . china says it on patients. china says it strongly opposes the decision by

the us to shoot down suspected spy the us to shoot down suspected spy balloon, which was thought to be carrying out surveillance of sensitive military sites. fighter jets of sensitive military sites. fighterjets brought of sensitive military sites. fighter jets brought it down over the atlantic off the coast of south carolina yesterday. earlier, three airports were closed and airspace restricted in the southeast of the country after president joe biden vowed to take care of it. china maintains it was a weather airship which had blown off course . ukraine says it expects course. ukraine says it expects a possible major new offensive from russia this month. ukraine's minister says the west's new military are unlikely to arrive in time . but he said to arrive in time. but he said kyiv does have the resources to hold back any offensive . he also hold back any offensive. he also promised to only use range missiles provided by us to strike targets and territory rather than within russia itself. it comes after a series of russian missiles strikes today. seriously damage a universe city and a residential building in central kharkiv, injuring least three people. however british defence analysts

say moscow , has made small say moscow, has made small advances in its attempt to encircle the city a mood which has been the focus of russian forces for weeks . pakistan's forces for weeks. pakistan's former president, general pervez musharraf , former president, general pervez musharraf, has died at the age of 79 following a prolonged illness . he of 79 following a prolonged illness. he died in hospital in dubal illness. he died in hospital in dubai. having been in a selfish , imposed exile since 2008. who seized power a coup in 1999.7 oversaw economic growth in the country. he survived several attempts, including from al—qaeda and other islamist groups . is gb al—qaeda and other islamist groups. is gb news. we'll bring you more news . it happens. groups. is gb news. we'll bring you more news. it happens. now it's over to calvin . it's over to calvin. hello and welcome to the common

sense crusade with . me the sense crusade with. me the reverend calvin robinson. here's what's coming up this afternoon in a 4000 word essay in the sunday's liz truss says she was given a realistic chance implement her radical tax cutting agenda and that she still stands by her plans to boost economic growth, arguing she was brought down by the left wing economic establishment. does she have a point .7 then the does she have a point.7 then the archbishop of has reportedly told a group of employees that he would rather see the church of england lose its status as an established church than risk the church fracturing over the clashes on gay marriage. i'll be joined by the reverend dr. ian paul to break down what this means for church . and later on, means for church. and later on, one of britain's biggest publishers has been accused of cancelling a book on cologne realism that concluded the british empire was not all bad . british empire was not all bad. the book's author, oxford nigel biggar, will join me to discuss. and of course , you can join in and of course, you can join in any of our discussions by.

emailing gb views at gbnews.uk or by tweeting at gavin . use the or by tweeting at gavin. use the asphalt . asphalt. i wasn't given a realistic chance. i wasn't given a realistic chance . that's a quotation from chance. that's a quotation from liz truss , who assessed her liz truss, who assessed her disastrous reign as prime minister in an article in the telegraph. the former pm discusses a potential return to politics and opens up about how radical cutting budget which contributed to her downfall. she was forced to quit after she and her chancellor kwasi kwarteng, £45 billion package was unfunded . unfunded tax cuts panicked the markets tanked the pound to a record low , and she still stands record low, and she still stands by her plans boost economic growth, arguing she was brought down by the left wing economic establishment. does she have a point. joining now is political strategist and former political secretary to tony blair, john

mcternan and broadcaster, our very own darren grimes . thank very own darren grimes. thank you both for joining very own darren grimes. thank you both forjoining me on a. now it's been reported that rishi sunak is prepared to take out of the european convention on human rights based on this new legislation that he wants to push through. it's clear that he's trying to find some guts, gumption at the moment. is this a result of mr. pressure? let's start with you, john. oh, look , start with you, john. oh, look, this is a ridiculous idea. start with you, john. oh, look, this is a ridiculous idea . if this is a ridiculous idea. if rishi sunak wants to take himself and his government out of anything , he should take of anything, he should take themselves out of office . it's themselves out of office. it's oven themselves out of office. it's over. they've run a steam. they've run out of ideas. they've run out of ideas. they've run out of ideas. they've run out of energy . and they've run out of energy. and now what we're having briefed the papers is that if the event of this legislation actually passing, which is, you know, a long way off, if this legislation is passed and if in the event of this being passed, it's if it falls the european court of justice, then that

point we're going to put into manifesto to make this an argument at the next election, people can be on crime. the rates for life detection on the nhs , the long waits, the nhs , nhs, the long waits, the nhs, cost of living, the price that the price of houses their mortgages. none this will cut any ice. it's time for rishi sunak to put himself there. his government, the tory party and the country out of their agony by just resigning. okay darren. what's your take on that? well, look i don't buy that for a second. i mean, we're predicted to have 65,000 arrivals by small boats this year. calvin, that's 65,000 people. that will need to be still need to be put somewhere that will need to, you know, extract money from the taxpayer teat when that teats is already squeezed tighter than goodness only knows what. james corden, in a pair of skinny jeans hasn't got a look in. so i actually think you many viewers will be of the view that it ought to be a basic right calvin

of every country to be able to see who can and come to their nafion see who can and come to their nation . and i mean recently nation. and i mean recently calvin the government launched a uk boats unit which is supposed to, which would actually away control from armed forces in the channel. i agree . useless. they channel. i agree. useless. they call it a small unit. i actually think they should call it attack service with a new label slapped on it. this won't end until we actually do leave the law. the french are taking our money and laughing that way. we're a total . and this, as i say , will not . and this, as i say, will not come to a conclusion until we actually are out of the influence of these euro courts . influence of these euro courts. that's a very good point, john. it that this is a threat to leave the eec. it's not a promise, it's not a pledge it's a threat to leave if the legislation go through. and that's you just need to get on with it. look the issue here is competence. darren is right . the competence. darren is right. the country public, the voters and refugees and asylum do have the right to expect a competent

government. i mean , this government. i mean, this government. i mean, this government it grants 80% of the of the people's cases to stay in the country asylum seekers refugees and we're a generous country and refugees asylum seekers dislodged by isis or the taliban . they do deserve to have taliban. they do deserve to have a safe haven in our great country. they should come to our great country. the problem the government have got a civil servants dealing with asylum cases deal with on average 13 applications. a week. incredible like a product tivity and the government are trying to divert attention from their utter failure to be able to control the border. this is solution you could process you could simply process all these asylum seeker applications in france but you'd have to agree with france to do that and the government are not trusted by the french government. we need a change of government. we need a change of government they can't government because they can't do this protecting this basic thing of protecting our borders. i they didn't protect our borders, but i'm not convinced change of convinced the change of government impact government will have an impact in that particular area. in that in that particular area. but darren, is this the larger

picture here what we're picture here that what we're actually truss has actually seeing is liz truss has finally out and finally come out and acknowledged a to acknowledged there was a coup to take there was take her down. if there was a coup to take down the last two prime ministers from the left wing economically of the party install rishi sunak instead . install rishi sunak instead. that happened. well that not what's happened. well mean just to finish that our point kelvin i actually think that really is playing a that really sunak is playing a canny of politics here canny bit of politics here because imagine the labour party having contend with rishi having to contend with rishi sunak putting in his manifesto at the next general election and that they'll commit to leaving the ecj are in force in the house of lords stuffed with former bureaucrats to actually put forward this move which would actually finish the brexit in my view. but on liz truss, i do think there are elements of sympathy that i personally have for her. i think it seems to me that there is a treasury orthodoxy that sees brexit as a as a basically managing this horror thing that they didn't want to happen. you they shriek

and hold their pearls when they mention the word brexit. but you mentioned at the start they're radical you said radical taxes corbyn. but john's old tony blair, he had taxes at the same extent. 55 pay rate, top rate of that's what liz truss was trying to take us back to if. that's what liz truss was trying to take us back to if . that's to take us back to if. that's radical. you know, i don't think blair is some neo liberal thatcherite. i think it was sensible on the part make us competitive. well too john that's very true but i don't think that's the case. and i'm sure, john, you know, you and many of our viewers don't see, you know, some swivel eyed thatcherite with , their heads in thatcherite with, their heads in the clouds. when you think of tony blair, i think it was eminently and i do worry do think there's a point here that actually the office for budget responsible , which was set up responsible, which was set up basically to keep politicians honest and on the straight and narrow, not an easy job. it's now becoming a straight jacket in which politicians too afraid

to discuss things that would actually exploit the opportunities of brexit, like lowering tax investment zones that can act as leveller, not measures national insurance planning reform, child care reform . all of these things were reform. all of these things were eminent , be reform. all of these things were eminent, be sensible and would help of our viewers that are struggling right now. so i. i do have a great deal of sympathy for liz truss not daunted there was anything especially radical it you know we're making out that she's pinochet it's some of the rhetoric that's being put across it's ludicrous. i think actually it's depressing that we couldn't actually at these fundamental reforms that would make our lives much better. it is a bit ludicrous actually you're right in that she's not that radical and she's not even that radical and she's not even that right wing . john, is this that right wing. john, is this not the problem that the overton window has shifted so far to the left, this country, now that we don't recognise left don't even recognise what's left and uke don't even recognise what's left and like liz and right anymore, like liz truss spent words in the truss spent 4000 words in the telegraph trying to explain

herself. she to word. she herself. she to one word. she just said sorry, sorry to everybody . the country whose everybody. the country whose mortgage has gone up because of what the left calls risk premium that the uk economy has no . the that the uk economy has no. the irony, obviously, is the argument liz truss is making is that policies are ripe for some comms wrong. the thing is , her comms wrong. the thing is, her whole campaign for leadership showed them that liz truss understood runs the power of symbols . she dressed up as symbols. she dressed up as thatcher to get the vote of people who want policies she cut the top price tags to show was thatcherite and as a free marketeer she would not the lesson from the one place the margaret thatcher would ever have taken on the fight the bond markets . so for a free marketeer markets. so for a free marketeer like liz truss to go it's not fair . the markets came from fair. the markets came from a it's a bit like listening to jeremy corbyn over the last week trying to explain why nothing is his there's something wrong with polity leaders who get to the

top , like liz truss polity leaders who get to the top, like liz truss and polity leaders who get to the top , like liz truss and jeremy top, like liz truss and jeremy corbyn, who it was everybody's else's fault, nothing to do with me. she was the prime minister. she had her go. everything went wrong and she's not coming back . she's doing the best thing she could ever do. now for the party. picking a fight with rishi i can. it's great fun rishi soon i can. it's great fun for labour. to be fair, for the labour. to be fair, john, she has admitted blame she's lot of fault in she's accepted a lot of fault in this so. she's not saying it's not her and i think not her fault and i think actually liz truss and, actually with liz truss and, bofis actually with liz truss and, boris coming to boris johnson coming back to front line politics is to front line politics is going to apply bit pressure rishi apply a bit more pressure rishi soon, hopefully pull the soon, i can hopefully pull the conservatives to the conservatives a bit more to the right, but wait and on right, but we'll wait and see on that front. you both for that front. thank you both for joining that was a political joining me. that was a political strategist and former political secretary to blair, secretary to tony blair, john mcternan and broadcaster, our very plenty very own darren grimes plenty more this afternoon on more to come this afternoon on my common sense crusade after break. the archbishop of canterbury reportedly told a canterbury has reportedly told a group employees he group of employees that he rather see the church of england lose as an established lose status as an established church than risk church church than risk the church fracturing over clashes on gay marriage. be joined by the marriage. i'll be joined by the reverend ian paul to break

reverend dr. ian paul to break down what this means for. but first, let's take a look at the weather . hello first, let's take a look at the weather. hello again. looking ahead and there will be some wet and at times windy across northern parts. but further south it's going to stay dry and brighter but with the risk of some frost and fog by night take a look at the bigger picture and you can weather front you can see this weather front waiting in the atlantic. waiting out in the atlantic. this going towards the this going to push towards the uk the next 24 hours or uk as we go the next 24 hours or so. but at the moment we have this whacking great big area of high across us and high pressure across us and that's such that's why it's been such a settled day for most, staying fine much of england and fine across much of england and wales through this wales as we go through this evening with clear evening and with some clear skies through of the night skies through much of the night too, a much cloudier picture too, but a much cloudier picture across to across parts of scotland to northern some blustery, northern ireland, some blustery, gusty a few spots gusty winds and also a few spots of rain a result of of drizzly rain as a result of the cloud. it's going to stay quite mild here, but with the clear skies england, wales clear skies for england, wales turning minus turning cold with four minus five a fairly five possible, so a fairly widespread and some widespread frost and some fog patches out for first patches to watch out for first thing on monday morning through monday then bright monday itself. then a bright start for much of england wales but towards the

but that thick cloud towards the north—west gradually going to north—west is gradually going to encroach in. so places encroach its way in. so places turning little bit cloudier turning a little bit cloudier but i think it will stay sunny out towards southeast and here temperatures today temperatures similar to today really highs nine, possibly really so highs nine, possibly ten celsius also could get into double figures across the far north of scotland because of that southerly , we could see that southerly, we could see some across , northern some breaks across, northern scotland, most places scotland, but most places staying quite cloudy through . staying quite cloudy through. the end of the day on monday, that weather front i mentioned earlier is going to push its way in. so of more in. so a spell of more persistent rain and some strong winds reaching the far north—west scotland as we north—west of scotland as we through the night cloud keeping things but across and things mild here. but across and wales where we have the wales again where we have the clear skies? it's more clear skies? it's once more likely pretty chilly and likely be a pretty chilly and frosty again. temperatures getting lows of minus four, getting to lows of minus four, minus five perhaps. and some freezing to watch out for as freezing fog to watch out for as we go through tuesday itself. now taking look as we go through the rest of this weekend, it is going to stay quite changeable times northern parts. so times across northern parts. so some the it comes and it some the rain it comes and it will be bit windy too, but

will be a bit windy too, but always dry and brighter the south. there is the south. but here there is the risk, frost and fog, but by risk, some frost and fog, but by dufing risk, some frost and fog, but by during the nana akua saturday and sunday afternoons on gb news expect fiery and passionate discussion of me and my panel tackles some of the biggest hitting the headlines . it's hitting the headlines. it's a place for everyone's opinion . no place for everyone's opinion. no one gets cancelled, but no one gets an easy ride . oh. oh, so gets an easy ride. oh. oh, so this . are we ready for this. are we ready for conversation ? since that conversation? since that a fierce frank and of course fun every saturday sunday afternoon from 4 pm. on tv news the people's .

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common sense crusade with me calvin robinson on your tv , calvin robinson on your tv, onune calvin robinson on your tv, online and on your wireless in what could become a constitutional crisis. npr's are reportedly considering a direct intervention to force church of england to change its teaching on same sex marriage . according on same sex marriage. according to the guardian, labour mp and chair of the standards and privileges committee, sir chris bryant said if the church won't act to allow same sex marriage, then should give it a push about dozen conservative and labour has reportedly met last week to discuss possibility of repealing the 1919 church of england assembly act, which allows the church to govern itself independently from parliament. so would this an intolerable violation of religious freedom or a necessary move for equality? as those in favour would argue now me is the reverend dr. ian paul, who is a member of the general synod , the member of the general synod, the church of england's governing body. church of england's governing body . first of all, dr. ian, body. first of all, dr. ian, thank you for joining body. first of all, dr. ian,

thank you forjoining me on this thank you for joining me on this sunday. busiest day of the week for you. what do you make of these comments by bryant ? these comments by chris bryant? i it seems to me like they are sabre . really. what's is that sabre. really. what's is that comments that he made previously about establishment to misunderstand what's going on. ben bradshaw a few weeks ago made some sort of similar comment well. and he said, look, he said establishment about the state giving the church and certain privileges. and in return for that. then the parliament requires the church to act in a certain way. i think as complete misunderstanding of establishment interestingly when the 1999 act was put in place , the 1999 act was put in place, it was actually put in place as a way of staving off disestablishment, arianism and in many ways from the church . in many ways from the church. there have been some very strong voices from church saying establishment a burden that we do not want . some years ago, the do not want. some years ago, the former bishop of colin buchanan wrote book called cut the connection and. he said it's

intolerable that a christian church should allow the state appoint its bishops. now, in fact that's changed informally, but still the case formally that the appointment of bishops has to be approved by the crown. it was brown when he was prime minister , who actually under cut minister, who actually under cut that process by saying, in effect he would not intervene in that. so the church now has freedom to appoint its own bishops. but recently, jonathan chapman made a very argument chapman has made a very argument about establishment saying that we it , shouldn't we shouldn't need it, shouldn't have actually argues have it. and actually argues from a theological point of view that nothing in that there's nothing in scripture , there's nothing in scripture, there's nothing in the testament, which offers scripture, there's nothing in the suggestion1ent, which offers scripture, there's nothing in the suggestion that which offers scripture, there's nothing in the suggestion that the ch offers scripture, there's nothing in the suggestion that the state ers any suggestion that the state should control over the christian church. so i think a lot the comments arising from a misunderstanding of what establishment is, and they're also underestimating how complex it is, as you say, this could provoke a constitutional crisis just before the you know, the coronation king charles. the fact that we have historically for hundreds and hundreds of

years, or had the church been in on the state so that in so many complex ways then. okay. well if establishment comes, fine. so it. is it a loss of privilege? no, i don't think it is. i think it would be a loss embedding in some ways the church, england in the life of a nation. but it's crazy to sort of use this as a threat to. the church. i mean, let's let's be honest something like 75% of christians who are in a church on sunday are in churches that are not part the established church. so it doesn't to be hampering us. you know lack of establishment don't seem hampering the growth seem to be hampering the growth other it other churches. so why should it for us? well, all this talk of privilege makes me quite privilege makes me feel quite actually, because it's not a case of the church is established in order get special privileges from the state. surely the church is established for the of souls so that for the cure of souls so that everyone in country belongs everyone in the country belongs to part of our to a parish. part of our parochial system. therefore every single in the every single person in the country has priest praying for country has a priest praying for them. week . surely that's country has a priest praying for the|purpose week . surely that's country has a priest praying for the|purpose ofeek . surely that's country has a priest praying for the|purpose of being urely that's country has a priest praying for the|purpose of being any that's the purpose of being an established. and these politicians missing point. politicians are missing point.

but interestingly, in the church of england have responded to this question and said any question regarding disestablishment is a matter for parliament. now that's a major in tone from previous conversations where they haven't even addressed . so it looks like even addressed. so it looks like disestablishment is on the table now. well is and again, i would first of all agree with you is saying that establishment about a responsibility it's not about a responsibility it's not about a privilege. i think the difficulty that don't difficulty is that you don't have very far in the have to look very far in the church england see that church of england to see that actually treat actually people treat establishment and the status that they appear acquire a result of that they do seem to it as a privilege rather than a responsibility which you use the language of , responsibility which you use the language of, it makes you feel queasy. well, i think i would agree with you on that. it it agree with you on that. it is it is quite difficult, isn't it to look leaders who wear very look at leaders who wear very fancy clothes and live in palaces, who are following the example of jesus who said the son of man came. not not be served, but to serve and to give his life. so it is quite hard square those two sort of images

as it were. i also think that establishment can't be the question of adoption cannot be left to parliament alone. jonathan chaplin in his argument for disestablishment, says, for disestablishment, he says, look do as look what we ought do as a church ought to take the initiative here. we ought to initiate a conversation, we initiate a conversation, and we ought a royal ought to have maybe even a royal commission. and we ought to, if we think good thing, we we think is a good thing, we ought put place a ten year ought to put in place a ten year process look, establish process and look, just establish by 2033, 2034, because it's so complex , because it involves complex, because it involves law, involves the monarch, it involves parliament it involves the nature of the church. it involves a whole set up with education and church as well. there's a huge complexity to. it absolutely. but what fascinates me about all of this is we have atheists and non—religious people to dictate to the church on what is essentially issues of doctrine. and it's not just that we've got people like sandy toksvig out there to tell the church this works. but what we're discussing here same we're discussing here is same sex marriage. is a very sex marriage. it is a very big shift in the church's teaching that has taught about that the church has taught about for 12 years and it's been

for over 12 years and it's been part of judeo christian values for over 4000 years. can you address for a moment because obviously viewers might not know that you and i were together the oxford this debating oxford union this week debating this could you this very topic. could you address at hand very address the topic at hand very briefly i mean, briefly? well, i could. i mean, i there's a wider question i think there's a wider question about christian belief generally , but even relation the , but even in relation to the church , england, i'd say just , but even in relation to the cicouple , england, i'd say just , but even in relation to the cicouple , ithings. i, i'd say just , but even in relation to the cicouple , ithings. first say just , but even in relation to the cicouple , ithings. first of' just a couple of things. first of all, you it is quite all, as you say, it is quite extraordinary the idea that a parliament feels as though they have role in determining the doctrine. and i got into a bit of hot water just pointing out some other historical of where the state has decided that it can tell the church what it can believe. and you don't have to very hard a very you don't look very hard a very you don't look very far across the world today to find regimes where they believe that the government can dictate religious . and i ought dictate religious. and i ought to point out that it's a fundamental contradiction of central human rights as well . central human rights as well. the right to religious belief. but i think on for the church of

england , people just don't seem england, people just don't seem to realise how the church's doctrine is formed . the church doctrine is formed. the church has what's called canon law and because it's established that also becomes part of the of the land and canon says kind of a5 says the doctrine of the church is ground it in the holy scriptures and in the early councils of the church in particular it's found in the book of common prayer and in its former is a section on article is the homilies and the ordinal. now that means is that the church of constitutionally is tied very strongly to those documents dating 1662. and in that sense again people don't seem to understand the church of england constitutionally , highly england constitutionally, highly conservative, any changes that we've seen in practise over recent years have not changes of doctrine. in fact, i can't think of an example where there's been a change of doctrine. the church developed by actually its praxis is moving away from its defined doctrine. this is the issue and now cannot do that with same now you cannot do that with same sex marriage. this has become a crunch point. so if people want

the to change its view of the church to change its view of marriage, to have marriage, you are going to have to all those things. to dismantle all those things. now if change the now if you if you change the liturgy the doctrine, the liturgy and the doctrine, the church, also going church, you're also going to have change definition . have to change that definition. what of england is what the church of england is fundamentally i think fundamentally. and i think that's huge agenda. it is this that's a huge agenda. it is this not the question at hand anyway , just very briefly in 30 seconds, if you can. this has been done before, hasn't it? did the parliament not put pressure on the church women to change its teaching the ordination its teaching on the ordination of women? did. and that may of women? it did. and that may have had an effect, but we just need to recognise that whether or not women doesn't change or not you women doesn't change the theology of the theology the doctrine of women to according the church of england, the content , the order england, the content, the order has the same ordination has remained the same ordination is the same things and, is about the same things and, the same responsibilities. it's just applied, different just being applied, a different group it's an group of people. it's an entirely conversation entirely different conversation with. well entirely different conversation with. you well entirely different conversation with. you very well entirely different conversation with. you very much well entirely different conversation with. you very much for well entirely different conversation with. you very much for that.ell thank you very much for that. thatis thank you very much for that. that is the reverend dr. paul, member of general synod, a church england spokesman, church of england spokesman, has replied, question replied, saying any question regarding disestablishment a regarding disestablishment is a matter parliament and in reference to times report which

alleged that archbishop of canterbury told group of canterbury told a group of employees he would rather employees that he would rather see the church of england lose its status an established its status as an established church than global church than a global organisational fracture. fracturing over clashes on gay marriage a lambeth palace spokesman said the archbishop agreed to meet a private conversation with employees on this. disappointing that some parliamentarians have chosen not to honour the terms of the meeting. we do not recognise account of the private discussion as. it has been leaked which was much more nuanced and complex how it has been described . well, there have been described. well, there have it. you are with gb news on tv radio and online and after break, one of britain's biggest publishers has been accused of cancelling a book on colonialism that concluded the british empire was not all about the books. author, academic nigel biggar will be joining me to discuss this. but now here's a check on those news headlines with tatyana .

well come back to the common sense crusade with me, the reverend calvin robertson on your tv, online and on your a book by an oxford academic analysed is the british empire from a moral of view and argues that it was not bad. nigel biggar confronts some of the unpopular views of the empire. such as that it was inextricably unked such as that it was inextricably linked to slavery , racism, and linked to slavery, racism, and argues against them . he also argues against them. he also alleges that bloomsbury , who alleges that bloomsbury, who initially agreed to publish the book, cancelled , although they book, cancelled, although they denied this , the book has now denied this, the book has now been published . william collins been published. william collins . now joining me is nigel. nigel

who was the reader's professor of moral theology at oxford and is the author of colonial ism a moral reckoning, published this week. professor biggar , you for week. professor biggar, you for joining me. i've been reading through what is quite a hefty book, i might add. you've books worth of content in your notes alone, haven't you? but it is all very, very good stuff . why all very, very good stuff. why do you feel you had to write this ? i felt i had to write it this? i felt i had to write it because so much of what is being put about about colonial history is a slanderous caricature. so the phrase colonialism and slavery is now very common. and it's spoken as. if slavery is now very common. and it's spoken as . if those two it's spoken as. if those two things were identical and that the whole of 300 years worth of british imperial and colonial history is nothing but a of racism , slavery, exploitation racism, slavery, exploitation and oppression . and that just is and oppression. and that just is not true . right. the thing not true. right. the thing i picked up most from this so far

that and i haven't finished it quite yet is that there's a lot of nuance involved here. and you talk about being transparent with your biases as well, because a lot of historians seem to be social justice warriors or neo marxists, as you rightly them in the book. and you've laid out your bias at the start. would you say that as a classical liberal perspective, and has that affected and how has that affected the way you've addressed history ? way you've addressed history? well my i these issues as an ethicist, calvin and i make quite clear, as you know in the introduction, that i am a christian and therefore i this with certain christian convictions, such as . the belief convictions, such as. the belief that all human beings are equal under god and also that human beings are limited in the knowledge and in the power and also that they are prey , also that they are prey, temptations and sins. also that they are prey, temptations and sins . therefore, temptations and sins. therefore, i'm not at all surprised that colonial governments like present governments , often fail

present governments, often fail , often failed, and that they did some bad things. , often failed, and that they did some bad things . but i'm did some bad things. but i'm also keen to remind readers of the noble and heroic things that our colonial ancestors also did . right quite a lot of it is. well, let's be honest that the british empire was not an imposing force and quite often ruled by consent, imposing force and quite often ruled by consent , for example, ruled by consent, for example, the british, the comptroller general and such. in fact, there's quite a great chapter in there's quite a great chapter in there on british of india and how instead of imposing an importing white brits as might have seen the empire have done. there were very few white brits in the country and they took on board indian and indian legal systems and tried to adopt them. is that not the case? absolutely so in africa , india , there were so in africa, india, there were very few white. i sometimes i

mean, i can remember the. exactly. but they were at its height in 1900. there were a few hundred thousand britons in a country whether there were hundreds of millions of indians. so and the same applied in in africa . but the numbers of white africa. but the numbers of white britons on, the ground were tiny and without the widespread cooperation of indians and africans , colonial government africans, colonial government could not have survived if there was one point at which i think one viceroy of india, said, if nafive one viceroy of india, said, if native indian were to throw one grain of sand at us, we would be bufied. grain of sand at us, we would be buried . so the empire was often buried. so the empire was often much more collaborative and co—operative between britain and nafive co—operative between britain and native than is than is being put about. native than is than is being put about . absolutely. and you'll about. absolutely. and you'll cooperate with the. if i just add to that in the 1950s and sixties a several million volunteer to leave war torn

anarchical mainland china to enter the british colony of hong kong. enter the british colony of hong kong . and that has say something kong. and that has say something about the relative attractiveness of colonial rule attractiveness of colonial rule at that time in that place. and you weren't afraid to take on controversial figures here or you such as cecil rhodes and you give what i would say is a very good defence of him. how would you respond to people who say he in particular was a racist? sorry i missed that last bit. cecil rhodes . your defence of cecil rhodes. your defence of cecil rhodes. your defence of cecil . so how would i respond to cecil. so how would i respond to his critics? yeah i would say certainly . i mean, some people certainly. i mean, some people like liken him to adolf hitler. i mean, that's just silly. i mean, if i wanted to put up poster boy to british empire, i wouldn't be rhodes. i mean, rhodes was. was an entrepreneur, a buccaneer , a full of energy a buccaneer, a full of energy but like all entrepreneurs, impatient with constraints. and he cut many of them . so he he cut many of them. so he wasn't highly scrupulous . on the

wasn't highly scrupulous. on the other hand , he was . he made other hand, he was. he made a lot money, but he didn't spend it on himself. he spent it on developing infrastructure in southern africa. he defended . southern africa. he defended. the of africans and the parliament of cape colony at one point. regardless of their the current cultural inferiority regardless of that he said that they basically the same as us as we white people are. there's no bafic we white people are. there's no basic difference . so i think basic difference. so i think rhodesis basic difference. so i think rhodes is , he's an interesting rhodes is, he's an interesting character. he wasn't a saint, but he certainly wasn't the devil. no i think you call him patronising. in the book and you know, he's one of the figures that he was patronising that people he was patronising to yeah to oxford college dorms to. yeah you know he's one of the people that people paint as a racist. but people also suggest that slavery, racism or and in strictly or intrinsically to the empire. and you argue against

that. what's your argument to make towards that? it's very simple. calvin yes. 450 years until about 1807. british people, some british people, not all british people were involved in slave trading and slave plantations in the west indies. but then in the first decade of the of the 19th century, seven in particular britain amongst the first nations in the history of the world, in the history of the world to abolish the slave trade and about 30 years later, it abolished slavery throughout the territories of the british empire and led the world in suppressing slavery and the trade from brazil to malaysia . trade from brazil to malaysia. so, so the bitter of the british empire that is to us is actually committed to anti—slavery on the of a christian view of the equality of all human beings under god. sounds like something to be proud of to me. but just before we wrap up real briefly, if could. you have alleged

if you could. you have alleged bloomsbury cancelled the book initially. deny initially. they, of course, deny this. take on it? this. what's your take on it? but my take is simply that what bloomsbury said is not true because an email from bloomsbury in april makes clear that the initiative came from them. and then i spent some hundreds pounds paying a lawyer who told me that in fact contract would not allow me to hold them the contract. therefore i to be let go. but the idea that i walked away is just not true. well, thank you for fighting . good thank you for fighting. good fight. and thank you for an excellent book. biggar regis, professor emeritus of moral theology at the university oxford. we reached out to for a comment, but they have not yet responded. but the sunday times on january the 28th, bloomsbury insists it did not cancel because book but simply wanted to delay publication . it said it to delay publication. it said it offered to pay out the contract because the author was keen to have his book published sooner. now on to something else a pro—life volunteer who had charges dropped against her for

allegedly breaching a public spaces protection order or spoke by silently outside an abortion , is still intending to seek legal verdict. spiros also known as buffer zones or areas specifically prohibiting , specifically prohibiting, certain activities such as protest and prayer. they are put in place by councils which state they want to protect women from harassment. she was charged with four counts of protesting , four counts of protesting, engaging in an act that is intimate dating to service users .isabel intimate dating to service users . isabel denied the charges . she . isabel denied the charges. she only silently prayed in her head. here's some of the footage. i ask any questions about what's going on today. ought to call, should you? which is just your rights, is you do not have to say anything. moore defends. he did mention when defends. he did not mention when questioned some future. later on courtney send me to give courtney can you send me to give you here for today you what are you here for today physically understanding him what he from places i know you don't live nearby but this is an abortion something. okay. that's

why you still used to be a part of the protest. no you were testing. are you praying what you're playing in my head . so you're playing in my head. so i'll ask you once more. will you voluntarily come with us. now to the police station for me to ask you some questions about gay guys, where there are allegations that broken a protection order. if i've a choice, then it's okay . well, choice, then it's okay. well, then you're under arrest. the council failing to comply. pubuc council failing to comply. public spaces protection order , public spaces protection order, anti—social behaviour , things anti—social behaviour, things 14. and then we it. so isabel joins us now along with lorcan price who is a barrister and legal counsel for adf , a faith legal counsel for adf, a faith based legal advocacy organisation that are supporting isabel. fantastic organisation . isabel. fantastic organisation. isabel. fantastic organisation. isabel i've spoken to you privately, we've done livestreams online because it's very difficult to talk about this topic on air. but the charges have now thankfully been dropped. so why are you still pursuing a little legal verdict

? thanks, calvin. yeah, it is good news that the crown prosecution service decided to drop charges . they've also said drop charges. they've also said that it's because it's not sufficient evidence and they've made it clear that they could start again following an evidential review which. leaves me in a very uncertain position , not knowing whether the actions that i took was just silently playing in my own head . are considered to be criminal or not. so unless i go to court to get some clarification , i'm to get some clarification, i'm left feeling very uneasy really about the whole thing, and not just myself, but other people who might want to silently think their own thoughts in their heads, near the vicinity of abortion centre . we don't know abortion centre. we don't know whether it's legal or not to do that anymore . so you do be stuck that anymore. so you do be stuck in limbo, which makes sense. a lot people have been posing lot of people have been posing the whatever, the question, whatever, bring this media and i'm this up on social media and i'm trying to trump your case as much possible, because much as possible, because i think but a lot think it's important but a lot of people reply saying, couldn't you have prayed elsewhere ? so you have prayed elsewhere? so i just lost the sound. you not

have prayed elsewhere, is the question lot of people are posing. clearly, we pray anywhere we want to , but i think anywhere we want to, but i think it is important to myself to able to pray near the abortion , able to pray near the abortion, just to say that about 20 years i've been going to abortion centres offering and alternatives to women and many of those women have accepted that help because they were only having an abortion . they thought having an abortion. they thought there was no other alternative. on this occasion i was going just silently pray and for many christians and in fact for many people who aren't christians, they feel it's important actually be present at a spot, hence the fact when somebody passes away , you might often see passes away, you might often see flowers put on that particular spot, even if it's halfway up a mountain or at the side of the road, that be. for road, wherever that may be. for me, mark that spot with my me, i mark that spot with my prayers it's prayers and whether it's understands at all, not to make that illegal or even embrace any uncertain as to whether it might be legal or not, to think certain thoughts in a certain is really very concerning. i mean, this is one of our most

fundamental rights, the right to think , hey, thank you, isabel think, hey, thank you, isabel vaughan, spruce you for that. a spokesman from the prosecution service said we review all cases ahead of . the courts where the ahead of. the courts where the police have charged following a review of this case, we concluded that there was insufficient evidence to provide a realistic prospect of conviction . nor can price a conviction. nor can price a barrister and legal counsel for adf uk, a faith based advocacy organisation, is still with me in studio and i'm now joined author and broadcaster my pal from tuesday evening's rebecca reid for a debate on whether a silent prayer should be prohibited outside facilities. rebecca let you start off with this one. what do think? oh my. yeah. okay. that was a lot. and i'm just a lot of very big feelings this and i really. i'm just a lot of very big feelings this and i really . any feelings this and i really. any person in this conversation who has been to an abortion clinic, both for my own and for other people's. i am the abortion friend of my friendship group and indeed, why the women i know . so i've pushed through a lot

protesters outside, a lot of clinics in my time. and they are probably the group of people in the world. i have the most contempt for because i hear this stuff about we help we offer alternatives . i've certainly alternatives. i've certainly never been offered an alternative if it is an attempt to intimidation an attempt to prevent somebody from accessing a legal form of healthcare which they have right to access. also very when you're going to a clinic, it's not even for an abortion is to get a smear or contraception or an sd check and you still end up with people standing there looking at you directly trying you directly, trying to make you feel intimidated. i'm sorry feel intimidated. and i'm sorry i refuse to believe that i just refuse to believe that anybody is standing there praying during the praying silently during the opening at least, praying silently during the opening at least , because opening hours, at least, because they won't was important to them. okay. thank you, rebecca and i look and we heard that it could be about intimidation, harassment . it could ever be harassment. it could ever be intimidating or harassing and i won't talk about any specific case, but when an abortion centre is specifically who who's harassed and who's being

intimidated, but is it not the case that freedom of prayer is what's being focussed on here or the lack thereof? well, that's a very pertinent point, because what we're really talking about here is being able to be in a pubuc here is being able to be in a public place and in what is activity that's in law and under the european convention on human . and to do so in a that they feel very is it's helpful and is of assistance and to criminalise that activity a way where it's not harassing or obstructive frankly, is very, very troubling. and it's something that i think most reasonable people would agree is totally unnecessary to have a criminal sanction in law for. unnecessary to have a criminal sanction in law for . what we sanction in law for. what we just saw in elizabeth isabel's video and i would go further to say really as well that contrary to what what your your guest said there, that many women have been very clear that the support, advice and help offered by people like isabel has changed minds. and think changed their minds. and i think it's patronising to say to it's very patronising to say to anybody to it's patronising to

say women they cannot that we say to women they cannot that we have to where criminalise people, them or offering people, giving them or offering them assistance to do that in way in a public place. so i think it's very unreasonable. okay. thank you very much. lorcan price, a barrister and legal counsel for adf, uk and rebecca reid, author and broadcaster colonel pell's funeral took place this week at st mary's cathedral in sydney, with police forced to intervene , protesters gathered to confront mourners . cardinal confront mourners. cardinal george pell , a controversial and george pell, a controversial and divisive in australia. formerly one of the pope's top aides , he one of the pope's top aides, he was australia's top ranked catholic and his public image was tarnished . he was convicted was tarnished. he was convicted of child sexual abuse . that of child sexual abuse. that conviction was overturned and cardinal pell was acquitted . two cardinal pell was acquitted. two former australian prime ministers cardinal pell's funeral , ministers cardinal pell's funeral, including tony abbott sound, who praised the late cardinal a eulogy. so it in bad taste to protest at funerals regardless of whose funeral it may be. still with me is author

broadcaster rebecca reid. and us now is professor or university lecturer . lecturer in philosophy lecturer. lecturer in philosophy of , religion lecturer. lecturer in philosophy of, religion from the university of, religion from the university of cambridge . thank you for of cambridge. thank you for joining us, james. i'll start you since you've just popped on. is it, however appropriate to protest a funeral . good to be protest a funeral. good to be with you, calvin. look, i think that you know the right protest peacefully , anywhere should be peacefully, anywhere should be sacrosanct in any functioning liberal democracy. i mean, i'm i will die on the barricades for that. but that principle. but i think most people would accept that there's something deeply distasteful even i would say repugnant about directing vocal abuse at a person at their own funeral as all their loved ones are gathering to mourn him . so are gathering to mourn him. so i think , you know, your initial think, you know, your initial read was was right. i think it's a matter of bad taste . and

a matter of bad taste. and i think there is something deeply and i think it reveals clearly that the culture wars in australia are . ripping it apart. australia are. ripping it apart. these are moments, you know, evenin these are moments, you know, even in military there is a very powerful convention that the enemy dead are to be treated with respect and dignity and that's almost uniformly honoured. and so it's strange to that, you know, these sorts of you civil conflicts in the pubuc you civil conflicts in the public , not even that ancient public, not even that ancient convention honoured in rebecca. when people celebrate in someone's death that they're not saying more about them, it does the person celebrating rebecca rageis the person celebrating rebecca rage is still with us. you've got me . yeah, i. rebecca my got me. yeah, i. rebecca my point i would just say is that i don't think this is a wars issue.i don't think this is a wars issue. i think this is a test to

the agony that people in the catholic church and impacted by sexual abuse in the catholic church are experiencing and complete lack of clarity and the complete lack of clarity and the complete lack of conclusion that has been because of the historic child allegations and whether or not this was true in his case or not this was true in his case or not there is a gaping wound in the church. i grew up in the catholic church. i know people who were sexually abused in the catholic church and think catholic church and i think basically there's been any basically there's never been any comprehensive the comprehensive ending to the conversation, you end conversation, which why you end up like this up with situations like this where takes lot for where people it takes a lot for anyone be so angry they think anyone to be so angry they think that a funeral is a funeral. it's of most sacred it's one of the most sacred sacraments. it's is basically sacraments. it's it is basically a of how badly the a demon's of how badly the situation handled . situation is being handled. okay. brilliant. well, thank both. that was author and broadcaster rebecca reid and james or university lecturer in philosophy of religion from the university of cambridge. you both for your time today. now each week on the show we like to with closing prayer. here with our closing prayer. here the column for the sun caught sept or guess emma or the third

sunday before lent . oh lord sunday before lent. oh lord beseech thee favourably to hear the prayers of thy people that we who are justly punished for our offences may be mercifully delivered to goodness for the glory of thy name through jesus christ, our saviour who live and reign with the and the holy ghost of a one god world without end. amen. thank very much for watching. you have been watching calvin's commonsense crusade with me, the reverend calvin robinson. i will be back with you sunday at 3 pm. but up next, it's the one and only the wonderful nana akua . before that wonderful nana akua. before that though, weather. enjoy though, has the weather. enjoy dazzle . hello again. looking dazzle. hello again. looking ahead and will be some wet and at times windy across northern parts but further it's going to stay dry and brighter but with the of some frost and fog the risk of some frost and fog by night. take a look the bigger picture and you can see this weather waiting the weather front waiting out in the atlantic going to push atlantic this is going to push towards we go through towards the uk as. we go through the hours or so. but at the next 24 hours or so. but at the next 24 hours or so. but at the moment we have this whacking great big area, high pressure across that's why it's

across us and that's why it's been a settled for most been such a settled day for most staying across much staying fine across much of england wales we go england and wales as we go through and with through this evening and with some skies through much of some clear skies through much of the night too but a much cloudier parts of cloudier across parts of scotland northern. some scotland and northern. some blustery and a blustery gusty winds and also a few of drizzly rain too. few spots of drizzly rain too. as of the cloud, it's as a result of the cloud, it's going stay quite mild here, going to stay quite mild here, but clear skies, but with the clear skies, england, turning with england, wales turning cold with minus possible. so minus minus five possible. so a fairly widespread frost and some freezing patches to out freezing patches to watch out for. first on monday for. first thing on monday morning through monday itself. then a bright start for much of england but thick england wales but that thick cloud towards the northwest is gradually going encroach its way in many turning a in so many places turning a little bit cloudier but think little bit cloudier but i think it stay towards the it will stay sunny towards the south—east here temperatures south—east and here temperatures doing similar today really so doing similar to today really so highs nine, possibly ten highs of nine, possibly ten celsius also could get double figures across the far north of scotland because of that southerly, we could some southerly, we could see some breaks across northern scotland. but places staying quite but most places staying quite cloudy through the end of the day on monday, that weather front i mentioned earlier is going to push its way in. so a spell of more persistent rain

and winds the far and some strong winds the far north—west as. go north—west of scotland as. we go through night cloud keeping through the night cloud keeping things here. but things quite mild here. but across england and wales again, where the clear skies, where we have the clear skies, it's more likely a it's once more likely be a pretty chilly frosty night pretty chilly and frosty night again. temperatures getting to lows , minus four, five, lows, minus four, minus five, perhaps. and some freezing fog to out for as we go to watch out for as we go through tuesday itself. now taking look as we go through the rest of this weekend, it is going to stay quite changeable at across northern parts. at times across northern parts. so further rain and so some further rain comes and it will be a bit windy but always brighter towards always dry and brighter towards the but there is the the south. but here there is the risk some frost and fog. but risk of some frost and fog. but by on mark dolan tonight in my big opinion. liz truss launches comeback with an explosive new in the daily telegraph and i share her view that britain needs to end a culture of tax and spend the country a dose of tough economic. it might take it ten finally a prime minister who serious stopping the boats rishi showing surprise courage by

threatening to axe the hated european court of human rights . european court of human rights. my european court of human rights. my heart meets against his former minister robert buckland . plus, tomorrow's papers and my all star panel. we're live .

at nine. hello. good afternoon. and welcome to gb news on tv and on digital radio . not a quitter, digital radio. not a quitter, but for the next 2 hours, me and my panel will be taking on some of the big topics, hitting the headunes of the big topics, hitting the headlines right now. this show is about opinion. it's long, is all about opinion. it's long, it's ours. and of course, it's yours. we'll be debating, discussing it at we will discussing it at times. we will disagree, be disagree, but no one will be cancelled . so joining me today cancelled. so joining me today is broadcast is author and broadcast christine hamilton, who said broadcaster and journalist danny , before we get started, let's

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