by thursday night . advocates is thursday night. advocates is calling drive at long long from bolton . well take your homes bolton. well take your homes nigel barrow nigel bolton . the nigel barrow nigel bolton. the disastrous . world down the road. disastrous. world down the road. we're going to be talking with you. fracking the natural gas in the north—west of england . what the north—west of england. what it provides jobs. i'm joining me on talking points local boy make good i'm here cohen joins us on talking points. but first let's get funny with smith . good

get funny with smith. good evening i'm rory smith in the gb newsroom gary lineker has been accused of diminishing the tragic of the holocaust with a home saying she find his comments offensive. the bbc presenter is under for comparing the government's around its new immigration policy to that used by germany in the 1930s. he has described the fallout as ridiculously out of proportion. culture secretary lucy frazer told the commons the broadcaster must remain impartial as somebody whose grandmother escaped germany in the 1930s. i think it's really and inappropriate to compare government policy on immigration events to on immigration to events to on immigration to events in germany in the 1930s. it's important for the bbc to maintain impartiality if it is

to retain the trust of the pubuc to retain the trust of the public who pay the licence fee , public who pay the licence fee, the transport secretary says construction of hitches to between birmingham and crew will between birmingham and crew will be delayed by two years. mark harper says that is due to the increase costs and significant inflation and pressure. but labour says the delay means the nonh labour says the delay means the north has to pay the price for failures . amber weather warning failures. amber weather warning for snow and ice are in place for snow and ice are in place for parts of the uk until tomorrow, bringing with it a potential risk to life . blizzard potential risk to life. blizzard surgery to close , treacherous surgery to close, treacherous conditions overnight with 50 mile per hour winds and 40 centimetres of snow forecast for some central and northern areas. the metaphor says power cuts and travel delays are likely . the travel delays are likely. the prime minister is aiming to strengthen cooperation with france on tackling small boats in the english channel. rishi sunak will meet french president

macron in paris tomorrow, hoping to implement further measures to prevent illegal migrants crossing . it'll be the first uk crossing. it'll be the first uk france summit in five years at nine. people have been killed after russia fired 81 missiles, including six hypersonic missiles across ukraine. the fresh wave strikes cut power to the operation nuclear power plant , the operation nuclear power plant, europe's biggest, although it was later restored. the plant was running on an emergency diesel generators for the sixth time to prevent a potentially catastrophic meltdown . the prince and meltdown. the prince and princess of wales have praised the communities that are fundraising for those impacted by earthquakes in turkey and syria. william and kate visited , a london community centre to speak to aid workers who came from the disaster zone . they from the disaster zone. they were joined by two schoolgirl who made hundreds of origami

cranes to raise funds for the appeal tv online and dvd plus radio. this is gb news. now it's back to fresh . back to fresh. glory days . back to fresh. glory days. i'm here in bolton tonight with a live audience enthusiast because i get to stay for a bit. my scottish road railway going ahead , which is railway going ahead, which is good. now, bolton , this says good. now, bolton, this says this town says so much politics in this country over the last 15 years or so. rock solid labour for year after year parliamentary level and indeed at local council level as well. but then in the early 20 tens, something started happening here. i've come to visit bolton many , many times in my previous many, many times in my previous life as i watch get more and

more votes, get councillors elected here. the referendum came and of course bolton voted. leave bolton's one of those towns that found itself drifting away from the london led labour party. so much that now of the three parliamentary seats in this town , two of them are held this town, two of them are held by conservatives. i on a local council dominated by labour for decades , we now find the decades, we now find the conservatives are the biggest party. so the question is can the conservatives hold on to the gains they made in bolton? are they going to suffer as a part of the decline? if you believe the opinion polls that's happening to their vote and could really put it off by stopping the boats crossing the engush stopping the boats crossing the english channel. and that issue was a very big issue. and i'll be discussing it a moment with the council leader. migrant hotels, the history of that with this town. but one little fact for you. very, very interesting to find out how many hotels in the country have been taken over

by those that have recently crossed the english channel and. by crossed the english channel and. by the way, nearly all young men. you have to go for freedom of information request . the last of information request. the last one we got was on the 31st of december 2020 to when the home office confirmed that 452 hotels around the country were now filled with those that across the channel the most recent foi came back date marked the 9th of march and for reasons known to the home office , they won't tell the home office, they won't tell us when they've decided we don't need to know. they worry . need to know. they worry. perhaps it'll cause tensions . so perhaps it'll cause tensions. so let me tell you something . if let me tell you something. if this government or any government thinks they can suck favour with the british population , then by hiding the population, then by hiding the truth from us, they're making in my opinion, a very, very big mistake. now me councillor martin cox, leader of bolton council and a . conservative

council and a. conservative welcome back to bolton . you know welcome back to bolton. you know well i to say i've been to bolton many, many times. i've seen you in many, many times over the years. and i do. yeah. you know, i got that sense ten years ago. i would say that labour with a love affair with a european union, with their lack of concern over open borders, european union, with their lack of co beginning open borders, european union, with their lack of co beginning op lose)rders, european union, with their lack of co beginning op lose support were beginning to lose support in these areas. i mean, did you ever think the conservatives would majority here? would be majority party here? well, i if look at the well, i if you look at the history of bolton, it has been conservative and had two conservative and had two conservative the past. conservative mpas in the past. right up until actually. right up until 1997, actually. so there is a history of that. and the council was a conservative, but it was definitely labour's drift away from ordinary working class voters that led to a conservative revival. and of course where the conservatives are part of the conservative party backing brexit, which was which was i think was about 6040 in bolton. yeah i think you saw more and more of a drift to the conservatives and a great result in the parliamentary ways in

2019. and we took the council as well. so it would have been a lot of those voters masked, a lot of those voters masked, a lot of those voters masked, a lot of those voters that put two conservative members of parliament here after decades of not here. yeah, a lot of not being here. yeah, a lot of those voters genuinely thought that with brexit we'd get back control of our borders. you know , your party is not doing very well this, is it? no, it's well on this, is it? no, it's not. and i'm as disappointed as anybody by it. i mean, i was delighted that the was made yesterday . i know these yesterday. i know these announcements have been made time and time again. oh, yes. oh yes. oh, yes. well, no . yeah. yes. oh, yes. well, no. yeah. we're told we've got the solution, but i think the prime minister is serious as this time about trying to resolve the issue. and look, if we don't resolve it, we don't deserve to get it's just it's as simple as that. get it's just it's as simple as that . it's as get it's just it's as simple as that. it's as simple as that. the home office of twice coming to bolton in the last 12 months and tried to take hotels in the town and twice we've pushed back again. so october the bolton news front page . we can't take

news front page. we can't take more refugees . this was with more refugees. this was with reference to the georgian house hotel. that's right . yeah, yeah. hotel. that's right. yeah, yeah. the britannia they tried to take first and we push back hard on that. you know, as a council, it was then the georgian house. we pushed back that . but pushed back against that. but look, you know , has taken more look, you know, has taken more refugees and asylum seekers than the south—west of england you know, we were not prepared to put up with that any more. i had seven phone calls and meetings with the home office, supported by gm and by the mayor to say, you know , we're not prepared to you know, we're not prepared to take any more because, you have over the years taken a lot of migrants. you. we probably take more. any other town the more. any other town in the country. you know the idea that we're not generous or we're not open is also slightly open or welcome is also slightly false. you're saying false. but so what you're saying is enough. well, it is enough's enough. well, it comes point can't comes a point when you can't take any more. and it's one of the areas where we have pushed back at the back incredibly hard at the moment. we've been successful. but got to solve the but they've got to solve the problem at root root cause. and

that's crossing the border. i think you're right. and you know, lee anderson, now vice of the party, being even the tory party, being even clearer you are saying, clearer than you are saying, look, this right, look, unless we get this right, we're going get wiped in we're going to get wiped out in the next so we'll the election next year. so we'll see. i'm i'm personally sceptical. yeah because i think the court human the european court of human rights going come back rights is going to come back into play and at moment it into play and at the moment it won't leaving it. well won't consider leaving it. well there's next there's talk about in the next manifesto leaving it is manifesto about leaving it is not promises . well why not more promises. well why don't do it now. well the idea idea . an idea. yeah, right. idea. an idea. yeah, right. yeah. the idea that . the uk yeah. the idea that. the uk needs to be in this body. i mean, the uk is legal system has been replicated right across the world. the idea that we cannot have a fair legal system without belongings the echr i think is frankly, gary lineker doesn't agree with you, does he? well can agree not to mention his name again . can agree not to mention his name again. no, can agree not to mention his name again . no, no, no. can agree not to mention his name again. no, no, no. i'm enjoying it very much of it. i'll probably give you a mention

a bit later. i'll final thought, an important thought. the local economy, the next guest i've got on is representing the uk onshore oil and gas producer. as you know, this bowland shale , you know, this bowland shale, you know, this bowland shale, you know, this bowland shale, you know, it's a huge potential area of natural gas that could make us self—sufficient it could make us self—sufficient it could make us self—sufficient it could make us an energy exporter. and yet there's been a lot of local opposition, isn't there? there's been a lot of local and regional opposition to it. i was chatting about about the issue and i think the point i was trying to make, it's extremely difficult to get houses builds and in any of the in the northwest and if you're struggling to get houses, you're struggling to get houses, you can imagine how difficult is to persuade local actors to start fracking . it is ultimate start fracking. it is ultimate you know people like myself and other kinds of leaders have got to go in front the public and explain why we're because we're doing this at the moment. the pubucis doing this at the moment. the public is very hostile. well, they're worried about earthquake and sorts things like, and all sorts of things like,

you dig into that little you know, dig into that little bit say drill bit more. i'm going to say drill down, you know, but let's down, maybe you know, but let's face it, whatever the are, there are risks and we get that, you know, something like this would provide thousands very provide many thousands very well—paid jobs, wouldn't it? well, it would. and i think one of the concerns i've got , if you of the concerns i've got, if you continually rule different sources of energy , you're going sources of energy, you're going to get blackouts . and i think to get blackouts. and i think we've done that time and time again in this country. i think was it was it nick clegg who said 20 years ago it would be a waste of time building nuclear plants because. you know, they'll not be ready for 20 years. here are and we years. but here we are and we are years and we have got an are 20 years and we have got an energy but look, you energy crisis. but look, you know, live world of know, we live in a world of democratic politics. the public has very , very us has said very, very clear to us in bolton , in survey after in bolton, in survey after survey, they don't want survey, that they don't want fracking in built up urban areas and so it is, you know, ultimately in a we are responsible to the electorate but your advice but you're in favour. well what i'm in favour is widening the energy supply

chain are you in favour in the north—west of england onshore . north—west of england onshore. no. no, because you don't not not not not not onshore . not not not not not onshore. not that i'm not in favour of onshore wind farms. i want them offshore because at the moment we've got two extremely close. the opposition is very, very clear. martin cox , thank you for clear. martin cox, thank you for joining us. our pleasure . okay . joining us. our pleasure. okay. okay. in a moment in a moment, we will really get into the fracking issue. and i'm going to find out what this audience thinks as well. back with you in a couple of minutes .

so here in the north of england , there is the bowland shale gas reserve. and i'm going to put a map up for those of you watching

this on television and you'll see potentially three very major areas with very large reserves of shale gas underground , though of shale gas underground, though we don't yet know fully what the costs of exploration would be. what we do know is the amount of gas down there is absolutely gargantuan indeed. there's enough gas there , i think, to enough gas there, i think, to last us 50 or 100 years. but there are real concerns about onshore gas. exploration. i was at in blackpool doing bbc questions i will wash my mouth out with soap and water a few years ago and what i asked the audience whether they wanted fracking to happen them it was a pretty over whelming no they were genuinely worried would the water supply be poisoned ? would water supply be poisoned? would it lead to the industrialisation of the countryside? would it lead to earthquakes or worse? so i wonder, this is by no means a scientific audience, but can i ask you, bolton, who would be in favour here in lancashire and in cumbria of onshore gas drilling

and exploration? put your hands up those against. okay now it's interesting. i sense actually i do sense there's been a bit of a shift in public on this. but charles mcalister, director of policy for uk onshore oil and gas uk. you could you you've got to get a better name than . how to get a better name than. how do you answer these concerns because there is no doubt that one of the early drills that took place just off did drill into a fault. and there was an. okay. so go through the regulations and then through the seismic. okay. the regulations were set out for us meant we had to stop if we had a 0.5 on the richter scale. that's the surface vibration equivalent of me settling on this chair. so i wouldn't say i hope not a serious event . the moratorium serious event. the moratorium itself based on a 1.5 on the itself was based on a 1.5 on the richter scale. okay now, the government commissioned a study to make equivalent so people

would understand what they concluded was it was surface concluded was it was the surface vibration equivalent of dropping a honeydew melon in the largest event the 2.9 surface vibration from that is half the maximum permitted at construction sites. okay so if you believe that the fracking industry unsafe, then so is geothermal drilling. so is construction. so is quarrying of como. oh, i get that. i mean all forms of extractive industry do come with risk. but the problem with blackpool was that it did do damage. didn't. there's no absolutely no evidence that. absolutely no evidence of that. absolutely say is, absolutely some say there is, some there isn't. what about absolutely some say there is, sonworries1ere isn't. what about absolutely some say there is, sonworries ofe isn't. what about absolutely some say there is, sonworries of water. what about absolutely some say there is, sonworries of water supply about absolutely some say there is, sonworries of water supply thatt the worries of water supply that you have to drill down quite deep below the water table? genuine could happen genuine about what could happen to the supply. okay. so the possible water, the drinkable aquifer is about two or 300 metres bowland shale , metres deep. the bowland shale, which extremely thick, is which is extremely thick, is also deep. but 2.4 also extremely deep. but 2.4 kilometres deep . the gap between kilometres deep. the gap between where we're fracking the shale and where the drinkable water suppues and where the drinkable water supplies are is the guts of two kilometres. so you have to look at have look at the

at that. you have to look at the wellbore they are wellbore regulations. they are very, strict the uk to very, very strict the uk to ensure the well maintains its integrity and the three to give confidence public have to confidence to the public have to do groundwater do comprehensive groundwater monitoring before during, do comprehensive groundwater monitoring before during , after monitoring before during, after when there are fracking that well the data was available. did you any evidence of water you see any evidence of water contamination. people like jim ratcliffe . yep. any. i think ratcliffe. yep. any. i think britain's businessman. yep. you know, matt came to invest billions , billions, billions and billions, billions, billions and billions, billions, billions and billions . 30, 33 billion in the billions. 30, 33 billion in the north—west of england. and of course, the pennines to in yorkshire. his complaint is the government keeps you turning. what is the story here. it has been the most ridiculous situations so let's just i mean that's never will ignore the bofis that's never will ignore the boris johnson moratorium because that was political as well . that was political as well. let's just go for the rishi sunak more sorry. he campaigned on a proof basis in june july of last year. he said the seismic activity is not out of the ordinary and he said it would be good for our long term energy security on a day in the job, he

reintroduced the moratorium. what are you saying about our prime minister. wouldn't believe a word is basically what i'm saying. we were absolutely stunned , absolutely stunned. i stunned, absolutely stunned. i think it's an ridiculous situation. my question to the government still is what is our gas supply? no one has asked us and the labour party will not ask it because they don't have one either. well, you'll notice and folks here may have noticed that this in burton upon trent, we fired up a coal fired power station and we're getting ready to burn coal at the drax facility . see why? because when facility. see why? because when the wind doesn't blow, we're absolutely in stock and the french aren't exporting electricity to us because they're on strike, which is a national sport for them. so maybe we shouldn't maybe we shouldn't be surprised. so it is ludicrous to be burning coal. but of course, actually using gas is far lower levels of co2 . gas is far lower levels of co2. okay. so the facts are we're going to need gas at least for the next 30 years. imports do not offer the evident economic,

environmental and geopolitical benefits. domestic shale gas benefits. a domestic shale gas industry offer as we said, industry would offer as we said, £33 billion worth of investment on the table, 65 to 75000 jobs. local community benefits. so we have already committed to give share of revenue to local so they are imports don't offer any charles. i'm convinced of the argument. i think we need to be energy independent at least i'd like to see us become an energy exporter. it seems bonkers to me to be that has to be to be stuff that has to be produced elsewhere under lower environmental . i get environmental standards. i get all these arguments if i'm going to go on arguing for it, but with wave of global warming with the wave of global warming . that sweeps through social media, do you really think our politicians are going to allow this? i think it needs to a fact led approach. so i actually did my masters at durham on the greenhouse gas impact of shale gas exploitation uk. gas exploitation in the uk. effectively, compatibility effectively, the compatibility net zero. yeah, three things need to consider. number one, what's demand. already said what's demand. i've already said there's decline. there's significant decline. number shortfall number two, the shortfall between how much are going to

consume in the north consume and then in the north sea out to 2050 is about a trillion cubic metres and clear in english at £2 trillion we would tend to overseas and keeping imports . for example, keeping imports. for example, we're importing shale gas from america. but my question my question, charles, was politically . yep, do you think politically. yep, do you think this can happen . i, politically. yep, do you think this can happen. i, i politically. yep, do you think this can happen . i, i still have this can happen. i, i still have faith that fracking will happen in the uk because i think the arguments in favour are absolutely over whelming . it's absolutely over whelming. it's just very difficult to say whether the political appetite would be there, but if the political upside for fracking isn't there, then how are we going to meet net zero? how are we going to build all these houses? exactly as the gentleman argued, going stuck, argued, we're going to be stuck, charles, because argument charles, because this argument will thank you for will run and run. thank you for coming that coming and engaging in that debate at the moment. it is going to be barrage the barrage with of the audience. with members of the audience. i've what about i've no idea what they're about to i've got to take to ask me. so i've got to take a break and .

just. see to the live audience here in bolton. it's kind a barrage. the barrage. let's kick off the first questioner is jason . good first questioner is jason. good evening, nigel. welcome selection . thank you. i didn't selection. thank you. i didn't say greater manchester if you're not just a slow returning to an earlier topic , why is it that earlier topic, why is it that depnved earlier topic, why is it that deprived communities in bolton and blackpool and burnley and blackburn have to deal with big influxes of so—called asylum seekers where we have to host them and look after them and we're a generous people in the northwest think it's probably not for me to say when the people in north london and the people in north london and the people croydon certain people in croydon and certain footballers , i can't bring footballers, i can't bring myself to say the name of that host so many . yeah, look host namely so many. yeah, look i don't think croydon is necessarily right example, necessarily the right example, although there are wealthy parts of but north london where almost the entire labour seem to the entire labour party seem to live, their

live, at least their representatives . yeah, you're representatives. yeah, you're absolutely right . the argument absolutely right. the argument for is that it's cheaper , the for it is that it's cheaper, the hotels are cheaper , renting hotels are cheaper, renting housesis hotels are cheaper, renting houses is cheaper in areas like this than it is hampstead in north london. that's the rationale that the home office will to you. but the truth of it is that the north west, as a region has taken more of those that have crossed the channel than other region of the united kingdom. so this has been pushed and pushed and pushed upon you . and pushed and pushed upon you. the other big problem is that most these hotels are now part of chains , and i'm not going to of chains, and i'm not going to name them because i'm bored. we're getting saved. but there are certain hotels . but you are certain hotels. but you know, i get it. and if you if you've got a guaranteed full hotel for the next year, they're paying hotel for the next year, they're paying top dollar to you for doing has been doing it the business has been contracted out to three big private companies so you see private companies so you can see why people would take the money. but i with you . it was but i agree with you. it was interesting. thought you interesting. i thought that, you know. the know. martin earlier, the council say, we've

council leader, say, look, we've taken a here in bolton a lot in the north—west, but enough is enough. here's the biggest enough. but here's the biggest problem, nothing problem, jason. there's nothing the council or you the mps or local council or you as voters can do . these as voters can do. these decisions are taken at home office level through private companies and through hotels that agree to it . there is, i that agree to do it. there is, i think, a feeling of think, a sort of feeling of senselessness and powerlessness. how angry do think people up how angry do you think people up here ? i'm final here are? i'm for the final cost. blackpool one of the most depnved cost. blackpool one of the most deprived places in the country and the hotels have been filled up over the years with all kinds of people who . whatever reason, of people who. whatever reason, unfortunately. yeah and the local council struggles. it struggles. it's a labour council at the moment. deal struggles. it's a labour council at the moment . deal with the at the moment. deal with the they've got because they don't want to say no. but on the streets you go to blackpool, you walk around town that when i was a kid was thriving place people from bolton used to go on the weeks, weeks and a great time. now broken . broken. it's now it's broken. broken. it's a huge mess. you jason money transfers the only answer nigel yeah, well, it may be that may be that, but i sense the

protests that we've seen in knowsley and other protests we've seen around the country. i sense will only and sense this will only grow and grow. mainstream media grow. and if mainstream media just shout at concerned parents, they're far . they are they're all far. they are completely wrong. it's not far right. people . i right. it's normal people. i just for the kids. i get just sense for the kids. i get it.thank just sense for the kids. i get it. thank you. i get no . good it. thank you. i get no. good evening. no. good evening, nigel. i'm shaking in with this suggestion of bringing foreign workers into bolster the number of tradesmen in this country. all women . would it not be all women. would it not be better for companies to get better for companies to get better taxes and saves to trade more? absolutely. we've got this all wrong. over 25 years, we've encouraged as many kids as possible to go to university. many of those that have gone, frankly, weren't suitable for university. they would have been far better off learning trades and skills getting jobs where they could earn really good money, actually, but really good money. and yet we sort of snobbery. we've started to look

down our noses at people learning and skills labour have got it wrong, the tories have got it wrong, the tories have got it wrong, they've all got it wrong. we keep hearing about government apprenticeships , none government apprenticeships, none of them, frankly, it to be a worth a row of beans . we've got worth a row of beans. we've got the budget coming next week where he's proposing to put business taxes up massively and we don't yet know whether there'll be tax relief on reinvestment into companies. but now 100% with you, i think we've got this totally wrong. and so we have to rely on skilled workers in from abroad and good for them . sure. they're for them. sure. they're delighted to come and get the work . but are so many delighted to come and get the work. but are so many kids in country with whacking great debts around neck , paying debts around their neck, paying 6% plus from universal 6% interest plus from universal to. and i'm sure that studying all ages is great fun but i'm not sure it's actually much use . yeah, i think. not sure it's actually much use . yeah, i think . double down. we . yeah, i think. double down. we met earlier . good evening, met earlier. good evening, nigel. good evening . are you nigel. good evening. are you happy the way our exit from the

from the european union union is going off tonight. no i'm not. i mean, the deal was always be awful . the may deal was mean, the deal was always be awful. the may deal was an absolute i mean, virtually treacherous, frankly . what she treacherous, frankly. what she did the johnson deal marginally better. but it certainly wasn't ready . you know, i mean, they ready. you know, i mean, they hadnt ready. you know, i mean, they hadn't even preheated it. as far as i'm concerned, we've paid way too much money. our borders are open, but that's because of us. we allowed small business to thrive in way that we could. i'm a gentleman that before, you know, it was really talking about, you know, why don't we give help to businesses, encourage businesses. encourage their businesses. for the was tick the the tory party it was tick the box the election and then box win the election and then well we'll worry about it later. and is they're going to and my fear is they're going to do the same at next election do the same at the next election by making some promise by making some false promise about leaving echr without about leaving the echr without meaning to on it. so meaning to deliver on it. so we're that's good . we're we're out. that's good. we're self—governing. that's good. the problem is, the people that are governing us believe in it and prove themselves to be. i think

pretty incompetent. you're you're a businessman, doug. you're a businessman, doug. you're a very successful businessman. how do you feel ? i businessman. how do you feel? i feel that the opportunity says brexit has given us a been blocked by the remote every morning establishment. the blaming all the economic conditions on brexit. the blaming covid on brexit live the russian invasion on brexit. and you're thinking no , no, this is you're thinking no, no, this is a time for us to come together and we can up. so and flourish. so because of the opportunities in brexit is giving us, we just need our leaders to believe it. doug and i met earlier i didn't know you were going to get cold for the audience that. don't know who you are. i'm going to embarrass you now. all right. oh, no. is doug mercer. oh, no. this is doug mercer. very successful businessman. entrepreneur runs a big recycling tough recycling firm called tough

sheet. . how you sheet. very tough. how you pronounce that rather well, actually . but but importantly , actually. but but importantly, dougis actually. but but importantly, doug is just signed a five year deal with bolton wanderers football club to be a big the biggest sponsor of their stadium. in the stadium is stadium. and in the stadium is going be renamed after your going to be renamed after your company but you know . company a yes but you know. martha . he's got all . red i love martha. he's got all. red i love now welcome to bolton thank you. what advice would you give people who share the same power? read it the same opinions as just as yourself and forget racist and far. yeah you know what, marcia? i get so many letters and emails from people that students at school who are standing up and saying perfectly reasonable and yet are being

decried by lecturers, professors as teachers, almost the sort of the rest of the class is encouraged, sort of shout hate at people for daring to express support for brexit or border controls or whatever it may be. my controls or whatever it may be. my advice to young people is until they don't self betray, you know, you may have a short term be doing yourself some damage by not the world damage by not telling the world how really feel and how you how you really feel and how you really think longer term, you know if you're a person not being true to themselves, i think that's going to give you an worse feeling inside. so an even worse feeling inside. so it's difficult. it means it's very difficult. it means people have to be brave and it isn't just of course , in isn't just of course, in education, but companies to this even worse in big corporate companies, we only overturn this stuff through courage. and courage means the silent majority. and there is still in this country a silent majority , this country a silent majority, a common sense, the silent majority must speak is the best advice i can give. brilliant i'm finally stop . hargreaves denies

finally stop. hargreaves denies nigel. i stop, know and believe you like a pint. it's been alleged. oh, yes. i've been in the hospitality industry for over 40 years as a business owner, as a chef, i've worked for large corporates and it's the worst ever seen it in that 40 years with . rising costs. we 40 years with. rising costs. we all know about utilities there's all know about utilities there's a labour shortage do you think there's a hidden agenda with a government on drinking and stuff like but also what governments should do next week in budget to help our industry but also smaller businesses . yeah look i smaller businesses. yeah look i mean the pubs are having a desperate time. this club, by the way, is doing rather well andifs the way, is doing rather well and it's nice to be in a place that on the 31st of january 20, 20 had a massive brexit party as they did here. so . i drinking is they did here. so. i drinking is drinking out is very expensive . drinking out is very expensive. drinking at home is relatively inexpensive of lockdown has changed the social habits of

many people . we've become much many people. we've become much more self—contained, much part of our communities , the costs of our communities, the costs for pubs, etc. are completely, utterly through the roof and the government needs to try to help, you know , the hospitality you know, the hospitality sector. otherwise won't just be pubs. there'll be whole chains of restaurants closing right across this country. it is desperate . the one thing they desperate. the one thing they can do is to reduce the very, very heavy taxes that we pay on beer and wine and spirits. they are through roof and in the end they're going to be counterproductive. scot it's tough . no counterproductive. scot it's tough. no magic one counterproductive. scot it's tough . no magic one but but tough. no magic one but but something must be done. or the great british pub meal is going to disappear and it's that our restaurants our stores thank restaurants and our stores thank you very indeed. in a you very much indeed. in a moment we'll be talking points moment, we'll be talking points local boys on good and their car in a couple of minutes.

okay. it's time for talking

points. i think better and better to have on talking points than the bolton boy and boxing legend amir khan. guys thank you as well i want to say, it's amazing to see all the bostonians. yeah, honestly , it's bostonians. yeah, honestly, it's just amazing to be back here as . well, and you having yourself here. well they were you know, you grew up here. yeah but you kind of i mean, you into boxing before you were out of short trousers , you were literally. trousers, you were literally. yeah.i trousers, you were literally. yeah. i mean , i started boxing yeah. i mean, i started boxing at the age of eight and hyperactive kid , believe it or hyperactive kid, believe it or not, you know, to be hit culturally. and i thought , oh, culturally. and i thought, oh, got to be careful these days. me yeah. so yeah. so that took to the gym one corner from the house and he said, look, let's burn the energy in somewhat positive. now no one would ever think the boxing is a sport that's you behave that's going to make you behave in school. you think is going to do the opposite it's going to

make fight with make you fight more with a little bit of skill. but to me it did the opposite. it made me behave school. then behave in school. and then i remember remembered him as a school of old. yeah. yep. so i used to go to bed of old nursery and the teachers would call dad and the teachers would call dad and say , we can't believe how and say, we can't believe how much you've changed. i mean, what have you done to him? you know, and it was boxing that changed me. i mean, by the age of 11, you are competitively boxing competitively? yeah. so which means you've actually got to go through a training regime , correct? the right diet . yeah. , correct? the right diet. yeah. i mean you actually for a kid . i mean you actually for a kid. yeah. so it was a lot . but it's yeah. so it was a lot. but it's a hell of a discipline isn't it. is for young sexy. i've got kids myself. none of my kids listen to me. i started at the age of eight and when i was 11 i was still in school and we'd club shows. so i use to train the what for me boxing club , you what for me boxing club, you know where the halliwell club , know where the halliwell club, you know where the weightlifting

gym is right there and it was the underground gym. it's freezing . oh, my god. when we freezing. oh, my god. when we went in, they used to be freezing cold. you had to literally train hard to keep warm. you know. i mean, otherwise it's a bit like today and both coming off yeah. in bolton yeah. steve's coming off the mirrors and he see a steam rising above doing bologna. but you stuck with it, a lot of guys stuck with it because a lot of kids must drop out of this. oh, yeah. so my friends have joined in at the same in boxing with me at the same time, 95% of them left, never boxed again. never to go boxed again. never want to go back the gym because they back to the gym because they would to be doubt. would be pushed to be doubt. listen the trainer. if you listen to the trainer. if you don't your trainer, don't listen to your trainer, you kicked out. so we did you get kicked out. so we did training is very strict, but the same time there. you have to listen to a trainer because he's a boss. you were also a big boss. but you were also incredibly i mean, no one incredibly young. i mean, no one knew who were. and you knew who you were. and there you 90, knew who you were. and there you go, athens olympics . go, off to the athens olympics. yeah.in go, off to the athens olympics. yeah. in 2004, you're 17 years old. a lot of people . he's way old. a lot of people. he's way too young to be doing this. yeah, but you go through . you

yeah, but you go through. you win a silver medal. yeah and suddenly we see your dad wearing a union jack waistcoat, and you're wrapped in a flag and there you are, a 70 winning a silver medal . and you come back silver medal. and you come back to bolton and those open top double deckers and you're suddenly you're a celebrity . suddenly you're a celebrity. yeah.i suddenly you're a celebrity. yeah. i mean , it was i mean, yeah. i mean, it was i mean, i call myself a figure a famous boxer. really not a celebrity, you know? i mean, that's different for a boxer. i know. i think you've got to remember. who remembers back in 2004, the big boss. yeah. and it crazy on a different you know i couldn't believe when i come back i was walking down the same streets what i normally walk down on i was already an amateur champion. amateur european champion . but amateur european champion. but no one knew me well after . amateur european champion. but no one knew me well after. and that's how big of a local tournament the olympics is. everyone knew what mcconnell was and it was crazy . everyone knew what mcconnell was and it was crazy. i everyone knew what mcconnell was and it was crazy . i felt like and it was crazy. i felt like pinch myself then , you know, i pinch myself then, you know, i had never autograph . so had never done autograph. so i thought just a couple of sign my

name as as i can, honestly. name as fast as i can, honestly. and was and some i got i got and it was and some i got i got people now saying it says show me all all crufts. i said, oh, so signed for me in 2004 when nicola which is nice , it's nice nicola which is nice, it's nice but, but then of course i go, i didn't do that. i mean just look like my scribble that was an amateur. it's then time to turn professional and really go for it in a big, big. yeah. and again it doesn't really take you very to become a world champion doesit very to become a world champion does it not on the third youngest in the world and to become a world, what would do let's just share that moment when. you were first biathlon champ . i will when. you were first biathlon champ. i will put it up on the screen. yeah judges all of a sudden and john cross, our top scorer that . had 118 to 111 and scorer that. had 118 to 111 and all three in favour of winner got a new zealand to beat him right. well to the great champion of the world i mean put

. oh unanimous and wide glittering like his gold outfit. i amazing i mean come on just how cool about it was that one of the best moments of life because you know everyone's dream is as a professional boxer you want to become a world champion. and obviously that was the day when i take that box and become that world champion . i become that world champion. i remember was at the remember that was at the manchester arena . and what manchester arena. and what a venue was. it was full sell—out and mind you, that was bobby to face after . that was yet to win face after. that was yet to win was to fight. after i got my first defeat when everyone was writing me off saying that he's neven writing me off saying that he's never, ever going to become world champion, you know , just world champion, you know, just to be god because it was on my side. and i think when you change weights a couple of times , obviously in boxing all up and down those bands are down because those bands are quite tight. oh yeah, they really, really so really, really tight. so normally what they said to you if making lightweight,

if you're making lightweight, for example, making for example, you're making nine or pound over, or nine. if are a pound over, there's penalties, big there's big penalties, big penalties miami qualified and penalties or miami qualified and then cost you to whole then that cost you to whole goal then that cost you to whole goal. so we have make sure goal. so we have to make sure that we make your that whatever we make your weight used a15 weight and that used to be a15 making weight very very hard making weight is very very hard putting sweatsuits on. i was putting a sweatsuits on. i was like , you won't believe this, like, you won't believe this, but you know, this idea. i said, wouldn't the streets ? like when wouldn't the streets? like when i go for a jog at night—time, i just go really late at night—time. so i went one afternoon, time get afternoon, one time and get stopped the and cause stopped all the time and cause so i stopped and taking pictures. but at night—time i used to go quite regularly and i used to go quite regularly and i used to go past the all the way to the top one to world titles. yeah, you all sorts of other medals in all sorts of different disciplines both as an amateur and as a professional. disciplines both as an amateur and as a professional . and you and as a professional. and you kept on boxing for years and years and years. you are now really retired, are you? yeah, i yeah, i am. i mean, i've you know, when you boxing, don't get me wrong, but my last couple of daysi me wrong, but my last couple of days i could see the love was amazing. i did want to really push the body as much. all my

life i've been training so hard i just couldn't do no more. i mean, i was getting more aches and pains like, before my last fight, rotator cuff. fight, i hit my rotator cuff. i got one of the tendons. thought it was a walk on here. this is, you know, the body can't take that much punishment. so had to call it a day . that much punishment. so had to call it a day. i that much punishment. so had to call it a day . i mean, that much punishment. so had to call it a day. i mean, i do miss the sport. i wish i still had it in me to do more fights to and more people. but, you know, sometimes your body, you need to stop. and now having kids as well. i've got three kids. i want to be a good father, good role model them. so i want role model to them. so i want them to be around them them to i want to be around them when go to school. i want to, you know, drop them off there. imagine one put you old one imagine me one put you old one put away get hurt. no, put you away from get hurt. no, i don't want ever be one of i don't want to ever be one of them. is stayed the game them. it is stayed in the game for long and how which for too long and how which people do that, which people look our one the greatest fighters muhammed look our one the greatest figistayed muhammed look our one the greatest figistayed in muhammed look our one the greatest figistayed in the muhammed look our one the greatest figistayed in the gameiuhammed look our one the greatest figistayed in the game ahammed look our one the greatest figistayed in the game a bit1med look our one the greatest figistayed in the game a bit tood ali stayed in the game a bit too long. i remember that when you need to fight him, that's a amazing in the amazing fire. but stayed in the game for too long and poor guy

didn't enjoy the didn't really get to enjoy the rest of his life this you really see his kids grow so i'd never want be that same position want to be in that same position outside at. yeah was very, outside of at. yeah it was very, very sad. yeah how do you now you're not professionally boxing. you keep i mean, boxing. how do you keep i mean, is still fitness is that still a big fitness regime or is it harder? so got regime or is it harder? so i got an academy just down road. you come session long before come into session long before you gym, remind your you go to the gym, remind your sparring it's not over. sparring partner, it's not over. i've the words here, but i've lost the words here, but i give it a i know that give it a go. now i know that you. you've branched out into lots of different things. so the academy, basically academy, that's basically you try to what try to encourage kids to do what you've done. so i was there you've done. yes. so i was there just yesterday to meet just yesterday i went to meet the so we had a we have the kids. so we had a we have abouti the kids. so we had a we have about i think in a week we have about i think in a week we have about 300 kids come in a week that keeps the kids off the streets, them disciplined streets, keep them disciplined see how taught kept see how boxing taught me. kept off streets, kept off the streets, kept me behaved. discipline. behaved. it taught discipline. i want the for these want to do the same for these youngsters around the area and then to go out and to do club shows, to do to do boxing competitions. attend on the competitions. they attend on the air. you know, we've had the tv cameras a few times. you know,

the kids love it. so yeah, it's been it's been good. keep it fit know everyone with look fit and strong the muscles they are that age you know where they want to have their girlfriends see their big and stuff know it's big and stuff you know it's nothing with but nothing nothing wrong with but nothing in the gym to get them, you know. so we always say you've also since 2014 had the amir khan foundation. yeah. well you've been actively involved in trying to get relief aid down. yeah. turkey in the last few weeks. i tell you what, it's a bit more about your foundation. yeah i'm mean foundation with yeah so i'm mean foundation with a i started, a charity foundation i started, i give to a lot of i used to give a lot to a lot of charity after every was like charity after every it was like a you. and i just to a thank you. and i just to charity. then i decide that i don't know that money is getting spent. so i've got my own foundation an army foundation where i spend in where every year i spend on in new places. so state of my charity often feeding the charity often uk feeding the homeless manchester dennis homeless in manchester dennis some bolton going to some work in bolton going to different areas you know stuff like kids going to kids schools having to talk to them about and if they can't afford bags and stuff, buy them bags , pencil

stuff, buy them bags, pencil kits and stuff . so that's how kits and stuff. so that's how the foundations fight. but now we've gone on a such a bigger scale, we are still supporting the local stuff, but we're doing things a lot internationally as well that the well in turkey, that the earthquake. we, we sent earthquake. so we, we sent a team there and we give them we give them aid and stuff and clothing and food and everything and medication same with pakistan, obviously, my parents come so bit , pakistan, obviously, my parents come so bit, i've come to pakistan, so a bit, i've built orphanage over built like an orphanage over there well. orphanage in there as well. orphanage in africa. well, so, you know, that is know, you've used your is a you know, you've used your success s and you will and you know, trying to good. that's know, trying to do good. that's really admirable. but i to really admirable. but i have to ask you about tv programme. ask you about the tv programme. meet cow big in bolton. if meet the cow big in bolton. if you give . yeah, yeah . did the you give. yeah, yeah. did the family enjoy doing that at the stylist . yeah. because how much stylist. yeah. because how much having come in your face all the time , you get sick of it. you time, you get sick of it. you know, you might you come in sometime, you want to make a phone call, probably call it because you might of can't do anything and but then i got used to it , i swear

anything and but then i got used to it, i swear i came to a stage now where i mean the wife only talk when the camera's on to me i swear. because normally , you i swear. because normally, you know, they tell you to talk, talk . but i remember when the talk. but i remember when the cameras are off, we never speak to each other. we're like , you to each other. we're like, you know, left. not i come with, i think so much energy people think so much energy people think it's easy to be on camera . i love respect to you you always on on the camera. it does always on on the camera. it does a lot of energy. you does actually yeah . but i love it. actually yeah. but i love it. i've always loved it. it's not quite as tough as being in politics either. i can tell you i don't get quite the same level of although very, very of abuse, although very, very close. have still close. and we have bolton still very much your heart. family very much in your heart. family still yeah, definitely. still here? yeah, definitely. bolton. the bolton just bolton. look, the bolton just football club well, football club as well, guys. football so what football wanderers. yeah so what does get behind jay—z's? the new sponsor , tough chic, the new sponsor, tough chic, the new stadium . but it's an old rap. stadium. but it's an old rap. it's a bolton loving . yes. we it's a bolton loving. yes. we all stick together. we a big thank you to amir khan for joining us from broken bones today. thank you, for sir, was a

touch okay . well, that was touch okay. well, that was great. now we're going to end the show these these characters, we can't get rid of them. actually yet better spelling. i've got another latest updated version of . nigel says, listen version of. nigel says, listen to the words. they're really quite funny . jamie blank his quite funny. jamie blank his career has gone down the pain because refused to tell the difference between a woman and a man . is he difference between a woman and a man. is he them difference between a woman and a man . is he them all her man. is he them all her non—binary young plumper ? if non—binary young plumper? if you're asking me , could stick. you're asking me, could stick. get out me . and jim fine harry get out me. and jim fine harry and meghan , the folks from ma. and meghan, the folks from ma. so they won't be standing there on privacy talk. i the insists hank at his guest list. on privacy talk. i the insists hank at his guest list . he's hank at his guest list. he's only allowed a typo police say hey, hey, hey, hey try and use

says john. now in is it's a train of bones john and angel says just out his just sturgeon shop call not always all bones nigel was saying i had a seriously hacked off 19 said none of this should to happen nine to say we are owed a government inquiry. nigel hurrah hello there. i'm greg quest and welcome to the latest broadcast from the met office. over the next few days, high pressure remains firmly in charge. we will see some rain pushing south over the next 24 hours. but

generally settled picture is what see. and we can see what we will see. and we can see that high pressure on the synoptic to of synoptic charts to the west of us at the moment, synoptic charts to the west of us at the moment , the moment us at the moment, the moment allowing these weather systems to push south, but to slowly push south, but generally so the generally weak in nature. so the range should be and patchy range should be light and patchy . the rain already across scotland, northern england as we head through the evening time, clearer further south, clearer skies further south, particularly central southern parts and wales will parts of england and wales will mean tumbling mean temperatures tumbling here, minus minus two celsius will minus or minus two celsius will lead a frost under the lead to a patchy frost under the cloud and patchy rain elsewhere, holding well above freezing . but holding well above freezing. but it does mean a cloudy start to friday morning across central and northern parts of the uk, early brightness limited to the far south and through the. this weather system slowly pushes this southwards. we will see this way southwards. we will see some along times, some patchy along it at times, but it brighten up behind but it will brighten up behind this, particularly across northern england, scotland and then on across northern then later on across northern ireland, we could one two ireland, we could see one or two showers rolling down east coast on, quite keen northerly on, quite a keen northerly breeze. temperatures here 7 to 9 degrees, but under the cloud further south, 11 or 12 as a high. this weather system into

the evening pushes its way southwards . we see clearing southwards. we see clearing skies it , southwards. we see clearing skies it, particularly in skies behind it, particularly in the west. we continue to in the west. we will continue to in the west. we will continue to in the hours to one or the early hours to see one or two filtering in across two showers filtering in across the east. we'll see a bit of the east. so we'll see a bit of a split with temperatures as we head the night time, head towards the night time, minus one to minus four. of course, some western areas holding freezing with holding up above freezing with that east . but it that freeze the far east. but it does mean a bright start saturday. many of us, the best of the sunshine across central and western though cloud and western areas, though cloud across the east does filter more as head through the day , as we head through the day, bubbung as we head through the day, bubbling afternoon , bubbling up into the afternoon, one or two showers possible still these moving way still these moving their way inland, perhaps a little bit wintry over the higher ground. northern norfolk, northern england, norfolk, scotland feeling scotland, temperatures feeling chillier saturday and into chillier on saturday and into sunday. of weather to come sunday. a lot of weather to come over the next days over the next few days temperatures around average. see you . soon no spin, no bias, no you. soon no spin, no bias, no censorship. dan wootton is back. tune in monday for unfiltered political opinion from some of britain's top commentate shows,

including celia walden, kelvin mackenzie , neil oliver, plus as mackenzie, neil oliver, plus as always, there will be fiery with the superstar pop

good evening. i'm jacob rees—mogg of the nation. tonight as the government's illegal migration bill has grabbed the headunes migration bill has grabbed the headlines all week , behind the headlines all week, behind the scenes, it has emerged plans in place to relax legal migration rules even further. despite migration being an all time high , the slovenly and wasteful project known as hs2 has been delayed once again, and now i am freed from the tight grip of collective. i'll be giving my unfettered thoughts. plus remember when speed cameras first came in and people started burning them but let back at it again? but this time with khan's

ulez , i'll be speaking to former