news >> good afternoon. this is gb news on tv, online and on digital radio. >> i'm nana akua. i'm in for patrick christys. but you can hear the music right now as another one bites the dust. yes another one bites the dust. yes another one. yes, another one. peter flavell , he was the ceo of peter flavell, he was the ceo of coots. he's gone. but is that enough? do we need more of them to go? because, after all, they did all sit together in this board meeting and think that what dame alison rose had said and was okay, be and done was okay, we'll be discussing how about discussing that then. how about this gas record profits? this british gas record profits? so were all suffering, so whilst we were all suffering, paying so whilst we were all suffering, paying this extortion amount for gas and electricity, these companies are making a fortune. we need to talk about it. ofgem, are they any good? i don't think so. and then how about this? the fa's in europe , they are still fa's in europe, they are still raging. it's on fire, spreading to other parts nearby . we'll be to other parts nearby. we'll be discussing that. is it is it climate change or is it simply people lighting matches in the very hot environments? and then, you when you're on a road

you know, when you're on a road and they suddenly the and they suddenly decide the speed be which speed limit should be 20, which to me you think it's plenty . to me do you think it's plenty. it's for it's too slow . how it's for me it's too slow. how are they doing us down? by making us go 20. we'll be discussing in the next hour discussing that in the next hour . now, as you know, you can get in touch in the usual way. vaiews@gbnews.com or send me a tweet at gb news. i'd love to hear your thoughts. but first, let's get your latest news headunes let's get your latest news headlines with polly middlehurst . nana .nana >> thank you very much and good afternoon. this is the latest from the gb newsroom. the ceo of coutts bank, peter flavell, has stepped down with immediate effect . effect. >> it's interim boss said the resignation was agreed by mutual consent and is the right decision for coutts and the wider group. mr flavell says that in the handling of mr farages case, the bank had fallen below the high standards

of personal service. in response to his resignation. farage says it was only a matter of time. it follows the resignation of former ceo of natwest group dame alison rose, who could be in line for a £5 million pay off. british gas owner centrica has revealed that earnings at its gas and electricity supply arm have soared by 889% to £969 million in the six months to june on an underlying basis. operator profits rose to 2.1 billion from 1.3 billion a year ago.the billion from 1.3 billion a year ago. the prime minister insists that energy companies windfall profits are being taxed to support consumers, helping to pay support consumers, helping to pay around half of a typical family's energy bill. >> i know that the number one challenge families are facing up and down the country is the cost of living and in particular, their energy bills. that's why i took decision back when i was took a decision back when i was chancellor to introduce a windfall tax on the energy companies . so we are now taxing

companies. so we are now taxing these windfall profits of energy companies and we're using that money to help us pay half money to help us pay around half of a typical family's energy bill, particularly over the last winter. that support has been worth £1,500 to a typical family. it's support on the scale of the furlough scheme to give people context, because i know how important it is for the government and me to ease some of pressures the cost of those pressures on the cost of those pressures on the cost of living. of those pressures on the cost of laing. of those pressures on the cost of [a man who shot dead a custody >> a man who shot dead a custody sergeant in a police cell in 2020 has been sentenced to a whole life term in prison. 25 year old louis de zoysa fatally shot sergeant matt ratana in croydon . de zoysa claimed croydon. de zoysa claimed diminished responses during the three week trial, but the jury took around five hours to unanimously convict him . the unanimously convict him. the decision to release double child killer colin pitchfork will be re—examined by a new parole board. the 63 year old was jailed for life after raping and strangling 215 year old girls in the early 80s. he was given a

minimum sentence of 30 years in 1988. later reduced to 28 years for good behaviour and was released in 2021. pitchfork was recalled to prison two months later after approaching two young women in the streets , young women in the streets, which was later deemed flawed by the parole board. justice secretary alex chalk asked for the decision to be reviewed, saying it's vital that dangerous offenders are kept behind bars . offenders are kept behind bars. tram operators have been fined a total of £14 million over the croydon derailment , which killed croydon derailment, which killed seven people. many more were injured when a tram carrying 69 people derailed near the sandilands stop in november 2016. transport for london and tram operations limited have accepted failing in their health and safety duties. mrjustice fraser told the court this was undoubtedly an accident waiting to happen . a high court judge to happen. a high court judge has ruled that the duke of sussex can bring a claim of unlawful information gathering

to trial against the publisher of the sun , but not a claim of of the sun, but not a claim of phone hacking . prince harry phone hacking. prince harry alleges he was targeted by journalists and private investigators working for the news group. newspapers the sun publisher says the announcement is a significant victory. publisher says the announcement is a significant victory . the is a significant victory. the group denies any unlawful activity took place while fires in greece continue, despite a drop in temperatures. blazes have spread across the country for more than a week, killing three people and causing over 20,000 tourists to evacuate roads . 61 more fires have roads. 61 more fires have erupted in greece in the last 24 hours, with footage showing cliffs and trees scorched by the blazes. in albania , crews blazes. in albania, crews continue to battle the flames across the country's southern region , with emergency region, with emergency helicopters dropping water on affected areas. in italy, the extent of the devastation can be seen after a wildfire turned the hills surrounding a fifth century temple into ash. our national reporter paul hawkins is in rhodes .

is in rhodes. >> the situation here this morning feels a little bit more positive in the pockets of fires that existed yesterday. they, i'm told, were extinguished overnight. they are still running water via helicopter, via aeroplanes , dropping it onto via aeroplanes, dropping it onto the embers of those fires. and while people are feeling a little bit more positive today, there still remaining highly vigilant, highly anxious, because the wind is starting to pick up. and that's the factor. it's a little bit cooler here today, but the wind remains a factor. it is getting windier. and so that risk from those fires reigniting remains and no medical cause has been given for the death of irish singer sinead o'connor , who was found o'connor, who was found unresponsive at a residential address in london yesterday . address in london yesterday. >> an autopsy will be conducted with the results taking up to several weeks. the 56 year old's death is not being treated as suspicious . death is not being treated as suspicious. s this is gb news. we'll bring you more as it happens. now it's back to nana .

happens. now it's back to nana. >> so good afternoon. this is a gb news on tv online and on digital radio. we are the people's channel. i'm nana akua now whilst dame alison has finally resigned, you've got to ask what took us so long? it's pretty obvious to anyone looking in on this that she had to be the source, but instead of coming clean immediately, she thought that she could sit it out at such ridiculous error. out at such a ridiculous error. the breach of data protection, which could prove to illegal. which could prove to be illegal. it also sounds like she's largely blame for the largely to blame for the infiltration of diverse city and inclusion, which to led those within the organisation thinking that they could put together such a libellous document which labelled nicola sturgeon, amongst other things , a amongst other things, a disingenuous grifter. she had to go.the disingenuous grifter. she had to go. the very fact that these banks believe that they are the

arbiters of morality and that they should be judging their customers is laughable. closing them down if their view does not augn them down if their view does not align with their values. i wonder what they've got on me. i also want to know what her exit package is. and under a freedom of information request, i think that we should find out as the majority shareholder, we, the public, have the right to know. surely and decide whether we think it's appropriate . but it's think it's appropriate. but it's not enough for just dame alison to go whilst she has provided a window into the banking industry of you, we, the public, would never have seen had it not been for nigel. she is not alone because despite her clear incompetence over this matter, sir howard davies is responsible for overall governance of for the overall governance of the showed incredible the bank. he showed incredible arrogance when he called a briefing to the bbc regrettable and that the board retained full confidence in her really ? he confidence in her really? he only hinted that they might dock her bonus from her massive £5.2 million salary eventually ,

million salary eventually, though, the pressure got too much, so he and the board threw her under the bus to save their own skins. he should go for sure. and it's just been announced that coutts ceo peter flavell has resigned. he must take ultimate , ultimate take ultimate, ultimate responsibility for this utter shambles it was under his watch not dame alison's that these notes on nigel were compiled and that he is the one who has until now remained silent. he must bear the ultimate responsibility. when you consider that we, the public, are the largest shareholders of rbs, the umbrella for coutts and natwest, and that we bailed them out , we natwest, and that we bailed them out, we should be natwest, and that we bailed them out , we should be the natwest, and that we bailed them out, we should be the final arbiters of morality, not them. so howard, it's your turn. crawl out from under your rock. it's time for you to face the music. it's time for you to go . so it's time for you to go. so listen , that's what i think. but listen, that's what i think. but i want to hear your thoughts as even i want to hear your thoughts as ever. email gb views gbnews.com or send that tweet at gb news. but let's get more on this with

our political reporter catherine forster. catherine so finally , forster. catherine so finally, another one bites the dust is where we're going with this. but is that enough? well let's see what happens tomorrow because a lot pressure the chairman lot of pressure on the chairman of natwest now. >> yes, in the last hour or >> but yes, in the last hour or so, the ceo of coutts bank, because of course coutts is owned by natwest and as you said , natwest is owned 39% by the taxpayer. >> we bailed them out to the tune of £20 billion after the financial crisis . financial crisis. >> and so peter flavell was the ceo . ceo. >> he has gone by mutual agreement with immediate effect and mohamed kamal sayed has been put in interim and a statement by paul thwaite, he is now the interim natwest boss because his predecessor, dame alison rose , predecessor, dame alison rose, quit again by mutual agreement in the early hours of yesterday morning . morning. >> so that after effects of

these revelations that , of these revelations that, of course, we've known for several weeks haven't we, that coutts stopped . but nigel farage stopped. but nigel farage continuing with his bank account but the revelation that as was long suspected, as you said, nana that dame alison rose had indeed briefed an inaccurate story to a bbc journalist which implied that the reason was nothing to do with nigel farage's political beliefs , but farage's political beliefs, but simply that he didn't have enough money. that, of course, was proved to be totally untrue. and this really is a public relations catastrophe for natwest , isn't it? i don't think natwest, isn't it? i don't think most people would have even known that nigel farage had a bank account with coutts, but everybody knows now. was everybody knows now. i was outside natwest all day yesterday talking to people. most people did seem to think it was absolutely right that alison rose had gone and rishi sunak the prime minister being questioned today wouldn't be drawn on what he thought should happen next, but did say it's

about values and it's about privacy and that it was very important that banks did the right thing and did not simply refuse people accounts because they didn't like what they tweeted about this or they didn't like their political opinions. and city minister andrew griffith saying , you andrew griffith saying, you know, it's not the job of banks to sort of tell us what or to how think. it's their job to serve customers, which would seem by most people's fairly obvious, who the hell do they think they are? >> i find it just absolutely abhorrent that they actually think that they are arbiters of some sort of morality when the kind they've lent kind of people they've lent money person money to. many a crooked person in i'm sure you know, in the past. i'm sure you know, seriously. mean some of them i seriously. i mean some of them i think. coutts didn't one of the bosses of the mafia have an account at coutts? i think in 2012, but it coming back to these people resigning these people they're resigning ultimately they should be sacked when resign . does it not when they resign. does it not mean that they can, they can keep all their privileges and

packages because they've actually than actually resigned rather than actually being sacked. >> certainly in case of >> well certainly in the case of dame alison rose , being dame alison rose, it is being reported that she is reported today that she is likely to get a £52 million, £0.07 package, but by anybody's measure that is a large amount of money and obviously she's admitted to a significant error of judgement . but walking away of judgement. but walking away with 5.2 million, meanwhile the value of the company is falling stock they lost about 4% yesterday. that was about 850,000,000 million wiped off the value of the natwest group that fall has continued today . that fall has continued today. so financially it's a disaster for them in terms of public relations . it's a disaster for relations. it's a disaster for them. and i suspect that it's still got some way to go . still got some way to go. >> well, anyway , one for bud >> well, anyway, one for bud light. | >> well, anyway, one for bud light. i we seem to be heading into that territory. i know you can get lots more on our website as well, but olivia utley right ? so here we are. olivia, where are we going with this?

>> well, we are talking about the record profits in british gas. they've announced that in the first half of this year. that's just the first six months of this year. they made 969 million. that's nearly £1 billion. ten times as much as they made in the same period of last year and double all most double the record profit that they got in 2020. now, obviously , that has set tongues wagging and annoyed quite a lot of people . well, we went through people. well, we went through a winter where energy prices were pretty much the highest they've ever been. there were people who were literally struggling to choose whether to eat or heat their homes because gas prices were so, so high. and all the while, british gas, it seems , while, british gas, it seems, were taking in huge amounts of profits. now, british gas centrica , who owns british gas, centrica, who owns british gas, actually has argued that these aren't these aren't the sort of profits that we can expect to see carrying on. this isn't this isn't the new normal, if you like. it is simply because last year the government set the

energy price cap so low so that centrica was struggling to make any money at all in an effort to help out british gas customers. and so now they've had to raise that price cap and try and recoup some of the losses. so that's centrica's argument. but from the from if you're watching this at home and you're an ordinary person who struggles has been struggling to pay their gas for the last six gas bill for the last six months, then it'll feel very much bit of a whiff of much like a bit of a whiff of corporate greed. and to make matters worse, british gas have said that the they're said that the way they're choosing to to, spend this this windfall profit of 969 million is a £450, £450 million investment in their own business, something that a business, something that a business would normally only do if it had of surplus cash if it had sort of surplus cash and to give a bit more back to shareholders. so jeremy hunt, the chancellor, is in a bit of an awkward position here. he's written an op ed in the times today saying that on the whole, you know, profits are good you know, profits are a good thing. we capitalism, big thing. we like capitalism, big profits shell mean more profits for shell mean more

money everyone's pensions, money for everyone's pensions, shows country's shows that the country's growing. but wants growing. et cetera. but he wants these energy companies to explain how they're going to help their customers. so far, british have said that british gas have said that they're give another they're going to give another £50 package to customers £50 million package to customers to help them with their energy bills in the coming months. >> very much compared >> it's not very much compared to 50 million from 50 million from 969 million. >> feel like very much. >> doesn't feel like very much. >> doesn't feel like very much. >> they're literally they're taking the proverbial frankly, and because and they're saying it's because last had a loss. did last year they had a loss. did they like little loss? last they like a little loss? last yean they like a little loss? last year, like one point year, something like one point something they did have something billion, they did have a loss and it was loss a loss and it was the loss at centrica and have centrica will argue and have argued already that the reason why they're getting big why they're getting such big profits this year is simply because of that price cap. >> last year, ofgem have actually said, the regulator has said they did set that said that they did set that price cap too low, meaning that companies couldn't really make that a profit. but you that much of a profit. but you know, i mean, ofgem are know, so what i mean, ofgem are pretty useless. they have had. yeah, mean it's quite tricky yeah, i mean it's quite tricky to as enough of to say what counts as enough of a profit for company like a profit for a company like shell or centrica. >> gas doesn't even >> british gas doesn't even sound 900 something sound like 900 and something million is either. olivia thank

you very much. that's olivia utley. well joining me now is howard who's the founder of howard cox, who's the founder of the fair fuel uk campaign. howard cox, who's the founder of the fair fuel uk campaign . shane the fair fuel uk campaign. shane howard. so we hear these bumper profits. they've always got an excuse. they've always got a reason as to why. it's because of this or because prices of this or because the prices were lower last time we made it this, that and the other. so now we can they always have an excuse. but when prices go excuse. but when the prices go down, never seem share down, they never seem to share that with no you're right. that with us. no you're right. >> now, nice to speak to you again. the simple thing is this. i mean, the hard pressed is again. the simple thing is this. i mealooking ard pressed is again. the simple thing is this. i mealooking ati pressed is again. the simple thing is this. i mealooking at aressed is again. the simple thing is this. i mealooking at a costed is again. the simple thing is this. i mealooking at a cost ofis we're looking at a cost of living crisis. i've got two emails in front of me i've pulled out for you. one from a girl, a woman called gini. she's an old age pensioner from norwich. she use british norwich. she says, i use british gas i switch boiler on gas and i switch my boiler on for just 30 minutes a day to forjust 30 minutes a day to allow me to and eat cold allow me to wash and eat cold food my stove is gas. food as my stove is gas. i cannot afford to pay for gas. and jim from has just said and jim from leeds has just said this increase profit this massive increase in profit my gas bill is doubled in the last months. saying last 12 months. now he's saying he's saying, i know he's basically saying, i know where have gone. now where the profits have gone. now it's going to shareholders

pockets. et cetera. and it's all very hunt is asking very well. jeremy hunt is asking him they're him to explain what they're going with it. he should going to do with it. he should be actually put be ordering them to actually put put into consumers pockets. >> well, you've got to wonder, i mean, this is i'm sick and tired of the fact that the prices are ridiculously high and that this the government keep coming up with we with solutions where to by we actually borrow money off the government borrowed government which is borrowed money to pay for money off ourselves to pay for these rather than forcing these prices rather than forcing these prices rather than forcing these either reduce these companies to either reduce these companies to either reduce the the end we're the prices. so in the end we're paying the prices. so in the end we're paying for our own giving them basically. mean, the price cap basically. i mean, the price cap didn't it pretty much give them about a 500 million windfall in about a 500 million windfall in a sense because started at a sense because they started at such that it meant they such a rate that it meant they could capitalise on that? >> absolutely right >> yes, you're absolutely right . and we've talked about, you know, think rishi is actually know, i think rishi is actually boasting that introduced a boasting that he's introduced a windfall he put it on windfall tax, which he put it on oil , but i don't see oil companies, but i don't see much of that actual windfall tax going back consumers going back into consumers pockets. sort of pockets. and that's the sort of thing got to hear thing that we've got to hear from. you're talking quite from. and you're talking quite rightly questions about rightly to ask questions about natwest. doing natwest. we should be doing a freedom information request. freedom of information request. well, an official

well, this isn't an official request i represent 1.7 request from i represent 1.7 million drivers. well where is the money going? what's going on?ifs the money going? what's going on? it's certainly not going to consumers pockets. and that's the nana the point, isn't it? nana >> well, exactly where is the money going? some of the prices that pass the that they did not pass the savings the forecourts as savings on on the forecourts as well. so, for example, if you're filling car with petrol filling up your car with petrol or they never passed on or diesel, they never passed on the actual fact that the price was dropping in terms of the price per barrel, but we never got that. so what who is benefiting is it the people on the forecourts when it comes to petrol in the cars? is it who is benefiting? i well, we could have another two hours talking about this, but the competition and markets authority came out and markets authority came out and finally, after a long, long time of several investigations , time of several investigations, recognised there's opportunistic profiteering going on in the fuel supply chain. >> much the actual >> it's not so much the actual forecourts it's people forecourts nana, it's the people further up the fuel supply chain, the wholesalers and the refineries oil refineries and the big oil companies. ones companies. they're the ones doing that and they actually, you the cma came and you know, the cma came out and recommended watch idea

recommended my pump watch idea and waiting. i and we're still waiting. i understand shapps met with understand grant shapps met with them mondays ago them a couple of mondays ago with companies and the with the oil companies and the supermarkets we've supermarkets say, okay, we've now your now we now know your profiteering. please can you actually make sure you don't do it this is how what it again? and this is how what we're going but it's gone we're going to do. but it's gone quiet again. nothing happens. the government are. quiet again. nothing happens. the butfernment are. quiet again. nothing happens. the butfernm can are. do? because >> but what can we do? because ultimately are ultimately the government are the regulators in a sense for this because they have this industry because they have ofgem. ones that ofgem. so they're the ones that are price which are setting the price caps which enable behaviour carry enable this behaviour to carry on it instead of on and enable it instead of forcing them to bring price forcing them to bring the price cap they're saying, we cap down. they're saying, we understand, to put understand, we're going to put it high. we're to it quite high. we're going to allow to borrow back. allow them to borrow back. so we're to the price we're going to keep the price low for the people, but really we'll pay you more. so what can the do? these the government do? these windfall i don't windfall taxes? i don't think any them have anything any of them have paid anything because way they've been because of the way they've been structured. silly. >> you're absolutely right. and the what we said the point is, what we said right at the earlier of this interview is actually jeremy hunt is simply explain simply saying, please explain what jeremy, what you're doing. no, jeremy, go say this is what go in there and say this is what you're going do. i represent you're going to do. i represent voters and consumers . you're going to do. i represent voters and consumers. is you're going to do. i represent voters and consumers . is the voters and consumers. is the population this country needs

population of this country needs to exactly where is all to know exactly where is all this profit going at the moment? it's going to go into shareholders pockets . is it shareholders pockets. is it going go actually going to go into actually starting fracking? it going starting fracking? is it going to wells in the north to open up wells in the north sea? what is happening with this money? well, that's a good question >> well, that's a good question .even >> well, that's a good question . even we do go green and . even if we do go green and have wonderful have these wonderful renewable companies stuff again, companies doing stuff again, will at the same thing will be asking the same questions. howard cox, thank you very much. really good to talk to you. that's howard cox from fairfield, uk. now, southern fairfield, uk. now, as southern europe more wildfires, europe is hit by more wildfires, there's warning britain there's a warning the britain could face same problems in could face the same problems in years stay tuned. i'm years to come. stay tuned. i'm nana britain's nana akua on gb news britain's news

as. good afternoon. >> if you've just tuned in, welcome on board. it's just coming up to 26 minutes after 3:00. this is gb news. i'm nana akua now . i have the latest akua now. i have the latest though on the natwest banking scandal. as pressure mounts for more heads to roll over the treatment of nigel farage. and then later this hour, we'll discuss whether all residential roads should have a 20 mile per hour speed limit. seems like madness. but as more of europe is hit by wildfires, they're a stark warning from the met office says that 40 office that it says that 40 degrees temperatures, summers, droughts and downpours the uk droughts and downpours in the uk will increase in both frequency and severity. oh it's sort of like two sort of. i don't want i don't know whether i'd like to sort of see a little bit more heat.i sort of see a little bit more heat. i had to put the heating on today. now this comes amid a

severe heat wave in southern europe with 61 wildfires erupting greece. in erupting across greece. and in the hours. and thousands the last 24 hours. and thousands of trying of firefighters are trying to control and the control the blazes and the island rhodes has declared a island of rhodes has declared a state of emergency for six months in annual state months in its annual state of the climate report . the the uk climate report. the national weather service found that 2022 was the warmest year on record , being 0.9 c above the on record, being 0.9 c above the average between 1991 and 2020. it was also the first year when the annual mean temperature exceeded ten degrees, 40.3 c, recorded at coningsby in lincolnshire on july the 19th, which is my birthday and was the highest temperature ever recorded in the uk. winter, spnng recorded in the uk. winter, spring and summer and autumn in 2022. all ranked among the top ten warmest seasons since 1884 and all the top ten warmest years for the uk since 1884 have occurred in the 21st century. so let's cross over live now to our reporter paul hawkins, who is on the island of rhodes in greece.

so paul , it looks the island of rhodes in greece. so paul, it looks a the island of rhodes in greece. so paul , it looks a little less so paul, it looks a little less chaotic than it did behind you. it doesn't look so cloudy and as though there's flames in the background, has the situation improved ? improved? >> do you know what nana this morning it had improved it. people were struggling to hear you, paul. upbeat because the because the overnight the overnight. can you hear me now? nana it's a bit it's still you're quite quiet but we'll go with it . with it. >> okay. >> okay. >> a little bit quiet. i'll talk a little bit louder then, if that helps. um, so this morning, people were feeling a little bit more optimistic, but the fires, the sporadic fires that we were following yesterday had been extinguished. but people were saying, okay, it's okay now, but if the wind picks up, it's to going be it's going to help to reignite those fires. and indeed, that's exactly what happened. and we've just spent the afternoon with the volunteer firefighters, the official firefighters, the official firefighters, the official firefighters, the police . oh

firefighters, the police. oh we've just lost paul's audio. >> we're get back. he's coming in and out. so we'll try and sort that out for you and bring you some reports. i'd like to hear more about that. stay with us. we'll bring you some more of that later. but there's lots more still to come between now and 4:00. i'll discuss labour's reaction natwest banking reaction to the natwest banking scandal ask, are there scandal and ask, are there cracks appearing the top of cracks appearing at the top of the party? but let's check some of your emails. you've been getting in touch ever. you do getting in touch as ever. you do that the usual way. gb views that in the usual way. gb views at cbnnews.com . let's take at cbnnews.com. let's take a look at the inbox because it's been a busy afternoon and a lot of concerned about of you really concerned about the scandal because lots the banking scandal because lots of are removing their of people are removing their accounts from natwest because they're but perhaps they're not happy. but perhaps natwest should maybe become a people's bank. let's have a look at go. we're at this. here we go. we're talking weather here. steve says nana. i saw the interview with the professor met the professor from the met office earlier david bull. office earlier with david bull. all was missing was her all that was missing was her orange juice stop oil t shirt. yet more proof that the one sided arguments of the net zero crew infiltrated more

crew have infiltrated more organisations about british gas. martin says hi nana same old story the rich get richer, the poor get poorer . also, how can poor get poorer. also, how can someone be paid 5 million for screwing up? goes to show how messed up things are . pretty messed up things are. pretty true. i gave you that. listen stay tuned. loads more still to come here on gb news. get in touch in the user way. i'll read your views. dup views at gbnews.com approaching gbnews.com it's fast approaching half so let's half past three though, so let's pick latest news pick up your latest news headunes pick up your latest news headlines tatiana sanchez . nana. >> thank you and good afternoon. this is the latest ceo of coutts bank, peter flavel has stepped down with immediate effect. it's interim boss said the resignation was agreed by mutual consent and is the right decision for coutts and the wider group. mr flavel says that in the handling of mr farage case, the bank had fallen below the high standards of personal service . british gas owner

service. british gas owner centrica has revealed that earnings at its gas and electricity supply arm have soared by 889% to £969 million in the six months to june on an underlying basis. operating profits rose to £21 billion from 1.3 billion a year ago . a from 1.3 billion a year ago. a no medical cause has been given for the death of irish singer sinead o'connor, who was found unresponsive at a residential address in london yesterday . the address in london yesterday. the 56 year old's death is not being treated as suspicious . you can treated as suspicious. you can get more on all of those stories by visiting our website, gbnews.com . direct bullion gb news.com. direct bullion sponsors gbnews.com. direct bullion sponsors the finance report on gb news for gold and silver investment . gb news for gold and silver investment. here's a quick snapshot of today's markets. the pound will buy you $1.2839 and

,1.1668. the price of gold is. £1,515.45 per ounce. and the ftse 100 is at 7706 points. >> direct bullion sponsors the finance report on gb news for gold and silver investment . gold and silver investment. >> looks like things are heating up. boxed boilers proud sponsors of weather on gb news . up. boxed boilers proud sponsors of weather on gb news. i'm alex deakin. >> this is your latest weather update from the met office for gb news things are turning a bit brighter through the rest of today with some sunny spells, but are a few heavy but there are a few heavy showers around as well. still pretty humid. feel this pretty humid. feel also this area low pressure will bring area of low pressure will bring plenty for the plenty of showers for the weekend. back to today , weekend. but back to today, these weather fronts are clearing away. so said, clearing away. so as i said, many places are brightening up.

still of rain still some outbreaks of rain across northeast scotland, although fine although shetland staying fine for most of the evening. elsewhere the rain tending to ease a few breaks in the ease off a few breaks in the cloud, particularly through the night across northern ireland cloud, particularly through the nighwestern northern ireland cloud, particularly through the nighwestern scotland,ireland it and western scotland, where it will actually start to turn a little cooler and fresher. but for the cloud and the for many with the cloud and the murky conditions, it will be another pretty mild and humid night with temperatures staying at 15 or 16 degrees onto the details for friday. it does start pretty drab over central and eastern england and parts of the south. but i think that cloud should tend to break up. we'll some sunshine and rain we'll see some sunshine and rain over shetland working its way up towards orkney through the day. over shetland working its way up tofewis orkney through the day. over shetland working its way up tofew scattered through the day. over shetland working its way up tofew scattered showers the day. a few scattered showers certainly across northern ireland. later on, there'll be some showers, but for many actually a bright fine day on friday with temperatures getting into the low 20s slightly less humid feel compared to today and feeling pretty pleasant, i suspect, in the sunshine . this suspect, in the sunshine. this low pressure system though, i talked about it earlier. here it comes. moving in for the weekend around that we'll just see bands

of showers moving in. so the weekend's a mixed picture . we'll weekend's a mixed picture. we'll all some sunny spells, but all see some sunny spells, but also few showers . also quite a few showers. >> looks like things are heating up . boxed boilers, proud up. boxed boilers, proud sponsors of weather on . sponsors of weather on. gb news right . right. >> let's get more on the story that we were talking about a few moments ago. the wildfire hours have hit southern europe . we can have hit southern europe. we can now cross live to paul hawkins, who's on the island of rhodes in greece . paul, let's hope we get greece. paul, let's hope we get a slightly better line to you now, paul. so talk to us. where were we when left? you were were we when we left? you were telling about the firefight telling us about the firefight as spending some time as you're spending some time with yeah with the firefighters. yeah that's right. >> yeah. we've been watching the incredibly brave fire volunteers that effectively are for on by four vehicles with an enormous cube, large plastic cube of water and an industrial strength

garden hose . and that's all they garden hose. and that's all they have. and then face masks dressed in their clothes, taking on the wildfires. we've been following them. we've been incredibly amazed by their bravery. and it really is an insight i keep thinking about. wennington last year you mentioned the hottest day of the yeah mentioned the hottest day of the year. last year, nana and you remember there was that fire in wellington that thankfully no one hurt killed that, one was hurt or killed in that, but take out a number of but did take out a number of homes. and how underprepared the area was for that area the country was for that kind wildfire me think kind of wildfire makes me think about keep keeps about that. i keep keeps sticking in in the back of my mind as i the greek mind as i watch the greek authorities here overstretched fighting wildfires. i have fighting these wildfires. i have to though, the last few to say, though, in the last few minutes , just do you minutes, we've just do you remember those emergency alerts that they trialled in that they that they trialled in the uk earlier this year? well, in greece, they used them all the time and our phones have just picked it says the just picked up one. it says the danger to the settlements of asklepios vathi gennady asklepios qatar vathi gennady lee kuan yew and plymouth from the fires is removed . citizens the fires is removed. citizens can return to their place of residence, follow instructions

from the authorities. now i do know that that fire that we were following earlier, that isn't too far from asklepios. we don't know whether they've extinguished it or not, but clearly they reckon the danger extinguished it or not, but clethe' they reckon the danger extinguished it or not, but clethe residents,on the danger extinguished it or not, but clethe residents, the he danger extinguished it or not, but clethe residents, the villageser to the residents, the villages that we speaking to that we were speaking to yesterday that village in yesterday in that village in asklepios, can now asklepios, they can now return to been to their homes. they've been away from their homes since last saturday. they slept on the beach for a while. they've been staying at friends houses. people have been bringing donations other end of donations from the other end of the so they'll very the island. so they'll be very grateful because we grateful to get home because we were all dubious about this alerts. >> but see alerts. >> but see in the >> but i can see in the situation like that where they could useful. thank you could be useful. paul thank you very for the update. that's very much for the update. that's paul hawkins there in paul hawkins is out there in rhodes. now. more on top rhodes. now. more on our top story the of coutts, the story and the ceo of coutts, the bank at the heart the nigel bank at the heart of the nigel farage scandal has farage banking scandal has resigned. and now this comes farage banking scandal has resig|itd. and now this comes farage banking scandal has resig|it emerged w this comes farage banking scandal has resig|it emerged thatis comes farage banking scandal has resig|it emerged that labour s after it emerged that labour leader and his leader sir keir starmer and his shadow rachel reeves, leader sir keir starmer and his sha inw rachel reeves, leader sir keir starmer and his shain disagreementtachel reeves, leader sir keir starmer and his shain disagreement overl reeves, leader sir keir starmer and his sha in disagreement over dame es, are in disagreement over dame alison rose's resignation as natwest's ceo. now keir starmer says that she was right to go . says that she was right to go. rachel reeves has said that she didn't like what she called the bullying attitude of number ten

towards dame alison, hinting that she might have been a victim sexism . the prime victim of sexism. the prime minister was asked about natwest banking investigation earlier today. banking investigation earlier today . i see what i said right today. i see what i said right at the start of this, that it wasn't right for people to be depnved wasn't right for people to be deprived of basic services like banking because of their views . banking because of their views. >> now, ultimately, this isn't about any one individual. it's about any one individual. it's about value . do you believe in about value. do you believe in free speech and not to be discriminated against because of your legally held views? do you believe in privacy, particularly on matters as sensitive as your financial information ? those are financial information? those are the values and the questions at stake here. and that's why i said what i did. stake here. and that's why i saiiwell,t i did. stake here. and that's why i saiiwell, let'sd. stake here. and that's why i saiiwell, let's get the reaction >> well, let's get the reaction now of former labour cabinet minister shaun woodward . all minister shaun woodward. all right . so shaun, what do you right. so shaun, what do you think? rachel reeves says that she well, first of all, let's go. should should she have gone? alison rose absolutely . alison rose absolutely. >> look, banking depends upon trust and dare i say it, >> look, banking depends upon trust and dare i say it , the trust and dare i say it, the pubuc

trust and dare i say it, the public out there, they don't always trust their politicians. >> they don't always trust their estate agents , but they like to estate agents, but they like to think when they put their money in the bank, it's safe. >> that's what caused the 2008 2009 banking crisis . 2009 banking crisis. >> it's about trust and the person at the top of the bank, the ceo. it's not about whether they're a man or a woman. they are the person who is the safeguard of trust. they set the culture for the bank from what we know, it's extraordinary that the ceo leaked information about an individual's banking thing to the bbc. it's an unequivocal, unambiguous you resign or you're sacked. >> and the thing is, when they are resigning, does that mean that they then haven't foregone their sort of remuneration so their sort of remuneration so their severance package at the end, because if they're sacked , end, because if they're sacked, if you're sacked, usually those things are then forgive me, you're being really generous here. >> i am being generous. this is the person the top of the the person at the top of the bank. they the culture. i'm bank. they set the culture. i'm surprised weren't fired.

surprised they weren't fired. well, have been. and well, she should have been. and therefore now, you know, discussing their remuneration issues really honest, i'd issues. to be really honest, i'd like be discussing nigel like to be discussing nigel farage personal issues. i farage as personal issues. i don't carry any remit for nigel farage. he and i are on the opposite sides of issues about europe and so on. what is disgraceful and disgusting is that it would seem that an individual's bank account details have been the subject of a conversation with the bbc. it's unequivocal . a conversation with the bbc. it's unequivocal. i'm amazed that we even want to think about her severance terms. well, she should just be gone. >> i don't. i don't see why she she wasn't just sacked is my point. and that she shouldn't have been allowed to resign because then i think sometimes if you you're if you resign, you you're allowed sort of the allowed to get some sort of the sort severance package sort of severance package that comes it. sort of severance package that conwe it. sort of severance package that conwe believe in fairness, if >> we believe in fairness, if she is entitled to things and i'm sitting here as i'm not sitting here as executioner , i'm simply saying executioner, i'm simply saying this is a sackable offence. if it was let's be honest, if it was somebody at the bottom of the food chain at the bank, some

in the old days, teller who had disclosed your or my personal account details to a journalist , they would be fired . this is , they would be fired. this is what should be happening. >> well, okay, so what others in the bank, by the way, if they were involved in leaking that information , they should be information, they should be fired, too. information, they should be fire so 100. information, they should be fire so there are some big >> so there are some big questions asked about who questions to be asked about who was in this, if it was was involved in this, if it was just that's one thing. just her. that's one thing. >> she also said that she >> but she also said that she didn't know about the stuff that was written about nigel farage, which sounded which some of it sounded somewhat libellous. you somewhat libellous. and you wouldn't be wouldn't expect a company to be writing sort of thing. and writing that sort of thing. and very in his personal very intrusive in his personal life the he was life and the things he was saying twitter. what earth saying on twitter. what on earth are banks doing getting involved in that? >> well, the financial conduct authority investigate authority should now investigate the whole thing. they should investigate why, for example , investigate why, for example, the boss of coutts, the subpar of the natwest bank actually, as i think the horrible phrase is d bank. i think the horrible phrase is d bank . nigel farage i mean it's bank. nigel farage i mean it's horrific, but most importantly we just mustn't lose the plot

here. the person at the top of the bank, the ceo. so if they leaked information about a client's account, it should be a summary offence. you're fired . summary offence. you're fired. >> so why rachel reeves then? is saying that it's she. she thinks that it's more vendetta because she's a woman and that there's. do you do you think there's any thatis do you do you think there's any that is relevant in any way to this ? this? >> well, again, i don't want to discuss this in a way that somehow, as it were, takes the heat off the issue that natwest. well, no, we're not taking the heat of the issue. heat out of the issue. >> but but what we are doing and talking about i think rachel's statement made some hours statement was made some hours before some of this became apparent. >> i do not know what she would now be saying . no, no, rachel now be saying. no, no, rachel made this quite recently. >> i saw i actually heard quite recently when a you're on recently when a story you're on a programme that moves by the minute, these stories move very, very very quickly. very fast, very quickly. >> peter >> the resignation of peter flavell this afternoon is another dimension of that story, moving quickly , the financial moving quickly, the financial conduct authority have now got

to get in there and look at what on earth was going on. it seems to to be very significant to me to be very significant that the head of coutts has now resigned think there are resigned to. i think there are issues i regret this because issues and i regret this because i think he's very good man. i think he's a very good man. there are issues for the chair of the group, howard davis, now because that the bank because the way that the bank moved to protect the ceo in the face of what they probably knew, again astonishing because it looks like the bank was protecting itself, not its customers and banking depends upon the trust between the bank and its customers orders. and i know some people have made a bit of a fuss about nigel farage making a huge mountain out of a molehill here. i don't think it is a mountain out of a molehill . banks depend upon trust . the . banks depend upon trust. the public, however, they vote . public, however, they vote. whoever they are, depend on that trust. this is a moment when the banks and the financial conduct authority and the information commissioner must now look at it all. and those responsible , all. and those responsible, those who may have behaved

inappropriately , the higher they inappropriately, the higher they are up in the food chain, the more they must take responsibility for what they did or did not do . or did not do. >> but it wasn't just that nigel couldn't get a bank account with after he was kind of banked from them. it was pretty much nine other banks as well. absolutely so what should happen well, so what should happen in. well, that's why the financial conduct authority, i think, may find that now that as it were there into now account of worms. >> and there a number of >> and there are a number of things to look at. but but again, back, doesn't again, it comes back, doesn't it, the really casual way it, to the really casual way that the bank was dealing with this. so casual they thought they could with the bbc they could chat with the bbc about client's account. so about a client's account. so casual that it would seem that the group chair of natwest didn't properly himself invest. wait before they put out a statement protecting the ceo . i statement protecting the ceo. i don't know if rachel reeves is right to say being bullied here or not. she's a very decent person and i don't believe that rachel will have said these things without some thought. but it does seem to me the issue here is not around bullying.

it's about the culture that you want to set at the top of the tree. so when as i hope rachel becomes the chancellor sometime in the next year or 18 months, is she to will set a culture inside the treasury and that culture will depend upon what she does and how she leads. and i'm afraid alison has paid the price for being a leader. and let's be clear , somebody who's let's be clear, somebody who's earning £5.5 million a year, i have to say, i don't think we should too be worried about how the next 12 months is going to go for them. >> well, i'm not worried about it. i'm just making sure, in my view, that i think somebody who's earning that kind of money certainly elements certainly should have elements of docked for the of her severance docked for the behaviour she should behaviour and she should have actually been sacked. >> yeah, she should been >> yeah, she should have been sacked. mean, the docking sacked. i mean, the docking issue, think that's important. separate. >> you think, you may >> well you may think, you may think but think a lot of think that but i think a lot of people who are listening and are listening are actually listening to this are actually quite the whole situation. >> should. >> we all should. >> we all should. >> she was behind it. she was behind push for this diverse behind the push for this diverse and and all this awful

and inclusion and all this awful thing people was thing where people she was apparently the apparently not aware of the dossier that been what dossier that had been what people saying with regard dossier that had been what pe nigel. saying with regard dossier that had been what pe nigel. butsaying with regard dossier that had been what pe nigel. but there with regard dossier that had been what pe nigel. but there was] regard dossier that had been what pe nigel. but there was a egard dossier that had been what pe nigel. but there was a green to nigel. but there was a green light for people to speak in this way about customers. share. >> i share every piece of disgust about this. the but disgust about this. but the but the disgust i have here is the most disgust i have here is that an individual, the most disgust i have here is that an individual , whoever that an individual, whoever they are, been allowed to be are, has been allowed to be talked about because banking in britain and let's face it, banking in britain is so important to our economy. we cannot allow this to happen. no and the leader of a bank sets the tone, right? >> well , i've got to go. the tone, right? >> well, i've got to go. but it's good to talk to you. we can have a discussion about this for ages. that is sean wooldridge. he's the labour cabinet he's the former labour cabinet minister. the nigel farage minister. well, the nigel farage banking has at banking scandal has erupted at the same gb news has the same time as gb news has launched a campaign to stop the uk cashless society. uk becoming a cashless society. the called the campaign is called don't kill and it's proving to kill cash, and it's proving to be a hugely popular. already more than 234,000 people have signed it . the petition is on signed it. the petition is on the website gbnews.com forward slash cash or if you've got a

smartphone , use it to click on smartphone, use it to click on the qr code on your screen right now to take you to the petition. now help gb news with our campaign and tell the authorities don't not kill cash . well stay tuned because campaigners want the 30mph speed limit on residence roads to be cut to just 20. does that make sense or is it a step too far? i'm nana akua on gb news britain's news

on gb news, the people's.

channel >> good afternoon. it's just coming up to 49 minutes after 3:00. this is gb news. i'm nana akua now campaign hours in england are calling for a 20 mile per hour speed limit to be put in place where people live, work and go to school. but there's another group in yorkshire. they're pushing back . our reporter riley has . our reporter anna riley has the story . the story. >> twenty's plenty for us. their campaign group calling for a blanket 20 mile an hour zone in engush blanket 20 mile an hour zone in english cities, towns, villages and residential areas. north yorkshire is the biggest county in england . its road . network in england. its road. network spans 5753 miles, and it's here where local activists are putting renewed pressure on the council to reduce speed limits on the roads. >> our roads are getting busier and busier and it's getting more and busier and it's getting more and more difficult in our towns and more difficult in our towns and villages to cross the road safely. so 20 miles an hour is the right speed limit. much the right speed limit. it's much safer, much less likely have

safer, much less likely to have collisions . collisions. >> the initiative is also supported by schools in the area. >> children don't have that perception of how fast the cars go in and it is vitally hard on this road sometimes to actually judge myself whether it's safe, ten mile an hour lower would would make it a little bit safer, would make me able to cross the road and help the children cross the road more than anything, really . than anything, really. >> but the council have pushed back on countywide 20 mile an hour zones to do a signed only 20 mile per hour limits across nonh 20 mile per hour limits across north yorkshire we think could cost upwards of £10 million. >> that's a significant amount of money and we think that could be much better spent, much better targeted at improving road safety, reducing accidents and casualties on north yorkshire's roads. and casualties on north yorkshire's roads . and what yorkshire's roads. and what we've seen elsewhere in the country is where you have signed only 20 mile per hour limits that actually the reduction in speed is very marginal,

sometimes just one mile per houn >> and this is what people in nonh >> and this is what people in north yorkshire think to the 20 plenty scheme blanket 20 miles an hour is not not really appropriate. >> it depends on the circumstances of the town or village that you're you're driving through the cars just they go by, they don't they don't care. >> they slow down for pedestrians to have past. so i think it would be a great idea. >> people really don't take any nofice >> people really don't take any notice of it. and if they made a 20 mile an hour limit, it would just put everybody in more danger because they'd people would ignore it and there'd be more accidents probably. >> and they're always like the idea of slowing people down and keeping everyone safe. but i think probably a bit of flexibility. definitely definitely not 20 miles an hour, just simply too slow. >> it will get people agitated. nonh >> it will get people agitated. north yorkshire council has pledged to review speed limits across the county in the coming months and years , but time will months and years, but time will tell if campaigners here get their wish for slower traffic on their wish for slower traffic on

the roads . the roads. >> anna riley gb news moulton well , dan >> anna riley gb news moulton well, dan campsall is the chairman of agilisys , which is chairman of agilisys, which is an independent road safety consultancy, and he joins me how. >> now. >> dan is 20 plenty . >> dan is 20 plenty. >> dan is 20 plenty. >> yeah, i think when you look at a lot of our urban roads, particularly where we've got people walking and cycling , then people walking and cycling, then 20 miles an hour is an appropriate limit to have . and appropriate limit to have. and that's particularly because when you put vulnerable human beings in a public space surrounded by traffic, the crucial thing is that they don't survive very well when they're involved in crash. >> and when you slow the traffic down, you take some of the energy out of those impacts, you reduce the risk and actually you make our environments much safer. >> you also make them much more appealing for people to actually choose to walk and cycle. >> and you get whole bunch of >> and you get a whole bunch of environmental as well. >> and you get a whole bunch of envs01mental as well. >> and you get a whole bunch of envso it|ental as well. >> and you get a whole bunch of envso it does as well. >> and you get a whole bunch of envso it does make as well. >> and you get a whole bunch of envso it does make a as well. >> and you get a whole bunch of envso it does make a lot. well. >> and you get a whole bunch of envso it does make a lot ofell. >> so it does make a lot of sense, but some people would say that actually sometimes when you're slow, it can you're going that slow, it can be frustrating for the be quite frustrating for the motorist and actually people who

aren't going to listen to 30 won't listen to 20 anyway. >> yeah , i think i understand >> yeah, i think i understand that some people have got used to the fact that we get to drive at 30 and when you're sitting down in in a cocooned car, you've got the air conditioning on. >> you've maybe got gb news radio playing or something. >> you feel nice and relaxed , >> you feel nice and relaxed, don't you? >> and actually you don't take note of just how fast you're going or indeed what a risk that is to people who are out in the road walking and cycling . road walking and cycling. >> but actually, when you are experience those speeds at the roadside especially if you roadside and especially if you are somebody who's who does a lot of travel in that urban environment, at those speeds really matter . really matter. >> it really matters to our children. it matters to our older people, especially who suffer greater injury if they're involved in crashes. >> bringing that speed down >> so bringing that speed down and all of us getting used to it actually will help to deliver a whole bunch of benefits. >> well, dan, you >> well, listen, dan, thank you so much. >> that's dan campsall. he's the chairman of agilisys, which is

an safety an independent road safety consultancy. nigel consultancy. now, the nigel farage scandal has farage banking scandal has claimed victim, the ceo, claimed another victim, the ceo, peter resigned. peter flavell. he's resigned. he says bears ultimate says that he bears ultimate responsibility for the decision to close the gb news presenters account. i'm nana akua. this is gb news. britain's news channel. >> a brighter outlook with boxt solar proud sponsors of weather on . gb news. solar proud sponsors of weather on. gb news. i'm solar proud sponsors of weather on . gb news. i'm alex deakin. on. gb news. i'm alex deakin. >> this is your latest weather update from the met office for gb news. things are turning a bit brighter through the rest of today. some sunny spells, but there are a few heavy showers around as well. still pretty humid this area of humid feel. also this area of low pressure will bring plenty of showers for the weekend, but back to today, these weather fronts clearing away. as fronts are clearing away. so as i many places are i said, many places are brightening still some brightening up. still some outbreaks rain across outbreaks of rain across northeast although northeast scotland, although shetland fine for most shetland staying fine for most of the evening. elsewhere the rain ease off few rain tending to ease off a few breaks in the cloud, particularly through the night of and of course, northern ireland and western , where it will

western scotland, where it will actually a little actually start to turn a little cooler fresher. but for many cooler and fresher. but for many with the cloud and the murky conditions, be another conditions, it will be another pretty humid night with pretty mild and humid night with temperatures at 15 or 16 temperatures staying at 15 or 16 degrees. onto the details for friday. it does start pretty dry over central and eastern england and parts of the south. but i think that cloud should tend to break up. we'll see some sunshine, rain over shetland working its way up towards orkney through the day. a few scattered showers certainly across northern ireland. later on, there'll be some showers , on, there'll be some showers, but actually a bright but for many, actually a bright fine day on friday with temperatures getting into the low 20s, slightly less humid feel compared to today and feeling pretty pleasant. i suspect, in the sunshine this low pressure system that i talked about earlier . here it talked about earlier. here it comes. moving in for the weekend around that we'll just see bands of showers moving in. so the weekend's a mixed picture. we'll see some sunny spells, but also quite a few showers . quite a few showers. >> a brighter outlook with boxt solar proud sponsors of weather

on .

gb news. >> good afternoon. it's 4:00. this is gb news on tv online and on digital radio. i'm nana akua . i'm in for patrick christys. and coming up in this hour, well

, the big top story, of course, another one bites the dust. the coots ceo , peter flavell. he's coots ceo, peter flavell. he's gone. coots ceo, peter flavell. he's gone . is that enough? more of gone. is that enough? more of them need to go. i mean, are you happy with the fact that the boss of the whole entire thing sat and said, hey, sat there and said, hey, it's fine, what was fine, what she did was regrettable, but it weren't that bad? shall see. we'll carry bad? we shall see. we'll carry on with story. and then the on with this story. and then the wildfires, course, will wildfires, of course, will continue. gas record continue. but british gas record profits we've about, profits, as we've talked about, how they're earning . and how much they're earning. and part is due this part of it is due to this ridiculous cap they were ridiculous price cap they were given by ofgem, is so—called given by ofgem, who is so—called supposedly the regulators will discuss that later on in the programme. and now we're on to the wildfires. they're coming up because europe is on fire. paul hawkins, our reporter, is out there in rhodes the there in rhodes assessing the situation is actually on the ground of the ground with some of the firefighters volunteers ground with some of the fire'there rs volunteers ground with some of the fire'there trying volunteers ground with some of the fire'there trying to lunteers ground with some of the fire'there trying to stop ers ground with some of the fire'there trying to stop these are there trying to stop these fires. but as you said, they just raging they're just keep raging on and they're spreading. question is, spreading. so the question is, is about climate change? is is this about climate change? is this to do with climate change? the heat is on. so is it about climate change? because they're

saying in this country that we are going to be experiencing temperatures that are around about 40 degrees if only i'm sorry, i don't mean to be rude, but it's freezing . i've got my but it's freezing. i've got my heating on. the is actually heating on. the heat is actually on in my . heating on. the heat is actually on in my. house so heating on. the heat is actually on in my . house so aslef get on in my. house so aslef get in touch in the regular way. gb views. gbnews.com or tweet us at gb news. stay tuned though. but first, let's get your latest news headlines with tatiana sanchez. >> nana. thank you and good afternoon. this is the latest from the newsroom. the ceo of coutts bank, peter flavel, has stepped down with immediate effect. its interim boss said the resignation was agreed by mutual consent and is the right decision for coutts and the wider group . mr flavel says that wider group. mr flavel says that in the handling of mr faraj's case the bank had fallen below the high standards of personal

service . he's also said he bears service. he's also said he bears full responsibility for the poor handung full responsibility for the poor handling of the farage case in response to his resignation. farage says it was only a matter of time. it follows the resignation of former ceo of the natwest group, dame alison rose , who could be in line for a £5 million pay off. british gas owner centrica has revealed that earnings at its gas and electricity supply arm have soared by 889% to £969 million in the six months to june on an underlying basis. operating profits rose to 2.1 billion from 1.3 billion a year ago. the prime minister insists that energy companies windfall profits are being taxed to support consumers helping to pay around half of a typical family's energy bill. i know that the number one challenge families are facing up and down the country is the cost of living and in particular for their energy bills. >> that's why i took a decision

back when chancellor to back when i was chancellor to introduce windfall tax back when i was chancellor to introduce windfalltax the introduce a windfall tax on the energy so we are now energy companies. so we are now taxing these windfall profits of energy companies and we're using that money to help us pay around half of a typical family's energy bill, particularly over the last winter. that support has been worth £1,500 to a typical family. has been worth £1,500 to a typical family . its support has been worth £1,500 to a typical family. its support on the scale of the furlough scheme to give people context, because i know important is for i know how important it is for the government and ease the government and me to ease some of pressures on the some of those pressures on the cost of living . cost of living. >> a man who shot dead a custody sergeant in a police cell in 2020 has been sentenced to a whole life term in prison . 25 whole life term in prison. 25 year old luis de zoysa fatally shot sergeant matt ratana in croydon. zoysa claimed diminished responsibility during the three week trial, but the jury the three week trial, but the jury took around five hours to unanimously famously convict him . the decision to release double child killer colin pitchfork will be re—examined by a new parole board. the 63 year old

was jailed for life after raping and strangling 215 year old girls in the early 80s. he was given a minimum sentence of 30 years in 1988, later reduced to 28 years for good behaviour and was released in 2021. pitchfork was released in 2021. pitchfork was recalled to prison two months later after approaching young women in the street, which was later deemed flawed by the parole board . tram operators parole board. tram operators have been fined a total of £14 million over the croydon derailed shunt, which killed seven people. many more were injured when a tram carrying 69 people derailed near the sandilands stop in november 2016. transport for london and tram operations limited have accepted failing in their health and safety duties. mrjustice fraser told the court this was undoubtedly an accident waiting to happen. jean smith , mother of to happen. jean smith, mother of mark, who died in the tram crash, says no fines can bring her son back. the whole sentencing was pointless as a

family. >> while we appreciate that both tfl and tfl admitted liability straight away, their fines are meaningless in the light of loss of life . of life. >> a high court judge has ruled that the duke of sussex can bnng that the duke of sussex can bring a claim of unlawful information gathering to trial against the publisher of the sun, but not a claim of phone hacking. prince harry alleges he was targeted by journalists and private investigators working for the news group newspapers. the sun publisher says the announcement is a significant victory . the group denies any victory. the group denies any unlawful activity took place . unlawful activity took place. wildfires in greece continue despite a drop in temperatures. blazes have spread across the country for more than a week, killing three people and causing over 20,000 tourists to evacuate roads. 61 more fires have erupted in greece in the last 24 hours, with footage showing cliffs and trees scorched by the blazes in albania , crews

blazes in albania, crews continue to battle the flames across the country's southern region , with emergency region, with emergency helicopters dropping water on affected areas . in italy, the affected areas. in italy, the extent of the devastation can be seen after a wildfire turned the hills surrounding a fifth century temple into ash . and century temple into ash. and finally, no medical cause has been given for the death of irish singer sinead o'connor, who was found unresponsive . lviv who was found unresponsive. lviv at a residential address in london yesterday. an autopsy will be conducted with the results expected to take several weeks. the 56 year old's death is not being treated as suspicious as this is. gb news. we'll bring you more as it happens. now it's back to nana . happens. now it's back to nana. thank you, tatiana. >> just coming up to eight minutes after 4:00. this is gb

news. i'm nana akua. i'm in for patrick christys. now we start with the fallout from the natwest banking scandal and the ceo of coutts, peter flavell, has resigned after nigel farage his account was closed because of his political views. flavell said in the handling of mr farage case, we have fallen below the bank's high standards of personal service. as ceo of coutts, it is right that i bear ultimate responsibility for this , which is why i am stepping down. well, let's get more on this from our political reporter catherine forster . so he's catherine forster. so he's stepped down, which it seems he should have done . are there should have done. are there calls for anybody else to go? >> well, there certainly are . >> well, there certainly are. and i mean, nigel farage has been calling for the chairman of the natwest group, sir howard davies , to go and indeed, for davies, to go and indeed, for the whole natwest board to go since yesterday . and let's see since yesterday. and let's see what happens, because there are quarterly profits being announced by natwest tomorrow and there is an investors

meeting. so clearly the ramifications of this are going on and on. nigel farage has tweeted in the last hour or so that the resignation of peter flavell, the cuts boss, he says, was only ever a matter of time because he bears, he says, the ultimate responsible for the dossier. de banking me for my political views lies with him. and of course, nigel farage after the bbc put out that what turned out to be inaccurate story. so saying that basically cuts had dropped him because he didn't have enough money. nigel farage got 40 pages of evidence that coutts had on him and how the decision was made , and it the decision was made, and it included things like he'd retweeted ricky gervais making a joke about trans women. he's friends with novak djokovic, who's anti vax. all these little bits and pieces of information that they had pulled together and concluded that they didn't

want him because they didn't feel that he aligned with their values. of course, many people will think we're in britain. people have the right to say what they want and also confidentiel city, that's something the prime minister was talking about earlier , like the talking about earlier, like the doctor, the banks are supposed to keep your information portion private . it is not okay. as the private. it is not okay. as the information commissioner's office was saying yesterday to go to giving private information to a member of the media, they might argue that they're a private company, though, and you hear them. >> there was that argument. they're a private company and therefore company therefore a private company has therefore a private company has the to have whoever they the right to have whoever they want as their customer. well maybe from the fact maybe apart from the fact they're entirely a private they're not entirely a private company, they're not entirely a private con because they're not entirely a private conbecause in 2008, they're not entirely a private con because in 2008, the >> because in 2008, the financial ice, the financial crisis ice, the british taxpayer , i mean, the british taxpayer, i mean, the government, but ultimately the taxpayer , ultimately all of us taxpayer, ultimately all of us came along bailed them out came along and bailed them out to £20 billion. and to the tune of £20 billion. and the government still owns a 39%

share in natwest. in the meantime, since all this kicked off yesterday morning, the value plunged 4% yesterday. about . 850 plunged 4% yesterday. about. 850 million wiped off the value that has continued today. so financially dreadful news and also an absolute pr disaster. and i think it's got some way to run yet. >> interesting that keir starmer kept quite quiet until recently rachel reeves that they came out and said that we're sort of sort of pushing it all on dame alison rose because she's a woman. of pushing it all on dame alison rosyes,cause she's a woman. of pushing it all on dame alison rosyes, there's1e's a woman. of pushing it all on dame alison rosyes, there's been woman. of pushing it all on dame alison rosyes, there's been a'oman. of pushing it all on dame alison rosyes, there's been a bitan. of pushing it all on dame alison rosyes, there's been a bit of >> yes, there's been a bit of the conservatives have been completely united in saying it was the right decision and in fact, because fact, it was basically because number 10 and the chancellor made very heir the made it very clear, heir to the natwest , that they natwest board, that they expected her to go, that alison rose went labour . there's been rose went labour. there's been some differences of opinion. keir starmer came out and said, yes, it was absolutely wrong. yes she should go. he felt sorry for nigel farage. and one of one of the other shadow ministers basically implied that it was

politically influenced that the conservatives were sort of trying to keep on the right side of nigel farage, and perhaps they ought to have acted quicker on their own scandals with like dominic raab and nadine zahawi and the shadow chancellor, and then the shadow chancellor, rachel reeves saying she had rachel reeves, saying she had some sort of queasiness, really, because she didn't like what she saw as a bullying attitude towards a woman. and of course, dame alison rose . as you know, dame alison rose. as you know, we was a glass ceiling breaker, if you like, breaking through in this very male environment to get to the top of a big bank, but which has fallen through it now, though, isn't she? 5.2 million a year? and it sounds like she's likely to get up to that to go away ? that to go away? >> well , thank you for that, >> well, thank you for that, catherine this is gb news. this is we are the people's channel, honestly, 5.2 million. well, we move on because whilst many in this country suffered over the winter due to the freezing temperatures and had to

sacrifice things like food and put extra jumper to avoid put on an extra jumper to avoid switching the heating due to switching on the heating due to the costs of energy, the spiralling costs of energy, the spiralling costs of energy, the companies behind this who made lives a living hell made our lives a living hell were basking in glory and were basking in the glory and have just posted obscene profits. not all their profits. it's not all their fault. i mean, who can blame them? after ofgem, the so—called energy regulator who are about as useful as a chocolate teapot and equally weak, handed them and equally as weak, handed them and equally as weak, handed them a cap boost of around a price cap boost of around about £500 million. and as a result, centrica , who owned result, centrica, who owned british gas, their earnings went up british gas, their earnings went ”p by british gas, their earnings went up by 900, not arise from 98 million a year earlier to 969 million. so overall, centrica made an operating profit of 6.5 billion in the first six months of the year against operating losses of 1.1 billion a year earlier . losses of 1.1 billion a year earlier. simon francis, who's the co—ordinator of the end fuel poverty coalition, said these profits are a further sign of britain's broken energy system. he went on to say, at a time when households energy debt is

spiralling to record levels and energy bills remain double what they were just a few years ago, the profits posted will be greeted with disbelief by those struggling through the crisis . struggling through the crisis. and whilst i do believe in capitalism , i also believe that capitalism, i also believe that capitalism, i also believe that capitalism only truly exists when there is real competition and vital resources like energy and vital resources like energy and water should never have been privatised. the energy companies behave as a cartel, leaving privatised. the energy companies behave as a cartel , leaving the behave as a cartel, leaving the consumer with very little variation in choices and good luck understanding your bills. i don't even think they understand them themselves . and that is, of them themselves. and that is, of course, if you are lucky enough to get through to someone to complain , then my view, the complain, then in my view, the system is broken. ofgem, the so—called regulator, is pathetic, but ultimately the energy companies operate in a market regulated by the government . so perhaps another government. so perhaps another windfall tax is required because the only beneficiaries here are a handful of shareholders . so

a handful of shareholders. so that's what i think. but i'd love to hear what you think. email me gb views. gbnews.com or tweet me at gb news. i'll have loads more on the story a little later on in this hour. let's get more from gb news political reporter olivia utley olivia . reporter olivia utley olivia. >> yes. so british gas, the company that owns british gas, centrica, has posted these record profits today. i mean, they are absolute enormous. there's no getting around it. 969 million down ten times their profit for the period of the first six months of 2022. and nearly double their previous record from 2010, the first half of 2010 of 565 million. now there are a couple of sort of caveats to that. one, of course, is that during the beginning of the war in ukraine, when oil was the war in ukraine, when oil was the price of oil was really , the price of oil was really, really, really high, british gas was actually losing money. even, even though our gas prices were very high indeed, they were still losing money because they couldn't pass it all on to the customer. and now they're trying

to recoup some money. to recoup some of that money. the other is that ofgem, the other caveat is that ofgem, the regulator, actually set the price cap. that's the maximum amount that a gas company can charge a customer. they set it too low in order to try and help people with the cost of living . people with the cost of living. and it was impossible for british gas to make any profits over that time. so, again, they're just trying to claw some of back. said, i don't of that back. that said, i don't think any of that is going to be very helpful to people sitting at home watching this hearing that this company that has been essentially, as you said in your intro, they're making our lives a misery when people were having to choose whether to to literally choose whether to heat eat over the winter heat or eat over the winter months, it's bringing home nearly £1 billion profit. and nearly £1 billion in profit. and politically , it'll be really politically, it'll be really interesting to see what happens because these oil gas because these oil and gas companies, they are already taxed . all in all, 75. there are taxed. all in all, 75. there are three different taxes that are levied on oil and gas companies, including the windfall tax that rishi introduced last rishi sunak introduced last yeah rishi sunak introduced last year. ed miliband, the labour energy shadow energy secretary,

is calling on the government to raise that to 78. and it'll be fascinating to see whether the government responds to that. you can see that jeremy hunt is treading a pretty thin line at the moment. written an op the moment. he's written an op ed the times saying that you ed in the times saying that you know, capitalism is a good thing. it's good that these energy a energy companies are making a profit. money in the profit. it's more money in the pockets pensioners. et pockets of pensioners. et cetera. cetera. but it they cetera. et cetera. but it they need show what need to show exactly what they're doing help out the they're doing to help out the customers struggling customers who are struggling at home. tories line. home. that's the tories line. labour's is much harder. labour's line is much harder. it'll interesting see it'll be interesting to see where public falls because where the public falls because historically keen historically they're pretty keen on the on windfall taxes because the labour with gb energy labour came up with gb energy i think their, their notion think was their, their notion that perhaps we should own our own of energy company . own sort of energy company. >> is this the way forward for these energy companies? because it seems like you can them it seems like you can tax them more, but seem to be able more, but they seem to be able to just charge whatever they like. end of the day. like. at the end of the day. >> well, because government >> well, because the government helped out. helped us out. >> they did was they >> but what they did was they allowed them to a high allowed them to charge a high price. but then we paid less than government subsidised price. but then we paid less tha which jovernment subsidised price. but then we paid less tha which we're ment subsidised price. but then we paid less tha which we're goingsubsidised price. but then we paid less tha which we're going;ubpay;ed

us, which we're going to pay ourselves, to pay back for ourselves, going to pay back for that. now, they need do more that. now, they need to do more to the actual suppliers themselves. >> well, it will interesting >> well, it will be interesting to the sort of public to see how the sort of public mood settles down. don't think mood settles down. i don't think we're the stage where we're we're at the stage where we're talking nationalisation talking about nationalisation yet. miliband, who is yet. even ed miliband, who is pretty hot on this, isn't yet talking about nationalisation. he's about higher he's only talking about higher windfall you windfall taxes, although you could you're could say that once you're talking about taxes into into the late 70s% then it almost is a nationalised company. but i don't think public opinion is quite yet. people remember quite there yet. people remember past nationalisation disasters and aren't aren't too keen to sort of hop on that bandwagon . sort of hop on that bandwagon. but it does feel as though, as you say, the conservatives will have to will have to do more. and whether jeremy hunts line will hold will be really interesting. at the moment. british gas is saying that it's going to offer a £50 million voluntary package its voluntary package to its customers of what they customers on top of what they have already help out. have already given to help out. but out in the grand scheme of things against profits of nearly a billion, 50 million doesn't seem much . seem like that much. >> the shareholders will benefit

quite substantial as from quite a substantial as well from this. >> e will benefit >> shareholders will benefit substantially. other substantially. and the other investment that that centrica is going make is pushing 450 going to make is pushing 450 million back into its own company . that's a that company. that's a move that companies like this normally would only do if they have sort of surplus profits they of surplus profits and they don't know what to do with them. and of course, the government will hang on a will be saying, hey, hang on a minute, you've only got these surplus profits energy surplus profits because energy was for ordinary was so, so costly for ordinary british people over the winter months. shouldn't they be benefitingabout the green levies? >> what about the green levies? are they doing investing in their energy levies as their green energy levies as well they are. well as energy? they are. >> they are. have to under >> they are. they have to under the of their sort of the terms of their sort of agreement with the government, they quite a lot they have to invest quite a lot in their green green energy sort of offshoots. but again, i expect the government will start piling more pressure piling on a bit more pressure where that's concerned. that said, mean the government said, i mean, the government has been while about been toying for a while about windfall on green energy windfall taxes on green energy companies as well. but here we go . it can be incredibly go. it can be incredibly profitable and obviously the pubuc profitable and obviously the public would like to see as much money as they possibly can recouped after nightmare of

recouped after this nightmare of a yeah, i think we a winter. so, yeah, i think we can see more pressure can expect to see more pressure on like centrica to on companies like centrica to invest more in in green energy . invest more in in green energy. >> well, wouldn't it be nice if they actually put the prices down a bit, though? do you think that'll ever happen? >> oh , i wouldn't wouldn't bet >> oh, i wouldn't wouldn't bet my it. my house on it. >> they never they never go down do though. the barrel. they do they though. the barrel. they never thank you very never go down. thank you very much, olivia. olivia much, olivia. that's olivia adley. political adley. she's our political reporter. can get lots reporter. well, you can get lots more that story on the more on that story on the website . right. get this website. right. and get this gbnews.com is the fastest growing news website in growing national news website in the country . it's got the best the country. it's got the best analysis opinion as well as analysis and opinion as well as the latest breaking news. and gb news campaigning to stop the news is campaigning to stop the uk becoming a cashless society. the called don't the campaign is called don't kill cash, and it's proving to be hugely popular already more than 234,000 people have signed it . now the petition is again on it. now the petition is again on the website gbnews.com forward slash cash or if you've got a smartphone, you can use it right now. go to click on the qr code on your screen and that will

take you to the petition. so help gb news with that campaign and tell the authorities don't kill cash . well, moving on to kill cash. well, moving on to southern europe . southern europe southern europe. southern europe is hit by more wildfires as there's a warning that britain could face the same problems in the years to come. i'm nana akua on gb news britain's news

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back. those who've just been hanging about and doing other stuff. i'm a queer. i'm in for patrick christie and a few moments i'll have more on this afternoon's breaking news. the ceo of coutts resigned over ceo of coutts has resigned over its handling of nigel farage. now, as more of europe is hit by wildfires, there's a stark warning from the met office. it says that 40 degree temperatures, summer droughts and downpours in the uk will increase in both frequency and severity. now this comes a bit of severe heat wave in southern europe with 61 wildfires erupting across greece in the last 24 hours. thousands of firefighters are trying to control the blazes in the island of rhodes has declared a state of rhodes has declared a state of emergency for six months now. in its annual state of the uk climate report. the national weather service found that 2022 was the warmest year on record, but 0.9 c above the average between 1991 and 2020. it was also the first year when the annual mean temperature exceeded ten degrees , 40 degrees 40.3 c

ten degrees, 40 degrees 40.3 c was recorded in konigsberg in lincolnshire on july. the 19th. my lincolnshire on july. the 19th. my birthday was the highest temperature ever recorded in the uk . winter, spring and summer uk. winter, spring and summer autumn in 2022, all ranked among the top ten warmest seasons since 1884 and all the top ten warmest years for the uk since 1884 have occurred in the 21st century . all right. well, let's century. all right. well, let's get the latest. our reporter paul hawkins, who's on the island of rhodes in greece, has this report . this report. >> so we're up in the mountains now . there's a lot of ash >> so we're up in the mountains now. there's a lot of ash and smoke coming into our faces. this is there's lots of this is where there's lots of pockets little fires that pockets of little fires that have broken and, course, have broken out. and, of course, the has exacerbated that the wind has exacerbated that problem. have problem. these fires have reignited. look the reignited. and just look at the bravery volunteer bravery of these volunteer firefighters is really hot firefighters. it is really hot here. can feel the heat firefighters. it is really hot here off can feel the heat firefighters. it is really hot here off them feel the heat firefighters. it is really hot here off the smouldering at firefighters. it is really hot here off the smouldering forest still off the smouldering forest floor. you can see here the ash that's everywhere. and these fires can easily reignite . and fires can easily reignite. and look at these volunteer

firefighters, the bravery of them. it's effectively a huge tank of water on the back of a pickup truck. and they're going in there. these are amateur firefighters who have doing incredible things , ordinary incredible things, ordinary people doing extraordinary things. they're there things. and they're up there just a fire in the just hosing down a fire in the distance. but if we take a wander just over here in this direction as well, you can see over here, thick plumes of smoke and there are little pockets of fires that keep breaking out over here. there was an enormous fire earlier on that broke out. what a significant fire. in fact, if you look into the distance just there, you can see just over this ridge in front of us, right in the distance. that is what they are talking about. this why they are not resting this is why they are not resting on their laurels. it's why they are remaining vigilant, because on their laurels. it's why they are rethe ning vigilant, because on their laurels. it's why they are rethe windyigilant, because on their laurels. it's why they are rethe wind picks|t, because on their laurels. it's why they are rethe wind picks|t, basiuse on their laurels. it's why they are rethe wind picks|t, bas it;e when the wind picks up, as it has done now , now it can has done now, now it can reignite and then reignite the fires. and then they rapidly . so in the they spread rapidly. so in the distance, those fires continue to burn. and then if we look over here, just under this tree , see there's a deer , you can see there's a deer what looks like a deer. they're resting in the shade. so it's a

problem not just for people who live in this area, not just for the tourists, but also for the animals. we know that there have been a number of animal casualties. the animal welfare charities have stepped to in rescue but that gives rescue animals, but that gives you what the wildlife you an idea of what the wildlife in area to contend with. in the area has to contend with. and indeed how comfortable it's been living so close to these fires that continue to crop up and cause an incredible amount of damage to the forest . some of of damage to the forest. some of these forests will take decades to regrow. we know we've spoken to regrow. we know we've spoken to people who are over the age of 50in the area. they're devastated because they will never see these trees regain full growth. it's really, really , really sad to see. it's incredible hot. it's incredibly difficult to talk to you at the moment right now, actually. and i'm only a reporter. just think about these guys and what they're going through. >> terrible. well we'll keep you updated with all of that, but with the summer holidays well underway, we search from trustpilot has found a third of

parents worry about the price of activities for kids during the break. carson has been break. jack carson has been looking into how the of looking into how the cost of living crisis affecting living crisis is affecting parents businesses . as for parents and businesses. as for families up and down the country, the summer holidays can prove to be a difficult challenge , not only keeping challenge, not only keeping their children happy , but in the their children happy, but in the cost of living crisis. >> not breaking bank. >> not breaking the bank. >> not breaking the bank. >> research conducted by trustpilot found parents will spend an average of £635 on keeping their kids entertained . keeping their kids entertained. and for six weeks, sabrina dennis is a mum of four and ceo of the charity first class foundation, which helps young people in the west midlands. >> she says inflated prices mean she's having to be even wiser with her money. >> inflated prices mean that everything you're thinking about, everything you're thinking about food, you're thinking about food, you're thinking about food, you're thinking about outings, going outside. you think everything, everything is just stark and obvious in front of your face. i think before the prices went up, we were kind of just like, you know, carrying on. we had our

budgets and we still have our budgets and we still have our budgets now, but they are being stretched out to the absolute limit. it'sjust stretched out to the absolute limit. it's just hard because you're trying to balance the books. trying balance books. you're trying to balance my which is not, you my food shop, which is not, you know have been £200. know, it might have been £200. it's like near it's now probably like near three, £400. and i think most people are literally thinking about summer now, thinking how on are we going get on earth are we going to get through this? >> the paw family are >> the paw print family are a small business based in litchfield badges and litchfield who make badges and free director free activity packs. director charlotte russell says they're giving parents a low cost option this summer. >> it isn't about going out and spending of money. you can spending a lot of money. you can use you've got at home or use what you've got at home or in your local green like in your local green spaces like parks and really experience those everyday adventures to make the normal into something extraordinary . all of our extraordinary. all of our challenge packs are linked to badges, so we're about rewards as well. so you know, a recent partnership that we've done, we've with natural we've worked with natural england and the countryside code to a shaun the sheep to produce a shaun the sheep challenge pack . and that pack is challenge pack. and that pack is really enjoying seeing and really about enjoying seeing and experiencing outdoor adventures.

>> the cost of entertaining their children, their kids having too much screen time and what to do if they get bored are the top three parental worries for break. well, for the six week break. well, from exploring the countryside to the wild to experiencing the wild outdoors, west midlands safari park this summer are making sure that not day out has to that not every day out has to cost the earth. celebrating their 50th anniversary this year and with a close up safari experience available head of marketing at the park, vicki green, says they're committed to helping even though helping families even though their have increased. their own costs have increased. we are slightly dependent on visitors coming to see our beautiful animals, so we have had to look at ways to divert at less essential expenditure to put forward, to those vital areas for us, it's a real key time to demonstrate that value for money offering . for money offering. >> and we're lucky enough to be able to continue to offer some great incentives to drive people to the park. so for anyone that's got children under three, they can come for free. we also do a flat rate £10 ticket for our theme park.

do a flat rate £10 ticket for our theme park . anybody wishing our theme park. anybody wishing to book online in advance can access up to 30% off savings to come to the park and also, if they book online, they do get free return offer to use within six months of coming from picnics to parrots. >> there's plenty of options. this summer that can keep the kids busy and the parents relaxed . jack carson gb news. relaxed. jack carson gb news. >> well, there's lots more still to come between now and 5:00. i'll bring you the latest on the nigel farage banking scandal as pressure mounts for more senior figures to two go at natwest . figures to two go at natwest. but first, let's get your latest news headlines with tatiana sanchez. news headlines with tatiana sanchez . nana. sanchez. nana. >> thank you very much and good afternoon. this is the latest from the newsroom. the ceo of coutts bank, peter flavell, has stepped down with immediate effect . it's interim boss said effect. it's interim boss said the resignation was agreed by mutual consent and is the right decision for the coutts and the wider group. mr flavell says

that in the handling of mr farage case the bank had fallen below the high standards of personal service . a man who shot personal service. a man who shot dead a custody sergeant in a police cell in 2020 has been sentenced to a whole life term in prison . 25 year old luis de in prison. 25 year old luis de sousa fatally shot sergeant matt ratana in croydon . de sousa ratana in croydon. de sousa claimed diminished responsibility during the three week trial, but the jury took around five hours to unanimously convict him and no medical cause has been given for the death of irish singer sinead o'connor , irish singer sinead o'connor, who was found unresponsive at a residential address in london yesterday . the 56 year old's yesterday. the 56 year old's death is not being treated as suspicious . you can get more on suspicious. you can get more on all of those stories by visiting our website at gbnews.com. now the weather a brighter outlook with boxt solar. >> proud sponsors of weather on . gb news. i'm alex deakin.

>> this is your latest weather update from the met office for gb news things turning a bit brighter through the rest of today with some sunny spells, but few heavy but there are a few heavy showers as well. still showers around as well. still pretty humid. feel also this area of low pressure will bring plenty showers for the plenty of showers for the weekend. back to today , weekend. but back to today, these weather fronts are clearing away. i said, clearing away. so as i said, many places brightening up. many places are brightening up. still of still some outbreaks of rain across scotland, across northeast scotland, although fine although shetland staying fine for most of the evening. elsewhere the rain tending to ease off few breaks in the ease off a few breaks in the cloud, particularly through the night ireland night across northern ireland and western scotland, where it will start to turn will actually start to turn a little cooler and fresher. but for many with the cloud and the murky conditions, it will be another mild and humid another pretty mild and humid night temperatures staying night with temperatures staying at 16 degrees onto the at 15 or 16 degrees onto the details for friday. it does start pretty drab over central and eastern england and parts of the south. but i think that cloud should tend to break up. we'll see some sunshine , rain we'll see some sunshine, rain over shetland working its way up towards orkney through the day. over shetland working its way up tofewis orkney through the day.

over shetland working its way up tofew scattered through the day. over shetland working its way up tofew scattered showers the day. a few scattered showers certainly across northern ireland. later on, there'll be some showers, but for many actually a bright fine day on friday with temperatures getting into the low 20s slightly less humid feel compared to today and feeling pretty pleasant, i suspect, in the sunshine. this low pressure system, though, i talked about it earlier. here it comes. moving in for the weekend around that we'll just see bands of showers moving in. so the weekend's a mixed picture. we'll all some sunny spells, but all see some sunny spells, but also quite a few showers . also quite a few showers. >> a brighter outlook with boxt solar proud sponsors of weather on . on. gb news. >> right. well, good afternoon. this is gb news on tv, online and on digital radio. lots of you have been getting in touch actually with your views, especially on the banking situation. i'm going read especially on the banking situat of. i'm going read especially on the banking situat of them going read especially on the banking situat of them tong read especially on the banking situat of them to you. read especially on the banking situat of them to you. andy in some of them to you. andy in dorset says, good old nigel farage opened to farage has opened the door to the corrupt established banks. i

closed account with natwest closed my account with natwest today. now with spanish today. i'm now with spanish owner santander. every person with morals should do the same. that's view. we also we got. that's his view. we also we got. here we go now this is interesting, ted. i'm glad you pointed this out. ted says the people who wrote those lies must be rooted out and fired without pensions as edward adams says. here's something that i fired . here's something that i fired. oh, hang on. wait. i don't know what that's about. but anyway, basically what he's saying, that's his name. sorry. he said i fired somebody who was fired many years ago from coots. but the point here that he's making is that who wrote that dossier? who wrote the memo? who wrote those notes? and then also quick one from parker about the one here from parker about the eu said the eu and others have never forgiven nigel farage for brexit. i voted. brexit and government have implemented government have not implemented brexit. what has happened to democracy feels a democracy? it feels like a dictatorship and freedom of speech lost. does this speech is being lost. does this country belong to us anymore? alison rose should lose her bank account very, very true. lydia. account. very, very true. lydia. i like that. lydia good point .

i like that. lydia good point. well, i'm joined now by stephen barrett . well, i'm joined now by stephen barrett. he's barrister and barrett. he's a barrister and a writer at the spectator. stephen, thank you very much for joining me. so we've been discussing this whole banking situation. people are saying rachel reeves said that actually it was a sort of witch hunt because she was a female, basically . alison rose going basically. alison rose going well , that's mean. well, that's mean. >> i don't like to do politics or talk about politics as they're entitled to their personal political views and to believe whatever it is that they want to believe. the important thing, i think for your viewers is that they are seeing law operating proper , and that is operating proper, and that is the beginning of this story , the beginning of this story, which is nearly a month old. >> i mean, one of the things about we forget just just how long ago it was when it started and everybody initially piles in with their their glee , quite with their their glee, quite possibly because they don't like mr farage, quite possibly that was their motivation for getting very excited at the start.

>> but the simple fact is that law matters is whether you like mr farage or dislike mr farage law , law matters. law, law matters. >> and what is happening now. we've seen quite rightly that the ico that's one regulator for is very likely to get involved and the fca , which is and the fca, which is a financial services regulator, is likely to get involved. now those are very respected regulator bodies. they move a bit slower than the news cycle and that's perfectly fine. law is a lot slower than politics, but it is about time that the law got involved in all of this. and there are many issues to be looked at as well . looked at as well. >> and as you say, law working correctly , which is a good correctly, which is a good thing. but the worry behind this is the actual what it felt like that we we're moving towards a kind of social credit system where all organisations like banks seem to have some sort of

edi criteria . and if you fall edi criteria. and if you fall outside it or fall outside what they deem acceptable, then you find yourself in all sorts of problems . problems. >> well, this is, this is so i'm not just going to sit here and praise law. the law has got itself into a bad way. it's become flabby , it's become fat, become flabby, it's become fat, it's become very difficult to understand what the rules actually are on quite a number of topics . and law works well of topics. and law works well when it has clarity . so, i mean when it has clarity. so, i mean , i'm sure in this instance, clarity is about to assert itself. and we will come to a clear conclusion and that everything will be looked at with proper due process. and i'm not too worried about this event point, but it's not dissimilar from when one of the bbc presenters made very political statements and that threw the bbc into chaos, because that's not that's contrary to what we call bbc impartial clarity. and

very honestly , the head of very honestly, the head of ethics at the bbc went on radio four and said, well, the problem is i don't know what the rule is, and this is that is repeating itself throughout our society. we don't seem to know what the rules are . now that's what the rules are. now that's a legal failure . so i have to sort legal failure. so i have to sort of put my hand up for law and 90, of put my hand up for law and go, we've not done terribly well here because if you don't know what what is what the rule is, if there is no clarity, then we are failing all of you. and if coot's got itself into the point where it had a committee looking at its own customers and reviewing their politics, and if got itself into a position where its ceo was saying things to journalists , if all of this has journalists, if all of this has occurred, then quite obviously that needs fixing and that's an issue that the law itself must eventually address. we must simply have clear rules which 6my simply have clear rules which apply to everybody . doesn't apply to everybody. doesn't matter whether they're mr

farage, doesn't matter whether they're keir starmer , it doesn't they're keir starmer, it doesn't matter who they are . clear rules matter who they are. clear rules that apply fairly and equally to everybody . and we will get here. everybody. and we will get here. but yes, it probably is right to stick our hand up and say, well, things are not in the best place that they've ever been. there's a lot of probably the reason that i'm repeatedly on the media is because things are not in the best state they've ever been. and often think i have a lot and i often think i have a lot in common with non—lawyers and i just if you'll allow me, i'll just if you'll allow me, i'll just explain very simply. just explain that very simply. if know nothing about law, if you know nothing about law, you nonetheless will have a sort of gut instinct that , oh, that of gut instinct that, oh, that that seem right. and that doesn't seem right. and then, you know, a sort of bit about law and you can be sucked into our our own hype. i suppose, the own certainty of law . you need to get to a law. you need to get to a certain level of experience in law before you start saying, hang on a second. that's that's just bad law. well, and we have a lot of unclear law , but a lot a lot of unclear law, but a lot of that didn't sit right with most people, which is a good

thing. >> and hopefully something good will out it. steven, will come out of it. steven, thank much. that's thank you very much. that's stephen a stephen barrett. he's a barrister writer at the barrister and a writer at the spectator. 2022 was the spectator. now, 2022 was the warmest year on record. is that proof of climate change or was it a freak coincidence? i'm it just a freak coincidence? i'm nana on gb news britain's nana akua on gb news britain's news .

>> join me monday to thursday at 8 pm. on . gb news.

8 pm. on. gb news. >> welcome back. now at 5:00, i'll discuss profits of almost £1 billion for british gas and ask whether it's time to hit energy companies with another windfall tax . but there are windfall tax. but there are reports now that first time buyers in britain who cannot afford short term fixed rate mortgages could be offered 40 year deals under a plan being considered by the government. now, the treasury is said to have held talks with mps. the bank of england and lenders , bank of england and lenders, offering 40 year deals which offering 40 year deals which offer one interest rate for the entirety of the loan . myron entirety of the loan. myron jobson is a senior personal finance analyst at interactive investor, and he joins me live in the studio . right. so let's in the studio. right. so let's so first of all, thank you very much for coming in to talk to me about this. 40 year mortgages. is this a good thing? >> well, it's quite interesting, isn't it? because for lot of isn't it? because for a lot of people, it's to get people people, it's hard to get people to commit to their partners, let alone a term fixed rate alone a long term fixed rate mortgage. mean, advantage

mortgage. i mean, the advantage of term fixed rate of a long term fixed rate mortgage is that buyers would know exactly how much they'll have month . so they have to pay every month. so they can rest assured that with their budgets pay term can rest assured that with their bu(their pay term can rest assured that with their bu(their mortgage 3ay term can rest assured that with their bu(their mortgage every term can rest assured that with their bu(their mortgage every month. for their mortgage every month. and also another advantage is you might save on the cost of remortgaging. so after two five year fixed rate deal, yes, you have to remortgage some of these costs range from 0 to £2000. it just depends on the lender. but there are some significant disadvantages . so we all know disadvantages. so we all know that interest rates are high, therefore mortgage rates are high. now but they're not expected to stay elevated indefinitely at some point, mortgage rates will come down. they start to come down recently because of the better than expected inflation, falling inflation last month . and so inflation last month. and so hopefully that will continue to feed through. and so in those moments when interest rates are going you are fixed on going down, if you are fixed on a higher you'll be losing a higher rate, you'll be losing out in those those moments. but but it's swings and roundabouts, out in those those moments. but but iit? swings and roundabouts, isn't it? >> that's the point. like, >> that's the whole point. like, if be lucky and fix it if you might be lucky and fix it for 40 at a fantastic

for 40 years at a fantastic rate, how do get out of it rate, how do you get out of it though? because if you get out of a mortgage early , there is of a mortgage early, there is usually what usually an exit fee. so what about this years? what would about this 40 years? what would that that work out? that how would that work out? >> that's it, isn't it? people have to look at the exit charge and be really, really and they can be really, really significant far significant depending on how far along are in deal. so, along you are in the deal. so, for example , if someone partners for example, if someone partners up and want to buy a house with a partner and they want to sell the house they're they might the house they're in, they might want do that, but they might want to do that, but they might have hefty charge to have to pay a hefty charge to actually the mortgage actually get out of the mortgage deal actually get out of the mortgage deal. because you said deal. yeah, because you said about being with a partner. >> but you decide you don't >> but if you decide you don't want or her and then you've want him or her and then you've got this 40 years on this thing, it quite problematic. it could be quite problematic. >> very massive financial >> a very massive financial commitment . commitment. >> see. well let's >> well, let's see. well let's move on because new findings from the national weather service released and service have been released and a severe heat wave in southern europe has been declared now in its annual state of the uk climate report. the met office found that. thank you very much for that, by the way. sorry about that. that it was actually

2022 was the hottest weather year on record. and warned the temperatures higher than 40 c. summer drought and intense downpours will become the new normal. so joining me now is director lewis perry , director of cop26, lewis perry, and environmental activist jeff gazzard. right so look, jeff, we're hearing that the wildfires , it's going to be so hot. and those temperatures are likely to come here. the weather maps gone red and there's flames literally coming out of it. should we be worried ? worried? >> well, we should be concerned. i don't think we're going to see temperatures at that level for a few years yet, if at all. we're in a different climate zone from where seeing these where we're seeing these horrific of wildfires horrific pictures of wildfires and losses of life and people on houday and losses of life and people on holiday are literally swimming for their lives, which is awful . if you look at heat maps of europe, which is primarily what we're concerned with , there are we're concerned with, there are some major literally tectonic shifts that we're going to see. for instance, greek islands , for instance, greek islands, rhodes, corfu , the whole of

rhodes, corfu, the whole of southern spain are facing these kind of temperatures, which are fundamentally make them uninhabitable and unattractive as tourist destinations. >> is going to probably >> and that is going to probably continue. so if he were spain looking at the benefits to your economy that inbound tourism bnngs economy that inbound tourism brings, you'd be looking at what bits of spain can we move our tourism industry to? >> so you're probably going to see tourism shift from the south of spain to the north of spain, the green coast. but what evidence do we actually have of this, though, that it's going to go that way? >> lois perry yeah. >> lois perry yeah. >> hi. thanks for having me on, nana. >> i mean, let's not forget that the main high that was reported last year, 40.3, was actually recorded at raf coningsby for two minutes when three typhoons jets had just landed. >> so i think we need to take some of this temperature analysis with the with a slight pinch of salt. it's also worth looking at the whole picture. i mean, the change that we're oh, as those gone in terms of climate heat going up and down is almost, almost identical to

aukus sorry , we're losing. aukus sorry, we're losing. >> you're coming in and out. so i don't know whether you're moving almost identical. >> i'm sorry . >> i'm sorry. >> i'm sorry. >> can you hear me now? >> can you hear me now? >> yeah, i can. i can always hear you when you say can you hear you when you say can you hear me now? but then we lose you when you actually start speaking. >> oh, okay. well, i just wanted to make the point that the change that we're seeing is change that we're seeing now is almost identical past almost identical to past thousand cycles. co2 thousand year cycles. and co2 levels a lot higher levels have been a lot higher than today. you know, than they are today. you know, it's been a lot warmer. >> i've said this a million times in the mediaeval >> well, let's go to jeff. >> well, jeff, let's go to jeff. >> well, jeff, let's go to jeff. >> the period, you >> in the roman period, you know, a there is a know, there's a there is a cycle, but it's a cycle of the climate hysteria. >> well, well, listen, jeff makes point with that. makes a good point with that. it's warmer well it's been warmer before. well there are things here. there are two things here. >> been warmer. thousands >> it's been warmer. thousands and years it's and thousands of years ago. it's also cooler during the ice also been cooler during the ice age. is not what we're age. this is not what we're talking about. what we're talking about is what are the impacts today the future. impacts today and in the future. we expect science we can reasonably expect science to tell us about plus hour, everyday experience. now since the industrial revolution . 1750s

the industrial revolution. 1750s reinsurance companies and insurance companies have been the go to people for the economic impacts of climate change losses of agricultural production , the impacts of air production, the impacts of air quality on human life in cities for epidemiological studies , the for epidemiological studies, the temperature records and what that does to payouts for insurance purposes. look at the shots you've got on screen . now. shots you've got on screen. now. imagine the costs of those impacts not to just habitat loss, forestry, loss , tourism, loss, forestry, loss, tourism, infrastructure. yeah, we get the list of life, etcetera . okay. list of life, etcetera. okay. but the list is important. now, if this is backed up by science, i don't think the met office are a bunch of screaming guardian reader hippy lentil balancing macrobiotic eating hippies really misses thatcher. no, they're not. misses thatcher gave them a supercomputer during her her time in politics because she believed in climate change and she believed in giving them

resources to use that computer power to come up with these . power to come up with these. >> let me give lois a chance to come in on this. he doesn't think they're hippies wearing sandals or whatever. lois, can i let come in on this? lois let lois come in on this? lois i think the thing is. let lois come in on this? lois i think the thing is . the thing think the thing is. the thing is, in the last couple of in the last couple of weeks, the bbc haven't actually even been using the met office data. >> they've been using satellite data of ground temperatures powers rather than temperatures, which are taken two metres above ground. so what that's meant is it's given a completely unrealistic view of what the temperatures actually are. >> so no , you're completely >> so no, you're completely wrong. >> and margaret thatcher. >> and margaret thatcher. >> no . >> no. >> no. >> can you let lois finish and then we'll come back to you in just a moment. lois, just finish off. you've got about 20s to finish. lois >> yeah. i just wanted to make the point that margaret thatcher, actually, while she thought that climate change was real man made actually in real and man made actually in later years, took that comment back and that she thought back and said that she thought that was being to usher

that it was being used to usher in communism. >> she completely and utterly retracted statement her retracted that statement in her later years . later years. >> well, listen, we don't >> well well, listen, we don't have as where the bbc have proof as to where the bbc took figures from took their figures from with regard their map . and i think regard to their map. and i think you're refuting that. are you? are you, geoff? well if i cannot find any quote anywhere where mrs. thatcher said that and what i believe is that it's very easy for lois to sit there and. >> sorry, let him finish. it's very easy. it's very easy for lois to sit there and say, oh , lois to sit there and say, oh, raf coningsby two tornados landed and the temperature rose. >> that's a complete myth already . it's a completely already. it's a completely debunked myth. >> you've just you've just taken something from the telegraph, from another climate denier , and from another climate denier, and you repeat it ad nauseum because you repeat it ad nauseum because you think nobody's denying the climate change. >> jeff , jeff, jeff sorry, jeff. >> jeff, jeff, jeff sorry, jeff. i'm afraid. >> jeff afraid . >> jeff i'm afraid. >> jeff i'm afraid. >> nobody's denying the climate changing. what we are questioning what making it questioning is what is making it change. running out of change. we're running out of time. gazzard, thank you. time. jeff gazzard, thank you. really to you. and really good to talk to you. and lois thank much, lois perry, thank you so much, director, for 26. well, of

course, see, nigel farage banking claimed banking scandal has claimed another ceo, peter another victim. the ceo, peter flavell, resigned. he says flavell, has resigned. he says he ultimate he bears the ultimate responsible the decision. so responsible for the decision. so stay tuned. we'll be discussing loads more. this is gb news britain's news . channel. britain's news. channel. >> the temperature's rising . >> the temperature's rising. boxt solar power sponsors of weather on . gb news. i'm alex deakin. >> this is your latest weather update from the met office for gb news things turning a bit brighter through the rest of today? some sunny spells, but there are a few heavy showers around well. still that around as well. still that pretty humid feel. also though, this of low pressure will this area of low pressure will bnng this area of low pressure will bring plenty of showers for the weekend. back today, weekend. but back to today, these fronts are these weather fronts are clearing as i said, clearing away. so, as i said, many places are brightening up. still rain still some outbreaks of rain across northeast scotland, although stays in fine although shetland stays in fine for of the evening. for most of the evening. elsewhere the rain to elsewhere the rain tending to ease off few breaks in the ease off a few breaks in the cloud, particularly through the night ireland night across northern ireland and , where it and western scotland, where it will actually start turn

will actually start to turn a little cooler and fresher. but for with the cloud and the for many with the cloud and the murky conditions , will murky conditions, it will be another pretty humid another pretty mild and humid night temperatures staying night with temperatures staying at 15 or 16 degrees onto the details for friday. it does start pretty drab over central and eastern england and parts of the south. but i think that cloud should tend to break up. we'll see some sunshine, rain over shetland working its way up towards orkney through the day. a few scattered showers certainly across northern ireland on, there'll be ireland later on, there'll be some showers, but for many actually a bright fine day on friday with temperatures getting into the low 20s, slightly less humid feel compared to today and feeling pretty pleasant, i suspect , in the sunshine. this suspect, in the sunshine. this low pressure system , though, i low pressure system, though, i talked about it earlier. here it comes. moving in for the weekend around we'll see bands around that we'll just see bands of moving in. so the of showers moving in. so the weekend's a mixed picture . we'll weekend's a mixed picture. we'll all some sunny spells, but all see some sunny spells, but also few showers . also quite a few showers. >> the temperatures rising , boxt >> the temperatures rising, boxt solar proud sponsors of weather

on .

gb news. >> good afternoon. if you're just tuned in, where on earth have you been? i'm nana akua. i'm in for patrick christys now. it's a busy afternoon here at gb

news because as we as we've been watching nigel farage watching the big nigel farage banking scandal, another one bites dust. yes peter bites the dust. yes peter flavell, ceo of coutts, has gone. he's handed in his resignation and says that he bears the ultimate responsibility. but is him going enough? we need another one and another one to bite the dust. then on the way . another one to bite the dust. then on the way. is it time for a tougher windfall tax because these oil and gas companies , these oil and gas companies, centrica, the owners of british gas , have managed to cream gas, have managed to cream a massive profit, an increase of 900. really? see it's time for a windfall tax. is it time to tax these people and stop them from taking such huge profits? and then on the way, harry in court again. again and apparently some of his claims have gone through his claims against the sun. of his claims have gone through his claims against the sun . so his claims against the sun. so he's going back into court. i mean, are we all sick of this? just. harry, stop, please stop, stop, stop. but he's in court again, so we'll be following that as it goes ever. and that as it goes as ever. and then as we know, europe then finally, as we know, europe is a terrible

is on fire. it's a terrible situation for those in roads and actually adjoining countries who are the brunt of are also bearing the brunt of these wildfires that a lot of claiming is due to climate change. do think change. but what do you think thatis change. but what do you think that is the way in next that is on the way in the next hour ? and then i'm asking you, hour? and then i'm asking you, is there life out there as pilots who very clever, normal human beings, sensible people are saying that they have seen things doing movements that could only be done by something thatis could only be done by something that is out of this world. we'll be talking about that later. aslef. you can email gbviews@gbnews.com or you can tweet me at gb news. but first, let's get your latest news headunes let's get your latest news headlines with tatiana sanchez . headlines with tatiana sanchez. she's . nana. she's. nana. >> thank you very much and good afternoon. this is the latest from the newsroom. the ceo of coutts bank, peter flavell, has stepped down with immediate effect . it's interim boss said

effect. it's interim boss said the resignation was agreed by mutual consent and is the right decision for the coutts and the wider group. mr flavell says that in the handling of mr farage's case, the bank had fallen below the high standards of personal service. he's also said he bears full responsibility for the poor handung responsibility for the poor handling of the farage case. in response to his resignation, farage says it was only a matter of time . it follows the of time. it follows the resignation of former ceo of the natwest group , resignation of former ceo of the natwest group, dame alison resignation of former ceo of the natwest group , dame alison rose, natwest group, dame alison rose, who could be in line for a £5 million pay off if british gas owner centrica has revealed that earnings at its gas and electricity supply arm have soared by 889% to £969 million in the six months to june. on an underlying basis, operating profits rose to £21 billion from 1.3 billion a year ago. the prime minister insists that energy companies windfall profits are being taxed to support consumers helping to pay

around half of a typical family's energy bill. i know that the number one challenge families are facing up and down the country is the cost of living and in particular, their energy bills. >> that's why i took a decision back was chancellor to back when i was chancellor to introduce the introduce a windfall tax on the energy companies. so we introduce a windfall tax on the energy companies . so we now energy companies. so we are now taxing these windfall profits of energy companies , and we're energy companies, and we're using that money help us pay using that money to help us pay around half of a typical family's energy bill, particularly over the last winter, that support has been worth £1,500 to a typical family. it's support on the scale of the furlough scheme to give people context, because i know how important it is for the government and me to ease some of pressures the cost of those pressures on the cost of those pressures on the cost of living. of those pressures on the cost of laing. of those pressures on the cost of [a man who shot dead a custody >> a man who shot dead a custody sergeant in a police cell in 2020 has been sentenced to a whole life term in prison 25 year old louis de zoysa fatally shot sergeant matt ratana in croydon. de soysa claimed diminished responsibility during the three week trial, but the jury the three week trial, but the jury took around five hours to

unanimously convict him . the unanimously convict him. the decision to release double child killer colin pitchfork will be re—examined by a new parole board. the 63 year old was jailed for life after raping and strangling 215 year old girls in the early 80s. he was given a minimum sentence of 30 years in 1988, later reduced to 28 years for good behaviour and was released in 2021. pitchfork was recalled to prison two months later after approaching young women in the street , later after approaching young women in the street, which was later deemed flawed by the parole board . tram operators parole board. tram operators have been fined a total of £14 million over the croydon derailment, which killed seven people. many more were injured when a tram carrying 69 people derailed near the sandilands stop in november 2016. transport for london and tram operations limited have accepted failing in their health and safety duties . their health and safety duties. mr justice fraser told the court. this was undoubtedly an

accident waiting to happen . jean accident waiting to happen. jean smith, mother of mark, who died in the tram crash, says no fines can bring her son back. the whole sentencing was pointless as as a family. >> while we appreciate that both tfl and tfl admitted liability straight away, their fines are meaningless in the light of loss of life . of life. >> a high court judge has ruled that the duke of sussex can bnng that the duke of sussex can bring a claim of unlawful information gathering to trial against the publisher of the sun, but not a claim of phone hacking. prince harry alleges he was targeted by journalists and private investigators working for the news group. newspapers the sun publisher says the announcement is a significant victory. the group denies any unlawful activity took place . unlawful activity took place. wildfire is in greece continue despite a drop in temperatures. blazes have spread across the country for more than a week, killing three people and causing over 20,000 tourists to evacuate

roads. 61 more fires have erupted in greece in the last 24 hours, with footage showing cliffs and trees scorched by the blazes in albania. cruise cruise continue to battle the flames across the country's southern region with emergency helicopters dropping water on the affected areas. in italy , the affected areas. in italy, the affected areas. in italy, the extent of the devastation can be seen after a wildfire turned the hills surrounding a fifth century temple into ash . fifth century temple into ash. and finally , no medical cause and finally, no medical cause has been given for the death of irish singer sinead o'connor, who was found unresponsive at her home in london yesterday . an her home in london yesterday. an autopsy will be conducted with the results expected to take several weeks. the 56 year old's death is not being treated as suspicious as you're with gb news. we'll bring you more as it happens. now nana, back to you .

happens. now nana, back to you. >> welcome aboard. if you just joined us this is gb news. we are the people's channel. i'm nana akua. it's just coming up to eight minutes after 5:00. but here we go again. the greedy doctors are planning another wave of strikes in their demand for an inflation busting pay rise. a 35% increase. now the british medical association's junior doctors, or the bma, their committee, announced a four day strike in england from 7 am. on friday. the 11th of august to 7 am. on tuesday the 15th of august. consult wants many earning over 100 k are also planning strike action shortly before the august bank holiday on the 24th and 25th. it means that there will be six severely disrupted days in the nhs in england in august. they have been offered a 6% and an extra £1,250, but oh no, that's not good enough for them, frankly , good enough for them, frankly, though, the 35% that they're demanding is not going to

happen. and simple economics should tell them that. i mean, they're clever individuals. not only would a 35% hike bankrupt the taxpayer, to put it bluntly , the nhs ain't all that. in fact , the increase of national fact, the increase of national insurance contributions to facilitate such a rise, which for me are already higher than any private medical cover , would any private medical cover, would make private medical cover considerably cheaper than paying for an nhs. yes they rightly believe that if they if you want your health care system, you'd have to pay for it. but do we. but we do already. this will backfire and could signal the end of a free from the point of need health care system . because need health care system. because you see, like most professions, junior doctors start on a measly wage. i mean , when i first got wage. i mean, when i first got into radio at kiss 100 some 32 years ago, a long time ago, i was on the princely sum of £9,000, which went up to 11 . £9,000, which went up to 11. after six months, we all start off on a lowly wage. but unlike being a junior doctor, where there is pretty much a guarantee

of a of a job, a certain likelihood for a higher income and a guaranteed gold plated pension, likes no longer pension, the likes no longer seen in the workplace. getting into is very hit into broadcasting is very hit and miss. i've had my fair share of misses. i haven't got a constant never ending queue of customers because let's face it, we all need doctors in my profession , in comparison, i'm profession, in comparison, i'm relatively easy to replace . and relatively easy to replace. and as for a pension, unless you're lucky enough to get an actual contract in my line of work, that you a benefit one, that gives you a benefit of one, you're pretty much on your own and far from being two a penny doctors eyes are like gold dust . which is what? which is what they're banking on. in a statement, the bma junior doctors committee co—chairs, dr. robert lawson and dr. vivek trivedi said it should never have got to this point where we needed to announce a fifth round of strike action. our message today remains the same act like a responsible government come to the table to negotiate with us in good faith and with a credible offer. these strikes will need go ahead at all.

will need not go ahead at all. it went on to say that the prime minister had told that talks minister had told us that talks were over, but it is not for rishi sunak to decide that negotiations are over before he has even stepped into the room . has even stepped into the room. and of course this week radio's offers are on a 48 hour strike back at 37 nhs trusts in england. i mean, it's ridiculous . many doctors make comparisons with private medical health care systems in places like australia, but of course they're better because they're better paid because they're private medical systems. they're not being paid for using taxpayers cash. being paid for using taxpayers cash . look, it's really simple . cash. look, it's really simple. if you want that much money, then free at the point of need is no longer sustainable . or is no longer sustainable. or perhaps now it's time to reform the nhs . well that's what the nhs. well that's what i think, but i would love to hear what you think about that, so email me gbviews@gbnews.com. now though, let's move on to the fallout from the natwest banking

scandal. the ceo of coutts , scandal. the ceo of coutts, peter has resigned peter flavell, has resigned after nigel farage account was closed because of his political views. said that in the views. flavell said that in the handung views. flavell said that in the handling of mr francis case we have fallen below the bank's high standards of personal service as ceo of coutts, it is right that i bear ultimate responsibility for this , which responsibility for this, which is why i'm stepping down. well, let's get more from this, from our reporter catherine our political reporter catherine foster . catherine, he's stepped down. >> he has. so yesterday , dame >> he has. so yesterday, dame alison rose, the boss of natwest. today peter flavell, the boss of coutts, which is of course owned by the natwest group, which is of course owned 39% by the government, i.e. the taxpayer . we 39% by the government, i.e. the taxpayer. we bailed them out to the tune of £20 billion during the tune of £20 billion during the financial crisis and the repercussions versions of this and nigel farage being booted out basically as we now know, primarily because of his political beliefs are going on and on. now, he has said in the

last couple of hours it was only a matter of time. the ultimate responsibility for the dossier de banking me for my political views, lies with him. but this is by no means enough for nigel farage because he's been calling since yesterday for the chairman of the natwest group to go and indeed the whole board, because of course, what happened was when dame alison rose finally admitted that she'd been the source of this inaccurate story to the bbc, which implied that he'd lost his account because he didn't have enough money, which we now know is wrong . and she we now know is wrong. and she put out a statement saying, i've made an error of judgement, but but basically thinking that she could stay and the board at that point was saying, oh well we've got. yeah, she's made a mistake, we've full confidence in we've got full confidence in her. was made clear to her. but it was made clear to them by number 10 and jeremy hunt that they thought that this was not acceptable . and then was not acceptable. and then there was a very late board meeting. of course, meeting. and then, of course, she in early hours. but

she went in the early hours. but it is a pr disaster for them. and financially dreadful. they lost about 4% yesterday. stocks have continued falling today . have continued falling today. yesterday, natwest group were down about 850 million. so i think there were quarterly results for natwest group coming out tomorrow morning. there's an investors meeting. let us see what happens next. but this is still the fallout from this is very much still unfolding . very much still unfolding. >> it'll be interesting to hear what happens at that investors meeting. that's tomorrow. is it? we shall keep you informed on that, catherine, thank so that, catherine, thank you so much. you much. well, we'll keep you informed on meeting as informed on that meeting as well. out the latest well. we'll find out the latest on that. stay here on gb news and you can find out what nigel farage about today's big farage thinks about today's big news watching him 7:00 farage thinks about today's big new eveningching him 7:00 farage thinks about today's big new evening right him 7:00 farage thinks about today's big new evening right here 7:00 farage thinks about today's big new evening right here on7:00 farage thinks about today's big new evening right here on the this evening right here on the channel. but tonight , the show channel. but tonight, the show is coming live from bury in lancashire, which is where he'll be. let's move on though. british gas have reported profits of £969 million. that is up a staggering 889% on the same

time last year. if that were any other business, you'd think, oh my god, that's unheard of. now it's said to be a one off, but because of the price cap that was actually introduced by the government as part of its energy support scheme alongside british gas parent company centrica reported of £2.1 billion reported profits of £2.1 billion in the first half of the year. and it comes as the energy cap sits at £1,000 above pre—pandemic average. now fuel poverty campaigners say the figures will be met with disbelief by customers who are struggling to pay their bills. as british gas ceo , he was paid as british gas ceo, he was paid £4.5 million in 2022. so is this a further sign of britain's broken energy system? well, let's get more from gb news political reporter olivia utley olivia. >> hello. yes, i mean, first off, it's very important to say these these profits really are enormous to put things in perspective, this $967 million is up tenfold from the same

pefiod is up tenfold from the same period of last year, and it's almost double the previous record for a six month period, which was set in 2010. that was 565 million. that will really rankle with people sitting at home who feel as though these the bosses of these companies are having their pockets lined essentially off the back of the misery of those who were struggling to heat their homes over the winter. that said, centrica, the parent company of british gas, is arguing and you can sort of see where they're coming from that this isn't sort of the new normal, these sort of profits. this is just a one off. and why that is, is because when the russia—ukraine war started last year, the price of oil went up significantly to avoid british households being completely unable to pay energy bills. the government introduced this energy price cap, which set a maximum level that gas companies could charge customers for using their services. and ofgem , the regulator, has now ofgem, the regulator, has now said that they think that level was set too low . so british,

was set too low. so british, british gas was charging people not very much for their energy at all, although in comparison to what they were paying for it. obviously it felt like a lot for us at home and therefore weren't able to get any profits. so this time round the sort of recoup the money that they lost last yeah the money that they lost last year. and the head of centrica has said that over the year has said that over the next year or will expect to see or so, we will expect to see those figures fall to the more modern level. >> he just recouping loss >> he says just recouping loss that lost last year, that's that they lost last year, that's quite it? quite a recoup, isn't it? >> quite a recoup when >> it is quite a recoup when it's getting on for a billion and i don't think that'll sit very well with people at home. labour already sort labour has already sort of jumped this. ed miliband, who jumped on this. ed miliband, who is the biggest is the probably the biggest green the labour green warrior in the labour party, you like, already party, if you like, is already accusing government not accusing the government of not going with the going far enough with the windfall the windfall windfall tax. the windfall tax is taxes on oil and is one of three taxes on oil and gas companies , which actually gas companies, which actually between them make about 75% of profits are taxed away. ed miliband is saying that should be raised to 78. not a huge

increase. but given that, given the massive amount of tax already, it's quite high. the government is saying that, you know , they don't want to push it know, they don't want to push it too far. they're worried about these companies moving out of britain, taking jobs away from british but british people, etcetera. but it'll to it'll be interesting to see whether can hold line whether they can hold that line given that we know in all polling and all focus groups, windfall popular. windfall taxes are very popular. >> would be, wouldn't they? >> they would be, wouldn't they? especially if these people are recouping and recouping like a billion and it's to be a land grab it's supposed to be a land grab from before. olivia, oddly from before. now, olivia, oddly , thank you very much. thank you so right now, judge has so much. right now, a judge has ruled of prince ruled that parts of prince harry's that news harry's claim that the news group newspapers used illegal methods gatherinformation methods to gather information about his his can actually go to trial , about his his can actually go to trial, although his phone hacking claims were dismissed. the duke of sussex claims that private investigators and journalists working for the sun and news of the world used illegal methods to gather information on him. allegations that ng and the newspaper's publisher strongly deny. so joining me is media lawyer jonathan code to dissect this.

jonathan code to dissect this. jonathan so what is so what has happened here? because we thought that maybe harry would just scuttle away and just get on with living his life in montecito . he's coming back for montecito. he's coming back for more. where this bit come more. where does this bit come into it? because we thought that he whole claims before he had the whole claims before with mirror group. is this with the mirror group. is this something separate? what's happening? it's separate in happening? well it's separate in the sense he's suing a different newspaper group. >> it is not separate in the sense that the allegations are the same. and broadly speaking, he's to take on fleet he's decided to take on fleet street and say , hey, you people street and say, hey, you people have behaved in an illegal way , have behaved in an illegal way, in a serial way , in a criminal in a serial way, in a criminal way, time and time again, i'm one of your victims and i'm going to take the fight to you on behalf of all the other people who can't afford to do it . but it's a significant moment in this claim because at the trial, the short three day trial , the newspaper group tried very, very hard to get the whole

claim struck out . claim struck out. >> and that was clearly their intention and their hope. now they have succeeded in striking out the part of his claim to do with phone hacking. >> and the reason for that is, is the judge has said that you knew enough about this phone hacking activity at a time. >> well , in 2000 at hacking activity at a time. >> well, in 2000 at a time when you should have started the claim, either you knew about it more than six years, is before you brought this claim . you brought this claim. >> the six year limitation pefiod >> the six year limitation period is what the argument was about the judge had it's extended . if someone doesn't extended. if someone doesn't know that the activity took place. but the judge said no , place. but the judge said no, you knew about it early enough to bring the claim, you brought the claim too late. so i'm chucking that claim out the rest of the claim, which is to do with blagging and getting information out, out of legitimate sources in a legitimate sources in a legitimate way still stands. so the nightmare still, still hangs over news group. there is going to be a trial, so there'll be

quite a lot of weeping and wailing over there at the prospect of having prince harry pointing his finger at the senior people at news group uk and saying , you've done senior people at news group uk and saying, you've done me wrong. >> well, it's going to need a lot more evidence than he had before by the sound of it, because the last time he was there, he actually at one point said that he was hoping that they could tell him things. in your view, then. so this bit so sorry. go on. >> i think that's a bit i'm not sure that's quite fair. >> you don't think that's fair? i mean he has submitted. >> well, he has submitted a lot of evidence. and if the submissions by the newspaper that effectively hadn't submitted evidence were correct , then the judge would have chucked the claim out. but the reason he hasn't shut the claim out is that he thinks there's plenty enough evidence that's been produced prince harry to been produced by prince harry to let go forward. so the let the claim go forward. so the issue of whether he has a decent set of evidence has been determined by the fact that the

claim trial . claim will go to trial. >> okay. so interesting . so this >> okay. so interesting. so this could be quite serious for ngn. could this be a serious you know , could it cost them millions? is that what what they could be looking at? >> this has never been about the money. i'm quite sure that prince harry will have already been offered a vast sum of money in settlement , which, of course, in settlement, which, of course, his brother has accepted . and his brother has accepted. and now that he's fought his way through to a trial now that he's fought his way through to atrial, he'll be, through to a trial, he'll be, i'm sure, offered yet more money. but he's made it clear this is a matter not of money, but of principle. he feels. and as someone who has acted for a lot of people who've been the wrong end of newspaper wickedness, he feels that the newspapers need to be held to account . and that was always his account. and that was always his intention . he's going to be able intention. he's going to be able to do that at a trial. and speaking for myself , if i to do that at a trial. and speaking for myself, if i think he's shown immense courage in deciding to take on one of the most powerful organisations, not only in this country, one of the

most powerful organisations in the world, and well, we should we await this with bated breath. >> jonathan, thank you very much. that's jonathan code. he's a media lawyer now, a southern europe as southern europe is hit by more wildfires , there's a by more wildfires, there's a warning that britain could face the same problems in the years to akua on gb to come. i'm nana akua on gb news britain's

company right through until 7:00 this evening. gb news the people's . channel

people's. channel >> welcome back. if you've just tuned in, it's just coming up to 27 minutes after 5:00. this is gb news on tv , online and on gb news on tv, online and on digital radio. i'm nana akua now in a few minutes, british gas reports record profits of almost £1 billion. we'll discuss whether it's time to hit energy companies with another windfall tax. and as a former intelligence officer claims , the intelligence officer claims, the united states military have hidden evidence of us ufos. i'll ask , do aliens really exist? and ask, do aliens really exist? and ask, do aliens really exist? and as more of europe is hit by wildfires, there's a stark warning from the met office . it warning from the met office. it says that 40 degree temperatures could be summer droughts and downpours in the uk could become more likely in this country. and it comes amid the severe heatwave in southern europe with 61 wildfires erupting across greece in the last 24 hours. thousands of firefighters are trying to control the blazes . trying to control the blazes. and the island of rhodes has declared a state of emergency for six months. and in its

annual state of the uk climate report, the national weather service found that 2022 was the warmest year on record , being warmest year on record, being 0.9 c above the average between 1991 and 2020. it was also the first year when the annual mean temperature exceeded ten degrees, 40.3 c was recorded at coningsby in lincolnshire on july 19th, which is my birthday, and it was the highest temperature ever recorded in the uk. winter, spring, summer and autumn in 2022. all ranked among the top ten warmest seasons since 1884 and all the top ten warmest years for the uk since 1884 have occurred in the 21st century. we although i think they've only been doing records for about 150 years, i think that might be why we can now cross live to our reporter paul hawkins, who's on the island of rhodes in greece . paul, so how

rhodes in greece. paul, so how are things shaping up there? i know you said that you were there alongside firefighters earlier. we saw you in the midst of it and you weren't even getting that close to things. and it was you felt terrible. you could barely how are you could barely speak. how are things now ? things now? >> yeah. so they're continuing to fight those kind of sporadic wildfires in the mountains just behind us. in fact, we've seen four planes, jet down to the sea here just behind our camera position and then sweep up and move away back over the mountain. so there continuing to tackle blazes . and tackle those blazes. and actually by the coast, it does feel like wind has died feel like the wind has died down, is a good thing, down, which is a good thing, obviously, because as we keep saying, the wind that's the saying, it's the wind that's the big factor in these fires. but saying, it's the wind that's the bigwanted n these fires. but saying, it's the wind that's the bigwanted to hese fires. but saying, it's the wind that's the bigwanted to focusires. but saying, it's the wind that's the bigwanted to focus this buthis we wanted to focus this on this occasion effect it's had occasion on the effect it's had on tourism industry. so 1 in on the tourism industry. so 1 in 5 in greece is in the 5 jobs in greece is in the tourism industry. it contributes around 20% the greek economy around 20% of the greek economy . roads that's much , much . and on roads that's much, much higher. fact, roads itself higher. in fact, roads itself contributes itself contributes around 7% by itself to the greek economy. so tourism here is the lifeblood of the

industry . and i know normally we industry. and i know normally we show you things, but just have a listen for a second , because out listen for a second, because out here that beach should be packed . the beach behind it should be packed . this hotel over here, packed. this hotel over here, just behind us, this should be packed and it is silent. it is absolutely silent . it's like a absolutely silent. it's like a ghost town around here. this is where we're this is the aftermath where those thousands and thousands of tourists should be. and they're a lot of be. and they're now a lot of them have flown back home. this is south castle bar. and is the south castle bar. and if i just again , if we show i just pivot again, if we show over here, can see where the over here, you can see where the fire came down, came down the hillside jumped the road, hillside here, jumped the road, came the corner. and you came round the corner. and you can see on ground here, fire can see on the ground here, fire came along here. look how came along here. look at how close to this bar. so the close it got to this bar. so the owner, john, the owners, john and george , were desperately and george, were desperately fighting. look at look at how close it got. look, look, look to this wooden post here. and john george were desperately john and george were desperately throwing of water on throwing buckets of water on this to try and stop the fire. and look at how close got. in

and look at how close it got. in fact, of the embers took fact, some of the embers took out some of the chairs here. you can see. and he almost lost the entire so inside and entire bar. so inside and there's no power at the moment . there's no power at the moment. we'll quickly we'll just show you quickly inside there's here. inside. there's nobody here. there's a lot of ash on the tables . the cost to the business tables. the cost to the business has been absolutely enormous . has been absolutely enormous. and speaking to john, he says he just wants the tourists to come back. just wants the tourists to come back . so we just wants the tourists to come back. so we just just wants the tourists to come back . so we just have just wants the tourists to come back. so we just have a just wants the tourists to come back . so we just have a little back. so we just have a little peek inside here. let's have a quick show inside here. so this is what the bar looks like at the this should be the moment. this should be teeming. be full of teeming. this should be full of customers, having their customers, is having their drinks, food and drinks, having their food and going having a good time and going and having a good time and also helping john and george and their family business to survive. they've owned this bar for 23 years, but at the moment the customers have stayed away . the customers have stayed away. john that they're going the customers have stayed away. joireopen that they're going the customers have stayed away. joireopen on that they're going the customers have stayed away. joireopen on august�*ney're going the customers have stayed away. joireopen on august there going the customers have stayed away. joireopen on august the 11th. ing to reopen on august the 11th. but whether the customers will come back , given the continuing come back, given the continuing hot weather and the threat of fires so close , remains to be fires so close, remains to be seen whether they'll come back. but he's saying, please do come back because this is a thriving

family business and we need tourists to come back. >> listen, thank you so >> well, listen, thank you so much for paul. paul take much for that, paul. paul take care. that's paul hawkins. he's there in rhodes. and there's lots to come between lots more still to come between now six, we'll discuss now and six, we'll discuss whether should whether energy companies should have windfall tax have to pay another windfall tax after british gas reported record profits. but first, let's get your latest news headlines with tatiana sanchez . nana. with tatiana sanchez. nana. >> thank you. it's 531. this is the latest from the newsroom. the ceo of coutts bank, peter flavell, has stepped down with immediate effect. it's interim boss said the resignation was agreed by mutual consent and is the right decision for the cootes and the wider group . mr cootes and the wider group. mr flavell says that in the handung flavell says that in the handling of mr farage case, the bank had fallen below the high standards of personal service . a standards of personal service. a man who shot dead a custody sergeant in a police cell in 2020 has been sentenced to a whole life term in prison. 25

year old luis de zoysa fatally shot sergeant matt ratana in croydon. de zoysa claimed diminished responsibility during the three week trial, but the jury the three week trial, but the jury took around five hours to unanimously convict him . no unanimously convict him. no medical cause has been given for the death of irish singer sinead o'connor , who was found o'connor, who was found unresponsive at her home in london yesterday . the 56 year london yesterday. the 56 year old's death is not being treated as suspicious . you can get more as suspicious. you can get more on all of those stories by visiting our website, gb news dot com . dot com. >> direct bullion sponsors the finance report on gb news for gold and silver investment . gold and silver investment. here's a quick snapshot of today's markets . today's markets. >> the pound will buy you $1.2851 and ,1.1689. the price

of gold is £1,513.77 per ounce. and the ftse 100 closed . at 7692 points. >> direct bullion sponsors the finance report on gb news investments that matter a brighter outlook with boxt solar >> proud sponsors of weather on . gb news. i'm alex deakin. >> this is your latest weather update from the met office for gb news. things are turning a bit brighter through the rest of today. some sunny spells, but there are few heavy showers there are a few heavy showers around well. pretty around as well. still pretty humid. this area of humid. feel also this area of low pressure will bring plenty of showers for the weekend. but back these weather back to today, these weather fronts are clearing away. so as i said, many places are brightening up. still some outbreaks across outbreaks of rain across northeast scotland, although shetland fine for most shetland staying fine for most of the evening. elsewhere the rain tending to ease off a few breaks the cloud, breaks in the cloud, particularly through the night across northern ireland and western will

western scotland, where it will actually start a little actually start to turn a little cooler and fresher. but for many with cloud and the murky with the cloud and the murky conditions, will another conditions, it will be another pretty mild and humid night with temperatures staying at 15 or 16 degrees onto the details for friday. it does start pretty drab over central and eastern england and parts of the south. but i think that cloud should tend to break up. we'll see some sunshine, rain over shetland working its way up towards orkney through the day . a few orkney through the day. a few scattered showers certainly across ireland. later across northern ireland. later on, there'll some showers, on, there'll be some showers, but many actually a bright but for many actually a bright fine day on friday with temperatures getting into the low 20s, slightly less humid feel compared to today and feeling pretty pleasant, i suspect, in the sunshine. this low pressure system, though, i talked about it earlier here it comes. moving in for the weekend around that we'll just see bands of showers moving in. so the weekend's mixed picture. we'll weekend's a mixed picture. we'll all sunny spells , but all see some sunny spells, but also a few showers . a also quite a few showers. a brighter outlook with boxt solar proud sponsors of weather on .

proud sponsors of weather on. gb news. >> so just coming up to 35 minutes after 5:00. i'm nana akua. british gas have reported record profits today. they're up by almost 900% to 969 million. so that's almost a billion. this comes at a time where inflation is set at 7.9% and millions of families are struggling to pay their bills for their labour leader ed miliband has called on the government to implement a proper windfall tax . so is he proper windfall tax. so is he right? do we need a tougher windfall tax on energy companies ? joining me now is household name finance expert and the founder of newsco is greg marsh. greg how do you think the news will be taken by struggling households just feels like another slap in the face, doesn't it, when an already profitable energy business

increases in value ? increases in value? >> in centrica, we're talking about british gas's profits you just mentioned. centrica is the holding company. just mentioned. centrica is the holding company . their share holding company. their share price holding company. their share pnce up holding company. their share price up , was holding company. their share price up, was up nearly 10% price is up, was up nearly 10% earlier on today. >> that's about 500, £600 million more in the pockets of the shareholders of the business because the shareholders are doing well at the expense of households. and that feels very uncomfortable. so i quite understand why that sentiment comes from. i mean, windfall taxes are one way of trying to redress the balance. those can backfire. >> we've already seen the examples of some producers who have threatened to or are talking about rolling back their operations in the north sea. >> this windfall tax is, of course, are taxes on the production profits . production profits. >> so that's extracting a energy and the profits made from selling it on. >> so you have to get this balance right. >> i think the first thing i'd suggest that we should do is make sure that the existing

regime is properly regulated only a few months ago in may, ofgem, the sector regulator for the energy industry, snuck through a set of changes that allow energy suppliers like british gas and others to make more profits at the expense of householders. they increased the rate the energy suppliers were allowed to extract profits from 1.9 to 2.4. it's a very significant increase and that ofgem calculate that was going to be equivalent of taking about a quarter of £1 billion out of the pockets of ordinary householders and putting them back into the pockets of energy companies and their shareholders. so before we even get to windfall taxes, i think there's something really wrong with the that the energy with the way that the energy market is being regulated at the moment. are neither seeing moment. we are neither seeing price competition energy price competition between energy suppliers and nor are we seeing the regulator that's meant to be acting in consumers interest s ensure its consumers who ensure that its consumers who are benefiting from the fall in prices. so i think there's something that's really wrong

here even before we to here even before we get to windfall taxes, does seem windfall taxes, it does seem like it? like that, doesn't it? >> but those companies >> but but those companies would argue reason why they argue that the reason why they charged , the reason why they're charged, the reason why they're making these profits is because in the same period , they lost in the same period, they lost money. so they're saying that actually we're recouping some of our losses by this i mean i mean, that's what they would say in their defence. i presume energy producers haven't lost money. >> energy producers have had the most phenomenal couple of years as wholesale prices increased . as wholesale prices increased. of course, the reason our the costs of our domestic energy increases is principally because wholesale prices increased right? when wholesale prices increased very sharply in the aftermath of the war in ukraine. the producers companies like shell, who also today announce record $5 billion quarterly profits right . companies like profits right. companies like that who produce energy made extraordinary amounts of money. and the existing windfall tax regime was an attempt to try to bnng regime was an attempt to try to bring some of that value back into the public purse, particularly because the government , of course, stepped

government, of course, stepped in to protect us individual householders from some of the effect of those prices increases. and so essentially that windfall tax was an attempt to try to cover some of the costs of the government, ensuring that those costs increases didn't all just end up stinging individuals. so i think there's something here about it not feeling fair. there's something here about it not feeling fair . and there's something here about it not feeling fair. and producers have made record profits over the last few years, and yet households are really struggling. more than 6 million, 1 in 5 uk households are now in fuel poverty, which means that they are struggling to pay their bills. so in that context, the idea that the people , the idea that the people, the government should have an eye on or ofgem should have its eye on are the shareholders of centrica or shell feels very uncomfortable in my company now. >> we track lot of this stuff i >> -- >> there are ways of saving money on your energy. by the way, i mention websites way, i should mention websites like at tesco can help the like ours at tesco can help the amounts of money you can save though, you know, maybe 100, £150 year using our service . £150 a year using our service. it's really sad to see that sort

of value go back into british gass of value go back into british gas's hands . gas's hands. >> well, listen, thank you so much for that. it's really good to talk to you . thank you so to talk to you. thank you so much. that's greg marsh . thank much. that's greg marsh. thank you much . well, you can get you so much. well, you can get lots more on that story on our website . and get this, website. and get this, gbnews.com is the fastest growing national news website in the country. it's got the best analysis and opinion as well as the latest breaking news. you can find out what nigel farage thinks about today's big news as well by watching his show at 7:00 this evening right here on gb news. tonight, the show is coming live from bury in lancashire. now, lots of you have been getting in touch with regard to the banking situation as well. and it is interesting what you're saying, russ said the suggested payout of 5 million for the ceo of natwest scandalous since she took over there has been no significant growth in the company. we the british public, own over a third of the bank. now they want to reward underperformance and

unbelievable mischief making zero performance deserves zero reward. these two should be paying reward. these two should be paying us back. yes, i hear you. and that is a sentiment by quite a few others as well. and tim says have just completed closure of all personal and business accounts held with natwest. the personal current account had been held for over 50 years, feeling good. so these are people who are not happy with the situation and natwest , and the situation and natwest, and there are plenty more of them to keep all your messages coming. vaiews@gbnews.com. or tweet us at gb news. are you planning to close your account? should more people go? we'll also get nigel's reaction at 7:00 as well. now the farage banking scandal has erupted at the same time as gb news is campaigning to stop the uk becoming a cashless society . the campaign cashless society. the campaign is called don't kill cash , and is called don't kill cash, and it's proving to be hugely popular. already more than 235,000 people have signed it and the petition is actually on our website, gbnews.com forward

slash cash or if you've got a smartphone , use it to click onto smartphone, use it to click onto the qr code on your screen. right now . now to take you to right now. now to take you to the petition, help gb news with our campaign and tell the authorities don't kill cash . now authorities don't kill cash. now here's a great question for you. has the united states government got evidence that ufos and auens got evidence that ufos and aliens do exist ? i'm nana akua aliens do exist? i'm nana akua on gb news britain's news

online gb news. britain's news.

channel good afternoon. >> if you've just joined me, where on earth have you been? it's towards the end of the show. michelle dewberry will be on the way next, but it's coming up to 47 minutes after 5:00. i'm nana akua. we are the people's channel now. something a little different. unidentified flying objects secret in objects are an open secret in the us military. that's according to air force and intelligence veterans. a two hour congress hearing saw lawmakers and witnesses accusing the federal government of withholding key ufo information withholding key ufo information with a former navy pilot claiming uap sightings were routine and grossly underreported . underreported. >> if you believe we have crashed , craft stated earlier , crashed, craft stated earlier, do we have the bodies of the pilots who piloted this craft? >> as i've stated publicly already in my newsnation interview, biologics came with some of these recoveries. >> yeah .

>> yeah. >> yeah. >> were they, i guess, human or non—human biologics ? non—human biologics? >> non—human? and that was the assessment of people with direct knowledge on the program i talked to that are currently still on the program. >> do you believe uaps pose a potential threat to our national security? >> yes, and here's why. the technology that we faced was far superior than anything that we had seen, and you could put that anywhere if you if you had one, you captured one. you reverse engineered it, you got it to work . you're talking something. work. you're talking something. can go into space, go someplace , drop down in a matter of seconds, do whatever it wants, and leave. and there's nothing we can do about it. nothing. >> so you apps. unidentified air phenomenon. i think it is an aerial phenomenon. well joined now by a ufo expert and author philip mantle . well, philip philip mantle. well, philip well, this this feels like . well, this this feels like. what's that? what is it? the x—files or what's that one? where there was is the x—files,

isn't it? with that music, i'm waiting for it to suddenly go to that and the music starts, is this the x—files or the outer limits? yeah, the outer limits, something like that. but this or space space 1999, which is very old. but what do you think about all of this? >> well , it's all of this? >> well, it's fascinating. i mean, congratulations for getting the hearings in the first place. >> but many of us were were hoping for an open minded debate with a degree of object tivity, which sadly , you know, we didn't get. >> i mean, even from the chairman's opening statements , chairman's opening statements, he told every one of his everyone listening that he read his first book in 1966, and other members of the panel, a bipartisan panel from members of congress talked about, you know , ending the cover up and so on. but the three gentlemen that were the so—called whistleblowers , we saw this is whistleblowers, we saw this is ryan graves, former us military

pilot david fravor, commander and former intelligence officer. >> david crush. >> david crush. >> i'm sure they all told the truth. in fact, i'm pretty confident that it's the truth as they know it . but when it comes they know it. but when it comes to we'll call them aliens, proof of aliens or non—human intelligence, as mr grush prefers to call them. sadly, evidence of that was was lacking. in fact , there was no lacking. in fact, there was no evidence. yes you know, commander fravor's observations and sightings back in 2004 are fascinating thing. and i'm sure they worry the powers that be. >> same with pilot ryan graves, who tracked these objects on his on board radar. >> but mr gross's by far the most controversial of the three witnesses. he states quite clearly that he has been shown evidence of crashed ufos from wherever, and they're dead

pilots. and he even goes on to make further claims quite outrageous ones that certain people have been killed , people have been killed, murdered to keep these things secret. >> wow . >> wow. >> wow. >> and the surely that should worry everyone within in the united states congress if it's true. now, what mr gross does say, if he were to reveal more details that he has said in pubuc details that he has said in public than he could go to jail , um, i'm not convinced of that . um, so how can you go to jail for revealing something that, according to the us department of defence, does not exist? they do not have , you know, ufos do not have, you know, ufos crashed ufos, their pilots there are no secret black programs , are no secret black programs, you know, investigating them. no one has been killed or murdered . so i would say that it's impossible to go to jail for such things. but mr gross has

provided , um, classified provided, um, classified details. i would say, to other higher members of congress and has agreed to do so to the panel that was there yesterday. again, in a classified environment . so, in a classified environment. so, you know, things won't finish with the end of yesterday's heanngs.l with the end of yesterday's hearings. i think it's only the beginning . beginning. >> so just briefly then , how >> so just briefly then, how credible are the people who are talking about these things? because what you're saying it sounds like you don't actually think that they exist . do you think that they exist. do you believe they exist? you know , i believe they exist? you know, i believe they exist? you know, i believe ufos exist, yes. >> but the nature and origin of these phenomena is still eludes us.the these phenomena is still eludes us. the credentials of all three gentlemen are of the highest order and they are checked out. these are not three charlatan bs that you know, the pulling off the streets . they are exactly the streets. they are exactly who they say they are. they did work where they say they are. and mr gross is in intelligence credentials are beyond reproach. however when you when you make such fantastic claims, you need

fantastic evidence to accompany them. >> and he doesn't have any, sadly. but but it's interesting anyway. well thank you very much, philip. really good to talk to you. he's an ufo expert and an author. well, if you just joined us, welcome on board. we are gb news the people's channel. i'm nana akua joining me, though, is michelle dewberry, who's got a cracking line up. >> yes, i'm very excited about my show tonight because , of my show tonight because, of course, the coots saga rumbles on on my panel, i've got david starkey and daniel moylan, one of them at least is a coots customer. so i'm interested in his take on what's going on today. and also that case about andrew malkinson , the guy that andrew malkinson, the guy that was wrongfully imprisoned for a very long time. yeah, but i'll tell you what i found really interesting. when you've been wrongfully imprisoned, you get compensation. hopefully the compensation. hopefully at the end of it. but there's a potential that there can be a deduction from that compensation to cost of board and to cover the cost of board and lodgings whilst they've been in prison. yeah i know it's. well i

say it's bonkers, but is it bonkers? i'll be throwing that one open to the audience and shoplifting as well . one of the shoplifting as well. one of the stores co—op nana , they're stores co—op nana, they're saying that there's going to become no no go zones. that is a challenge for my accent. i can tell you now where they wouldn't perhaps set up stores because of shoplifting. saying that shoplifting. they're saying that shoplifting. they're saying that shoplifting isn't taken seriously enough, which got me thinking. what price rmt should we on shoplifting in the we put on shoplifting in the grand scheme of this world, with all the stuff going on, where should shoplifting be? >> quite serious. >> quite serious. >> what i'm pondering tonight , >> what i'm pondering tonight, lots more as well. >> interesting hear. and who >> interesting to hear. and who do you think should go next with this briefly. do you think should go next with thisoh, briefly. do you think should go next with thisoh, how briefly. do you think should go next with thisoh, how howard briefly. do you think should go next with thisoh, how howard davies, y. do you think should go next with thisoh, how howard davies, of coui'se. >> course. >> what about the whole the whole lot of them? well i think there an for that. there is an argument for that. >> points that i kept >> one of the points that i kept reiterating when did the reiterating when i did the statement my show the other statement on my show the other day how can you have full day was, how can you have full confidence in someone that has that done basic mistake? that has done basic 101 mistake? how have that level of how do you have that level of confidence? do, then confidence? and if you do, then you're fit for purpose? you're not fit for purpose? >> not fit for purpose.

>> well, not fit for purpose. maybe they should all clear up and away. what do you think? and go away. what do you think? well, listen, stay tuned. michelle is up next with a cracking her show. cracking line up on her show. and 7:00, nigel cracking line up on her show. and will 7:00, nigel cracking line up on her show. and will be 7:00, nigel cracking line up on her show. and will be live:00, nigel cracking line up on her show. and will be live in», nigel cracking line up on her show. and will be live in barriel cracking line up on her show. and will be live in barrie as farage will be live in barrie as well his take on the well with his take on the proceedings. but until tomorrow i see there. make sure i shall see you there. make sure you me at 3:00. as ever. you join me at 3:00. as ever. remember, download the remember, you can download the gb to youtube gb news app or go to youtube where can stream the show where you can stream the show live. i'll see you tomorrow at three. looks like things are heating up. >> proud sponsors >> boxed boilers proud sponsors of weather on . gb news. of weather on. gb news. >> i'm alex deakin. this is your latest weather update from the met office for gb news things turning a bit brighter through the rest of today? some sunny spells, but there are a few heavy showers around as well. still pretty humid still that pretty humid feel. also this area low pressure also this area of low pressure will bring plenty showers for will bring plenty of showers for the but back to today, the weekend, but back to today, these weather fronts are clearing i said, clearing away. so, as i said, many are brightening up. many places are brightening up. still outbreaks of rain still some outbreaks of rain across scotland, across northeast scotland, although fine although shetland staying fine for most of the evening. elsewhere, the rain tending to ease a few breaks in the

ease off a few breaks in the cloud, particularly through the night of course, northern ireland and scotland, ireland and western scotland, where start where it will actually start to turn a little cooler and fresher. but for many with the cloud murky conditions , cloud and the murky conditions, it will be another pretty mild and with and humid night with temperatures at 15 or 16 temperatures staying at 15 or 16 degrees. on onto the details for friday. it does start pretty dry over central eastern england over central and eastern england and parts of the south. but i think that cloud should tend to break up. we'll see some sunshine, rain over shetland working way up towards working its way up towards orkney through day. a few orkney through the day. a few scattered showers certainly across northern ireland. later on, there'll some showers , on, there'll be some showers, but actually a bright but for many, actually a bright fine day on friday with temperatures getting into the low 20s, slightly less humid feel compared to today and feeling pretty pleasant, i suspect , in the sunshine. this suspect, in the sunshine. this low pressure system, though, i talked about it earlier here it comes. moving in for the weekend around that we'll just see bands of showers so the of showers moving in. so the weekends mixed picture. we'll all see some sunny spells, but also a few showers . also quite a few showers. >> looks like things are heating

up. boxed boilers , proud up. boxed boilers, proud sponsors of weather on gb news as .

on. oh, no more . what about the on. oh, no more. what about the board, for example? of natwest? not least the chairman of that board. should they stay or should they go? and have you seen the news about british gas? goodness gracious me . profits in goodness gracious me. profits in the first six months of this year of almost £1 billion whilst you and i and all of us suffer with our bills. what's the answer to all of this then? more taxes, rebate for customers. you give me the answer and get this a store. now is saying that perhaps there's going to be a circle no go zone. yes, that is tncky circle no go zone. yes, that is tricky for my accent when it comes to them. they're opening shops. why because of shoplifting. they're saying that it is not being taken seriously enough. but with everything going on in this society , how going on in this society, how seriously should the police be taking shoplifting? how much of a priority should it be? and we're all familiar by now with the situation of andrew malkinson of course, the guy

who's