progress has been party says progress has been slow and it criticised the lack of resources. the government says it's working on longer term housing. tv online dab+ radio and on tune in. this is gb news. now it's time for gloria meets . now it's time for gloria meets. conservative mp, former cabinet minister brandon lewis . minister brandon lewis. >> really looking forward to this interview. >> really looking forward to this interview . the first thing this interview. the first thing i want to say is you look very slim from the brandon lewis that i last saw for what's going on here. well thank you. >> yeah, occasionally when you see the stories and they use an old photo and i've had friends message me a few times saying, oh, you should correct that story. >> i'm like, no, i want to create the photo. it's the story you get used to as a politician.

yeah no, i have one of those moments a couple of years ago when 50 and i had when i hit 50 and i had a medical and just thought everything but it's everything was fine. but it's either now or never. and i've always been big and i just thought, right, i'm going to i'm going and going to go for it. and so decided lose weight. how decided to lose some weight. how much lost.7 much have you lost.7 >> about and a half stone >> about four and a half stone from. >> from where i was. yeah. wow >> from where i was. yeah. wow >> something >> and you said something interesting there. you've always been this the first been big. so is this the first time in your life that you are slim.7 yeah. >> yeah, probably the first >> yeah, it's probably the first time my life. >> yeah, it's probably the first tim certainly, fe. >> yeah, it's probably the first tim certainly, as long as i can >> certainly, as long as i can remember that i've been probably around weight should be around the weight i should be rather than being. i rather than being. yeah, i was always at school and always big at school and everything. yeah. so, yeah, it's. enjoying it. it's. it's. i'm enjoying it. yeah. feel good? yeah, yeah. does it feel good? yeah, it does. >> p- p— e does feel a lot >> yeah, it does feel a lot better. >> yeah. most important thing to cut out if anybody's watching and hen cut out if anybody's watching and her, lose her and wants to lose her, lose her and wants to lose her, lose her a pound or two, four and a half stone might be a much for me. >> it was chocolate. i had a real bad chocolate addiction and all those starchy food things. >> shouldn't eat. so my, my, >> you shouldn't eat. so my, my, my joke to myself was always just eating things you

just stop eating the things you like. but i've now got. yeah. just a healthierjust eating just a healthier just eating healthier doing of healthier and doing a bit of training and yeah no but chocolate was my main problem. yeah. always yeah. you said that you'd always as long as you can remember, you've always big laugh . you've always been a big laugh. >> last year you just did a tweet on social media revealing that you were bullied at school for your weight and dyslexia . for your weight and dyslexia. yeah, we're going to talk about both of those in turn. she didn't go into any details on the tweet . what was the nature the tweet. what was the nature of the bullying you were subjected to? >> it varied. when i was at school, actually. i mean, mainly just being fat. you got you got comments and a bit of abuse for being fat. also, when i was at school, my dad had quite a successful business and he sold his business. that got attention . and i guess looking back, jealousy kind of thing. but yeah , it was it was mainly over being fat . i , it was it was mainly over being fat. i was bullied . what being fat. i was bullied. what was the so you were name calls, basically? >> yeah . yeah. >> yeah. yeah. >> yeah. yeah. >> and you get used to being the

last one picked for a team or whatever because obviously you weren't fit enough to go running. no, but it was, you know, i mean, the weird thing for me was i've always said for at time i didn't at the time i didn't particularly register the to the that it was having an impact. but i mean, i knew i was being bullied know, wasn't bullied and, you know, it wasn't it's but i also had it's never nice, but i also had some good friends school as some good friends at school as well. i wasn't somebody who well. so i wasn't somebody who didn't friends, what it didn't have friends, but what it didn't have friends, but what it did it kind of changed my did do was it kind of changed my approach things. so you approach to things. so you become a bit hardened what people about you if you know people say about you if you know it's not true , starts to not it's not true, starts to not impact, which is useful as impact, which is quite useful as a if you can go to a politician. if you can go to bed night confident that bed at night confident that you've done the right thing for the reason, then actually the right reason, then actually somebody name calling in whatever form at somebody name calling in whatever format you harden up to that. so in that sense, i was took the view it probably was was not unhelpful. and i've tried it in a positive in tried to see it in a positive in that sort of positive way. did it impact as a child? it impact you as a child? >> were a teenager when it >> you were a teenager when it was prevalent. is is was most prevalent. is that is that did impact on that right? did it impact on your mental health as a child?

do you remember? i don't think so. 50. >> so. >> i mean, it's hard sort of looking back at the time, i don't remember being particularly that . particularly conscious of that. >> it probably makes you gives you that almost a part of your life, i suppose. you start to you question everything in terms of the imposter syndrome of almost the imposter syndrome kind of thing. but i just found it made me just work a bit harder, you know, i wanted to succeed. so you become a bit more focussed, a bit more determined, more driven . determined, a bit more driven. don't on things just don't give up on things just because , you has because somebody, you know, has a different you. that's a different view to you. that's you that's how life goes. you know, that's how life goes. so in a sense, i, as i say, i've always tried to think of it in a positive sense, and it just made me gave me a bit of a me a bit it gave me a bit of a thicker skin and a stronger skin, which is hopefully stood thicker skin and a stronger skirinvhich is hopefully stood thicker skin and a stronger skirin someis hopefully stood thicker skin and a stronger skirin some stead.�*fully stood me in some stead. >> how did it stop or did you just leave school and yeah, i left school. >> i mean, yeah, sort of >> i mean, yeah, it sort of always continued, but yeah, it just just a bit older just you just get a bit older and it becomes water off a duck's back. so is there bullying in politics? i've never been subject to or seen in been subject to or seen it in politics. i'm saying it

politics. i'm not saying it doesn't and obviously doesn't happen. and obviously there's some over there's been some stories over there's been some stories over the year so . my the last year or so. my experience always been experience has always been i remember a very old friend of my dad's always said, treat others how wish to be treated, and how you wish to be treated, and particularly on your on your way up you're going up because you know you're going to people you're to meet people and you're on your down we all go up. your way down and we all go up. we all have periods where we go down. i've tried always down. so i've tried to always work in the format work with people in the format that like them to work with that i'd like them to work with me and try and work on making sure are you're sure that you are you're building team in a positive building a team in a positive way because one the things i way because one of the things i learned in government early from people was people i'd worked with was whether civil servants, whether your civil servants, special adviser, a junior minister, minister, you special adviser, a junior miryou�*, minister, you special adviser, a junior miryou only minister, you special adviser, a junior miryou only deliverinister, you special adviser, a junior miryou only deliver ifister, you special adviser, a junior miryou only deliver if you you special adviser, a junior miryou only deliver if you work are you only deliver if you work together as a team. so i've always tried to try and have that approach. just wonder if that approach. i just wonder if you, with your experience, if you, with your experience, if you character you, with your experience, if you bullies, character you, with your experience, if you bullies, does character you, with your experience, if you bullies, does it haracter you, with your experience, if you bullies, does it is racter traits in bullies, does it is there is there something about some people make them some people that make them engage horrible behaviour? >> and, and moeen ali, i've never spoken about it. >> my daughter got bullied badly at school as well. and one of the things i it was probably more happened to her, it more when it happened to her, it

sort reminded what sort of reminded me of what happened me. and think happened to me. and i think actually element actually there's an element of jealousy. people whether jealousy. people sort of whether it's real or imagined, but they're of what they they're jealous of what they perceive be somebody perceive to be somebody else's life experience . and those life or experience. and those people themselves having a maybe an inferiority complex and their way of dealing with it is to actually go and victimise others. so i think the when you when you see bullying generally the weakness is in the bully . the weakness is in the bully. and once you can get your mind straight about that, somebody said again, somebody said to me a time ago, the only person a long time ago, the only person who has control over how you feel is once you feel ultimately is you. once you recognise that then whether recognise is that then whether it's a bully anything else, it's a bully or anything else, it's a bully or anything else, it's their problem, not yours. and any parents are and if any parents are a watching and they fear that their children are being bullied at school , any words of advice their children are being bullied at school, any words of advice ? at school, any words of advice? >> yeah, it's the hardest part. >> yeah, it's the hardest part. >> it's the hardest thing to deal with much worse than if you're being bullied yourself because it's your kid and you want to do anything for them. my wife was brilliant and dealt

most of that. the situation we went through and i would say you've be there and you've got to just be there and give support to your kids. it's really hard now. i mean, when i was advantage was at school, the advantage i had was if i was bullied during the and it was generally the day and it was generally verbal was never verbal stuff, it was never because big. nobody because i was big. nobody physically tried anything. physically ever tried anything. but but you got to go home at 4:00. you left school. you went home, you're safe home, and you're in a safe environment course, today, environment of course, today, when school when you leave school with social media, can social and digital media, it can gb news. it gets worse. gb news. arguably it gets worse. acas i think being on top of acas and i think being on top of that being supportive around that and being supportive around that and being supportive around that really in the kids. that is really key in the kids. knowing you as a family are knowing that you as a family are a place is probably the a safe place is probably the best can and don't best thing you can do and don't best thing you can do and don't be afraid of dealing with it particularly school. particularly if it's at school. i think some schools still really struggle with how to deal with both with it. my experience, both myself daughter, was not myself and my daughter, was not good. just know good. schools just didn't know how it. so the how to deal with it. so the family to has step up and family has to has to step up and play family has to has to step up and play that role and be there for the kids. you also revealed that you're . you're dyslexic. >> yes. >> yes. >> when was your condition recognised? >> it wasn't recognised , >> it wasn't recognised, actually, until i was at

university . university. >> really? you go to you went to a fee paying school and never got picked up . got picked up. >> so the reason i went to a fee paying >> so the reason i went to a fee paying school is when i was very young, i was about 11 or something like that. >> i was in a state school and the teachers, because i wasn't doing very well, made me one of those expenses where they sat. your of the write your desk in front of the write on blackboard. my nose was on the blackboard. my nose was kind of touching. it was a blackboard back then because the if read the if you can't read the blackboard, you blackboard, then we'll stick you that it was that kind that close. and it was that kind of thing. and my parents took the to take me out of the decision to take me out of that school put me into that school and put me into a fee paying school. but it was it was i'd always been very bad at spelling. spelling was my spelling. it was spelling was my real issue. and was when i real issue. and it was when i was university, a friend who was at university, a friend who was at university, a friend who was in education chatting to was in education was chatting to my was saying that, my wife and she was saying that, you still bad. you know, spelling is still bad. i've got a kind of eidetic memory. so i did quite well. of course, could memorise course, i could memorise the cases. just said, oh, cases. and she just said, oh, i think you might have been dyslexic. of curiosity, dyslexic. so out of curiosity, i then and did a test and the then went and did a test and the test showed that i was dyslexic.

and what said to me was, if and what they said to me was, if we'd you at ten, 11, we'd have tested you at ten, 11, 12, you'd have probably been quite severe. and my what i quite severe. and what my what i had developed for myself, the methodology dealt with methodology of how i dealt with it what they teach so it was what they teach so effective mind mapping, blocking it was what they teach so effenumbers.d mapping, blocking it was what they teach so effenumbers.d nmyiing, blocking it was what they teach so effenumbers.d nmy brainilocking it was what they teach so effenumbers.d nmy brain and ing for numbers. so my brain and apparently who do into apparently people who do go into further education the brain further education tend the brain finds these things, finds ways around these things, which is what i turned out i'd done. i'd done. but yeah, i'd been dyslexic, had a of dyslexic, so i'd had a bit of a hassle. not hassle, but not a not bullying, comments at not bullying, but comments at school often and school from teachers often and it it was well was it turns out it was well was actually dyslexic. i couldn't spell and struggled with that kind thing. so and that must kind of thing. so and that must have being bullying in kind of thing. so and that must h.different being bullying in kind of thing. so and that must h.different in being bullying in kind of thing. so and that must h.different in a eing bullying in kind of thing. so and that must h.different in a differentying in kind of thing. so and that must h.different in a different way. in a different in a different way. >> bit. >> a little bit. >> a little bit. >> a little bit. >> spellcheck has been a >> but spellcheck has been a godsend people me. so godsend for people like me. so predicting text a threat. but predicting text is a threat. but spell is yeah . spell check is yeah. >> has it affected your working life? being i don't life? being dyslexic, i don't think so. >> mean, i ended up i've i'm >> i mean, i ended up i've i'm told it's probably through the dyslexia. i sort of developed a sort of semi photographic memory, probably memory, which probably helped, particularly when you're doing speeches and trying remember speeches and trying to remember figures despatch figures at the despatch box, things . but no, i

things like that. but no, i think your brain just finds ways to work around some of these challenges. so and again, i suppose in a way dealing with something like and finding ways around it gives you that determination on and get determination to get on and get things done. it probably drove my desire to, to go to i went to work from then i went work from school, then i went back university and i think back to university and i think it because the it was probably because the school seen as very school was never seen as very bright. because the bright. probably because of the dyslexia went to uni dyslexia that when i went to uni i then determined do it i was then determined to do it and did a degree and did and i did a degree and did a masters and went and qualified as a barrister was probably partly to prove i can do partly to prove that i can do this just to close on just a this and just to close on just a couple reflections, those couple of reflections, those thoughts came in in thoughts because you came in in 2010, you were on, you were a minister very soon afterwards, a couple of years afterwards, you , you spent the last five years in the cabinet. >> so top table for most of your political career , you're on the political career, you're on the backbenches. political career, you're on the backbenches . how is it having backbenches. how is it having control of my diary for the

first 5 or 10 years? >> is very, very enjoyable. i have to say. after lots of cancelled nights out with my wife and cancelled family holidays , i actually have to holidays, i actually have to plan and do things in is quite nice. but look i was very fortunate i ten years really interesting jobs all the way through very much enjoyed everything i did and a phenomenal experience the chance in various jobs to do things that hopefully make a difference. obviously you want to think you made positive to think you made a positive difference . difference and deliver things. i've always focussed on making sure in every department you get something done and delivered that you can look back on. so now i'm very pleased with, i'm proud i've done and quite proud what i've done and quite enjoying the moment. enjoying life at the moment. good >> @ one of the good >> one of the things that i >> and one of the things that i want people to understand and is it's not just about running the department. >> you're around the top table . >> you're around the top table. you're sat there with the prime minister. you can make your voice heard and give your advice and if you were back around that top table, there was one thing

that you could say, you know, we should focus on this more is there anything i always say it's very dangerous to start when you're not at the table and you're not at the table and you're not, you know, part of what they're doing, you don't have to go there. >> i'm tempting you. but what i will say is one of the things i think it takes a bit time think it takes a bit of time to remember learn. remember and to learn. >> actually, one of the benefits of having a long time as a junior minister middle ranking before top table is before becomes the top table is even you're at the table is even when you're at the table is remembering got remembering that yes you've got your you very your area and you become very laser focussed on that almost exclusion else exclusion of everything else to really on it. but actually really focus on it. but actually when you're at the table, you're at the table wider at the table for your wider views and actually to views and actually not to be afraid an that's outside afraid on an area that's outside of department to have of your department to have an input. you feel you've got input. if you feel you've got a relevant i think that's relevant input. i think that's one the main things to one of the main things to remember you are part of that remember is you are part of that team and therefore you have a right and actually a role to contribute wider contribute to the wider discussion. at the discussion. and look, at the moment my general moment i my, my general comments, got be comments, we've got to be focussed sure we're focussed on making sure we're delivering as delivering for people. and as a government that we are doing things where the public see

things where the public can see the focussed on the government is focussed on it, it's empathetic to it and it's going things done it's going to get things done because think the public because i think the public want to government, to see their government, whatever government whatever colour the government happens on happens to be, is focussed on the they care about and the issues they care about and has got ideas to deal with those issues. brandon lewis you haven't done sit down haven't really done a sit down since you've left. >> i haven't. >> no, i haven't. >> no, i haven't. >> the cabinet, really >> the cabinet, i'm really thankful that you decided to do it us. it with us. >> gb news and i loved our chat. i really did. that's be a pleasure. >> good to see you. >> you. thank you. coming >> thank you. thank you. coming up, berger. >> thank you. thank you. coming up, i berger. >> thank you. thank you. coming up, i think berger. >> thank you. thank you. coming up, i think there'sr. >> thank you. thank you. coming up, i think there's been a number >> i think there's been a number of recommendations for people leaving to ensure leaving parliament to ensure that need security to that if they need security to continue, that made continue, that that is made available, that because you're no elected no longer elected doesn't necessarily threat necessarily mean the threat doesn't necessarily mean the threat doecoming up, james morris but >> coming up, james morris but i'm you know the idea that i'm now you know the idea that i'm now you know the idea that i'm cured i don't think i don't think we get cured and we learn how to live with it .

radio.

>> luciana berger, normally when we talk about politicians life and times when we talk to them , and times when we talk to them, they're normally a lot older than you. >> you're just 42. you were elected as a labour mp in 2010. you served until the last general election in february 2019. you left the labour party. i did . just remind us why it i did. just remind us why it wasn't ever a decision i anticipated having to even contemplate it, let alone make that decision. >> but i left the labour party because it no longer represented the values that had led me to join it in the first place. so when i was a wide eyed aspirant national student, very idealistic btec what drew me to the labour party? it was what was very much integral part of the membership card was values around equality for all. an anti—racism against all. and i

spent a disproportionate amount of my time towards the end of my penod of my time towards the end of my period in parliament, tackling with issues around anti—jewish racism within the labour party under the leadership of jeremy corbyn. and for me that just that took its toll. it became too much. i was the parliamentary chair of the jewish labour movement at the time i just didn't feel time and i just didn't feel comfortable remaining within the party at that moment. you're now back. >> i came back in february of this year, yes. why why? there was a really significant moment that happened early this year. >> so in the wake of the last leadership in that period under the leadership of jeremy corbyn in the weeks and months that followed, the equalities and human rights commission announced that they were investigating the labour party . investigating the labour party. and there's a pretty damaging findings. it was a labour party under that leadership was found to have intimidated and harassed its jewish members . there was its jewish members. there was political interference that had come from the top and the labour

party was put into special measures . party was put into special measures. this is normally a mechanism reserved for organisations that do really bad things. so it was , you know, things. so it was, you know, pretty, pretty traumatic i think, to the party to have been put in that place . people said, put in that place. people said, you know, that i must have had some sort of satisfaction that those findings were brought forward. but no , not at all. forward. but no, not at all. earlier this year, after a number of special measures and requirements that the labour party had to carry out the equalities and human rights commission took the party out of special measures, it was determined that under the leadership of sir keir starmer that many things had been done to turn the party around and to root out that racism and to show leadership and to really tackle some of those challenges within. and so for me, that was a really important moment. i'd left the labour party because i couldn't sleep at night and in the wake of the party coming out of special measures, i felt the party returning to place party was returning to a place

that i could call home again. six have been convicted six people have been convicted for anti—semitic abuse against you since 2013. >> for four of those have been to prison . it's hard to actually to prison. it's hard to actually read out those numbers , but you read out those numbers, but you went through that. did you ever fear for your life? that was a pretty dark moments . pretty dark moments. >> when you say like that, it sounds pretty stark and people might have seen 1 or 2 of the stories. some there was a lot of press coverage, others were more concealed . and there were concealed. and there were moments when i was subject to thousands of racist and abusive messages that were prompted as a result of people being convicted and sent to prison. so it wasn't just the those individuals that were held to account . it's the were held to account. it's the actions followed by others actions that followed by others as well. and we live in a country where we can hold people to account. so i took some

comfort from the fact that that when people threatened my life and or directed that racist abuse towards me, that they could be held to account. and i would always would continue to use the full force of the law to try and hold those people to account where they can be identified. yes , i'd be identified. but yes, i'd be lying if i said there wasn't some where it's pretty some times where it's pretty tncky i some times where it's pretty tricky i chose to go into tricky and i chose to go into pubuc tricky and i chose to go into public life. my experience is pretty know, it's pretty unique. you know, it's not think it's important for not i think it's important for people that, you know, people to know that, you know, it's a matter a number of it's a matter of a number of different circumstances, which meant than meant that i got more than my fair share, shall we say. but certainly , you know what gave me certainly, you know what gave me some comfort and strength was the fact that people were convicted as a result of it. and some people, as you say, four of them served prison sentences. there were times during your penod there were times during your period as a labour mp because of the that you were the abuse that you were subjected to at the police recommended that needed recommended that you needed security . security. >> it was a very dark moment when saw at labour party when i saw you at labour party conference when labour conference when i was a labour mp and were there with mp and you were there with police security , i think police security, i think

everybody would feel ashamed that necessary . so you that that was necessary. so you have the security when you're an mp the day after for you , the mp the day after for you, the election , which you weren't election, which you weren't re—elected or you weren't elected , there is no security elected, there is no security anymore . what's it like to have anymore. what's it like to have security and then the day after it's gone? well i think i know it's gone? well i think i know it's certainly something that parliament is looking at. >> there was an inquiry that was conducted quite recently in parliament and sir charles walker was the chair of. and i think there's been a number of recommendations for people leaving parliament to ensure that if they need security to continue, that that is made available , that because you're available, that because you're no longer elected doesn't necessarily mean the threat doesn't remain . and so i think doesn't remain. and so i think a lot of lessons have been learnt in the wake of my experience. and it wasn't just it wasn't just affecting me, it affected others as well. but it's a it's an unusual where people you're

told that you face a threat and then well, we don't assess the threat because you're no longer an mp. well, yeah, but does the threat no longer remain? and if people can't answer that question, think it's question, then i think it's problematic anyone that problematic for anyone that finds in office. finds himself in public office. and no elected. and then is no longer elected. so just and we've we've talked to charles walker about in to charles walker about this in a previous actually . a previous programme actually. >> you're saying >> but basically you're saying if there are if there is an objective threat where some mps who are no longer mps are subject to a and the police should do an assessment that absolutely. i think that just because you're no longer you've got no longer have the mp after your name , you're still very your name, you're still very much eye and you much in the public eye and you know, i hope there isn't . know, i hope there isn't. >> that there wasn't a >> i hope that there wasn't a threat. but the fact that they even evaluated that they certainly didn't in wake certainly didn't in the wake of the election was the 2019 election was was challenging for and challenging for myself and others well . others as well. >> more from luciana berger after the break. >> and i knew that i had to make that decision to leave because i couldn't allow that to impact on my unborn child .

my unborn child. >> a brighter outlook with boxed solar proud sponsors of weather on . gb news. hello there and on. gb news. hello there and greg dewhurst and welcome to your latest gb news weather forecast. >> well, further showers and longer spells of rain over the next few days. there will be some sunshine, though, but for many of us it will feel fresher and the reason for this is this area low pressure. it's been area of low pressure. it's been around the last days, around over the last few days, just the west of us. but just sat to the west of us. but over the coming few days, it actually spreads towards us and increases the risk of showers and longer spells of rain. even more . this evening we do have more. this evening we do have thundery showers across the uk, but they will start to fade away and then most places overnight will see clear skies, though towards the early hours we could see some showers moving back into southwestern parts of the uk . temperatures generally the uk. temperatures generally the low to mid teens, so a little fresher than recent nights, but still quite warm for the time of

yeah still quite warm for the time of year. monday morning gets off to a dry start for many. plenty of sunny spells, though the cloud quickly thickens from the southwest. this area of rain pushes north eastwards through the day, turning heavy at times, particularly across wales into the midlands, north—west england to elsewhere. we'll see a mixture of sunny spells and scattered showers and the best of the sunshine towards the southeast. see highs southeast. we could see highs around 24 or 25 celsius elsewhere . generally the high elsewhere. generally the high teens to low 20s that area of rain across north wales, northern england continues to push further north as we head through the evening and then further spells of rain push into southern parts of the uk as we move into the early hours. this could be heavy at times. so overnight a lot cloud around overnight a lot of cloud around outbreaks rain and that will outbreaks of rain and that will keep up generally keep temperatures up generally a little higher, 14 to degrees little higher, 14 to 17 degrees across much of the country . so across much of the country. so it means a cloudy, wet start for many tuesday morning. heavy showers already, but it should brighten up as we move through the morning, into the afternoon . but that will trigger a few

heavy showers, too, over the next few days. it remains unsettled as that low pressure stays in charge . further showers stays in charge. further showers and spells rain than and longer spells of rain than temperatures around average . temperatures around average. >> a brighter outlook with boxed solar proud sponsors of weather on .

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the people's channel. >> britain's news. channel >> britain's news. channel >> you sat in the shadow for cabinet a time. >> you were shadow mental health minister positioned in the shadow cabinet. did your own mental health suffer by what you endured during your years as a member of parliament? certain moments, yes, absolutely. >> and i'd be lying if i said that it didn't. 2018 was was probably the toughest year trying to tackle these issues of anti—semitism and anti—jewish racism within the labour party took up so much energy and time. and i was pregnant as well. and it was personally very, very distressing thing. so that was that was in particular a tricky yeah that was in particular a tricky year. i count myself really fortunate. really, really fortunate. really, really fortunate that i happen to have a high level of resilience. i certainly don't take that resilience for granted. i'm very conscious s of the fragility of all of our mental health and

that any moment that resilience can be chipped away. and sometimes it's just the last straw that can break the camel's back. so i count myself really lucky that i've come out the other side and maybe a future moment. it will it will have an impact. but i was very fortunate to have a fantastic team around me. great family and friends. and i, you know, i appreciate for many people they don't have that. and certainly when i was involved in some court cases where other people had been victims and i'd heard victims as well, and i'd heard their impact statements, their victim impact statements, i very struck by the impact i was very struck by the impact it that the racism and abuse had had on other people and the toll that it had taken to, you know, which meant that they weren't able to continue in their daily working lives or they weren't able relationships able to maintain relationships with friends. with their family and friends. so never taken it so i've certainly never taken it for and there was for granted. and there was a phrase you used earlier in in the interview where you you said you you couldn't sleep at night and stay in the labour party.

>> was that a figure of speech or you actually couldn't? i couldn't. i literally couldn't sleep. >> i felt sick. i had like a permanent, like pain in my chest and tightness and sort of physical manifestations of the stress you were under. stress that you were under. >> was pregnant at >> indeed. and i was pregnant at the time in that last year. >> and i was also aware , having >> and i was also aware, having had the proactive conversation with some health professionals about the impact of stress on pregnancy. and i knew that i had to make that decision to leave because i couldn't allow that to impact on my unborn child. you have a full time job now, and you also , in addition to that, you also, in addition to that, your chair of the maternity mental health alliance is your patron , is the princess of wales i >> -- >> it must lam >> it must be pretty fascinating to have her as as your your patron. what are you what are you what are you both trying to achieve? what's the organisation trying to achieve? the maternal mental alliance an mental health alliance is an extraordinary and fantastic organisation. >> such a privilege for >> that is such a privilege for me to be chair of. it's the

me to be the chair of. it's the body that brings together any organisation that provides services , support care, charity services, support care, charity campaign training to both expectant and new mums and mental health affects us all, but particularly in the period of pregnancy , in the year after of pregnancy, in the year after birth, as women. and there are some conditions that we are, you know, are more likely to experience during that period. also as women, the time in also as women, it's the time in our where we are 30 to 40 our lives where we are 30 to 40 times more likely to experience a of psychosis that a period of psychosis that doesn't just discriminate , it doesn't just discriminate, it can affect everyone. the alliance is really important to share practise about how share best practise about how best provide those services best to provide those services across the uk. and the alliance has open mother has campaigned to open mother and across all four and baby units across all four corners of the united kingdom to ensure that babies are kept together with their mums during that time. if mums need in—patient mental support in—patient mental health support and we go from strength to strength as an alliance to not only do great stuff here, but also to showcase it to the world where it's been the example to other places to set up their own

alliances as well, to both campaign to share best campaign and to share best practise. so you have a very full on life. >> you're now a single parent to you and how is that? lots of people are single parents. sure. yeah >>i yeah >> i think we all just contend with the challenges that we face and there's many people that are full time single working parents and doing their best. >> my kids are pretty small and my youngest is going to be starting primary school. but, you know, it's always that that challenge when you're at challenge of when you're at work, you're expected to be a parent. when you're a parent, you're be you're expected not to be working. and just trying make working. and just trying to make that but doing my that all work. but doing my best. how obe best. final question, how obe question you're doing a bit of stand up comedy. >> i am . >> i am. >> i am. >> so my name is luciana berger and i'm a recovering politician . in yeah . . in yeah. >> can i take you back to when i first met you, we were new mps and i remember distinctly we

were on the house of commons terrace. >> i think we were having a first drink together and you said to me, i'm not funny. i don't know what where this came from, but i remember you saying it now you're doing a bit of stand—up yeah, tesla i am funny. >> who knew my team that they had, you know , they always talk had, you know, they always talk about these. they did all these impressions. my dad always did impressions. my dad always did impressions as continues to impressions as and continues to do does like 300 do impressions. he does like 300 different voices. so i grew up around that and yes, i, i'd always fancy doing something. and last year i had just a week of time. so i ended up doing a full a full time intensive stand—up course fantastic in london at a place called the bill murray comedy club, or the fantastic teacher called dick munro, one of the best weeks of my life. yeah and i've been doing some stand up since then. brilliant brilliant. to chat to you, luciana berger. >> thank you. thanks, lorraine . >> thank you. thanks, lorraine. >> thank you. thanks, lorraine. >> coming up, conservative mp james morris. >> i wrote a parliamentary report to her majesty every day

that parliament was sitting giving her the perspective on what was happening and the sort of instruction that you have is that she rather liked a bit of anecdote and a bit of gossip. >> so it wasn't just all you know, we had this debate

james morris, conservative mp elected in 2010, really since you got elected, you've been a passionate campaigner for mental health. >> yeah. why why? well, at the age of about 14, i sort of realised i was sort of suffering from depression at the age of i4. 14. >> the world seemed a bit bleak and i didn't really know how to name it because in the 80 is at school in society, you didn't really have a language with which to speak about this. so it was quite an isolating experience. i thought it was me. but as i got older and started to talk to more people, i realised actually it was pretty common. but what it drove me to want to do when i got into parliament was to improve mental health care for everybody . so health care for everybody. so that's why i put myself forward to be the chair of the all—party group for mental health and to campaign on mental health because it was something that i

think we needed to address and it was something that was very personal to me. so i had kind of a i had lived experience, if you like , which i think is really like, which i think is really important for politicians to really understand the issues which they're grappling with. so it's not some kind of policy abstraction , and there's some abstraction, and there's some real energy in in the campaigning because , as you will campaigning because, as you will know, mental health hasn't really been properly addressed by governments of all parties for a long time. the issues to do with parity of esteem within the health service, talking about it and politicians and people in leadership positions talking about it. and i think it's fair to say that over the last 13, 15, maybe 20 years, more people in leadership positions in society like me, like other politicians have spoken about it, which has given confidence to other people . so confidence to other people. so that kind of stigma issue , which that kind of stigma issue, which we'd suffered from for quite a long time, has i'm not saying

it's gone away. it's definitely not gone away, but it's much better than it was. so the whole debate and feeling more debate and people feeling more comfortable about especially young , the contrast young people, the contrast between experience back in between my experience back in the 80s and now , even with my the 80s and now, even with my son and with my family, where because of the fact that i had depressive episodes, i've been able to speak to him about mental health in a way which means that it's nothing to be embarrassed about. it's nothing to be concerned about. in fact , to be concerned about. in fact, you can use it as a way of building resilience and capacity in your life to do really interesting things . and it interesting things. and it doesn't hold you back . doesn't hold you back. >> so you've had a number of depressive episodes . depressive episodes. >> could you describe how how long do they last? how do you know you're entering one? how well is it's a kind of yeah, it's an odd one because i think it's an odd one because i think it's an odd one because i think it's a combination of brain chemistry. >> you know, there's something that i've possibly inherited, which means that i do have these kind of episodic periods and

i've learnt to deal with it over time. i mean, i've spent time in psychotherapy . i'm a big psychotherapy. i'm a big believer in talking therapy as a way of dealing with this. so i took the positive decision to address it and that was over a relatively long period of time . relatively long period of time. but i'm now , you know, the idea but i'm now, you know, the idea that i'm cured , i don't think i that i'm cured, i don't think i don't think we get cured. we learn how to live with it. we learn how to live with it. we learn how to use it creatively in our professional and personal lives . i mean, in our professional and personal lives. i mean, i'm in our professional and personal lives . i mean, i'm not in our professional and personal lives. i mean, i'm not a big follower of sigmund freud, but he said that the point of psychoanalysis and therapy was to allow people to love and work . and i think that is what it's about. we don't have some sort of magical moment because all human beings have existential questions. i mean, it's a very, very common thing. and so i think it's partly to do with brain chemistry. we possibly, you know, and other factors. but

i'm a big believer in talking therapy, although i know that people do benefit from taking taking medication for certain things. i happen to believe that talking therapy is a good thing. so that's why i have spent a lot of time again in my parliamentary career campaigning for improved access to talking therapies within the nhs . it therapies within the nhs. it we've had this thing called improving access to psychological therapies in the nhs. i think dating back to 2008. and one of the things that i've wanted to see is to get a greater range of therapeutic interventions available on the nhs so people have a choice . the nhs so people have a choice. the dominant mode of ipp is cognitive behavioural therapy , cognitive behavioural therapy, which is i think, good for certain things. it's got quite a good track record of being able to help people, but it's a short therapy and i'd like to see other forms of psychotherapy be available on the nhs. that's been one of my kind of campaigning if you like, campaigning themes. if you like, over the last 13 years for family are friends, family members who are friends, even whose loved ones are suffer

with depression. >> do you have any words of advice about how what works for you , how how your loved ones you, how how your loved ones should deal with you when you're having an episode? well, i think i think talking about it is a great thing and maybe, you know, i think therapy, therapy obe broadly speaking, is a good thing, as in it enables you to go and talk about the issues that you have. >> but being open about it in the family environment, i was saying, you with my saying, you know, with my family, because my family, because of my background, i think if my son and my daughter were sitting here, they'd say that we have very open discussions about mental health. i think that's absolutely critical. but actually, of dealing actually, in terms of dealing with i mean, example, i with it, i mean, for example, i don't know you know, but with it, i mean, for example, i don quitew you know, but with it, i mean, for example, i don quite a you know, but with it, i mean, for example, i don quite a sporty you know, but with it, i mean, for example, i don quite a sporty person now, but with it, i mean, for example, i don quite a sporty person and but i'm quite a sporty person and i've run the london marathon twice for charity. i've run half marathons . running marathons. so running and actually being active is something which i think is actually really important. it's really underestimated because actually . if you if you focus on actually. if you if you focus on something like running, i think it does have a real benefit on

your your mental health and your overall fitness and resilience level. so i would i would level. and so i would i would kind of advocate people being active, talking about it, being active, talking about it, being active developing strategies active and developing strategies for politics in your party. >> yeah, actually in the in the country really there have been turbulent for a number of years, most recently in your party when that turbulence is occurring , that turbulence is occurring, doesit that turbulence is occurring, does it have an impact on one's mental health? well, i think i mean, i've i'm a pretty tough person now. >> you know, the fact that i've had depressive episodes is i've learned how to deal with it in my professional life. i mean, i've had a full career in business and in politics. so you know, i've got a thick skin like any other politician. but i think it does impact. i mean, i was in the government whips office for three and a half years, and as part of what we do in the whips office, obviously a lot of it is to do with welfare of colleagues. and i was very conscious during particularly dunng conscious during particularly during the more during some of the more difficult periods of time where our colleagues were under a lot

of pressure and they were struggling to kind of make sense of the world. and i think there is a lot of it about not just on the government side, but across parliament. i agree. i think parliament. i agree. ithink it's an underestimate dated phenomenon because we have lived through incredibly turbulent times. yeah, you know, it's been an extraordinary period in political history . and with the political history. and with the pandemic coming along as well. and which has put immense pressure on on on political representatives to stack up for their constituents and deal with constituency matters in a very, very intensive way. so you mentioned that you were a government whip . government whip. >> yes. let's talk about one of the weird and wonderful traditions that we have in this country. so in 2022, the state opening of parliament, this is when the government introduces its new legislative programme . its new legislative programme. the tradition is , is that a the tradition is, is that a government whip, senior government whip, senior government whip, senior government whip is held hostage.

correct. at buckingham palace? yes. >> what you were that person . >> what you were that person. >> what you were that person. >> what you were that person. >> what on earth happens behind closed doors ? closed doors? >> it's a very bizarre thing. >> it's a very bizarre thing. >> not something i ever thought i would do. but but but so i was the what was called the vice—chamberlain of the royal household because of the historic the historic connection between the whips royal whips office and the royal household. was household. therefore, it was me. so i have to be taken to the palace. so i was driven to the palace. so i was driven to the palace actually, when did it palace actually, when i did it in a normal car in in a in a in a normal car in a in a in a in a normal car in a in a in a in a normal car in a in a in a in a government car, i felt a little bit like the president of the united states, actually, because the only person on because i was the only person on the road going buckingham the road going to buckingham palace. actually palace. prince charles actually did speech, if you did that speech, if you remember, queen was remember, because the queen was unwell. at the unwell. yes so i arrive at the palace be greeted by the lord palace to be greeted by the lord chamberlain. so the lord chamberlain. so the lord chamberlain meets and gives chamberlain. so the lord cha a berlain meets and gives chamberlain. so the lord chaa touriin meets and gives chamberlain. so the lord cha a tour of meets and gives chamberlain. so the lord cha a tour of the ts and gives chamberlain. so the lord cha a tour of the crown and gives chamberlain. so the lord cha a tour of the crown jewels es me a tour of the crown jewels because parts of the crown me a tour of the crown jewels becausarearts of the crown me a tour of the crown jewels becaus are taken the crown me a tour of the crown jewels becaus are taken to e crown me a tour of the crown jewels becaus are taken to the own me a tour of the crown jewels becaus are taken to the lords. jewels are taken to the lords. and i'm for a quick and then i'm taken for a quick tour of the palace and we sit down. i sit down with the lord chamber with some chamber then and with some senior actors from the palace, and we actually watch prince charles the from

charles do the speech from inside and when they inside the palace and when they were taking the crown jewels out, i stood with the lord. chamberlain nodded the crown jewels out, when came jewels out, and when they came back, nodded them back back, i nodded them back in again. it was an extremely again. so it was an extremely well, it was extraordinary well, it was an extraordinary experience in many ways, but it's one of kind of it's one of those kind of traditions where it goes back to charles the first. and so on. so yeah, it was surreal . charles the first. and so on. so yeah, it was surreal. i mean, i never expected to do any of that ceremonial stuff in time in ceremonial stuff in my time in parliament. i had to as part of that i had to write a that role, i also had to write a daily message to the queen. i was her 45th vice—chamberlain, so i wrote a parliamentary report to her majesty every day that parliament was sitting giving her the perspective on what was happening and the sort of instruction that you have is that she rather liked a bit of anecdote and a bit of gossip. so it wasn't just all you know, we had this debate and she she did really read it. she she read it before dinner. every night. and she used it as an aide memoire when she sat down with the prime minister without officials every

week. that. week. i did not know that. >> fascinating. thank you >> that's fascinating. thank you for sharing final question before you became an mp , you had before you became an mp, you had properjobs. before you became an mp, you had proper jobs. you before you became an mp, you had properjobs. you run businesses as there must have been tough moments throughout that time . moments throughout that time. yeah, i mean, i started my career. >> i was an entrepreneur, so i was involved in several start up companies. i started my career in magazine publishing and then in magazine publishing and then in mid 90s , i actually in the mid 90s, i actually started internet software started an internet software company in 1995. feels a bit like the mediaeval days of the internet , like the mediaeval days of the internet, and it was a time of great innovation. we had 30 software developers sitting in a warehouse developing new bits of internet related software, but at the end of the 90s, if you remember the first.com crash, we had a contract problem which led to the company going bankrupt and a cash flow problem and i had to make people redundant, which was a very sobering experience . but again, i mean, experience. but again, i mean, i know it's a common thing when people say in a way some of your most successful moments when you fail and you learn from failure, what you realise in those

moments is who you really are, whether you've got the resilin , whether you've got the resilin, aukus and the toughness to deal with those situations, whether you've got empathy people you've got empathy for people all. and i learnt a huge all. and so i learnt a huge amount from that experience actually, which because then subsequently we launched a business out of the first one which was successful. well, i then into politics and in then went into politics and in then went into politics and in the last 13 years in a i won a marginal seat, defended a marginal seat, defended a marginal seat. i've been in four elections. i've been in the government or on the backbenches under five prime ministers in the last 13 years. so what i learnt from that business experience was is that you can learn from failure and that it doesn't mean life is it's all oven doesn't mean life is it's all over. you can rebuild and actually it makes you a much stronger person. that's really good advice about how to deal with failure. >> thank you for that, but thank you. more importantly for being open about your mental health, for talking about why it is important to talk. it's going to help people. james morris ,

help people. james morris, conservative mp. thank you. thank you . thank you. >> thanks for

gb news, it's 9:00 on television, on radio and online in the united kingdom and across the world. >> this is mark dolan tonight in a huge developing story , the bbc a huge developing story, the bbc have suspended one of their top presenters. we're told, a

household name , and they've household name, and they've called in the police over allegations a teenager was paid by the star for explicit images from ten. we'll bring you a bbc crisis special , from ten. we'll bring you a bbc crisis special, including my take at 10:00 and my verdict on this media bombshell story. and the threat it now poses to our national state broadcaster . the national state broadcaster. the bitter truth is that you and i effectively paid for those horrific pictures . we'll get horrific pictures. we'll get reaction from former bbc presenters michael crick , john presenters michael crick, john sergeant and one of the country's most powerful showbiz agents, professor jonathan shalit. obe plus, we'll get the views of former government minister ann widdecombe. do the government need to crack down on the culture at the bbc? we also tonight, in my big opinion in just a moment, attacking a wedding is a new low for eco lunatic . they're playing a lunatic. they're playing a dangerous game . at some point,

dangerous game. at some point, people are going to get hurt. enoughis people are going to get hurt. enough is enough . it's time to enough is enough. it's time to stop. just stop. oil . stop. just stop. oil. so a very busy two hours to come from 10:00. it's a bbc in crisis special . but this hour, we will special. but this hour, we will speak to jonathan shalit, top showbiz agent . is the career of showbiz agent. is the career of this unnamed star effectively over ? will that person go to over? will that person go to jail? what is the reputational damage to the bbc? the licence fee? so many issues, lots to get through. but in two minutes time i'll be dealing with just stop oil. lots to get through . first, oil. lots to get through. first, the headlines with tatiana sanchez. the headlines with tatiana sanchez . she's . mark. sanchez. she's. mark. >> thank you very much. and good evening. this is the latest from the newsroom . the met police has the newsroom. the met police has confirmed received initial confirmed it's received initial contact from the bbc over claims

a male presenter paid a teenager for sexually exploit kit images, but that no formal referral or allegation has been made. it's also said we will require additional information before determining what further action should follow . the young should follow. the young person's mother told the sun she saw a photo of the man in his underwear on her child's phone . underwear on her child's phone. the director general, tim davie, has confirmed the bbc was aware of a complaint in may and has been investigating the case ever since . in a statement, he also since. in a statement, he also condemned the unsubstantiated rumours being made on the internet about some of the corporation's presenting talent at a second child has died after at a second child has died after c h i ld h a s child has died after at a second child has died after at a second child has died after a car crashed into a primary a car crashed into a primary school in wimbledon on thursday. school in wimbledon on thursday. she has been named as eight year school. in wimbledon on thursday, eight year she has been named as eight year old nuria sajjad . her family has old nuria sajjad . her family has old nuria sajjad. her family has old nuria sajjad. her family has paid tribute to her, saying she paid tribute to her, saying she was the light of our lives. she was of our lives. she embodied joy , kindness and was the light of our lives. she embodied joy , kindness and embodied joy, kindness and embodied joy, kindness and generosity . well, on thursday, generosity . well, on thursday, generosity. well, on thursday, it was confirmed that another eight year old, selena lough had year old, selena lough had

eight year old, selena lough had died as a result of her injuries died as a result of her injuries . the driver of the car, a 46 . the driver of the car, a 46 year old woman, has been bailed old woman, has been bailed year old woman, has been bailed until late july. she was until late july. she was arrested on suspicion of causing arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving after the incident . well, the us death by dangerous driving after the incident . well, the us the incident. well, the us president is on the way to the the incident. well, the us president uk. he's due to arrive this the incident. well, the us pres he's due to arrive this evening at stansted airport. joe uk. he's due to arrive this evening at stansted airport. joe biden will meet the king at windsor castle tomorrow before holding talks with the prime tomorrow before windsor castle tomorrow before holding talks with the prime minister at downing street. he's minister at downing street. expected to raise concerns about brexit and america's decision to holding talks with the prime ministand: downing street. ”if holding talks with the prime ministand america's street. ”if holding talks with the prime ministand america's decision e'e holding talks with the prime ministand america's decision to brexit and america's decision to send cluster munitions to send cluster ukraine as well. joe biden's visit comes ahead of the nato summit in lithuania , where the summit in lithuania, where the prime minister will urge allies to bolster their defence spending . speaking on tuesday, spending. speaking on tuesday, rishi sunak is expected to say we're seeing unprecedented security challenges as the uk remains one of the few nato members meeting the alliance's requirement to spend at least 2% of national income on defence. this more than a thousand people