parliamentary committee this afternoon. the question has to be, he survive? will his be, can he survive? will his political career continue beyond this ? and on talking points, this? and on talking points, i'll be joined by retired u.s. admiral michael hewitt, who now works at the nuclear industry. i'm going to ask about small modular nuclear reactors . i'll modular nuclear reactors. i'll be practical. are they possible ? could they be the answer to the net zero challenges that so many seem to believe in? but before all of that, let's get the news with polly middlehurst . nigel thank you and good evening to you. the top story on gb news tonight, boris johnson has told the privileges committee hand on heart he did not lie to employees over partygate. the former prime minister says although he takes full response for the gatherings in downing street during lockdown, his statement in the house of commons had been made in good faith. he went on, though, to criticise the committee of bias in its investor gation and particularly

chair harriet harman of prejudicial, suggesting proceedings were extremely peculiar. really must insist on this point . people who say that this point. people who say that we were partying in lockdown simply do not know what they are talking about . people who say talking about. people who say that that event was a purely social gathering are quite wrong. my put my purpose there was to thank staff to motivate them in what had been a very difficult time and what was also a very difficult day in which the cabinet secretary had just resigned. borisjohnson the cabinet secretary had just resigned. boris johnson well, the current prime minister rishi sunak has set off a backbench revolt today by tory hardliners opposed to his brexit deal with northern ireland. 22 conservative rebels, including bofis conservative rebels, including boris johnson and liz truss , boris johnson and liz truss, voted against the stormont break regulations. the element of the windsor framework aims to give the stormont assembly a greater

say on how eu rules apply to the province . while the vote was province. while the vote was passed with 515 votes to 29, with labour , other opposition with labour, other opposition parties also backing it, with labour, other opposition parties also backing it , the rmt parties also backing it, the rmt union has suspended strikes due to be held on the 30th of march. in the 1st of april. that comes as discussions continue between the union and the rail delivery group . in the long running group. in the long running dispute over pay, jobs and conditions . police have today conditions. police have today unked conditions. police have today linked to attacks where men were set alight in both birmingham and in london. and a warning if you're watching on television, we're about to show the video of the moment a man was set alight. some may find it distressing . some may find it distressing. cctv footage shows one of the victims, mohammed riaz , walking victims, mohammed riaz, walking home, being approached before he was sprayed with an unknown substance. police say it's unked substance. police say it's linked to a similar attack on a man in ealing in west london month. a man has been arrested on suspicion of two counts of

attempted murder . now, attempted murder. now, scotland's first minister to minister today issued an apology to mothers who were forced to give up their children for adoption. in the fifties, sixties and seventies, nicola sturgeon condemned the practise, which is estimated to have forced 60,000 women to part with their children . in 33 people their children. in 33 people have been injured after a ship toppled over in a dry dock in edinburgh this morning when the vessel, which belongs to the microsoft co—founder paul allen, became dislodged. it killed at an angle of 45 degrees, 21 of those injured were taken to hospital for further treatment . hospital for further treatment. you're up to date on tv, online, dab plus radio and on the tunein app dab plus radio and on the tunein app with . the people's channel app with. the people's channel where now it's time for fresh .

where now it's time for fresh. well a very busy day here in the westminster village. it all kicked off with steve baker . kicked off with steve baker. yes, the northern ireland minister . yes, the northern ireland minister. it's typical, most bizarre state men demanding that bofis bizarre state men demanding that boris johnson back the windsor framework. else he might be thought to become a nigel farage. look a bit more about that later on. the vote happened in parliament and the government won with an absolutely massive majority. there were 23 conservative members of parliament that rebelled a lot of talk a bit more over the course of the next hour about the windsor framework and why i think it is far, far away from the spin that rishi sunak put on it. i have to say i feel that euroscepticism in the conservative party has gone back to where it was at the time of maastricht 30 years ago, when 26 tory mps voted against third reading. that worries me . i'll reading. that worries me. i'll tell you more about that. but then it was boris johnson up before the committee this afternoon, about 3 hours of interrogate an and grilling .

interrogate an and grilling. well, people will have to make their own minds up including the committee and the committee have to report over the course of the next three weeks. did johnson wilfully or deliberately mislead parliament? but more importantly, they were also looking for what johnson reckless in what he said to parliament about a much lower bar than you'd ever get in a criminal court if it turned out that johnson was suspended for ten days or more from the house of commons. then that would trigger a process that would inevitably lead to a by—election inevitably lead to a by—election in uxbridge , his constituency, in uxbridge, his constituency, which i've no doubt he would lose. it would effectively, i think, be the end of his political career . what did political career. what did i think of the testimony that he gave? well, what he said, the believing parties were essential. was reminded that at that time we were to told stay in our houses , to only leave for

in our houses, to only leave for an hour every day , not to go and an hour every day, not to go and meet our elderly or dying relatives , not to socialise in relatives, not to socialise in any way at all. and the head of state, i suppose the queen set the most extraordinary example because there she was in the chapelin because there she was in the chapel in windsor at the funeral of her husband sitting there on our own while she was doing that. the people that were making the rules that we were supposed to abide by. well, the prime minister says he didn't really understand the rules , so really understand the rules, so he had to get counsel and he was given guidance . he told the given guidance. he told the house of commons again and again. i was told no rules have been today . it turned out that been today. it turned out that the people who got the rules from weren't people like simon case, the cabinet secretary. no, the people like jack doyle , the people like jack doyle, press officers, junior press officers , young people who he officers, young people who he himself had appointed. i have to say, i found his response at times slightly rambling,

repetitive , angry, irritable repetitive, angry, irritable bill. but the big question is , bill. but the big question is, can he survive this? i think he probably will. give me your thoughts, farage at gb news dot uk. i think he'll survive it because they will not. it seems to me absolutely be able to prove that he lied to parliament. that's why , i guess parliament. that's why, i guess to get a more dispassionate , i'm to get a more dispassionate, i'm joined by gb news political reporter olivia utley . olivia, reporter olivia utley. olivia, what's the talk of the road post? this this grilling, i guess, is what we can call it. well, yes, there's no feeling that boris johnson sort of covered himself in glory, but nor is there a feeling that it was an absolute fiasco for him on a number of issues. it felt like boris actually had the upper ground. the committee were trying to build a case that it was obvious to boris johnson that he broke the rules and he made the argument and he made it quite well, that if it was so obvious, why would, for example, there'd be a number 10 official

photographer there? why when it was reported the times, did was reported in the times, did no raise an eyebrow . no one really raise an eyebrow. he also quite a good job of he also did quite a good job of sort of lumping himself in with he also did quite a good job of sortciviljmping himself in with he also did quite a good job of sortcivil servantsiimself in with he also did quite a good job of sortcivil servants who lf in with he also did quite a good job of sortcivil servants who were with he also did quite a good job of sortcivil servants who were ath the civil servants who were at these gatherings well. these gatherings as well. and essentially but essentially i'm paraphrasing but saying , well, broke the saying, well, if i broke the rules, didn't they two on the other hand, there were a few. i have to say i didn't find that very charming at all at school. you just said he was doping in the video , but then sort of the video, but then sort of changed on his on his head and said it wouldn't fair to said it wouldn't be fair to accuse lying. so it isn't accuse of lying. so it isn't fair to accuse of lying fair to accuse me of lying ehhen fair to accuse me of lying either. but yeah, very vivid. he moved that. but then there are a couple of areas where it did felt as though feel as though he was was losing bit. was he was losing ground a bit. you there's question of you say there's question of whether he recklessly misled parliament. there was no sort parliament. so there was no sort of evidence that he was no smoking gun evidence, as it were, he lying. but the were, that he was lying. but the committee zoned in on this issue, that he didn't set the record straight. he stood up and told parliament what it turned out was, a mistruth . and then he

out was, a mistruth. and then he had a long time and. what did he do to establish whether or not he had told the truth? did he go to lawyers? did he copper plates? that evidence that would wreck this would. that's where the word recklessly comes in. so, yes , they were prepared to so, yes, they were prepared to believe that he accidentally stood up and told the commons a lie because that's what his advisers had told him. but then wasn't he duty bound , the wasn't he duty bound, the committee argued, to go and check that evidence to make check that evidence and to make sure that that it was correct. and he do that. so it does seem likely that he recklessly misled parliament. so he might come down that, i mean, zoning out the whole thing a little bit . the whole thing a little bit. what boris johnson presumably wants achieve from this is a route back into politics, a route back into politics, a route back into frontline politics. and it could be that even if he survives this committee hearing, as you suggest, his political nous would be gone. his his reputation will be ruined because, yes . could get out of because, yes. could get out of it on technicalities it could be that he didn't quite understand the guidance. but everyone at

home did understand the guidance . and will that have been an edifying spectacle to them to see boris johnson sort of trying to wriggle his way out? i mean, whatever happens it does not increase his standing with great britain. no. if it's a victory, it'll a pyrrhic victory. yeah another thought. know, another thought. you know, i woke this morning i could woke up this morning and i could see that we were to have see that we were going to have to former prime ministers johnson and truss, former conservative leader duncan smith, voting against the windsor framework. i mean, you know , some really quite big know, some really quite big names and former cabinet ministers too. and i thought to myself at 7:00 this morning, well, course, keir starmer, well, of course, keir starmer, you clever lawyer, you know, this clever lawyer, he's going the he's clearly going to get the labour party vote against labour party now to vote against or to abstain to embarrass the government. yet didn't do it and it passed with a massive. why have starmer have a go. have didn't starmer have a go. well, no, it's very that because. yes you say in your opening remarks that there were only 20 or so mp who voted against the government, but there were quite a lot of abstentions. it seems as though there were there were plenty of conservative people on the

conservative and people on the backbenches like backbenches who didn't like windsor framework. but rishi sunak them carefully. sunak handled them carefully. he's slick he's a competent, slick politician knew how to politician and he knew how to handle them. so he managed to get to actually vote get them not to actually vote against government. against the government. as you say, labour chosen to say, if labour chosen to withhold their support, then it actually would have been pretty damaging for the government. but that's mr. stoneman style that's not mr. stoneman style sickest on the side, i should say, deliberately. thank you very much indeed . well, i've very much indeed. well, i've made thoughts and my made my thoughts and my criticisms of the way boris johnson handled this. this johnson has handled this. this afternoon clear, but be afternoon pretty clear, but be in no doubt there are far worse. bofis in no doubt there are far worse. boris defenders out there. their numbers in the country are fewer than they were. their numbers in parliament, i sense, are probably fewer than they were. but a lot of them not of the tory, they see boris as a winner. you know, the man who won twice london who led them to an 80 majority . and somehow an 80 seat majority. and somehow they it may be as they they think it may be as they dnnk they think it may be as they drink their they they take their glass of wine and they move it across the like sort of across the water like sort of body jolly of the body prince jolly of the jacobites that somehow he might

come them . one of come back and save them. one of those defenders of the those resolute defenders of the former minister is michael . former minister is michael. conservative member of parliament for lichfield. michael it wasn't a very edifying display this afternoon, was it? that committee meeting ? was it? that committee meeting? no, it wasn't. but i don't think it was boris's fault. i think was the committee's fault . i'm was the committee's fault. i'm served on select committees and ihave served on select committees and i have to say, this one was very, very bizarre indeed . there very, very bizarre indeed. there was a lot of repetitive questioning, not necessary because they wanted to get answers . some were not getting answers. some were not getting them . it was because they simply them. it was because they simply weren't to the answers or weren't. i think there were a couple of outstandingly good questioners . i couple of outstandingly good questioners. i think couple of outstandingly good questioners . i think both couple of outstandingly good questioners. i think both might be loyal lawyers. andy carter and. yeah and . well, i've and. yeah and. well, i've forgotten his name. the chap with the scottish accent . he's with the scottish accent. he's a colleague of mine. you'll never forgive me. the italian name. it's just got out of my head.

it's just got out of my head. it's terrible. it is again. yeah. look, i mean. but here's the point . alberto costa came to the point. alberto costa came to me. here's the point. michael fabricant. this the man in charge of setting the most draconian set of rules we've ever live by in this country, and we all well knew we weren't supposed to leave our house for more than an hour a day . we more than an hour a day. we weren't supposed to go and visit sick and dying relatives. we weren't supposed socialise at that moment at not even have a friend round in the garden. i mean, a lot of us did, but we weren't supposed to any of weren't supposed to do any of these and here's the these things. and here's the bloke in charge of setting the rules, he didn't quite rules, claiming he didn't quite know were, had know what they were, so he had to guidance and then we to take guidance and then we find today we found , i think for find today we found, i think for the first time that the guidance was not coming from civil servants , was not coming from servants, was not coming from senior figures , but young press senior figures, but young press officers jack doyle. it's officers like jack doyle. it's not very believable. well did come others as well. and he come from others as well. and he did make that clear. but you're right, he was hoisted by his own petard. he did want

petard. i mean, he did not want any sweden . they gave any rules in sweden. they gave guidance like , you know, try not guidance like, you know, try not to beat people , try to keep to beat people, try to keep distance , but we'll leave it to distance, but we'll leave it to your good judgement and you know what. although the death rate was slightly higher than that of the uk, it wasn't that bad. and we by the didn't do badly. we actually did better. the long term damage , the long term term damage, the long term damage to health statistics , damage to health statistics, mental health statistics, the economy we don't know. i think sweden and florida look better than us. but here's the point. we didn't do a sweden. and even if instincts were to if johnson's instincts were to do with sweden, which they may well and if you believe well been, and if you believe his article in the telegraph, the that we've always thought the is that we've always thought that was advised that was that he was advised otherwise you know this is otherwise and you know this is easy but michael nigel decided to take advice and he took advice from the scientists and you and i can probably that it was the wrong advice and similarly he was given advice that in a you know you gb news

if we were now in the in dreadful covid pandemic , you and dreadful covid pandemic, you and i would be meeting in a small and the idea is that you are in and the idea is that you are in a bubble so that's worse. no, i fully understand the guidance, but he genuinely i don't saying the rules. i don't think we'd have been sitting out in the about 40 of a drinking glasses of wine at what was clearly a social but the garden , i might social but the garden, i might add, was probably the safest place to be because it was well ventilated , and the photographs ventilated, and the photographs i've seen that was only two or three of them together. and people scattered. they were social events, they were work events. it's as plain as the nose on your face. well, you know, he was saying this was an event where they'd had previously a meeting indoors rules and afterwards went out. well i know we couldn't go over and over about this, but i genuinely believe that he thought he was operating the rules because the rules were clear. and as colleague of yours and mine and you know whom i

have huge respect for, tom harwood said, you know, people are conflating the because of what happened , covid and the what happened, covid and the fact they couldn't see their pay- fact they couldn't see their pay. and you mentioned, you know, people not being able to go to funerals. he couldn't go to mother's funeral either . to his mother's funeral either. so he, too, suffered that. do you think overall he's a truthful man he he writes very good fiction . but i think good fiction. but i think overall , yes , good fiction. but i think overall, yes , i think we're in overall, yes, i think we're in a time where it counts. he's truthful if you're his strongest one, you're the one who said, look he. right. he's a very good writer . but hey, where it writer. but hey, where it counts. i do not think he misled parliament because i think he's genuine really believe he was operating within those complex rules . he did operating within those complex rules. he did mislead parliament. he's admitted that he misled parliament on the bafis he misled parliament on the basis , the information that he basis, the information that he was given. and that's a slightly different well, he said on the bafis different well, he said on the basis that he'd had the fixed

penalty notice my view is that the biggest mistake boris meant made was actually accepting a fixed penalty notice , like fixed penalty notice, like someone who was caught for speeding . and they're not speeding. and they're not challenging in the courts because he didn't want it to. and i think if you have challenged it in the courts because after all, starmer was in a tiny room socialising, they didn't issue a fixed penalty nofice didn't issue a fixed penalty notice there . so it's quite notice there. so it's quite a tipping point in that i get that final thought woolly survive all of this . i think it all depends of this. i think it all depends on what the committee does now. if they you know, the rules are that if they were to give him more than ten days, it could trigger and it would trigger actually in practise a by—election. and i'm pretty sure that would be difficult . a place that would be difficult. a place like woodbridge, the commons would support it. i don't know that they would, but they probably would because of precedent. it would be free vote. but you know what? i don't think it's necessarily going to

be that look at other be that when i look at other people who've done far more serious things, actually, they got far less than that. i think . listen, i think you'll survive to michael fabricant, thank you very much indeed. in a moment, i'm going to be joined by martin howe. we're going to howe. casey we're going to explain what windsor explain to you what the windsor framework actually is and parliament passing it today may well be a mistake for all of .

us well, we all know that. knew there was gonna be a vote today on the windsor framework. and it was very bizarre, really, because fella called steve baken because fella called steve baker, sure you've seen him baker, i'm sure you've seen him on your screens. he's on your tv screens. he's terribly self—important and he sets himself one of the sets himself up to one of the great brexiteers. is, great brexiteers. that is, of course, until gets a ministerial . it's amazing how people change once that happens. and we were

thinking that maybe boris johnson would vote this deal and steve baker was stopped in the street first thing this morning and is what minister for northern ireland, steve baker had to say . so really both of had to say. so really both of them should be backing , backing them should be backing, backing them should be backing, backing the windsor framework today and what i would say is that both better than this we're partly we've reached this point thanks to liz truss saying the process in today's measures are in and today's measures are better of course than the protocol that boris johnson put in place a protocol which he spoke about and those things said turned out not to be accurate so, you know, he's got accurate so, you know, he's got a choice. he can be remembered for the great acts of state craft that he achieved or he can risk looking a pound shop. nigel farage i he chooses to be remembered as a statesman . well remembered as a statesman. well there , you are. thank you, mr. there, you are. thank you, mr. baken there, you are. thank you, mr. baker. yes poor old boris johnson. what he did vote against the windsor framework. perhaps he has become a pound dropped nigel farage. but you see, unlike you, mr. baker tend

to be fairly consistent in my views. what i believe in sovereignty yourself, baker. sovereignty yourself, mr. baker. much year said we should trigger article 16. we have to get the uk single market and stormont up and running . as i say, it's and running. as i say, it's amazing what a ministerial car will do . never mind the a16 have will do. never mind the a16 have kicked him out of that group. i'm very to say now i know whatever we talk about northern ireland when we talk about prozac holes or frameworks , a prozac holes or frameworks, a lot of you just look all misty eyed and think what the bloomin hackis eyed and think what the bloomin hack is this all about? and yes , of course, we get the prime minister telling us it's all going to marvellous. well going to be marvellous. well we're going to try my next few minutes to explain this to you why not for why it matters not just for northern ireland but potentially for country , worry for the whole country, worry that the day died in that today is the day died in the conservative party. well, who better the martin how casey co—author of the age report the mark francois announced to the world yesterday a martin we were

told rishi sunak this would mean that trade between the mainland and northern ireland would now be unimpeded . is that correct? be unimpeded. is that correct? no, it is not correct. the problem that there if you by the government message , you often government message, you often find there's a gap between the government spin on agreements of the eu and the reality of what's in the legal texts and we've been spending the last three weeks going through those with a fine tooth comb . there will not fine tooth comb. there will not be unimpeded trade . all there be unimpeded trade. all there will be some facilitations of trade which benefits supermarket it's for example. but they have to register that you have to register the place that warehouse in great britain they have to register their branches in northern ireland analysts and all of this to trade within the united that is all trade within the united kingdom. right. so that yes that was a big sunak spend that clearly isn't right. but it's okay because there's a

break. there's going to be a break, wins a break. and any eu legislation that we don't like can simply veto it. that's okay . that's what we were told. well the problem with that break is that it's a much, much more version of a break which norway and the efta countries have enjoyed under the european economic area agreement. they have only used it once . norway have only used it once. norway used it once in 2011. they abandoned in 2013 when they blocked it, they the adoption of a post office directive which they felt strongly against, that they felt strongly against, that the eu had adopted . but they the eu had adopted. but they abandoned it because the eu can retaliate if you if you use it . retaliate if you if you use it. so the storming break i think is a complete distraction . it's a complete distraction. it's very difficult to use in theory, evenin very difficult to use in theory, even in theory and in practise. it's unlikely ever to be used so that means that as the eu makes more law for single market, that

law will be applied to northern ireland. exactly. but that it's small so it's illegal purposes as they're still virtually part of the european union. yes, indeed. of the european union. yes, indeed . all purposes to do with indeed. all purposes to do with goods, trade goods, manufacture , customs and other other features, state aid, very important . they are locked in important. they are locked in the system, but the thing about the system, but the thing about the this arrangement, the windsor deal, it's said to be removing some european law from northern ireland and in fact the one claimed by the government is i think only 3% is left, that thatis i think only 3% is left, that that is complete be untrue. absolutely untrue 100% of european union law under the protocol remains applying to businesses in northern ireland. this all of this , all of this, this all of this, all of this, you know, should be damaging our trust and faith in the prime minister, shouldn't it? well the

whole all i'm what i'm talking aboutis whole all i'm what i'm talking about is what objectively is in the legal texts and comparing it with the states rather than making political. i don't want to get into i was just trying to get you in trouble. then we but but but the bigger picture but but on the bigger picture the picture being not the bigger picture being not just northern ireland, but if northern ireland keeps having to accept new eu law, doesn't make it difficult more for the rest of the kingdom to get rid of eu laws because there becomes a gap between legislation and within our country that could become enormous . so our country that could become enormous. so in a sense , enormous. so in a sense, couldn't it could it not be, that this windsor framework in some ways is tying us closer to eu law? well because i mean, when i last to speak to you, it was about the retained eu law bill which allows a lot of this eu law to be reformed , which i eu law to be reformed, which i was excited about. indeed but in great britain. but it doesn't allow it to be reformed in northern ireland. so as that

process goes through, there will be divergences between laws in northern ireland and laws in great britain , and that causes great britain, and that causes pressures like for example, there was example last week . we there was example last week. we will parliament has banned the of trophy animals. i you may not agree with that because obviously you go tiger hunting from the back of elephants and you like to your target inside but my enemies would all think that yes that is the law that parliament has decided upon to ban the importation. yeah. they can't do that in northern ireland because it's not an eu law . and what's more, because if law. and what's more, because if we imposed on goods from northern ireland, it's great britain that would even further damage northern ireland businesses . they can't stop the businesses. they can't stop the trophies coming in to great britain from northern ireland ireland with the retained eu law bill still through, will we actually get rid of many, many thousands of eu laws ? right.

thousands of eu laws? right. well, there are two questions there. is, will it go there. one is, will it go through? and it's being faced this in house this opposition in the house of lords. it depends on the lords. so it depends on the determination the government determination of the government to push it through and if necessary, play pong necessary, play ping pong between commons the between the commons and the lords get done . what will lords to get it done. what will it i mean my concern it achieve i mean my concern about it's there's got to be political in really going through these lords deciding, you know, this is not something ever wanted, we don't want it anymore . and not just a sort of anymore. and not just a sort of tick box exercise where the civil service. so minister, it's far too difficult to do this. let's just keep the say eu law up. we'll see where we get mostyn howe case akc. thank you for coming in and explaining. i have to say, i find that all really rather depressing you know a new prime minister the same old spin the same old nonsense. in a moment, we'll tell you about sir keir starmer's pension, why his different deals .

will anything to do with boris johnson evokes very, very strong emotions from you, our viewers and listeners . so emotions from you, our viewers and listeners. so i'm going to read out quite a few of your comments today . read out quite a few of your comments today. i ask the question, can he survive this ? question, can he survive this? terry says, in my view , his terry says, in my view, his career never began. it was all smoke and mirrors. he has achieved the square root of nothing unless the destruction of the economy by lockdown is an achievement. terry, i agree with that. i think he was a much mayor of london than either ken livingstone or kevin camp wasn't that bad, but certainly better than sadiq khan . and he than sadiq khan. and he appointed some very good people and he joined the brexit cause and. that was vitally important. yes it may well have been at 5 minutes to midnight, but he did join and as prime minister, we did leave. not in the way we wanted, but we did leave. and they johnson's big they are boris johnson's big achievements. and they can't be

taken away. robin says , i hope taken away. robin says, i hope not, as he is very good fan , not, as he is very good fan, although that doesn't mean i believe everything he says. if can survive this inquiry , he can survive this inquiry, he will have to work hard to hold his seat. now, ron, this point is crucial. we did have a barrage at large in his uxbridge constituency a few months ago . constituency a few months ago. london is going through very, very big demographic change. and it's a demographic change that suits the labour party more than the conservatives . i really the conservatives. i really think with the conservative was way behind in the polls, johnson struggle very hard to keep that oxbridge seat. i suspect he'll be heading off somewhere to oxfordshire, gloucestershire or something like that. if survives. but i think i'm balanced . i think he will. nigel balanced. i think he will. nigel says. balanced. i think he will. nigel says . i balanced. i think he will. nigel says. i believe balanced. i think he will. nigel says . i believe it is balanced. i think he will. nigel says. i believe it is nigel. he can't come back from the humiliating dramas of what he has done . frankly, he has to has done. frankly, he has to either retire from politics,

rethink his career, or , if rethink his career, or, if elected as an mp , take a seat elected as an mp, take a seat back. well look, i'm sorry . elected as an mp, take a seat back. well look, i'm sorry. he's actually as a human being. got lots of options. and that's because he can go make a lot of money on the speaking circuit and i think he may well fancy himself for the top job in nato , which comes up. stoltenberg finishes his ten year term. bofis finishes his ten year term. boris johnson by september could be nato, but those of you that write to me an email me and say that i'm a boris hater. i'm not a boris hater. i actually find it very amusing . a boris hater. i actually find it very amusing. i'm a boris hater. i actually find it very amusing . i'm pleased he it very amusing. i'm pleased he was around for the referendum . was around for the referendum. it's his relationship it's just that his relationship with the truth isn't good with the truth simply isn't good enough. with the truth simply isn't good enough . be a prime minister and enough. be a prime minister and he's been elected as a conservative and he governed, frankly, as liberal. now, what frankly, as a liberal. now, what about , i'd say, keir about pension, i'd say, keir starmer. sir keir starmer making a very, very big play that they will reimpose the lifetime pot on pensions that the conservatives have got rid of in

the recent budget. and yet we learn as a former director of pubuc learn as a former director of public prosecution since we learn that starmer has got a special arrangement where that won't apply to him and he can take out lump sums and pay far less tax than all the rest of it. so starmer in danger here, i think are being branded a hypocrite. and the other piece of news that was out from our leaders today was rishi sunak has published his tax returns for the last three years, most of his income has come in the form of capital gains. of his income has come in the form of capital gains . and he's form of capital gains. and he's been making between and £2 million a year over the course of the last three years and paying of the last three years and paying between 250 and £400,000 a year in the form of tax. but i don't that it's rishi sunak tax returns that are of interest. his wife's would be a lot bigger and far more interesting, unless of course she still a non—dom, though i think she's dropped status now. we talked about

northern ireland to try get a view, try to understand a bit more what was in that framework agreement. similarly, in a moment , agreement. similarly, in a moment, we're going to talk about nuclear energy . so much is about nuclear energy. so much is talked about, so about nuclear energy. so much is talked about , so little is talked about, so little is understood. i'll be joined on talking points by retired american rear admiral michael . american rear admiral michael. hopefully we'll finish up the session. enlightened .

it's that time of day. yes, absolutely . he it's that time of day. yes, absolutely. he is talking pines with rear admiral, retired hewitt, us navy . welcome to hewitt, us navy. welcome to talking points, my man on the stuff now a naval aviator sir we were earlier week looking at some of the aviation exploits of the busters and the wartime and cold war work because that

station at scampton of course is where the vulcan bombers were and all the rest of it. you were over 30 is in the us navy. i was i was fortunate enough to join in the early eighties during the reagan thatcher. one of these young kids had found itself flying an aeroplane. years flying an aeroplane. two years after joined the navy hunting flying an aeroplane. two years after submarinesiavy hunting flying an aeroplane. two years after submarines ,ivy hunting flying an aeroplane. two years after submarines , which 1ting flying an aeroplane. two years after submarines , which was a soviet submarines, which was a pure nato mission , a pure pure nato mission, a pure operational mission . and really operational mission. and really what reagan and thatcher said to the russians, we be on every submarine you have 24 seven and we will kill it if we have to. and that to me was one of the ways we won the cold war, but worked very closely with the raf, flew with the nimrods , and raf, flew with the nimrods, and it was just a fabulous mission for us. so career is 31 years in navy. you obviously loved it must be quite difficult . you must be quite difficult. you come out after all those years and yeah, you got a pension, all the rest of it. but to sort of decide what do you do with the rest of your life and, you know, you come and see me today and you're still completely involved

. all the geopolitics that you when you were in the navy , maybe when you were in the navy, maybe more so, but energy and you're ceo ip three, which as i understand it, you're looking at nuclear energy as being perhaps a way we can many of the world's problems. but before i come to that kind of with the cold war we knew that the soviet bloc was the we felt that it was the potential threat . but boy oh boy potential threat. but boy oh boy hasn't the world changed a ten years ago i didn't think china posed a territorial threat of any kind at all until this president came . and i just president came. and i just wondered what you made of it, because america the uk, nato's we've been pretty solid in our support of zelenskyy against what putin's done . but what no what putin's done. but what no one's looking at is on the other side of this equation, it appears that xi putin between them are building quite a big

alliance against us. no, absolutely. i think if you look at ukraine right now is a manifestation of bad leadership on behalf of the united states, the united kingdom, as we like to say . democracy and freedom to say. democracy and freedom aren't intrinsically motivated on their own. you have to engage. you have lead. and i believe that happening in ukraine right now wasn't from the last two years. it really a retraction of our country's foreign policy and leadership starting in iraq, followed by syria, where we let the russians come in and really dominate that space. and then, of course, crimea in 2014 and now afghanistan and when you look at these things , it really is we these things, it really is we stepped out of our leadership role and fill the void. so you think that chinese in particular and russians see us as being . and russians see us as being. they absolutely see us as being weak. and if you follow just in the last as at the beijing olympics, xi and putin were together, they a huge statement about the geopolitical order of

the 21st century. and two weeks later, putin invades ukraine and iran now on joint naval exercises, i'm told, with russians and with chinese now the world is quite a frightening place one of the effects of the putin invasion as was a rocketing price particularly of natural gas and europe finding itself in a very very big problem . you know, trump told problem. you know, trump told the germans, if you remember a few years ago, don't an we in this country, of course , rely on this country, of course, rely on imports ? we've got more than imports? we've got more than enough oil gas, but we do rely on those imports to keep us going. and yet at the same time , we've gone for wind . boris , we've gone for wind. boris johnson in particular as part of net zero strategy, how big a role, do you think policy is playing in in world geopolitics right now . i think in many ways, right now. i think in many ways, energy or energy sovereignty, as

we've i've written about, is the westphalian principle. the first century in the 20th century, it was oil then. now it's energy . was oil then. now it's energy. and unfortunately, you go back six or seven years, the price of energy and the energy poverty you have here in the uk today wasn't caused by putin or the pandemic. it was caused a total commitment to at the expense of energy security. and what we find ourselves in now throughout europe is a skyrocketing price of energy because we don't have enough of it . and so the chinese enough of it. and so the chinese and the russians have known this. they've known this from day one. and in many ways , they day one. and in many ways, they walked down the primrose path walked us down the primrose path of . they don't of decarbonisation. they don't attend the paris climate accord , attend cop26 , they , don't attend cop26, they refuse to yeah. they might just p0p - refuse to yeah. they might just pop . but you're happy to see us pop. but you're happy to see us overcommit to renewable energy . overcommit to renewable energy. vilified because they're burning old aren't they? in amounts. the chinese a new coal fired plant every ten days and the chinese and the russians think of energy strategically. we think of it

through the narrow lens of decarbonisation. so there you have the differences , their have the differences, their authoritarian governments and ours and i, we have a lot of trouble over that right now. but on, you know, on balance i'd rather we weren't burning huge amounts of coal here in central london . i can battersea london. i can see battersea power station in the background there. and in 1952, the smog was horrific. so we obviously all of us want to have cleaner forms of energy. we want to have energy security. and i agree with you on that point entirely . but the on that point entirely. but the cost factor that you mentioned now, your enthusiast and you've got a business, you know, promoting the idea that nuclear energy is the way forward , but energy is the way forward, but nuclear energy is very expensive , isn't it? it's always when you build a nuclear plant, but you have to also the fact that it runs 95% of the time, day, night , all weather for 60 years. so balance the capex always higher, but the energy you get from it for the life of the energy and

resilient power , which is not resilient power, which is not dependent upon the weather or fuel, is the big attribute that we need to focus on. and this is baseload power, isn't it? it's abundant. and baseload power. yeah because because of course, the obsession that this building behind me has with wind energy and the problem that we have , and the problem that we have, course, is intermittency with wind, with solar . and actually wind, with solar. and actually we've stuffed it with subsidy. so it's not really been cheap either . obviously, there are either. obviously, there are concerns . you know, there's concerns. you know, there's three mile island, the chernobyl . you know, there are obviously risks with nuclear energy. but here's the big story and here's what i want your help . we keep what i want your help. we keep reading in our newspapers about . rolls royce. yes, we know that rolls—royce make these tiny nuclear reactors that go in the of our trident submarines . and of our trident submarines. and we're quite excited about the orchestra oil, which you and us have done with australia. and that could mean great for rolls—royce . so we're excited

rolls—royce. so we're excited potentially about that. so we keep reading about small modular nuclear reactors. we're told there fraction of the size of there fraction of the size of the old monstrosities that we were building the sixties. but my question is, have any actually been built yet around the world? is this a pipe dream? is it 15 years away? is it achievable and doable in a reasonable . well, i think your reasonable. well, i think your point about rolls—royce is a one rolls—royce in, the united states in westinghouse and general electric were really the founders of nuclear power, both for the military and for our civilian use . collectively, they civilian use. collectively, they built over 200 nuclear power plants. so have a rich history in nuclear power. but these were the large gigawatt sized plants. the future nuclear power, rightfully so , in a small rightfully so, in a small modular reactor. so think it is factory built. think of it like building an aircraft . you reduce building an aircraft. you reduce the risk and the cost by building it time and time in the same way. so what you have with rolls—royce, which is an aerospace company that builds the nuclear power plant for your navy today ? the technology leap

navy today? the technology leap is very simple. it's a navy today? the technology leap is very simple . it's a basic is very simple. it's a basic light water reactor that they've been building for 80 years. the difference is they're going to build in a factory. they're build it in a factory. they're going the price going to drive down the price point and the beauty of anas sarwar is they put it where i need the power is all of these operational. yeah. anywhere in the many ways the world. well in many ways they're development , they're still in development, but believe that's but i don't believe that's that's the challenge. the challenge is to get on with committing to a demand. so what you have with rolls—royce is a fully funded development activity to get smr ready activity to get their smr ready for fleet operation . what you for fleet operation. what you don't have is a demand signal to actually buy it . so it's what actually buy it. so it's what because government's not committed, because the government is dilly dallying around with a 24 gigawatt commitment to nuclear power without committing to the only industry you have, which is rolls—royce and the rest of the world wants to buy rolls—royce some hours, but they want to see country build it first, which is a simple industrial model. and i believe rolls—royce will be the dominant small majority motor

company around planet and from a uk perspective, it's the only industry which a very exciting opportunity we have any realistic view what the timeframe is you know flash to bang say right okay we're going to go for is it five years is it ten years. so rolls—royce's that by 2030. yep. which is not that far away. in a word you could have power on the grid today we believe with our approach by bringing in private capital and innovation and commercial zation, we can pull that left a couple of years. but the point is it's factory build. so i don't build one at a time. i get a factory going and i'm building two or four or six a year. that's how you drive down the cost curve, that's you interact investment and the most important things the in the industry future. final industry is the future. final thought on energy if we have these smes, do we need wind energy ? there's a place for energy? there's a place for renewable energy . but i will renewable energy. but i will tell you this it's more of a niche industry and a niche form of energy nuclear power. is your

baseload nuclear power in the form of anas sarwar actually complement wind energy? so when the wind's not blowing, you can bnngin the wind's not blowing, you can bring in the nuclear power. yeah, but when the winds up with the wind, the wind is the wind, when the wind is blowing, still producing energy anyway isn't it. i wonder whether energy . whether we need wind energy. well, you this. if well, i will tell you this. if you really to focus on the energy of the it's fossil fuel with carbon, which we have with clean carbon, which we have many ways to clean up the carbon andifs many ways to clean up the carbon and it's nuclear power. well i'd say i'm sure it's not quite as excite thing as being a naval aviator , but i think it's aviator, but i think it's equally important . thanks for equally important. thanks for coming and sharing your coming on and sharing your thoughts talking thoughts with me and talking about . okay got a little bit about sea. okay got a little bit of time left for barrage to farage let's see what crop you've got me today. marianne asks, why does khan get away with being completely hopeless ? with being completely hopeless? and yet boris gets all over the coals for a piece of cake. the point is, khan is not in parliament. there is one

absolute cardinal sin in politics may think there are many, but there's one absolute cardinal who said, you not mislead the house of commons and. that's what this grilling that he's had this afternoon is all about. not in the all about. khan is not in the same position. mary asks me , same position. mary asks me, would you vote against the winds a deal you your bloomin life? i would . why don't they just the would. why don't they just the eu to stop meddling in uk affairs. i'll tell you why, mary. because for your opinion union this is desperate . it's union this is desperate. it's important. this they've still got a hook into the united kingdom. i blame theresa may ollie robin's and co for getting into this mess in the first place. boris if you're being kind , was dealt a very bad hand kind, was dealt a very bad hand of cards. he and lord frost . kind, was dealt a very bad hand of cards. he and lord frost. but they've got their hook to in us. and my fear is that euroscepticism is now very weak in the conservative party and in parliament as a whole. and as time goes on we'll find it more

and more difficult to diverge from eu because otherwise the gap between us and northern ireland could become intolerable . now, i showed you earlier on steve baker i've never had the highest regard for i got to tell you anyway, this idea of being a pound shop farage one mp was stopped by sky news of a lobby earlier this his earlier and this was his response to baker, former lg chair has now obviously northern ireland minister has basically compared boris johnson to a pound shop. nigel garage by opposing the windsor framework. are you a pound shop, nigel? i would take that as a great compliment. i would like to be the woolworths of nigel farage's . but jacob joins now. well, that was very the wonder of yeah . was very, very good to hear. now you did vote against this didn't you. today. i did for exactly the reasons you set out. i think. right. that boris was deau i think. right. that boris was dealt a very bad hand. the original agreement was terrible. he didn't initially a majority .

he didn't initially a majority. this, to my mind, solidifies the protocol, whereas in fact, we needed be moving away from the protocol . and your worry about protocol. and your worry about a hookis protocol. and your worry about a hook is , a very valid worry. is hook is, a very valid worry. is that your big debate tonight going be talking about about bofis going be talking about about boris up front of the boris up in front of the privileges and riots in france which are always topic is which are always good topic is they love a writing they do they love a good writing they do today because years. today because hundreds of years. yes know all retirement age yes i know all retirement age will be 67 not 68 and theirs is still 62. and they don't want to budge. that's it for me , taking budge. that's it for me, taking over a moment. but first, the over at a moment. but first, the all important weather. hello my name's you host a name's correct. you host a welcome to our broadcast welcome to our latest broadcast from met office staying from the met office staying unsettled the coming days. unsettled over the coming days. a mixture of rain and showers of those will be heavy, brisk winds , too. and can see that , too. and we can see that nicely on the bigger picture, low pressure dominating the weather pattern . brisk winds weather pattern. brisk winds across the uk outbreaks of heavy rain and showers. some of these thundery too, lasting thundery at times too, lasting right through the rest of the week into weekend. this week and into weekend. this evening, band of evening, we've got this band of shabby pushing eastwards shabby rain pushing eastwards across bursts across the uk, some heavy bursts

in into the early hours. in there into the early hours. we'll see further showers moving in. some of these could be heavy at times accompanied by some gusty . but in between gusty winds. but in between there clear spells. there will be some clear spells. and temperatures falling and temperatures not falling to low across scotland low 24 or five across scotland down to eight or nine across southern england. so fairly brisk start to the day. thursday morning , strong winds, outbreaks morning, strong winds, outbreaks of showery rain, which will be heavy at times, pushing their way across the way eastwards across the country. there would be some sunny spells in between stays blustery afternoon , blustery into the afternoon, further showers developing and then more persistent spell then also more persistent spell of pushing into southern of rain pushing into southern england . any brighter spells in england. any brighter spells in any sunshine with winds coming in from the south? could lift temperatures 12 to 14, locally, 15 or 16. for some, this rain , 15 or 16. for some, this rain, the southeast of the uk continues slowly slide away into the evening time. elsewhere, clear spells does take us overnight into the early hours of friday morning . heavy showers of friday morning. heavy showers still again, the odd rumble of thunder is possible in those showers. and this will stop the

temperatures from dropping to low 5 to 9 celsius across the whole of the uk. so an unsettled start to friday morning. best of the sunshine and initially across the southeast showers most frequent across the north and the west of the uk. blustery winds continuing then into the afternoon showers becoming more widespread. some thundery there to some hail gusty winds and in between some sunny spells. temperatures again above , temperatures again above, average temperatures sliding though into the weekend, more below average across the north of the uk. so you can .

you with gb news in a moment headliners. but first, let's bnng headliners. but first, let's bring you the latest news headlines. and today, boris johnson has told the privileges committee hand on heart he didn't lie to employees over partygate the former prime minister says although he takes

full responsibility for gatherings in downing street dunng gatherings in downing street during lockdown and his statements in the commons were made in good faith . he went on, made in good faith. he went on, though, to criticise the committee of bias in its investigation and singled out the chair. harriet harman of being prejudicial. he insisted he attended parties at number 10 to motivate his staff . people to motivate his staff. people who say that we were partying in lockdown simply do not know what they are talking about . people they are talking about. people who say that that event was a purely social gathering are quite wrong. my that my purpose was to thank the staff to motivate them in had been a very difficult time rishi sunak has seen off a backbench revolt by tory hardliners opposed to brexit deal with northern ireland 22 conservative rebels including boris johnson . liz including boris johnson. liz truss voted against the stormont break regulations . the key break regulations. the key element of the windsor framework

aiming to