wonderkid of the darts time wonderkid of the darts world who stormed to victory from nowhere. keith bell, a former world champion, joins us. but before all of that, let's get more years with parliament last. get more years with parliament last . nigel, thank you. and good last. nigel, thank you. and good evening to you. the top story tonight, a woman has been sentenced to eight and a half years in prison for perverting the course of justice after falsely accusing a number of men of rape. 22 year old eleanor williams had also created a facebook post alleging she'd been the victim of an asian grooming gang . preston crown grooming gang. preston crown court heard how three of the men she'd falsely accused of rape had attempted to take their own lives. and at the time of her accusations, there were mass protests in her home town in cumbria, with some businesses forced to close . williams will forced to close. williams will serve half the sentence in prison . in other news today , prison. in other news today, chancellor is looking at increasing the lifetime pension allowance in an attempt to

reverse the current trend of going for early retirement . it's going for early retirement. it's understood jeremy hunt's considering allowing individuals to put more money into their pension pot before they're taxed . the current lifetime allowance stands at just over £i,oo0,000. with savers incurring tax after the personal threshold has been exceeded , well, the measures are exceeded, well, the measures are expected to be unveiled in tomorrow's budget as the chancellor looks to increase britain's workforce to help stimulate the economy. full coverage on gb news tomorrow . coverage on gb news tomorrow. now the us military has said tonight a russian fighter jet has collided with a us military drone over the black sea, forcing the us to bring down its unmanned aircraft . it says the unmanned aircraft. it says the us reaper was on a routine surveillance mission in international airspace when two russian jets tried intercept it. according to the us military, the incident resulted in the complete loss of the us drone, with the white house saying the

incident was unsafe, unprofessional and reckless . unprofessional and reckless. now, contrary , virtual social now, contrary, virtual social media personality andrew tate has had his bail request denied by a court in romania. tate and his brother tristan are being held over alleged sex trafficking in the country , trafficking in the country, which is under criminal investigation , even if now means investigation, even if now means he'll remain in custody until at least march 29th. the pair were taken into custody in december , taken into custody in december, but haven't yet been formally charged . and lastly, the queen charged. and lastly, the queen consort met a young ballet dancer today who is set to star in a new disney documents . in a new disney documents. camilla met antony madu when she visited elmhurst ballet school in birmingham. the 13 year old nigerian received a scholarship from the school after a video of him pirouetting in the rain went viral in 2020. now disney is making a documentary , his life. making a documentary, his life. the queen consort wished the young star the best of luck on

tv dab digital radio. tune in and online . this is gb news. the and online. this is gb news. the people's channel. time for. barrage good evening. well, we can trace it all back to 1956. no, i'm not joking. it was the suez crisis of 1956 when we attempted to take back the suez canal, the parachute . the royal marines parachute. the royal marines were in. but the americans didn't support us on that one. the pound went into freefall. pressure came on. the prime minister anthony eden, who was forced to resign. britain, was humiliated on the world stage in a way that had never happened in modern times, and that led to a change of thinking in the foreign office and the upper echelons of british society. and simply it was this the age of empire was over. macmillan came

in as prime minister , gave his in as prime minister, gave his winds of change speech and macmillan, the foreign office , macmillan, the foreign office, the aristocracy , decided that the aristocracy, decided that our future was now to be with europe . and indeed, in 1961, we europe. and indeed, in 1961, we lodged the first application to join the common market. it all goes back to suez. and ever since 1956 we have withdrawn progressively east of to the level at which the uk simply wasn't playing a role. indeed we even turned our backs horrendously on australia, new zealand and many, many of our friends in this pursuit for being part of a new european political empire . but with political empire. but with brexit, i think all of that has changed. i may have railed on this programme about the british government since 2019 not taking the full benefit of brexit, but on the world stage as a 30 something, we're standing taller than we were. you see australia who became very much more

dependent upon china for trade as a direct result of us leaving them behind and going . what them behind and going. what became the european union? australia were also the first country to realise the serious potential that china posed and that threat isn't just economic. that threat clearly, increasingly is military as well as china starts to build bases on ourselves and directly threatens taiwan . now, to threatens taiwan. now, to protect australia, they've been using diesel, french made diesel submarines and this is suited french contractors beautifully. the problem is they are as good as useless in the modern world because they have to surface at least once every 48 hours or nearer, once every 24 hours for oxygen and, for air. whereas a new, clear powered submarine can stay submerged for up to four months at a time under targeted by china or any other potential enemy . so the orcas deal

by china or any other potential enemy. so the orcas deal has been struck. and yesterday in san diego, president biden , san diego, president biden, prime minister albanese and rishi so like that together basically signing on the dotted line. what does it mean ? it line. what does it mean? it means that we're going to provide australia with new nuclear powered submarines . nuclear powered submarines. rolls royce? yes. a british company will build those small nuclear factors that go into them. as for construction, some of it will be in australia, some will be done in some of it done. but only components in the united kingdom. and in the meantime , america more than us, meantime, america more than us, because they're stronger, will start to provide nuclear submarine support. for start to provide nuclear submarine support . for australia submarine support. for australia , it's an attempt to rebalance power in the far east and we are now playing a very leading role in that as members of the european union. it would never have happened . tonight i want to have happened. tonight i want to debate. do you agree with me that the united kingdom is now beginning to become a world player once again ? let me know

player once again? let me know your thoughts, farage at gb news dot uk. well, i'm going to go now to australia. i know it's ungodly hour of the morning and i'm very grateful to alexandra marshall , online editor of the marshall, online editor of the spectator australia , for getting spectator australia, for getting up in the middle of the night and speaking to me . and how was and speaking to me. and how was how were the images of prime minister albanese there in san diego yesterday , the awkward diego yesterday, the awkward deal being signed ? it seemed to deal being signed? it seemed to me when i was recently in australia that this was a policy that had support across the political spectrum . well, good political spectrum. well, good evening . it's lovely to be with evening. it's lovely to be with you here today, nigel. and i can safely say that australia is a breathing a sigh of relief because it's the first time that our prime minister has actually made use of one of his numerous overseas trips. so we were very grateful to see him using these carbon to in signing carbon credits to our in signing this important deal with this very important deal with both the uk and america and really it feels like coming home

have this deep between the uk and the us that cannot be broken. it's basically a family bond. and so this august deal makes perfect and quite frankly, it's not even a product of the current political leaders of the day. it's not a reflection of their negotiating skills. this had to happen because the rise of china, the authoritarian communist force had to be dealt with and the only way to do that is to form a strong alliance to protect the pacific. well, i. with you, alexandra. absolutely. on that . i'm very pleased that on that. i'm very pleased that brexit britain is now able to reconnect with our friends, indeed our kith and kin, and frankly in australia and boy , i frankly in australia and boy, i can't wait for the cricket between us this summer. a separate issue i agree, but this deal has not been met with universal praise. you see the chinese say that this involves the use of grade uranium and threatens treaties that exist on

nuclear weapons. what would you say the chinese ? it's a little say the chinese? it's a little bit hypocritical . china, after bit hypocritical. china, after building up the largest in the world, mind you, not the powerful navy and in possession of plenty of nuclear submarines of plenty of nuclear submarines of their own and nuclear power plants to combat us and say, how dare australia seek to defend the pacific itself? so china loves to screech and scream about these things. but the point is they the game and so they can't expect other nations to sit around and do nothing while . they stretch their limbs while. they stretch their limbs with pacific friends and hasn't been able , you know, love and been able, you know, love and roses and, hugs. ask taiwan and japan how feel about china's behaviour . japan how feel about china's behaviour. and so australia had no choice and it doesn't threaten the nuclear proliferation treaty because we're not building or housing weapons grade uranium in australia. that's happening in the uk and us, it's not happening here. we don't even have a nuclear power plant in power now . i know, i mean, you

power now. i know, i mean, you know, the extent to which australia has turned its back on the production of uranium and using nuclear power has amazed me. all my visits . but there we me. all my visits. but there we are. but you such a lavrov, are. but you see such a lavrov, the minister of the the foreign minister of the russian federation . and it's russian federation. and it's worrying, isn't it? how close it seems that china and russia are now becoming . he says this now becoming. he says this action could lead to years of confrontation . well the only confrontation. well the only person who actually well, the parties that are seeking confrontation are china and russia. australia not seeking to invade anybody . we're quite invade anybody. we're quite peaceful down on our little island. we'd rather trade with china, which we have proved over the decades, making our largest trading partner and indeed there are figures in australian politics who would rather we didn't create a military arrangement . but they think that arrangement. but they think that trade will protect them from conflict. but the lesson of the last two world wars is that your trading partners , it does not trading partners, it does not protect you from conflict with them. and so we have to remember that with china that if push comes shove, our trade comes to shove, our trade

relation is not going to be the buffer that hope it is as far as our actual protection of our nation. so you know what, they can hate it, but there's not really any geopolitical choice here. the market. alexander marshall, thank you for joining here on gb news in the middle the night in australia. thank you very much indeed . well, you very much indeed. well, let's get some american reaction to this. that was president biden centre stage in san diego yesterday . greg fence and biden centre stage in san diego yesterday. greg fence and his chair republicans founding partner of brick macadam . greg partner of brick macadam. greg after the unilateral withdrawal from afghanistan without even telling us, it was going to happen. telling us, it was going to happen . many of us thought, happen. many of us thought, well, this is it. you know, despite the america is back stuff that we heard in the 2020 election campaign that effectively biden taken effectively biden had taken america back into its shell. is the awkward deal a sign that actually america still wants to be a player on the world stage? well, i so and i think that surely does. and most of us

understand that the uk and the special relationship is vital to economic and issues. so you know i'm glad that the president finally woke up to that. he's obviously been pro—eu very much against brexit, pro ireland, you know , he hasn't really shown know, he hasn't really shown french up to the united kingdom until. so i thought it was a wise pivot on the heels of afghanistan. on the heels of, you know , cutting the defence you know, cutting the defence budget in the us by 3, you know, on the heels of disaster with, with the relationship with the saudis which , you know, allowed saudis which, you know, allowed xi to step in and a deal between the cia. i mean, this so he needed to do something positive. yes. on the ones i agree with, on the one hand, we've got orcas and a very positive image on american president flanked by british and australian prime ministers but on the other president xi has been more active in terms of international diplomacy than i think most of viewers listeners even know viewers and listeners even know . i mean, extraordinary . you

. i mean, extraordinary. you know, one of trump's great boasts was that he brokered the abraham accords, right between israel and some nations . israel and some arab nations. and was absolutely in favour and i was absolutely in favour of all of that. and yet remarkably, an almost uncommon did on yeah. by the media president xi physically last week brokering a deal between saudi arabia and iran. yes so isn't the truth of this and i'm all for the awkward stay at a level for us playing a role on the world stage but isn't the truth of this that actually as we talk about our support for ukraine as we talk about how unhed ukraine as we talk about how united we are behind zelenskyy that actually china on the other of us is potentially building a massive coalition. they've they've played it well . i think they've played it well. i think biden set it up with the disaster in afghanistan. and then he also it up by by damaging the relationship with saudis until he needed the saudis until he needed the saudis to pump more oil.

saudis until he needed the saudis to pump more oil . then he saudis to pump more oil. then he went to riyadh and was humiliate it humiliating for and by the way before the ukraine invasion he also sent his people to moscow. jake sullivan went to moscow, begged putin to pump more oil . so, you know, first he more oil. so, you know, first he just tries his best to destroy the energy sector in the us and then complains that, you know, we're not enough oil in the world. so i'll go to venezuela well and russia and iran ultimately and the saudis. well and russia and iran ultimately and the saudis . and ultimately and the saudis. and so, you know, you can't have it both ways. i think, you know, trump did a great job managing the saudi relationship. it's been an important not as important as the uk us. relationship , but surely relationship, but surely important for generation is now but now damaged. biden managed to mess that up. well, i mean , to mess that up. well, i mean, saudi was first overseas saudi was trump's first overseas visit. was a very symbolic visit. it was a very symbolic big moment for sure. great fans. and joining me. and thank you for joining me. and thank you for joining me. and think folks at home are and i think folks at home are listening in your car. we should be pleased that once again, we are a player on the are becoming a player on the world stage, not a force we're not big enough militarily to be a serious force, but at least a

player on the world stage . but player on the world stage. but listen to what i say . player on the world stage. but listen to what i say. china are putting together a potentially massive alliance and coalition of countries that is against our interests . america's interests interests. america's interests are australia's interests. so we can celebrate a little bit with orcas, but i suggest not too much in a moment. we're going to talk about where hs2 has got to is it perhaps now the biggest white elephant in british history ? all of that in a couple history? all of that in a couple of minutes .

so with brexit, are we becoming a world player ? some of your a world player? some of your thoughts coming in. james says absolutely. nigel brexit is the best thing our country ever voted for. another viewer says

yes . let's hope deals continue yes. let's hope deals continue to be created . another says no . to be created. another says no. there was nothing stopping us making ships before . listen, making ships before. listen, listen, listen, listen, listen listen. we would not have able to do a deal on nuclear with austria as eu members , as the austria as eu members, as the french already had contracts for the diesel useless diesel submarines. oh, and by the way , submarines. oh, and by the way, perhaps the best thing about the orcus deal is that president macron is genuinely . that must macron is genuinely. that must mean it is a good thing. macron is genuinely. that must mean it is a good thing . ryan mean it is a good thing. ryan says yes, the deal shows what an independ and uk can do and i agree with that. and roger says we already were until the tories and johnson got their hands on it and made an utter mess of things. roger i tell you what may say you can like it or dislike it, can think are making the right foreign policy decisions or the wrong one. what is for certain is that an independent united kingdom

stands taller in the world. look at ukraine. what we very much taken the lead as eu members , we taken the lead as eu members, we would have been pretty much forced to act in unison with everybody . now hs2 , i've talked everybody. now hs2, i've talked about it for years and years and years. i've campaigned against it for over a decade . i never it for over a decade. i never thought from the very beginning we were going to get a bang for our buck. i never believed from the start that the british government was capable of doing it. what i that the private sector weren't prepared to put a penny piece into it. i thought, goodness me the taxpayer is in for a tough time here. the first estimate i read of the cost a london to manchester hs2 line was 36 billion. the latest i've seen is in excess of 100 billion. no one doubts it could finish up as much as 150 billion. but now the news is that the delay to hs2 means for the next few years it won't even run from euston . it will run run from euston. it will run from old oak common. try getting

there. unless you live in north west london and it won't be going to manchester and it won't terminate in euston . until 2041. terminate in euston. until 2041. it's almost 20 years away . now it's almost 20 years away. now the labour party have hit back at this and they've these delays will mean there's going to be even more expense. but do we need a radical policy c rethink on all of this? well, joining me is emma, head of communications and public affairs at the centre for policy studies. emma, as a group studies policy , you say group studies policy, you say very appropriate thing to go to. i mean, where are we with this . i mean, where are we with this. as you say, the are phenomenal. they are not entirely unpredictable as are the spiralling costs as you say . the spiralling costs as you say. the initial government estimate was something around 30 billion. we're now looking over 208 and it's not going to go to manchester until i'm in my sixties . i

manchester until i'm in my sixties. i really manchester until i'm in my sixties . i really would like to sixties. i really would like to get train manchester get a train manchester sometime soon. speed on this line. but soon. at speed on this line. but it's not going to be possible. well there are many of us actually engaging with this debate. pleased debate. it'll be very pleased to even alive in i mean, even be alive in 2041. i mean, we are now in 2023. we're being told it'll be 18 years until is completed . is there any rethink completed. is there any rethink and why? and you know, and your group, you've got some pretty you people within the conservative party . but listen conservative party. but listen closely to what you have to say and have done for years. why are they so wedded to hs2 ? i think they so wedded to hs2? i think because the commitment is there and it was initially a project into the last labour government. so it has labour and conservative party support and given the scale that has been spent it already even before a shovel hit the ground, we spent i think 8 billion on things like planning permission , impact planning permission, impact assessments and things like that. given the scale of the cost , that. given the scale of the cost, politicians i think are probably understandably a bit reticent to go no, we'll scrap

it because the costs at this stage will be actually delivering the trains which is the we what we've the bit we need. what we've spent money on already is assessment and and assessment and planning and delay and, reschedule and having to go . oh, actually, maybe we'll to go. oh, actually, maybe we'll get rid of that line or that leg. still have leg. what? we still don't have is the trucks and trains is the actual trucks and trains that are going to be stayed. that's what need to do. assuming that win 18 months, that may that win in 18 months, that may be wrong, but assuming labour within months, it would within 18 months, it would appear their statement appear from their statement today they're saying go faster , today they're saying go faster, go harder. so there's no prospect policy change with labouris prospect policy change with labour is that by the looks of it, i don't think on hs2 and the problem hs2 is a symptom of a wider problem in british political system is that we are terrible at planning and terrible at planning and terrible at planning and terrible at managing projects . terrible at managing projects. the government has nearly 250 what it classes as major project . it's only 24 of those are green coded so on track to be delivered on time and on budget there are 27. so even more red coded which absolutely no

prospect of being delivered on time on budget and the project itself appears almost entirely unfeasible as planned. we've got a budget coming up tomorrow and we're looking at potentially massive increases in alcohol duty, as much as 50 pee on a bottle of wine will be going on this year. big raises tobacco taxes . goodness knows it looks taxes. goodness knows it looks like corporation tax going up almost 30. yeah, i mean, we could if we scrap this project , could if we scrap this project, it seems to me being markedly better financial position . there better financial position. there is a lot of money that to be spent to get hs2 delivered and it will be decades , at least it will be decades, at least years if not decades schedule so but billions and billions of pounds of spending every single year for at least the next 18 years. yes. is time to scrap hs2 . i don't think politicians will. i really don't think so because they are committed on both sides to the concept and this country does need the extra

rail capacity. you can argue about whether this is in the right place necessarily. it needs more capacity in the north and the northern legs of and it's the northern legs of hs2 and it's the northern legs of hsz that and it's the northern legs of hs2 that have been scrapped or more significantly. well, i would the money building would spend the money building more clearly more roads because clearly a country with an increased emma thank country with an thank you a country with an increased population of 8 billion since 2001. just look at the traffic jams just how difficult is to move around we could build the roads we need and do it within next 2 to 3 years. if we had to spend money. i think i'd rather spend money on ask for capacity. on that and ask for capacity. well, know what? going well, you know what? we're going to build longer to need to build longer platforms. we're going need platforms. we're going to need to bigger trains. there's to build bigger trains. there's no but when no question about that. but when it speed, do know it comes to speed, do you know what go from euston to what you can go from euston to the business district of the central business district of manchester, piccadilly station in 2 hours and 7 minutes. is it really worth all this upset, a massive expense. just to get to manchester 20 minutes more quickly would that drive business to manchester or would it be rather like france where the tgv , which made marseilles

the tgv, which made marseilles paris go from 6 hours to 3 hours? and that was a real saving and all it did, it meant more firms relocated to paris. none of this in my opinion will benefit the north or level up in any way at all. there we are. i've had my. it's a complete waste of time. i've thought so for years in a minute and duncan smith on china he's going to tell me where prime minister sunak stands on the threat or from china, because i cannot understand what the pm said said

well been busy talking about the orcas deal and the fact britain is once again a player , if not is once again a player, if not a force on the world stage when it comes to post—brexit britain. but yesterday the integrated review refresh goodness knows where they get names like that from talked about britain in a

broader context it's defence russia china . and joining me sir russia china. and joining me sir iain duncan smith member of parliament for chingford and woodford green and somebody who's been speaking a lot about china over last four years. and can i begin on defence? we've now had a 13 years of a conservative government. we are shovelling vast amounts of equipment to help zelenskyy in his battle with down to a stockpile of 6000 artillery shells, which is a pretty serious situation . and this is serious situation. and this is interesting politically . you interesting politically. you know, john healey , he was the know, john healey, he was the shadow defence secretary and quite a capable , i think in many quite a capable, i think in many ways. you know what we're you know, he said yesterday that the conservative government have failed to secure our national defence. when i listened to comments from your defence secretary , who i thought was secretary, who i thought was remarkably frank the other week about , our defence capabilities, about, our defence capabilities, our our inability see, i mean, let's supposing the falklands

war happened again, we couldn't possibly do it on our own . how possibly do it on our own. how has your government has , your has your government has, your party let the country down this. well i think to be fair, we've have done pretty well on some of the equipment and badly on others and i think on funding there was no question we met the requirement, but nato requirement, but nato requirement is simply not enough. 2% which most didn't look at germany, they don't have any aircraft that get off the runways when ukraine was invaded by russia so people have just assumed they could never be another war in europe. and then, lo behold, ukraine gets lo and behold, ukraine gets invaded russia goes invaded by russia and it goes told so. so 2% was not told you so. so 2% was not enough. it will not be enough. the government's commitment to get two and a half% is a start but the way i see it right now is they have to be aiming eventually to get to 3% get everyone talks about, you everyone talks in about, you know, technology , weapons know, technology, new weapons as they do in every war and they always do in every war and every time and every decade. the truth it is, as ukraine truth of it is, as ukraine proves indeed as the gulf proves and indeed as the gulf war proved with at the end of war proved with us at the end of day, boots on ground

day, without boots on the ground there isn't much you can do. and there isn't much you can do. and the current projections for the british army to shrink to 73,000 people and these massive shnnkage people and these massive shrinkage of manpower the raf, the royal navy , the army, the royal navy, the army, they've all happened under 13 years of tory rule. they have . years of tory rule. they have. and i think the trouble always with these things and i was in government, i was also in the army too, by the way. i served in northern ireland as well as rhodesia. need an army, rhodesia. you need an army, otherwise deploy. otherwise you can't deploy. you can't deployed, and you certainly can't deploy abroad. when in army, the when i was in the army, the 150,000 strong, i always thought around 100,000 would be about right . once you start dipping right. once you start dipping below that , it's very difficult below that, it's very difficult then to do multiple that are then to do the multiple that are necessary. so part of the target of getting the finance up is also to get recruitment back up. now when the economy now sometimes when the economy is well, difficult is growing well, it's difficult to recruitment, we have to get recruitment, but we have aim more boots , as you aim to get more boots, as you say, on the ground and on the ground here in the uk to fulfil the numbers we're after. the numbers that we're after. i think what defence think that's what the defence secretary quite

secretary was on about quite rightly. the second thing is we do need to have the machines, the technology to the and the technology to support them. i that. support them. i get that. otherwise they get seriously nose go into action nose when they go into action and we've given away a lot that that's fine because i back ukraine 100% to resupply ukraine 100% got to resupply though means a commitment though that means a commitment from extra from the government for extra money. johnson money. china boris johnson self—declared sign file . much of self—declared sign file. much of his own family signed a files rishi sunak i'm desperately confused. what's the position he runs to be leader? he says the china could pose an existential threat then becomes prime minister and calls it a strategic threat. yesterday he says it's an epoch defining challenge. where the hell are we on china ? well, we're moving. on china? well, we're moving. that's well, what does that make you you? grab what you got and then you take it somewhere else. so in my rishi sunak started by saying they were in existential threat , they were to challenge. threat, they were to challenge. but the truth is , they are but the truth is, they are a threat. they are multi—dimensional, whether it's commerce, whether it's ip, whether it's actually trade,

whether it's actually trade, whether war, defence, military invasion. they've already the south china seas that carrying out terrible human rights abuses , genocide in amongst the weaker christians getting smashed. the tibetans in forced labour camps . we don't need much more evidence to know this country is now a threat and growing to be a greater threat. yet we've made ourselves dependent upon them. well, this is the whole problem. and i'm afraid very and it happened. i'm afraid very much under the watch started under blair continued by under tony blair continued by i'm afraid the government that i was part of the coach of the george osborne thought this was our future i know i'm afraid our future i know and i'm afraid i against it at the time the golden decade has turned out to be nothing but a of fool's gold. and truth is too many and the truth is too many businesses rushed to china to get stuff cheaply . they get stuff made cheaply. they abandoned idea you need make abandoned the idea you need make some at home and with the some things at home and with the new manufacturing techniques you can do a lot of this stuff back here it doesn't require huge labour we're going to do labour so what we're going to do is allies to is start finding our allies to that of production to and

that sort of production to and to bring of it home and is to bring some of it home and is soon at the man to do that. well he has come long way now he has come a long way now because this latest i it because this latest i say it because this latest i say it because i was very critical yesterday. the one yesterday. but the one thing i will say is, they are now across. need all the language across. we need all the language of this. it's quite clear are cross china is cross the idea that china is genuinely a threat. they don't want to say it publicly but it's from the document that they the threat it's a growing threat and it's multi—dimensional what i want them to do is to eventually yes, china a threat. it's a dangerous it's a threat to their own people. it's a threat to us and the way we live our lives. and right now, all the idea that they're going to help us with russia is for birds. they vote against us all the time in the us about this and they are talking technology talking about technology going to right now as well. to russia right now as well. there's looming, powerful there's a big looming, powerful alliance building alliance on the side building completely their completely and they've got their own service and they own banking service and they brokered just recently brokered a deal just recently between saudi iran and between saudi arabia, iran and duncan—smith . i know you're duncan—smith. i know you're fighting the good fight on this . the prime minister . i think the prime minister needs bit needs pushing a little bit harder would view now.

harder would be my view now. what the 4 hours from america . what the 4 hours from america. ron desantis, the governor of florida , is banning schools in florida, is banning schools in or discussion of sex and gender for children aged eight or unden for children aged eight or under. he doesn't think right. and yet when it comes to hormone therapy, when it comes to sex change operations , what change operations, what president biden absolutely weighted this debate and he says restricting trans treatment for children under 18 and cluster him discussion is cruel and close to sinful and he's threatening to pass federal transgender legislation above states rights . one good thing states rights. one good thing about american politics at least, it's absolutely between them crats and republicans , them crats and republicans, where they stand on issues . this where they stand on issues. this not quite so clear in westminster , is it? i think it's westminster, is it? i think it's pretty clear now. i think rishi sunak move . block the scottish

sunak move. block the scottish government's bill, absolutely furore. but it turns out to absolutely right. so he is very where he stands. he doesn't want kids literally being having proper threats down their throats about what they do. they need time to understand they are what they are about before they start big decisions. medical is being abused in some cases as we know, and that he again is very clear on. and miriam has been running another campaign , a running another campaign, a colleague of mine, a really brilliant woman. she has been putting the spotlight on the fact that some of the schools of the schools now because of very lax idea from the education department are actually now literally pushing some of this idea , all these ideas about what idea, all these ideas about what they are what they should be in early ages , some of the most early ages, some of the most ghastly education going on. that's got to stop is this part of a fight that i think was good news and sunak was right indeed to take? they actually did. and i think the pendulum swung back in scotland in the most incredible way. all these crazy

leftist acts, there's leftist activist acts, there's a silent majority we just silent majority out. we just need more loudly and need to speak more loudly and more a moment , need to speak more loudly and more a moment, he was more often. in a moment, he was a sensation 40 years ago. we'd never heard of him. his name was kate deller, became won the world darts championship, beating the crafty cockney overnight. was a superstar. overnight. he was a superstar. he in moment on he joins me. in a moment on talking points .

it was 40 years ago darts mega on the television . millions and on the television. millions and millions of people were watching it. and there were these huge stars that was jockey wilson. that was the ice cold. john lowe there was the craft economy and larger than life character . there was the craft economy and larger than life character. eric bristow there was no bristow and there was no question that one them was question that one of them was going win the world darts going to win the world darts championship 1983. championship in 1983. no question, at all. question, though, debate at all. and suddenly this fresh faced kid, smoke , let kid, he didn't even smoke, let alone drink very much. and comes

out nowhere. no one's ever out of nowhere. no one's ever heard of it. they've never heard of and he won the world of him. and he won the world championship. this is how championship. and this is how checked out and did it. championship. and this is how checked out and did it . everyone checked out and did it. everyone is doing something you're not telling, not doing this but the show on for the title double 12 for the title . i like it. get for the title. i like it. get it like keith de wit 23 year old will try to get yeah yes his name was keith and he joins me now. i'll talk thank you very much. good to see you. now that down, as you know it is in the top ten biggest sport upsets in this country kids every across every form of sport is a magic moment . got to come to it in moment. got to come to it in a bit. now ipswich boy. suffolk boy . born and bit. now ipswich boy. suffolk boy. born and bred, still

bit. now ipswich boy. suffolk boy . born and bred, still living boy. born and bred, still living there , you know, ipswich in there, you know, ipswich in ipswich town , big ipswich. ipswich town, big ipswich. finally, i still . yeah, we've finally, i still. yeah, we've got terry butcher on the show , got terry butcher on the show, we've been up there . what was it we've been up there. what was it about darts. why darts, keith. well mum and dad had a dartboard in the kitchen. i think when keith famously said , know frying keith famously said, know frying pan in one handed darts, the oven actually was that so dartboard on the wall in the mrs. spar next door used to bang every time does he not can you come off that board. it keeps playing too much and start playing too much and start playing darts. nigel and 13 and 15. i played in my first darts league for a pub called the kingfisher ipswich and one, two, one.the kingfisher ipswich and one, two, one. the men singles, which didn't go down well with some young kid who's a and from there. i then went on to it was a follies board used to be a camp board 520 and ten then i went on the 120 board and played in the super league and won the sibley singles and then the next yeah sibley singles and then the next year. so i kept progressing it was natural talent. i so but was a natural talent. i so but i was a natural talent. i so but i was very i just practise the

time as soon as i come home from school of do me homework because i allowed if not i wasn't allowed to play if not and could play for 4 hours, and i could play for 4 hours, i just couldn't stop playing. i mean, think i 7 hours mean, i think i played 7 hours every day leading up to the world championships. it was just to practise hard, you to me, you practise hard, you get obsession? maybe. get was it an obsession? maybe. but kept getting better but then i kept getting better and now for. it's and better now for. oh, it's just bit easier this just getting a bit easier this game . and where it really game. and that's where it really says , know you went off to says, i know you went off to america, didn't you? you were sort in your early twenties, sort of in your early twenties, went and dallas went off to america and dallas was growing in america that was growing in america at that time. yeah i went to in 1981, like all tony, so i played for england. he said, you want to go to america, you got to use this spnng to america, you got to use this spring door idea was spring loaded door and idea was is and a screw in is a spring and a screw in barrel if it's hits a wire, it will come back out and go back in which just went one place. it was the floor and i went to was on the floor and i went to lake lost in final lake tahoe, lost in the final one, the texas singles, and then won the cleveland extravaganza. tv back, went and tv came back, went back and said, go take the big boys said, go and take the big boys on. i los angeles on. and i won the los angeles open. i beat bobby, george , bob open. i beat bobby, george, bob anderson lowe on the

anderson and john lowe on the way. and that got me a place in london for the world championships. and i always remember was kensington remember it was kensington rooms in london and first player was from spain. well, you never saw a there, so was a good a boat there, so that was a good draw. was an ideal. and draw. that was an ideal. and then i had american player called hood and, then the called len hood and, then the scottish that scottish number two, and that was nil to get through that was nine nil to get through that meant never going to meant that i was never going to play meant that i was never going to play the championships. play the world championships. and of the and that was the biggest of the big the big year when you big year the big year when you stunned everybody. it was 1983. and you're 23 years old, as say , very fresh faced. i didn't know who you were. and i used to watch darts and suddenly you appear to qualify, appear and you have to qualify, obviously, as you said. on obviously, as you said. but on your way through you. but you beat all the top seeds on the way through. it was strange because i couldn't wait to play well. i saw the cameras there for god i'm on tv today. it was just like that to me. i wasn't scared. if had just like that to me. i wasn't scare been, if had just like that to me. i wasn't scare been, of if had be have been, all of us would be lost round. but i just couldn't wait play in i had nicky wait to play in and i had nicky brasco first player the year

before doing some before that. i was doing some work pub a bit of money work in a pub and a bit of money really and rascal and really. and nicky rascal and terry , they all come in to terry, they all come in to practise for the 1982 world championships and i couldn't they me off the they couldn't knock me off the board them. and then i played board of them. and then i played a local lad from les cable from stoke, which i knew would be hard local player and hard because a local player and i got through that one. okay. and then the first big hurdle was john lowe, which, you know, i've to say everybody expect me to but my mentality was to lose. but my mentality was i didn't that at all because you can't be way. but when you can't be that way. but when you got final, you're up got to the final, you're up against bristow character, against this bristow character, larger , his fans would larger than life, his fans would say, confident his opponents would say arrogant. both he would say arrogant. both he would have used . you were would have used. you were a young kid effectively . he would young kid effectively. he would have used a bit of gamesmanship on you here to try to psych you out of it. how did you manage to not? it sounds a bit silly, but at the jollies where we played the world final there was one room that had one dartboard and that band room and it that was the band room and it was sort of

was all these sort of containers. then it was another room with two boards. eric always wanted to in that one, always wanted to go in that one, the with just one board. the one with just the one board. so made sure we got there early and there first and then, and got in there first and then, oh go in the other oh and had to go in the other one. that was bet against. one. that was your bet against. yeah was. i didn't it. yeah that was. i had didn't it. it didn't going in the it didn't like going in the other that winning one other room that winning was one thing winning the way you thing but winning the way you did not just show the end of the game. famous della out game. famous della jack out which turned a book. which you've turned into a book. i it when we go there we are i say it when we go there we are 138 game shot match by della published just last year. 138 game shot match by della published just last year . this published just last year. this kind of in a way not just winning but winning way you won case it kind of set you up for life really almost it i think because my final was i think if anyone asks what was it maybe the top two finals you'd say phil taylor against, ray barneveld and myself against eric and even now still talk about why eric go for the bullseye to make it legs all he should have gone for it but he played safe. he played safe

left. he left you with a difficult one. that's right. and eric said if it had been 136 because two treble to stay together must would have together he must we would have gone it but a good example gone for it but a good example was i mean i was i no money now i borrowed money off the i always borrowed money off the officials at the officials that week and at the end the week i gave i left end of the week i gave i left the magnum a champagne for that forum. and i bought a house in enfield with a swimming pool three road. so three months down the road. so you made . so it really you were made. so it was really it was i found it strange because i was going on all these tv shows and i thought, oh, my god, but you a god, oh, but you were a sensation. i it's strange sensation. i know it's strange because i was seven different darts wagner and darts with robert wagner and stefanie powers, the heart to hean stefanie powers, the heart to heart programme, dummies heart programme, the dummies programme. me programme. and it was like me and people thought, god used programme. and it was like me an sit eople thought, god used programme. and it was like me an sit at:)le thought, god used programme. and it was like me an sit at homeyught, god used programme. and it was like me an sit at home andt, god used programme. and it was like me an sit at home and my)d used programme. and it was like me an sit at home and my wifered programme. and it was like me an sit at home and my wife kim, to sit at home and my wife kim, a massive heart heart a massive heart to heart programme didn't at the programme, didn't know at the time, had a lot to say in time, so she had a lot to say in that i met them, stefanie powers and robert wagner. so you met so many people that you never met before travelled the world go antarctica , on qe two, antarctica, went on the qe two, the qe two. you know, the famous qe two. you know, it's fantastic amazing

it's been a fantastic amazing and you become you've become one of the great aficionados, one of the great experts of darts. you work you know, for work with sky, you know, for donkey's on coverage donkey's on their darts coverage when it comes to the statistics and the background of the players dealers the man to go to rishi sunak said we should do mathematics at school too. we're a team. i thought, that's crazy . if most people just bunk off, they're so bored. talk. i mean, darts . good for mental darts. good for mental arithmetic, isn't it ? it is, arithmetic, isn't it? it is, because i mean, it's not normally tens all the time. and i do the spotting for sky i to tell the cameras where to go. yeah. always and up to ten it's a lot easier and i think it should, mean i've been in should, i mean i've been in japan in 1988 and there was a couple of young schools, young children soft, hip and children playing soft, hip and having educated in maths. it having educated in maths. and it was fun . and that few was fun. and that last few years, the pdc top players have been going to schools, and i've. have they. yeah, i mean they've been going and you know before and maybe a premier league night they school and yeah so they go to school and yeah so it's really and you it's been really good and you can children's faces you

can see the children's faces you know hurt. i mean it doesn't know it hurt. i mean it doesn't you're going to start playing darts living, it's darts for a living, but it's fun. but trouble case that fun. but the trouble case that it's, you know, skies great but it's, you know, skies great but it's behind a paywall . it's not it's behind a paywall. it's not free wear as it was you know, free to wear as it was you know, when were the top of your when you were at the top of your game and the pub the community, that's where we play darts . we that's where we play darts. we went to pubs to have a drink to chat to people and to play darts and other games. is the game dying? were pubs ? i think it is dying? were pubs? i think it is sadly because when i won the world title, i played one tournament and they'd done 30 or 40 pubs all over, all over. great britain, you know. and sadly food pubs, i think the smoking ban a lot of the small pubs, you know, they couldn't do anything else to wash them out. that was over water. but i agree with sadly, that's one of with you, sadly, that's one of the problems. and now , as you the problems. and now, as you say, food pubs . a lot of say, it's food pubs. a lot of pubs are going, yeah, it's a shame because it's some way you can go and have a game, can can go and have a game, you can meet people. so oddly the meet people. and so oddly the world is changing. so is what

pub with that i've got a dartboard at home so i can play at home. i'm no blooming good but i do it. what i do watching great players and i watched you win that 40 years ago it was brilliant win absolute pleasure. thanks to . yes thank you very thanks to. yes thank you very much . you know . okay a short much. you know. okay a short time for barrage. the barrage what you have for me, alex asks , if you had to back one democrat candidate , who would it democrat candidate, who would it be? oh, i think i want joe biden go again. i mean, he can barely string a sentence together, but the trouble is, they haven't anybody else. i mean, are they going to go for the governor of california? i can't see that given that the education system and else in and everything else in california being run about as california is being run about as well has run well as nicola sturgeon has run scotland. there's a guy called, but a jag who ran some was of some tiny little town in indiana. indiana hillary clinton think she might a comeback, but

i don't see that at least the republicans are spot choice. there's a list. there's going to be a list. three or four runners and riders for that nomination, all of whom very capable. however, only one man is actually going come through with the nomination. another viewer asks, can you present match of the day, please ? it's all about the day, please? it's all about the day, please? it's all about the idea. but i think actually what would be more fun is if i was to do a bit of cricket commentary. i was a chap i know that rather likes cricket coming up in a minute, but before that jim asks , is it time for more jim asks, is it time for more independ politicians? yes. yes yes and yes. absolutely. jim it is. the trouble is that people are elected in this country. what we say individuals are elected, but they're not really . it's all about parties. it's all about party. and it's very , all about party. and it's very, very tough for individuals to come through. and rich asks, why does the parliamentary estate have so many bars and restaurants because hardworking members of parliament are there for such a long time that they

need adequate refreshment. at least i think jacob that's the reason that's given , isn't it? reason that's given, isn't it? yes. and sometimes the house does sit late into the night, but it is a working place for several thousand people who need a canteen. yeah, but that's fine dining than that as well. of course, tomorrow night. tomorrow night i am going to be live at pm from doncaster . i'll be pm from doncaster. i'll be preceded by michelle dewberry . preceded by michelle dewberry. she'll be live in doncaster from 6 pm, 6 pm. to 8 pm. tomorrow night. we're live from there may be some more tickets left. i don't know. gb news. .uk but we'll be discussing tomorrow's all important budget. big day tomorrow. jacob very important day tomorrow. and that's what i'm talking about i'm going to be talking about this are we really this evening. are we really going see corporation tax going to see corporation tax whacked and did you know whacked up? and did you know that almost 100% that some people pay almost 100% marginal rate where they get benefits taken away? and isn't that madness ? yeah, there are that madness? yeah, there are people stuck. people rather well comparatively, but whose tax rates are a complete disaster. i don't know if you've got six

children. it gets up to 1% at one point, as i have six children, i have a vested interest in this. he would know about these things. all of that coming the moment. i'll coming up at the moment. i'll see doncaster see you live from doncaster tomorrow. let's get tomorrow. but first, let's get the important . hello there , the all important. hello there, i'm greg hurst. welcome to our latest from met latest broadcast from the met office. widespread frost and patchy across the uk tonight patchy ice across the uk tonight as temperatures fall below rain and hail, snow moving in for wednesday. looking at the bigger picture arctic across the picture, arctic air across the uk at the moment, the winds coming from the north. but as we move through wednesday and into thursday. atlantic moves thursday. the atlantic moves back , stronger winds, back in weather, stronger winds, milder air returns many. so milder air returns for many. so this evening we have snow showers across. northern parts of winds for of scotland, strong winds for shetland, metservice snow shetland, too. metservice snow andice shetland, too. metservice snow and ice warnings here elsewhere on the clearing skies. temperatures falling well below freezing. widespread frost freezing. a widespread frost forming some patchy ice in places . a freezing fog, places. a few freezing fog, patchy as to temperatures down to minus —11 across the glens of scotland. but rising across the southwest first thing in the morning on wednesday as cloud of

rain pushes in from the atlantic. so most places sunny , atlantic. so most places sunny, cold start the day this cloud of rain and slowly pushes in north and eastwards right turning heavy at times some hill snow possible over the higher ground before turning back rain. the met warning in force for met office warning in force for northern quite a lot of northern ireland. quite a lot of falling through the afternoon could localised could lead some localised flooding. cold in, the flooding. still cold in, the north and east temperatures reaching figures the reaching double figures in the south—west into evening time. the rain continues push north and eastwards it hits the cold air parts of scotland, air against parts of scotland, tends over the higher tends to snow over the higher ground up to ten centimetres possible here to disruption elsewhere in the early hours. plenty of rain across the uk, strong winds to further flooding is possible across northwestern parts of england into . wales parts of england into. wales temperatures rising temperatures generally rising through the night, nine, ten, 11 in the southwest to start thursday morning, an unsettled day to come on thursday. outbreaks of rain pushing north and across country and eastwards across the country met office. warnings remain in force for the study brighter for the across ireland the afternoon across ireland with showers , perhaps a with blustery showers, perhaps a

few glimmers of sunshine for time southeast. and as we time in the southeast. and as we towards the weekend, it stays unsettled . further spells unsettled. further spells of rain times and brisk winds on rain at times and brisk winds on the outside , though. see you the outside, though. see you again .

good evening. it was gb news. in a moment, but first, let's bring you the latest headlines. and tomorrow , chancellor will tomorrow, chancellor will announce his spring budget with full coverage right here on gb news and he's pledging to tackle labour shortages and get people back into work . it's all labour shortages and get people back into work. it's all part of his new plan for growth for the uk . he's expected to promise uk. he's expected to promise a plan that will remove the obstacles that stop investing . obstacles that stop investing. jeremy hunt is expected to announce boost to the tax free allowance for pension to stop over 55 from taking early retirement . that as well as

retirement. that as well as announcing parents on universal credit receiving funding upfront instead of having to claim it back. he's also expected to unveil a multi pounds funding package for , the expansion of package for, the expansion of free childcare that provide 30 hours a week to parents, children under two years old. well, our other main story on gb news today, a woman has been sentenced to eight and a half years in prison for perverting the course of justice after falsely accusing a number of men of rape . 22 year old elena of rape. 22 year old elena williams had also created a facebook post alleging she'd been a victim of an asian grooming gang . preston crown grooming gang. preston crown court heard three of the men she'd falsely accused rape had attempted to take their own lives. and at the of her accusations, there were mass protests in her hometown of barrow in furness in cumbria , barrow in furness in cumbria, with some businesses forced to close , williams will serve half close, williams will serve half the sentence prison . the us the sentence prison. the us state department tonight summoned the russian over a

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