he was tackled from his bicycle while on a canal towpath in west london by a police officer yesterday, and he is due to appear at westminster magistrates court tomorrow . magistrates court tomorrow. well, the justice secretary says around 40 inmates have now had to be moved out of wandsworth pfison to be moved out of wandsworth prison amid an investigation into daniel khalife escape. alex chalk saying the prison is overcrowded, but he said the government is doing all it to can provide resources . and in can provide resources. and in other news today, the tuc is

reporting the government to the united nations over a new uk law requiring staff to work during strikes . the tuc general strikes. the tuc general secretary saying the legislation falls far short of international legal standards. the government, for its part, though, says the law protects the lives of the public. such as in the case of doctors strike and recently announced a consultation on how the law is to be enacted . to the law is to be enacted. to nonh the law is to be enacted. to north africa now, where rescue workers and residents fear for the stability of local buildings as earthquake aftershocks hit the country of morocco . more the country of morocco. more than 2100 people have lost their lives since the 6.8 magnitude quake rocked areas of the atlas mountains on friday. the moroccan military making roads safe and clear to allow aid and medical treatment to get through to the thousands of people who were still injured. the country has declared three days of national mourning on. the prime

minister says he's confronted the chinese premier, li keqiang, at the g20 summit in new delhi over alleged spying in westminster. the sunday times reports a man in his 20s and another in his 30s were arrested back in march under the official secrets act. one of the men was apparently a researcher with links to several tory mps. apparently a researcher with links to several tory mps . and links to several tory mps. and finally, sir mo farah has completed the final race of his career, sealing his fourth place in the great north run today. the four time olympic champion said it had been an amazing journey . well, as he approached journey. well, as he approached the finish line, he was greeted by vast crowds. some of them trying to high five him and him holding his hands aloft in his famous m shape as he crossed over the finish line. the sports star announced just earlier this year that the time had finally come for him to move on from running with gb news across the

uk on tv in your car , on digital uk on tv in your car, on digital radio, and now on your smart speaker by saying play gb news. this is britain's news. channel >> good morning and welcome to the camilla tominey show. there's a word for this show today and it is big because we've got a big show lined up now. i'm delighted to be joined by alex chalk, the justice secretary and conservative mp for to speak for cheltenham. lovely to speak to this morning, minister. for cheltenham. lovely to speak to you'veforning, minister. for cheltenham. lovely to speak to you'vefornia], minister. for cheltenham. lovely to speak to you'vefornia very1ister. for cheltenham. lovely to speak to you'vefornia very busy week know you've had a very busy week andindeed know you've had a very busy week and indeed let's start and indeed weekend. let's start with khalife with the daniel khalife recapture. now we had charlie taylor, the inspector of prisons, recommending that wandsworth prison be closed down. i understand you've moved. what is it , 40 down. i understand you've moved. what is it, 40 prisoners from wandsworth. surely if you're having to move prisoners because of concerns about the prison, then prison itself isn't fit

then the prison itself isn't fit for purpose. >> well , can i for purpose. >> well, can i start, first of all, by echoing something that came from your people's panel, which is to the police for which is to thank the police for having done exceptional having done an exceptional job and iterate. these are and also to iterate. these are very, very rare indeed rodents and much rarer than incidentally than about 20 years ago. but we take it extremely seriously, which is why i've instituted two investigations. first, into the circumstances of what happened and specifically the alleged escape. and second, in terms of the categorisation. and i asked for preliminary conclusions to be on my desk by the end of the week, which is today. and what i can tell your your gb news viewers is that the protocols that you would expect to be in place, in other words, to ensure that physical for example, that physical head counts are taken before the call is made to the control office. those were in place and about searching and so on.and place and about searching and so on. and also the security staff were in place. what really remains to be decided or remains to be established is where those protocols followed . and that's protocols followed. and that's

what we're getting to the bottom of. there's also for an of. and there's also for an added clarity , an added layer of clarity, an independent investigation to ensure those findings are absolutely crystal clear. >> but why have you moved these 40 prisoners out of wandsworth.7 then >> so look , plainly, this is >> so look, plainly, this is because we take this so seriously out of an abundance of caution, we've done a number of things to surge resources into wandsworth , as you would expect. wandsworth, as you would expect. for example, there is an additional governor support. so somebody who has experience of working as a governor, but also specific security expertise, additional staff down there to support the prison service, but also as out of an abundance of caution, we've taken 40 out to move elsewhere just as we get to the bottom of what happened. now, that is a sensible interim precautionary step . and i just precautionary step. and i just also want to make the point about about wandsworth. you know, there have been issues with crowding, which i accept, which goes back for not just five years or 25, 30 years, but the difference is we are doing something it. so very,

something about it. so very, very significant investment something about it. so very, very sintoicant investment something about it. so very, very sinto prisonslestment something about it. so very, very sinto prisons .estment something about it. so very, very sinto prisons . thfeeil something about it. so very, very sinto prisons . three well, going into prisons. three well, two built , one current going into prisons. three well, two construction one current going into prisons. three well, two construction .ne current going into prisons. three well, two construction . and jrrent going into prisons. three well, two construction . and these under construction. and these are big, big jails. >> but then there will be people who listening to that who'll who are listening to that who'll be incredulous because be kind of incredulous because a lot of this has happened under tories watch. chris grayling famously nicknamed failing grayling justice grayling when he was at justice secretary, he was the one who was for bringing in was criticised for bringing in these measures, which effectively more effectively forced more experienced prison officers out of work. they decided to retire. it was all too much inexperienced officers came in and you had a situation in some prisons the inmates seemed prisons when the inmates seemed to this has to be in control. so this has happened under tory governance hasn't it.7 well, well , well. hasn't it.7 well, well, well. >> on the political thing, i think that's i think it's an unfair attack. and i'll say why in the last 13 years, the number of escapes is around about 20. in the 20 years before, in the 13 years before that , it was 13 years before that, it was about 170. so that's the first point that, you know, these are very, very rare. that's the first thing. but the second thing is, if this is really, really that

really important, is that the investment that is going in now and has gone on over recent years, incidentally, authorised by minister by this prime minister as chancellor biggest chancellor is the biggest programme investment since programme of investment since the victorian era. so it's not just new prisons important though these are it's refurbishing blocks in hmv, liverpool in hmv, birmingham , in liverpool in hmv, birmingham, in stockton rye hill. it's stockton and rye hill. it's about deployment, so vast about rapid deployment, so vast investment going in. and this is the important point, not in response a khalifa incident, response to a khalifa incident, but this been going on for but this has been going on for very is really very many years and is really starting to make a difference. >> okay. but unfortunately, there this perception, there is this perception, rightly the conservative moves actually the conservative moves haven't been tough on crime or indeed, if i may use the phrase the causes of crime, i look in the causes of crime, i look in the mail on sunday. at the moment, mr chalk, and they've had to launch a campaign to get the police to do more about shop lifting of items worth less than £200. there's this phrase going around called low level crime. the police aren't dealing with low level crime. no crime is low level to the person who's a victim of it, is it.7 there's

this perception that under tory governance that the stance on crime has become softer, not tougher. could you address that , please? >> well, that would be wrong. and i explain why, if i may. so first, there are more police officers than at any time in our history. that's the first thing. but second, if i look at offences which did not exist when we came into power, so i'm particularly passionate about trying to address violence against women and girls. let me say, coercive and say, know coercive and controlling behaviour did not exist non—fatal exist at non—fatal strangulation, was not a specific separate offence . specific separate offence. revenge exist. stalk king revenge didn't exist. stalk king wasn't a crime. so we've created these offences also something dear to my heart. that's stalking. we doubled the maximum sentence death by dangerous driving . it used to be 14 years, driving. it used to be 14 years, now life. so so all i'm saying is sorry, i've been the victim of going in and the sentencing lengths are there . lengths are there. >> if you're the victim of a burglary, as i have been, and effectively the police says, well, just get the insurers to deal with it. we're not going to investigate. it doesn't inspire confidence.

>> well, look, can i just say i'm incredibly sorry that you were victim of burglary? it's were a victim of burglary? it's a horrible, brutal, a it's a horrible, brutal, violating crime . and, you know, violating crime. and, you know, i don't know what happened in your specific case, it is an your specific case, but it is an appalling offence and i would expect investigated. expect it to be investigated. i've of burglary i've been a victim of burglary as well, so i absolutely know that. all i'm saying that that. but all i'm saying is that the are that the resources are there, that police there to police officers are there to conduct investigations and conduct those investigations and the are there the sentencing powers are there as and we also we're as well. and we also we're recruiting more judges, increasing legal increasing the amount of legal aid, investment so on. so we aid, investment and so on. so we are everything can to are doing everything we can to ensure victims justice. are doing everything we can to enson victims justice. are doing everything we can to enson that victims justice. are doing everything we can to enson that note,1s justice. are doing everything we can to enson that note, the justice. are doing everything we can to enson that note, the crownice. are doing everything we can to enson that note, the crown court >> on that note, the crown court backlog in england and backlog of cases in england and wales was 62,766. what is it now , sir? >> so it's it is around 62, 63,000. i think it's important to just put a couple of things in context. no, that's right . in context. no, that's right. but it's important to understand this. first of all, none 90% of all crime is actually prosecuted. and tried in the magistrates court. that's the first thing. and they're they've snapped back really quite, quite

well . as for the crown court, well. as for the crown court, which you're referring to, we inherited a caseload of around 48,000. it was then about 40,000 before the pandemic , and then it before the pandemic, and then it ticked up. and that's because , ticked up. and that's because, as you know, frankly, there are few systems us and our jury few systems us and ourjury system is incredibly precious and safeguards rights and and it safeguards rights and liberties that the liberties and ensures that the guilty convicted and the guilty are convicted and the innocent free and so on. innocent walk free and so on. but very, very badly but it was very, very badly affected by covid, which is why we're working our way through. we've put huge resources. rs that's got that's to say we've got nightingale courts, which are still additional still open 1000 additional judges, to £141 million more. judges, up to £141 million more. so we are working through it. we're putting the downward pressure and the final pressure on that. and the final point want to make, if i may, point i want to make, if i may, is quadruple pulled is we have quadruple pulled funding victim services so funding for victim services so that those people who are perhaps like you or others who are victims of crime get the support that they deserve. >> but we have concluded that the is still as big as the backlog is still as big as it was covid. one more it was pre covid. one more question this chinese pie question on this chinese pie story, i'm sure you've story, which i'm sure you've seen but very quickly, story, which i'm sure you've sewent but very quickly, story, which i'm sure you've sewent down, very quickly, story, which i'm sure you've sewent down, but/ery quickly, story, which i'm sure you've sewent down, but it's quickly, story, which i'm sure you've sewent down, but it's gone:ly, story, which i'm sure you've sewent down, but it's gone back up. >> yeah, go ahead, please. >> yeah, go ahead, please.

>> on the sunday times. >> on the sunday times. >> that's because we had the industrial we had industrial action. we had industrial action. we had industrial action. >> we've had rishi sunak today. industrial action. >> we'vhe'sd rishi sunak today. industrial action. >> we'v he's takeni sunak today. industrial action. >> we'v he's taken on|nak today. industrial action. >> we'v he's taken on|nak case i. he says he's taken on this case of chinese spy infiltrating of this chinese spy infiltrating the commons with the house of commons with the chinese premier li. what's your reaction because reaction to this story? because this appears this chinese spy appears to have got not to the got close not only to the security minister but also the chair of the foreign affairs select committee. >> well, of course it's >> yeah, well, of course it's significant. it's important. and the parliamentary authority and indeed other agencies will no doubt wish to get involved. and that's got to take its course and proceed in stages in the normal way. but the general point i would make is that point that i would make is that the has been very the prime minister has been very clear china is an epoch clear that china is an epoch defining challenge. we stand up for we but for our values, we engage. but we so caution and calibration. >> alex chalk, thank you so much for me this morning . forjoining me this morning. >> that warm feeling inside from the boxt boilers. proud sponsors

of weather on . gb news. of weather on. gb news. >> good evening . my name is >> good evening. my name is rachel ayers and welcome to your latest news weather forecast brought to you by the met office. so there's been plenty of heavy showers and thunderstorms around throughout today and they will continue dunng today and they will continue during tonight. and this is because low pressure is starting to dominate the uk weather clearing away that high pressure we saw during last week. so into this evening . then showers and this evening. then showers and thunderstorms will continue for a while, but generally starting to clear out into the north sea , though, lingering a little , though, lingering for a little longer southern scotland. longer across southern scotland. clear spells in the east, but some mist, fog and low cloud developing . and that's all developing. and that's all dunng developing. and that's all during another warm and fairly humid night . during another warm and fairly humid night. there will be some brightness to start monday, but any mist, fog and low cloud will lift and break before we see this area of cloud and outbreaks of rain spreading south eastwards . maybe some heavy eastwards. maybe some heavy showers and thunderstorms for england and wales just ahead of

that. but there will be some sunny spells, too. and feeling pleasant in the sunshine still, even though we're not getting into the 30s, it's still the mid to high 20s for the highs on monday . as we go into tuesday, monday. as we go into tuesday, that band of cloud and rain continues to make its way south eastwards, becoming little eastwards, becoming a little heavier moving as it heavier and slow moving as it comes across england and wales. but starting to see those winds come the north across parts come from the north across parts of scotland, northern england and northern ireland. so starting cooler, but starting to feel cooler, but generally remaining changeable throughout week. but most throughout the week. but most noticeably , those temperatures noticeably, those temperatures dropping . dropping down to average. >> that warm feeling inside from boxt boilers proud sponsors of weather on

radio. this now, john mcternan, political secretary to tony

blair, joins me now. >> lovely to speak to you this morning. john now, i want to start perhaps with keir starmer's reshuffle and perhaps what you made of it. i mean, he's installed a number of blairites. he's sidelined his leadership rival, lisa nandy. is this him pandering to the right, do you think, john, in a bid to win the next general election ? win the next general election? >> well, look, he's given a massive job to his deputy leader, angela rayner. she's now in charge of building planning and local government, regional inequality and on top of that, she's going to have to deal with devolution and the plans for a labour government devolving power to councils and more power to scotland and wales. so a gigantic responsibility for somebody who is from the soft left. he also kept ed miliband in place. so i think the idea is to shift to the right is to misunderstand it. it's a shift to promote those who are talented and those who performed well and people who've shone in their posts, whether in the

cabinet or in in ministerial roles, have been moved up around rung. and you see that with liz kendall's you see it kendall's promotion, you see it with peter karl's promotion to science minister, and you see it the sense of a shadow cabinet ready to go. we are an alternative government, which i think is the answer to all the troubles the government is having is well, there is an alternative to people who can't seem to sort anything out. and it's this team and i think he's got his team for the next election. now, i was just surprised by lisa nandy because i quite i think she's quite an accomplished performer. accomplished media performer. >> clarity thought >> she's got clarity of thought and she's quite and ideology and she's quite a strong on that shadow strong player on that shadow front bench, but equally she isn't angela rayner isn't the angela rayner promotion just of keep promotion, just a case of keep your friends close and your enemies closer. >> because the deputy >> well, no, because the deputy leader is a post elected in its own right. so they're not rivals. they have separate mandates. and what you have to do , you know, margaret thatcher do, you know, margaret thatcher understood , she said about understood, she said about willie whitelaw, her deputy prime minister, every prime minister needs a willie. i mean,

everybody needs a deputy who's a contrast to them. and that's the that's the thing. i think that keir's understood and the needs are front and centre role shadowing the cabinet office was not a big enough position for her. not a big enough position for hen he not a big enough position for her. he didn't bring her talents to front and the way she used to frighten boris johnson when she stood in for keir at pmqs. i think he's going to frighten michael gove. he won't quite know what to do with it. i don't think any tory minister quite knows how to handle angela rayner know, nandy is a rayner you know, lisa nandy is a great politician with her own point view , very strong point of view, very strong view of world, good of the world, very good communicator. and think she communicator. and i think she can restore reputation can restore the reputation of the uk in international affairs dunng the uk in international affairs during the difficult part of the portfolio. it's really critical for an incoming government. >> i'm delighted to be joined in the studio now by lord agnew, who was the anti—fraud minister in the cabinet office from 2020 to 2022. prior to that he was schools minister, now lord agnew will perhaps be best known to many of our viewers for your

dramatic resignation from your role an anti fraud minister role as an anti fraud minister in house of lords last in the house of lords last january you said the january, you said that the government been too lax in government had been too lax in awarding covid bounce back loans and doing to and were not doing enough to investigate let's just retrospectively. let's just remind ourselves of that moment i >> -- >> total fraud loss across government is estimated at 29 billion a year. of course not all can be stopped, but a combination of arrogance, indolence and ignorance freezes the government machine at action taken today will give this government a sporting chance of cutting income tax before a likely may 20th, 24 election. if my removal helps that to happen, it will have been worth it. so it will have been worth it. so it leaves me only to thank the noble lord, lord tunnicliffe, for his courteous but attentive role my shadow minister of my role as my shadow minister of my portfolio, and to thank noble friends, many of whom i know will carry on their scrutiny of this important area. thank you and goodbye . and goodbye. >> it's the closing of the book. right? i'm off. you were clearly incensed by what you saw as

treasury inaction over covid loan fraud. what went wrong? well it was it was panic initially. >> they were very worried that the productive economy would be destroyed by the forced closure of millions of business with covid, which was a perfectly reasonable reaction . but they reasonable reaction. but they then just closed their ears to sensible suggestion actions that could have dramatically reduced the amount of fraud that m&a wanted from the loan schemes that they put in place. why do you think they did that? >> was it a case of, oh, well, you know, we've got bigger fish to fry, we're just going to have to fry, we're just going to have to just close our eyes to what's going because it's too big to solve. >> well, i honestly don't know because i literally had shouting matches i mean, matches with them. i mean, i was so frustrated the time when so frustrated at the time when they put the loan structure in place. i warned them that place. and i warned them that they creating an absolute they were creating an absolute nightmare the future nightmare for the future and that excuse was a few credit that the excuse was a few credit checks would unreasonably delay getting the money out to these businesses , which is total businesses, which is total rubbish mean, would have

rubbish. i mean, it would have delayed a hours, delayed it by a few hours, literally. these now, there were there were something like 15,000 duplicate loans. so businesses were applying on multiple occasions for the loan when they only entitled to one loan that just mal administration by the treasury. >> is it just total ineptitude? yes. >> well, that's what i said in my resignation speech. >> i mean, it's not obviously something that's been done on purpose, it's just a lack of purpose, but it's just a lack of checking, a of oversight checking, a lack of oversight and a lack auditing. much and a lack of auditing. how much do taxpayers lost do we think taxpayers lost dunng do we think taxpayers lost during this period? >> well, very difficult to >> well, it's very difficult to quantify because was do you quantify it because was do you call a duplicate loan a fraud? so i don't know how they are. how they're calculating this, but how many of those who received more than one loan have paid them back ? paid them back? >> so do we have an answer to that question? well, not to my knowledge. none knowledge. practically none would guess. would be my guess. >> very few. so. so >> i suspect very few. so. so you've got those and then you've got those who actually got those who are actually crooked. there 1500 crooked. so there were 1500 loans that went out to companies that trading when that weren't even trading when covid hit because again, of

naivety . so, so there were naivety. so, so there were a whole range of these issues. and then did fight a rearguard then i did fight a rearguard action to try to recover this by getting additional resources. i only wrote one letter to the then chancellor as my boss in then chancellor as my boss in the treasury asking for more resource to go after this. >> you wrote a really lengthy letter explaining the problems, what was happening, what was going wrong. correct. and you laid it all out very early on. what was the response ? what was the response? >> not interested, really , other >> not interested, really, other than, well, departments need to find the money from their own resources. >> and why do you think he took that approach? because he was overly concerned with furlough and his own performance during the pandemic. eat out to help out. well i think he was overwhelmed by the crisis. >> and i mean, i can't blame the government for that because it was unprecedented in peacetime . was unprecedented in peacetime. but but it was frustrating that there weren't prepared to listen to someone with a business

background who who actually understood how this stuff worked. >> did you ever have any face to face discussions with him or was it all by letter? >> well, we met i mean, we met as a ministerial team on probably a fortnightly basis , probably a fortnightly basis, but i couldn't get the message through. >> but what are you saying? that it was fingers in ears? we don't want to hear this? >> much, yeah. >> pretty much, yeah. >> pretty much, yeah. >> it's depressing that i mean, as a long term, long serving tory, have quite tory, you must have been quite upset. well and the problem is it's the amount of money that's lost to this in lost which will come to this in a . a moment. >> when we talk about economic growth can create growth and how we can create that if we're losing this money, which could be so much better used . and i mean, the national used. and i mean, the national audit office put the figure at 30 billion a year in fraud, loss in government before covid. so, i mean , it's just an astonishing i mean, it's just an astonishing amount. now you're not going to get all of that before covid. yes. yes. so the problem has been endemic for a long time. so that's why the thing needs a real focus. and, you know, what will incense our viewers and

listeners is that if there's some problem, some slight anomaly your tax return, anomaly with your tax return, hmrc will be down your throat before you can say, oh my goodness, where are my bank files? >> and yet at the same time, a blind eye has been turned to basically widespread fraud , basically widespread fraud, fraud worth millions and billions. >> it was also promise of a fraud bill in this parliament. >> what happened to that? >> what happened to that? >> well, that's disappeared. so >> well, that's disappeared. so >> okay, so, look, let's talk about growth. and i know you want to talk about sort of what more we could be doing for productivity, particularly you said at the time, look, i'm resigning if did resigning because if you did claw some of this money, we claw back some of this money, we could have income tax cuts. i take it you still think we should income tax cuts? should have income tax cuts? >> well, have to be very >> well, we have to be very careful because we careful at the moment because we are a very perilous financial are in a very perilous financial position. so we have a structural deficit each year where we are spending billion where we are spending 85 billion more in more than we are generating in revenue taxes . so of revenue from taxes. so of course, i would like to see tax cuts , but we cannot. this is why cuts, but we cannot. this is why the trust government fails so

quickly, she announced unfunded tax cuts and the gilt markets , tax cuts and the gilt markets, the international markets who lend us the money to keep going. they didn't like it. >> and that's why we have a point about trying to fight treasury orthodoxy by changing the status quo , trying to the status quo, trying to stimulate more growth in this sort of flatlining figure that we've grown used to, that many describe as managed decline. >> now 100, she was on the right track and getting rid of the then head of the treasury. tom scholar was a move. scholar was a good move. >> was because people say >> was it because people say that of the reason the that was part of the reason the markets were spooked and that kwasi kwarteng arrogance kwasi kwarteng showed arrogance in he he was a main >> well, he he was a main blocker to i mean, i had to deal with him when i was a minister. scholar was. yes. what do you mean he was simply manage the status quo managed decline status quo and managed decline and bring all this control of the finances to the centre and in a short term way. and we'll discuss a little bit about that on the school buildings later. yeah. so just tell me about the attitude, because obviously

you've this kind of front you've had this kind of front row seat inside the treasury and we've so much criticism we've heard so much criticism over years from people who over the years from people who are the right people are more on the right people who are more on the right people who are of brexit persuasion, are more of a brexit persuasion, saying there's groupthink . saying that there's groupthink. >> with the >> what's wrong with the treasury as whole? their left treasury as a whole? their left wing, their economic completely opposed to kind of thatcherite economics ? what's the deal? the economics? what's the deal? the first thing is the average age is 29, right? >> so you have very bright people with very, very little lived experience. so they haven't been out in the front line of business creating wealth. they've never been there. they've been to a smart university. and then they go into the treasury and the turnover of staff there is colossal . it's 25% or something colossal. it's 25% or something like that. so you're losing so you don't get the traction of people who become experts in the way in their portfolios because they're moving so quickly on top of that, they try to micromanage the whole of government. so so, so tiny sums of money will end up with them being scrutinised,

whereas they lose sight of the big picture. so they block policies all the time and they looking for the bottom line. >> we're fast running out of time because it's been so fascinating. speaking to you, let's just talk about briefly. you were schools minister. did you know this concrete was you know that this concrete was a problem to back a problem waiting to happen back in day? in the day? >> the agenda for >> it's been on the agenda for years . years. >> should government have >> should the government have done about it? pre—emptive done more about it? pre—emptive because down because obviously closing down school two days school classrooms two days before term seemed before the start of term seemed a little bit after the event ? a little bit after the event? >> well, they could have done it at the beginning of the holidays, couldn't they? >> they? but why >> well, couldn't they? but why don't they? >> you'll ask them that. >> you'll have to ask them that. i've out of the department i've been out of the department for time. but i again, i for a long time. but i again, i had probably ten meetings with the i was also the the treasury. i was also the capital schools minister. so i had schools had the envelope of schools capital was and capital when i was there and i was trying get them to give was trying to get them to give me long envelope . so me a long term envelope. so i said, give me a year said, give me a ten year envelope of money. it doesn't have any more, but then have to be any more, but then i can go out to the building industry and say, here is a ten year so that you can

year program so that you can tool up for dealing with these refurbishments . and. they refurbishments. and. well, they wouldn't wouldn't . they wouldn't they wouldn't. they said to sit within the said it has to sit within the spending but i said spending review. but i said to them, well, not going to them, well, are we not going to have schools at the end of have any schools at the end of the spending review? i said, what's happen the what's going to happen after the year three year spending year or the three year spending review? they of course, they review? and they of course, they don't have an answer to that. >> you to be saying that >> so you seem to be saying that a of these roadblocks when a lot of these roadblocks when it the government it comes to the government trying enact its own policies trying to enact its own policies orindeed trying to enact its own policies or indeed ministers like you coming solve coming up with ideas to solve problems being problems are constantly being blocked the treasury, blocked by the treasury, continually, is why one continually, which is why one thing i pushed when truss continually, which is why one thin brieflyhed when truss continually, which is why one thin briefly ind when truss continually, which is why one thin briefly in powerhen truss continually, which is why one thin briefly in power was truss continually, which is why one thin briefly in power was you; was briefly in power was you need to take responsibility was briefly in power was you neeeconomic responsibility was briefly in power was you neeeconomic respofromity was briefly in power was you neeeconomic respofrom the for economic growth from the treasury have a small team treasury and have a small team directly responsible, answerable to prime minister who to the prime minister who deliver on that because that's the most important agenda. >> i know we're running out >> and i know we're running out of time, but camilla just important to give you a couple of numbers. so the share of if you compare us to america over the last 20 years, our percentage of per capita income

has fallen steadily. so we now, as a country rank just above alabama . so and we have fallen alabama. so and we have fallen progressively over the last 20 or 30 years. and if we could increase per capita gdp . by 3% increase per capita gdp. by 3% within 15 years, that would be another £650 billion a year in revenue . forget inflation, but revenue. forget inflation, but to just take simple numbers. so they would give there, you'd get your tax cut. so that would allow you to cut taxes by 35. yeah. and continue to properly fund public services. >> but then the trouble to conclude, lord agnew is the bringing a chancellor that wants to challenge the status quo or indeed a prime minister. and they last, what a matter of days. yes but she could have handled lot better. handled it a lot better. >> you're right. we need but >> but you're right. we need but we need hunt similarly taken hostage? suspect so . hostage? i suspect so. >> lord agnew, thank you very much indeed for expertise much indeed for your expertise this you very this morning. thank you very interesting to speak to you .

interesting to speak to you. this .

radio. this >> welcome back to the camilla tominey show. well, it's the moment i've been waiting for. i'm sure you have, too. we've got alastair stewart back in the studio. legendary news presenter at itn and gb news, of course , at itn and gb news, of course, alastair, to see you this alastair, lovely to see you this morning . great be back. i'm morning. great to be back. i'm sure is . sure it is. >> it is absolutely terrific to be and sitting out be back. and i was sitting out there having a coffee with with friends and chatting to steve and like that and and people like that and watching programme. watching the programme. great programme. thank you so far. i hopei programme. thank you so far. i hope i will be able to maintain the standard you are the standard. >> are the benchmark here >> you are the benchmark here that aspire to. look you that we all aspire to. look you stood from your at gb stood down from your role at gb news march. you did release news in march. you did release a statement at time you want statement at the time you want to give bit more clarity. to give that a bit more clarity. what you like? what would you like? >> did and i wanted to give a

>> i did and i wanted to give a bit more clarity. a here at gb news. but be with you because you have interviewed before you have interviewed me before for telegraph days and for in the telegraph days and i think you are one of the absolutely top best. thank you. interviewers. seriously me and any of the politicians who've i've sat down, including our mutual friend charles walker , mutual friend charles walker, will will vouch for that . and will will vouch for that. and the reason i wanted it to be here at gb news rather than anywhere else was because gb news have looked after me phenomenally well. i mean, the headune phenomenally well. i mean, the headline story me and it is relatively dramatic i suppose, is that about six, nine months ago , i began to feel one of my ago, i began to feel one of my favourite words a bit distant . favourite words a bit distant. lobulated yeah, i wasn't becoming forgetful , but lobulated yeah, i wasn't becoming forgetful, but things like doing up your shoelaces properly, that's how i wear these lovely moccasins now, making sure your tie was straight, remembering that the call time for your programme is

4:00 and not 5:00. not turning up early or late and stuff like that. up early or late and stuff like that . but and up early or late and stuff like that. but and i then decided kid at my ripe old age of late 50s early 60s that i might have something wrong up here. so i went to see my gp who's brilliant , went to see my gp who's brilliant, and i said, look, i'm really worried that i might have dementia , early onset dementia dementia, early onset dementia and the to gp his credit, said, i don't know, i have no idea. the sometimes people of your age, particularly if they've had age, particularly if they've had a really fascinating active life , try to find excuses because they can't quite cope with old age . but the only way you can age. but the only way you can find out is have a scan . and i find out is have a scan. and i had a scan and then it was like a scene from casualty or emergency ward ten because the results came back and had results came back and i had indeed had a series of minor strokes that are called infarct strokes, not the big one where your face falls down and your arm goes doolally. but it's like pepper shots and that the cumulative effect of that was that i had a diagnosis of early

onset vascular dementia . and so onset vascular dementia. and so gb news didn't then say, oh god , well, that's hopeless. we can't, you know, you can't have you on screen or anything like that quite the opposite. gb news across the spectrum . and my team across the spectrum. and my team and i just bumped into a couple of them outside, which was lovely were amongst those who were saying, you sure you're lovely were amongst those who were swe're you sure you're lovely were amongst those who were swe're a you sure you're lovely were amongst those who were swe're a bityou sure you're lovely were amongst those who were swe're a bit worried you're lovely were amongst those who were swe're a bit worried about okay? we're a bit worried about you together as one you just drew together as one and back to me . so i remain on and back to me. so i remain on the books . yes, i have a what's the books. yes, i have a what's called a contributor contract so i can come and do stuff like this. had a lovely interview with cameron walker about the death queen and the death of the late queen and the accession of king charles. and i'm hoping other things will crop up over time. but were crop up over time. but they were just so totally loyal to me when the gp kind of broke that bombshell news. >> alastair, what was your reaction ? were you surprised? reaction? were you surprised? were horrified ? were you horrified? >> it all of the above, but >> did it all of the above, but also relieved because i knew that there was something amiss , that there was something amiss, but i didn't know what it was .

but i didn't know what it was. >> and to be crystal clear , it's >> and to be crystal clear, it's not like sitting opposite a man or a woman in a blue or a white coat with a stethoscope around the neck saying, i'm sorry, i've got some bad news for you. you've cancer and you've you've got cancer and you've probably got six months to probably only got six months to live. quite the opposite with dementia, is a dementia, alzheimer's is a totally different argument. but with vascular dementia, you with with vascular dementia, you can't , but you can can't cure it, but you can ameliorate it. we were chatting about what a lovely word that was early on, before, before we started the conversation. so for example, i've given up smoking . example, i've given up smoking. yeah. nhs have been yeah. and the nhs have been brilliant on that as well. the nhs have actually been brilliant throughout and there's little throughout and there's a little bit central government money bit of central government money that went to nhs saying, that went to the nhs saying, look, let's try and help people stop want to stop smoking who want to genuinely because i'm obviously costing the nhs money. if i got cancen costing the nhs money. if i got cancer, god forbid i'd cost them even more. so i've stopped smoking. that helps. i take the dogs for a purposeful, slightly longer walk than i used to and

my diet is okay. i don't drink heavily and haven't done for quite some time, but there are bits and pieces that you can do to stop it getting worse. >> word searches , trying to keep >> word searches, trying to keep the brain active. yeah, people watching this interview and listening to it on the radio will think, you sound like the alastair stewart of old, you know, 45 years in the business, longest serving broadcaster in this . you're totally this country. you're totally lucid . people's impression of lucid. people's impression of dementia is you get a diagnosis like that and it's game over. but you haven't had that. >> no, quite the opposite. and so kind of you to say that and i do hope how people feel do hope that's how people feel because two consultants, i because my two consultants, i have have a cardio have a i have a cardio consultant try and figure out consultant to try and figure out why the blood pressure is so high because that's what causes these strokes in these little strokes in most cases. then have a stroke cases. and then i have a stroke consultant who's working with me on how to ameliorate the condition. both of them said to my who comes to all of my my wife, who comes to all of my appointments, you know, it's really because we know really weird because we know exactly you are we've exactly who you are and we've kind with you and it

kind of grown up with you and it would impossible to diagnose would be impossible to diagnose you with dementia from sitting down and having a conversation with you. quite the opposite. you'd think this nothing wrong with he's you with this bloke. he's just, you know, yarn . but know, he's spinning a yarn. but it will it will progressively get worse, but it won't ever get to that point of you becoming completely doolally. and that's, that was the other reason i wanted apart from to say thank you to gb news quite genuinely was to publicly say that the nhs is out there. it's having a tough time. i don't support the strikes. i'm very upset by the strikes. i'm very upset by the strikes those still strikes. but those who've still been working, who've been looking after me, gp nurses occupational therapy , me, the occupational therapy, me, the consultants have all been utterly brilliant, although one of the consultants phoned up the other day of an evening just to say, are you okay? everything all right? and don't forget you're coming to see us on tuesday whatever. and wife tuesday or whatever. and my wife said, aren't you supposed to be on strike? which fortunately, that reaction at the that was the reaction at the other of phone as well other end of the phone as well as the house.

as in the house. >> a sense of humour throughout all great for all this, which is great for your sally. and i know your wife sally. and i know you've got four children, but the impact the family, the impact on the family, alastair, mean, it must have alastair, i mean, it must have been alastair, i mean, it must have bee it is huge the family >> it is huge and the family have been utterly brilliant. my daughter, who's been on gb news and who i mentioned and my team who i mentioned earlier sure earlier who said, are you sure you're okay, know her well? you're okay, know her as well? she's saudi arabia at she's working in saudi arabia at the we do facetime the moment, but we do facetime very regularly and chat very very regularly and we chat very regularly. my eldest son alex, who i've often talked about on the programme when i used to do it who utterly it as well, who is utterly brilliant sport and brilliant on sport and particularly football analysis . particularly football analysis. he's sitting they've he's sitting outside, they've been brilliant. i think to me you said about the shock and the impact upon you . the thing i impact upon you. the thing i have found most difficult to deal with genuinely is the impact it's had on sally, my wife . we've been married for wife. we've been married for nearly half a century and you know your life partner, your lover, all of those descriptions that are personal and intimate, that are personal and intimate, that person is reduced. i choose

my words very carefully, almost to a carer. yes. so like the small thing, we'd had long conversations about what i wanted to say to you and you were kind enough and we had a lovely conversation on the phone the other day as well. and alex and clem. but her role this morning was to make sure that i was ready for when the car came and that the tie was up done properly, that the suit shirt tie matched and what have you. and for a woman who spent nearly as long as i did in this industry as a top technician, brilliant production assistant, i find that tricky because you are your health through no fault of your own, is reducing this person who is the most important single person in your life to the role of a carer. and so if you do think that there's something wrong with you, go and see the gp. listen to what he or she says. but also do remember that the people work with that the people you work with and the people you live with and share your with are the share your life with are the most important people in the entire and they are there,

entire world and they are there, if you're lucky enough, as was if you're lucky enough, as i was to you . get

how are the symptoms manifesting themselves? >> because we've talked about you being perfectly lucid. you know, you're thinking straight, but i'm getting the impression that it's really affected some of your motor skills and perhaps not. tell us about whether it's affected your memory as well. >> yeah, motor skills is which was a was a description. i wasn't totally familiar with, familiar with, but that was one of the things that clem said. but yes, you're like shoelaces and ties and stuff like that. and being a teacher, obviously she the development of she notices the development of motor with children and motor skills with children and some as quick as others some are not as quick as others and the rest of it, the memory

long term and medium term memory is not a problem at all, period . so i'm as excited as you are about about the relative imminence of a general election. and i've. >> well, you've covered so many. >> well, you've covered so many. >> i've been doing general elections since since the 60s. >> in fact, the dawn of time. >> in fact, the dawn of time. >> since the dawn of time, since the invention democracy and the invention of democracy and fortunately my memory of constituencies and who won and who didn't win and score draws like the coalition is, is fairly good. like the coalition is, is fairly good . and my very short term good. and my very short term memory sometimes is a bit slow and i tend to write a lot more down in little notebook or on the blackboard in the kitchen. >> just writing yourself notes. >> just writing yourself notes. >> just writing yourself notes. >> just yeah, just so that i'll remember what am i doing tomorrow? but when it's things that really matter, like medical appointments. bless her appointments. sal bless her heart, does all of that. so if the gp phones up or one of the

consultants or a letter comes saying, you know, you're due to come and see us for x, y or z, then i just hand over the letter or the phone to sal, because obviously that's something that's important and that , that that's important and that, that i don't want to get wrong and i can't afford to get wrong. so very, very short term memory is tncky. very, very short term memory is tricky . motor skills definitely tricky. motor skills definitely tncky. tricky. motor skills definitely tricky . and one of the things tricky. and one of the things fortunately , which if you read fortunately, which if you read all the literature on it, it talks about spatial awareness. so things like remember thinking spatial awareness was worried that when the floor manager brilliant another camilla brought me in, you know, make sure you don't trip over well if lavrov can trip up on his way to go and meet modi and biden can trip up on the way down. yeah. i mean, good company if that happens. but i haven't had that spatial awareness problem at all. one weird thing is those old fashioned clocks. so if i glance down at a digital clock , glance down at a digital clock, that's not a problem. but if i

glance down at this one old fashioned analogue one or the big one in the kitchen at home, it sometimes takes me a while. or if i'm not allowed to set it anymore because i always get it wrong. and a digital clocks are brilliant that's better brilliant and that's much better . so that's a perception thing that whatever bit of my that whatever little bit of my brain looks at it and says, right, if the big hand is there and the little one's there, it's 8:00 or whatever, that's obviously had stroke at some obviously had a stroke at some stage. so i'm not a sharp stage. yes. so i'm not a sharp on that. >> infarct strokes, obviously, on that. >> had ct strokes, obviously, on that. >> had no trokes, obviously, on that. >> had no idea s, obviously, on that. >> had no idea s, ythe ously, on that. >> had no idea s, ythe time. on that. >> had no idea s, ythe time it you had no idea at the time it was happening. >> none at all long conversations with the stroke consultant. and he occasionally will say, you know, have you had any neurological episode or anything like that? and i said, what do you mean? he said, like sudden shocks, headaches or things like or that things like that, or things that have your that have happened in your life that have happened in your life that have very disruptive or have been very disruptive or very upsetting anything like very upsetting or anything like that. fortunately , he the that. and fortunately, he the answer both of those answer to both of those questions look back at questions is no. i look back at what happened when i left itn and when i moved on to a pension

and when i moved on to a pension and i had a punch up with an accountant over various bits and pieces to do with my pension that we i've talked about that with the consultants and high pressure episodes like that. >> stressful. very stressful , yeah. >> because again , i knew >> because again, i knew a little bit about it, but i've read, as you can imagine, because you know, me and i do, i read as much as i can anyway. but the connection with blood pressure is, is, is absolutely the headline . and that's why if the headline. and that's why if you think you've got what i've got or that you might develop it then right now alastair stewart to camera stop smoking if you have an occasional glass of wine fair enough. if you regularly get completely out of it, stop. >> yes . >> yes. >> yes. >> and if you do go for a walk, occasionally do it more frequently. because if you can get your blood pressure . under get your blood pressure. under control and it is most likely to be lifestyle things rather than something pathological, you may never know what caused them, but at the day, you have at the end of the day, you have

spent years front of the spent 45 years in front of the camera and that is at times a really stressful job. >> i mean, we look through obviously, i sort of revised once illustrious cv once again your illustrious cv and look some of the and we look at some of the things you've covered. obviously, the miners strike back the of the back in the day, the fall of the berlin wall. you went to the first gulf and you report first gulf war and you report there from kuwait reporting from kuwait you fronted up kuwait city. you fronted up every news programme that every itv news programme that there was obviously , you then there was obviously, you then had a change of career quite late on in your life, as you say, late 60s gb news that's a lot of stress for one man to cope performative career is cope with performative career is are very definition pretty are by very definition pretty stressful . stressful. >> yes, i think sometimes folk at home who are kind enough to watch us or listen to us on on digital radio or online or however they do it. if we do it, hopefully touch wood as well as you do. and i used to and others like steve this morning think that it's not quite a walk in the park. but but but we do a

lot of homework . you've got lot of homework. you've got a lot of homework. you've got a lot of homework. you've got a lot of it in front of you now so that when you go into the studio, you are prepared to do it. yes, but you've got an earpiece in the director is saying, okay, fine, we've got about four minutes to go on this now. don't that now. and don't forget that you're x next or when you're talking to x next or when you're talking to x next or when you were to alex chalk you were talking to alex chalk earlier about the escape and earlier on about the escape and you were then going to be to talking the minister about fraud and uke talking the minister about fraud and like that, that's and stuff like that, that's constantly coming in. but you mentioned 1 or 2 of the things. so like berlin, berlin's a classic example. i was ill. i wasn't ill then. i was absolutely fit as a fiddle, totally on top of my game. but you've got to remember the history of the berlin wall. you've got to remember the history of the soviet union, the cold war. you've also got to remember what your dad in my case, said to me as a serving bomber , command senior officer bomber, command senior officer about what the berlin wall meant and what the cold war was really about. and i can remember i absolutely remember every word

of all of that and what i'd read. and if you and i then pause and we then go on to do something else, and suddenly from in india, we get word that that that sunak has decided that the trade talks have gone so well. he's going to call a snap election, which of course he can do now then we've got to move on that and we'd be ready and we'd both be ready to do that. >> i know. well, in light of the fact that you've always been ready to that and in fact, ready to do that and in fact, you said your biography for you said in your biography for gb when you first started, gb news when you first started, you little and you you wrote a little piece and you said biggest compliment that said the biggest compliment that was made to you is that was ever made to you is that people used to hope al was in if was ever made to you is that peoplstoryd to hope al was in if was ever made to you is that peoplstory broke ope al was in if was ever made to you is that peoplstory broke because as in if was ever made to you is that peoplstory broke because you're a big story broke because you're such pair of hands. now, such a safe pair of hands. now, we wanted to make an announcement on show today announcement on the show today because think you know, we because as i think you know, we are launching a new set of westminster studios in westminster. we're in westminster. yes, we're here in paddington great. paddington and that's great. but when interviewing and when i'm interviewing mps and chris hope is interviewing them and all the of it, we need and all the rest of it, we need and all the rest of it, we need a studio close to the house of parliament. yeah. now are parliament. yeah. now we are going our main going to be naming our main

westminster the alastair westminster studio, the alastair stewart studio , in stewart westminster studio, in your honour. and we wanted to tell you that this morning. >> also reduce >> did you also want to reduce me tears? you have me to tears? because you have just done so? cameron showed me around the studio complex when i did the interview with him about the queen and the king, and it's utterly fantastic. and you mentioned passing mentioned there just in passing chopper being of the team chopper being a part of the team now you're pleased this, now you're pleased with this, alastair got someone, as alastair i've got someone, as you know, now winding me up in my ear, but i'm deeply honoured. i'm deeply honoured and deeply touched look touched by that. and i look forward to working from there as we closer to the election. we get closer to the election. >> alastair, i hope we see you again the studio because we'd again in the studio because we'd love you back on news love to see you back on gb news and you all the very and we wish you all the very best your health following best with your health following this you so this diagnosis. thank you so much for camilla. >> thank you very much indeed. and again, down the line, straight thank straight to the camera. thank you, gb news. and the whole team here looking after me and here for looking after me and being really good employers. and don't forget, thank you, nhs as well. >> we'll be fine. >> we'll be fine. >> i'll see you .

>> i'll see you. soon >> the temperature's rising . >> the temperature's rising. boxt solar proud sponsors of weather on . gb news. weather on. gb news. >> good evening. my name is rachel ayers and welcome to your latest news weather forecast brought to you by the met office. so there's been plenty of heavy showers and thunderstorms around throughout today and they will continue dunng today and they will continue during tonight . and this is during tonight. and this is because low pressure is starting to dominate the uk weather clearing that high pressure clearing away that high pressure we during last week . so into we saw during last week. so into this evening. then showers and thunderstorms will continue for a while, but generally starting to clear out the north sea to clear out into the north sea , though, lingering for a little longer across southern scotland, clear spells in the east, but some mist, fog and low cloud developing, and that's all dunng developing, and that's all during another warm and fairly humid night there will be some brightness to start monday, but

any mist, fog and low cloud will lift and break before we see this area of cloud and outbreaks of rain spreading southeast woods, maybe some heavy showers and thunderstorms for england and thunderstorms for england and wales. just out ahead of that. but there will be some sunny spells, too. and feeling pleasant in the sunshine still, even though we're not getting into the 30s, still the mid to high 20s for the highs on monday as we go into tuesday, that band of cloud and rain continues to make its way southeast . woods make its way southeast. woods becoming heavier and becoming a little heavier and slow moving as it comes across england wales, starting england and wales, but starting to those winds come from the to see those winds come from the north across parts of scotland, northern england and northern ireland. so starting to feel cooler generally remaining cooler, but generally remaining changeable the week. changeable throughout the week. but noticeably, those but most noticeably, those temperatures dropping to temperatures dropping down to average , the temperatures rising average, the temperatures rising , average, the temperatures rising a , average, the temperatures rising , a boxt solar proud sponsors of weather on

gb news. >> good evening. you're with gb news. the top story this hour daniel khalife has been charged with escaping custody after four days on the run from the authorities . the 21 year old authorities. the 21 year old escaped terror suspect had strapped himself underneath a food delivery lorry to get out of wandsworth prison on wednesday . he of wandsworth prison on wednesday. he was of wandsworth prison on wednesday . he was tackled from wednesday. he was tackled from his bicycle on a canal towpath in west london by a police officer yesterday. he appears at westminster magistrates tomorrow . meanwhile, the justice secretary says around 40 inmates have had to be moved out of wandsworth prison. now amid an investigation into daniel caliph's escape. alex chalk admitting the prison is overcrowded . but he says the

overcrowded. but he says the government is doing all it can