channel it's 3 pm. and you are live with me. patrick christys right here on gb news and i am up for today. ladies and gentlemen, that's our have the police completely up the search for nicola bailey. they had information her issues information about her issues with the menopause, with drinking and the menopause, but deliberately share it. we dive see what actually dive team see what actually looking for they wanted to protect nicola and her family , protect nicola and her family, how up throwing them how they ended up throwing them all public under the bus all on the public under the bus . here's our big discussion today , though, people. is it today, though, people. is it time bring national service time to bring national service news .7 is it we're being

news today? is it we're being outgunned by the french, for goodness sake, us are laughing at us. we're giving all our resources to ukraine. we've got load of patriot . take young load of soft patriot. take young white weaklings, kids burning country's flag at school and, rampant knife crime, national service would give the young unemployed even potentially criminal kids a purpose and make them proud to be british. we'll be chasing all about that and australia wants to pinch our doctors or nurses or police officers , teachers. you know officers, teachers. you know what, this is the? it's an advert for turning the boats in the channel and having a strong points based immigration system . so pick and choose who . so you can pick and choose who comes into your and make comes into your country and make sure they've talent good sure that they've talent a good work ethic and they will contribute and i think i think i might have discovered the real reason the nicholas sturgeon resigned yesterday . and it could resigned yesterday. and it could be a massive scandal brewing. i'll reveal all later in the show. so stay tuned for that. the question you today is on national service. we've got a poll running on now at gb poll running on this now at gb news get on that and news twitter get on that and vote in it. would you bring back

national service gb views dot uk but now if she had lost . but now if she had lost. patrick, thank you. good afternoon. it's 3:01. i'm bethany elsey in the gb newsroom and we'll start with some breaking news in the last hour. the family of missing nicola barley says the public focus has become distracted from finding it and is more concerned about into her private life . into her private life. detectives have revealed the 45 year old was vulnerable and that she struggled with alcohol . the she struggled with alcohol. the menopause. lancashire police is facing backlash for such personal information about the mother of two. he disappeared almost three weeks ago. the independent office for police conduct has contact with the force to determine if an inquiry is needed. the search for a new first minister of scotland is underway after nicholas sturgeon announced unexpected decision to stand . she plans to remain

stand. she plans to remain office until her successor is elected. the snp's executive committee will meet this to draw up a timetable . the leadership up a timetable. the leadership race. possible replacements include the deputy first minister john swinney and finance secretary kate forbes. the government announced an extra the government announced an extr a £421 million to boost extra £421 million to boost alcohol and drug treatment. the new funding will be given to 151 councils in england to recruit more staff improve recovery support for prison leavers and, invest in addiction treatment . invest in addiction treatment. ministers say the plans could nearly 1000 drug related deaths every year. the undersecretary primary care and public health, neil o'brien , says it will also neil o'brien, says it will also help to cut . we know drug help to cut. we know drug addiction drives so much crime. it drives about half of all crime. and because we know that people get into drug treatment that radically reduces their likelihood that there will be out there causing chaos and causing crime. so we're making

this big investment that will mean more in treatment, new types of treatment. and as well as being good for all the rest of us and. cutting crime. of course, it's a path out of terrible, terrible for people who are trapped in it. labour says they'll recruit an extra 30,000 community police officers to tackle behaviour and violent crime if they win the next election. the shadow home secretary unveiled plans for a neighbourhood policing guarantee, assigning and pcsos to every community. the home office claim their proposed investment is a 10th of what the government is currently delivering. but if at cooper criticised the conservatives for their hands off approach claiming not enough is being done. so i want to talk about what's going to complete collapse in home office leadership on and policing under the conservatives . how they've the conservatives. how they've stood back while neighbourhood policing has crumbled. while the

charge rate has plummeted . while charge rate has plummeted. while confidence and policing . and the confidence and policing. and the criminal justice system have one, more victims are being let down and more criminals are getting off . the uk has now getting off. the uk has now provided military training . provided military training. 10,000 ukrainian volunteer soldiers . with that number set soldiers. with that number set to reach 30,000 by the end of this year, the ministry of defence has been teaching civilian recruits range of skills, including urban fighting weapons , handling and dealing weapons, handling and dealing with explosives . dubbed with explosives. dubbed operation interval , the five operation interval, the five week programme takes place here in uk and is similar to type of training undertaken by british army reserves. it's that it will help the fight back against russia's invasion . the number of russia's invasion. the number of people died following major earthquakes struck southern turkey and northern syria has surpassed 42,000. turkey's disaster and emergency authority says more than 4300 aftershocks

have hit the country since the initial quakes . 11 days on a few initial quakes. 11 days on a few are still being rescued alive . are still being rescued alive. and in some places the focus is moving away from rescue efforts and towards clearing the and rebuilding energy . centrica, the rebuilding energy. centrica, the owner of british, has posted profits of £3.3 billion, more than triple it made the year before. but british gas actually saw profits decrease by almost 40. it after ofgem launched an urgent to investigate centrica for installing prepay payment metres by force in vulnerable homes. liberal democrat leader sir ed davey has urged the government to implement what. he called a proper windfall . called a proper windfall. meanwhile one in three small businesses might not be able to cover energy bills from april when the price guarantee rises . when the price guarantee rises. it's expected to increase by 20% and at the same time will phase down its . new research by has

down its. new research by has found 30% of the 1.2 million small businesses it analysed will be at heightened risk of collapse . this is gb news will collapse. this is gb news will bnng collapse. this is gb news will bring you monies as it happens now though, it's back to. patrick starting with absolutely massive questions about nicola bailey today. ladies gentlemen, have the police completely bungled their investigation? but a plea their investigation? but a plea the family of the missing mum this afternoon as they urged to focus on basically finding out and not making it wild about her personal life. but there's more to get stuck into that makes the i here because lancashire police gave public access into gave the public access into nicola's private life when they disclosed that she'd experienced some alcohol . the some issues with alcohol. the past brought on, they say, struggles menopause .

struggles with the menopause. now they've been criticised for revealing these details and revealing these details and revealing to . the public, revealing them to. the public, the have defended the police have defended the decision saying it was decision do so, saying it was important to clarify what it meant by the vulnerabilities that they mentioned in the press conference yesterday . a lot of conference yesterday. a lot of people though, including the independent dive lead who was tasked with looking for nicola, if they'd have at least told him about it, he would have changed the way he was looking . so how the way he was looking. so how have the police essentially done the of worlds here? the worst of both worlds here? they've not releasing information it mattered information when it mattered most on the initial level of the search to people who search to the people who mattered i.e. those doing mattered most, i.e. those doing the but they've the searching. but now they've locked to the public locked out that to the public after the events and i can't help but worry that that frankly is a negative impact. joining us now news is north of now is gb news is north west of england. reporter reaper england. reporter sophie reaper sophie, very, very sophie, thank you very, very much great you on the much. great to have you on the show with the very latest on this. the family actually this. and the family actually have out, haven't they? have spoken out, haven't they? they indeed. i mean, this case just to change and change since

the last time i spoke to yesterday patrick since that press conference where we learned for the first time about those vulnerabilities that made nicola a high risk missing person. you mentioned that originally they wouldn't tell us those vulnerabilities were but now they've revealed to the pubuc now they've revealed to the public yesterday evening they say that she had previous issues with brought on by the menopause. now that has widely criticised the lancashire police releasing that information on to the public and in the last hour or so we have heard from nicola's family via lancashire police's twitter. i've got a little bit of what they said. here it has now been three weeks since nikki when we as a family believe that the public focus has become distracted from finding and more about speculation and rumours into her private life. as a family were aware that lancashire police last night released a statement , some personal details .

, some personal details. although we know nikki would not have wanted this. there are people they're threatening to sell about her. this is appalling and needs to stop . appalling and needs to stop. now, in that statement, they also talked about the fact that nicola was suffering with the effects of perimenopause. so things like brain fog and restless sleep. as a result, she was hrt medication they believe she'd stopped taking that and although that she that may have been helping her. in they say it may have up causing this crisis. now even more recently than that update on from nicola's family we've heard from the independent office for police conduct who have now reached to lancashire police. they've said in a statement following information and that was made public by lancashire constabulary yesterday. we've made contact with the force to determine if a referral to the iopc may required. of course that is very information about nicola and her

family that they have shared the public. but the biggest question in all of this remains to be what has happened to the mother of two. yeah indeed. look, sophy, thank you very, very much. you've been all over this for us from the start, bringing us all updates. so thank you, sophie reaper. there who's at the scene now , as you heard the scene now, as you just heard that the independent for police conduct within hour said conduct has within hour said that made contact with that they've made contact with lancashire police over information and made public in a press conference about nicola bully's private life . just to bully's private life. just to fill you in. so police were saying that they were always aware specific aware of specific vulnerabilities. that's why they jumped on this case and jumped straight on this case and they big on in their they went big on it in their initial attempts to find nicola. but they didn't tell us what those vulnerability were. those vulnerability these were. and yesterday emerged, and then yesterday emerged, didn't on? didn't it? later on? unfortunately, nicola appears to have , with alcohol have had issues, with alcohol and problems as well. and hormonal problems as well. but this has created what i think many regarding as an absolute hot mess because they did share information with did not share information with some people who some of the people who were tasked with looking so tasked with looking for. so people should known that.

people who should known that. they've it out. that they've then loaned it out. that leads press leads to massive press speculation leads people in speculation leads to people in a private life and a personal life as well. allegedly potentially trying to stories about trying to sell stories about her. then here we are today her. and then here we are today , you may everyone , the public. you may everyone knows needlessly , some would say knows needlessly, some would say intimate, personal about poor nicola that wasn't shared with the very people who were supposed to be looking for it to be honest with you. does anyone else feel as though the police might have thrown nicola and her family under the bus here, thrown them the wolves? thrown them to the wolves? certain frankly be certain and frankly maybe be covering me covering their backs. joining me now underhill. he's now is martin underhill. he's a former crime former police and crime commissioner senior lecturer commissioner and senior lecturer in psychology, master dunk. he very keeps very much. this case keeps getting stranger police getting stranger have the police absolutely bungled this . you absolutely bungled this. you would be forgiven for thinking so patrick thank you for having me on the show . the problem me on the show. the problem you've got here is that it's really private, confidential health information has been disclosed by the police and doing that they have created a

complete slightly different line of inquiry for the media and the pubuc of inquiry for the media and the public , which is distracting public, which is distracting actually what the public want, which is to find the mother of two children. so they've again, in my view scored an angle that our goal is distracting everybody because it's an ethical debate. now i mean, why we need to know that nicola was going through the menopause. every woman on this planet goes . it'sjust i would every woman on this planet goes . it's just i would argue that. so it's important to say now that the family have come out and said they gave the police permission to, do this now. but the reason of is because there's been massive press scrutiny, massive scrutiny into , massive public scrutiny into, the outs of it. look, we the ins and outs of it. look, we can all day long, but can argue that all day long, but you would i would have thought anyway, think the people who anyway, i think the people who should maybe not you should have known maybe not you and maybe joe bloggs and maybe, maybe not joe bloggs down but actually the down the pub, but actually the people were dying saying, people who were dying saying, look, even the head of that look, and even the head of that independent dive said it would

have changed the way he approached that service. there would be more of having found nicola if he'd have known that and that unforgivable . well, and that unforgivable. well, again we have to go back to how did the dive end up being searching the river water? because it appears that the family asked for help of the place and therefore the police. you could argue you didn't. place and therefore the police. you could argue you didn't . to you could argue you didn't. to brief the search team . but brief the search team. but you're absolutely right. what they've done by release that information yesterday is just completely unprecedented to my knowledge of . a missing person knowledge of. a missing person case like this is one that destroyed her reputation at the stroke of the pen. second, they they have started huge debate about whether woman of menopause basically . we're blaming the basically. we're blaming the victim, blaming and that has distracted from the key issue . distracted from the key issue. so, yes, if pull the diver had been told about this information would have changed his tactics because . he was looking for because. he was looking for someone who the had said fell in

the river. the strong suggestion the river. the strong suggestion the details released yesterday is she might have jumped in the river and completely changes jaws underwater tactics. so i do get the point about the dive team, the would say we didn't invite them in the did and we're not obliged to disclose information but you've already hit the nail on the head this information if it had been released in the first day of nicola going missing would have completely changed dialogue, completely changed the dialogue, the and, the perception the coverage and, the perception of this case and why they've done it. three weeks later, i no idea. all it's done is. you said good expression . they found good expression. they found nicola and her family the nicola and her family under the bus, destroyed reputation bus, destroyed her reputation and started a national debate about the menopause, which is not helpful when we're trying to find the mother of two children. no, exactly. you know what it looks like me anyway ? it may looks like for me anyway? it may be. this isn't fair. we've gone to police for to lancashire police for comment, hear back on comment, waiting to hear back on this fair, this and maybe this isn't fair, but can only give my honest but i can only give my honest opinion about what looks opinion about what this looks like from may it was a bit of a ham initially. it ham approach initially. it wasn't. and what have we had in

the last days? we've them the last two days? we've them throwing public the throwing the public under the bus, oh, you were giving bus, going, oh, you were giving us duff information. us a load of duff information. well, there was well, i'm sorry, but there was a massive for information. and you're going get you're always going to get sickos is out there, sickos in where it is out there, any case like this. and one would imagine police will would imagine the police will just have put it out then on just have put it out and then on top that, now you've got top of that, now you've got nicola personal being nicola personal reputation being thrown to me thrown under the bus. this to me looks though the looks as though the are absolutely breaking and absolutely breaking it and thinking, do to thinking, what can we do to swerve initial mistakes swerve our initial mistakes here? your takes on that. well by victim blaming her they are almost protecting our own reputation and that's been said in the last 24 hours. reputation and that's been said in the last 24 hours . that's reputation and that's been said in the last 24 hours. that's as ikeep in the last 24 hours. that's as i keep saying, her loss . i spoke i keep saying, her loss. i spoke to you and said this. i keep saying, her loss. i spoke to you and said this . the to you and said this. the lancashire police are doing things that are not normal in cases like this. we keep going into rabbit holes. i've never said before , i mean, as you said said before, i mean, as you said , your opening speech , we went , your opening speech, we went eight days without press conference , which left a huge conference, which left a huge void. so you detectives, your

armchair detectives fill that void because the police but they're telling the public they want you to know and. then when they do come out, the press conference, i completely first run a full such as she's well if they'd left it there that would have been fine they could have said she suffered from depression that isn't throwing on the bus it's medical fact. but i actually going into massive details about drink abuse, alcohol abuse and the menopause i don't understand what they're achieve it what they're trying achieve it doesn't inquiry move doesn't help this inquiry move forward. destroys nicola's forward. it destroys nicola's reputation. and i imagine as i relate to the family. yeah look, thank you very much, martin for that. and we do appreciate your insights. martin underhill there is former police and crime commissioner and senior lecturer in psychology . when you look at in psychology. when you look at that, what martin was just saying that no press conference for eight days this for eight days despite this absolute massive search in a particular in a stretch of the river of course alerts everyone and makes everyone that this is and makes everyone that this is an incredibly mysterious case which has turned out to be the press conferences then went on well, we've got ten minute

well, we've got a ten minute window. was wearing a fitbit window. she was wearing a fitbit , turned out that , which turned out now that fitbit wasn't on ten fitbit wasn't saying on the ten minute window could be as wide as hours. we've also, then on as 2 hours. we've also, then on top she's got top of that, while she's got specific we're top of that, while she's got spe�*sharing we're top of that, while she's got spe�*sharing information we're top of that, while she's got spe�*sharing information with an not sharing information with an independent family independent team that the family is out to go and try and get involved themselves because they're desperate find they're desperate to find nicola. well, now nicola. of course. well, now it's turned okay. well, it's turned out okay. well, under after a press under pressure after a press conference , after conference yesterday, after a press they've press conference, they've actually said, oh, she's got these vulnerabilities . then these vulnerabilities. then they have out say, okay, have to come out and say, okay, well, what? she's got well, know what? she's got problems , drink. and also problems with, drink. and also revealed quite personal, very personal, hormonal . both of personal, hormonal. both of those are incredibly those things are incredibly pieces of information that clearly the family initially did not want out there. the police have right horlicks of have made a right horlicks of this. would say gone to the this. some would say gone to the police force. we're yet to hear back. it is important to say back. and it is important to say that that have gone to them that that we have gone to them to to of this to respond to some of this criticism, but that got criticism, but that we've got loads, getting touch loads, we've getting in touch with. your thoughts initially on the police have handled the way the police have handled this and just got to this case and i've just got to in of me here that up in front of me here that up i think why people are on this i

get there's a range of views gb views of gbnews.uk don't says it's police are it's unbelievable the police are being finding being blamed for not finding nicola that nicola he's saying that basically saying basically we shouldn't be saying that they botched the investigation story investigation the full story will gradually yeah will gradually come out. yeah i'm sympathetic to that. but then also got name on this then we've also got name on this one calling for that to be a massive inquiry. is there it looks like there might well be an inquiry saying there could be actual sackings here if it was a private company, then heads would rolled, etc. etc. so would have rolled, etc. etc. so yes, very split views on yes, very, very split views on all of this. trish says , that all of this. trish says, that it's a disgrace this investigation and that there should be resignations is just such a strange handling of this . as ryan also points out. i've got for one or two more emails here. ryan says handling of this case and media management is atrocious considering the public perception of the police after such failings by other forces . such failings by other forces. is it any wonder that for that the public take it upon themselves ? try to solve what themselves? try to solve what looks like another mishandled case and is a very good point. i think we've rattled off a

catalogue police failures dating back for a very, very long time. i mean you only to look back at the grooming gang scandals for people have massive scepticism when it comes to the police's ability local forces abilities to handle big cases . i don't to handle big cases. i don't think you've hit the nail on the head that the media management and yesterday's sums that right up go about having up you go on about having specific vulnerabilities and then you blame people like me for those and for asking all those are and then it comes out and then the family have to release statement. absolute statement. it's an absolute horror show that's completely start to finish. one more now karen says just thought to how nicola would feel if and when she is found. yes her family said it was okay for the police to reveal this information, but what want? yeah. i what would she want? yeah. i i must say, i thought that. i thought if nicola is out there somewhere and we all hope that she's safe and well what would she's safe and well what would she thinking , knowing she be thinking, knowing that this stuff is out there now? i think it's absolute catastrophe. what we're going to be dealing with throughout the course with this throughout the course of because it is of the show, because it is a massive story. and frankly, the

way gone last way things have gone the last few days there's every few days as well, there's every chance we'll get an update on the nicola bailey case throughout course show. throughout course of this show. so are with me, so stay. you are with me, patrick christys news. i'm patrick christys on gb news. i'm coming now. as many you coming up now. as many of you are with energy are struggling with your energy bills company has bills now, one company has tripled profits in the last tripled its profits in the last 12 months. find exactly just 12 months. find out exactly just how raking in how much they're raking in and a big one, which we're going to be doing later. do you doing a little bit later. do you think time to back think it's time to bring back national service supposedly, the french military? yeah, i know the military. they're the french military. they're laughing americans. laughing at us the americans. they're laughing at us. we're sending to sending all our resources to ukraine. we've people ukraine. we've got people starving death in starving themselves to death in record the streets, record numbers on the streets, britain. is it time that we out this country get national service back involved? and so what people were what generational people were unemployed maybe as well. and a little bit delinquent . i want to little bit delinquent. i want to know whether or not you think we should bring back national service gb views gb news dot uk in a tech .

the french military are laughing at us. yes, you heard that correctly as well as the americans apparently were sending a lot of resources to ukraine. meanwhile here at home we've got school pupils who burn the union flag outside their school. we've got people taking the knee left, right and centre woke education, snowflake , all woke education, snowflake, all of this stuff . is it woke education, snowflake, all of this stuff. is it time to bnng of this stuff. is it time to bring back national service. what it's so our would help reduce crime rates frankly would it put a little bit of patriotism a shot of patriotism into the heart of a younger generation going to be talking about this very shortly. get your views coming in. it's already kicked off in the inbox. a couple of former military personnel telling no, absolutely not. don't want weekend personnel telling no, absolutely not. and|'t want weekend personnel telling no, absolutely not. and i want weekend personnel telling no, absolutely not. and i can1t weekend personnel telling no, absolutely not. and i can understand, warriors. and i can understand, but you saying, yes, it but a lot of you saying, yes, it would sort out a disillusioned, younger we'll get younger generation. so we'll get stuck into that. stuck right into that. but first, would say about first, what would you say about company essentially broke company that essentially broke into and fitted more into your and fitted a more

expensive piece of equipment was charging you for it against your well and was recording well and then was recording record profits and supposedly the exact being paid absolutely loads money you'd probably have a thing or two to say about that, wouldn't you. well gas owned its centrica report saw. an underlying annual profits of point £8 billion. that's up from £392 million in 2021. i don't even know what £2.8 billion looks like. written down, frankly. but despite thousands of households struggling with gas and electric bills centric boss chris o'shay is far refusing to reveal whether he will waive his bonus. joining us now is our economics and business editor aisling m hannigan was on the money. i'm quite angry. should i be? it's important to distinguish pat trick between centrica , which is trick between centrica, which is the parent company and british gas . is the customer facing gas. is the customer facing company that actually sells you the gas that you use to cook

your baked beans and to heat your baked beans and to heat your home that you're right in the sense to politically this is really heating since these figures were released this morning . let's just have a look morning. let's just have a look at close look at these. so centrica that's the parent company they're operating profits in 2021. we can see on this graphic were 948 million and that went to 3300 million or 3.3 billion. a billion is a thousand million in 2020 to just see, you know and then the underlying profits that strips out the profit that centrica made from selling some of their businesses spirit energy , businesses spirit energy, they're slightly lower but still massive . 390 million in 2021, massive. 390 million in 2021, 2800 million or 2.8 billion in 2022. why are they making so much money 2022? because centrica actually drills stuff out of the ground. it's set upstream company. it oil and gas out of the ground and of course

wholesale prices for oil and gas been going to the moon but british gas the retail division. have a look at these numbers here in. the final graphic they made, here in. the final graphic they made , £118 million in 2021 and made, £118 million in 2021 and then they made made, £118 million in 2021 and then they mad e £72 million in then they made £72 million in 2022. they made less money in 2022. they made less money in 2022 than in 2021. why because the companies that face and do the companies that face and do the direct debit thing every month is getting increasingly painful. i know they're paying more their wholesale gas right. so they make less money. also we're using less gas. so if you think the british gas made 72 million quid in 2022 and they've got seven and a half million households that are their customers , they made about a customers, they made about a tenner per household. so your to be angry that centrica was making so much money and they're all windfall taxes on these companies that drill in the nonh companies that drill in the north sea. i mean they pay 60 70% tax on their profits under some definitions. and i do think

there will be more to come in there will be more to come in the march budget 15th of march that that will be in in jeremy hunt spring budget . but i don't hunt spring budget. but i don't think british gas itself all the things it's and obviously there was a very interesting sting by the times where a company contracted by british gas was installing pre—payment metres against customers wells . despite against customers wells. despite all that i think british gas itself can be accused of profiteering. i mean , just profiteering. i mean, just explain that very really well basically and in a way you gave me a couple of minutes to do it. you time to explain these things . yeah, exactly. the optics of it as will know in business and in life, it's also not just what's happening is how it looks. and we've got people the minute how that be minute how that who'll be watching may be out watching this who may be out their for want of a better their door for want of a better phrase, kicked down by so many more and they more expensive to put. and they were already. now that doubles as result of that then we're as result of that and then we're reading like this some reading things like this some guy that i mean goodness gracious god only knows gracious i mean god only knows what and this just what he's bonuses and this just like a racket it doesn't look

like a racket it doesn't look like a racket and you know it's not unusual for prepayment metres to be fitted where customers are judged have customers are judged to have bad credit it's fact that credit record. it's fact that this is being done now when . this is being done now when. everybody is struggling to pay their and of course, their bills. and of course, at their bills. and of course, at the wholesale of the market, the wholesale end of the market, the wholesale end of the market, the upstream know, oil the upstream, you know, the oil and exploration and the and gas exploration and the extraction and people are making a huge amount of cash. so is politically explosive. that's why the government an extra why the government put an extra windfall in place at the time of the last budget in march 2022, just after that invasion by ukraine in ukraine by vladimir putin. that's when oil and gas pnces putin. that's when oil and gas prices started . spark started to prices started. spark started to spike upwards. so an oil company working the north sea, right. most companies pay 90% corporation tax. oil pay 30. corporation tax. and they pay an extra 10% supplementary tax. and as of last month, they pay an extra 5, up from 25, which is supplementary. supplementary

tax. so it's up about 70 or 75. i mean, yeah , you get to the i mean, yeah, you get to the point where if your taxing oil and gas exploration the north sea more than that , it's not sea more than that, it's not going to happen. well, it's is it really and there has to be some incentive them there. but i don't just feel sorry for the little guys, to be honest with you. in the past, completely you. in the past, i completely agree. agree. it's agree. i completely agree. it's really people on really i'm sorry people on prepayment you know 30 prepayment metres, you know 30 million prepayment metres in britain is not britain right. this is not a small group of it's a lot of people and they generally pay a lot per unit for their lot more per unit for their electricity. and those of us who have bank accounts are on that. i was almost to say the i was almost going to say the who are lucky enough to be on directv they don't very directv but they don't feel very lucky. the minute lucky. just feel at the minute they live. thank you very much, liam halligan economics and liam halligan our economics and business editor sandra business editor now, sandra chief released this chief executive released this statement preliminary statement on the preliminary results, invested statement on the preliminary results, says we've investe statement on the preliminary results, sa supportingveste statement on the preliminary results, sa supporting ours statement on the preliminary results, sa supporting our energy million in supporting our energy customers in 2022, which was greater than the pounds post—tax profit per earned by british gas energy. whilst customers may see some relief given recent easing

of prices, it remains clear some will to need help. and we will do what we can to support them in the year ahead. but i tell you what the idea that someone you what the idea that someone you might come from one you might come from work one day, a counter low paid job struggling to make meet to find that the on your door has that the bolt on your door has been off you've been screwed off and you've a pre—payment and meanwhile pre—payment metre and meanwhile there's some bloke living it up skipping a pay old days skipping a pay in the old days going yeah, i won't tell you what my bonus is absolutely shocking. you mean shocking. you always mean patrick coming up, patrick christys. and coming up, this big one. inbox this is the big one. the inbox has kicked off as result has kicked right off as a result of gbviews@gbnews.uk . of this gbviews@gbnews.uk. should back national should we bring back national service? i don't think it will sort out that woke brigade. okay. you could call them the woke brigade. actually, it's a valid you valid argument. me, if you believe the french as well believe that the french as well are laughing at us because they got remarkable got us, which is remarkable really, isn't it, considering everything if history is anything to by and americans, anything to go by and americans, they're laughing us as as well what is going on with our forces. seem to all the forces. we seem to have all the resources the world to get to resources in the world to get to the and not own sort the ukrainians and not own sort the ukrainians and not own sort the now in the woke generation now get in the woke generation now get in the but there we go.

the military. but there we go. also what if you go around also is what if you go around young units, families, young offenders units, families, some already now it's a some of them already now it's a fire, a gun, moving. i think i might have discovered the real reason nicholas resigned yesterday could be a yesterday and i that could be a big brewing. so big scandal brewing. okay so i'll reveal very but i'll reveal very shortly. but right you had lots . right now it's you had lots. patrick. thank good afternoon. it's 3:33. i'm bethany elsey in the gb newsroom the family of missing nicola bully says the pubuc missing nicola bully says the public focus has become distracted from finding her and is more about speculation into her private detectives have revealed 45 year old was vulnerable and that she struggled with alcohol and the menopause. lancashire police is facing backlash for , disclosing facing backlash for, disclosing such personal information about the mother of two who disappeared almost weeks ago. the independent office for police conduct has made with the force to determine if an inquiry is needed . the government

is needed. the government announced an extra is needed. the government announced an extr a £421 million announced an extra £421 million to boost alcohol and drug treatment. the new funding will be given to 151 councils in england to recruit staff, improve recovery support for prison leavers and invest in addiction treatment . ministers addiction treatment. ministers say the plans could nearly 1000 drug related deaths year. labour says they'll an extra 13,000 community police officers to tackle anti—social behaviour and crime if they win the next election. the shadow home unveiled plans for a neighbourhood policing guarantee, assigning and pcsos to every community. the home office their proposed investment is a 10th of what the government is a 10th of what the government is currently delivering and the uk has now provided military training to 10,000 ukrainian volunteers . with that number set volunteers. with that number set reach 30,000 by the end of this

year , the ministry of defence year, the ministry of defence has been teaching the civilian recruits a range of skills, including urban fighting , including urban fighting, weapons handling and dealing with explosives. dubbed operation and interfax, the five week program is similar to the type of training undertaken by british army reserves and energy firm centrica , the owner of firm centrica, the owner of british gas has posted of £3.3 billion, more than triple it made the year before. but gas actually saw profits decrease by almost 40. it comes after ofgem launched an urgent inquiry to investigate the company for pre—payment metres by force in vulnerable customers homes . vulnerable customers homes. you're up to date on tv online and dab plus radio this is gb news. patrick will be with you in just a moment.

ohi oh i people is the fake one does britannia really rule the. some people don't even want you to say that and that's i think, part of the problem, isn't it, when it comes to where we are militarily. a new report on the uk's armed forces would suggest that we don't rule the waves any more because the latest military balance international balance by the international institute for strategic studies which can i just say is one of the hardest things i've ever had to read and also, kate has to read of. and also, kate has found the uk has 50,000 fewer military than the military personnel than the french. a senior fellow from the organisation said british combat forces very very small forces were now very very small and can't be in places at once, which is a concern given them thought that we might be about to send them to two places at once. it follows reports that some of the uk's european counterparts concerned about british decline. forgive me for saying they weren't so concerned about it as a earlier on in about it as a bit earlier on in the previous century. but the previous century. they but responding earlier responding to the story earlier this secretary ben this week, defence secretary ben wallace was basically

wallace said was basically a load of an expletive, beginning with b so that we get we can't repeat that on air, but his views and now i can't get word out of my head basically , we're out of my head basically, we're having a discussion now about national service by national service. don't forcing to service. i don't mean forcing to go to for war okay unless it really kicks . i go to for war okay unless it really kicks. i mean go to for war okay unless it really kicks . i mean maybe really kicks. i mean maybe getting them basic military training early . could it sort training early. could it sort out the woke brigade ? as i said out the woke brigade? as i said earlier, you could actually call them the woke brigade. would it instil a bit of patriotism into people's as well? it people's lives as well? could it help things like help deal with things like violent unemployed help deal with things like violent maybe.amployed help deal with things like violent maybe. joiningzd help deal with things like violent maybe. joining me now element, maybe. joining me now is of military is recipient of the military cross that a veterans campaigner is trevor coles say on a retired british army officer , military british army officer, military historian, retired general jonathan riley. both of you, thank very much. trevor, i will start with you . where do you start with you. where do you stand on the idea of national service under ? today's. first of service under? today's. first of all, thanks for having me on. and it's a pleasure to meet you, sir. so before i start off, i'll say the theme and today's

climate we should be talking national service. the reason we should be talking about why we're moving towards national service and why this is an issue. now, if we go and i don't i'm trying to put the meat on this and i'm sure the general will have more to say about this, but this stems back to many ago when i. many many years ago when i. henry lynch brought that so to say that we were our military and depleting it far too soon in fact nine years before the end of the cold war and we started moving it and it was also brought up by what several years ago ? what we currently have is ago? what we currently have is our senior officers and retired generals. i'm not sure general, sort of retired. the movie star, but members of the civil service ditched it in the past that our senior generals , you know, we senior generals, you know, we weren't going to listen to them. they were geriatrics. and these guys ' they were geriatrics. and these guys , the ones with all the guys, the ones with all the knowledge and all the experience, ones that lead experience, the ones that lead our safe our country and a safe environment, they have environment, and they have pushed side for several pushed to the side for several that have no taking over. and the problem we have public is

that the cabinet office in civil service a lot of them would have deliberately deliberately undermined our armed forces by depleting them. now if we could now the finish to song for the general of john bolton several years ago where he said that germany wouldn't fully commit . germany wouldn't fully commit. yeah if they had made plans for a european defence. yes. the german defence minister , ursula german defence minister, ursula herr tonight is in charge of the. well she did and the treasurer i'm glad brought up ursula von der leyen because rumours are always been that the german military to train with broom handles instead of at one point under her. so natural point under her. so the natural thing to would be to let her thing to do would be to let her be of a continent, be charge of a continent, wouldn't that to wouldn't it, that seems to be the barometer political the barometer for political leadership moment. i'm leadership at the moment. i'm going in the retired going to bring in the retired british officer, general lt johnson riley, on this one. what be so wrong in? the current crop

where i'm seeing kids burning a union flag outside a school and all absorbing all of this marxist that seems to be pumped into them and terrible things about this country . what would about this country. what would be so wrong about saying to kids, if you're 18 years old and you're not in and you're not employed, go into a year military training. what would be wrong with that? hello, patrick, and thanks for asking me on. and it's nice nice to meet you . and it's nice nice to meet you. and look, i don't think we should can conflate the issues of national with that of the size of the armed forces . they're not of the armed forces. they're not necessarily the same thing. now is a big issue with the size of the armed forces. their capabilities definitely . and. capabilities definitely. and. and sorry . wallace was talking and sorry. wallace was talking nonsense because . he himself has nonsense because. he himself has been quoted recently as saying that the british army is and i quote, funded for a bit of tootling around at home and who's doing is that is his and his government's and trevor's

quite right that since the minister defence was disembowel billed as a strategic military headquarter and handed over to civil servants, we we've gone from bad to worse . that aside from bad to worse. that aside national service. well in principle. yeah. what's with doing something for a couple of years for your country . doesn't years for your country. doesn't have to be military service could be the lifeboats . be could be the lifeboats. be a volunteer fireman on wheels you name there's virtually nothing wrong with some countries get national service for longer than others precisely for this business of forming nation and the spanish were an example and another countries do it so that they can have a large standing army and a huge ready reserve like the russians , but does this like the russians, but does this actually produce results. well look at the battlefield performance of the russian. actually, no, it doesn't because the amount of training can be absorbed in a short space of time is not very much if people

if you want to get people into military service , perhaps the military service, perhaps the best thing is to encourage service in in the reserve forces which need to be greatly expanded their footprint. i mean a lot bigger . expanded their footprint. i mean a lot bigger. they expanded their footprint. i mean a lot bigger . they need to be a lot bigger. they need to be locally accessible. people do that and actually go to any cadet force centre army , air cadet force centre army, air force, marines and won't see this work generation . you'll see this work generation. you'll see some brilliant good who love their country and are determined to do what they can for good. this is it. we need a bit more of that but also try from looking out on the streets of precedent at the minute. rampant drug dealing rampant crime, disaffected could , disaffected young people could, you know, a little bit of moving military style education, tough love, although being shouted out by big hairy man in a suit for a little bambi so out the one you sure could not sort you a bit patrick. of course it would i think all young man should should do a little bit of time in the armed forces and help them expand their knowledge because quite clear the minute

that they're really learning much at universities , apart from much at universities, apart from how to protest . so a time much at universities, apart from how to protest. so a time and some sort of military boot camp , even a police boot camp or something along the lines where people actually add value to our nafion people actually add value to our nation would be fantastic for kids today . there's nothing to kids today. there's nothing to look up to. let's get off the internet. let's get them off fortnite and these games fortnite and these stupid games and teach them and teach and let's teach them and teach them respect . teach them them respect. teach them respect. good . i'll go respect. that's good. i'll go back you, jonathan, on this back to you, jonathan, on this i've got an idea for recruitment , want your your , okay? and i want your your views it alright. we have a of a french military personnel , french military personnel, they're just laughing okay and we say the french are laughing at us. surely people who are down the would go aclu of that and they'd be signing up at the enlistment offices in droves wouldn't they . well i hope so wouldn't they. well i hope so and actually not too much wrong with the french military. they they they know how to fight . my they they know how to fight. my life was saved by a french

officer at one time, and i don't mind admitting it. and we've we've got plenty in with them, but to be overtaken by how can that be acceptable all at a time when, as trevor rightly says, actually france, germany and others are trying to railroad britain and our civil service is helping them into eu military structures , which simply structures, which simply undermine nato . and we should be undermine nato. and we should be concentrating on nato and we should be making our regular forces much more exciting and as a, as a full career. forces much more exciting and as a, as a full career . so let's a, as a full career. so let's get away from this pokery back to the notion that armed forces often are fighting for war. people and add back all capabilities that have been taken away and dumped recent years, because that's why people laughing at them so laughing at us, because i don't think we can fight and i'm sure that the people in the armed forces will give it their best shot but they not being given the tools and

the and the training to do it. both you, thank you very both of you, thank you very much. thoroughly enjoyed that. cheers that is, of cheers for coming. that is, of course, recipient of the military trevor coles, military cross trevor coles, veterans well. veterans campaigner as well. and of british army officer, of course british army officer, military historian , general military historian, general jonathan ryan just reacting to this, this national debate, lots of strong views coming in on the tv side. it's interesting, actually, how veterans get in touch. and we do have a big veteran viewership listenership and very, grateful for and very, very grateful for that. quite a lot of that. well, and quite a lot of you to saying no to national you to be saying no to national service understand service and. i can understand your logic, because your logic, actually, because i thought were saying, well, thought you were saying, well, actually, know, it needs to actually, you know, it needs to be people are volunteering be people who are volunteering to there people to be there so people who actually and makes actually care. and that makes massive individual massive difference. individual i couldn't name. i think couldn't see the name. i think it's neil says what drives us most in military is the fear most in the military is the fear of failure. and think what you of failure. and i think what you getting is that getting out there neil is that someone's to told there. then they whether they don't really care whether not successful. guess not they're successful. i guess there is a difference, i think, between what i'm suggesting national here and national service here and actually sending out to the front what putin is front line. so what putin is doing now is rounding up people in and ragtag brigade

in prisons and a ragtag brigade of someone gets a of people or someone gets a phone and sorry, phone call one day and sorry, your going off to fight an your son's going off to fight an unwinnable war in. ukraine, that's not really what i'm talking and world talking about. and i hope world war doesn't kick off. so talking about. and i hope world wa have doesn't kick off. so talking about. and i hope world wa have to ioesn't kick off. so talking about. and i hope world wa have to out.|'t kick off. so talking about. and i hope world wa have to out. butick off. so talking about. and i hope world wa have to out. but ik off. so talking about. and i hope world wa have to out. but i thinkso we have to out. but i think instilling a bit of discipline and a bit of and instilling a bit of patriotism in a younger generation could be a good thing and i've been banging and says i've been banging on about bring back about for years yes bring back national service both boys national service for both boys and girls will you open up another can of now on avenue do we get the girls as well. holly says i'm not sure about national service. a bit like closing the door was the horse has bolted . door was the horse has bolted. we need to bring about discipline in schools respecting society responsibility in society and responsibility in pubuc society and responsibility in public office. i'm pleased you've that. keep you've mentioned that. i do keep banging on about school was in pimlico where pupils decided to burn the union flag and the headmaster just seemed absolutely fine about that but why going on schools at the why going on in schools at the minute you inner city minute you have inner city schools often the london schools quite often the london area, but every major city will days gangs are rife . days where gangs are rife. there's no discipline. now, one school know in london school that i know of in london

has police officer, has an in—house police officer, which it all. which i think says it all. there's respect there from there's no respect there from the kids. and then when they go to lesson is that taught to history lesson is that taught about the horrors of the empire and what a horrible shoddy racist little nation britain is as opposed to actually of the good things that we've done . and good things that we've done. and it you wonder as well then it makes you wonder as well then they're all that with the rainbow flag in the classroom, they're more likely a they're more likely to have a rainbow flag the classroom rainbow flag in the classroom than union flag. what is than a union flag. what is really of having really the point of having national service now will to national service now will be to try sort that out. and try to sort all that out. and i think, know, you these think, you know, you see these programmes, channel on channel programmes, channel 4 on channel five documentaries five used to be documentaries on this stuff where they've this kind of stuff where they've a load of people who were at young offenders units plonk young offenders units and plonk them military barracks for them in a military barracks for a month then they'd come out a month and then they'd come out the of and they'd the other side of it and they'd be employable and better be employable and feel better about be about themselves. they'd be fitter bad fitter as well. what's so bad about that? as a former about that? says as a former soldier, i can say don't want soldier, i can say we don't want national service, at least not military people to military service. people to join. forces worse than join. the forces are worse than useless, pay lots of useless, so you pay lots of money get little in money for them and get little in return. russians in ukraine return. the russians in ukraine are perfect example.

are a perfect example. yeah, both sides. that debate he's saying he doesn't want saying is what he doesn't want weak worries. i understand weak and worries. i understand the there's the i for me there's a difference sending them difference between sending them out and actually out to fight and actually just trying to you know boost a bit of patriotism and giving people a wouldn't it a bit of purpose. wouldn't it look a cv as well. you look good a cv as well. you know, instead asbo and your know, instead your asbo and your community service, you've got some that what some national service that what about moving on about that now though moving on because nicola sturgeon's because with nicola sturgeon's dramatic yesterday dramatic exit yesterday many are wondering chose wondering why she chose to finally depart. here we go. finally depart. now here we go. and whilst the first minister claimed she'd been thinking about while about this decision for a while and recent over a gender and the recent over a gender reform bill growing questions about the of the party's finances though have fuelled speculation about the timing her departure and this is where i think our people i've got a feeling there's a big scandal brewing and nicola wants it out. michael joins me now, political editor for the scottish daily mail. thank you very much, michael. have on the michael. great have you on the show. there are issues show. so there are issues surrounding the finances of, show. so there are issues surrounding the finances of , the surrounding the finances of, the snp and interestingly involving nicola sturgeon's husband and call me a sceptic, but i think she wanted out before all this

came to roost. your views, your knowledge. well, there's certainly issues. so there's a police investigation in at the moment and ho w £600,000 of funds moment and how £600,000 of funds that were raised for an independence campaign were actually spent. there were complaints about the role of nicola's husband, peter murrell, and what he what he that could be done with that money. so there's certainly a life police investigation which has been dragging on for some and who knows if the decision for nicholas sturgeon to stand down has anything to do with that. however, what was pretty striking the press conference yesterday was that when she faced a question of that issue , faced a question of that issue, she was less reluctant speak about that than any other question . so it's quite question. so it's quite uncomfortable as . she indeed has uncomfortable as. she indeed has been at every point at which she's been asked about any questions about the snp's finances and about her finances.

and he also warned the snp finances and about her finances. and he also warned the sn p £170 and he also warned the snp £170 available and she's too happy answering questions. it available and she's too happy answering questions . it either, answering questions. it either, but is the point, isn't it? because people the media can ask questions is you've rightly pointed out and a political inquiry is can ask a question. she was ridiculed we forget for her unbelievable forgetful ness when it came to questions over alex salmond and the behind his departure is that true? you know, i can't recall. i can't recall i can't recall relentlessly . she doesn't want relentlessly. she doesn't want to talk about this stuff. but the police become involved , the police become involved, which and it's important to say absolutely nothing is proven. and remains the case. but and that remains the case. but if the police involved at if the police become involved at some she might really some point, she might really have start. and about have to start. and it's about the money that husband is supposedly the and it's supposedly given, the and it's about where that money has gone . what she knew about . it's about what she knew about it. doesn't look great it. and it doesn't look great for her. yes. so it's all pretty murky. the issues are in the snp's finances. of course,

nicholas sturgeon would argue that she she simply isn't commenting because there's a lot of police investigation and it would be inappropriate to do so and we can't reach definite conclusions about what that means, but certainly there is something there's a lot of questions about . the something there's a lot of questions about. the snp's finances about how money has been and about why had this ridiculous situation where the chief executive who happens to be her husband's had to put up so much money for a party? and then i can't imagine the circumstances in any other business where the chief chief executive has to effectively bail out the his own employer. it seems like a strange situation . and just quickly, situation. and just quickly, michael we're a bit pressed for time, but the line that sturgeon appears to be sticking to at the minute is not going to come. i'm police investigation, is that right? really right? and it is really important emphasise important to emphasise absolutely has been

absolutely nothing has been proven or whatever but is proven or whatever yet but is really husband's own really it's her husband's own money doesn't seem to money and she doesn't seem to know too much about it which for a lot of people. well lot of people would be sceptical about that. would that. yes there is questions about this issue last week and that was exactly the point that she she made so she made the point that was peter morrow's own finances. she she wasn't willing to be drawn on when she was asked any of her money went towards this as would often the case in a married couple with one, their son uses their as using some of each other's and that she was she insisted that this was his personal finances . so she has at personal finances. so she has at early stage distanced herself from the process of her husband, given the snp . yeah. what space? given the snp. yeah. what space? ladies and gentlemen, michael, you very much michael flatley. that political editor for the scottish daily mail . it's scottish daily mail. it's a remarkable idea, isn't it did someone that you are married to

and have a very close relationship would have such separate finances. but lots of you've been getting in touch with your thoughts on national service. chris says totally agree with the introduction of national service for 18 months. he's a limit on it. he's put a time limit on it. young will have pride in young people will have pride in their flag, a positive structure , fitness, and it will look good on cv for future employment . and on cv for future employment. and another one that keeps coming in to me now is one that we make people who want to come this people who want to come to this country this country, country live, in this country, why we make why don't we maybe make them some of service? some form of national service? i mean, see a world full of mean, can see a world full of problems without perfectly problems without be perfectly honest but on the that honest with you. but on the that leads nicely into the leads us nicely into the immigration discussion. and in the going to be talking the next i'm going to be talking about australia to about this australia wants to pinch it wants to our pinch on nurses. it wants to our doctors to our doctors wants to pinch our police teachers. why? police and our teachers. why? well tell you it's because well tell you why. it's because they the boats and they got they turn the boats and they got complete control their immigration which means immigration system, which means they pick and choose the they can now pick and choose the best the best that they want best of the best that they want , come and contribute towards economy. and it's also an advert for points based immigration

for a points based immigration system. all of coming your system. all of that coming your way, out why many way, find out why many people think, way , that the think, by the way, that the lancashire have lancashire police have completely investigation completely boxes investigation into bailey . much, much into nicola bailey. much, much more your way alex here more coming your way alex here with the latest weather update from the met office storm otto named by the danish weather service could cause some problems across parts northern britain on friday morning scotland and. northern england. here comes that system. notice theice here comes that system. notice the ice of our squeeze together. it's the winds that are likely to cause the issue through the early hours of friday morning and then during the morning the strongest winds will work a little further back to the rest of today . rain from that system of today. rain from that system will be moving across scotland. it's going to be a very wet night, western scotland. but the rain light and patchy over northern england and, northern ireland, further south, most places will stay dry and places will just stay dry and cloudy, will send windy here. but the strongest winds be but the strongest winds will be further it's going to further north and it's going to be a very mild in the be a very mild night in the south places staying south with many places staying in let's at in double figures. let's look at those though, first of

those winds, though, first of all, increase through all, because increase through the western scotland all, because increase through the then western scotland all, because increase through the then it'snestern scotland all, because increase through the then it's very rn scotland all, because increase through the then it's very gusty�*tland all, because increase through the then it's very gusty all1d and then it's very gusty all morning across scotland, down into northern england gusts of wind perhaps in some wind of 70, perhaps in some locations, hour locations, 75 miles an hour likely to some disruption, certainly to the transport network planes , maybe flights be network planes, maybe flights be delayed or cancelled as there's likely to be some flying debris around and certainly difficult driving conditions, especially for high sided on some of the transpennine routes. plenty of sunny spells developing , but it sunny spells developing, but it will be blustery further south, quite cloudy, most places dry a little of light rain in the southwest, but it be a very mild day here. colder further north, especially with those which will ease through the afternoon and much lighter winds as we head into weather into the more wet weather pushing in that will bring some snow to parts of. scotland chiefly over hills, but actually rain at low but could see some for a time as we head into saturday then saturday is a mixed picture . a bit of patchy mixed picture. a bit of patchy rain on the south coast will be some rain for time over southern scotland northern england.

northern ireland's but to fizzle out the day some out through the day some brighter spells elsewhere some places coming into places more rain coming into parts scotland and northern parts of scotland and northern ireland mostly for and wales ireland mostly dry for and wales

welcome back is 4 pm. and you are live with me patrick christys here on gb news lots to through this hour. let's get stuck in lancashire. police are coming under fire. their handung coming under fire. their handling of the search for nicola bailey this time for revealing intimate details about the mother of two. now afternoon her family said they knew information would be released but have complete really but have they complete really messed up this whole search now for their missing woman in process potentially throwing her and the british public under the bus. we'll talk about all of

that the company in british gas, centrica is recording sky high profits of , £3.3 billion for profits of, £3.3 billion for 2022, despite the facts, of course, it was only a few weeks ago that british gas is coming under for breaking into vulnerable homes to install prepayment . people are going prepayment. people are going skint that. no, i can tell you that much. is it all in our big debate today it's all about getting on top of generation woke the world brigade down calling they're now in this instance with some good old fashioned national survey . a new fashioned national survey. a new report has found that the uk's is the stock of western is the laughing stock of western powers with over 50 fouls and fewer troops than the french. so should. we thrust young, unemployed forward in some cases criminal kids onto the front line, but give them a better training. okay whip them into shape and knock the out of them and instil a little bit of national pride. i think possibly get in touch with your viewers . get in touch with your viewers. gbviews@gbnews.uk what do you bnng gbviews@gbnews.uk what do you bring by national service tweet? this is what we got a poll on the go on gb news. that poll is

taking place right now. what do you about national service you bring about national service right now is headlines. you bring about national service right now is headlines . patrick, right now is headlines. patrick, thank you and good afternoon to you. well, as you've been heanng you. well, as you've been hearing the family of missing mother two nicola bully says the pubuc mother two nicola bully says the public focus has become distract from actually finding her and is now more about specs collection into her private life . into her private life. detectives have revealed 45 year old was vulnerable and that she struggled with alcohol and the menopause . lancashire police are menopause. lancashire police are now facing a backlash for disclosing such personal information about nicola bully who disappeared almost three weeks ago. the independent office for police conduct has made contact with the force to determine if an inquiry is needed. determine if an inquiry is needed . labour says they'll needed. labour says they'll recruit an extra 13,000 community police officers to antisocial behaviour and violent crime if they win the next election. the shadow home secretary unveiled plans for a

neighbour policing guarantee assigning officers and pcso to every community. yvette cooper is criticising the concern it gives for having a so—called hands approach to policing . i hands approach to policing. i want to talk today about what's been a complete in home office leadership on crime and policing under the conservative, how they've stood back while policing has crumbled. while charge rate has plummeted . while charge rate has plummeted. while confidence and policing . and the confidence and policing. and the criminal justice system have fallen. well, more are being let down and more criminals are getting . but the immigration getting. but the immigration minister, robert jenrick , says minister, robert jenrick, says the conservatives are already investing than labour are pledging . well, labour's plans pledging. well, labour's plans aren't . in pledging. well, labour's plans aren't. in fact pledging. well, labour's plans aren't . in fact they're 1/10 of aren't. in fact they're 1/10 of the investment that we're making this year in frontline policing . the facts speak for themselves . we are on course to recruit 20,000 police officers by the end of march and at that point

there will be more officers in this country than . any point in this country than. any point in our history . well, in addition our history. well, in addition to that the government says it's announced an extra hundred and £21 million to boost alcohol and drug treatment. the new funding will be given to 151 councils in england to recruit more staff, improve support for prison leavers and invest in addiction . ministers say the plans could prevent nearly 1000 drug related deaths every year. the undersecretary for primary and pubuc undersecretary for primary and public health, neil o'brien . it public health, neil o'brien. it will also help cut . we know that will also help cut. we know that drug addiction drives so crime it drives about half of all crime. and we know that people get into drug treatment that radically reduce their likelihood that there will out there causing chaos , causing there causing chaos, causing crime. so we're this big investment that will mean more people in treatment , new types people in treatment, new types of treatment , and as well as of treatment, and as well as being good for all rest of us

and cutting crime . of course, and cutting crime. of course, it's a it's a path out of terrible, terrible addiction for . the people who are trapped in it , the search for a new first it, the search for a new first minister of scotland is underway . nicholas sturgeon announced her unexpected decision to stand down yesterday . she plans to down yesterday. she plans to remain in office . her successor remain in office. her successor is elected . the snp's executive is elected. the snp's executive committee will meet this evening to draw up a timetable for a leadership race . possible leadership race. possible replacements include deputy first minister john swinney replacements include deputy first ministerjohn swinney and first minister john swinney and finance secretary kate . i finance secretary kate. i overseas now and the uk has provided military training . to provided military training. to 10,000 ukraine and volunteer soldiers . with that number set soldiers. with that number set to reach 30,000 by the end of this year, the ministry of defence has been teaching the civilian recruits. a range of skills including urban fighting , handling and dealing with explosives. dubbed operation into flex, the five week programme takes place here in the uk and is similar to the type of training undertaken by

british army reserves. it's hoped that it'll help in the fight back against russia's invasion . the number of people invasion. the number of people who've died following a major earthquakes that struck southern turkey . northern syria has now turkey. northern syria has now surpassed 42,000. turkey's disaster and emergency authority says more than 4300 aftershocks have hit the country since the initial quakes . 11 days on few initial quakes. 11 days on few are being rescued and in some places the is moving away from rescue efforts and towards clearing rubble and rebuilding . clearing rubble and rebuilding. here the energy firm centrica , here the energy firm centrica, the owner of british gas, has posted profits the owner of british gas, has posted profit s £3.3 billion, posted profits £3.3 billion, more than triple what it made the year before. british gas actually saw profits decrease by almost 40. it comes after ofgem launched urgent inquiry to investigate the company for installing pre—payment metres by force in vulnerable customers homes. liberal democrat leader ed davey has urged the

government to implement what he calls a proper windfall tax . calls a proper windfall tax. meanwhile, one in three small businesses might not be able to cover their energy bills from when the price guarantee rises. it's expected be increased by 20. at the same time , the 20. at the same time, the government will face down its support for firms. new government will face down its support for firms . new research support for firms. new research by credit group experian has found around . 30% of the 1.2 found around. 30% of the 1.2 million small businesses. it analyses will be at heightened of collapse . that's all for me of collapse. that's all for me back in half an hour. see . back in half an hour. see. the what is going on in the case of nicola birley and frankly have the police completely bungled this investigate you're now in the process potentially both her her family and the public under

the bus strong views and he decided that discussion of the of missing nicola but they have asked public to put a stop to that speculation and instead focus on finding a lancashire police that was come under fire for that search and then for making the information that nicola has had issues with alcohol , the menopause public . alcohol, the menopause public. let me bring you the statement first that her family released. this was a couple of hours. so the family have said it's now been three weeks since nikki went missing. a family went missing. we as a family believe that public focus believe that the public focus has distracted from nikki has become distracted from nikki and speculation and and more about speculation and rumours into her. paul's private life. paul leving the partner, of course , although we know that of course, although we know that nikki would not have wanted. there are people out there speculating , threatening to sell speculating, threatening to sell stories about her. this is appalling and needs to stop . appalling and needs to stop. well, also this afternoon, the independent office for police conduct said that they made contact with lancashire police over the information made public in. a press conference yesterday . so if you're just joining us with that one, basically they

said yesterday the reason why they went so big on the search initially was because there was specific vulnerabilities that nicola had also, which obviously people like me go , well, sorry, people like me go, well, sorry, what does that mean ? if they what does that mean? if they hadnt what does that mean? if they hadn't said that, no one would have known about that. they then come pressure to tell come under pressure to tell people that is and then people what that is and then they was struggling with they go. she was struggling with they go. she was struggling with the menopause and presumably a drinking problem and this think has been regarded as many as being a bit wrong because thrown her reputation under the bus, possibly if she is still out there, you would imagine, of course, not course, that she's not particularly of particularly happy about all of this well. but this the family as well. but crucially, they didn't actually share that information with the independent team who were looking for that dive teams had has come out and it have has come out and it would have changed the way he searched for her he known about this so her had he known about this so it's a bit of a horlicks really i think isn't to have the police completely messed up this whole search for the missing mum thrown bus in the thrown under the bus in the process it a very, very process or is it a very, very very tough job and you can't everything right hamish brown

mba me now. he's a retired mba joins me now. he's a retired scotland yard detective inspector. very much, inspector. thank you very much, hamish lots strong views on hamish lots of strong views on this . what's your take on this? this. what's your take on this? have the police completely cocked this up? well good afternoon to you, patrick. well, there are a couple of issues here. firstly, the disclosure of that information just mentioned just now and you for putting up the families comments, those are very telling . but there are very telling. but there are concerns and i can understand why this inquiry is being distracted . their words so . you distracted. their words so. you know, the police had do something and they spoke to the family said. there's going to be this disclosure. and i think the family are right that there's always going to be a threat that certainly information and it gets out there would have been sold to media and it would be some sort of expose to say or something like this. so at least the police had control of it. this to . the police are between

this to. the police are between rock and a hard place. that's a difficulty. if they do. if they don't. well. so just. just on the. sorry yeah, just. just on the. sorry yeah, just. just on the image. i can understand. complete glee. why the police on the family obviously wouldn't have wanted things out there about if there's a drink involved or hormone issues. very personal information . but should personal information. but should that information have not been relayed to the independent dive team and presumably family would have wanted that because the family were back in favour of this independent dive team. they have wanted them to have all the information disposal the information disposal and the head that has said it would head of that has said it would have changed the search strategy. you know? well strategy. how do you know? well i know is that the police wanted specific area search and it was on that basis the dive team went ahead and did it. i'm not sure if would make much difference given how unfortunate background, but that the decision the police . now moving decision the police. now moving

on to the general conduct the investigation i hope many people did see that press conference yesterday which i thought personally was out the assistant chief constable sector's . not chief constable sector's. not only did they conduct themselves with dignity , but laid out the with dignity, but laid out the painstaking investigate action they've done. and in fact , to be they've done. and in fact, to be fair to those who have criticised the police and i, i saw some distressing news interviews yesterday . they've interviews yesterday. they've all said actually from the investigations side they've done a pretty good . but the police a pretty good. but the police had to have a direction to go down they've broken it down into different areas and maybe they will think that perhaps they gave an impression at first and the superintendent very quick to put this right. they the superintendent very quick to put this right . they say it put this right. they say it wasn't just she must have gone into the river. we did keep an open mind about other things, but the main priority or the

main aspect to this was the angle of the possibility of her going into the river. and that's where the search has been concentrated. yeah and it is from that the speculation started and things just moved on to this unhappy situation should of the disclosure . and i say the of the disclosure. and i say the police were in a very difficult they were but i've got to be honest with you all i find it quite annoying that the police now are blaming the public for speculation in the police through amount of through a huge amount of resources it does resources into this it does appear as though is a case appear as though here is a case of a vulnerable mother of who was dropped off the face of the earth. people asking the police a variety of different questions , story or at least our version of events, changes . there was a of events, changes. there was a ten minute window, she was wearing a fitbit. it's turned out now. it might be a two hour window. there were no cctv, black holes. well, there's three supposedly. and all of a sudden people start to think, well of course going

course they're going to speculate, the police's speculate, isn't it the police's job to try to sort out the communication from the cops? i would argue has been a lesson in how not to manage the media and the public. well, the media strategy to look at themselves and i'm sure late excitedly to get that right. but i would emphasise this is not the police to give a running on any invested caution. and if you start doing the media will want more and more and it can become a media circus. of course the media, of course the public are interested, but it is gone far beyond that. the armchair detective is all sorts of things are coming. and bear in mind family statements which you just read out, how distressing it is for this information from the pubuc for this information from the public coming in is as a police investigation should and that press conference was excellent yesterday and quite clearly now the colours to the mast how this

investigations . just finally you investigations. just finally you hamish please i understand you took a very keen interest in the is completely different circumstances about the madeleine mccann disappearance okay and with that in mind when we get days three weeks now i'm from a disappearance what does that indicate to you what does that indicate to you what does that mean in your mind as to the likelihood of finding an individual really ? well, i think individual really? well, i think individual really? well, i think in the public interest, it is the connection in areas the pubuc the connection in areas the public have taken this to their hearts are all sorts of things which happen they have a shelf life about to wake and then move on. this hasn't the madeleine mccann case, as we know, didn't that and that went into national this probably wasn't. but one of those cases which the public my goodness may public think it could be my next door neighbour it could selwyn, i know what in

my family and that's why public have taken such an interest . but have taken such an interest. but that does not excuse the armchair detectives and all the other people who coming down stressing a rumour that's not going to help anyone know. i've got the i've got an email from someone who makes a decent point think which is that if they would have known that she potentially had other issues i.e. alcoholism stuff or the hormonal issues which i'm talking about. so she's a bloke really. i think it's a great look, but if are these things then people might be more to do things like search their back gardens as opposed swallowing gardens as opposed to swallowing line that she's gone straight into river. i will never into the river. i will never know how might have turned know how that might have turned out hamish, out now for sure. hamish, thank you hamish brown, the you very much. hamish brown, the mba, a retired scotland mba, who is a retired scotland yard detective inspector. look, he points and he is raising good points and i do appreciate easy for me to sit here slam the police abetz here and slam the police abetz and say oh look, you know they should have this, they should have done this, they should have done this, they should again. should have done again. the police privy information police are privy to information and have a job to do to try and they have a job to do to try to family markets. and

to protect family markets. and it's they've done the absolute worst, both worlds worst, the worst of both worlds because protect the because they've not protect the family, it would appear, because now dirty laundry is now all of the dirty laundry is out there at the same time as maybe impacting the search. i've got you got some breaking news for you now story. we the now on this story. we go the police crime lancashire. police and crime for lancashire. angie has just angie snowden has just a statement the us president statement says the us president in media and public interest in this case whilst welcome for appeals information is appeals for information it is challenging for the family friends officers friends of nicola officers police staff dealing unsubstantiated rumours and on a daily basis . unsubstantiated rumours and on a daily basis. i unsubstantiated rumours and on a daily basis . i would like to daily basis. i would like to thank all members of the public who provided helpful information . lancashire police. the police aren't being as transparent as they can be on what is an incredibly and complex case. this includes continued external support from the national crime agency and others as appropriate. so essentially is quite a similar thing to what they've said in the past. joining me now is, psychotherapist lucy parris first. lucy you so much. we heard that hamish brown mba , a heard that hamish brown mba, a distinguished police officer

saying that the police are doing everything they can praising the way that they've handled this. my way that they've handled this. my concern is that they've done the worst of both worlds which is protect the family or is not protect the family or nicola's reputation at the nicola's reputation and at the same not useful same time is not useful information with search. information to help with search. what's your take on this? because if someone came out and said maybe about one of your relatives, she had a problem with alcohol , was relatives, she had a problem with alcohol, was blaming hormones for i don't go down that well . i'm extremely that well. i'm extremely uncomfortable about . that uncomfortable about. that information coming out from a clinical perspective . you now clinical perspective. you now know something , nicola, that know something, nicola, that perhaps none of us really needed to know. i'm fully in agreement that dive teams might needed to know that or other members who were involved in the search . and were involved in the search. and there are certainly ways in which a police force could have encouraged members of the public to check if lived in the area, to check if lived in the area, to check if lived in the area, to check the garden shed without necessarily releasing this extra information , which is, as i say,

information, which is, as i say, incredibly personal. it should be medically confidential . and i be medically confidential. and i was also uncomfortable about way in which a woman the menopause was somehow now decided as being a. now, of course, every single on the planet is going to go through the menopause . not every through the menopause. not every woman will suffer any symptoms of it. that's sure. but the idea that somehow this is something could be stigmatised. it's a very common thing to find that people do look down on women are going through the menopause , going through the menopause, often treated as the butt of a joke or actually worse it's treated as something very , very treated as something very, very unimpressive . you hear phrases unimpressive. you hear phrases about crazy women and women and they attack. but at the same time, you still don't expect that information to necessarily leaked to the national press. and so my level of discomfort . and so my level of discomfort. yeah. what should they have done that lucy ? because i can see the that lucy? because i can see the argument that if they had done

this initially in the first couple of days, they had have couple of days, they had to have said they've basically said what they've basically said, is that said, which is that unfortunately nicola clearly has issues it comes to alcohol. issues when it comes to alcohol. that's been out there. and then on top of that, she had white issues dealing with the menopause , however you want to menopause, however you want to phrase it. maybe in the initial time, that could have hampered the search because people might have thought on some the have thought on some of the tropes that identified tropes that you've identified that maybe she's taken that maybe she's she's taken herself off maybe she's quote unquote lost plot a little bit and some people might know got out to look for but then out to look for her. but then it's come now hasn't it's a bit of damage limitation. where you stand then should they stand on that then should they just not have released that infamous do you think ? i infamous asian? do you think? i am completely uncomfortable with the idea that you release that pubuc the idea that you release that public release into the public confidential medical information to a wider audience. as say i am fully across the idea that it should be given to the relevant people who are perhaps conducting research or have been

brought in to conduct an element of that . but as a clinical of that. but as a clinical person myself, boundaries is incredibly important for all parties to feel that they can trust the process . and it's very trust the process. and it's very clear from statements have been released in the last 24 hours that the family themselves are not very comfortable about this information, having released, i have to confess that when i first heard it, i assumed that family had sanctioned this news because it is so personal and so detail failed. but earlier in an investigation, there are certainly phrases that could be have used by a police force to alert the public the fact that this was a serious case. it wasn't just necessarily about someone accidentally slipping into a river that there might be other extenuating without having to give this incredibly private which runs the risk. let's clear of actually stigmatising nicola poly. and that is the last thing that we want and i'm sure it's the last thing police intended

to do. absolutely just quickly. finally, lucy , i was actually finally, lucy, i was actually live on air yesterday when this news broke . the revealing, the news broke. the revealing, the nature , her quotes and quote, nature, her quotes and quote, specific vulnerabilities . but specific vulnerabilities. but earlier in the day, i was at a press conference. if the family had sat, the police before that press conference and said, okay , we sanction you now to reveal that there's issues of alcohol and the menopause, the would have said it in that press conference, which indicates to me that it was the police's statements of specific vulnerability where the press have which is fair enough. have gone, which is fair enough. by have gone, which is fair enough. by the way, i'm a member of the press. i would have done exactly the thing was doing it. the same thing i was doing it. so what are these specific vulnerabilities? they vulnerabilities? what are they then? press council, then? presumably press council, local knew local people, maybe people knew nicola. starts to nicola. and it all starts to come so police have to come out. so the police have to do kind of pre—emptive do some kind of pre—emptive strike conjunction the strike in conjunction with the family look, here's family. go or i. look, here's your okay, this is, your headline. okay, this is, this it with that in this is what it is. with that in mind, is it police's kind of mind, is it the police's kind of candid rhetoric , in view , candid rhetoric, in your view, throwing nicola's reputation under the bus ? it's very

under the bus? it's very possible that simply by using that one word vulnerabilities caused everyone's ears to pressure up. they then had to release extra information and. it's that less than water communications that i think people are uncomfortable with. and it's unfortunate finally led the police to have to reveal more information than perhaps actually intended. above all else, we just simply want a bond as we'd nicola, to come home. but we want to know what's happened to and anything that helps the police that that's great. unfortunately with social media any speculate option is going to be amplified and unfortunate that the police themselves to have exacerbated that. themselves to have exacerbated that . lucy, thank you very much that. lucy, thank you very much . lucy barry's psychotherapist , . lucy barry's psychotherapist, i think, just really quite nicely analysing. the police's psychology of the communication and then also the fallout from it all. thank you, lucy. okay right. well, look, les, you've been getting in touch on this. i go into the inbox shortly on

this gb views. gbnews.uk a this gb views. gbnews.uk had a lot of reaction to the way that the police have handled it. people look, people saying actually, look, i completely the police. completely blocked the police. some this has been an some are saying this has been an absolute from start to absolute shocker from start to finish and people see uncomfortable details uncomfortable with the details regarding this particular individ gbviews@gbnews.uk you are with me patrick christys right here. and coming up, as many of us do struggle our energy bills. one company is tripled its profits and you know all the stories them all the stories about them hammering your door down, fitting a expensive metre fitting a more expensive metre without your consent. and meanwhile there's some shop that probably in the caribbean sipping colada, living sipping a pina colada, living the life a yacht at your the high life on a yacht at your . and get this as well why are the french laughing at all military ? some say it's time to military? some say it's time to reintroduce national get the uk firing on all cylinders. let me know your thoughts gbviews@gbnews.uk back a sec .

okay, so british gas on a centrica report soaring underlying annual profits of 2.8 billion, up from 392 million in 2021. but despite thousands of households, millions really struggling with gas and electric bills centric as boss. chris o'shay is so far refusing to reveal whether he will wave his bonus. joining us now is our economics and business editor liam halligan with on the . money liam halligan with on the. money okay what's so essential . the okay what's so essential. the parent company of british gas patrick and let's just have a look at the profit numbers which came out this morning as part of their company. so in 20 $0.21, because operating profits for 948 million, going up to 3300 million, 3.3 billion in 2022. why is that? because wholesale and gas prices have shot up after the war in ukraine, which

started in february 2022. and of course , drills for oil and gas course, drills for oil and gas in the north sea . if you look at in the north sea. if you look at their underlying profits, this is the number of being most widely cited, up from three nine 2 million last in 2021 to 2.8 billion 2800 million last year. they're a bit lower. they strip out the profits that centrica made from selling off one of the companies called spirit energy. but here's rub in these numbers. you aren't seeing too much of the numbers for gas, which is the numbers for gas, which is the part of centrica, which is the part of centrica, which is the customer facing bit that actually sells us the gas and electricity via all utility bills. profits actually fell last year from under 19 million to 72 million in 2020 to a 39% drop. why is that because british has to buy the wholesale and gas from other companies , and gas from other companies, not just centrica but others ? not just centrica but others? also, we're using less gas in order to economise because bills are so high. but this is really

heating up now politically. it is easing on policy because it does look tender that we've got people forcing their way into people's homes, waiting for them to go out, hanging poor to go out, hanging outside poor people's vultures people's houses like vultures and, then in fitting an and, then going in fitting an expensive . and on top expensive metre. and then on top of you're seeing these big of that you're seeing these big numbers that there's numbers and you see that there's some chap there. chris, though he's going to reveal he's not going to reveal his bonus you of the bonus. what you make of the bonus. what you make of the bonus angle on should he be bonus angle on it should he be telling how much money telling us how much money he's coining i'll have to coining in? well, i'll have to tell it'll have to reveal tell you. it'll have to reveal when the companies accounts publish, because obviously it's a referring to a listed and you're referring to the that british gas was the fact that british gas was using a third party company to fit pre—payment sometimes against will of lower income and vulnerable households, something that the company has said it regrets. and it's got a full independent investigator going. but you're right, this look bad already . companies exploring in already. companies exploring in the north sea oil and gas like centrica pay a lot of tax, so they pay a 30% corporation tax rather than 19. which other

companies pay? they pay a supplementary 10% and then they pay supplementary 10% and then they pay another 35% on somebody . so pay another 35% on somebody. so we're getting up 60, 70% tax. and in the end, the tory government will say that if you tax oil and gas companies even more than that not going to get oil and gas out of the and centrica would say in 2020 they might a massive loss during so it swings and roundabouts but i completely agree you the trade union are weighing in here obviously the labour party is weighing in. it is going to become very contentious . it'll become very contentious. it'll become very contentious. it'll be a big theme, i'd say actually patrick in the spring budget, which is on march the 15th, how we tax these companies is and if we tax these companies is and if we do get extra money from them, how do we use that because stuff they. thank you very much. liam halligan now economics business edhon halligan now economics business editor. now as editor. well joining me now as well taylor, director editor. well joining me now as we policy taylor, director editor. well joining me now as we policy at taylor, director editor. well joining me now as we policy at scope or, director editor. well joining me now as we policy at scope .r, director editor. well joining me now as wepolicy at scope . no.'ector editor. well joining me now as wepolicy at scope . no. james, of policy at scope. no. james, thank very much . how do the thank you very much. how do the people use scope and use your so you know, they must be up in arms about all of this stuff now

because they are for because they are seeing, for want better phrase , almost want of a better phrase, almost mafia style tactics. so you want people hanging around outside house fitting something that cost a load of money that cost you a load of money that you don't, trapping you in a cycle of poverty. i meanwhile, there's is probably there's some bloke is probably sitting the maldives sitting a yacht in the maldives somewhere , drinking mojito somewhere, drinking his mojito and thinking life's great. and thinking off life's great. yeah, i mean it's. it's obscene that companies are continuing to make massive astronaut chemical profits as disabled people households who are vulnerable are facing devastating at the moment because they can't afford energy bill and they can't afford to have the heating on to have that on to charge equipment it is a real dire situation and that that many people in this country experiencing and let's not forget , april, in two months not forget, april, in two months time in bills are going to rise again. so everybody across the country and happening at the

same time that energy support the money that government has made available to households. the £400 comes to an end . so the £400 comes to an end. so we're facing a real cliff edge in two months where prices and bills are going , the support is bills are going, the support is being taken . and we're going to being taken. and we're going to see many more households, we fear, particularly disabled households falling fuel poverty unless the government steps in quickly. james, i'm aware that a bit pressed for time, but we very well and go companies at british gas saying well we outsource people's kick people's front doors in and metre in that we didn't know we regret it. i'm sorry but points to frankly quite an evil . how do you think quite an evil. how do you think these people get into people's lives? how do you think you prepare? meet this guy. whose homes do you think they were going to. sorry. it's not going to. i'm sorry. it's not good is it? you that good enough, is it? do you that some of these companies are evil 7 some of these companies are evil ? i think every company , the ? i think every company, the regulator, the government who have been saying we put

customers first, we put vulnerable customers first, need to take a real hard at themselves and consider whether they do. because i think the stories we've been hearing and what you've been saying is clearly isn't happening and clearly that isn't happening and the market is not working for. vulnerable consumers at the moment . yeah, look, thank you moment. yeah, look, thank you very much, james taylor, our director policy scope that director of policy at scope that there is very much as a scientists is that we scientists of course is that we don't companies to leave don't want companies to leave and are already talked to and we are already talked to them high heaven and they them to high heaven and they contribute a lot our economy. yeah that just in this yeah i get that just in this current climate doesn't sit current climate it doesn't sit particularly as particularly well centric as chief this chief executive released this statement on preliminary statement on the preliminary results , a bit of an results, a bit of an investigation. he said, we invested investigation. he said, we investe d £75 million in invested £75 million in supporting our energy customers in 2022 which was great is on the in 2022 which was great is on th profit per the £8 post—tax profit per customer by british gas customer earned by british gas energy. whilst customers may see some relief given recent easing of prices, it remains clear that some will continue to help. some will continue to need help. and do what we can to and we will do what we can to support them the year ahead. support them in the year ahead. right. right here, right. okay, stay right here, because into a big because about to get into a big debate and it is

debate today and it is a whopper. should we bring back national survey say i the national survey say i split the inbox gbviews@gbnews.uk . there inbox gbviews@gbnews.uk. there are that our nato allies are reports that our nato allies believe that uk armed forces are weak and to make matters get this the threat are laughing at us. that's right? would national service fix it ? should we bring service fix it? should we bring it back? should we make who want to come and live here, do a better national service? and what does nicholas sturgeon stepping down as first minister mean for? campaign mean now for? the campaign for scottish independence will reveal all very, very shortly scotland's . thank you, patrick. scotland's. thank you, patrick. the top this hour, the family of missing mum of two nicola bullies says public focus has become more now about appalling speculation . into her private speculation. into her private life and about finding her detectives have revealed the 45 year old was vulnerable and she struggled with alcohol and the menopause. lancashire is facing a backlash for disclosing such

personal about her after she disappeared almost three weeks ago. independent office for police conduct has made contact with the force determine if an inquiry is needed. labour say they'll recruit an extra 13,000 community police officers to tackle anti—social behaviour and violent crime if they win the next election . the shadow home next election. the shadow home secretary unveiled for a neighbourhood policing guarantee, assigning and pcsos to every community. the home office claimed proposed investment is a 10th of what the government is already delivering. the governments announced an extra £421 million to boost alcohol drug treatment. the new funding will be given to 151 councils in england to recruit more staff, improve support for prison leavers and invest in addiction . ministers invest in addiction. ministers say plans could prevent nearly 1000 drug related deaths every yeah 1000 drug related deaths every year. the uk has now provided military training to 10,000

ukrainian volunteer soldiers . ukrainian volunteer soldiers. with that number set to rise to 30,000 by the end of this year , 30,000 by the end of this year, the mod has been teaching the civilian a range of skills, including urban fighting weapons , handling and dealing with explosives dubbed operation into flex five week program is similar to the type of training undertaken. british army reserves . and as you've been reserves. and as you've been hearing, the energy firm centrica, owner of british gas , centrica, owner of british gas, has posted profits of £3.3 billion, more than triple that it made the year before. but british actually saw profits decrease by 40. it comes after ofgem launched urgent inquiry to investigate company for installing pre—paid metres by force in vulnerable customers homes. those are the latest news headunes homes. those are the latest news headlines you're up to date on tv online and dab plus radio. we're back .

5:00 okay, so understood that paris officials have claimed that budget cuts to the uk military are causing alarm . nato members are causing alarm. nato members of the french . they're up in of the french. they're up in arms. aren't. the news comes as renowned scrutiny has been placed on britain's fighting capability and attitudes towards military today. basically all we are proper fools. do we care about our military? has our military . what could national military. what could national service be? answer to britain's defence problems? joining me now is two gb news viewers. i wanted to get their views on this is leigh harris and susan harris who are not related. i think we might have done before, but it's a remarkable turn. events fantastic. is ladies first, as ever on this show. yes susan, what do you think about this? should we bring back national service . yes. without any

service. yes. without any thought about it at all? in fact, i've been a great advocate to bring it back for quite a long time. and when you look at the state of things today , i the state of things today, i think now is the time to do . i think now is the time to do. i certainly wouldn't leave it to the politicians. i think you've got to get the top brass doing it. i mean national the last national service members discharge . in 1963 and the discharge. in 1963 and the things that national service instil in you is the importance of the common good and so sure discipline which i think is lacking in a lot of the youngsters today. the effect less joined in the national army. it it teaches you valuable skills and you get six weeks bafic skills and you get six weeks basic training and it teaches you the traits . the six weeks is you the traits. the six weeks is a brutal shock to people which i

think they need . and although think they need. and although i'm not a great fan of things coming out of it in the states they have a selective service and it is compulsory to register and it is compulsory to register and if you don't read it you get fined a lot of money. you get put in jail and you don't any access to any benefits or anything. and i think something like that would be good now. so once turn 18, they have register . and at that age get them into the army or the raaf or one of the army or the raaf or one of the services. all right , the army or the raaf or one of the services. all right, i'll come back to you, leigh your take on whether or not we have national service. susan thinks it be a good thing for the feckless youth. i think she's got very good point. i have a of a nuanced approach to this . it a nuanced approach to this. it depends on how it's structured and i would happily support some form of optional national service, you know, possibly

similar type of france does it . similar type of france does it. i'm open minded. i personally i'm open minded. i personally i'm not convinced making it mandatory would be the right way forward . i'd mandatory would be the right way forward. i'd like to think mandatory would be the right way forward . i'd like to think that forward. i'd like to think that we could do a lot more to get people involved without conscription by actually like your suggestion, patch is probably best what i've heard. yeah, we should to encourage, you specifically encourage you know, specifically encourage young people who are not in work or education to take part, you know, especially as now their heads are likely to be full of woke nonsense brainwashed by leftie marxists to hate their own country . so on balance, own country. so on balance, i think the national service would be a huge benefit to young people and the country for reasons already mentioned. but i did want mention finland. it seems we could learn a lot from them. i read an interest in quote from finland's former chief defence he says yes chief of defence and he says yes , has a very long border with russia , but we also have russia, but we also have a successful democracy . we have successful democracy. we have rule of law. we have a well—functioning society. so we have something to defend. and according to an annual poll conducted by the finnish finnish

defence, 82% of the country said they'd be prepared to participate in defending it. you know, can you what that number would be if in the uk, if we polled . yes, i must say, just polled. yes, i must say, just not much. but kids taught in my view to actually not love this , view to actually not love this, to actively not love it . so but to actively not love it. so but then you look at it, we're doing a segment bit later on citizen about the way that australia has systematically its borders. it turned the boats back initially and had a very well and it's had a very well organised immigration system. that now means it can look at countries like us here and go, well, we've got a common language, a common culture and if you are not happy as adults or , as a nurse or as a teacher, or, as a nurse or as a teacher, you can come here, work hard, pay you can come here, work hard, pay into our tax system, we've got nice weather, pay you got nice weather, we'll pay you well and going to pinchers. of course they but susan, do course they are. but susan, do you can send that you think you can send that right heading towards right now? we're heading towards a people don't like a future where people don't like this country and wouldn't fight for it ? exactly think it's a

for it? exactly think it's a very, very dangerous i blame education system for that because i think when i was at school, we used to go to military and the army taught me gymnastics and everything and it was fantastic . i did seriously was fantastic. i did seriously think about joining at one time, but i think that if i think if i was pm i would bring in this relish to and i would just hate seeing anybody not in full time work or education. i would make it mandatory . they have to go it mandatory. they have to go into national because if not, if that just lies in or i decide they'll be up to no good . we've they'll be up to no good. we've got kids . stop kids. and i it got kids. stop kids. and i it just really turns my stomach. absolutely susan, i don't i don't like to talk over you normally because you talk a lot of sides. but one very quick final word, lee. lee and you look at your cv, i mean, you

from memory, you you're in business, aren't you? yeah. if you were looking at a cv here and it said community service or national service, one are national service, which one are you go for? oh, you going to go for? oh, national service. single . national service. every single. yeah. fact, actually i'd yeah. and in fact, actually i'd be to it because of the be drawn to it because of the because it teaches kids respect and discipline exactly how that's a good thing. we've got unemployment out there, especially young people want to be on take school day, get better service and get yourself a thank you very much, both a job. thank you very much, both of harris and susan of you, lee harris and susan harris, related as are both harris, not related as are both gb news viewers. great stuff. we have the best of us here. well, inside that was the fact that maybe they're my java maybe they're to take my java thing. we i will thing. but there we go. i will be bid to protect be launching a bid to protect our teachers on nurses, not police officers. the aussies our teachers on nurses, not want them . i love them. i've want them. i love them. i've never met an australian , not never met an australian, not liked but reports liked genuinely, but reports that they're sending delegates over to the uk now. it's a law 30,000 workers to the sunshine . 30,000 workers to the sunshine. what would make you want to possibly what about the glorious weather and the nice chilled laid back atmosphere would make

you want to go and jack it in an hour and eight just to go and work in australia. but i it's an advert for turning the boats back and i'll tell you why because got a strong points based immigration . they turn the based immigration. they turn the boats can cherry boats back and they can cherry the and the brightest from the best and the brightest from across that is across the world and that is what going to doing what they're going to be doing frankly our teachers with our nurses etc. so i'll be talking all about that. but first, the departure of nicholas sturgeon a central figure in the independence decades. independence for two decades. what this mean now for scottish independence ? cause she's off. independence? cause she's off. okay, isn't she the snp now begun process of a begun the process of finding a new leader. but recent controversies the gender reform bill, etc. financial issues which we have raised at length already on this show, but going back in the next hour back to them in the next hour is. nationalism now in is. scottish nationalism now in decline. joining me is lieutenant colonel stuart crawford political crawford and political commentator and former snp member as well. great okay. so would have a referendum today now on this independence ? well, now on this independence? well, i think the answer to that

depends whether you want to win or lose it. if wanted the independence movement to lose a reference , then today would be reference, then today would be the time would be the day to have it , because there's no have it, because there's no doubt that would lose the cause of independence has not shifted fundamentally in the last eight years, since the last. and there's no indication that the opinion is going to change in the next few years either. so if you want the independence to be lost, now's the time to do it. okay. so in sturgeon's departure, do you think makes independence less likely because ? she was trying to bracket it and spin it as it will make she's put a brick in the brick in the wall, independence. she's placed her power. she's to her rung of the ladder. now she's going to hand baton over to going to hand the baton over to somebody . actually, if you somebody else. actually, if you just kick the ladder away from under to a certain extent, yes. mean it's definitely a setback for the independence movement. but i would say the independence

movement has gone nowhere at all. there's no way to bring that about we can't get a referendum legally because westminster give us the section order. it requires using the next general election as a de facto referendum , which was facto referendum, which was another idea the first ministers can't work either because it needs to agreement with the other political parties . they'd other political parties. they'd be out of their minds if they agreed to it. on going down the road of catalonia and having a wildcat and unofficial referendum . we'll get nowhere. referendum. we'll get nowhere. it would not be legally binding and it wouldn't be constitutionally binding. and look catalonia . look what happens in catalonia. so movement at so the independence movement at the moment has nowhere to go . the moment has nowhere to go. no, indeed. when you look at no, indeed. and when you look at it in that fantastic analysis that you've just given there, nicola sturgeon's legacy . well, nicola sturgeon's legacy. well, scottish independence , the thing scottish independence, the thing that she is as a 16 year old girl, went into politics try to enact while she's no closer to having achieved that as she then. oh gosh i hate to this

about her but you look at the end education system of the health care system, the transport system and realistically was her life's work all for nothing ? well work all for nothing? well i think on a personal level, she has been extremely successful as a politician, but in terms of delivering what her risen veteran the resume editor of our party the snp has always been about then then it has been a it's a legacy of failure. i'm a great fan of the scottish parliament as an institution. i think it's great thing for us to have to be able to control over many of the issues that affect us domestically . the problem is us domestically. the problem is we filled up with the wrong people and the people should be in the parliament would not now touch it with a bargepole because they fear being tainted by or its strong by the of it or its strong stuff. what a way to . finish stuff. what a way to. finish that particular segment. thank you very much. pleasure to talk to you. lieutenant stewart crawford, political commentator and former snp member as well. what do you make of that, ladies and gentlemen? but. well, moving

on, really interesting on, this is a really interesting one. been to one. okay i i've not been to i would like to go all the say the spiders terrify , which is spiders terrify, which is genuinely one of the main reasons why i haven't gone shows how pathetic i am, especially in light the facts. have been light of the facts. have been talking a lot about whether not people should do national service the last 2 hours. service for the last 2 hours. but we we need hide but there we go. we need to hide on seas. and our police on the seas. i'll and our police because australia enjoying the lower australia lower them down under australia minister he's minister has admitted he's coming to the uk specifically a mission to poach thousands of british workers to fill vacancies across the country. they are telling brits very unfortunate truths the wages the higher the cost of living is lower and the better. so i mean it's a no brainer, isn't it? but joining me now is maths teacher bobby seagull and he's considered moving to in australia. he's got colleagues who live over there, but i mean why isn't everyone just to australia ? so i'll tell you sort australia? so i'll tell you sort of my thought process actually. yeah, i'm teacher now but i

actually work in the city, worked at lehman . it's not worked at lehman. it's not a great choice as an investment banken great choice as an investment banker. pwc is a chartered accountant and when i worked in the city, a lot of my colleagues actually went on secondment, ostensibly for months to six months to 12 months, but stayed there indefinitely. and when i spoke some of why they moved, you know, the things that you mentioned the weather , the mentioned the weather, the lifestyle , the sort of amazing lifestyle, the sort of amazing cities that have then also it feels like it's meant to be a less crowded place than uk. but i think again when i did i did see as you consider what you know maybe i'll move there permanently but have a second one that i think the thing that kept me in the the sort of kept me in the uk is the sort of cultural about why we love england. again, and england. again, the fish and chips pubs watching premier league games. so i think again i'll city definitely offers positives and again i know there are some teachers so my friends are some teachers so my friends are also considering moving abroad but abroad not, just australia but other maybe the states, other places maybe the states, south new zealand, but south africa, new zealand, but probably if being honest, right,

if you're going as a teacher to , australia, the only reason that australia can now do stuff is because they've actually protected their borders for over long and they can cherry pick the best and the brightest from other countries that speak the same language as them, share a similar culture get similar culture and will get good, strong people with a good work ethic like yourself to go over there and pay into that tax system from a young age, they've done immigration, right? okay the is if you walk into the reality is if you walk into aninner the reality is if you walk into an inner school in this an inner city school in this country you know, an absolute country is you know, an absolute nightmare that nightmare to teach in that compared. will be compared. so it will be somewhere in australia where again, it can a challenge to teach city schools. but teach in inner city schools. but again teachers that's again i think as teachers that's part of the joy of getting to students are students that you think are they're getting it, they're not quite getting it, but eventually do. i think but they eventually do. i think australia of course, you australia of course, if you think about immigration think about the immigration policy, definitely policy, they are definitely tougher but their tougher than we are. but their nafion tougher than we are. but their nation think about nation is. if you think about geographical on an geographical map, it's on an island , the huge island as it island, the huge island as it were. well, quite distant were. yeah, well, quite distant from many locations where the uk from many locations where the uk from france again, the government about our government is think about our policies, deal france,

policies, how we deal france, how dinghies coming how we did dinghies coming across. that's a separate issue. but australia i can but i think australia yeah i can see teachers would be lured see why teachers would be lured to working australia, to working in australia, especially that sort of current climate. now okay, alright. and just to say we've got strikes coming out of our air system to go stand right across the country the moment and australia is just see an opportunity. in fact them i think to try to lump lapping up all we going to see a mass exodus of people going under. mass exodus of people going under . so i mass exodus of people going under. so i think again as someone of worked in the city, i don't think we have mass exodus, but i think on the margins, yes, if people consider the cost of living here, maybe working conditions , conditions on the conditions, conditions on the margins that people like, actually, should i go? they might think is the right might think now is the right time. hopefully we don't lose time. so hopefully we don't lose some very good teachers. doctors pubuc some very good teachers. doctors public sector workers to australia. thank you very australia. bobby, thank you very much an absolute much always an absolute pleasure. i must pleasure. i'm thank you. i must you seagull that look you bobby seagull that look let's read story let's gentlemen read this story this morning. obviously this morning. i'm obviously very present . rosalie wade, if present. rosalie wade, if i wasn't out shopping, probably on

another news channel, wouldn't i? and i lose and i? but and i lose it. and i thought, fair the is you know what they did they looked as if they going they were going to have a massive crisis small boats massive crisis with small boats coming over they decided to turn their small boats they've their small boats back they've decided consist to decided to consist only to be very wanting very very blatant about wanting to protect their borders and have i totally have a controlled. i totally points based immigration system and happened and what has happened well they've population and what has happened well they've haven't population and what has happened well they've haven't they.pulation and what has happened well they've haven't they. andtion and what has happened well they've haven't they. and the growth, haven't they. and the obvious of the obvious exceptions of the pandemic yes, their has pandemic, yes, their economy has done absolutely, marvellously consistently for a very period of time. if i was one of them, one of the better performing economies in, the world in terms of where it started and it's got to now and they are in a position where they can around at world, at that share the at the world, at that share the engush at the world, at that share the english language share a common culture, share common value system and go well, if you're struggling a bit over that right now, what we do is we will offer you a bit more money, probably a bit of a better lifestyle as well. definitely about whether you can come over here and have an adventure us and what they're

going to they're going to up going to do, they're going to up a load people probably in a load of people probably in their even in a load of people probably in theilate even in a load of people probably in theilate twenties even in a load of people probably in theilate twenties the even in a load of people probably in theilate twenties the best in a load of people probably in theilate twenties the best and the late twenties the best and the late twenties the best and the brightest. they know they're going trouble going to have societal trouble with they're with them because they're basically very same as basically the very same as australians out pretty australians out there. pretty much. going have no much. they're going to have no issues they're going to issues that they're going to go and start families in and live and start families in australia taxes to our australia pay taxes to our system entire lives and system their entire lives and the going the australian economy is going to very well of it. to be very, very well out of it. meanwhile, over here, well, it's chaos. an border chaos. we've got an open border with the world, haven't we? and that's hot take. gb views of that's my hot take. gb views of gb news uk. get your views gb news dot uk. get your views coming they are actually coming in and they are actually to honest with you. lot of to be honest with you. a lot of people as well talking about national going national service are going to crack wide open. crack that debate wide open. yes. you think we yes. again, do you think we should national should introduce national service? loads service? i've got loads more coming way. you, dad, coming your way. don't you, dad, go because i will be go anywhere? because i will be back just a sec. alex here back in just a sec. alex here with latest weather update with your latest weather update from office otto by from met office storm otto by the danish weather could cause some parts some problems across parts northern britain on friday morning scotland and northern england. here comes that system. nofice england. here comes that system. notice the ice of our squeeze together. it's the winds that

are likely to cause the issue through the early hours of friday morning and then during the morning the strongest winds will work a little further back to the rest of today . rain from to the rest of today. rain from that system will be moving across scotland, going to be a very wet night, western scotland. rain light and scotland. but the rain light and patchy over northern england and, northern ireland further south, will just south, most places will just stay dry and cloudy. it will turn here, but the turn windy here, but the strongest further strongest winds will be further north to be a north and it's going to be a very mild night in the south with many staying in double figures. look at those figures. let's look at those winds, first of winds, though, first of all, because increased through the areas scotland and areas in western scotland and then very gusty morning then gets very gusty all morning across scotland, down into northern of northern england gusts of wind of perhaps in some locations of 70, perhaps in some locations , 75 miles an hour likely to some disruption, certainly to the transport network planes , the transport network planes, maybe help flights be delayed or cancelled , too. and so there's cancelled, too. and so there's likely to be some flying debris around and certainly difficult driving conditions, especially if the high side vehicles on some of the transpennine routes, plenty of sunny spells developing , but it will be

developing, but it will be blustery further south, quite cloudy, a little cloudy, most places dry a little of light in the southwest, of light rain in the southwest, but it be a very mild day here. colder further north, especially with those which will ease through afternoon and much through the afternoon and much lighter winds as we head into the wet weather pushing in the more wet weather pushing in that snow to that will bring some snow to parts chiefly over parts of. scotland chiefly over hills, mostly rain at low but could see some for time as we head into saturday then saturday is a mixed picture . a bit of is a mixed picture. a bit of patchy rain on the south coast will be some rain for time over southern scotland northern england, northern ireland. but to fizzle through the day, to fizzle out through the day, some brighter spells elsewhere. some places rain coming some places more rain coming into parts of scotland and northern ireland, mostly for northern ireland, mostly dry for and wales join me camilla tominey sunday mornings from 930 taking the politician to task and breaking out of one to see how their decisions are affecting you across the first thing. the westminster every sunday morning only on gb news the channel britain's watching .

its 5 pm. you're live with me patrick christys on i've got a jam packed hour ahead. let's get into it. so in the last hour, the police and crime commissioner lancashire has released a statement praising the police force for handling of the police force for handling of the nicola bully case. it comes amidst a backlash against lancashire police for revealing nicola bully suffered issues stemming from alcohol while also going through menopause and going through the menopause and the one said. they say to the force, one said. they say to protect nicola and her family. but i suspect they're going to throwing them all and indeed the pubuc throwing them all and indeed the public under bus and big public under the bus and big debate today. well it's all about service does it need to

come back? i was looking at some news and i thought maybe it's time that we just brought national back . a new national service back. a new report has found that the uk's military is the laughing stock of 50,000 fewer of the west world. 50,000 fewer troops in the french for goodness. should give the goodness. should we give the younger generation a bit of tough love with some military training? knock the training? you know, knock the woak out of them anyway and is it fishermen or fish of them ? it fishermen or fish of them? you heard singer sam smith has come out and said it's the latter's this ms. he smith who uses the pronouns they them was on the bbc's one show this week talking about how he loves fishing and said that he would be officialdom not fishermen a fish at them has he lost the plot . yeah i mean this last plot. yeah i mean this last couple of alone, he's dressed up as the devil, his beloved video where it looks like people are urinating on and now he's talking about fishing on the fact that it would be a fish to them. i guess us out. and then i say i'll call you and keep up. join right for the next join me right here for the next houn join me right here for the next hour. should we back

hour. should we bring back national i'd to national service? i'd like to see sam you bet. national see sam smith. you bet. national service actually knows you had a lot . patrick thank you. the top lot. patrick thank you. the top stories this hour , the family of stories this hour, the family of the missing mother of nicola bulli says the public seems now more about appalling speculation into her private life than actually finding her. yesterday revealed the 45 year old was vulnerable and that she'd struggled with alcohol and the menopause. now police is facing a backlash , disclosing such a backlash, disclosing such personal infamy about nicola who disappeared almost three weeks ago. independent office for police conduct has made contact with the force to determine if an inquiry is needed . labour say an inquiry is needed. labour say they'll recruit an extra 13,000 community police officers to tackle anti—social behaviour and violent crime if they the next election. the home secretary unveiled plans a neighbourhood policing guarantee which would assign officers and pcsos to

every community. yvette cooper is criticising the conservatives for having a hands off approach to community policing . so i want to community policing. so i want to community policing. so i want to talk today about what's been a complete collapse in home leadership on crime and policing under the conservatives how they've stood back while neighbourhood has crumbled. while the charge rate has plummeted. while confidence in policing and the criminal justice system have fallen . justice system have fallen. while more victims are being let down and more criminals are getting off . well, in response getting off. well, in response to the immigration minister, robert jenrick says the conservative force are already investing more funds than labour is . well labour's aren't is. well labour's aren't credible. in fact they're 1/10 of the investment we're making this year in frontline policing. the facts speak themselves. we are on course to recruit 20,000 police officers by the end of and at that point there be more

frontline officers in this country than at any point in our history . several plots were history. several plots were foiled at the last minute in 2022, to according police, which they called close calls with some goal line saves . the head some goal line saves. the head of counter—terrorism said the would be attackers picked targets and were gathering weapons when officers intervened . currently, there are more than 800 lives invested. asians and have seen a rise in calls to the anti—terrorism hotline in the last year . the police watchdog last year. the police watchdog is reopened in its probe into whether forces failed to properly investigate serial rapist david carrick, the former met police officer, admitted 85 serious offences against over a 17 year period. he was jailed 30 years last week . in years last week. in bedfordshire, sussex , bedfordshire, sussex, cambridgeshire and hertfordshire and met police, the forces previously reviewed themselves , previously reviewed themselves, found no failures. the watchdog

will now decide if investigating were influenced by character status as a serving police . the status as a serving police. the uk has provided military training to 10,000 ukrainian volunteer with that number set to reach 30,000 by the end of this year. the ministry of defence has been teaching civilian recruits, a range of skills , urban fighting , weapons skills, urban fighting, weapons handung skills, urban fighting, weapons handling and with explosives. dubbed. handling and with explosives. dubbed . into flex, the five week dubbed. into flex, the five week programme takes place here in the uk and is similar to the type training undertaken by british reserves. it's hoped the bafic british reserves. it's hoped the basic training will support the fight against russia's invasion now number of people who've died following major earthquakes that struck southern turkey and northern syria now stands at more than 42,000. turkey's and emergency authority says than 4300 aftershocks have hit the country since the initial quakes . 11 days on few survivors are

being rescued and in some places the focus is moving away from finding trapped people and towards the recovery of bodies clearing rubble and rebuild adding here energy firms. centrica, the owner of british gas, has posted profits of £3.3 billion. that's triple the amount it made the year before . amount it made the year before. but british gas, however saw profits decrease by almost % that profits decrease by almost% that comes ofgem launched an urgent inquiry to investigate the company for installing pre—payment metres by force in vulnerable customers homes. liberal democrat leader ed davey has urged the government implement what he calls a windfall tax tax monies as it. back now to .

back now to. patrick okay, well we going to start this hour actually some breaking news so within the last few moments. the royal of nursing has announced a significant escalation in the strike action for . a year began. well, the 120 for. a year began. well, the 120 nhs employees in england and the increasingly bitter dispute pay and staffing the college which accused the uk government of refusing engage in negotiations also said it would increase financial support for its members who wages by taking industrial action . so they're industrial action. so they're going to pay members. reading between the lines, they were just reading it and saying they're going to pay their members for strike action. that get that's nurses and to incentivising them next incentivising them the next strike continuously for strike will run continuously for 48 hours from 6 am. amongst the first. so we'll give you more on that one. but i think it is fascinating because they say that refusals and that there's been refusals and negotiate has a negotiate but there has been a negotiation and has been negotiation and there has been a pay negotiation and there has been a pay on the table. and pay offer on the table. and i would imagine that the issue of nurses pensions isn't up for debate either. that's not negotiate table. whopping negotiate table. a whopping great pension would bring great big pension would bring the salary to around

the average salary up to around 64 , we go well, 64 grand. so yes, we go well, we'll get more on that when we get it a little bit sick of the strikes now. i certainly have more breaking more strikes. can i quickly this one? so i just say quickly this one? so it's continuous hour period it's a continuous 48 hour period from the am. on march the from the 6 am. on march the first. you can forget now about the idea that they do not want to harm patient safety because . to harm patient safety because. that's what this is now. they're not getting what they want. they thought they kick up a fuss and get what they want. and now here we are the go right two days we are on the go right two days off completely. then two days off completely. then two days off completely. then will off completely. then it will be three, a week. three, then it will be a week. and people are dying. people are missing chemotherapy is not being for. some being administered for. some people the i'm sorry, people during the and i'm sorry, but going the things about this is patient safety it's is all about patient safety it's not it's about money in your pocket people are dying and pocket and people are dying and moving up . lancashire police and moving up. lancashire police and crime commissioner is said that the police is being as transparent as they can be after they sensitive they shared sensitive information bailey information about bailey struggle with alcohol and menopause. the family of the mum

of two have urged the public to move focus onto finding nicola. but the police have been blasted by the public indeed the by the public and indeed the media for their approach to this search. they then back at search. they then lashed back at armchair detectives speculating about disappearance . i think about the disappearance. i think the is , if you're asking the reality is, if you're asking me anyway, that the threw the pubuc me anyway, that the threw the public under the bus yesterday by saying, oh , can't have you by saying, oh, can't have you been giving us all duff information calling for information been calling for information been calling for information about one of the widespread most widespread missing cases the missing persons cases the country seen in recent country has seen in recent years. now, would argue years. and now, i would argue maybe thrown nicola and her family under bus by their cack handed way of revealing essentially a drinking essentially she had a drinking problem and. wasn't dealing problem and. she wasn't dealing with menopause. well, with the menopause. well, joining me now is deputy leader of ucf's rebecca jane, has of ucf's rebecca jane, who has been this police been critical of this police search. you? because search. what's got you? because people maybe of them people are saying maybe of them it appears as , though, they may it appears as, though, they may well have thrown her and her family, under the family, the public under the bus. well and truly bus. well, they well and truly did yesterday, didn't they. they called a whole press conference to themselves it was to defend themselves and it was nothing nicola. i think

nothing about nicola. i think that the whole. sorry whole police thing matter and. the investigation has been an absolute from start to where we are today. you know took them seven days to cordon off the scene. it took them nine days to release images of the day that she went missing. from the minute that this happened, they a theory in their head and then worked themselves around it . worked themselves around it. they didn't keep themselves open and didn't even potentially look at being criminal case, at this being a criminal case, which it still may be. there a lot of obviously options . what lot of obviously options. what could have actually happened to nicola. but the problem is the police, they say that they've been transparent. they absolutely they were absolutely haven't. if they were being by what being tracked by what they should done yesterday when should have done yesterday when called conference called their press conference was hands up and said, you was put hands up and said, you know we've met a few know what, we've met a few mistakes here. we're going to invite force in to look invite another force in to look again there's again and see if there's anything we have anything else that we have missed. all they did missed. they did all they did was the public. and later was blunt the public. and later on day, they threw nicola on in the day, they threw nicola under bus and people are under the bus and people are just to this . then the just new to this. then the reality is that the police said,

okay, nicola had some specific vulnerabilities . so then the vulnerabilities. so then the press and people, everyone at home watching that would have gone, sorry, what is this? that was that was information. and as a result of that, they've now got to and go, wow got to come out and go, wow actually those specific vulnerabilities , things to do vulnerabilities, things to do with alcoholism and things do with alcoholism and things do with menopause . and then with the menopause. and then they criticise the press and the pubuc they criticise the press and the public speculating on it, but they've decided drop public speculating on it, but they and decided drop public speculating on it, but they and haven'tded drop public speculating on it, but they and haven't .3d drop public speculating on it, but they and haven't . and drop public speculating on it, but they and haven't . and do>p public speculating on it, but they and haven't . and do you that and haven't. and do you think it looks like the police really trying to cover their own backs they are . backs here? of course they are. you know, they did two things yesterday, and i don't it was intentional. i think they supped intentional. i think they slipped themselves. so when they said risk and, said that she's high risk and, she's vulnerable. and then obviously what you obviously people. what do you mean and she's mean she's high risk and she's vulnerable you've never said this so of course people this before. so of course people are to questions. well are going to ask questions. well we'll happening in the we'll be happening in the future. that universe? is future. is that universe? it is for pr publicity and the for media pr publicity and the police using as an police will be using this as an example what not do because example of what not do because write the whole of this and every single press conference they've themselves and

they've let themselves down and especially investigation especially in the investigation as and this is the as well. well and this is the other thing. it bleeds through to investigation action, to the investigation action, because now, because it's amazing. now, it's all well good saying, all very well and good saying, well, they didn't share the information with people like you and, and i can and, me and the public and i can understand that but at least share it with independent share it with the independent dive the head of that dive team and the head of that team and said if we team has come out and said if we known she these known that she had these vulnerabilities that was vulnerabilities that there was an case about an element this case about potentially alcohol involved potentially alcohol involved potentially emotional potentially some emotional distress have distress involved. it would have changed they looked for changed the way they looked for and yet again , another vital and yet again, another vital penod and yet again, another vital period the for missing period in the hunt for missing nicola missing absolutely . nicola went missing absolutely. and there's another point, isn't there ? we didn't want peter and there? we didn't want peter and his team involved. the only did it because of the public and what they should have been doing is obviously they've chastised the single opportunity the at every single opportunity they've had. they should have been thank your been saying thank you for your support. thank for your support. thank you for your interest going to do interest we're going to do whatever takes. they didn't whatever it takes. they didn't they weren't interested in doing that. latest now that. and their latest stunt now is, victim how on is, their victim blaming how on earth know that she you earth needs to know that she you know, she liked a glass of wine.

i've said it on twitter today . i've said it on twitter today. if i go missing, please don't use the fact that i like a glass of against me. this is of in against me. this is absolutely deplorable. poor nicola, her memory children and her family have been put through enough. her family have been put through enough . and for the police to do enough. and for the police to do this them as absolutely this to them as well. absolutely disgraceful . yeah. we've gone to disgraceful. yeah. we've gone to lancashire police, we've put all of this to them. so we've exactly to them. the kind exactly this to them. the kind of i'm asking now of questions i'm asking you now and about and we've been talking about throughout of the throughout the course of the show, they are yet to get back to will obviously change. to us. we will obviously change. well, let people know if well, we'll let people know if theyif do well, we'll let people know if they if do get back to us they if they do get back to us and tell people what and we'll tell people what they've but yeah. mean they've said. but yeah. mean it is quite disturbing and is quite disturbing think and said a warning to said just as a warning to rebecca the faith in the police force nationally i force generally nationally i think variety of think after a variety of different grooming think after a variety of differ scandals grooming think after a variety of differ scandals etc. grooming think after a variety of differscandals etc. isyoming think after a variety of differscandals etc. is prettyi think after a variety of differ scandals etc. is pretty low gang scandals etc. is pretty low and do you think this has done anything to enhance the reputation of our police force and the faith that the public have in them ? no, i think it's have in them? no, i think it's absolutely damaged them unbelievably so . and matt unbelievably so. and matt collins is somebody who is a

lancashire resident that the local police are my police force. i very concerned for the people , our county, but it's not people, our county, but it's not just that. it has national repercussions , you know, and repercussions, you know, and then obviously we see in the news bulletin the recruiting 20,000 officers this year. well, good luck to you after this episode. you people to work for you. this is appalling. episode. you people to work for you. this is appalling . rebecca you. this is appalling. rebecca thank very much . ever thank you very much. ever rebecca jane is the deputy leader of uk. look, people in inbox have been getting in touch about this all day. very split, actually. split saying, actually. very split saying, well, look, are well, look, the police are trying to do their best and i'm sure quite well—meaning sure they are quite well—meaning and do best, get and trying to do best, don't get me i should also me wrong. but i should also point inconsistencies. point out inconsistencies. let's just it was just remind ourselves it was seven or eight days before there a press conference into this. people officer has been people a police officer has been very critical about not very critical about them not securing a search . the bench was securing a search. the bench was still there, not cordoned off. people walking through area. people walking through an area. they're revealing the dive they're not revealing the dive team, specific team, the specific vulnerabilities about nicola them us. oh while she was wearing a fitbit. well that implied that they kind of knew

some quite vital potentially about the move as it turns it wasn't saying oh there's only one cctv spot which sends one cctv black spot which sends out the three cctv black spots . out the three cctv black spots. and on top of that as well and then on top of that as well of say oh we're of course they say oh we're absolutely she's absolutely certain that she's gone the at this gone into the river at this particular they're particular point. well, they're not. turned out to not. now that's turned out to not. now that's turned out to not necessarily be the case. so a lot inconsistencies here. a lot of inconsistencies here. and afternoon , and also this afternoon, independent office for public police conduct, i should say, has that they've made contact with lancashire now over information that was public in that press conference about nicola bailey's private life . nicola bailey's private life. and charlie hedges is a retired missing detective with 36 years experience. he joins me now. julio, what's your take on this? every single for me, this just seems to be hinting at a little bit more incompetence to my being on fire. is one of the difficulties we know all of the information we're sitting on the outside looking in, making judgements . clearly the whole judgements. clearly the whole case needs to be reviewed . the

case needs to be reviewed. the film is it time to exactly what is going on? what's been done correctly , what has been done correctly, what has been done incorrectly and it is quite difficult this stage until we know the full details. there's not sort of speculation about what may or may not have been done. so i think we just need to bear that in mind. can i ask charlie if i'm just to put one of my emails directly to you, if that's all right, because we had a lady touch with me who a lady get in touch with me who said if she'd have known that nicola was struggling from , say, nicola was struggling from, say, alcoholism or drink and potential hormonal issues as well, there would have been more inclined to have checked things like the garden sheds or little bits of woodland at back of the house, so things off. but they didn't it because they going off what the police say, which is basically she's in the river. should the have actually to flip it on its come out and said this stuff earlier earlier . by really stuff earlier earlier. by really revealing it now there's a lot

of criticism. yes one could argue they should have done this and it was a very unusual to release that, a amount of information. i think what i've consistently said throughout all the various interviews i've done yes, the river was , the most yes, the river was, the most likely place and the most place to start the inquiry. but it's essential to keep an open mind and look at all other possibilities . and we know that possibilities. and we know that missing people don't go missing without a reason they're an indicator of something in their life. those things need to be looked thoroughly , understood looked at thoroughly, understood to lead the investigation to then lead the investigation forward . the police try and forward. the police try and cover their own back , don't cover their own back, don't they? charlie, you've obviously been missing person, been a missing person, detective, 36 years. experience that and the police from the outside looking in appear to me now be trying to deflect . and now be trying to deflect. and they're saying, well, the public have given us a load of misinformation and we've got these amateur sleuths. they're making lives miserable. i'm sorry, but must that with sorry, but you must that with pretty every pretty much every well publicised persons

publicised missing persons event on exists. so do on twitter exists. so what do you to do about that you want people to do about that ? and they're saying, well, ? and then they're saying, well, actually, all these actually, she's got all these other issues as well. i can just smell a little whiff of the police got police here thinking we've got our house order and i start our house in order and i start passing the blame blame . well passing the blame blame. well i think what we've seen is an unprecedented amount of speculation about what's going on with the advent of social media over the last few is that there's been much more inclination for the public to voice opinions around. the downside for the police is that every one of those needs to be investigated to see whether they're valid not and also just talking about that , the talking about that, the speculation, wherever it comes from, it's incredibly difficult . the family let's not forget about that there's a left behind her partner and her children and everyone who knows her. they're going through the most traumatic and difficult situation and suffering. that's what we call ambiguous loss . they don't know ambiguous loss. they don't know what's happening and. there are all these rumours being

circulated and i think that's a really important point to bear in mind . the to cast the family. in mind. the to cast the family. just finally on, this particular one. now in your decades of experience in missing persons cases, if somebody wants to missing is it quite easy for them to do that or not? there's a lot more opportunity tracing people now with digital and what have you . it's not impossible . have you. it's not impossible. and if you take the right steps and don't use media, you don't use your cards, etc, then you can disappear. but it's so easy these days. is it has been in these days. is it has been in the past . charlie, thank you the past. charlie, thank you very much. really appreciate your time. charlie hodges, a former detective, thames valley police and a missing persons expert as well. as you getting in search and your thoughts the police handling of the nicola case and i'm not surprised. graham be graham says there should be actual if was actual sackings if it was a private company has have rolled but because the police are

publicly funded as though they get away with being a complete shambles it's not on any shambles and it's not on any longer is it itself on this i'm being critical of the police now and mainly because just think i can see the lack of media training that appears to have had the that now mistakes had the fact that now mistakes have been made in the rhetoric that they put out i can say have led the family into a situation where they've to reveal very where they've had to reveal very deeply circle around deeply personal circle around nicola they did nicola that clearly they did want early doors . i'm want to reveal early doors. i'm also critical of them fundamentally because as yet they haven't found nicola and they haven't found nicola and they appear to be quite reluctant the idea that reluctant to the idea that there was private team there was a private dive team there and they didn't share that information them . can you information with them. can you imagine a member , your family imagine if a member, your family go there's private go missing? there's a private search and the police search team there and the police did not share vital with them and that the person in charge that private search says if i'd have known would have changed the i searched for missing loved one i'd be absolutely daniel says i think the police have handled case incredibly badly

from the start . now that from the start. now that personal life has been explicitly exposed by the police, i just hope that if she is alive, that she doesn't do anything to of embarrassment and guilt. this is the other side to everyone's clearly hoping that nicola's and that nicola's alive i'm wow and that she's found and now you've seen stuff about her reputation and being when being put out there when it comes to alcohol and when it comes to alcohol and when it comes to alcohol and when it comes to the hormonal stuff as well a guest on well and we had a guest on earlier on about this actually saying would be an saying i mean it would be an incredibly grim situation for saying i mean it would be an incr

sorry for a whatever, whatever they must be going through, having their vulnerabilities and medical problems so public. surely should entitled surely nicola should be entitled confidentiality and dignity. you're with me, patrick christie's own gb news coming up sam smith. that's rise would love to be officialdom, not a fisherman , not official woman fisherman, not official woman officialdom . the singer made the officialdom. the singer made the comments on bbc's the one show earlier this week. i will put it to woman who's an extremely successful fisherman . i've got successful fisherman. i've got all of that coming your way. i'm much much more. we've been having a chat about national service as well and i for one while to see some bits of it. while to see some do bits of it. i'll be back there tech .

okay captain birdseye captain famous in their own rights fishermen in their own right.

but that's not what sam smith would say. now it's going a bit weird with sam smith . you ask weird with sam smith. you ask me. we had him crying in his house during lockdown, saying he just couldn't cope . this just couldn't cope. this multi—million pound pad . we've multi—million pound pad. we've also had him dressed up as a devil. we've had all sorts recently, haven't we? but he's the latest round of someone. i'll give nursery. he said that he would be a farmer then. that's right, says his recent saying include performance in a satanic costume and a dress up as a honey rose. sam has controversy for reluctance to, say fish, a man on the one show this way. let's have a listen to this, shall we? you're a big fan of fishing. i do, yes. this, shall we? you're a big fan of fishing. i do, yes . yeah, of fishing. i do, yes. yeah, yeah. i'd love to be fish fisher. then what do i fly ? fisher. then what do i fly? fishermen. i'd. i'd i'd be any type of fish to them . okay just type of fish to them. okay just can we just can we can i play that again? all right, just just one more. one more time. so. so

he's asked quite innocently would be would be a fisherman and says, let's go and play god . a big of fishing. i do . a big fan of fishing. i do love. yes, i do . yeah. yeah. i'd love. yes, i do. yeah. yeah. i'd love. yes, i do. yeah. yeah. i'd love to be a fish. fish. are them take a fly fisherman. i'd i'd be i'd be any type of fish to them . fish are them okay . to them. fish are them okay. well with me now is fish a man is ashley malinga . and ashley, is ashley malinga. and ashley, thank you very much. great to have you on the show . now, as have you on the show. now, as people will be able to see, of course you are you are a woman now? i understand that you are. of course you of sam smith. what do you make of him? wanting to be a fish and then . well we're be a fish and then. well we're kind of in the same boat, pardon the pun, but because i my pronouns , she her. but i see pronouns, she her. but i see fishermen and that is out of just respect for the majority men that have built the catching sector. it's a legacy thing , a sector. it's a legacy thing, a part of a historic community i'm proud to be a part of.

part of a historic community i'm proud to be a part of . so are we proud to be a part of. so are we not in a similar situation in the fact that he would rather say that he was then sorry if the pm and that it was his number. welcome to the minefield . i have given up on trying to deal with every single day now and i charge straight through it until . i do it now. something until. i do it now. something terrible happens to me and so . terrible happens to me and so. so why is it you have gone yourself? a fisherman . and he's yourself? a fisherman. and he's lost more out of convention ? lost more out of convention? that you don't see that as a particularly language ? i don't. particularly language? i don't. and if i'm completely honest, you could call me a marine life operative. i love my job. i really do. look at both . i love really do. look at both. i love the idea. this is pretty because they are job titles that are great, like director of people and places so which is basically just looking like a council leader and so what is particularly rewarding by the way about being a fisherman ? so way about being a fisherman? so the freedom , the fact that your the freedom, the fact that your your day is so unpredictable ,

your day is so unpredictable, nothing's ever guaranteed it. there are so many different, different challenges that are put in front of you. you're working in nature and it's raw. it's the environment . it's it's the environment. it's a real honest job. you're only going to get out what. you put in, you so many different things . i mean, i'm assuming that you will be perfectly happy to take smith fishing with you to show show him benefit any of that people who are watching sam smith an invitation. okay so sounds good. it's over. i'll get some space to talk to your people. we so celebrity fishing . exactly. but can i ask you to the idea of sam smith saying want to be a fish all women in the fishing industry stigmatise find gender at all. i mean, is there a massive outcry? the idea of it being fishermen are not fish. a woman ? to be honest, the

fish. a woman? to be honest, the aren't many women that are working in the catching sector, but that said, when i first started commercially fishing 45 years ago, i knew of two or three of us. now there's around 17, 18. so women are accepted and i mean i recently one the award fishermen of the year i don't know how. yeah well i'm going to. so you mean to tell that you have you have the opposite of the brits or whatever, where men and women winning women's awards. do you mean to look me in the eye and tell me you take it? a man's award? is that . essentially, award? is that. essentially, yes. but support it by men in the industry. this and also i mean i was talking researchers and i was thinking about, you know, we have this gender pay gap in a lot of low roles. but in the fishing , it's you via

in the fishing, it's you via a share. so a man and a woman throw you're going to get paid the exact same regardless. there's more equality in the fishing sector then i think people are realising and recruitment such a massive issue it's not the most accessible of jobs and i just think that women are perhaps thinking as knowledgeable i can do, but i'm absolutely it's fantastic well, tell you what you've sold fishing and congratulations on your awards . i don't think your awards. i don't think there'll be a massive outcry from men everywhere that you've in a way pinch the pinch there as well. but look, thank you very much. that is, of course, ashley, but i look at that is a fisherman fisherman, fish person to fisherman whatever they would go good stuff. take care. all right. okay i can only one else. the reason i always do that, because i really spent my coffee. i when i saw i had to watch it back like three or four times. pitch of the times. it's as the pitch of the thing. i just thought, know, thing. i just thought, you know, it's getting a bit ridiculous now, it? the now, isn't it? in the last couple of weeks sam smith,

couple of weeks with sam smith, we've him up as satan on the we've had him up as satan on the stage. but music video released what does to have people essentially pretending to urinate we can all urinate on him which we can all agree old he's designed to agree is old he's designed to mock as some kind of mock himself up as some kind of honey ham . yeah, he's honey roast ham. yeah, he's dressed as an alien. i forgot about figure. about about the alien figure. about the . you know what he the alien. you know what he does? looks like. it looks does? it looks like. it looks like what people was like what people think was inside thing they shot down over america say that america doesn't say that there is crime then on top of is look crime and then on top of that now he wants to be a fish to them so there we go i mean i mean look at the that's honey rose sam eyes and gentleman that we go right so i'm just i'm genuinely concerned for him anyway me patrick anyway you're with me patrick christys on gb news should we christys on gb news up should we bnng christys on gb news up should we bring back national service? so can looking at those can i just say looking at those pictures of sam smith, think pictures of sam smith, i think the answer is a resounding yes. it's a valid argument if you believe the french, you believe that the french, you believe that the french, you believe is forces believe the uk is owned forces are weak they boast around are so weak they boast around having 50,000 more military personnel than forget about personnel than us. forget about the generation . forget the word generation. forget about people like sam about suing people like sam smith. now we cannot have the

french at us about our military capabilities. i've capabilities. i think i've discovered the real reason, the truth behind nicola sturgeon's resignation and i think there could be a massive scandal. find out why. i think it is very, very shortly. don't go anywhere . patrick. thank you. and the headunes . patrick. thank you. and the headlines this hour, the royal college nursing says it will reduce england's nhs services to an absolute when new strike action place next month, more than 120 nhs employers will be affected on march the first, with staff out for 48 hours. previous strikes lasted forjust previous strikes lasted for just 12 hours. they say they will also include staff working in previously exempted departments, including emergency and intensive care . the health intensive care. the health secretary, steve barclay , secretary, steve barclay, calling the action a significant escas elation, but says the government is working on contingency plans nhs england . contingency plans nhs england. sir keir starmer has made a

surprise visit to ukraine and met with president zelenskyy the labour leader pledged that support kyiv will continue if his party to power. sir keir also visited epping where he shown evidence of alleged atrocities committed by russian troops . during the trip he troops. during the trip he called for russia to face justice in the hague for civilian the family of missing mum of two, nicola bull says the pubuc mum of two, nicola bull says the public focus become more about appalling speculation into her private life and less about finding her. detectives have revealed the five year old was vulnerable and said she'd been struggling with . alcohol and the struggling with. alcohol and the menopause . the independent menopause. the independent office for police conduct has made contact with force to determine if an inquiry is now needed. determine if an inquiry is now needed . labour says they'll needed. labour says they'll recruit an extra thousand community police officers to tackle antisocial behaviour and violent crime if they win next election. the shadow home secretary unveiled plans for a neighbour hood policing

guarantee assigning officers and pcsos to every community. the home office claim labour's proposed investment is a 10th of what the government is currently delivering and the energy firm centrica owner of british gas has posted profits of £3.3 billion. that's than triple the profits made last year. but british gas actually saw profits decrease by almost 40. it comes after ofgem launched an urgent inquiry to investigate the company for installing pre—payment by force in vulnerable homes . those are your vulnerable homes. those are your latest news headlines . we're latest news headlines. we're back at the top of the hour. see you then .

fast paced end to this show, ladies and gentlemen, i'm going in on nicholas sturgeon to begin

. she was into a lot of internal pressure in the days leading up to her resignation as a gender reform backlash . reform bill sparked backlash. but handling has but her financial handling has also come into question and. she doesn't like it when people talk it. so the policies financial deaungs it. so the policies financial dealings have come under a lot of scrutiny, especially over a loan to their accounts by nicola sturgeon's husband, peter miro , sturgeon's husband, peter miro, who also happens to be the snp's chief executive . with me now chief executive. with me now with all the latest on the stuff that nicholas sturgeon doesn't like to talk about or other people talking is olivia utley gavin, this political reporter and i always have respect for nicholas sturgeon one thing is to talk about this . what's to talk about this. what's going on? so essentially the crux of the problem is a missing seems. £667,000 donation to the snp was a fundraiser that was made dunng a fundraiser that was made during independence referendum raised six and a half thousand pounds, six and a half,

£650,000. it's a good job. it's a good job, but it's not a gcse maths exam, this isn't it? because you and i both be absolutely screwed. but gary, i'll on. yeah. so £57,000 of i'll go on. yeah. so £57,000 of that was spent on independence campaigning during the referendum, but the rest of it, all of which was ringing fence by the donors to be spent on independence seems to have into the aether . now that was the aether. now that was a question four or five years ago, but it came under proper scrutiny when it emerged that a couple years ago the snp only had couple years ago the snp only ha d £100,000 in its bank had £100,000 in its bank account. so it was clear the snp was going through financial difficulty, which made it all the more interesting, if you like, that this the more interesting, if you like, that thi s £500,000 also like, that this £500,000 also had gone missing. now it adds fuel to the fire patient morale. nicola sturgeon's , the ceo of nicola sturgeon's, the ceo of the lent, his own party,

£107,000 of his own money on an interest free loan , which, to interest free loan, which, to put it mildly , is pretty unusual put it mildly, is pretty unusual . nicholas sturgeon said she had no knowledge or couldn't remember the details and that's obviously in know absolutely fair enough. i mean who would know that that or have any recollection whatsoever . the recollection whatsoever. the person that they are married to has decided to give person that they are married to has decided to giv e £100,000 of has decided to give £100,000 of that money. a party that you are leading . i mean, no. carry on leading. i mean, no. carry on the air. carry out. well, she has tried not to discuss this and has tended to close down questions on it in press conferences. now, the question yesterday, which she closed down was about this missing money, thi s £500,000 missing money, this £500,000 missing money, which is now the under an actual police investigation . so one of police investigation. so one of the donors who contributed to this part , went to the police in this part, went to the police in

2021 and the police launch an investigation. but he's now gone back to the police to collect , back to the police to collect, to complain that the investigation been taking too long. so it looks as though it might all be coming to a head in the investigation , sort of under the investigation, sort of under the investigation, sort of under the surface . but nicholas the surface. but nicholas sturgeon is very keen well a seemingly very not to talk about it, although she would argue that, as she did yesterday, that never talks about ongoing police investigation. well, no, which is convenient given the fact that there is one and it does involve it would seem her and party and her husband and money. olivia, thank very, very much. olivia, thank very, very much. olivia utley that gb views is political reporter well, there we go. the surgeon's departure has happened. is happening . has happened. is happening. she's resigned. so what next? now for the snp in their fight for an independent scotland ? for an independent scotland? with me now is michelle ballantyne, formerly of reform uk, scotland . thank you very uk, scotland. thank you very much. great to have you on the show. is independence just dead the water. nicola sturgeon's life worth her ambition. she

just you hate to see it . yeah, just you hate to see it. yeah, i mean i mean she'd have she's had a life that's gone absolutely nowhere so i mean she was actually very much the sort of organised side of the 2014 referendum in which she lost and then she over as leader supposedly to carry that mantle forward and make a difference. and despite all their claims over the years that they were making progress, that they were nearly they're going to have another referendum . it's not another referendum. it's not happened really nothing up here has if you had a referendum today it would be no to up the uk. so i suppose the question is, has she wasted her time now 7 is, has she wasted her time now ? a lot of us would say actually she's done a lot of damage . you she's done a lot of damage. you know, she went straight back to wanting another referendum after last one, but more importantly, her supposed folk on scotland has left us with more problems . has left us with more problems. the an cetacean system, the

deteriorated health system deteriorated. we've got a leader who. yes we describe as formidable of her manager of everything she does when she's interacting. and that communicates and that belittles those in front of her and takes control the situation. yeah but actually if you cut underneath that things in scotland have got worse and you know that when you ask snp members what they've achieved and the answer is baby box. michelle is a potentially tried and tested political tactic of getting out before the fan to use a and if maybe she feels now is things are going to come home to roost so independence she'd have to have some kind of catalonia style referendum in which i think most people would turn their nose up frankly. and then on of that the education system she alluded to she's saying that the attainment gap is small. it's not the attainment because education attainment gap because education

is is about as it's ever is this is about as it's ever been. drug deaths is still absolutely rampant there. supposedly potholes supposedly there's potholes everywhere. guest on everywhere. talked to a guest on the yesterday the health system's is a huge system's shocking is a huge percentage more people having to go there an argument go private. is there an argument to say that nicholas sturgeon is actually made scotland worse, not than oh, abs , not better than. oh, abs, absolutely. 100. scotland used to be one of the world leading centres for education. i mean , i centres for education. i mean, i know when we came back with our small children, as they were at the time , one of the arguments the time, one of the arguments my husband made is i want to go back scotland because. the back to scotland because. the education is so good. you couldn't now. and you couldn't say that now. and you certainly wouldn't come to live here education. and i think here for education. and i think that's terrible. statement of affairs when made it. her affairs when she made it. her number one priority. judge, you could go that you could go that for the landscape as well though although apparently nicholas sturgeon put sturgeon desperate to try to put windfarms we are. windfarms it. so there we are. michelle, you very much. michelle, thank you very much. short good short and sweet, but good nonetheless. michelle balance on that. leader reform uk that. former leader of reform uk scotland. this been big scotland. now this been the big one been talking one that we've been talking about of the show

about for most of the show actually, is about actually, which is about national . so could national service. so could bringing back national service be the answer to britain's domestic and defence problems with the international institute for strategic studies ? she's for strategic studies? she's still very difficult me to say, finally, that the british has 50,000 fewer troops in the french. the french are laughing at us. apparently the americans are laughing at us as well. suppose italy is britain drifting when it comes to our military ? i'm concerned about military? i'm concerned about the young woke brigade. it call them the woke brigade. couldn't you . and i think maybe they need you. and i think maybe they need to have the whipped out of them. but essentially if a but essentially if it's a national the best to go. national is the best way to go. me is phil campion, former me now is phil campion, former siac soldier it now phil i understand it looks very moody where you are i understand that you do not think we should bring back national service . no, i back national service. no, i don't . it is a back national service. no, i don't. it is a great is out there on earth. i'll tell you for a while. listen, firstly, can i say that you've got to listen to the french. they can. no to talk about anybody to the

back of the queue for everything unless it's being liberated . i unless it's being liberated. i well, i are . well, i mean, what well, i are. well, i mean, what they're saying they're all right. okay. so, you know, i'm not interested them. what i'm interested in is we have a lot of youth who don't think would necessarily benefit while going into the army per say . that into the army per say. that said, some sort of system where they were disciplined , learnt they were disciplined, learnt about teamwork and gotten skills in the bank would be a good idea . now a proportion of them was sort off decided that they would volunteer for the army that volunteer for the army then that wouldn't be drama, you know. i mean, i just i think the press ganging people, it doesn't work, you know, volunteer soldiers, always than press always perform better than press . and think as a whole, yes, . and i think as a whole, yes, we only thumb sort of thumb of thing to stop wokeness in kids not those do mean we really do need to get a grip of it because the schools aren't doing it they leave school lacking also the social skills that they should have about all sorts of things. they shouldn't have as as

they shouldn't have as far as that. so listen, the immediate solution is not to just slap them in the army immediate solution is get some sort of scheme running whereby, you know, they can pick up these skills . so you could take your skills. so you could take your pick, couldn't you go, to any inner city london camp? i mean, one of them has actually shown footage pupils burning, one of them has actually shown footage pupils burning , the footage of pupils burning, the union how much they union flag. that's how much they have in terms of national pride , goodness sake, they are more likely , think to have likely in schools, think to have the flag than they are the rainbow flag than they are the rainbow flag than they are the union flag . that's the union flag. that's a problem. i wonder about young offenders, or people offenders, institutes or people who are on the verge of criminality . who are on the verge of criminality. i'd say could it be a good thing, do you think, to try to give them at least a crash course? they're not saying send the front line, but send them to the front line, but do to to them, do something to say to them, look got to get in the look you've got to get up in the morning. here's some discipline, here's they here's some order. and they might as and might actually it as well and become more productive citizens . absolute agree with that, . my absolute agree with that, too. the line is in my too. the bottom line is in my thing and i, i would absolutely love the bid at this depending of these some of these young

people to be fair, a lot of people and to be fair, a lot of them very good is these inner cities a breeding cities proved a great breeding ground for some of the best soldiers we have . but like soldiers we have. but like i say, to just pick it up as an armed forces venture. i don't think that's fair. i think this is venture we need to put is a venture that we need to put upon as a whole country. you we can call it national service, but it necessarily have to be army it's a really army led. yeah, it's a really good shout that she's some some well, some form of national service. and phil, just quickly, before going, before i let you get going, i was was reminded of a time was i was reminded of a time that you tried to whip me into shape a little bit, actually, when it to the military. when it came to the military. and i it ended up with just this army walking around, firing a gun and. yeah, exactly. i was and we were very nearly arrested , phil, because someone called police because they saw me. we going around with a gun didn't they? which i suspect is the way that national would go viewers on television be able to figure this out a yes. phil, i'll take

you you don't think i would be a good candidate national service i know i think there's nothing they should have gotten a bit as brilliant this apprentice you brought out but they felt good point to leave out phil garvey, the former isis soldier and yes, the former isis soldier and yes, the video of me being by a big phil and while he would say interrogated. i would say tortured is available online . tortured is available online. moving on. nurses teachers and police, they're under threat . police, they're under threat. certain sunny nation on the other side of the globe is trying to pin down, tempting them away with the promise of golden beaches . better pay. i golden beaches. better pay. i mean it is hard sell, isn't it? and australia has admitted that the plans to still brits to fill vacancies in their workforce actually do exist. but will they in their mission? joining me now is dr. sharing lakhani. dr. anaesthetic physician who's considered moving to practise so . what do you want? why haven't

you gone to australia mean better pay, better working condition and you know the weather's nice . well to be fair, weather's nice. well to be fair, the reason i didn't go was because it far away from my family but when i was a junior doctor is something i considered many of my friends have moved to australia and a practising there currently so the australians trying to uk doctors over and i think it's been going on for years years in australia because you know, this is what i need to know i mean the minute i'm honestly i'm getting a lot of emails in saying what one thing going on on the picket lines are saying riddance. i'll put you on a flight to australia i'm sure. yeah, i think it is unfair because reason health services on the picket lines is because of the conditions the uk of the lack conditions in the uk and i have talked about this before as well that the work conditions are bad, the pace not great and the morale is really nice . i mean that's why they've nice. i mean that's why they've gone on strike. so if they are getting better opportunities elsewhere in their position to 90, elsewhere in their position to go, would they . okay,

go, then why would they. okay, all right. but would you urge british doctors, nurses, whatever to stay and actually try and fight for the nhs that seem to care about or just go down under . well it'd be nice if down under. well it'd be nice if they could get somewhere with a to try and improve the efficiency the nhs at the end of the day we all came into medicine make a difference but when you're working in a situation where there is no morale you are getting bashed at every corner and you can't seem to make a difference to anyone and the alternatives make a difference for australians instead. i mean like said, it's a hard sell isn't it. more money, easier working conditions and better weather, but they would get a lot. thank you very, very much. great to have you on the show. dr. shane lakhani, that doctor is testing physician and good stuff for me . this and yes, good stuff for me. this is just an advert for why we need to secure our borders. what are the australians do? well, they turn the boats back. they've had a rigid points based immigration system quite a long

time now. their economy has flourished recently is if you take out the covid stuff and now they can look countries where we have a shared language and a shared culture and they go, right, well, we want the best the british public services and we're in a position to pay you more and you don't have to deal with a lot of the rubbish that you will get over here. and this is advert you can do if is an advert what you can do if you control borders frankly you control your borders frankly and points immigration and have a points immigration system. it's staring system. i mean it's staring us in and we're losing in the face and we're losing people it. joining me is people to it. joining me now is because comes your way next because she comes your way next dewbs& co michelle. yeah, i mean, initially i was just thinking good on the australians to here are to be honest, here they are highlights the fact that well if you turn hbo's back as to you do turn hbo's back as to your can go around your own borders can go around the the best and the world and get the best and the world and get the best and the when the brightest. when are we heading off the tomorrow. i mean, i've got to say it does sound doesn't i was sound pretty, doesn't it? i was thinking about earlier on when i was listening to one of the interviews from the chaps interviews from one of the chaps that's coming over to do his jobs for the week. and jobs for the next week. and i was thinking, actually, you was thinking, actually, are you sending me? quite

sending pretty well to me? quite frankly, wouldn't mind. frankly, i wouldn't mind. no, exactly. that's just thinking. i just answer is staring just think the answer is staring us the and we're going to us in the and we're going to lose people. but it will be a big test, won't it, for them to go with all people on the go with all those people on the picket i care much picket lines? i care so much about safety. well, we about patient safety. well, we just are going to have just found out are going to have two days off. they're doing two days strong cause days in a row strong cause maximum the people who maximum harm to the people who are the in the wards at are in the in the wards at central. and then all of a sudden love it. sudden they'll just love it. australia. well i to get australia. i know. well i to get into nurses strike in into this nurses strike in a couple of minutes actually because i did i had the misfortune actually having a baby care so when baby an intense care so when i hear that actually people will sound intensive care sound tools on intensive care wards. it me with dread wards. it fills me with dread patricks. be talking patricks. i'll be talking about that minutes as well. that in a of minutes as well. but aside though, yeah, the but aside that though, yeah, the australian thing was australian thing i was, i was listening a little bit thinking 90, listening a little bit thinking go, let's go. yeah, with this fine, me off the spot, fine, just put me off the spot, put off. that's the reason put me off. that's the reason why i be going to australia. despite the does. yeah, me despite the does. yeah, let me say didn't plays anyway say this. i didn't plays anyway michelle, we've got to go. apparently show apparently got a chance to show you oh, okay. sorry, you this. oh oh, okay. sorry, sorry, sorry. got some

sorry, sorry. i've got some breaking news you. got some breaking news for you. got some breaking news for you. got some breaking lancashire breaking news. we're lancashire police referred police have now referred themselves. the independent office conduct over themselves. the independent offi contact. conduct over themselves. the independent offi contact. the conduct over themselves. the independent offi contact. the force jct over themselves. the independent offi contact. the force jct owith the contact. the force had with missing mother nicola burley on january 10th prior to disappearance. so that we go lancashire police refer to themselves to the watchdog. okay a lot more on gb news on that throughout course of the evening. thank very much. everybody has been cheating and i'll be back again for 3 pm. tomorrow. michelle dewberry be up and we will up next and no doubt we will have latest on that breaking have the latest on that breaking news police in news about lancashire police in a bit. alex here with your latest weather update the latest weather update from the met storm . otto named by met office storm. otto named by the danish service, could cause some problems across of northern britain on friday, particularly scotland and northern england. here comes storm system. notice theice here comes storm system. notice the ice of our squeezing together. it's the winds that are likely to cause the issue particularly through the early hours of friday morning and then dunng hours of friday morning and then during the morning the strongest winds will work a little south. back to the rest of today and rain from that system be moving

in across scotland. it's going to be very wet night in to be a very wet night in western scotland but the rain and patchy over northern england and patchy over northern england and northern further and northern ireland. further south stay dry south places will just stay dry and it send windy here . the and it will send windy here. the strongest winds will be further and going to be a very mild and it's going to be a very mild night in south with many places staying in double. let's look at those first of all, those winds, first of all, because increase through because they increase through the scotland, the areas western scotland, i think all think it's very gusty all morning scotland down morning across scotland down into england, gusts of into northern england, gusts of wind of 70 perhaps in some locations, 75 an hour, locations, 75 miles an hour, likely cause some disruption certainly to the transport network planes , maybe help network planes, maybe help flights, maybe delayed or cancelled too . there's likely to cancelled too. there's likely to be some flying debris around and certainly difficult driving conditions , especially for high conditions, especially for high sided vehicles on some of the transpennine routes . plenty of transpennine routes. plenty of sunny spells developing, but it be blustery further south, quite cloudy most dry a little cloudy most places dry a little bit of , rain in the bit of, light rain in the southwest, but it will be very southwest, but it will be a very mild day cold a further mild day here. cold a further north, especially with winds which ease through the which will ease through the afternoon, much lighter winds as

we head the weekend. so we head into the weekend. so more weather pushing that more wet weather pushing in that will snow to parts of will bring some snow to parts of scotland, chiefly overhead hills, rain at low levels hills, mostly rain at low levels , but could see some for time as we into saturday and then saturday a mixed picture a bit of patchy rain . the south coast of patchy rain. the south coast there'll be some rain for time of. a southern scotland, northern england, northern. but tending fizzle out through tending to fizzle out through the some brighter spells the day. some brighter spells elsewhere sees more coming elsewhere sees more rain coming into parts of scotland and northern mostly dry for northern ireland, mostly dry for england and wales wales.

hi there at 6:00. i'm michelle dewberry and this is dewbs& co a show that i like to call britain's best debate program . britain's best debate program. did you see the news that was just released that the nurses