shines. >> yes, indeed. >> yes, indeed. >> indeed, >> indeed, >> but yeah. >> but yeah. >> did you hear that? absolutely. great. >> again, you have to allow your co—host to shine. >> oh, i don't know. >> oh, i don't know. >> i need to be reined in. i think i do that, i do that. >> well, it's been great, but we're going to leave you in the capable hands. and while we're lost in space or travelling in space with tom and emily. >> extraordinary >> extraordinary moment. >> extraordinary moment. >> what a moment. what images, what live images. >> what a moment. what images, what live images . well, it is what live images. well, it is now 12:00. it is midday. this is good afternoon. britain with continued coverage of the first private spacewalk in our history. we are watching now the polaris dawn mission sent up by a falcon nine rocket this week to the furthest distance from earth that any human has been

since 1972. >> and, tom, can you give me a short recap of what exactly we have? we have seen here? what is this man achieved? >> well, this has been a remarkable mission. what we've had is for the last day or so, this this dragon capsule, getting to the position it is now between 6 and 700km away from earth. an incredible distance away from earth. and indeed, we've had a very slow but methodical and reasoned , but methodical and reasoned, sort of detachment of the hatch , sort of detachment of the hatch, readjustment of the pressure in the suits and in the capsule, so that everything goes right when we have the first private spacewalk that has ever occurred. >> wow. >> wow. >> yes, it all seems to be going at a glacial pace. yeah. to protect their safety . was that protect their safety. was that what happens when you're in such a in such an atmosphere? >> well, it will all be doing

little tests. it'll it'll all be being measured. they'll be they'll be moving a little bit one way ground control will relay to them that everything is okay. one of the moments we saw that happening, of course, was when the hatch was opening. they had to open it by a fraction of a of an inch, just a tiny amount, because if they opened it the whole way and then there was any residual atmosphere in the vacuum of space that would have rushed out, and it could have, you know, yanked out some vital equipment. it could have pulled, sucked out the people from the capsule . so they had to from the capsule. so they had to do it very, very slowly and methodically. i want to know how much, how much does this cost? this is a private mission. so thankfully, how much? >> how much did this person pay to do such a thing? >> it will have been hundreds of millions. >> wow. >> wow. >> maybe one day it will be like that. >> well, this is this is the analogy that elon musk very often brings up, analogy that elon musk very often brings up , that in the often brings up, that in the early days of spaceflight , it early days of spaceflight, it was only the what we now call the billionaire class who could fly on a plane. yeah and then it

took a few decades and then most people were flying. well, maybe not most people until, you know, the 1970s and 80s perhaps in developed countries. but, even so, it is a process whereby this, this is much more affordable than it was ten years ago, ten years ago. only governments could do this. private individuals couldn't . private individuals couldn't. and in ten years time it will be even cheaper. >> how do you think some governments are feeling about this? >> i wonder if some governments are feeling spaces. yeah, i wonder if some are feeling threatened. i think if i were russia , i'd feel very annoyed at russia, i'd feel very annoyed at this because as we were talking about a little bit earlier for about a little bit earlier for about ten years, the americans had to rely on the russians to get into space. incredibly embarrassing for the world's richest country. now the americans can use their own private companies. they don't have to rely on dictators abroad. so i think the americans are probably going to be pretty happy about this. >> and who is this mr isaacman?

>> and who is this mr isaacman? >> he's an entrepreneur , he he >> he's an entrepreneur, he he founded a payment system, but but he's also an enthusiast for flying. i mean, he's got planes . flying. i mean, he's got planes. he's always been an enthusiast for space. and so this was sort of a natural step for this sort of a natural step for this sort of wacky billionaire. >> if he became a billionaire, you would definitely be up there, wouldn't you? yeah i'd like straight away. >> i'd like to think i would. >> i'd like to think i would. >> first opportunity. >> first opportunity. >> i'd like to think i would, but you know what i mean? >> i don't. >> i don't. >> it's easy to imagine. oh, of course i do. of course i'd, i'd travel, you know, not connected to anything . be be hundreds of to anything. be be hundreds of miles away from the earth further than anyone has been in, in more than half a century. and of course, i just step out of the of the space vehicle connected by nothing but an umbilical cord. >> of course i would get a bit scared. i think i might be a bit frightened that you might not make your way back. >> i think i'd be mad if i wasn't a bit scared. >> i think every person growing up has had some kind of dream of

being an astronaut or going into space. you have to have a strong stomach. >> oh, you certainly do have a strong stomach . strong stomach. >> if you have motion sickness, then it's probably not the role for you. >> i wonder, i wonder if we're going to get more space obsession now with this generation, because there's suddenly adventure in space again. i feel i feel like sort of in the 90s and the 2000 there, there wasn't so much excitement in space. i mean , excitement in space. i mean, virtually everything in culture in the late 1960s, early 1970s was space. space space. everything was space themed. the biggest movies were star wars and, you know, all the rest of it, but of course we then stopped going so far, we stopped going to the moon. we stopped that that far sense of adventure. but but we're sort of rediscovering that now. >> i mean, there's always been a fascination with what's under the ocean . the ocean. >> yes. deep that goes down. so there's some mad statistics that we've only explored with a tiny, tiny, tiny fraction. you can only go so deep. so what's

happening now? >> well, it looks like we're having , the second foray up having, the second foray up through through the hatch. we should be able to see an external shot very shortly , external shot very shortly, because this could be it. this could be. here we go. >> oh, wow . that must be. >> oh, wow. that must be. >> oh, wow. that must be. >> there must be nothing like that out there. >> that's awesome. >> that's awesome. >> it's hard to contemplate. sort of how how alone someone must feel. just sort of that far, that far from earth . far, that far from earth. nothing supporting this craft for awareness. we're floating there in just so far away from home. >> you know, when you stand on the top of a mountain and you can't see much light? yeah, it must be that. but on steroids. yeah. just staring into the abyss. just seeing the magnitude of. of what surrounds us and looking in one direction and seeing all of life. >> everyone that has ever lived,

everyone alive today , all the everyone alive today, all the history of the world, everything that goes on, everything we see. talk about everything in your field of view. and if you look the other way, nothing. >> so how long does it take them to all come back down to earth ? to all come back down to earth? >> well, i don't know. it really. it really depends how many more orbits they'll do of the earth. i mean, they won't be there for a long time. i mean, frankly, the capsule isn't isn't big enough to have, you know , big enough to have, you know, food for weeks and weeks, they'll they'll be back down tomorrow, i would expect, perhaps even later today, but but this is, again a remarkable sight to remind everyone. this is the first private space walk. the furthest humans have been since 1972. and an entirely new spacesuit that is being worn by

these private astronauts in what is a pretty remarkable test, a test of the feasibility of the private space sector, and we might be, well, seeing a lot more of this in the years to come. >> oh, now and now he's done it. you know, many of them will wish to follow. yeah i'm sure. so what could have could have gone wrong on the way up that didn't thankfully. >> oh well thankfully , they, >> oh well thankfully, they, they flew on a, on a, falcon nine rocket. now, these, these rockets have flown many, many times before. they're a very reliable rocket developed by spacex . they are the sort of spacex. they are the sort of workhorse of spacex. you you now you now see, you know, multiple launches a week, sort of more than 50 launches a year of this rocket, getting satellites up into low earth orbit , delivering into low earth orbit, delivering resources to the international space station, delivering people to the international space station, even, and in a sort of

a slightly modified configuration, it can also be called the falcon heavy when sort of three falcon nines are strapped together. this only required a falcon nine. they'll be doing they'll be doing tests. they'll be coming in and out. and, and i think we used the analogy a little bit earlier of sort of, you know, standing on the edge of a diving board. do you, do you dive into you? not at the moment. >> it looks like, doesn't it. >> it looks like, doesn't it. >> yeah. no one has let go of the aircraft yet. the aircraft, the aircraft yet. the aircraft, the spacecraft, spacecraft, of course there is no air. >> so the sort of preparing mentally or physically or both, it will be both. >> they'll be measuring all sorts of instruments. but also, i mean , you can't you can't i mean, you can't you can't think that this this wouldn't have been a psychologically difficult with those astronauts that were in space for far longer than they were intending to be. so they're on they're on board the international space station . they're actually going station. they're actually going to be coming down on a in a in a

dragon capsule, not this dragon capsule. but spacex have said that they will they will send send a falcon nine up, a dragon capsule to connect to the international space station to then bring those astronauts down. >> i mean, tom, i've had the pleasure of reporting on a couple of rocket launches with you on this show, but i did not know that your, your knowledge of these things stretched this far is fantastic. >> i know i would, i do without you. i just, >> i know i would, i do without you. ijust, i >> i know i would, i do without you. i just, i just really enjoy this sort of stuff and the history behind it is incredible. it does make me think, you know, if the, if the cold war hadn't ended or if, if the soviets had hadnt ended or if, if the soviets had hadn't sort of been defeated in ended or if, if the soviets had hadnt ended or if, if the soviets had hadn't sort of been defeated in the space race, might we have the space race, might we have had these sort of moments a lot had these sort of moments a lot earlier? if the americans and earlier? if the americans and the soviets had competed for the soviets had competed for many, many more years than, than many, many more years than, than and more intensely, i mean, what and more intensely, i mean, what more technology might we have? more technology might we have? there's a there's a television there's a there's a television series called for all mankind series called for all mankind that imagines an alternative that imagines an alternative

history where the soviets landed history where the soviets landed on the moon first. and so the on the moon first. and so the americans redefined the space americans redefined the space race and the thinking that the race and the thinking that the winner of the space race winner of the space race actually is the first to get to actually is the first to get to mars or to, you know, it just mars or to, you know, it just goes further and further and goes further and further and further. it feels that now that further. it feels that now that we don't have to rely on we don't have to rely on governments for this sort of governments for this sort of innovation, that this is private innovation, that this is private competition between billionaires, where the competition between billionaires, where the government is going to get government is going to get involved with more and more involved with more and more regulation. regulation. >> i suppose. >> i suppose. >> i suppose. >> well, perhaps, perhaps, but i >> i suppose. >> well, perhaps, perhaps, but i think just getting a capsule and think just getting a capsule and i think government governments i think government governments can can benefit from this too, can can benefit from this too, though, because of course, one though, because of course, one of the biggest clients of spacex of the biggest clients of spacex is nasa . so nasa, uses spacex is nasa . so nasa, uses spacex is nasa. so nasa, uses spacex rockets all the time, whether is nasa. so nasa, uses spacex rockets all the time, whether it's for supplying the it's for of almost international space station or for, getting up its own satellites into into low earth orbit or indeed into geostationary orbit, much further away as well, >> and you could see the earth that we flew into, but it's not just about sort of the cost of these things. >> it's not just about the science and the and the advancement. one of the things

that the first apollo astronauts up there in changed after being up there in space, and they gave away their billions. and looking at the earth, i don't think they ever had billions, but, but people become these astronauts. oh, these astronauts. yeah. no, no, these astronauts. yeah. no, no, these billionaires. well, perhaps they'll come down with a completely changed view of the earth. there is this there is this sort of effect that many astronauts say, you know, they go up, you know, they think they know themselves, but they they see, you know , they're able to see, you know, they're able to sort of hold out their hand and

like, sort of almost like, sort of almost figuratively touch everything figuratively touch everything that has ever existed in that has ever existed in humanity and think, wow, that's humanity and think, wow, that's that's all there it surely just that's all there it surely just gives you a different gives you a different perspective on on life , on, on, perspective on on life , on, on, perspective on on life, on, on, on how we live, on what we who perspective on on life, on, on, on how we live, on what we who we are. >> well, it's certainly a unique we are. >> well, it's certainly a unique experience . every time i imagine experience . every time i imagine experience. every time i imagine you notice something different, experience. every time i imagine you notice something different, i wonder if, if, how how if our i wonder if, if, how how if our politicians around the world politicians around the world will comment on this, i would will comment on this, i would imagine, i would imagine that imagine, i would imagine that we'd get a, a statement from, we'd get a, a statement from, from at least the united states from at least the united states president, on this , on this president, on this , on this president, on this, on this mission, once it's president, on this, on this mission, once it's congratulatory note. congratulatory note. >> i don't know if keir starmer >> i wound is a big fan of spacex. i mean, ihope is a big fan of spacex. i mean, i hope he does, but i don't know if he will. i think i think certainly because this is a mission that launched from the united states of america. there are americans on board. i think that american politicians will definitely comment on this. but of course, it's a huge it's a huge story for the world as well, because this is opening

nasa budget sort of was wound down a bit and they were meant to be more apollo missions after apollo 17. but apollo 17, i think it was apollo 17 was the last, last mission to the moon, and one of the reasons why was that, the vietnam war was going on and people were, people were very angry with the amount that was being spent on all sorts of these things. and there was a sort of consolidation , sort of consolidation, consolidation of, of public expenditure . but, but one of the expenditure. but, but one of the remarkable things about this, too, is that we can see it, we've been able to have this live stream of this , of this live stream of this, of this spacewalk as it , live stream of this, of this spacewalk as it, as it has been tentatively going ahead and just explain to me what we can see on the screen here. >> we've got some kind of control room on the left, and then a picture of earth. >> yeah. >> yeah. >> so this is a sort of a digital representation of earth. what you can see on the right of

the image there is the path of the image there is the path of the rocket as it, as it sort of started to orbit and then the secondary burn happened to get the capsule, which you could see on the far left of the screen, which is, of course, much, much further away from earth than the low earth orbit that that secondary burn took . this, took secondary burn took. this, took this capsule much, much further. >> and this may be a stupid question, but would they be able to see any other planets in that position to bring you views within the dragon? >> i think not, i think if they looked really hard, i mean, if you think about it, how far away they are from earth, they'd have about as good a view of another planet as we would really. i mean, looking at the distances that we're that we're looking at. >> so we're talking about such vast distances. >> exactly. so i mean, they might if they really, really tried, they might be able to see mars or venus, but but they, they and of course, the sun and they and of course, the sun and the moon would, would loom large as well. but, but but if you

think sort of. yes, this is the furthest anyone has been for over 50 years. i mean, it also sort of tells you the scale of the solar system that, it doesn't mean that they're much closer to any of our neighbouring planets. >> there's lots of people getting in touch , amazed by what getting in touch, amazed by what they're seeing. and he says, musk moving from the industrial to the digital revolution of the space industry. brilliant innovation and bravery. fred says. who knew tom was so multi—talented, politics geek multi —talented, politics geek and multi—talented, politics geek and a space geek? >> no, it's just a geek. just a geek. no no no no. >> forward to working close . >> forward to working close. >> forward to working close. >> now we will be dipping back into this historic spacewalk as we get more information on it. it seems that we have lost signal from the craft for the time being. of course, it has been dipping in and out given where it is and frankly, where

on the earth it is currently above, that will depend on the signal that we can get. but there we go. the first, private spacewalk in the history of mankind. >> fantastic stuff. very exciting indeed. i feel like we've just witnessed a very historic, historic moment. could be. could be one of us next time. well, yes, we're back down on earth. back down on earth. you're watching and listening to. good afternoon britain with me. emily carver. and of course, tom harwood . tom harwood. >> now, today the nhs must reform or die. well, following a shocking report by the former labour health minister lord darzi, describing the state of the nhs as dire and in critical condition. earlier, the prime minister claimed the national health service needs major surgery. >> nhs may be in a critical condition but it is vital. signs are strong and we need to have the courage to deliver long term reform. major surgery, not sticking plasters. >> so that's what keir starmer

had to say. now the report finds that failings in care has led to the deaths of thousands of patients a year. >> big picture finding is the nhs is in a serious critical condition , but the vital signs condition, but the vital signs are normal, which will suggest that we can do something about this. to do it well, we need to engage the whole staff , engage the whole staff, patients, the public, the political leadership all aligned to make that change happen. as quickly as we can because we can't wait . can't wait. >> well, sir keir starmer made a speech earlier on the biggest reimagining of the nhs. later on this morning we will say, well, he will say that funding will be moved away from unproductive hospitals. wes streeting, the health secretary, said labour will face their government's recent criticism head on and face up to the hard choices they've had to make. >> the labour party, we are not going to get into dewy eyed nostalgia about what the nhs was when it was created 76 years ago. we are going to face up to

the hard choices and challenges today , so the nhs is there for today, so the nhs is there for us for the next 76 years and we deal with the awful situation we see today where those who can afford it are paying to go private because the nhs isn't there for them and those who can't afford it are left behind. >> now a lot of people have been calling for a reform of the nhs for what feels like donkey's years. so could this actually be a good thing? well, joining us now is former chairman of the bma, gp committee, doctor lawrence buckman. lawrence, as i said, lots of us hoping for reform within the nhs is this is this the start of something that could be quite good? >> it could be. >> it could be. >> the diagnosis is broadly correct, we've been you've interviewed me several times saying exactly what he's saying . saying exactly what he's saying. now, the problem will be what's the treatment? and, it needs significant reform. we're not talking about fiddling with it. and money will not solve this

problem, this needs a complete rethink of how care is delivered. he made the point that an enormous amount of care happensin that an enormous amount of care happens in hospital in terms of cash. but an enormous amount of care should be happening in the community, which is not funded or geared to delivering. >> it is not what the health secretary has been saying that you know, there has been a lot more money going into the nhs. there's been a lot more nurses, a lot more doctors, but the productivity of those people who work in the nhs has actually been declining recently. one of the big arguments about that is that we don't have the kit, we don't have the scanners, we don't have the scanners, we don't have the ability of doctors to, to, to, you know , be doctors to, to, to, you know, be the best that they can be through the efficiency that technology brings. could it be that we've been spending too much on people and not enough on tech? >> we've been spending on the wrong kind of people, and what we need, if i had to pick a thing and you can go through

this exercise in a number of ways, if i have to pick a single thing, i would change. it would have to be a massive increase in the number of social care staff. if i had to pick a thing. and that doesn't necessarily cost more money if you're saving it elsewhere in the system, the number of patients who are blocking beds, which is not their fault, they haven't got somewhere to go. and what they needis somewhere to go. and what they need is care in the community. this is we're not talking about doctors and nurses, we're talking about carers. if you can't get people out of hospital, you're never going to shake this up. and that means a significant change in the way the health service thinks about itself. money will not solve this. we need people, and not necessarily more and more and more doctors, although that would be nice and not necessarily more nurses, because we are going to need a large number to replace those who are retiring. but we need people in the community keeping people out of hospital. it has to be a health service, not a sick service. >> now. now, the labour party have for years and years and

years always complained that the conservatives haven't put enough money into the nhs. it's very interesting now to hear from the prime minister himself, a labour prime minister himself, a labour prime minister, that the nhs will not get any new funding unless there is reform, and presumably by that he means reform. that will increase the productivity of the service. it is a change in tone from from laboun is a change in tone from from labour, isn't it ? labour, isn't it? >> yes, it's a welcome change. actually i don't i don't see it as a problem, if you just throw more money in, you'll be wasting it. what you have to do is target it in the right way, and that means it has to go hand in hand with changes to the way we deliver care for our patients and there's an enormous, for example, an enormous mental health problem. and there are nowhere near enough workers delivering it. well, if you want to keep people away from bits of the health service that are drowning, what you have to do is never let them get there. in the first place. and that requires an attitude towards prevention that has not really existed

since the 60s. and we need to get that. >> and yet this attitude towards prevention, we've heard from the prime minister, we've heard from the health secretary, it might mean a lot more nanny state, a lot more sugar taxes, a lot more bans on smoking, a lot more of these things that will actually affect the liberty of us to just protect the health service. >> now, i'm not that exercised by liberty loss. i'm more bothered about older , older bothered about older, older people who can't get out of hospital because they haven't got somewhere safe to go. and the same with people who are disabled and all those people with mental health problems who need support, who need help , not need support, who need help, not just chucking money at it. and the nanny state as you describe it, i don't actually think will solve the kind of the depth of problems that they have. sugar tax is not going to make more care homes for older people. >> no, it absolutely will not. but thank you very much indeed for your time. always great to speak to you, doctor lawrence buckman, former chairman of the bma, gps committee. >> well, this is good afternoon, britain on gb news. lots more coming up on today's show. not

least the effects of that early release for prisoners

>> well, it's 1228. you're watching listening to good afternoon britain. now, how's the early prison release scheme going last week? this week, 2000 inmates about were released following labour's early release scheme. but it may not be going quite to plan for one inmate at least. >> well, a man has been re—arrested. yes released, then rearrested this on suspicion of rape and sexual assault moments after being released. >> yes. so the man was seen walking out of the gates of the jail . i walking out of the gates of the jail. i believe this was at wandsworth prison down in southwest london, before turning his head to see police waiting for him. so he was immediately

re—arrested . and this is what re—arrested. and this is what people were warning about. we have to be a little bit careful because this is an active case now because he has been rearrested and presumably he will be charged, but what does this say about the fact that the government decided we're going to release these people ? we're to release these people? we're not going to release any violent offenders. of course we're not. absolutely. of course we're not. turns out that actually there were domestic abusers and other violent criminals with, you know , violent criminals with, you know, gb news criminals. yeah. just let out and i, i would not be surprised at all if this was not the last re—arrest that we will see. >> i'm shocked, actually, that it happened quite so soon. i mean, the prisoner release was what, monday ? yeah. and we're what, monday? yeah. and we're halfway through the week and there's been a re—arrest. well, there's been a re—arrest. well, there was a, there was a re—arrest on day one, but shall we speak with the former head of the royal protection at scotland yard, dai davies, because dai am |, yard, dai davies, because dai am i, am i right to be concerned

here that actually a lot of these people that have been released will soon be rearrested? >> well, sadly, in this country, unlike norway and other more advanced nations, in terms of looking at their prisoners and how they deal with them, 50% or more will re—offend within a yeah more will re—offend within a year. and that's a presumption that we actually poor old police will catch them. how many go uncaughtis will catch them. how many go uncaught is something we don't really know . but your previous really know. but your previous speaker was talking about the national health and the need for resources and to point them in the right direction. and clearly, successive governments in this country have failed. they have failed society and they have failed some of the prisoners because the conditions in many of our prisons are appalling. something needs to be done. but it costs a lot of money and that has always is the issue. and so i am concerned . issue. and so i am concerned. but of course, all prisoners almost are released. and i think what has to be done is a careful

scrutiny of the circumstances of the offence, which meant a judge sent them to prison for a certain period . so each case has certain period. so each case has to be scrutinised and i'm not sure they are doing that. and then when they are released, there isn't enough probation officers and those who supervise them to actually ensure that they are on the path to redemption, as it were. >> yeah . one of the other things >> yeah. one of the other things that i think a lot of people are worried about, i certainly am. is that because of the overcrowding in prisons and because the criminal justice system is so full and under pressure at the moment that police aren't going to be able to arrest people necessarily, that they're going to let people off with a, you know, a slap on the wrist for things. we know shoplifting is practically legal in this country. it feels as though, if you look at the rates on that, do you imagine that that's happening ? that's happening? >> well, again, the police have to use their discretion. and

again, there is a balance . i again, there is a balance. i recall in my, well, half a century and more of police service and consultancy at home and abroad, it varies. i can remember when we used police cells in southall, in twickenham, when i was there, going back to the 80s. it's happened before, but it is a drain on the police service and again, as you rightly say, they have to use their discretion, but i hope they would use that discretion in terms of violence, domestic violence in particular, and other offences. >> the other thing i found out some, some of the people released early were in fact , released early were in fact, domestic abusers told by the government that absolutely no violent offenders would be let out early . yet. we find out, you out early. yet. we find out, you know, very soon afterwards that in fact, there were, but thank you so much for talking to us. sorry we have to leave it there. dai davis, former head of royal protection at scotland yard. >> well, this is good afternoon. britain on gb news. a lot more

coming up on today's show , coming up on today's show, including a £22 billion porky. yes, more on that after the . news. >> very good afternoon to you. it's just after 12:30. the top story from the newsroom this houn story from the newsroom this hour. and if you've missed it, well , history hour. and if you've missed it, well, history has been made as the polaris dawn crew took the first ever spacewalk by non—professional astronauts. commander and billionaire jared isaacman left his modified spacex dragon capsule without the usual safety of an airlock some 400 miles above earth. he and his crew mate are relying on and his crew mate are relying on an experimental spacesuit and life support hoses to perform critical tests in the vacuum of space, and the mission is privately funded, with isaacman saying, well, the risks are worth it to advance space exploration back here on earth. sir keir starmer says the nhs is

broken but not beaten, delivering a stark message after a report into the health service. lord darzi's rapid review highlights rising demand, low productivity and poor morale. just some of the major challenges facing the nhs. it's after figures out earlier this morning showed ballooning waiting times and delays in a&e and cancer care. speaking earlier, the prime minister warned there'll be no more money without reform and said big shifts are needed to secure the nhs future. >> only fundamental reform and a plan for the long term can turn around the nhs and build a healthy society . that won't be healthy society. that won't be easy. it won't be quick. it will take a ten year plan, not just the work of one parliament. but i know we can do it . i know we can do it. >> a royal navy warship has seized £160 million worth of cocaine in the caribbean , cocaine in the caribbean, intercepting a so—called narco sub in a joint operation with the united states. hms trent ,

the united states. hms trent, sailing around 200 miles south of the dominican republic, seized 2000 kilos of cocaine, marking the ship's eighth drug bust in seven months. the commander of the vessel praised his crew for their efforts battling difficult conditions to make that historic haul well . make that historic haul well. with over £750 million worth of drugs intercepted this year. hms trent surpasses all other royal navy vessels in seizures this century . in a navy vessels in seizures this century. in a sign navy vessels in seizures this century . in a sign that major century. in a sign that major changes could be ahead for the uk's workforce, health and care worker visa applications have plunged by 83% from april to august. of this year. new figures out today from the home office have revealed. dependent visa applications also dropped by 73%. meanwhile, student visas saw a 17% drop, but dependents of students took a sharper hit with an 83% decline. in contrast, though, applications for skilled worker visas rose by 18% over the same period . and 18% over the same period. and finally, the wife of disgraced

tv star rolf harris has died at the age of 93. 15 months after her husband's death. alwyn hughes, who had been suffering from alzheimer's , stood by from alzheimer's, stood by harris throughout his jail term for child sex offences. the couple were married for 65 years despite her husband's scandal. hughes attended every day of harris's trial in 2014 alongside their daughter bindi . if you their daughter bindi. if you were watching on television, just a warning that that wasn't rolf harris wife. i don't believe in those pictures. those are the latest gb news headlines for now. i'll be back with you in half an hour for the very latest gb news direct to your smartphone, sign up to news alerts by scanning the qr code , alerts by scanning the qr code, or go to gbnews.com forward alerts

>> good afternoon britain . it's >> good afternoon britain. it's 20 to 1 now. the treasury is refusing to provide key details on the so—called £22 billion fiscal black hole that the new chancellor claims to have discovered. yes well, at the same time, the government is also refusing to publish their own impact assessment on how cutting winter fuel payments will harm pensioners. delighted to be joined now by our reporter adam cherry, because , adam, it's adam cherry, because, adam, it's a very strange thing to be heanng a very strange thing to be hearing that the treasury , hearing that the treasury, despite saying that they found this black hole, won't say how. >> yeah, it is an interesting one, isn't it? it suggests there's a political element to this rather than just an economic one. now, they do say, and by the way, this all stems from a freedom of information request that came from the financial times newspaper and the response from the treasury was that in the fullness of

time, they will explain this figure, perhaps at the budget at the end of october, but that the fact that they're not responding to it now should not be taken as read , that the figures are read, that the figures are somehow wrong or misleading . so somehow wrong or misleading. so they are promising to address this at some point. at some point. meanwhile, as you say, the winter fuel allowance continues to dog this government. there are leading figures from the northern ireland executive actually meeting rachel reeves and the treasury at the moment to discuss their own funding issues , discuss their own funding issues, and they are also applying pressure over this winter fuel allowance cut for 10 million pensioners. in fact, the deputy first minister is saying that the government should not be trying to balance the books off the backs of pensioners, echoing words we heard actually from trade unionists on the left earlier this week at the tuc conference and of course, from the opposition. the opposition benches. so a continuing problem that despite the overwhelming victory in the commons, it

continues to create issues for number 10. >> yeah, adam, it's just curious isn't it. we're not allowed to see where this 22 billion financial black hole comes from. we're not allowed to see those details. we're not allowed to see their own assessment of the impact of the winter fuel cuts on pensioners, what harm that could cause. we're also we still also don't know why that top labour donor was given a number 10 security pass, or who indeed signed off on it. they do. you know, there could be accusations here that labour are trying to hide something . hide something. >> yeah. again, i must stress they are saying they will reveal it at some point. perhaps in a couple of months at the budget, but nonetheless, it is an issue for them, especially given dunng for them, especially given during the election campaign. they promised a new era of transparency and openness in government. doesn't really seem to have translated after the july the 5th at the moment, but we shall see. you know, it's a problem for their backbenchers as well. they asked about this.

they want to have a, you know , they want to have a, you know, something to say to their constituents on this, and they can't because they just don't know. so look , we're in a bit of know. so look, we're in a bit of a holding pattern. there might be more to come. i imagine it will be an issue for them at labour conference as well. so it's not the last they'll hear of this strange. >> if they've done all of the calculations to find the £22 billion black hole. >> officials say they need more time to make sure the numbers are accurate, but they need more time. >> i mean, if they've done the calculation, what more time could they possibly need? unless the time is actually just to find more things to throw in the hole to make it add up to 22 billion. i suppose we'll have to wait and see. >> we do find out. >> we do find out. >> adam cherry, thanks for joining us live from downing street. >> yes. well, we're going to move on because the mayor of london, sadiq khan, he says prisoners should be prioritised and even jump the queue for housing in a bid to cut reoffending rates. he says. >> well, it comes after the government's early release scheme kicked off yesterday with about 1700 prisoners being released after serving just 40% of their sentences.

>> okay, well, we're joined by former editor of labourlist, peter edwards. i mean, this isn't a great headline, is it, for sadiq khan suggesting that prisoners who are released early should jump the queue when it comes to housing? i mean, what about the rest of us? >> good afternoon. well it's not going to win many votes, is it? but the job of politicians, particularly those who've been in power for a long time, like sadiq in london, is to say what's in the best interests of the country. you know, about 30% of people come out of prison, don't have anywhere to go to. they might not have a close network of family and friends. they will obviously have associates if they've been involved in breaking the law . involved in breaking the law. but do you want that person to be able to claim social security, have a stable address, get a job, make a contribution to society? or do you want them to society? or do you want them to be at risk of drifting back to be at risk of drifting back to their old ways, which of course is more crime, more misery for the rest of society? well, yeah, a lot more . well, yeah, a lot more. >> but there are families. it comes down to spending a bit of money. families who've been waiting for years to get social housing. do you not see how this

creates a, you know, the feeling that it's one rule for one people, people who break the law andifs people, people who break the law and it's another for the law abiding rest of us. >> well, i lived in the inner city in east for london about a decade, so i've seen close up the impact of social housing, the impact of social housing, the lack of investment, and then the lack of investment, and then the waiting list as well. but, you know, it's so if you're on that waiting list, that's, that's a really unhappy place to be. and they've got longer and longer because we don't build enough houses. but delve beneath the headline of what sadiq said overnight, it costs society less money to get ex—offenders back on the straight and narrow. it costs me and you and the viewers more money. if people reoffend. so which would we prefer? >> no, i kind of get the argument here. of course, we wouldn't be having this conversation if we had enough housing, if there wasn't , if housing, if there wasn't, if there wasn't a massive social housing waiting list and frankly, if the market rate was was a bit lower so that people didn't have to be in the social

housing waiting list queue ehhen housing waiting list queue either, we wouldn't have to be talking about how we ration out the tiny number of homes that we have, particularly in the caphal have, particularly in the capital. but i suppose, peter, we are where we are and it becomes an issue of fairness , becomes an issue of fairness, >> yeah, but but fairness is never taken in isolation because it always governments still have to pay for what they're doing. so we don't build enough houses, the last labour government under tony blair and brown, they didn't build that many, but they didn't build that many, but they did a lot on refurbishment of the existing social housing stock and the coalition and the tories built relatively little, very, very little. so there is a social housing crisis and without being party political, you know, that's built up over many years. >> has not the mayor of london failed time and time again on his targets in london? i mean, he has various targets to meet in london. he set them himself and he he continues to fail on that front and with social housing. >> also. and i didn't hear all of your question, but all politicians miss some of their

targets. sadiq khan has built quite a few social houses. if you've got the number to hand , you've got the number to hand, please share it. but of course, yeah, they're measured in so many ways they won't hit all the targets. that's impossible. no, but of course london has had its housing targets overall, not just social housing, but private housing as well. >> cuts by 20%. by this government, i mean, that's not going to help . going to help. >> no. but you know, the tories keep pointing back to sorry laboun keep pointing back to sorry labour, keep pointing back to the inheritance of the tories over the last 14 years. and i think, again, it's a wider issue. we're not very good at building houses. london is a particularly painful one because the average cost of a new home in the private sector is pushing half a million. obviously it's much less than that outside of london. london is also quite crowded in terms of land, but new developments are being done. you know, if i could wish maybe a couple of things for the new labour government is get those nhs waiting lists down and build again, because if you build more homes, that's good for the people who live there. it's good for construction firms and a

wider economy. and it is all about fairness because , you about fairness because, you know, everyone deserves a home of their own. >> well, let's hope they can get on doing that. peter edwards, former editor of labourlist, really appreciate your time this afternoon. >> just imagine if you'd been waiting on a list, and then you hear that someone has just come out of prison, beat you to it. yeah, i mean, that's where we are, though, isn't it? >> it's not a good position. no, but i do completely get the argument. i get the argument. i mean, if these people have to go on the streets or go in with some sort of criminal, i'm just imagining sort of fagin's den from oliver twist. or sort of. if you have to live there with, with a bunch of other criminals, well, you're going to go back into being a criminal, aren't you? >> yeah. >> yeah. >> well, we've got lots more coming up on today's show. i believe we're going to be speaking to a woman who was on strictly come dancing.

okay. welcome back. lots of you getting a bit riled up about the fact. well, what sadiq khan had to say about how some prisoners should be given priority jumped the queue. essentially, when it comes to social housing, john says easy. do a small crime, get 12 months, serve approximately four months, then get a house or flat. seems like everyone should jump flat. seems like everyone should jump onto it. >> well, i suppose that's one way to cheat the system. if you can guarantee getting a getting a house in london. i always do find it extraordinary that so much social housing in london is in zone one. i don't know why it needs to be in zone one. the most expensive real real estate in the country is given to subsidise housing. why can't that be in zone three? >> i don't know. i don't know , >> i don't know. i don't know, and also a lot of social housing isn't very efficiently laid out ehhen isn't very efficiently laid out either. no huge amounts of space. some of the council estates in london are, you know, two storeys tall, two storeys tall, made of concrete, a blight on the landscape, but also what you could make everything like shanghai, though? no, i think

i'd have a default of 6 or 7 storeys and have it mixed. >> so it's not just a social housing estate. so it's not just a council estate, it's private accommodation mixed in with subsidised accommodation and it could be much taller and then everyone wins and then everyone would be absolutely happy and we'd all live happily ever after, would look like paris. >> sharon says commit crime and you go to the top of the housing list. bill says now prisoners get free houses and they say crime don't pay. linda says really? that could become a cycle. go to prison, leave early. go to the top of the housing list, find somewhere to live. my head is in my hands. my headisin live. my head is in my hands. my head is in my hands. most days. linda. but yes. well henry says it won't be long until starmer is hated as much as karl. >> and they can drive around in a convoy for protection. that's henry's assessment of the approval rating of two of the leaders in this country. >> sadiq khan does have quite the convoy. >> yeah, i think he spends quite a lot on cars, doesn't he? >> so despite all the green air stuff, we've got lots more coming up on today's show. stuff, we've got lots more coming up on today's show . we're coming up on today's show. we're going to go back to that, that £22 billion porky pie. where on earth did that come from and why

can't we see the details if they if they've worked out it's 22 billion. >> why do they need time to work out how to make 22? but i mean, make it make sense cooking the books. you said it, make it make sense cooking the books. you said it , not make it make sense cooking the books. you said it, not me. this is good afternoon, britain . is good afternoon, britain. we're also going to be talking about nhs reform. must the health service reform or die? we want your views on that. gbnews.com forward slash. your say is the way to get involved. we'll be back to your thoughts as well as the big stories of today. that's after your latest weather forecast . weather forecast. >> a brighter outlook with boxt solar sponsors of weather on gb news . news. >> hello. good morning. welcome to your latest gb news, weather update. another pretty chilly feeling day after the cold night last night. it's actually going to be a colder night in the coming night and there will

still be a few showers around, but i think a generally drier day, particularly across western areas, we've got high pressure building in for friday, but before then still a cold arctic northerly wind pushing into parts of scotland and northern england, north eastern england in particular through today. so here it will still feel particularly cold in the wind, but further south and west a little bit more shelter here. so it will feel slightly warmer today compared to yesterday. again, showers will develop into the afternoon quite widely across the uk. heaviest though across the uk. heaviest though across coastal areas and temperatures in the low teens for many of us. now into this evening, we'll continue to see those showers at first, particularly across north and eastern coasts , northeastern eastern coasts, northeastern coast of scotland. but as the winds shift to more of a north easterly, it will become drier across more western areas. so a dner across more western areas. so a drier evening to come for western scotland . parts of western scotland. parts of northern ireland couldn't rule out the odd shower, but i think there will be some clear skies before the sun sets into parts of wales as well. inland areas, though of central england, southeast of england in particular, will probably see the potentially most heaviest

showers into this evening. but showers into this evening. but showers will tend to fade away as that high pressure builds in overnight tonight, so a widely clear night away from the far southeast coast will continue to see a risk of showers overnight. and that does mean that temperatures will fall away quite quickly this evening. so a colder night to come compared to last night. just about anywhere really. could catch a ground or air frost overnight tonight. and temperatures in towns and cities though just above zero. so a cold but sunny start to the day to come. on friday i think the sunshine will be much longer lived through friday, as we do have that high pressure building in cloud will tend to thicken though across northwestern areas ahead of the next band of rain, but with more in the way of sunshine and lighter winds. it will will feel warmer with temperatures reaching the high teens. for some of us, that warm feeling inside from boxt boilers sponsors of weather

gb news. >> good afternoon britain. it's 1:00 on thursday, the 12th of september. >> i'm emily carver and i'm tom harwood now. >> reform or die, starmer vows radical overhaul for the health service after report finds that patients will typically have 100 people ahead of them in an a&e queue. gosh, the £22 billion porky. >> labour have been very vocal that many of their nasty policies have been forced upon them by the £22 billion black hole they claim left by the tories. but now the treasury is refusing to disclose key details of that so—called black hole and homes for cons. >> london mayor sadiq khan says prisoners should jump the queue for housing in a bid to cut reoffending rates. is that fair on the rest of us and the royal navy ? navy? >> row fury as woke top brass

rename royal marines training exercises for fear of old names such as final thrust. yes, final thrust . apparently that's too thrust. apparently that's too racy. we'll reveal the other politically correct changes . politically correct changes. nothing wrong with a final thrust. >> all right, tom, settle down, settle down. getting a bit excited about all these, racy names . names. >> when i heard that the royal that the royal navy would be, you know, changing names, i expected them to be genuinely, like, outdated or bad. you know , like, outdated or bad. you know, i expected perhaps there to be racial connotations, but. no, it's just it's just a bit of sexual innuendo. i mean, this country is run on sexual innuendo. >> what's wrong with a bit of that? we are so sanitised, aren't we? these days, in some ways. and yet also elsewhere , ways. and yet also elsewhere, it's a bit horrendous. i mean, if we can't have a bit of carry

on, i don't know, i don't know, i don't know what this country is for . a former instructor says is for. a former instructor says woke police have nailed us as commando training centre programmes undergo a rebrand. so yes, all of these exercise names are now deemed unprofessional. so you can't say final thrust, you can't say other things such as i will find them, i will find them . you can't say direct them. you can't say direct action. i don't know why . direct action. i don't know why. direct can't say violent entry. it has to be green salamander. but you're in the army. >> you're in the navy. i mean, isn't the entire purpose of being in the armed forces that you do violent entry ? you do violent entry? >> yeah, but there are women in it now, so? >> so women can't be. >> so women can't be. >> what innuendo. >> what innuendo. >> are they going to get rid of the guns now as well? you know, walk around with flowers. i mean, what what's what's going on? we're not going to win a war like this. no, you can't be violent in your entry. you're going to have to tip. you're going to have to tip. you're going to have to tip. you're going to have to knock on the doom going to have to knock on the door, you know. hello, mr taliban, please let us in. no

have a violent entry. >> no. you have to have a green salamander. anyway. gbnews.com/yoursay sounds more racist. please do get in touch. and why do you think the treasury is withholding this information on a £22 billion black hole? we've heard so much about? anyway, let's get the news with sam francis . news with sam francis. >> good afternoon. it is 1:03. and the top story from the newsroom this afternoon. sir keir starmer says the nhs is broken but not beaten, delivering a stark message after a report into the health service. lord darcy's rapid review highlights rising demand, low productivity and poor morale. just some of the major challenges facing the nhs, its after figures out earlier this morning showed ballooning waiting times and delays in a&e and cancer care. speaking earlier, the prime minister warned there'll be no more money without reform and said big shifts are needed to secure the nhs future.

>> only fundamental reform and a plan for the long term can turn around the nhs and build a healthy society. now it won't be easy, it won't be quick. it will take a ten year plan, not just the work of one parliament, but i know we can do it . i know we can do it. >> however, the conservatives say it's time for the labour party to turn rhetoric into action and shadow health secretary victoria atkins told us earlier she's concerned about the government's slow first steps tackling the health care crisis. >> i'm concerned because the first action of this government was to allow a budget busting pay was to allow a budget busting pay rise for junior doctors with no productivity forms attached and they are also, i hear, going to cancel the productivity plan that i was bringing forward for technology and if that is what they're doing, then that is of concern because i fear we're in for an even rougher ride . for an even rougher ride. >> news overseas and six aid workers with the united nations

refugee agency have been killed in two airstrikes on a school in gaza, marking the highest death toll among un staff in a single incident . one of those killed incident. one of those killed was the manager of a un shelter that housed around 12,000 displaced people, mostly women and children. the school has been hit now five times since the war began, which erupted following a hamas led attack on israel on the 7th of october that sadly killed 1200 people and left 250 people abducted . and left 250 people abducted. ukraine is calling on the uk and the us to lift restrictions on using western weapons against russian targets. that was during a visit by the foreign secretary and the us secretary of state. at a press conference in kyiv last night, david lammy and antony blinken praised ukraine's bravery but avoided committing to president zelenskyy's request to president zelenskyy's request to use long—range missiles for strikes inside russian territory . strikes inside russian territory. both leaders, though, did pledge financial support, with £600 million from the uk and more than $700 million from the us

for humanitarian aid and energy needs. discussions will continue in washington on friday. here martyn's law, named after 29 year old martyn hett , who was year old martyn hett, who was one of 22 people killed in the manchester arena bombing, has been introduced to parliament today. been introduced to parliament today . the new legislation aims today. the new legislation aims today. the new legislation aims to strengthen public protection against terrorism. under the law, venues must adopt actions like training staff and improving security protocols. that, of course, depends on their size and capacity. it fulfils the prime minister's promise to martin's mother, figen murray, to bring in the law after her tireless campaigning finish what you started. that's the warning to the prime minister from a think tank following this summer's nationwide riots after violent clashes in towns and cities sparked by the deaths of three young girls in southport, sir keir starmer vowed that offenders would, he said, face the full force of the law, with over now 200 sentenced. however, british future, the think tank , british future, the think tank, says the root causes must be

tackled, calling for integration between convicted rioters and community groups to prevent more violence. experts are also calling for a national social cohesion strategy , warning that cohesion strategy, warning that without it, divisions could deepenin without it, divisions could deepen in a sign that major change could be ahead for the uk's workforce. health and care worker visa applications have plunged by 83% from april to august of this year , new figures august of this year, new figures from the home office out this morning reveal dependent visa applications also dropped by 73%. meanwhile, student visas saw a 17% drop, but dependents of students took a sharper hit with an 83% decline. in contrast, though , applications contrast, though, applications for skilled worker visas rose by 18% over the same period . data 18% over the same period. data centres will be classified as critical national infrastructure to protect against cyber attacks and it blackouts. the government has announced. the facilities store vital data from nhs records to smartphone photos and

financial information. their new status now puts data centres on par with water, energy and other emergency services, ensuring greater government support to fend off any possible cyber threats or outages . the national threats or outages. the national crime agency has seized hundreds of dangerous life jackets that were destined for criminal gangs, smuggling migrants across the channel. the nca, working with dutch and italian authorities, intercepted the faulty jackets in the netherlands. the jackets, which wouldn't have worked in deep water, were intended for small boat crossings and included some children's sizes. we understand a 23 year old lorry driver has been arrested as part of that ongoing investigation , and the ongoing investigation, and the wife of disgraced tv star rolf harris has died today at the age of 93, 15 months after her husband's death . alwyn hughes, husband's death. alwyn hughes, who had been suffering from alzheimer's , stood by rolf alzheimer's, stood by rolf harris throughout his jail term for child sex offences. the couple were married for 65 years and despite her husband's

scandal , she attended every day scandal, she attended every day of harris's trial. in 2014 alongside their daughter. and finally taking space exploration to new heights. two civilians have just completed the first ever commercial space walk. billionaire jared isaacman and his crewmate sara gillis floated out from their spacex dragon capsule 400 miles above earth using experimental spacesuits without the usual safety of an airlock. the daring duo tested life support systems in the vacuum of space, and that privately funded missions made them the first to take a cosmic stroll without being professional astronauts. now, though, the hatch is closed and the pair are safely back inside . the pair are safely back inside. those are the latest gb news headunes. those are the latest gb news headlines . for now. i'm sam headlines. for now. i'm sam francis, back with you for another update in half an hour for the very latest gb news direct to your smartphone, sign up to news alerts by scanning the qr code, or go to gbnews.com forward slash alerts .

forward slash alerts. >> the nhs must reform or die. that's what we're being told today. following a shocking report by former labour health minister lord darzi describing the state of the nhs as dire and in critical condition. >> yes, well, earlier the prime minister claimed the national health service needs major surgery . surgery. >> nhs may be in a critical condition but it is vital. signs are strong and we need to have the courage to deliver long term reform. major surgery not sticking plasters . sticking plasters. >> well, this report finds that failings in care has led to the deaths of thousands of patients each year. >> big picture finding is the nhs is in a serious critical condition. but the vital signs

are normal, which will suggest that we can do something about this. to do it well, we need to engage the whole staff, patients, the public, the political leadership all aligned to make that change happen as quickly as we can because we can't wait. >> and the health secretary , wes >> and the health secretary, wes streeting he said labour will face their government's recent criticism head on and face up to the hard choices they've had to make. >> the labour party , we are not >> the labour party, we are not going to get into dewy eyed nostalgia about what the nhs was when it was created 76 years ago. we are going to face up to the hard choices and challenges today, so the nhs is there for us for the next 76 years and we deal with the awful situation we see today where those who can afford it are paying to go private because the nhs isn't there for them, and those who can't afford it are left behind. >> so keir starmer saying that the nhs needs major surgery , not the nhs needs major surgery, not sticking plasters, a nice nhs themed strap there. well, i think he's right. >> i think he is right. anyone

can see how stretched the nhs is. there are 20% more doctors and nurses than before the pandemic and yet things feel worse. there is more money being spent on the nhs than has ever been spent on it before. there's been spent on it before. there's been more than a third more money spent on it since 2010, and yet people can't feel any improvement whatsoever. now part of that is the ageing population. you know, the number of people over the age of 80 living longer has grown hugely. it's expected population, it's expected to double the number of people over the age of 80 in the coming years . now that's coming years. now that's a brilliant thing that people are living longer, but it does mean that that's a big cost to the health service as well. and i don't know how we square this circle because i mean , is there circle because i mean, is there a magic reform button that can be pressed to sort of magically make it that much more efficient? >> well, correct me if i'm wrong, but isn't the nhs one of the top three employers in the

entirety of europe, if not the world? >> i think 2 million people work in one way for it. >> that is crazy. it's also run by the state, mostly, so how on earth do you go about reforming it as an entire institution? i mean, the inertia must be absolutely enormous, really, to try and do anything, to try and steer it in a slightly different direction. i mean, there have been a lot of people of the free market persuasion who have argued for donkey's years that it's not fit for purpose as it is. we need an entirely new funding model. we need to have some kind of social insurance model, as they have in some countries on the continent. we have to look to france. we have to look to germany. we have to look to wherever else singapore and see what they're doing. right. because it cannot be the case that in this country, for all our flaws, that we have people waiting hours, if not days for basic treatment at an a&e station. i mean, it's crazy . a&e station. i mean, it's crazy. >> it's the fundamental problem of economics. you know, if you've got a limited resource, as health care will always be because the demands of people to have healthcare. i mean , have healthcare. i mean, everyone would like a bit more

healthcare if they could, if i could have a check up every week and it would be really easy for me, of course i'd have that. so you're always going to you're going to have infinite demand. well, maybe maybe i'm just exaggerating, but but of course, there will always be more demand than there is ability to provide. so how do you ration it? currently we choose to ration it by waiting lists, which is not ideal, other countries choose to ration it by different levels of insurance, social insurance and all the rest of it. i mean, none of them sound perfect. none of them sound perfect. none of them sound like they're good options. the thing is, the problem is a lot of people on the left would rather see everyone have a lower but completely equal experience of the nhs than possibly have anyone who's paid for a slightly better insurance scheme. >> you know what? at the moment we have an even more unfair situation where you have a handful of people who can afford it, or people who have saved as much as they can or are using all of their savings to go privately and getting exceptional care in a lot of cases. and then everyone else who can't possibly afford it, having to wait for donkey's

years and then covid, of course, made everything dramatically worse. what a state of affairs? let us know if you've got any tips. what do you think? perhaps you've worked in the nhs. perhaps you are currently working in the nhs and you've got a few ideas. is it a problem that we have too many managers and not enough actual doctors and not enough actual doctors and nurses? >> do we just have too many doctors and nurses and not enough managers? >> not enough managers, not enough jobs? think he thinks more managers? i think i genuinely think you're on your own with that one. >> i know there is some other. i've completely stolen the opinion from some people, some brilliant, brilliant healthcare writers, because one of the things is we've got loads of doctors and nurses now, 20% more, but they're not putting the right place. they're spending their time filling out forms. the managers should be filling out the forms. the managers should be doing the managing so that the doctors and nurses can do the medical stuff. but if you've got loads of doctors and nurses and they're having to, you know, divvy up resources and fill out, i mean, if you had more managers, they could do that. but that's never going to be a politically popular thing to say. and that's one of the other problems with a completely state run system whereby every politician knows the way to win an election is,

say, more doctors, more nurses. it's not popular to say more managers, even if that's what might be needed. >> so the nhs gets ripped off so much, doesn't it, when it comes to drugs, when it comes to equipment, when it comes to staple guns and computers or whatever, you need to run a hospital . we pay through the hospital. we pay through the nose, don't we? not enough haggung nose, don't we? not enough haggling power. i've heard anyway. well, let us know. perhaps you've worked in procurement. >> absolutely . >> absolutely. gbnews.com/yoursay the way to get involved as always. >> well, elsewhere, sentencing is taking place today in sheffield following a five year investigation by officers from the national crime agency into child sex abuse offences against teenage girls in rotherham in the early 2000. well, we're joined now by our national reporter, charlie peters, outside sheffield crown court. >> charlie, just fill us in. what's happening today ? what's happening today? >> good afternoon, tom and emily. well, today we will hear the mitigating factors presented by the defence barristers and also the victim impact

statements. their opportunity to put forward how these crimes affected them and these crimes have been described as dehumanising and harrowing . when dehumanising and harrowing. when the jury gave guilty verdicts to seven defendants in june. the court heard as part of this five year long investigation, some of the appalling abuse suffered by the appalling abuse suffered by the two teenage girls who were 11 and 15 at the time of the abuse, starting in 2003 until 2008. now, the national crime agency said that the defendants waged a campaign of violence against the defendants who were put through that dehumanising abuse. in rotherham, the south yorkshire town where so much child abuse and grooming has occurred, now this investigation by the national crime agency , by the national crime agency, operation stovewood, is part of their investigation launched in 2014 to look at abuse in the town. from 1997 to 2013. they

have identified over 150 victims they've made over 250. and these convictions and the sentencing that will take place today and tomorrow is one of the largest of that retrospective, historic investigation. those seven defendants who will appear in court, this afternoon are mohammed omar , yasir ajaib, mohammed omar, yasir ajaib, mohammed omar, yasir ajaib, mohammed zamir siddique, mohammed zamir siddique, mohammed shehab, abid siddique, tahir yasin and ramin bari. now, mohammed sadiq is already serving a 20 year prison sentence, which was handed down to him in 2019 following another sub operation by the national crime agency's operation stovewood investigators. the other six defendants here have been convicted of crimes of indecent assault , rape and also indecent assault, rape and also trafficking. now the abuse that took place against these young girls in the 2000 involved sexual abuse outside a cemetery

by a nursery in supermarket car parks. the victims replied with drugs and alcohol as they were taken to hotels. one of them recounted during the trial how she had to escape out of the windows of one of the abusers homes. but we will hear from the victims this afternoon. those survivors giving their statements, and we expect a full sentencing tomorrow morning. >> and charlie, they've had to wait. so long forjustice. you say this all took place in the early 2000. we're now in 2024. >> yes. and that's been a consistent theme with so many of the retrospective investigations conducted by the national crime agency in yorkshire, particularly in rotherham . now, particularly in rotherham. now, in 2014, a report by a social worker called alexis jay found that some 1400 children had been abused in the town from 1997 to 2014. but the local authorities, the police and the council had systemically failed to prosecute

those perpetrators had ignored the crimes due to political correctness, fearing accusations of racism as men of british pakistani descent were overrepresented in some of the abuse , and also due to abuse, and also due to horrifically sexist attitudes towards the young girls and boys involved in those crimes . well, involved in those crimes. well, the national crime agency took over looking at those historic nonfamilial child abuse investigations. it's the largest of its kind in britain, and it has had some success over 33 convictions. now, as i said, 250 arrests. this, i think, is the second biggest sentencing that operation stovewood has achieved in its history since being launched ten years ago. there was previously a 13 strong case against 13 different defendants, but that was split across two different courts due to the intensity of the demands on the criminal justice system. this afternoon, we do expect a packed

pubuc afternoon, we do expect a packed public gallery. many of the defendants bringing along family members today to see these sentences being handed down. there's even a spill—over into a separate courtroom. so large is the attendance here in sheffield crown court. but those sentences being handed down today and tomorrow for indecent assault, rape and trafficking charges. >> charlie peters live from sheffield crown court. really appreciate your tenacious reporting on this issue. we'll see you, of course, more throughout the day here on gb news. >> yes. thank you very much indeed. let's hope those victims get the justice they deserve. this is good afternoon britain. we're on gb news. we've got lots more coming up on today's show. that £20 billion financial black hole that the labour party keep banging on about and using to justify things like scrapping benefits for pensioners, is it unravelling? why are they hiding the detail

>> good afternoon britain. it is 1:25. now prince harry is planning a lads holiday with his closest mates, all to celebrate his 40th birthday, while his wife meghan stays at home. it's an outrage. >> he shouldn't just go off on a jolly leaving his wife and young children at home. >> men are allowed to have a birthday jolly. >> no they're not, no they're not. a 40th, where's he going to go? las vegas? well, the duke of sussex will jet off after a private gathering with his family at the sussexes montecito mansion. okay, so he's going to have a little gathering, and then he's going to go off for then he's going to go off for the party. well, this comes as sources close to the prince report he is feeling more and more isolated living in california despite ruling out a return to the uk. >> is this a sign that harry really is missing his old life? >> could it be?

>> could it be? >> well, we're joined now by former royal correspondent charles rea. charles, this is fascinating because i think i think the whole country sort of kind of misses playboy. harry >> oh, we've lost playboy, harry. many many moons ago. and i've got no problem with him going off on a on a jolly lads outing, if that's what he wants to do to mark his 40th birthday. then it's up to him. and you wouldn't expect him to bring his wife along. he's having a private celebration with her and the children, let's just hope that harry does not end up doing what he did in 2012. playing naked billiards with scantily clad women and allowing them to take pictures of him, which ended up in the newspapers. if he can do that, that was the problem, really . problem, really. >> sorry. i think it was the second half of that sentence that the fact that pictures were taken, that was the problem. >> i mean, well, the pictures were taken by the girls. they weren't taken by paparazzi. it wasn't. you can't you can't

blame blame us for it. they. >> no no no no , you can't trust >> no no no no, you can't trust a naked woman with billions and so and sold them, >> he's got to be careful. i mean, he's a married man now. he's got two children. and, you know, if he's got an ounce of brain in his body, he won't get up to anything that could cause him any problems with his wife, because she. she won't be taking prisoners if he does. i mean, i wouldn't mind you know, a walking holiday or you know, a golfing trip with the with the lads. >> but if this is magaluf, las vegas, i don't know where else is wild. monte carlo. then maybe i'd have a few conversations if i'd have a few conversations if i were meghan. >> well, emily, as you are a newly married woman, i'm not surprised. you might be a bit more careful at the moment, but, i mean, they've been married for a few more years now. and as i say, as long as he doesn't do anything stupid, which has been his wont at times, he'll he'll be okay. and it's nice for you

to get away with the lads. i mean, women get away together, you know, for spars and whatever else. so there's nothing wrong with how they got away with a few mates and having a chat and tune things over and everything else. he's got a lot on his mind at the moment. >> of >> of course »— >> of course a lot of >> of course a lot of people >> of course a lot of people are reading quite a lot into this. are you a subscriber to the theory that actually he is feeling a bit isolated in california, that he is missing home a little bit that there is, there's, there's something about that that californian life of being also in many ways as, as, as straitjacketed as a royal is expected to be in the uk, but in a different sort of way, in a social way . social way. >> i'm a more of a subscriber, tom, that he's made his bed and he's got to lie in it. that's that's the that's the point . i that's the that's the point. i mean, i'm not too sure with all these stories that say he wants to come back to britain, there's never been a mention of meghan coming back to britain . as i've coming back to britain. as i've told you before, i do not believe that meghan will ever set foot in this country again for a lengthy period of time, i

think, you know, harry has just made his decision. i'm not. i'm ihave made his decision. i'm not. i'm i have no doubt that there are some people who would like to see, like the spencers, who would like to see harry. you know, have, good, good relationship with his own family again. i'm, i'm convinced that's possibly true . but whether he's possibly true. but whether he's feeling that lost, i'm not entirely convinced that that's, you know , that's that's viable. you know, that's that's viable. as i say, he's he's decided what he wants to do, and he's now stuck with it unless he prepared to come back and say, look, dad, william , i'm really sorry for william, i'm really sorry for everything that i've done. and even then, that's a big, big push because you've still got to convince meghan that that was the that's the right course to do. >> now, your old paper, the sun has done a little, list of potential mates that could be coming along. you've got nacho figueras, the very handsome polo player. close friend, who else

could be on the guest list? tom skippy inskip . he could be skippy inskip. he could be going. he looks very high society, charles van straubenzee, yeah. i don't know much about him , but. much about him, but. >> well, there's the van. >> well, there's the van. >> services are quite close friends to both. you know , friends to both. you know, william and harry. and you've got guy pelly , of course, who got guy pelly, of course, who was. who? you know, harry has been close to him for some time. who knows who's going to turn up and who knows where it's going to be, you know, are they going to be, you know, are they going to napa or are they going to las vegas? i mean, it's i think las vegas, yeah. las vegas , martha's vegas, yeah. las vegas, martha's vineyard, yeah. no, no, no , i vineyard, yeah. no, no, no, i don't disagree with you, but, i mean, i suspect it won't be as raucous as 2012. let's hope harry is not as raucous as 2012. >> i should just do a nice little, walk through yosemite national park. oh, lovely. >> yeah. maybe a little wine tasting at the end. >> charles rae come. >> charles rae come. >> you're wishing your life away. >> you're wishing your life away. >> thanks. charles rae. former

royal correspondent at the sun. thank you. >> well, this is good afternoon , >> well, this is good afternoon, britain on gb news. lots more coming up on today's program . coming up on today's program. we're going to get to the details, the murky details behind this so—called £22 billion black hole. the treasury is refusing to say how it's calculated. it . calculated. it. >> very good afternoon to you from the newsroom. just coming up to 1:32. and the top story this lunchtime, sir keir starmer says the nhs is broken but not beaten, delivering a stark message after a report into the health service. lord darzi's rapid review highlights rising demand, low productivity and poor morale. just some of the major challenges facing the nhs. its after figures out earlier this morning showed ballooning waiting times and delays in a&e and cancer care. speaking earlier, the prime minister warned there'll be no more money without reform and said big

shifts are needed to secure the future of the health service. >> only fundamental reform and a plan for the long term can turn around the nhs and build a healthy society. now it won't be easy, it won't be quick, it will take a ten year plan, not just the work of one parliament, but i know we can do it . i know we can do it. >> turning to news in ukraine, where the president has called on the uk and the us to lift restrictions on using western weapons against russian targets . weapons against russian targets. dufing weapons against russian targets. during a visit to kyiv last night, foreign secretary david lammy and america's top diplomat antony blinken praised ukraine's bravery. but the pair avoided committing to president zelenskyy's request to use long—range missiles for strikes inside russia . both leaders, inside russia. both leaders, though, did pledge financial support, with £600 million coming from the uk and more than $700 million coming from the us. for humanitarian and energy needs. discussions will continue

between sir keir starmer and president joe biden on wednesday in washington. we're also just heanng in washington. we're also just hearing from the reuters news agency. staying with news coming out of russia and ukraine that president volodymyr zelenskyy has said that russian troops have now started a counteroffensive in the russian western region of kursk, where kyiv, of course , launched their kyiv, of course, launched their major incursion last month. so that just coming into us from the reuters news agency . turning the reuters news agency. turning to news from space and explorations have been taken to new heights as two civilians just completed their first ever commercial space walk . commercial space walk. billionaire jared isaacman and crewmate sarah gillis floated out from their spacex dragon capsule 400 miles above the earth using experimental spacesuits without the usual safety of an airlock. the daring duo tested life support systems in the vacuum of space, and that privately funded mission makes them the first to take a cosmic stroll without being professional astronauts. now, though, the hatch is closed and

the pair are safely back inside . the pair are safely back inside. finally, a former subpostmaster has slammed the government for delaying compensation to victims of the post office scandal, saying over half of them remain unpaid. jo hamilton made the accusations at the national television awards as she joined cast and crew from itv's mr bates versus the post office. the mini series, which revisits the wrongful convictions of more than 700 post office staff, picked up best new drama at the event. >> i went to westminster a couple of weeks back and saw the new minister and trust me, nothing has changed. it's true. and almost all of these people behind me haven't been paid yet . behind me haven't been paid yet. and including sarah, that's the latest news from the gb newsroom

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good afternoon britain. it's 1:38 now the treasury is refusing to provide key details of the £22 billion fiscal black hole the chancellor claims to have discovered. >> yes . so have discovered. >> yes. so could have discovered. >> yes . so could the new labour >> yes. so could the new labour government be cutting costs to fill a black hole that doesn't actually exist ? actually exist? >> trust me. >> trust me. >> big claims. we're joined by gb news reporter adam cherry because this has all been blown open today by the financial times . times. >> that's right. so the financial times asked for or submitted a freedom of information request to the treasury, asking to explain the specifics , give a specific specifics, give a specific breakdown of this £22 billion figure. and the treasury responded by saying, no, we you can expect the real figures, the full figures later on. budget on the 30th of october. now, given the 30th of october. now, given the controversy around this figure, how it's being used

arguably as a sort of political cudgel to prove that they need to make these spending cuts and tax rises, which many of which were also expecting to see in the autumn, it seems like a like a political move rather than an economic one. so it's, you know , economic one. so it's, you know, given that this is such a huge issue for the government, you would think that they would be willing to explain this sooner than they have . and now, again, than they have. and now, again, it's just not going anywhere. elsewhere, the chancellor has also met with senior figures from the northern ireland executive today , they're executive today, they're pressuring the government for more money for the northern ireland executive, for stormont, because they have a £700 billion black hole of their own to figure out how to how to fill, but alongside that, they're also pressuring the government over the winter fuel payments and the of course, the allowance was cut on tuesday that sailed through the commons with a large majority. and again, they're

facing pressure over that figure as well . that will be cut or as well. that will be cut or that has been cut and that will come into effect soon. so look, it's not an easy time for the chancellor, given they're only two months in. they're hoping that these early unpopular decisions are dealt with now rather than four years time. and they also have the green shoots of growth in due course. >> okay. well thank you very much indeed. adam cherry dup news reporter outside number 10. >> well, we're talking about some of those tax rises that might well be coming down the track, one that seems as much a nailed on as a policy. and a budget could be, of course, all speculative beforehand, but it could be abolishing the discount that single people get to their council tax bills. >> yes, i think it's 25% actually, and it affects quite a lot a lot of pensioners, a lot of widows actually, who are living alone. it will be another hit on top of the winter fuel

payment being scrapped for so many anyway. we're joined now by conservative mp for old bexley and sidcup, louis french. thank you very much indeed. this discount that single people get on their council tax currently, do you have an idea of how many people benefit from that? how many households of one benefit from that and what the impact might be of that being taken away? >> well, good afternoon tom. good afternoon, emily, and good afternoon to all your viewers . afternoon to all your viewers. and yeah, this is a really important point that i raised in the house of commons yesterday at prime minister's questions. and yet again, the prime minister refused to answer the question straight and openly with the british public and the estimates suggest around 8.4 million people benefit from this reduction in their council tax and people living by themselves. as you've just said, this includes many pensioners. approximately half are pensioners and half of working age. and like you said, those are people that perhaps are divorced or widowed or just alone. so this is a hit that could easily hit many pensioners. on top of this disgrace of winter fuel payment

decision of up to around £500 that they would lose. so this is a huge amount of money for most people across the country. and again, labour are not being honest with the british public about what they're planning to do this winter. >> i can't think of a of a more cruel thing to do to someone who's lost a loved one than to slap 25% more tax on them , slap 25% more tax on them, >> as the as this as this tax change, if it goes ahead, would, what makes you think that the government are even considering this? >> well, tom, i think it was quite telling yesterday when i asked that question, a straightforward yes or no question. will you rule out cutting bus fare concessions or travel concessions? and will you rule out this single person discount? and i think it was quite clear that the prime minister refused to answer those questions. i raised that questions. i raised that question on the behalf of not only the 16,000 plus pensioners in my constituency of old bexley and sidcup i'm proud to call home. but the millions of pensioners across the country

who are worried i've had to listen as an mp in this place for the best part of three years to the labour party lecture. everyone else about the choice between heating and eating, and these are the first acts that this labour government have decided to do. it is disgraceful that they have chosen to punish pensioners so that they can pay for inflation busting pay rises for inflation busting pay rises for their trade union paymasters. this is a disgraceful decision and it's politics at its very worst. >> and i wonder if you have a comment on this £22 billion financial black hole that labour claims over and over again comes from the conservatives and their inheritance that they have. i think we all understand the pubuc think we all understand the public finances are in a bit of a state, but it's interesting, isn't it, that the treasury isn't it, that the treasury isn't willing to open up or produce the details on this? >> well, emily, approximately half of that is , i understand, half of that is, i understand, is based on decisions that the labour government, this labour government has decided to make. so let's just start with that.

these are choices that they are making in government. the government to govern is to choose , and they are choosing choose, and they are choosing the wrong decisions and wrong priorities. in my opinion. but as we've heard today, this is being this kind of fictional black hole is being exposed. each and every day. and i've just been in the commons before coming up to do this interview and listening to the rhetoric over and over again from labour, labour ministers and the prime minister, and no one's buying it. i said it on the day that rachel reeves first announced this in the in the chamber, that no one's going to buy this fictional black hole and it's being exposed. people are not stupid. they can see what this labour government is doing and the choices that it is making . the choices that it is making. >> of course, what the labour party say is that they had no choice. >> we can clearly see that this black hole isn't isn't created by the previous government. i mean, like half of it is about these these inflation busting pay these these inflation busting pay rises. but what the chancellor might well say is that if they hadn't given those pay that if they hadn't given those pay rises, there would be more strikes, and it would have cost

us in terms of productivity, and it would have cost us in terms of how many people could be treated on the nhs. is there not a give and take here that through the treasury's eyes, it's a tough situation, but ultimately this extra spending that they have chosen to make must be paid for somehow . must be paid for somehow. >> yeah. well that's the argument that labour would make and i've just listened to wes streeting in the chamber making that exact argument. and what i would say back to that, if you show to the unions straight away that you are always willing to deal that you are always willing to deal, they will continue to push for the highest price . so they for the highest price. so they are now a hostage to fortune with the unions in these negotiations. so they've come out, they've given the bumper pay out, they've given the bumper pay rise to junior doctors, as we know they've given a bumper pay we know they've given a bumper pay rise to train drivers, which i think most people would see as questionable, given it's quite clear that they think that the likes of pensioners should pay for that. but you are automatically setting yourself up to fail because every

negotiation that they will go in.thus negotiation that they will go in. thus after this will will be set up to fail. so they talk about tough choices. well, they need to start making tough choices. they can't keep rolling over to their union paymasters at the expense of the british taxpayer . they need to start taxpayer. they need to start governing in the national interest rather than this very narrow political interest, which is very obvious. >> louis french, thank you very much indeed . conservative mp for much indeed. conservative mp for old bexley and sidcup , this old bexley and sidcup, this isn't austerity, tom. this is labour austerity. >> well, austerity is both tax rises and spending cuts. >> it's a political choice. >> it's a political choice. >> they said it was a political choice when it was the conservatives that did it. yeah. >> well, much more to come on. good afternoon. britain indeed. prince in the an cranwell will be getting

>> good afternoon britain. it is >> good afternoon britain. it is now 150 and the prince of wales. now 150 and the prince of wales. he's attended the sovereign's he's attended the sovereign's

parade on behalf parade on behalf of his majesty the king at royal air force college cranwell today. >> well, in total, 48 raf officers passed out at the parade along four international officers from jordan, kenya

parade along four international officers from jordawingnya was in his rank of wing commander. his uniform included the gold, diamond and platinum jubilee medals and the coronation medal, the order of the bath, garter star and garter sash. and when prince william arrived there was actually meant to be a bit of a fly—past from a boeing p—8 poseidon aircraft, which is an anti—submarine plane , which is an anti—submarine plane, but it was cancelled last minute. we're unsure why. it was suggested to me by somebody in the raf that there was a technical issue, although we've not had that confirmed, but there certainly was a fly—past towards the end. i'll tell you about that in a minute. but there was some entertainment as there was some entertainment as the prince was inspecting the first line of newly commissioned officers with the selection of mary poppins songs for disney film played by the band of the royal air force college, which was an unexpected, to say the least . but the prince, of least. but the prince, of course, was the reviewing officer for that, inspecting those new graduates. and one of those new graduates. and one of those graduates spoke to me following the parade . that's following the parade. that's pilot officer alexandra nancy jeffery and she told me what it meant to have the prince of wales here today. >> it helps an incredible

amount, we're going into jobs where we're going to have to meet new people and work with them from the get go. you build those relationships and those friendships along the way, but we're going to find ourselves in different countries, working with people from all different nationalities. we've been fortunate enough on this course to have four international students. so already that's begun. and so only by, you know, fostering the relationships and learning how to work well together. it's going to set us up really well for the future. >> and the prince of wales obviously was reviewing. officer. what was it like having him here today? >> it was an incredible honour to have him here. he's an air force pilot himself. he knows what we've been through and what we're about to go through . so to we're about to go through. so to have his words during the speech, wishing us well for our future careers from someone who's actually lived it himself and understands it's an incredible honour. >> well, prince william delivered a speech to those new officers where he said, we live in a time of change and uncertainty. and you, as the future of the royal air force, are the ones who will ensure

that we are able to adapt and face future threats . well. raf face future threats. well. raf cranwell was where prince william actually trained . he got william actually trained. he got his pilot wings in 2008, and today it was william's turn to acknowledge all of those new officers, and there was a magnificent fly—past of a typhoon jet to end the day . typhoon jet to end the day. >> fantastic. >> fantastic. >> good that we've got a jet at the end of it. i'm slightly worried about this anti—submarine plane. if there's anti—submarine plane. if there's a tech issue. i mean, what happens if the russians come? well, always on my mind. >> keeps me up at night. >> keeps me up at night. >> it certainly does. much more to come in the next hour of good afternoon britain. we're going to be talking about should the nhs reform or die . nhs reform or die. >> a brighter outlook with boxt solar sponsors of weather on gb news . news. >> hello. good afternoon. welcome to your latest gb news weather update. still a cold feel for the next day or so, but it will turn warmer into the weekend and it will also become much drier across western areas as high pressure is building in

for the end of the week from the west. we've still got this northerly wind though, bringing in arctic air for many areas through this evening as well as a few showers inland at first, but overnight they will become more and more restricted to just the east coast, as well as just the east coast, as well as just the far north coast of parts of wales, to some of these showers across the east could still be heavy into the evening and bring a risk of hail, but for many of us it is going to be a clear, dry and cold night tonight. rurally we could be down as low as —1 or 2 quite widely , and as —1 or 2 quite widely, and where we have seen some snow across the high ground in scotland, we could be down lower than that first thing. but there will be plenty of sunshine in the morning. so despite the chilly start, the sunshine should still warm things up quite quickly and the winds will be much lighter through tomorrow morning, so quite a pleasant start to the day across the northwest though parts of western scotland, northern ireland, we will start to see some cloud bubbling up through the morning and a risk of a few showers that is ahead of a weather front that is going to be spreading in from the

northwest through friday afternoon. you can see it here. so rain approaching parts of northern ireland later on in the day and the sunshine will turn much hazier across parts of scotland . elsewhere, though, scotland. elsewhere, though, plenty of long lived sunshine and with lighter winds, it will feel much warmer tomorrow . feel much warmer tomorrow. compared to today, temperatures will still be a little below average in the mid teens for most areas. highs of 17 degrees at a max in the far south—east, but it's certainly warmer than it has been lately. now the rain across the northwest continues its journey into parts of scotland through friday evening. that will become a bigger feature as we head into saturday, so rainfall totals could start to build up across far north western areas , whereas far north western areas, whereas dry weather will hold on across the south. as we look ahead to the south. as we look ahead to the start of next week. further wet weather in the north, but more dry and warm weather in the south. >> that warm feeling inside from boxt boilers , sponsors of boxt boilers, sponsors of weather

gb news. >> good afternoon britain. it is 2:00 on thursday, the 12th of september. >> i'm tom harwood and i'm emily carver. >> reform or die . keir starmer >> reform or die. keir starmer vows to radically overhaul the health service after a report finds that patients will typically have 100. yes, 100 people ahead of them in an a&e queue. >> that's why it takes so long. and the £22 billion pork pie. labour have been very vocal that many of their nastier policies have been forced upon them by the £22 billion black hole left by the conservatives. but now the treasury is refusing to disclose key details of what makes up that black hole . makes up that black hole. >> sukh royal navy. well fury, as the top brass of the navy rename royal marine training exercises for fear that old names such as final thrust are just a bit too racy. we'll reveal the other politically correct changes you were .

correct changes you were. this £22 billion figure. i can't count how many times i've heard this. the last time i heard a number repeated this much by a politician, it was £350 million a week. oh, gosh. >> yes. on the on the bus. yeah, side of the bus. >> but now we learn that the financial times has submitted this freedom of information request to the treasury, saying, how did you get to this figure ? how did you get to this figure? show us your working. and they're saying , no, they will they're saying, no, they will not oblige. >> apparently officials need more time to make sure that the figures are accurate. why would that be? why would that be? could there be some massaging going on in the other direction? >> i think rachel reeves would get a would get a d—minus for her economics a—level. i mean , her economics a—level. i mean, if you're working. show your work. you get most of the points

for the working. you don't get the points for the number at the end. >> no, but it is it is very serious. if you are citing this £22 billion financial black hole from the conservatives as the reason why you are forced to cut winter fuel payments for around 9 million pensioners. then we want to see it. you've got to be transparent, show us your workings. they also haven't published that impact assessment, their own impact assessment, their own impact assessment, on how those cuts are going to impact older people. how many people may die as a result of not being able to afford heating their home, for one?it afford heating their home, for one? it does look like the government is being rather opaque. >> it's curious. it's very cunous. >> it's curious. it's very curious . they do say that they curious. they do say that they will publish the working in around a month's time . now i around a month's time. now i don't know why they need if they've done the working , why they've done the working, why doesit they've done the working, why does it take that long to cross the t's and dot the i's? >> so do the public sector pay rises, the money to gb energy, the money on? i don't know, financial climate finance, climate change, finance. does that count towards the financial black hole or is it just things

that the conservatives left behind? >> do you know? i think the real reason they haven't decided. they haven't decided. they're just going to pick all sorts of things that add up to £22 billion. and once they've done that, they'll publish it, but they haven't done it yet. >> they're going to have to. when did they first mention 22 billion black hole. was it. it was the audit. >> it was the audit. after the election that rachel reeves had, had asked to be carried out. and then she goes, then she goes up and does this press conference and does this press conference and then and then a financial statement in the commons. in the first week that parliament sat where she started using this figure. but, i mean, if the audh figure. but, i mean, if the audit has been done, publish it now, it's we're going to freeze your grandparents, we're going to take the council tax discount away for widowers and pensioners and single people. >> maybe , maybe, capital gains >> maybe, maybe, capital gains tax hike capital gains tax, all because of this financial black hole. anyway, get your thoughts in gbnews.com/yoursay. but first it's the headlines with sam francis .

francis. >> very good afternoon to you. it is just coming up to 2:04. and the top story this afternoon. sir keir starmer says the nhs is broken but that it's not beaten, delivering a stark message after a report into the health service. lord darcy's rapid review highlighted rising demand, low productivity and poor morale. just some of the major challenges facing the nhs. its after figures out this morning showed ballooning waiting times and delays in a&e and cancer care. speaking earlier, the prime minister warned there'll be no more money without reform and said big shifts are needed to secure the nhs future. >> only fundamental reform and a plan for the long term can turn around the nhs and build a healthy society . it won't be healthy society. it won't be easy, it won't be quick. it will take a ten year plan, not just the work of one parliament, but i know we can do it . i know we can do it. >> however, the conservatives say that it's time for labour to

turn rhetoric into action, and earlier shadow health secretary victoria atkins told us she's concerned about the government's slow first steps on tackling the crisis . crisis. >> i'm concerned because the first action of this government was to allow a budget busting pay was to allow a budget busting pay rise for junior doctors with no productivity forms attached, and they are also, i hear, going to cancel the productivity plan that i was bringing forward for technology . and if that is what technology. and if that is what they're doing, then that is of concern because i fear we're in for an even rougher ride . for an even rougher ride. >> in other news, today, the uk's police and crime ministers had her belongings stolen from a hotel where she was giving a speech to members of the police superintendents association. in that conference speech, dame diana johnson said the labour government had inherited an epidemic of antisocial behaviour of theft and shoplifting from the conservative government. warwickshire police are now investigating that incident, but the home office have confirmed that there are no security risks

identified . six aid workers with identified. six aid workers with the united nations refugee agency have been killed in two airstrikes on a school in gaza , airstrikes on a school in gaza, marking the highest death toll among un staff in a single incident. one of those killed was the manager of a un shelter that had housed around 12,000 displaced people, most of them women and children. the school has now been hit five times since the war began, which erupted following the hamas led attack on israel on the 7th of october that sadly killed 1200 people and saw 250 abducted. ukraine is calling on the uk and the us to lift restrictions on using western weapons against russian targets. during a visit by the foreign secretary and the us secretary of state at that press conference in kyiv. david lammy and antony blinken praised ukraine's bravery but avoided committing to president zelenskyy's request to use long—range missile strikes inside russia. both leaders, though, did pledge financial support, with the uk promising

£600 million and the us more than $700 million from that money being spent on humanitarian aid and energy needs. discussions are set to continue in washington on friday. martyn's law , named friday. martyn's law, named after 29 year old martyn hett, who was one of the 22 people sadly killed in the manchester arena bombing, has been introduced to parliament today that new legislation aims to strengthen public protection against terrorism and under the law, venues must adopt actions like training their staff and improving security protocols. it will fulfil the prime minister's promise to martin's mother, figen murray, to bring in the new law after her tireless campaigning, a new law after her tireless campaigning , a royal navy campaigning, a royal navy warship has seized £160 million worth of cocaine in the caribbean, intercepting a so—called narco sub in a joint operation with the united states, hms trent. sailing around 200 miles south of the dominican republic , seized

dominican republic, seized 202,000 kilos of cocaine, marking the ship's eighth drug bust in seven months. commander tim langsford praised his crew for their efforts, battling difficult conditions to make that historic haul. now, with over £750 million worth of drugs intercepted this year , hms trent intercepted this year, hms trent surpasses all other royal navy vessels in seizures this century . vessels in seizures this century. data centres will be classified as critical national infrastructure to protect against cyber attacks and it blackouts. the government has announced today. the facilities store vital data from nhs records to smartphone photos and financial information. their new status puts data centres on par with water and energy, and other emergency services, ensuring greater government support to fend off possible cyber threats . fend off possible cyber threats. the move coincides with a proposed multi—billion pound investment in hertfordshire to build europe's largest data centre, creating 700 local jobs and finally taking space

exploration to new heights. two civilians just completed the first ever commercial space walk. billionaire jared isaacman, who floated out along with his crewmates from the spacex dragon capsule some 400 miles above earth, declared as he looked down. it looks like a perfect world. well, with the without the usual safety of an airlock, the daring duo tested life support systems in the vacuum of space, and the privately funded missions made them the first to take a cosmic stroll without being professional astronauts. now, the hatch is closed and the pair are safely back inside. those are safely back inside. those are the latest headlines for now. i'll be back with you for another round up in half an hour for the very latest gb news direct to your smartphone, sign up to news alerts by scanning the qr code or go to gbnews.com forward slash alerts .

forward slash alerts. >> good afternoon britain. it is 2:09 now. the nhs it must reform or die. those are the words of the prime minister following a shocking report by the former labour health minister, lord darzi , describing the state of darzi, describing the state of the nhs as dire and in critical condition. >> yes. earlier, the prime minister claimed the national health service needs major surgery, lectures may be in a critical condition, but it is vital. >> signs are strong and we need to have the courage to deliver long term reform. major surgery, not sticking plasters well, the report finds that failings in care has led to the deaths of thousands of patients every yeah >> big picture finding is the nhs is in a serious critical condition, but the vital signs are normal, which will suggest that we can do something about this. to do it well, we need to

engage the whole staff, patients, the public, the political leadership all aligned to make that change happen as quickly as we can because we can't wait. >> and over to wes streeting, the health secretary, who said labour will face their government's recent criticism head on and face up to the hard choices they've had to make. >> the labour party, we are not going to get into dewy eyed nostalgia about what the nhs was when it was created 76 years ago. we are going to face up to the hard choices and challenges today, so the nhs is there for us for the next 76 years and we deal with the awful situation we see today where those who can afford it are paying to go private because the nhs isn't there for them and those who can't afford it are left behind. >> well, our very own political correspondent, olivia utley, joins us now. olivia, this is a pretty bold from the new government to reform an institution that has been pretty resistant to reform. >> well, absolutely . very bold

>> well, absolutely. very bold rhetoric from keir starmer today. he actually said today that there would be no more money for the nhs without reform. now that is perhaps a laudable statement and may be music to the ears of some of our listeners. and you can see why over the last ten years, more and more money has been ploughed into the nhs with very little impact on public service. so in 2019, for example, personnel in the nhs had risen by 17% from 2012, but there had been no upfickin 2012, but there had been no uptick in the number of appointments taking place . but appointments taking place. but as you hinted at there, tom reform is easier said than done. there are lots of people in the nhs who are resistant to reform. well, why is that? because it seems that in some places personnel has been moving at a faster pace than the machinery and diagnostic tools that should be going with it . so and diagnostic tools that should be going with it. so instead of investing in infrastructure,

machinery, scanning equipment, etc, the nhs has just been ploughing more and more money into people. now those people are members of unions and historically it's been the bma , historically it's been the bma, which has been pretty resistant to reform. i asked keir starmer what he had to say about that. bma question . professor john bma question. professorjohn bell said this morning that doctors in the bma have been a major drag on reforming healthcare. do you predict that the bma will now embrace productivity reform with open arms? >> well, look, i don't. i've said we'll do this with the staff and we will. but i know from my old job running the crown prosecution service that whenever you try to reform anything, there will be some people, i'm afraid will say, well, don't do that. it's better as it is. i wouldn't do that, keep things as they are. we have to take that attitude on. in my view, it's an inhibitor of change. so whilst we say we will do it with people and we will do

it together and we will, i know in my heart of hearts we will meet pockets of people who will say, don't do it, slow down. go over there, not over there. leave things as they are. we have to take that on and we will take that on. that's part and parcel of the change that we need to bring about. thank you. >> well, keir starmer sounding very bold there saying that they must take on the attitude that reform isn't possible. they must, in other words take on the unions. well we've heard keir starmer say that before. will it really happen this time? >> very interesting indeed. thank you, olivia utley, and great to get that question in, our political correspondent there outside saint thomas's hospital in central london. yeah. where's this had quite a lot wes streeting, i should say the health secretary. he's had quite a lot of fraught conversations with the bma over how to change things and reluctance to reform. but we are now joined by denis macshane, former labour mp in the studio with us. dennis, i saw you

reacting a little to what we just heard. what were your body movements saying? >> well, very simply i think to reduce it to simply the government versus the unions, it's just too much knee jerk it. >> there is a huge problem with the nhs. what i welcome is that every government in opposition says we will fix the nhs. doesn't matter if it's tory or labouh doesn't matter if it's tory or labour, nobody's going to do away with the core principles of the nhs. and then they come in and not much happens. two years into mr cameron, it was the lansley report which everybody now sees as a disaster sort of management consultancy rubbish of the worst sort . management consultancy rubbish of the worst sort. i'm quite pleased that the prime minister, along with wes streeting , who along with wes streeting, who for me is probably the most dynamic and interesting of all the senior cabinet ministers, is putting this on the agenda so early in the government. and it's not it's not rocket science. you can take best practice from other countries ,

practice from other countries, not from europe, whatever that is, but you can. i lived in switzerland. i lived in france. i saw much better health services there. >> none of none of these countries in europe, there's not a single one other than the united kingdom that has an entirely state funded healthcare system. they've all got these mixed social insurance models where if you're rich, you pay, and if you're poor, the state pays for you. >> we don't have that in england now . a problem, i think, is if i now. a problem, i think, is if i may make a party political point, which, you know, i hate doing, but there wasn't a single minister in the last cabinet as far as i could see, who was probably using the nhs, because they're all so rich. they would have big private insurance. >> i think we could find maybe there were 1 or 2, one or they go when there's a crisis , a long go when there's a crisis, a long term problem for one of their children. >> i mean, the prime minister even said that he gave up his private health, which i thought actually was a bonkers thing to do because we know how rich rishi sunak is. >> i thought it was bizarre when at prime minister's questions , at prime minister's questions, he announced that he uses nhs

services when he could pay for himself. >> well, that's because he was always on a permanent diet. i mean, there's one thing that nobody's mentioned is if we were all as thin as rishi, we wouldn't need to spend so much on the nhs. but we are the fattest country in europe. >> shaming again? >> shaming again? >> well, i don't mind. i'm speaking to two of the slimmest people in television. yeah i need it, i need it. >> sorry. i don't want to say it. i'll say it. i was going to say you might break a bone on a ski trip, but i don't want to. i'm going to touch wood. i'm going to touch wood on that. but on the question of the unions and you're sort of shaking your head at it being pitted against one another. the bma versus everyone else or whatever. but wes streeting, he said the same guardian reporting today. streeting urges the bma to stop sabre rattling and work with him to fix the nhs. the bma has only made about wes in the past. >> emily, i only meant unions in the sense that the most powerful unions in britain are the lawyers and judges unions. that said far too many people to prison. so compared to the rest of europe with huge prison overcrowding, they're the top hierarchy elite oxford civil

service, sir something or others. those are the unions that matter. now. the bma is indeed it's meant to be a professional association. doctors don't take a lot of interest in it and it's been captured. look at some of the trans issues they're fighting over by what you might call a national union of students type approach. and that's very unhelpful . but the core message unhelpful. but the core message is pretty simple . we need less is pretty simple. we need less factories for the very ill. we don't need an ill service. we need far more happening at the community. when i lived in geneva, there were polyclinics which would deal with lots of things that in britain you'd have to go to a hospital for. >> but this is this is what i found very odd about sir keir starmer's speech this morning. he said if we're not careful, we'll go from being a country with a health service to being a health service with a country attached. and i completely get his worry about that. i think a lot of people worry about that. the amount we're spending on the

nhs growing exponentially until there's nothing left in the economy apart from the nhs. but then his solution to that is to do all this prevention stuff to, to ban smoking, to stop people from drinking sugary drinks, to control people's lives, to control people's lives, to control the way that supermarkets can lay out products. isn't that simply having a health service with a country attached, attached by another means? >> not really. i think he's putting that on the agenda. and i am looking, as i said , at two i am looking, as i said, at two people who are very fit, very slim , who i expect control, slim, who i expect control, sugar intake and all the other things that do so much damage, just exercise. or even better, i've got a terrible i'm eating, i'm eating sugary biscuits all show i've been told. all right, we'll all do press ups after this interview is over. but there are examples. not necessarily, as in britain or even europe, where there is more of a culture of staying healthy. let's leave that to one side. the big thing, i think, is you've got to incentivise

managers, and for that they have to have good data. we have very poor data and in particular you've got to incentivise the gp, the first port of call. we're obsessed with hospitals and some, some of them are run down. i was in hospital in athens the other week with with a friend. believe me, even our shabbiest hospitals look a lot neater shabbiest hospitals look a lot heater and smiling and better cared for than frankly , that cared for than frankly, that hospital. and it's the most elite hospital in athens . so let elite hospital in athens. so let let us make our gps. elite hospital in athens. so let let us make our gps . let us make let us make our gps. let us make primary care. the first point to try and solve problems before they end up in hospital. if neal and neal sorry if wes and zakir can achieve that, they'll have rendered a great. >> they're going to have to do a lot. i mean, 1 to 2 million people employed by the nhs. it's going to be difficult to change in a dramatic way, but thank you very much indeed. denis macshane as always, former labour

minister, we've got lots more coming up on today's show, including the royal navy. it's gone woke, it's renaming certain exercises, certain drills because they're a little bit too racy for this day and age. >> apparently we were

mrs. >> welcome back to good afternoon britain. it is now 224 now the mother of martyn hett, whose son was killed in the 2017 manchester arena terror attack, has welcomed today the introduction of a public safety law she has spent many years campaigning for yes , martyn's campaigning for yes, martyn's law, which will be brought before the commons for its first reading later today, will improve safety at venues with a capacity of more than 200 people. >> that's the intention. >> that's the intention. >> yes, the bill will develop anti—terrorism plans, train staff in terrorism protection

and improve mass communication systems to help protect the public, and also staff. >> well, we're now joined by martyn hett's mother, figen murray. thank you so much for making the time for us this afternoon. this must be a big day for you and your campaign . day for you and your campaign. >> yes, absolutely. >> yes, absolutely. >> we have been campaigning for five and a half years for this and finally the day has arrived when it's had its first reading this lunchtime and it was back in may, wasn't it? >> when you , did that huge walk >> when you, did that huge walk 200 miles from the manchester arena where your son sadly died , arena where your son sadly died, all the way down to number 10 to try and push for this legislation. did you have any doubts that the legislation wouldn't get to this, that the bill wouldn't get to this stage, didn't have doubts, but i just didn't have doubts, but i just did the walk as a final attempt to speed things along. >> and really emphasise the message that this is really an

important piece of legislation. >> now, of course, there's been a lot of political debate over whether this is the right thing for particularly smaller venues. i know that the number has changed a lot over the last five years. there were suggestions that it should be venues that could hold 100 people, then 200 people, it is of course, a big imposition that we're asking for, businesses, for entertainment venues, for hospitality venues that have had a really tough time of it, particularly since the pandemic , particularly since the pandemic, and actually not at all. >> it isn't as big as it sounds, because what we are asking for is very straightforward. common sense measures that people can put in place. and i have to also add that a lot of what we are asking people to implement is actually already provided for free of charge by the government . free of charge by the government. for instance, the act e—learning training is available on online

for any adult really in this country. so anyone can do it. it's 45 minutes of your time and, you know, people need to appreciate that actually, there is no legislation to keep people safe at venues. there's legislation about fire safety and health and safety, and there are even rules about how many toilets venues have got to have. but there's no law to make sure that people are kept safe . and that people are kept safe. and in this age where terrorism is rife, this is a really important piece of legislation which will, in the end, save lives. >> and when you so tragically lost your son, at the manchester arena, how long did it take you to turn your attention? obviously grief takes years, if eveh obviously grief takes years, if ever, to completely overcome, but how long did it take for you to, to start thinking about how you can try and affect change in a positive way so that potentially this type of thing

doesn't happen to other parents, doesn't happen to other parents, doesn't happen to other parents, doesn't happen to other young people ? people? >> yeah. so it took about 18 months after the attack when we ventured out into manchester to attend a small music concert in the december of that year , 2018, the december of that year, 2018, and i remember getting ready with my tiniest handbag, to make the bug search easy because i naively thought that certainly after manchester arena , security after manchester arena, security in particular in manchester would be top notch and very strict. and when we got to the venue , nobody checked our venue, nobody checked our entrance tickets, never mind any bag searches. so that really shocked me. and it felt like the 22 people, including martin, who died that night, had already been forgotten. and it's business as usual. and i then researched security at venues and came across the government counter—terrorism protection document, and it said it in there and it still is the case to today, until this law comes in that venues can completely

decide whether they put security on or not, it's totally optional. and i can't allow that to continue. that is just not right . right. >> but but of course, the manchester arena did have security on it. did have one of these terror plans. and it just didn't carry it out properly , didn't carry it out properly, yeah. it clearly failed. but it but it did have a plan . i don't but it did have a plan. i don't i don't quite understand how everyone having to have a plan would have changed it in, in that instance, given given that they did have a plan but they didn't execute it . didn't execute it. properly. >> well, the problem is, you know, martyn's law will will actually mandate that training. you know, counter—terrorism training will be carried out properly, that people actually understand the training and absorb the training . it won't be absorb the training. it won't be just a tick box exercise and that venues are prepared, won't

just be, you know, an optional thing. it has to be done by law. >> and but you say this can be donein >> and but you say this can be done in 45 minutes. >> well, yeah, because that training is so, so good. it's won several awards . you know, if won several awards. you know, if you go on it, any adult can go on it on the protect uk website. and it completely opens your eyes of what to look out for. and, and you know, what to observe and what to notice. but that training is essential so that training is essential so that staff at venues can actually proactively do stuff about it . and actually simple about it. and actually simple measures for security are totally vital. at the moment. there is absolutely no restriction, no sort of expectation at all of any venue to keep people safe, and that just simply isn't right. so i'm really, really grateful to the government and sir keir to actually finally implement this. and obviously there's a few

stages to go yet. and, you know, it will happen. and once this law comes in, people will be saved . saved. >> well, thank you very much indeed. and you're clearly a fantastic advocate for your your son and the others who sadly died in that horrific tragedy. thank you very much indeed for your time . really appreciate it. your time. really appreciate it. murray martin, his mother, who sadly died in the manchester arena attack. we've got lots more coming up on today's show. we're going to go to the headunes we're going to go to the headlines first, though . headlines first, though. >> very good afternoon to you from the newsroom. 2:32. the top story this hour. sir keir starmer has pledged to create a ten year plan for the nhs to tackle its most serious problems, after a report found the health service was in trouble. lord darzi's rapid review highlights rising demand, low productivity and poor morale. just some of the major challenges facing the nhs. its

after figures out this morning showed ballooning waiting times and delays in a&e and cancer care. speaking earlier, the prime minister warned there will be no more money without reform and said big shifts are needed to secure the nhs future . to secure the nhs future. >> only fundamental reform and a plan for the long term can turn around the nhs and build a healthy society. now it won't be easy. it won't be quick, it will take a ten year plan, not just the work of one parliament, but i know we can do it . i know we can do it. >> the uk's police and crime ministers had her belongings stolen from a hotel, where she gave a speech to members of the police superintendents association. in that conference speech, dame diana johnson said the labour government had inherited an epidemic of anti—social behaviour, theft and shoplifting from the conservative government. warwickshire police are investigating the theft and the home office has confirmed no security risks were identified .

security risks were identified. six aid workers with the united nafions six aid workers with the united nations refugee agency have been killed in two airstrikes on a school in gaza. it marks the highest death toll among un staff in a single incident. one of those killed was the manager of those killed was the manager of a un shelter that housed around 12,000 displaced people, most of them women and children. the school has now been hit five times since the war began . the times since the war began. the national crime agency has seized hundreds of dangerous life jackets destined for criminal gangs smuggling migrants across the english channel. the nca says. the jackets, which wouldn't have worked in deep water, were intended for small boat crossings and did include some children's sizes. a 23 year old lorry driver has been arrested as investigations continue. the wife of disgraced tv star rolf harris has died at the age of 93, a year after her husband's death. olwyn hughes, who had been suffering from alzheimer's, stood by harris throughout his jail term for child sex offences. the couple

were married for 65 years and despite her husband's scandal, she attended every day of rolf harris trial in 2014 alongside their daughter bindi and billionaire jared isaacman and crewmate sarah gillies have completed the first ever commercial spacewalk. the pair floated out from their dragon space capsule 400 miles above earth, using experimental spacesuits. the privately funded mission made them the first to take a cosmic stroll without being professional astronauts . being professional astronauts. those are the latest gb news headunes those are the latest gb news headlines for now. i'll be back with you at 3:00 for the very latest gb news direct to your smartphone, sign up to news alerts by scanning the qr code, or go to gbnews.com forward

>> good afternoon britain. it's 2:37 now. english heritage members have been questioning a scheme that allows refugees free entry into over 400 historic sites across britain. >> yes . so this initiative was >> yes. so this initiative was first introduced in 2022, and it's available to those who have been granted full refugee status. >> well, english heritage explained that they feel it's the right thing to do given those who qualify have arrived with very little. but is this really what they need? >> well, we're now joined by doctor philip kingsley, a senior fellow at the new culture forum. philip, this has rattled people a little bit online. i've seen all sorts of arguments going on. it seems to me that on the one hand, some people are saying, well, i can't afford it either. why should these people get free stuff? and on the other hand, people are saying , well, if you people are saying, well, if you want people to integrate, then isn't this a wonderful initiative? where do you stand? >> first of all, good afternoon. both. it's really, really nice

to be here. yeah, i think it's a crazy idea. and as you say, it was implemented, i think in july 2022. so it's been under the radar for quite a long time, but it's just blown up recently , yeah. >> the devil's advocate position is this is great for people because they will be able to integrate and they will be able to appreciate english heritage and english culture and english history. the problem i have with that, and i think the problem that, and i think the problem that most people will have if they know anything about english heritage, is that english heritage, is that english heritage is about deconstructing british heritage and english heritage. it's about decolonisation. it's committed to a decolonising agenda. and so what it tends to do is present its own culture, its own heritage, its own history, if you like, as something that's intensely problematic and needs to be deconstructed. the british empire is the source of all

evil. now, if i'm thinking about refugees, there are many refugees, there are many refugees who are coming to this country who are from fairly hostile cultures, especially if we're thinking historically and we're thinking historically and we're thinking historically and we're thinking about the british empire . so it's almost as if empire. so it's almost as if they're saying, look, come here and get all of this free stuff, then go to our heritage sites and learn how terrible they are, learn how terrible we are, and that's what we will do for you. i think it's a crazy initiative, but as you say , it's been one but as you say, it's been one that's been around for quite a long time. and i think it's very worrying. >> is english heritage really that, indoctrinating? i mean, they run stowlawn. i've been to stonehenge. i haven't seen any sort of signs saying how bad britain has been in the past. i know they run some some ruins of some great cathedrals, some amazing castles around the country as well. i mean , country as well. i mean, frankly, if you've just turned up as a refugee, are you going to spend your time reading the

little signs that they put next to the things or are you just going to embrace the majesty of some of our sites of english heritage? >> yeah, i think it's a fair enough point, but the truth is , enough point, but the truth is, it's about the impetus of this and why it's happening. i think, and why it's happening. i think, andifs and why it's happening. i think, and it's happening in a, in a context that is fundamentally hostile to britain and our heritage centres and our heritage centres and our heritage industry is actually fundamental to what it's supposed to be. it's an anathema in that respect. i've taught cultural history in universities solidly for 25 years. and i'm here to tell you that our version of cultural history is about deconstruction. don't forget, also our heritage industry is about anti—racism. okay? and whenever i see anti—racism, i think, okay, well, there's going to be lots of racism here and it's often anti—white racism and it's often anti—semitism. so again, it's all of these agendas that come

together. but it's not just that i would say , well, you know, i would say, well, you know, what about pensioners for example, they have to pay a concession price at the moment. maybe they could keep warm in some of our, you know , some, some of our, you know, some, some of our, you know, some, some of our great country houses or what about veterans, for example, they have to pay to get in. why can't they go in for free? i mean, there's a campaign if ever there was one. so, you know, so i think again , it's know, so i think again, it's about this idea of having priorities side down and our values, which should be really about celebrating english heritage, are just not there. engush heritage, are just not there. english heritage doesn't celebrate english heritage. it doesn't even give it a fair crack of the whip. >> yeah. i mean , english >> yeah. i mean, english heritage have been. well, they've been tweeting about this in response to some of the twitter comments they've been receiving, and there have been many there have been many. they've been taking a bit of abuse over this. and they say refugees have arrived here with

very little. we feel that this is the right thing to do. we have other initiatives to support those who need it, including foodbank users, children and school trips. and we're working with charities to offer free entry to people in financial hardship. so clearly they are justifying this by saying, you know , we try to help saying, you know, we try to help lots of people who might not be able to afford it. so does that should we give them the benefit of the doubt on that front ? of the doubt on that front? >> no, because i think that's that's a that's a kind of sideways look at what's going on. you know, i think i think what we have to do is look at the focus of what they actually do . and if they're busy do. and if they're busy deconstructing english heritage, then let's not give them an easy ride. let's deconstruct what they do and let's think about what they are presenting to people, whether it's free or not. let's start there. and let's not give people who i'm sure some people are here who are very needy and desperate. okay, let's, you know, maybe they need to think about other

things before they go into dover castle. so let's not think about those people. let's actually let's think about pensioners and veterans and people like that . veterans and people like that. first, let's give them a free crack of the whip before we think about other people who arrived here yesterday. >> well, thank you very much indeed, doctor philip kingsley, great to speak to you. senior fellow at the new culture forum. it's very expensive, actually, to visit english heritage sites. i mean, you can sign up to an annual pass, can't you, for £150 or something. but if you just go on a standalone day and you try and walk around, you have to pay and walk around, you have to pay a huge amount literally to go on a huge amount literally to go on a walk. >> it does make me think, i mean, i'm not i'm not a member of engush i'm not i'm not a member of english heritage or the national trust, but i do sometimes think that if you go to some of these things, you know, more than a couple of times a year, it really does make sense to do the hulk thing. well, let us know your thoughts. >> gbnews.com forward slash your say. we've got lots more coming up on today's show. we are going to talk about how woke apparently the royal navy has got they're changing their exercise drills from such things as final thrust to green

salamander i believe why ?

okay. good afternoon britain. it is now 248 and yes, as we were saying, top navy bosses have renamed war training exercises for royal marines because the old ones were apparently too sexual and aggressive, too aggressive for the armed forces. >> gotcha. right. for example , >> gotcha. right. for example, violent thrust is now commando forge. i'm not sure why commando is any less sexual, but, this follows the push for inclusivity with the term seaman being swapped for seafarer. >> right. >> right. >> okay, so is this one of two ways? can't you. >> is this move to softer terms and more inclusive language a good thing or is it going too

far? >> tom, >> tom, >> i think it's bonkers. i think it's absolutely bonkers. britain. i mean, these the idea that anyone might be offended by these name changes. i mean, or by the original names. >> i mean, look at this . we've >> i mean, look at this. we've got final thrusters now. commando forge, we've got seaman. is now seafarer. we've got violent entry is now green salamander. we've got direction. is now dragon warrior. and i can't read that last one, it is airmen and airwomen is now aviator. i wouldn't want to be called an aviator. >> i think aviator is fine. they're called glasses. i don't mind that one, but do you know what i mean? this final thrust commando force, are you going to say thrust? >> final conversation. >> final conversation. >> i mean, what who who on earth are people? just sitting there trying to find things that they're offended by? when we see this so much, don't we? >> i mean, every university has a language guide now, so everyone has to make sure that

their language isn't offensive in any way. you get it in corporations. you get it everywhere. so the royal marines are just joining in now, aren't they? but the term violent entry is being replaced by green salamander. >> yeah. this is completely bonkers because if there's one thing about the military , i thing about the military, i would have thought that it's sort of okay with violence. i mean, isn't that sort of the point of the military, you know? >> you know, it's not preferable violence. but you have to do it, don't you? and you're in the army a former instructor at the base in lympstone, devon, said the woke police have nailed us andifs the woke police have nailed us and it's ridiculous. we're preparing young men and women to go to war and what we do is violent and aggressive. it's amazing that military people have the time to worry about stupid issues like this. with all the diversity and inclusion stuff, isn't it trickling down into language guidance and into wokery and all that? and was there anyone who was offended? was there anyone? was there one

person in the royal navy who said, i don't like the term violent thrust or whatever? >> you know what it will thrust? you say that, but it definitely will have been one person. there'll have been, you know, tens of thousands of people in our armed forces, and it will have been one person who said, oh, i'm not sure this is particularly its 2024, don't you know? and then suddenly, suddenly all of these things will have to be changed that you can't say that, >> but i don't know about you, but if you know any people who have been in the military or are currently serving, they love a bit of innuendo, a bit of dark humour, a bit of rough and tumble as it were, with language. yes. >> well, but also, i think language informs how you behave. and if you're going to water down your language, does that mean that you're going to be less forceful on the battlefield? i want the most forceful military that we can muster. i mean, there's a reason why the new zealand all black rugby team do the do the hacker, because it riles them up. it does. it makes them better at rugby. they would lose if they didn't do the hacker. if they

didn't do the hacker. if they didn't sort of work as a team. isn't isn't this mildly similar? >> well, a free speech union spokesman called it typical of the woke doublethink that has infected our armed forces. next, they'll be warning marine commandos to avoid microaggressions. they probably have already done that to be fair. >> i mean, yeah, no, i mean, they'll next be saying avoid microaggressions as well. no more. no more fighting. i mean, just just just what was it, jeremy corbyn wanted a peace corps. he wanted to replace replace the army with a with a department for peace, the ministry of defence. he wanted to replace with a ministry for peace.i to replace with a ministry for peace. i mean , it's sort of it's peace. i mean, it's sort of it's sort of almost getting to that level, isn't it? >> if everyone else was peaceful. but alas, i don't think there's much chance of that. >> jeremy corbyn i think there's many, many examples of cultures in history where sort of one is a war faring culture and one is sort of a very sort of please, let's speak nicely. can't we, can't we decide this over a cup of tea and guess which? guess which ones tend to then dominate? i mean, this is this is back to the peloponnesian

wars. all over again. >> some of you are quite funny, jay. something says maybe the armed forces will soon replace weapons with feather dusters. oh, no, that would be sexist. that would be misogynistic or something. and he says, no. anna says, i'm crying with laughter. the woke name changes are insane, she says. sharon says no more kit bags, handbags, no more camouflage dress up. no more army pals in it together. no more conflict. tiff tiff, a little tiff, a little tiff, a bit of a tiff. >> yes. let's hope no one gets hurt. i mean , you just can't hurt. i mean, you just can't make this stuff up. it yeah. no. our army, our army clearly will be will be more of a sort of negotiating force than a fighting force. we probably can't even say the word fighting. it's too aggressive. >> yeah, well, steven says it's not the military that's woke. it's the civil service pushing the narratives. yes, it may well be. it may well be our ministry for armed forces, minister for armed forces . armed forces. >> well, do get in touch,

gbnews.com/yoursay. if you've got any other name changes that you think would be appropriate or even wildly inappropriate for our armed forces to employ. but of course, you've been watching. good afternoon britain. it's been a pleasure to have your company throughout today. and of course, we'll be back at midday tomorrow. but don't worry, stick with us here on gb news, because next up it's martin daubney, who has a rip roaring show for you from three through till six. so we'll see you tomorrow. and martin's up . we'll see you tomorrow. and martin's up. next. >> a brighter outlook with boxt solar sponsors of weather on gb news . news. >> hello. good afternoon. welcome to your latest gb news, weather update. still a cold feel for the next day or so, but it will turn warmer into the weekend and it will also become much drier across western areas as high pressure is building in

for the end of the week from the west. we've still got this northerly wind though , bringing northerly wind though, bringing in arctic air for many areas through this evening. as well as a few showers inland at first. but overnight they will become more and more restricted to just the east coast, as well as just the east coast, as well as just the far north coast of parts of wales to some of these showers across the east could still be heavy into this evening and bnng heavy into this evening and bring a risk of hail, but for many of us it is going to be a clear, dry and cold night tonight. rurally we could be down as low as —1 or 2 quite widely, and where we have seen some snow across the high ground in scotland, we could be down lower than that first thing. but there will be plenty of sunshine in the morning. so despite the chilly start, the sunshine should still warm things up quite quickly and the winds will be much lighter through tomorrow morning. so quite a pleasant start to the day. across the northwest, though, parts of western scotland , northern western scotland, northern ireland, we will start to see some cloud bubbling up through the morning and a risk of a few showers that is ahead of a weather front that is going to be spreading in from the

north—west through friday afternoon. you can see here. so rain approaching parts of northern ireland later on in the day, and the sunshine will turn much hazier across parts of scotland. elsewhere, though, plenty of long lived sunshine and with lighter winds, it will feel much warmer tomorrow compared to today , temperatures compared to today, temperatures will still be a little below average in the mid teens for most areas. highs of 17 degrees at a max in the far south—east, but it's certainly warmer than it has been lately. now the rain across the northwest continues its journey into parts of scotland through friday evening. that will become a bigger feature as we head into saturday. so rainfall totals could start to build up across far north western areas, where as dry weather will hold on across the south. as we look ahead to the start of next week, further wet weather in the north, but more dry and warm weather in the south. >> that warm feeling inside from boxt boilers, sponsors of weather on gb

>>a >> a very good afternoon to you 3:00 pm. welcome to the martin daubney show. >> we're on gb news. >> we're on gb news. >> we're on gb news. >> we're broadcasting live from the heart of westminster and all across the uk. on today's show , across the uk. on today's show, after a report into the nhs today, sir keir starmer claimed the nhs must reform or die. >> so the topic of our big debate today is simply this is it time to do the unthinkable and privatise the nhs. we'll speak to health carers on both sides of the fence and in a tough new clampdown on second jobs, the labour party is threatening to kick mps like nigel farage and lee anderson off of gb news. is this fair or is it a clampdown on political free speech? i'll be joined in the studio exclusively by lee anderson shortly for a big debate with somebody who disagrees with him completely. and next up, labour's new renters reform bill could push up rents by 10%, according to a shock new report from the national landlords association.

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