channel hello and welcome . and a very hello and welcome. and a very good afternoon to you all. i'm alastair stewart. and for the next 2 hours, i'll be keeping you company on tv and radio with . the stories that matter across the country. and we have plenty coming up, including a closer look at the starmer's five missions that were announced this week . also after kate this week. also after kate forbes comments during the race to replace nicholas turgeon as leader of the snp first minister of scotland . i'll be asking of scotland. i'll be asking should politics be more personal

or perhaps less personal? all of and much more. but first, let's bnng and much more. but first, let's bring you right up to date with all of the day's news. here once again is bethany elsey . again is bethany elsey. alastair, thank you. good afternoon. it's past 1:00. i'm bethany elsey with your top stories from the gb newsroom. rishi sunak says he's giving everything to achieve a new deal over the northern ireland protocol, but has insisted it's not done yet. speaking to the sun times, the prime minister said he's hopeful of a positive outcome with the european union describing it as unfinished business. he said it's vital to ensure a return power sharing in the province . the dup has the province. the dup has refused to form an executive at stormont protest over the current brexit. mp sammy wilson . the party hasn't seen any proposal yet. what do know is that there doesn't appear to have been any deal on the

central which affects northern ireland and that is the imposition of eu law. all of the that we face with not able to get goods from gb checks on goods coming from gp and to our economy stems from the fact that we are under a different of laws than the rest of the united kingdom and therefore checks are required to make sure we are complying not with british law but brussels former but with brussels law. former secretary liam fox said would support a new post—brexit deal if it's an improvement and expects fellow tory mps and the dup to do the same . you will dup to do the same. you will also be willing see restrictions diminished again in the hope that over time some of them might disappear. i think the hope that the european union would give up entirely on european law applying to some elements of northern ireland is unlikely given what the british government conceded in the protocol . we can make progress protocol. we can make progress on that and i think the both

sides will want to see the northern ireland assembly up and running because that's the best guarantee to stability and a reduction in violence . police in reduction in violence. police in northern ireland have arrested a sixth person in connection with the attempted murder of an off duty officer in omagh . detective duty officer in omagh. detective chief inspector john was at a sports centre with his son on when he was shot. he remains critically ill in. hospital. authorities in italy say 45 people have died after a ship got into difficulties off the country's coast. 27 bodies were found on a beach in, the southern region of calabria , and southern region of calabria, and more have been found in the water. its report that the boat left from turkey and was carrying migrants from somalia here, pakistan and afghanistan when it crashed against rocks dunng when it crashed against rocks during rough sea, whether were 81 survivors and 22 are in hospital. the former national security adviser , bolton, has

security adviser, bolton, has said he would be willing run for the republican nomination if it stopped donald trump from getting it. mr. bolton served under donald trump and was a former us ambassador to the un . former us ambassador to the un. he told gb news es camilla tominey it was important the former didn't win the nomination former didn't win the nomination for the 2024 presidential action . very important that donald trump not be the nominee of the republican party in 2024. i think he can defeated. i'd certainly like help out in making that happen if i think being candidate myself does show a path to the nomination and into winning in of next year then then i'll get it. social managers will be required to study for qualifications to drive up standards following the death of a two year old boy. our ishaq died in december 20, 20 from a respiratory condition caused by mould, which was his home in rochdale . housing home in rochdale. housing secretary michael gove announced response after acknowledging

that housing residents are being inexcusably let down. housing expert richard blanco says the move should protect vulnerable , move should protect vulnerable, but said there's still more to be done. one of my concerns is this know i want i want this to trickle down to front line housing officers because they're often the ones going out and doing the visits and. indeed, i'd like to see more visits. what we've found since covid is , that a lot of the work has been done remotely and housing offices have not been going out enough to actually meet tenants and see with their own eyes going on. the former home secretary has urged the chancellor to halt the planned corporation tax rise its budget next month. expected to increase from 19% to 25 in april. priti patel says now is not the time and called for end to government interference with business. but the prime minister ed rishi sunak says the move will make a fairer tax system . you're up to fairer tax system. you're up to date , gb news. we'll bring you

date, gb news. we'll bring you more news as happens now though, it's back to alistair alistair . it's back to alistair alistair. bethany, thank you very much and a very good afternoon to of you. the labour leader keir starmer sought to distinguishing himself his party from rishi sunak sunak's conservatives in a major speech. sunak's conservatives in a major speech . starmer said that speech. starmer said that britain needs mission driven government to end short term sticking plaster . politics with sticking plaster. politics with five eyes. bold mission that will form the backbone of labour's election manifesto . and labour's election manifesto. and if they are elected , we'll drive if they are elected, we'll drive forward, sir keir said , a labour forward, sir keir said, a labour government . now i know people government. now i know people are crying out for a long term plan to give britain back its future and to restore and

purpose in the country. he went on to say the targets for this ambitious set of missions were to make the united kingdom and i quote again the fastest growing economy in the g7 group of largest economies around the world. sir also said that he wanted the uk to fully embrace clean energy and become a clean green energy superpower. he said it would be a labour mission , it would be a labour mission, build an nhs quote fit for the. he also wanted to dismantle barriers to opportunity at every stage from childhood . well, stage from childhood. well, cynics might say that it was just as the americans say all apple pie and motherhood stuff little nothing to disagree with that. but missing crucially any detail . he said that. but missing crucially any detail. he said his top team would come in a subsequent series of speeches and some more

from him . and of course, the from him. and of course, the manifesto would build up on mission statements . manifesto would build up on mission statements. his manifesto would build up on mission statements . his shadow mission statements. his shadow chancellor and her predecessor have long talked about other opportunities in the green economy and on the national health service. as i've often said on this program, because i believe in giving praise where praise is due. wes streeting the shadow health secretary has said the reform or it won't the nhs must reform or it won't survive the growth ambition is barely different to conservatives as spelt out in sunak's five pledges. speech there's always the detail is the devil. the devil is in the detail. there is the philosophical point of just how much governments can do, especially on and in the sense that was at the heart of priti patel's point about corporation tax . you can do things that get tax. you can do things that get in the way of growth, but what you can actually do. hands on. to boost growth let alone make

the united kingdom the fastest growing of all of g7 economies is certainly worth a lot more debate than was given either the prime minister in his budget speech or by sir keir starmer in his mission to the electorate. speech levelling up was . also speech levelling up was. also a kind of tory take on barriers to opportunity wherever you are and indeed whoever you are, wherever you live. and wherever you work . i rishi sunak also went on nhs downing street summit. he said that the status and the same solutions as before simply won't work and are no longer accept tenable. so we voters really need a battle ahead of the election . neither mission election. neither mission statements nor simple pledges of broad intent, in my humble opinion, will cut it with many of you. if any of you. and that certainly seems to be the flavour of the tweets that you've been sending in the emails , some of which we will

emails, some of which we will share back with you a little later as programme later as the programme progresses. so do keep that and you tweet me directly or you you can tweet me directly or you can tweet at gb news or can email thoughts gb views at email your thoughts gb views at gb news echo dot uk . now i've gb news echo dot uk. now i've ianed gb news echo dot uk. now i've invited friends from politics and journalism to chew this over me. and we also, as i say, really want to hear your thoughts. did the prime minister prod you in a positive direction with his pledges or did. sir keir starmer move you with his mission ? is it all a bit bland, mission? is it all a bit bland, a neutral ? because as candidates a neutral? because as candidates for the leadership of the smp discover, if you what you really believe especially if it runs contrary to the consensus on matters such as same sex marriages and even gay parenting. you can get your fingers. well and truly burned. so perhaps best to remain speaking. schtum ditto a senior tory on capital punishment and

food banks. so is it best to say little or nothing . is there no little or nothing. is there no longer a place in politics for faith, belief and thought? what you really care about and what makes you tick? i've been speaking to a range of guests on this today. but as i say, let me one more time, because i really do mean it. we all want to hear what you think about the pledges and the mission statements and. anything else that is playing on your mind? email me at gb views at gb news. dot co .uk kerry or come via twitter . at gb news. dot co .uk kerry or come via twitter. and i'm going to begin the conversation . an to begin the conversation. an old chum of mine, aubrey allegretto, who is a political correspondent at the guardian newspaper , quite often on the newspaper, quite often on the sofa. but there he is at home and i'm delighted. no different. i'm not hard on this answer. did any of the mission statement from keir starmer fire you up

and get you excited either as somebody who may or not want the labour government elected but certainly somebody who follows these with great scrutiny . it these with great scrutiny. it was quite exciting to hear a bit more sort of meat on the bones keir starmer is a politician who most voters would commonly associate with the phrase don't know . however, he is on course know. however, he is on course to become prime minister in potentially less than two years. all right, so fallout over this, aubrey. what bit detail did you spot that i missed ? well, i spot that i missed? well, i think pledge or the national mission as it was to try and get the highest sustained growth in the highest sustained growth in the g7 is certainly one we'll be keeping an eye on. keir starmer is expected make a speech early next week in which he outlines quite a bit more detail. so this was the sort of the broad by opponents the kind of five national missions we're going to get the first detail on the economy. expecting that in economy. we're expecting that in the to the local the run up to the local elections, that's when we'll have the national have more about the national mission. that mission. to make sure that britain's streets safer when i

think labour will be focusing a lot more on crime , and lot more on crime, and particularly its failure to prosecute people who've been accused of charged with accused of and charged with certain crimes. does accused of and charged with certain crimes . does rachel certain crimes. does rachel reeves actually believe down that government can effect the rate of growth in a complex free market economy ? i believe so i market economy? i believe so i mean rachel reeves obviously a very impressive shadow chancellor and we haven't heard too much from her yet . i'm too much from her yet. i'm hoping that should be front and centre of the speech next week where we'll hear a bit more about the plans to tackle something that labour says goes back a very long way, all the way back to 2010 when growth has been particularly. of course this that she knows this is something that she knows that the chancellor, now, prime minister sunak , is also minister rishi sunak, is also very to about as well very keen to talk about as well one his five pledges at the one of his five pledges at the start the year was get the start of the year was get the economy growing again. his pledges sort of more short term things he wants to achieve by the end of the. whereas labour's

national missions quite more sort of long term . we had that sort of long term. we had that conversation between keir starmer and media when he was talking about a decade of renewal. so he's clearly setting sights on two terms in office. that's a long period of time for labour to be able to what it says it wants to, which is fix the fundamentals of sluggish economic growth. i listened carefully to that, but answer and two things strike me very fulsome and it relates to one of the stories that was in bethany's news bulletin just before we began our conversation , and that was the home secretary, priti patel, , and that was the home secretary, priti patel , who , and that was the home secretary, priti patel, who also contributed to a very important pamphlet about ten years ago about getting britain back on track as a competitive and vibrant economy . and the tories vibrant economy. and the tories are having a genuine debate soon. six personal fingerprints are all the increase in corporation tax , and it featured corporation tax, and it featured very heavily in the context between him and liz truss . but between him and liz truss. but patel is trying to that debate

going and forcing sunak to come out of his cave and explain why he still thinks you can get growth in a modern mixed economy by taxing business even more . by taxing business even more. yes, exactly . conservatives know yes, exactly. conservatives know that. one of the reasons that so far behind in the polls is because they've exploded into sort of fits of introspection, if you like, over the last 12 months. and there's been this battle the of battle for the soul of the conservative was conservative party, which was slightly when slightly laid to rest when really that became prime minister. but as you say, as a former chancellor hands are all over corporation increase. former chancellor hands are all ovethere corporation increase. former chancellor hands are all ovethere are )oration increase. former chancellor hands are all ovethere are some�*n increase. former chancellor hands are all ovethere are some who :rease. former chancellor hands are all ovethere are some who think so there are some who think there very little sort raison there is very little sort raison d'etre behind the conservative anymore. we're not giving voters enough of a reason to go out and either vote for us or against the labour party, not stay home. so there are people like priti patel who feel very strongly that they shouldn't sort of sit back, say so my hands not risk sort of upsetting the apple cart and just get behind prime minister. think they they minister. they think they they need his to the need to hold his feet to the fire and prove again the

conservatives have reason for people to go to the ballot box and put their trust in particularly it comes to particularly when it comes to the sort of the issues they used to for like sort of low to be known for like sort of low tax and smallest rates. both of those went out. the those things went out. the window with boris johnson, so they to sure that they want to make sure that rishi reigns things in rishi sunak reigns things in as quickly you quickly as possible. do you think was enough firepower think there was enough firepower in starmer's ? and i completely in starmer's? and i completely accept your point and i echoed it myself , my general it myself, my general introduction that there be more detail to come in speeches from people like wes streeting and rachel reeves and zakir himself to put the details to get it across. do you sense that this has a chance of satisfying many of the ordinary members , the of the ordinary members, the labour party who were absolutely pro corbyn members of that faction within , the labour party faction within, the labour party that still believes in the in the old of doing things and

starmer needs to a state owned british energy company to help with that green economy and the rest of it. but he's not going to get the men and women pound the pavements and stick leaflets in envelopes out and about. the pavements and stick leaflets in envelopes out and about . well in envelopes out and about. well absolutely. part of the audience that he's playing to here are the members. and he has faced very difficult questions over the last week about how he can be trusted to these national missions , given the sort of missions, given the sort of platform he stood on when he was competing for labour members votes seemingly sort of disintegrated underneath it. now keir starmer that of course situations changed. there's a lot different context . he points lot different context. he points to example for the sort of invasion ukraine by russia and saying well that changed the equafion saying well that changed the equation in terms of nationalised energy. that isn't something that he's now is advocating for , but it does go advocating for, but it does go to, i think the concerns that labour members have that this isn't a politician necessarily who can be trusted to keep their

word . keir starmer obviously word. keir starmer obviously making sure he tries as hard as possible to prove that he does the right to sort of earn people's trust and he will stick as closely to that as possible for membership , whilst also for the membership, whilst also kind of in the centre ground and making sure he attracts a broad of voters from across the political spectrum possible. all right . well, brianna, gary, right. well, brianna, gary, always a pleasure to talk to you.thank always a pleasure to talk to you. thank you very much indeed for joining us. that's aubrey forjoining us. that's aubrey allegretti political reporter and commentator on the guardian newspaper . and commentator on the guardian newspaper. i'm and commentator on the guardian newspaper . i'm delighted now to newspaper. i'm delighted now to be joined by another good friend of program, and that is the labour of parliament for blakeley and broughton and it is, of course, graham stringer and i'm hoping that he is that there is a very, very good afternoon to . graham when you afternoon to. graham when you when you heard the mission speech from sir keir did it stir something in heart nothing wrong with it in general terms . i

with it in general terms. i compared the five missions to the five pledges that tony blair before the 1997 election and they were very precise they were funded commitment some class sizes for 5 to 7 year olds bringing down waiting lists , bringing down waiting lists, improving, proving justice system and so on. and i think we have to move on to that. i think the public generally distrust abstract nouns or don't listen to them as , you've already said. to them as, you've already said. when you look at the abstract man who's who's not in favour of growth in the economy is not in favour of a better nhs system . favour of a better nhs system. so i think we have to get down to detail specifics, particularly as you said , on particularly as you said, on what will pay for any improvements in our and our society which growth in the

economy. yes priti patel made it clear in her contribution, which we've reported upon, that she's absolutely in her mind that governments get in the way of growth and you have some experience of the private sector . well, as local as central government . well. do you believe government. well. do you believe that that governments can really boost growth and that it is meaningful to say a labour government if elected would make the united kingdom the fastest sustainable growing economy in g7 . well that won't be entirely g7. well that won't be entirely within our control, will it? how quickly germany or the united states growth is ? not really. states growth is? not really. but getting us to grow competitively and quickly is a good thing. i agree with . good thing. i agree with. patrick patel. and when i was leader of manchester i used to say to the officials who work me. it's a bit like first do no harm. make sure. that our

policies are not stopping into manchester. i think the same is true of the country and there's nothing quite refined argument. so the moment that our country's strong in biological sciences and the development of medical products . but the governments products. but the governments sort of just remove some tax incentives and some businesses are investing and moving elsewhere because they want a tax incentive . so i think those tax incentive. so i think those details , those micro decisions details, those micro decisions important and so governments can help. they can not damage things and not but on the other side and not but on the other side and this leads into the levelling up argument, i think what governments can do can provide heart and soft infrastructure which will make any businesses more competitive because actually the transport systems are good. it's the

communication system that is wi fi or the that our government thatis fi or the that our government that is going to help many businesses to be more competitive and on the softer side , we need a highly educated side, we need a highly educated and trained workforce . so and trained workforce. so i think governments can do things in those areas . do you think the in those areas. do you think the same to you? because i'm genuine intrigued to know what vibe you're picking up from your constituents because i know you keep in touch them both supporters . and that is because supporters. and that is because you represent everybody in your constituency as all of parliament do this district regarding whether they are of the same party as you or not but the same party as you or not but the labour people who you meet very regularly , are they very regularly, are they enthusiastic about this or do they say, oh, you'll all right. because i've just seen the front of the independent newspaper two days ago saying don't take anything granted. and keir seems to that as often as he says, to say that as often as he says, yes get out there, we're going to win and we're going to

restore britain's faith in itself are you. i agree with you . we shouldn't take anything for granted. one of the worst political of my life was the morning after the 92 election, when thought we would do better than we did. i what i'm fairly confident about is that government the conservative party are likely lose the next election election. but i don't think we have done enough yet to guarantee winning a majority that will enable to give this country a decent government and we have to work on and not assume things . i also listened assume things. i also listened very to what you were saying about the support within the labour for care. we've got a very different labour party now than we had three years ago . two than we had three years ago. two reasons. one, some of the people who joined from groups that had

previously outside the labour party have back into the that groups and left and some have stayed idealistic young people who are delighted joined the party. they were burnt by the scale of the defeat at the general election. so i think they've become very realistic . they've become very realistic. and while the vast they are realistic, they're still idealistic but they realise can't get there in one step. it was a big learning experience. so i think those people are still keen to get eyes on the doorstep, deliver leaflets and things just simply for the laboun things just simply for the labour. but they don't expect quite so, largely because spectacle of the last general election they are more prepared for step by step progress understood. which seems to be the approach of the leader as so that must be good news for the leader. if the membership he are

in step at least on that , if not in step at least on that, if not other things as well. graham it's always genuinely a passionate you. thank you for being so kind and generous your time. mp stringer member time. labour mp stringer member of parliament for blakeley and broughton us his time this sunday afternoon reflecting upon the mission speech , the leader the mission speech, the leader of his party and now delighted to welcome to the program the assistant editor of conservative home and that he is sitting quietly at his william atkinson. william, good to see you. thank you very much indeed . we're you very much indeed. we're going to turn the question i put to o'brien to graham on its head for you. did you hear anything in sir keir's mission speech that filled you with with fear as someone clearly is a support albeit not uncritical supporter . the conservative party ? no, . the conservative party? no, not. it was meaningless fluff.

they said is keir starmer's 11 three brands and graham stringer points out these various commitments that made and were largely impossible , verify and largely impossible, verify and very difficult to deliver in government. a lot of them didn't actually apply to any specific policy proposals . and as i say, policy proposals. and as i say, this is keir starmer's 11 three brands i more than expects that he will have am 12th in the next three or four months to accompanied by a very similar speech will in the same speech which will in the same vein lay out no actual plans and constructive ideas for what he's actually going to deliver in government. one of the big one of big criticisms are of the big criticisms are useful. sorry. let me just button balance. say, one of button for balance. say, one of the big criticisms that was made of five pledges speech . of ricci's five pledges speech. i in the frame in my i also put in the frame in my introduction to all of these conversations was not much that it lacked detail of how it would be achieved when he said he would get growth again, he would get national declining, etc, etc. it was that he was clinging to things that were almost certainly going to happen anyway . would come crashing . inflation would come crashing down this

down quite sharply. this financial year and, that there would be a trickle of growth returns and with it by definition borrowing and debt would come back a little bit to bank the inevitable , not exactly bank the inevitable, not exactly imaginative or inspiring leadership, is it? imaginative or inspiring leadership, is it ? well, i leadership, is it? well, i wouldn't say that leadership has to necessarily be a smart and imaginative or inspiring. i'd say boris johnson is a much more inspiring . say boris johnson is a much more inspiring. it say boris johnson is a much more inspiring . it does not turn your inspiring. it does not turn your backis inspiring. it does not turn your back is up against the wall on sorry , sorry i said it does it sorry, sorry i said it does it does matter if electorally your backis does matter if electorally your back is against the wall which it certainly is in the case of your party and personally in the case of mr. sunak ? yes, but case of mr. sunak? yes, but i don't think people looking for exciting governments. i think people have had more than of exciting politics in the last few years and actually, perhaps based on his greatest selling points, is that he is and points, is that he is so and bonng points, is that he is so and boring and the same with rishi sunak. but the difference that rishi sunak actually has experience of government and he set himself five goals which are actually possible deliver if he

strips all the barnacles off the boat fixes the government boat and fixes the government primarily those . primarily on delivering those. the trouble that keir starmer has that he has no has is that he himself has no actual experience of government as any of the most of as a minister any of the most of his top teeth . and the thing his top teeth. and the thing that blair found after that tony blair found after several years in government was actually his greatest was not gordon brown or even the tories . it was actually the government machine itself. and it took him two terms government to two terms in government to actually out what he wants actually work out what he wants to deliver to do and actually to deliver it. primarily things like it. so primarily things like academies service academies of public service reform keir reform more broadly. keir starmer's he's starmer's speech suggests he's done no thinking about how he's actually going deliver actually going to deliver anything government . and as anything in government. and as i said, as we've previously seen with starmer, more with keir starmer, he's more than say one thing in than willing to say one thing in opposition when opposition or one thing when he's election and he's running for an election and but with no actual intention to stick actually as stick to when he's actually as leader or in government. so i'm thinking about his enthusiasm to rejoin the european union or his defence of jeremy corbyn's record . so as i say, this speech record. so as i say, this speech was , you know, political was, you know, political ephemera , and i expects that it

ephemera, and i expects that it will be replaced . something very will be replaced. something very similar in a couple of months, three or four months, when labour have their latest. william very quick one, if you would be so i suggested to michael portillo half an hour ago that the northern ireland protocol was allowing us to see a slightly different rishi sunak he'd really come out fighting and telegraph splashed headline sunak snubs over new brexit date deal we're a little bit of leadership and a little bit of pushing hard on things from sunak rather than just sitting back and letting it all happen around him . i would say rishi around him. i would say rishi sunak sits back and allows things to happen. he is a much actually a much more hard working prime minister than johnson was. for example . i johnson was. for example. i mean, diligently working mean, he's diligently working away various away across various pretty serious including serious issues, including primarily the small banks crisis . but i think certainly with this it a dividing line this one, it is a dividing line within the conservative party. and think those who oppose him and i think those who oppose him on the backbench his need to realise that. keir starmer is only going to deal a much

only ever going to deal a much worse deliver much worse deal on northern than sunak of northern than rishi sunak of words rishi sunak's words and. rishi sunak's priority now , is to get priority right now, is to get a deal across the line. so he can stop focusing on this and start focusing on sort of things focusing on the sort of things that actually the that will actually win. the tories election. i'm tories the next election. so i'm very glad he's prioritised this issue. nevertheless issue. but yes, nevertheless it's going to no philosophy ruckus tory party the ruckus within the tory party the next couple of weeks , whatever. next couple of weeks, whatever. my next couple of weeks, whatever. my pleasure talking to you and thanks your insights thanks for sharing your insights and knowledge these matters and knowledge of these matters that sir william atkinson , the that sir william atkinson, the assistant editor at conserve dave harrow, one of the most if the most influential conservative website , which is conservative website, which is always willing to , support the always willing to, support the government when it believes it's appropriate and put the boot in with clout when it thinks that is equally appropriate so. thank you for your time, william. you're watching listening to alastair stewart& friends with more coming on today's more coming up on today's program including across england alone there are as many as 225 national nature reserves but the criteria to gain that status has

just changed to make these spaces more accessible to the general public . north west of general public. north west of england. reporter sophie ripa will have that story for us. but first, we're going to take a quick .

break hello there. welcome back to gb news. it's 133 m bethany elsey with your top stories . rishi with your top stories. rishi sunak says he's giving it everything to achieve a new deal over the northern ireland protocol, but has insisted it's not done yet. speaking to the sunday times, the prime minister said he's hopeful of a positive outcome with the european union describing it as unfinished business. he said it's vital to ensure a return to powersharing in the province . the dup has in the province. the dup has refused to an executive at stormont in protest over the current brexit deal . mp sammy

current brexit deal. mp sammy wilson says . the party hasn't wilson says. the party hasn't seen any proposals yet. what we do is that there doesn't appear to have been any deal . the to have been any deal. the central issue which affects northern ireland and that is the imposition eu law. all of the that we face with not able to get goods from gb checks on coming from gp and disruption to our economy stems from the fact that we are under a different set of laws than the rest of the united kingdom and. therefore, checks are required to make sure are complying not with british law but with brussels law . law but with brussels law. authorities in italy say 45 people have died after a ship got into difficulty off the country's south. 27 bodies were found on a beach in the southern region of calabria and. more have been found in the water. it's reported the boat left from and was carrying migrants from somalia pakistan and afghanistan when it crashed rocks during

rough sea . there are 81 rough sea. there are 81 survivors with 22 in hospital . survivors with 22 in hospital. social housing managers be required to study for qualification loans to drive up standards following the death of a two year old boy. awaab ishak died in december 2020 from a respiratory condition which was caused by mould at his home, rochdale. the housing secretary, michael gove, announced the response after acknowledging that social housing residents living in excuse let down. you're up to date on tv online in derby plus this is gb news. now it's back to . now it's back to. alastair the rural is one of my favourite bits of this programme and. we've managed to give you two bites of that particular cherry. today the first is this across england alone there are as many

225 national nature reserves. but the critic area to gain that national nature reserve status has just changed to make these spaces more accessible to the general public . our north—west general public. our north—west of england , sophie reaper, paid of england, sophie reaper, paid a visit to the first area to become an and are under these new guidelines . yes, her report new guidelines. yes, her report . the flashes of wigan and leigh wants the site for several of the county's coal mines. the area is now to home many of the region's flora and. wigan leigh is an area famous its involvement in britain's revolution but now it's having its own revolution as area the size of almost thousand rugby league pitches has been made into a national nature reserve. what we've got to do is we've

got to bring wildlife back to that landscape where it's been lost and. i think the wigan and leigh flashes just such an inspiring example because this is a landscape was this was black in the 1950s and 1960s there was mining still going on here into the 1990s, a scheme formerly focussed purely on conservation action and research. wigan and leigh is the first to become an nana under a new set of criteria . what the new set of criteria. what the new set of criteria. what the new criteria about really recognising the importance for people . this is a place where people. this is a place where you've literally got terry streets backing onto wildlife habitats and we've got you know 300,000 people within a couple of couple of minutes cycle . of couple of minutes cycle. right that's an absolutely incredible resource. so to recognise that nationally that was that was part i guess of why this designation is so special andifs this designation is so special and it's brilliant for people of wigan and leigh, but it won't just benefit the local people. this nationally significant project will also provide

protected habitats for many iconic british species . so iconic british species. so there's about 800 hectares of mixed willow and reed bed and grasslands . so it's really grasslands. so it's really important for. grasslands. so it's really important for . a range of important for. a range of species, such britain water, rail , hair species, such britain water, rail, hair and our favourite that allowed to be deemed in urgent need of help . two and a urgent need of help. two and a half % of the uk's willows half% of the uk's willows population will now be protected by the sites and status status , by the sites and status status, so it's good for the animals , so it's good for the animals, good for the people. what good for the environment . so the for the environment. so the nature reserve is around about two degrees cooler than the surrounding urban land . so surrounding urban land. so that's really good helping to keep the area cool and, the habitats, the trees, the grasslands, the read beds and

the muslins that we have this area are all sequestered in carbon, making it better for the sort of carbon equation taking that carbon dioxide of the air with huge benefits across the board . the flushes of wigan and board. the flushes of wigan and leigh been truly transformed from a heartland of smoke and coal into a hub for wild life to flourish . sophie reaper gb news flourish. sophie reaper gb news news absolutely brilliant there from sophie reaper and how inspire to use the size of a rugby league pitch as an analogy for the scale of that brilliant . but as sophie's guests pointed out, don't forget it's there . out, don't forget it's there. you as are all the nature reserves. so do use them. and if you do use them , cherish them you do use them, cherish them and respect them, and leave them as found them. don't leave any of your litter , anything like of your litter, anything like that, because otherwise won't do the job of work that they are

designed to do, which is to make your better and more pleasurable, but also to sustain and support the flora and fauna as sophie quite rightly described it there in those wonderful areas . so that's our wonderful areas. so that's our first quick flash of the rural spotlight. i hope you found it interesting. i loved every moment of it , interesting. i loved every moment of it, every frame of picture . now on our big topic picture. now on our big topic about whether the leader of the conservative party or , more conservative party or, more importantly in this context, any of the labour party are cutting through with their pledge speeches of the mission statement . we've been discussing statement. we've been discussing it so far, and i asked you overnight to send your thoughts and as always you've risen to that challenge. and thank you very much indeed. let's start with kenneth, who they haven't got a plan on anything. james says labour will definitely be in office in next election . tory in office in next election. tory remainers will tear party apart . steve says labour win the next election by a large majority.

smp will lose seats in scotland to the labour party and the conservative party will quite rightly have a big reset, david says.i rightly have a big reset, david says. i the tories have made a proper disaster in government, but i think they can turn it around. labour and starmer would be a total disaster. the around. labour and starmer would be a total disaster . the whole be a total disaster. the whole nafion be a total disaster. the whole nation , mike says. if we think nation, mike says. if we think in a bad place now, it will only get worse under a labour government. brigid says under no circumstances should she starmer and his labour party be elected. so do keep your views coming in and i'll try and keep the selection as balanced as possibly can. and i promise you that was broadly balanced in terms of the volumes of both sides of argument. you can affect that , keeping your voice affect that, keeping your voice coming in and i will share best before we go off air in an hour or so this time. also, if you missed the other, contribute opfions missed the other, contribute options to this reflective

moment. you can, of course , up moment. you can, of course, up on all of them and previous programmes as well by subscribing to our youtube channel. we are surprise surprise at gb news. so that's on youtube and you're watching listening to alastair stewart & listening to alastair stewart& friends here on gb news. whitney well, still to comments including and i'll second flash of the rural spotlight . we'll be of the rural spotlight. we'll be looking at the shortage of fruit and in supermarkets. just and veg in supermarkets. just what is causing this and what are these solutions? i'll be talking two very special guests next. but a quick.

break welcome. and watching alastair stewart& friends helen gb news and radio and online and thank you very much indeed for so doing. our second flash. pardon my language of the rural spotlight will remind you as i'm sure many of you are keenly and

perhaps even painfully , that perhaps even painfully, that there is currently a fruit and vegetable shortage at most of the major supermarkets. you may to find items such as tomato cheese, cucumbers, peppers, various types of lettuce. it is apparently due to bad weather in europe, particularly in spain and in north africa as well. morocco, where many of those vegetable items come from and, the idea of it being as snowy in morocco as it is in the alps at the moment is quite extraordinary. but there are. thatis extraordinary. but there are. that is what's going on. normally the supermarkets who are some of the sharpest and keenest traders in the uk economy do things like buy one get one free. now they're saying buy one that's yellow. if it's a cucumber . of course, if shop cucumber. of course, if shop around there are other ideas as well . we'll be discussing some well. we'll be discussing some of those one thing we can't do anything about is energy costs. and we can't do anything about

the weather across europe or in nonh the weather across europe or in north africa . growers here are north africa. growers here are saying shortages could last until may, so even suddenly a surge in growth is going to take some because that's the nature of . meanwhile, the supermarkets of. meanwhile, the supermarkets been bringing in limits. so limit so that customers can only purchase a certain number of fruit and veg items. they haven't said how long that going to last . i'm haven't said how long that going to last. i'm delighted to welcome onto programme now for the first time having reader abby's , the deputy president of abby's, the deputy president of the farmers union for company wales and is also a farmer herself from a farming family in wales . lovely to see you. and wales. lovely to see you. and i make a confession. i saw you on a competitor news programme and thought blimey , what an thought blimey, what an excellent spokesman for an industry. i care passionately about and support and. i saw you there feeding your cattle and i just wondered whether you had any serious concerns because you

you didn't say it in the interview that meat meat and milk could be the next thing that we face a shortage of and that we face a shortage of and that we face a shortage of and that we may have to endure rationing of up to noon. thanks very much . yes, we do have very much. yes, we do have concerns about, meat and milk as well as the national farmers union here in wales and throughout england we've screened our members . up to 50% screened our members. up to 50% of farmers are anticipating that they will cut back this year because rising cost of production. so is very concerning . the most common concerning. the most common criticism i hear from from from farmers live down in hampshire and i spend a fair bit of time chatting to them and bump into them socially and the rest of it is quite simply articulated and thatis is quite simply articulated and that is that the government doesn't whether agric culture is an industry that exists primarily to produce food for

our consumption at home and where possible for export as well. i mean, you're classic example of that being a meat producer as well as a milk producer as well as a milk producer and some of the finest british beef does go to export. we're keenly aware of that . but we're keenly aware of that. but in the old, we had george eustice , who himself at least eustice, who himself at least was a farmer , and he was was a farmer, and he was secretary of state for the environment and looked farming as well . therese coffey is the as well. therese coffey is the new environment secretary and got our fingers burnt over turnips recently. although i would stand out here and make a credit that root vegetables make very fine soup apart from also a company in products that you produce. so let's hear it for the next and let's let's let's not knock term it's at all. are there things that the government can do to see off shortages and make sure you and colleagues don't have to do it in terms of

meat and don't have to do it in terms of milk? yeah i think the aspiration government needs to have is to not allow food production to drop any lower. so it's brilliant to have these environmental goals. and we saw , you know, nature reserves and all those things out there that can protect our environment. but must protect food production . must protect food production. we've got a growing population. we're in considerably turbulent geopolitical times at the moment. and we are having issues with trade. we need to protect domestic production and more than that, we've got a duty to protect our domestic because we need to make sure that we don't see shortages on the shelves, that we're seeing the moment. and i think the other key thing present was seeing a lack of confidence . our farmers and a confidence. our farmers and a lot of thought to do with lack support for rising prices but also it's linked to farm support payments and the fact that they are dropping these support payments are there to make sure that farmers can get through the good on the bad times so we have

that constant supply of food and if if the support is going if so, if the support is going to be reducing, then you are going to start to see less from our producers and less aspiration to invest for the future . so as far as the and you future. so as far as the and you in wales indeed across the rest of the kingdom are concerned once the prime minister has sorted the deal of the northern ireland protocol, the next crucial bit of unfinished business is , the post brexit business is, the post brexit settlement with the farming industry . settlement with the farming industry. that's right. we need a full inventory . how much food a full inventory. how much food we are capable producing and we need to make sure we it and enhance and enable farmers to meet the net zero goals of the environmental goals or whatever it may be. but we protect food production as well as absolute vital. i'm going to offer you an open goal because i'm a really nice person , but also because nice person, but also because i genuinely do in it passionately , we do whatever we can do . the

, we do whatever we can do. the other thing is a appeal not only to government but to consumers to government but to consumers to be small to and shop around and market and even farmers sell, produce at their gates. and if you do with your milk, i know a number of milk farmers do, but shop around use farmers markets to local vegetable suppliers . markets to local vegetable suppliers. think small. you get good and there's a lot of project out produce out there that you can consume . yeah that you can consume. yeah absolutely. and farmers to love see the people buying the food love to be able to tell you what we're doing to showcase our amazing produce so please do go along to these and make sure that that you are first of all it would be great. abby reeder i hope we can consider you now a friend of the programme . i friend of the programme. i thoroughly enjoyed our conversation and thank you for accepting my invitation to come on and chat about industry in wales. i know generally than that. look forward to next time we meet up. happy reader. thank you much dave. abby is the

deputy president of the national farmers union in wales. comrie and as i said at the beginning herself a hands on farmer producing cattle and producing milk. now i mentioned farmers markets , i also mentioned markets, i also mentioned self—sufficiency and smart consumer farmers. i'm delighted to welcome with that very much in mind. my next who is terry dickinson and terry that he is terry is the london representative of national allotment society party, which has genuinely extraordinary , has genuinely extraordinary, very high profile supporters, including the former leader of the labour party , jeremy corbyn, the labour party, jeremy corbyn, the labour party, jeremy corbyn, the deputy editor and former political of the new statesman like event magazine. isabel hoffman , and the former sports hoffman, and the former sports and tory mp duncan tracey crouch . it's such a brilliant idea .

. it's such a brilliant idea. you have a waiting list as long as you're all known you estimate thousand people around the uk to get onto allotments , 17,000 in get onto allotments, 17,000 in london. a and they're growing allotments . you'll be expanding allotments. you'll be expanding indeed. there's land available there's allotments that have become under use. it has to be said councils should be given the money. local authorities should be funded to bring back underused parts of allotments they now find too expensive to restore because it really from the sixties onwards allotments use dropped . now it's coming use dropped. now it's coming back. use dropped. now it's coming back . there is use dropped. now it's coming back. there is land out use dropped. now it's coming back . there is land out there. back. there is land out there. there is a lot more land there and local authorities be helped and local authorities be helped and over whelming league and do correct me if i'm wrong but i think i'm right in saying this overwhelmingly the existing allotments that are really worked very hard and help people

keep their sanity and keep themselves healthy and therefore take pressure off the nhs as well. and hurrah for that overwhelmingly are means of your own vegetables. that's most common produce that out of an allotment . yeah. for yourself allotment. yeah. for yourself and you swap it with your family, your friends, you swap it around the allotment allotments are more they might look difficult but that's the charm that's why they're so good crops are into it's not a monoculture produce levels are much than agricultural monoculture it's astounding what a good grower get out of their allotment after said and done the original size of . the the original size of. the original allotment was was thought up just because would feed a family for four people throughout the year two people in this country. i i'm from a generation where we probably have many tomatoes in the winter . people have kind of lost the seasonality a bit . we've got all seasonality a bit. we've got all our chefs on the television , us

our chefs on the television, us about cooking seasonality . so we about cooking seasonality. so we should listen to them bit more. there are fabulous things available in our winter and we should we should cut down our food imports. 70 more than 70% of our food and veg is imported . which is ridiculous. yeah you know, just this is i don't know, just agree with you on that score as well but just to tie that observation in with your confirmation that there is a long waiting list if you want to go down allotment road, you can also go down the road of a big old terracotta pot. and my wife grew brilliant tomatoes this last in just a big old last summer in just a big old pot outside back door. and they were just lovely to eat, pot outside back door. and they were just lovely to eat , beaten, were just lovely to eat, beaten, look at it. exactly. i i go. i'll go. tomatoes on a patio for the grandchildren . i grow the grandchildren. i grow peppers on a patio for the grandchildren to look at it. it's easy. it's easy it's not different. you can grow potatoes in pots in your back garden. it's difficult. it's things

it's difficult. it's just things . and that's what we need to get back, not the holders are good, but we need to improve on succession, showing there's a you do tendency to see plots not used during the winter when we can get back to sowing and growing through winter, there's plenty of crops or grow . well, plenty of crops or grow. well, let's hope. let's hope in your case that the mayor of london, sadiq khan , is listening. or if sadiq khan, is listening. or if not to me and you, that may be jeremy corbyn. can whisper. nasir and let's get some more allotments going. london and indeed across the country terry dickinson a real pleasure talking to you and thank you very much for being there at home talking me on gb news rather than up there on the allotment, digging away and growing fruit and, vegetables for your lovely family. terry great to talk to you and keep in touch. thank very much indeed, terry dickinson, the london representative at the national allotment society. if you allotment society. and if you are in local government listening to this, listen to what said it makes sense for what he said it makes sense for the economy for the environment

and families up and down the country let's have more allotments and those waiting lists you are watching and listening to alastair stewart and old friends and i'm delighted to say with lots more still coming up on the this afternoon including our discussion of whether politics should be personal . discussion of whether politics should be personal. i'll be asking my top line of guests if personal views should be made public. following kate forbes about gay marriages this week. but first, let's bring you up to date with the all important weather. hello there. great to host and welcome to your latest from the met office looking for much of the week. it's going to be dry and settled. there will a few showers at times though pushing from the north sea and the reason for this is high pressure is in charge. it remains over uk right through the weekend . it largely dry the weekend. it largely dry though with no breeze. a few showers will fade in, particularly across eastern areas through the rest of sunday. we'll clearing skies across much central southern

england and wales allowing patchy frost to form northern england and northern ireland. southern scotland will see a bit more cloud here as. southern scotland will see a bit more cloud here as . we move into more cloud here as. we move into the early hours. the risk of a few showers. scotland also seeing clear skies, temperatures falling minus seven, minus eight across . the glens of scotland across. the glens of scotland under the cloud, three or four degrees. then apache frost degrees. and then apache frost also the clear skies in also under the clear skies in the southwest, critical southeastern areas will push its way , soften westwards quite way, soften westwards quite quickly. monday turning the skies quite grey . the risk of skies quite grey. the risk of one or two light showers. best of the sunshine holding on across western parts across north western parts scotland. there will be a few glimmers bright sunny glimmers of bright or sunny spells elsewhere , but rather spells elsewhere, but rather a cloudy afternoon come . cloudy afternoon to come. temperatures similar 7 to 9 celsius, activity around average, perhaps if we get any sunshine in the southeast creeping towards ten into the evening and overnight monday and tuesday , we'll see variable tuesday, we'll see variable amounts of cloud probably cloud compared to recent nights across england and wales, meaning less risk of a widespread frost here, perhaps under any clear spells of patchy frost , staying quite

of patchy frost, staying quite cloudy northern clear skies cloudy for northern clear skies across scotland where temperatures once again below freezing. towns and cities holding up a little bit higher compared to recent nights for the vast majority of us, though, it does mean tuesday be a cloudy start to the day . risk of start to the day. risk of showers moving in from the north sea, perhaps more organised band rain some hills now moving rain and some hills now moving into southeast england. one area to over the next days, but to watch over the next days, but largely staying dry . largely staying dry. temperatures generally around average . see you again .

soon hello and welcome . you've just hello and welcome. you've just joined us. i'm alastair and we're into the second and final hour of our programme today. hello, welcome back and thank you very much indeed. if you have been with us since kick off be keeping you company here on

tv and radio with plenty more still including off the still to come including off the back the snp leader ship back of the snp leader ship hopeful kate forbes stance on gay marriage this week i'll be asking should politics be a little more personal ? should little more personal? should people keep their own views strictly themselves and keep their down below the parapet ? their down below the parapet? before we get to that , let's before we get to that, let's bnng before we get to that, let's bring you right up to date with all of the latest news here. once again is bethany elsey . once again is bethany elsey. alastair, thank . good afternoon. alastair, thank. good afternoon. it's 2:10. i'm bethany elsey with your top stories from the gb newsroom rishi sunak says he's giving everything to achieve a new deal. the northern ireland protocol but has insisted it's not done yet. speaking the sunday times, the prime minister said he's hopeful of a positive outcome with the european union, describing it as an unfinished business. though he said it's vital to ensure a

return to power in the province. the dup has refused to form an executive at stormont in protest over the current brexit deal and mps . wilson says the party mps. wilson says the party hasn't even seen a proposal yet . what we do know is that there doesn't appear to have been any deal on this issue which affects northern ireland and that is the imposition of eu law . all of the imposition of eu law. all of the problems that we with not able to get goods gb checks on goods coming from gp and disruption to our economy stems from the fact that we are under a different set of laws than the rest of the united kingdom and checks are required to make sure are complying not with british law but with brussels law . a former but with brussels law. a former trade secretary, liam , said he trade secretary, liam, said he would support the new brexit dealif would support the new brexit deal if it's an improvement and expects fellow tory meps and the dup to do the same . you people dup to do the same. you people will also be willing to see restrictions diminished again

in. the hope that over time some of them might disappear. i think the hope that the european union would give up entirely on european law applying to elements of northern ireland is unlikely given what british government in the protocol . but government in the protocol. but we can make progress on that and i think the both sides want to see the northern assembly up and running because . that's the best running because. that's the best guarantee to . political guarantee to. political stability and a reduction in violence . authorities in italy violence. authorities in italy say 45 people have died after a ship got into difficulty . the ship got into difficulty. the country's south coast . 27 bodies country's south coast. 27 bodies were found on a beach , southern were found on a beach, southern the southern region of and more have been found in the water. it's reported boat left from turkey and was carrying from somalia, pakistan and afghanistan when . it crashed afghanistan when. it crashed against rocks during rough sea. whether there are 81 survivors with 22 of them in hospital hospital . police in northern

hospital. police in northern ireland have arrested a sixth person in connection with the attempted murder of an off duty officer in omagh . detective officer in omagh. detective chief inspector caldwell was at a sports centre with his son on wednesday when he was shot. he remains ill in hospital . the remains ill in hospital. the former us national security adviser john former us national security adviserjohn bolton has said he would be to run for the republican nomination if it stopped donald trump from getting it. mr. bolton served under donald trump was a former us ambassador , the un. he told us ambassador, the un. he told gibney news's camilla tominey it was important the former president didn't win nomination for the 2024 election. very important that trump not be the nominee of . the republican party nominee of. the republican party in 2024. i think he can be defeated. i'd certainly like to help out in making happen. and if think being a candidate myself does show a to getting the nomination and to winning in november of next year then then i'll get it .

november of next year then then i'll get it. labour's calling for ministers to the volcanic group as a terror. for ministers to the volcanic group as a terror . the shadow group as a terror. the shadow foreign and home secretaries are accusing the russian mercenary group being a terror outfit, which commits appalling atrocities . members have been atrocities. members have been fighting alongside the russian military in areas of eastern ukraine, whose social housing managers will be required study for qualifications to up standards following the death of a two year old boy. awaab ishak died in december 20, 20 from a respiratory condition caused by mould at his in rochdale. the housing michael gove announced . housing michael gove announced. the response after acknowledging that social housing residents are being inexcusably let down. housing expert richard blanco's says the move should protect vulnerable tenants. but there's more still to done. what are my concerns? is this i want i want this to trickle down to front line housing officers because they're often the ones that's

going out and doing the visits andindeed going out and doing the visits and indeed i'd like to see more visits as what we've since covid is that a lot of the work has been done remotely and housing offices have not been going out enough to actually meet to see with their own eyes what's going on. he you're up to date on gb news though. it's back to . alastair bethany, thank you very much indeed. bethany, thank you very much indeed . last week, the first indeed. last week, the first minister of scotland and the snp leader, nicola sturgeon announced she would be stepping down from both posts. one goes with the other and that the to be the new leader was thrown open and has indeed begun. kate forbes and what have all thrown their hats into the ring and

indeed have secured sufficient backing in terms of nominations and, seconds and the rest of it to , get onto the ballot paper. to, get onto the ballot paper. however there have been bumps in. the road already as kate forbes opened about her views on children being born out of wedlock, about gay marriage and about womanhood generally. she admitted that her own religious views may sink her campaign. meanwhile humza yousaf is facing criticism perhaps of a more traditional nature for his report on nhs covid recovery plans . additionally, a&e waiting plans. additionally, a&e waiting in scotland are now up to 60 hours in parts of scotland . and hours in parts of scotland. and the scottish conservative leader douglas ross, has said that yousef's should be sacked , not yousef's should be sacked, not promoted or considered for leadership of the party. i'll be speaking to a range of guests on

all of this. and we want to hear from you as well. you can email us at gb views. gb news, .uk. or you can go onto social media and share these views. and i'll share these views. and i'll share back the best before we go off air. i am delighted . welcome off air. i am delighted. welcome a man. i greatly admire, professor sir john curtis , who i professor sir john curtis, who i always describe as the pollsters, pollster and very he is joining me from pollsters, pollster and very he isjoining me from his pollsters, pollster and very he is joining me from his home. and thanks, john, for breaking your weekend to share some time with us.cani weekend to share some time with us. can i start with a couple of quick ones on the pledges speech of the new year, turn to the new year from the prime minister and the mission statement. now the leader of the opposition . are we leader of the opposition. are we in an era of blind leadership and this is not really the stuff of clear blue water or embracing the white hot heat of the technological revolution or labour isn't working all that kind of stuff. this is very

neutral vanilla stuff . yeah, neutral vanilla stuff. yeah, there are two aspects to it that i would agree with you that give it that flavour. one is the fact that i think under rishi sunak, the conservatives are edging a little bit towards the centre , little bit towards the centre, least on economic issues, not necessarily on social issues . i necessarily on social issues. i mean, i think apart from the about the boats , i don't think about the boats, i don't think there's anything for anybody very much to disagree . they all very much to disagree. they all want the health service to be back to be all the economy to grow. we all want inflation to fall. it is very clear that sir keir starmer, having campaigned for labour leadership , taking for labour leadership, taking a fairly leftist stance, is not moving his party very firmly back towards the centre . yes, back towards the centre. yes, and is in some sense is emulating trajectory of tony blair. so that's one way in which i see where the politics becomes more bland. but the one thing that's occupying the centre doesn't necessarily mean

that you cannot come up with a clear message that conveys what you are about to voters . i mean, you are about to voters. i mean, tony blair, after all, came up with can only get better and not just encapsulated the idea . just encapsulated the idea. thought the current then conservative administration making a mess of things in labour's view. the labour offer prospect of something better . prospect of something better. what are the rishi sunak know ? what are the rishi sunak know? sir keir starmer seem to be very goodis sir keir starmer seem to be very good is coming up with that pithy phrase that gives voters a very clear, simple message that explains now what that five tests are meant to add up and that i think is still very much missing on both sides political fence. so yes parties the centre but not good at communicating what they're about don't necessarily for exciting politics. you touched on something there which actually graham stringer labour mp when i talk to him about this a earlier and perhaps underestimated it because you've mentioned as one of your main points and too did

graham and is that starmer's as it were to cleanse labour post corbyn is really gold dust in terms of the general public's view of this man and he said that the, as it were, some of the loonies that the pro corbyn lot had gone home then back to when they came from and that meant that labour could be a grown up party and focus much more sharp on the business of governing and answering those key question that his constituents had about the cost of living and how things are going to get better. for me. well, i mean, in terms of positioning, certainly labour moved towards the centre. one of the criticisms of course, however, of sir keir starmer , a however, of sir keir starmer, a speech last week in manchester was that when it came to the question how you're going to achieve this , shall we say, achieve this, shall we say, there wasn't an awful lot of specificity . and one of the specificity. and one of the criticisms of under sir keir's leadership has been a deep

reluctance to say very much in detail about policy, about how things are going to be implemented . and, you know, the implemented. and, you know, the truth is that , i mean, yes, truth is that, i mean, yes, jeremy corbyn in that certainly for the 2019 election. the fact that he ended up being perhaps ironically the last person in britain who wasn't willing to take a stand in one direction or another on brexit certainly proved to be his . i another on brexit certainly proved to be his. i think another on brexit certainly proved to be his . i think that proved to be his. i think that one needs to remember that while sir keir starmer unlike corbyn, people can imagine him being in ten downing street. they think it's acceptable he should be in town downing and given the difficulties of the in the last 15 months of a partygate and then truss administration. many have decided to switch to the labour party have to see keir starmer but sir keir's personal is not that great basically for one person who thinks he's doing okay , there's another one. he okay, there's another one. he still has doubt and he have anything like the popularity that tony blair before became

prime minister in 1997. let me tony blair and alastair campbell as a bridge to my next chunk of conversation, john. and that is campbell said of blair, we don't do god . do you do you wonder if do god. do you do you wonder if turning our attention to the to the snp, if forbes perhaps wished that she hadn't, quote, done god by sharing her purse no conviction beliefs about sexuality , about gay marriage , sexuality, about gay marriage, is about children born out of wedlock and gay couples bringing up children. i personally think it would be a huge shame for our politics if . people like kate politics if. people like kate could not say what they genuinely believe and profoundly believe . in well, i mean, believe. in well, i mean, certainly she certainly gave a straight answer, some straight questions, of course, to the fascinating thing is why did journalists decide to ask these questions in the first place,

which in part was, of course, i think they thought they knew what the answers were going to be because, i mean, kate forbes has long been very upfront about christian. she's very much of the evangelical and of presbyterian ism . she belongs to presbyterian ism. she belongs to the so—called free churches . but the so—called free churches. but you have very much place, a little reading of the bible, and she'd open and i think all thinking a broadcast with nick robinson on the bbc and opened up about i sense that you know she feels that she follows jesus christ he says she is her personal saviour , etc. so i personal saviour, etc. so i mean, that's one of the reasons the other reason, of course, is because of the whole of the gender recognition act, the question of social issues and cultural values has been part of the currency of scottish politics. now i think the answer to your question is probably twofold. is, i think she twofold. one is, i think she she's probably regrets some of the way in which the way which her views were expressed. and they came because clearly, for example, those who example, for those people who are in a same sex relationship ,

are in a same sex relationship, who are not married and have taken advice law. yeah so in them clearly they do feel offended by what she said on the other hand i suspect you know that her personal conviction is such that she was never, ever going to duck this question and i sense to that extent at least she was always going to have to be willing to survive . storm i be willing to survive. storm i think the problem more broadly for the snp is i don't think going to be in the snp interest a party for us to spend remaining four weeks the leadership contest talking about issues the big big question facing the snp is can they find the intellectual on the powerful that would enable the party to convince the majority of people in scotland that independence is goodidea in scotland that independence is good idea and at moment at least the whole agenda of this new campaign has been very much away from that crucial for the party. absolutely john, always a pleasure, sir. informative as well. thank you very much indeed for your this sunday afternoon ,

for your this sunday afternoon, professor sir john curtice , the professor sir john curtice, the university of strathclyde . as university of strathclyde. as i say, the pollsters pollsters having just spent the last 3 minutes demonstrating precisely why now , next up, i'm delighted why now, next up, i'm delighted to say andre williams has agreed . join us for i am sorry, andrea williams , who is the founder of williams, who is the founder of christian concern and to join in this conversation on did i put my cards on the table and i don't want to i don't want to into a debate as such the merits of what kate said she believed in and as john curtis just said, she's always that she's a we free as they say in scotland. but margaret had a lord chancellor who was also we free. so it doesn't preclude being an effective senior minister , let effective senior minister, let alone a leader. what i want to ask you is whether you think politics would be an even poorer than it now is if folk were not

confident enough to express what their deeply views were on these essentially moral issues and social issues , which many of us social issues, which many of us feel very strongly about, whether we be fundamental protestants or roman catholics or muslims or jews . politics, i or muslims or jews. politics, i think, would be a poorer place if folk like kate didn't what she really believed . absolutely she really believed. absolutely and isn't it wonderful to in some to have someone who's given a straight answer to a straight question and of course , everyone question and of course, everyone comes to politics with some personal view and kate has come and brought to politics an unashamed view and unashamed in jesus christ, in christianity . jesus christ, in christianity. and she said that that shapes the whole way that she the whole of the way that she does. and indeed, i've just come from church this morning and there it was wonderful to of way in was wonderful to hear of way in which christ served so

which jesus christ served so much that he laid down his life for at every person and the and the motivation of those of that follow jesus is to love him , but follow jesus is to love him, but also to really love our neighbour and to do justice, to do what is right, to serve community and. what kate what kate forbes have done is then, of course, here is to explain very clearly and without being what her moral beliefs are. but wouldn't it be a shame if we didn't know the truth about ? her didn't know the truth about? her she's been unapologetic about it now . as i say, i didn't want to now. as i say, i didn't want to get into an argument whether she's right or wrong . and there she's right or wrong. and there are two sides of the argument clearly have a gay couple. we are very, very close to one of them did not to go down the road of a civil partnership and wanted to wait until they were to get married because they happen to believe in church as well . and they were patient and well. and they were patient and they got their way. so hurrah for that. but i know i agree

with your point that glad she spoke openly and it is a debate that needs to be resolved although i happen to agree with john curtis that probably there are there are bigger issues that need to be resolved in scottish politics just now . in your view politics just now. in your view , will it mean of these policies will be reversed shifted in scottish . politics? well, scottish. politics? well, i think that in some ways you right. and certainly with the snp being the snp, the issue that their party is of course , that their party is of course, nationalism . but and so john nationalism. but and so john curtis and indeed yourself have just said that this seems this is this would be the most important issue . well it's important issue. well it's certainly the issue around which that party coalesces . but what that party coalesces. but what society's talking about and what society's talking about and what society been talking about is of these critical social issues,

what does it mean to be human? what does it mean to be male and female what is marriage? when how should we have children? how should educate our children ? so should educate our children? so the truth is, we can't escape these these moral and these social issues, which define us as a society . indeed, as a society. indeed, politically and socially , define politically and socially, define define communities . and so define communities. and so i think that these can't help but surface again, they they might diminish in the next couple of weeks around this election , but weeks around this election, but they will keep on coming because in deep nicola sturgeon what was interesting and we've not been surprised i don't think about the fact that kate forbes has been asked her personal views because of her expressed christian faith. well, i think that what generally society isn't used to seeing is nicola sturgeon as a progressive, liberal being made to make case for her. and for her views on on

transgenderism and that and that was, of course , seemed to be the was, of course, seemed to be the catalyst to her stepping down. so i think these issues, i think i think you're on the money there, andrea and i've we've met before, but i've thoroughly enjoyed this conversation and i hope we can do it again some time. thank you very much indeed for breaking into your sunday and i'm glad you've got to go to church first well done you thank andrew williams who's the founder of christian concern join him i'm delighted to say to this terrific conversation off is a good old friend of mine as well. there she is joe phillips, political commentator. i wasn't being silly when i said about terrific conversation because i genuinely think it matters and david steele was not going with the mainstream when he set out to reform the abortion laws back in the sixties . and he came

in the sixties. and he came under an awful lot of criticism for it. but he's stood his ground because he believed it to. be right. ditto roy jenkins for labour and those initial nibbles at gay rights. the of consent and so on and so forth some of it. and they both went to on things and became towering figures of politics. sometimes and women who want to make a mark have to say what they really believe in and stand by it. so hurrah for kate or kate the lesson and bite your bottom lip a bit. no i think. i think hurrah for kate alistair. i think, you know, it has been a fascinating conversation, a conversation , not least of all conversation, not least of all you started off with your conversation with john talking about keir starmer and the cleansing of the labour party. now we're a conversation about kate forbes's belief at the same time that luciana berger, jewish mp has announced that she's going to rejoin the labour party because the labour party has been found independently to be

great, thank goodness of antisemitism which flourished under jeremy corbyn. antisemitism which flourished underjeremy corbyn. now i think it's really interesting and the exchanges of letters that i'm sure you've seen between, keir starmer and luciana berger are heartfelt. they're personal, they're really important and i think they, they reinforce what you've just said about these standing by your beliefs you know and i remember ruth kelly labour secretary of state and various the ministers very, very staunch catholic members of opus day, which caused quite a lot of controversy . the time people controversy. the time people have to make up their own minds about kate forbes . i mean, have to make up their own minds about kate forbes. i mean, she's wear head in the polls , which wear head in the polls, which john curtis could have shed far more light on than i can. but she is ahead in the polls. she's been very honest she's been very frank . she's been very honest she's been very frank. she's said she been very honest she's been very frank . she's said she have voted frank. she's said she have voted for gay marriage . and i think for gay marriage. and i think people will have the chance to vote for her within. the scots

and can then make up their own mind. i mean, we've got a very uncomfortable relationship religion in this country. i think in fact the liberal democrat former leader tim farron, who is also a devout christian, wrote quite interestingly about this a few days ago and he said he had to stand down as leader because he felt that there was too much conflict between his christian and the calls on him as a leader . and i think, you know, we why did alastair campbell say we don't do god? because he knew that people find slightly uncomfortable. you know, you can talk to people about their sex life, you can to people about how much the house is worth, but you can't really talk about religion and belief. and we get a too that's bit old so a little too that's a bit old so i think it's refreshing that kate forbes, who's a young woman , she's very accomplished parliamentarian from what i've seen, she stepped in at the last to deliver the budget speech and did it with great aplomb ,

did it with great aplomb, whether or not the snp decide that's who they want as a leader and whether indeed the faith that has shaped her would then have an input or a disproportional input, if i may say , into future snp policy . say, into future snp policy. yeah, it's a question we don't the answer to, but i think john curtis made the point actually, you know the snp are facing bigger questions and. well, i think we have we have to pause it there jo, but as i said to previous guests as well, i've really enjoyed and i'm deeply honoured by the fact that you said you thought it had been a good conversation across the spectrum as well as, you know, because you've been kind enough to be here so many times it is genuinely what we tried to do here shed light on things matter and are all agreed that would and we are all agreed that would be place if people of be a poorer place if people of conviction felt conviction and belief felt excluded from it because of journalism, colleagues , whatever journalism, colleagues, whatever it might be. jo phillips always a pleasure. thanks ever so much,

farah . gracing us with your farah. gracing us with your presence yet again in touch. always a pleasure to talk to you.thank always a pleasure to talk to you. thank you very much. david jo phillips, our political commentator frontline commentator and former frontline spin doctor for liberals as well . have you enjoyed that and gave you food for thought and reflection. we've still more to come before we go off air. but first a quick.

break hi. welcome back, kids. 229 i'm bethany elsey with your top stories from the gb newsroom rishi sunak says he's giving it everything to achieve a new deal over the northern ireland protocol, but has insisted it's not done yet. speaking to sunday times, the prime minister said hopeful of a positive outcome with the european union describing as unfinished business. he said it's vital to

ensure a return to powersharing in the province. the dup has refused to form executive at stormont in protest over the current brexit deal . mp sammy current brexit deal. mp sammy wilson says . the party hasn't wilson says. the party hasn't seen any proposal yet. what we do know is that there doesn't appear to have been any deal on the central which affects northern, and that is the imposition of eu law. all of the problems that we face with able to get goods from gb checks , to get goods from gb checks, goods coming from gp and disruption to our economy stems from the fact that we are under a different set of laws than the rest of the united kingdom and therefore checks are required to make sure we are complying not with british law but with brussels law . authorities in say brussels law. authorities in say that 58 people have died after a ship got into difficulty off the country's south coast. 27 bodies were found on a beach in the region of calabria and more have

been found in the water. it's reported the boat left from turkey and was carrying migrants from colombia pakistan and afghanistan when it crashed against during the rough sea weather . there are 81 survivors weather. there are 81 survivors with 22 in hospital . social with 22 in hospital. social housing managers will be required to study for qualifications to drive standards following the death a two year old boy. our ishaq died in december 2020 from a risk tree condition which was caused by mould at home in rochdale , by mould at home in rochdale, secretary michael gove announced . the response after acknowledging that social housing residents being inexcusably let . down you're up inexcusably let. down you're up to date on tv online and dab plus radio is gb news. now let's get back to alistair . get back to alistair. bethany, thank you very much

indeed. now the vienna museum , indeed. now the vienna museum, victoria and albert have acquired the david bowie collection and will mount a major celebrating modern cultural icon and all of his doings now the greatest rock and roll band in the world, the rolling stones did themselves as indeed did the utterly brilliant pink floyd. and of course, graceland's is still a must on many tourists list of things to do if they are lucky enough to go on holiday to the united states of america . the former of states of america. the former of elvis presley there are many other examples of it. black sabbath told as well , other examples of it. black sabbath told as well, as far as bowie's concerned, more than thousand items have been donated to the museum , including his to the museum, including his ziggy stardust . and you will be ziggy stardust. and you will be able to them in the venue's new hub in east london from 2025. when i spoke to the team about

this item saying i wanted to do it there was only one person absolutely the top of my list who i wanted to talk to about andifs who i wanted to talk to about and it's telly rolling stones fan philip kingsley , who is fan philip kingsley, who is a cultural and lectures on matters at the great university of leeds. great to see you and thank you for saying yes to. key thing is the stones who are free marketeer . yes. and very good marketeer. yes. and very good businessmen . and i did hoping businessmen. and i did hoping floyd or they can have their fallings out, all sorts of things which may cost them a huge amount of money. i read to in the press as well academically , this stuff of such academically, this stuff of such merit intellectually that it is right that a great institution , right that a great institution, the vienna should spend millions of pounds on acquiring this collection . i. that. well first collection. i. that. well first of all, it's great to see you again and speak to you. yes. i think think it is. i think the answer to that is a simple yes. there's some amazing here. there

are 80,000 pieces. and this is essentially going to form the david bowie centre for the study of performing arts. and i've got real mixed feelings that so in terms of the holding in terms of all of the pieces in the archive . yes, absolutely. you know , the . yes, absolutely. you know, the written lyrics, handwritten lyrics , heroes, the ziggy lyrics, heroes, the ziggy stardust costumes that you've already mentioned , lots of already mentioned, lots of materials which are unreleased projects, things that didn't make it to publication . so make it to publication. so there's some really interesting questions there about why, you know, what does it say about, the artist, but what does it say about the time which they were developed did developed? well, why did something eighties make something in the eighties make it to publication? so there's a whole lots of great stuff that the a for the study of the idea of a for the study of performing arts i'm actually not that sure about because i've got a quote here being a director , a quote here being a director, hunt said this will be a new sourcebook for bowie's of the

future . now, i don't think real future. now, i don't think real innovators go to a museum or top down establishment education to develop their rock and roll . develop their rock and roll. mean, if you think about the tradition that bowie's from the rock and roll tradition yeah you've the stones and the beatles obviously. but also in terms of the real big cases, you've got the pistols , you've got the sex pistols, oasis. imagine brian oasis. you can't imagine brian jones all know gallagher going to someone called tristan hunt and saying, well, what about this list? this this what is this list? this this what is this going to be a real innovation? it doesn't work like that. you know, real innovators rock and roll heroes come out of nowhere . you know, they come nowhere. you know, they come they come from poverty often, but they come from local scenes, sweaty nightclubs, and also like oasis, just you . now, let me oasis, just you. now, let me just about time, because it's an important point. i just want to add one thing as well, that if you really ask a king to support the next generation of musicians

, not creativity, because i agree with it happens. i agree with you, it happens. i mean, can't get no satisfaction i think came to keith richards a dream and just woke up and then sat down and recorded it. what state of dream he was in is my business, yours. but we all business, nor yours. but we all speculate on it. but mccartney, who's made a bubble to of who's made a bubble to out of own brilliant creativity, he's put a lot of money into a music school, performing art so that people can hone their skills and become brilliant like himself, but that's slightly different to a museum trying to do it. i think it is what i get from the vienna is, is two things. the first thing which i've already said i love idea of, which is a great archive full of just amazing cultural history. but the second thing, it's almost as though it's guardian nesters trying to make pop stars in their own image . know there is. their own image. know there is. i mean, bowie was so incredibly groundbreaking and so innovative on the one hand. but as as times progressed, he's come to represent what all of those

people about. now, they would never example the stones exhibition they're in the same way, you know, even though the stones arguably much more important . stones arguably much more important. but can you imagine who were not in the of some of the on some of the lyric sheets that dealt with them. so i think there's an ideological thing going on there and i think it also relates little bit to the broader picture of heritage . broader picture of heritage. this time what we've got is a very cherry picked thing and, things i think organisations like the national trust, they, they, they that british cultural heritage often as though it is poison you know they've got protective gloves so it doesn't we feel we have to pause it there only of time you delivered in spades. i'm grateful . really in spades. i'm grateful. really lovely talking to you again and i can't wait to hear what the glimmer twins make in their collaboration with .paul mccartney on the new album,

which ronnie told us about here exclusively on gb news. good to see you. love to everyone in leeds and look forward to to talking again soon. that's philip cazaly, a cultural historian , lecturer at the great historian, lecturer at the great university of leeds , with his university of leeds, with his thoughts on on other matters. you are watching and listening to alastair stewart& friends with to come before with more still to come before we programme afternoon we end the programme afternoon including i'll be speaking to a former russian prime minister and. you really will not want to miss it. but first, a quick.

break we'll come back with war in ukraine hitting the headlines this week. and we a good deal of time reflecting upon it. yesterday and the day before with a range of guests, i came air and went straight in to do a recorded interview with mikhail kasparov , who is former prime kasparov, who is former prime minister of . kasparov, who is former prime minister of. he kasparov, who is former prime minister of . he spoke to a year

minister of. he spoke to a year on from the start of the invasion of ukraine by russia offer us a russian perspective but from the highest levels of experience in russian government . and he tells me within that conversation why he himself fled putin's russia and he still wants to return to change it. he also thinks that putin is out of time . his reasoning behind that time. his reasoning behind that is absolutely fascinating as as his observations on the oligarchs. so here is my conversation with the former prime minister of russia mr. kasyanov. thank you very much, indeed, for giving us your time this in june , you said that you this in june, you said that you had temporary really left russia. are now a permanent exile . it depends on how we exile. it depends on how we judge this temporary or permanent i believe absolutely

the temporary , because just my the temporary, because just my visa means the situation will change rapidly . and i think just change rapidly. and i think just a few months left until we see just great changes , great just great changes, great changes in the whole situation . changes in the whole situation. i believe in that, you ask me and i could predict just when i come back to russia , well, i come back to russia, well, i will come specific actually to the political changes that you imply may be imminent. but i suspect, imply may be imminent. but i suspect , given your experience suspect, given your experience of high office , you would agree of high office, you would agree with that. military changes have to place what is objective assessment . the military assessment. the military intervention now patently, outright an invasion of ukraine. yeah, i think think just we see already for a few weeks very successful operation of ukrainian army and mr. putin have nothing to do with the and

in fact he we're desperate and that's why he had to call although . he understands it's although. he understands it's very unpopular measure there. it's very difficult decision for him. he call it. it's very difficult decision for him. he call it . and i would say him. he call it. and i would say partial mobilisation. but the factit partial mobilisation. but the fact it is jailed and that is as i already previous to saying, beginning of putin's because of the simple the general mood of in russia started to change even among those people who have a neutrality to them even those who supported mr. putin supported him in this war. they now started to reconsidering because just now mobilisation just every family russia and people asking what for before they their eyes thinking something special operation etc. our great will we and as always but today they started to do the

asking and propaganda came provide them with the appropriate answers . you suggest appropriate answers. you suggest there in a absolutely intrigue going on so that it's going for putin that he has very few alternative options of course he has talked quite openly about the terrifying option tactical nuclear weapons , which prompted nuclear weapons, which prompted president joe biden to say on on thursday that we are as closer to armageddon than we than we have since the cuban missile crisis in the 1960s. do you share that assessment ? i share a share that assessment? i share a concern and the great, great creation of the fear or creation of danger , putin undertaking and of danger, putin undertaking and in fact and the facts of the mr. putin ahead in his to last one of their mobilisation and that their nuclear threat . i continue their nuclear threat. i continue to believe if i could be mistaken about they continue to

believe that mr. putin will use nuclear weapon . if was the case. nuclear weapon. if was the case. i think he already heard from mr. biden and other western leaders that the consequence would be catastrophic for and maybe prostrate for mr. putin. mr. putin is not army general. whoever is prepared to die on the battlefield . he's a kgb the battlefield. he's a kgb agent who should provoke the situation . go quickly to escape situation. go quickly to escape , not to be responsible for that . mr. putin are ready to deepen these , but he's still thinking these, but he's still thinking out those and he not going to die. that's why i think he will not use these. what we can see could be also dangerous. that's mr. putin's attempts . destroy mr. putin's attempts. destroy infrastructure, civilian in the ukraine to devastated economy on right now there's devastation for the east lake so 7% the economy is already just making assessments he could destroy

destroy them so they're on that's what they the danger that's what they the danger that's why i think the western support of by of equipment training ukraine. i mean that's crucial in this period of time as i now want to take you back to the crucial point you made at the top. and that is, as it were, the end is nigh. you've already mentioned the mobilised of reservists and zelenskyy said you know we've defeated the professionals. now they us the amateurs . professionals. now they us the amateurs. but the professionals. now they us the amateurs . but the reaction to amateurs. but the reaction to the mobilisation on the streets of moscow and st petersburg and elsewhere that was very profound was that street reaction the start of the end for putin. yes it's only starting on a starting point. just see these social unrest . it's not not and not unrest. it's not not and not enough for that , but is growing. enough for that, but is growing. only one week plus . and i think only one week plus. and i think just of this will absolutely just of this will absolutely just increase sort of social

tensions and increase of social unrest and that's what we'll see in moscow at last because because in moscow mobilisation not on such a great level as it's happening right in the remote regions when just hundreds and dozens of people already just sent to the to the to the forests as they say, for training by their reporting that there is no training go simply spending their time there. that's another of i would say unprofessionalism of the whole system mr. putin created . but system mr. putin created. but talking about just people's mood , that's difficult to stop. it's started to change in considerable manner. started to change in considerable manner . you considerable manner. you yourself are the victim of persecution and know many people within your own political movement as well as former political allies. when you served in the highest of offices in russia is that persecution that repression getting worse right now as we speak in terms of me i never been under the persecution i was blackmailing

and i'm just just television of fake just stories about me but i had never under persecution they never never produced anything like that because there was no reason because i believe. but and they will go door but for criticism course that was the reason why i left russia because just when they adopted legislation for criticism can be put in jail for 1015 years. that's what i decided not to take this risk more to live with this risk with my family and collaborators already just few of them already in jail and. just they are looking forward that they can get ten year of sentence of sentences to the jail. that is what is happening that's the repression still. it's individual repressions. but it's individual repressions. but it's demonstrative and very tough. very tough. and people in shock. what's on historically any any student of russia will know that they ordinary men and women of russia do not take well

to defeat is the perception of defeat on battlefield something that will further turn ordinary citizens of russia against. vladimir putin conduct business correct that's what that's what i would say we as opposition believe what should happen because just the if mr. putin not necessary look but in reality defeated it means just the whole whole population that start reconsidering everything he did before even those as they believed positive things which i don't think just there was positive things. but for people that's very important . and just that's very important. and just to see is the president as he made the as he is defeated because and right now a mobilisation in fact that's recognition that he's special military operation failed because just before he said i will make this i will make them that's if he gives some of them of regret and now he calling the

whole people please save me mr. putin save my save me am is the border . and putin save my save me am is the border. and people just started thinking would keep from is something and they have to die on the battlefield they don't know what my two questions to you are linked . the first is do you are linked. the first is do you are linked. the first is do you believe it is more likely that you will be able to return to russia in a politically victorious fashion or that the oligarchs because money is money will get in there and make changes of democracy . that's changes of democracy. that's difficult question . i think just difficult question. i think just we all would like just that the collapse putin's regime would leave that for the situation that democratic opposition could again regain or even inaugurate just this its activity lead peoples and describe to them. and right now believe that oligarchs will not be able to

foolish people as it sometimes happen their nineties just right now they have already experienced how just the old gun problems and what brought us good good race and how to overcome them and how to tackle them . why i think just and we them. why i think just and we all just know what are not put in some regards what do those oligarchs would be able to say or they immediately deluded or something that, but their something like that, but their actual owners of actual produces owners of enterprises . that's important. enterprises. that's important. that's important because . it is that's important because. it is big business is also part of russia. we have very just a low level of middle class low level the small enterprises but big business still plays considerable role and i think just we will able because just in fact i and my collaborators know all these people and all these people in fact of course like changes they would like to live in the normal country with the european with a democratic strands the just real markets

economy the real market economy not just operated by mr. putin by he's just unclear if others market and should should prevent that should leave this and state only should regulate but not compete but right we can have a competition with businesses. of course, private businesses , course, private businesses, losers . and as a former finance losers. and as a former finance minister and, prime minister, you are uniquely well qualified to comment to . pull that. which to comment to. pull that. which takes me to my question . it's an takes me to my question. it's an honour to talk to you and to hear such answers. and i see what your vision is of russia . what your vision is of russia. but having had this conversation . me do you make yourself even more vulnerable ? of course , of more vulnerable? of course, of course. as a normal person of i'm the i wouldn't say scared, but of course i have . that's why but of course i have. that's why just not all the conversation you but all about is also just very candid discussion . i agree.

very candid discussion. i agree. i just giving my direct answers because just it's not the time. just to hide. it's time to show people what is reality . and just people what is reality. and just i'm also speaking to the russian media, which on the internet already exist in the foreign media that our friends in the west would understand what's going on that they should understand exactly this and those those particular features which i would say belong to russia. so they to understand the russian reality we not the standard european country we would like to be a normal but we some special features as an image . but in russia, i some special features as an image. but in russia, i guess pacific features because of kgb rule right now and we should overcome these . mikhail kasyanov overcome these. mikhail kasyanov it's been and always will be a part of that process you for spending time talking to us here in the program . you the in the program. you the reflections and predictions of mikhail kasyanov prime minister of russia. a fascinating man now

you've been getting in touch on the topics we've been discussing throughout the day on really sunak and says increase in corporation tax 25% is soon ex choice . he has said that he will choice. he has said that he will make for a fairer tax system fairer for not for british businesses , fairer for the businesses, fairer for the european union, perhaps by making the united kingdom less competitive . is this the bitter competitive. is this the bitter pill that sunak has been to prepared swallow to get the european union make concessions on brexit deal and on the northern protocol ? neil says northern protocol? neil says that not forget that theresa may did try and foist her sell—out brexit deal on her party. sunak is the same way as theresa did on sir keir starmer. is the same way as theresa did on sir keir starmer . kelvin says on sir keir starmer. kelvin says . have you noticed that with starmer it's always about the headune starmer it's always about the headline , never the means of headline, never the means of getting there . let's take the getting there. let's take the northern ireland protocol.

nobody has pinned him down on what sort of agreement he would want to achieve. he just that labour would support the government in a vote. what a cop out duking coming in and also subscribe to our youtube channel. we are surprise surprise at gb news. many good interviews today . so to all of interviews today. so to all of my huge thanks for finding time for us. that's it for today from me and the whole team. thank very much indeed forjoining us here on gb news tv and radio. we're back next weekend. for now. bye. hello great to host and welcome to your forecast from the met office looking ahead for much of the week , it's ahead for much of the week, it's going to be dry and settled . going to be dry and settled. there will be a few showers at times, though, pushing in from the north sea and the reason for this is high pressure is in charge. it remains over uk right through the weekend keeping it largely dry though with no easterly breeze. few showers will feed in, particularly across eastern through the rest

of we'll see clearing skies much of we'll see clearing skies much of central southern and wales allowing a patchy frost to form northern england into northern ireland. scotland will see a bit more cloud here as we move into the early hours. the risk of a few showers. scotland also seeing those clear. temperatures falling to minus seven, minus eight across . the glen to eight across. the glen to scotland under the cloud, three or four degrees. and then a frost also under the clear skies in the southwest cloud across areas will push its way from westwards quite quickly. monday turning the skies quite grey. the risk of one or two light showers, the best of the sunshine holding on across north western parts of scotland. there will be a few glimmers of, bright or sunny spells elsewhere, but cloudy elsewhere, but rather cloudy afternoon to come. temperatures similar 7 to 9 celsius, activity average, perhaps, if we get any in the southeast, creeping towards ten into the evening and overnight monday into morning, we'll see variable of cloud, probably more cloud compared recent nights across england and wales meaning less risk of a

widespread frost here, perhaps under any clear spells of patchy frost forming staying quite cloudy for northern ireland. clear skies across scotland where temperatures once again falling below , freezing. towns falling below, freezing. towns and cities holding up a little bit higher compared to recent for the vast majority us though it does mean tuesday will be a cloudier start to the day. risk showers moving in from the north sea, perhaps more organised band of rain, some hail, snow moving into england. one area to watch over the next few days, but largely staying dry . largely staying dry. temperatures generally around average . see you again . soon i'm average. see you again. soon i'm jacob rees—mogg, the member of parliament for north east somerset and a former government minister. for years i've walked the of power in both westminster and the city of london. i campaigned the largest democratic vote in ireland . i democratic vote in ireland. i know country has so much to know this country has so much to be proud of. we need to have arguments, discussions on how we make it better, the wisdom of the nation is in its people. folks populi vox day. that's why i'm joining the people's

channel. join monday and thursday at 8 pm. on gb news. britain's .

hello and. welcome. this is calvin's common crusade. with me, the reverend calvin robinson. on your tv , online and robinson. on your tv, online and on your wireless . we've got a on your wireless. we've got a packed show for you today. first, our political panel will just discuss and debate rishi sunak imminent new brexit deal and whether parliament should be allowed to vote on it. and the telegraph reports james bond books will be edited to remove racist references. is this a sensible approach ? is it an sensible approach? is it an attempt to rewrite history ? and attempt to rewrite history? and yesterday i attended protest against drug story performances for children in a local london