gb news. well. a very good afternoon. well. a very good afternoon. it's 1:00 on sunday, the 6th of it's 1:00 on well. a very good afternoon. it's1:oo on sunday, well. a very good afternoon. it's 1:00 on sunday, the 6th of it's1:00 on sunday, the 6th of october. this is it's1:oo on sunday, the 6th of october. this is the weekend on it's1:oo on sunday, the 6th of october. this is the weekend on gb news. it's been reported that gb news. it's been reported that sue gray has stepped down from sue gray has stepped down from the prime minister's top team, the prime minister's top team, and has been appointed as the and has been appointed as the prime minister's envoy for prime minister's envoy for nafions prime minister's envoy for nations and regions. whatever nafions prime minister's envoy for nations and regions. whatever that is. we'll bring you the that is. we'll bring you the very latest rachel reeves plan very latest rachel reeves plan to significantly increase to significantly increase borrowing in the budget , risks borrowing in the budget , risks borrowing in the budget, risks borrowing in the budget, risks pushing up mortgage rates, but pushing up mortgage rates, but could this be devastating for could this be devastating for the pennies in your pocket.7 then the pennies in your pocket.7 then gb news can exclusively reveal gb news can exclusively reveal that more than 26,000 small boat that more than 26,000 small boat migrants have crossed the migrants have crossed the engush migrants have crossed the english channel so far this engush migrants have crossed the english channel so far this yean yean english channel so far this english channel so far this year, with a record 973 crossing year, with a record 973 crossing in a single day. and coming up in a single day. and coming up in a single day. and coming up in a single day. and coming up in the next hour. bad. not mad. in the next hour. bad. not mad. that's how boris johnson has that's how boris johnson has described russian president described russian president vladimir putin in his sit down vladimir putin in his sit down interview with camilla tominey. interview with camilla tominey.

we'll be breaking down some of we'll be breaking down some of the things the former prime minister had to say. i'm darren grimes and this is the weekend . grimes and this is the weekend. now, my friends, as you well know by now, this show is nothing without you and your views. let me know your thoughts on all of the stories we'll be discussing today by visiting gbnews.com/yoursay and join the conversation there. now keeping me company on today's show. it's a very boisterous one, i must say. it's the former labour party mp stephen pound and the former deputy leader of reform uk, ben habib. but before we get stuck in to today's stories, here's the news with sam francis .

here's the news with sam francis. >> darren, thank you very much. and good afternoon to you. we will start this lunchtime with that breaking news from number 10 that sue gray has resigned. we understand from her position as downing street chief of staff and will be taking on a to get

yes, he ran the campaign to get labour elected. there's been all sorts of rumours of infighting in number 10 and a dysfunctional operation at the heart of this new administration. will this move make a difference? >> catherine, thanks very much, katherine forster there, our political correspondent. plenty more on that story throughout the rest of this afternoon. catherine will be back with us shortly. turning now to other breaking news this lunchtime. a record breaking 973 migrants crossed the english channel in just a single day yesterday, according to official figures from the home office. they arrived in 17 small boats, surpassing the previous record that was of 882, in june. saturday's surge also came as four migrants, including a young child , died making the journey. child, died making the journey. it brings the total number of arrivals this year to now to 26,612. it follows a new deal between the home secretary, yvette cooper, and g7 ministers

to tackle the criminal smuggling gangs. to tackle the criminal smuggling gangs . news to tackle the criminal smuggling gangs. news in to tackle the criminal smuggling gangs . news in the middle east gangs. news in the middle east and sir keir starmer is raising concerns that the sparks of the war there could be igniting tensions here at home with a sharp rise in hate crimes against jews and muslims. writing in the sunday times, he also raised fears of a direct conflict between israel and iran, which he says could have catastrophic global consequences . catastrophic global consequences. well, that warning from the prime minister comes as israel has expanded its airstrikes in lebanon, while the conflict with hezbollah intensifies. there were massive consecutive strikes on beirut's southern suburbs overnight. these are some of the these are some of the latest pictures emerging from overnight. these are some of the latest pictures emerging from beirut. it comes as israel beirut. it comes as israel claims its forces have killed claims its forces have killed 440 hezbollah fighters , and its 440 hezbollah fighters , and its 440 hezbollah fighters, and its ground operations continue in 440 hezbollah fighters, and its ground operations continue in southern lebanon with the southern lebanon with the destruction of 2000 hezbollah destruction of 2000 hezbollah targets. meanwhile, in gaza, targets. meanwhile, in gaza, several deaths have been several deaths have been reported today after a strike on reported today after a strike on a mosque staying in the middle a mosque staying in the middle

east for a few moments. israel east for a few moments. israel has issued in the last hour or has issued in the last hour or so new evacuation alerts. we so new evacuation alerts. we understand for southern parts of understand for southern parts of lebanon, we can take you live lebanon, we can take you live now to pictures of the skyline now to pictures of the skyline above beirut, where clouds of above beirut, where clouds of smoke continue to linger in the smoke continue to linger in the air after those recent strikes, air after those recent strikes, the israeli military issued that the israeli military issued that new evacuation alert today for new evacuation alert today for residents in around 25 areas in residents in around 25 areas in the south of the country. the south of the country. they're calling for those they're calling for those residents to immediately head, residents to immediately head, they say, to the north of the they say, to the north of the awali river. so that latest line awali river. so that latest line just into us from lebanon . and just into us from lebanon . and just into us from lebanon. and that comes as the fourth and for just into us from lebanon. and that comes as the fourth and for now, final flight for uk now, final flight for uk nationals fleeing the conflict nationals fleeing the conflict in lebanon is set to depart in lebanon is set to depart today. foreign secretary david today. foreign secretary david lammy has been urging anyone lammy has been urging anyone still in the region to leave still in the region to leave while they can, and warns that while they can, and warns that future flights may not be future flights may not be guaranteed . russia launched more guaranteed . russia launched more guaranteed. russia launched more guaranteed. russia launched more than 80 drones and three than 80 drones and three

missiles at ukraine in missiles at ukraine in a significant overnight attack. that's according to ukraine's air forces. it comes as president zelenskyy is preparing to unveil a victory plan during a crucial allies meeting pity.

strategic foes, which is a pity. but he's chosen that path and we're now in a very, very unhappy position. and . and you unhappy position. and. and you know what he is doing in ukraine is criminal. and it is also a mistake. it's a mistake for russia. it's a mistake for putin. >> and if you missed this morning's interview, well, you can watch all the highlights from that conversation with bofis energy prices, to cut taxes and to stop m�*conversation s sports . energy prices, to cut taxes and to stop m�*conversation wilhbl’ls . from that conversation with bofis from that conversation with boris johnson and camilla from that conversation with boris johnson and camilla tominey here on gb news at 6:00 tominey here on gb news at 6:00 tonight. turning to the us , tonight. turning to the us , tonight. turning to the us, donald trump has returned to tonight. turning to the us, donald trump has returned to butler in pennsylvania, the site butler in pennsylvania, the site of that assassination attempt of that assassination attempt just over three months ago, to just over three months ago, to promise that the us will reach promise that the us will reach mars if he's re—elected. mars if he's re—elected. addressing a crowd of thousands addressing a crowd of thousands behind bullet—proof glass, the former president began his behind bullet—proof glass, the former president began his speech in, well, a light hearted speech in, well, a light hearted manner. >> as i was saying . manner. >> as i was saying . >> as i was saying. >> as i was saying. >> he also pledged to halve >> as i was saying. >> as i was saying. >> he also pledged to halve energy prices, to cut taxes and energy prices, to cut taxes and to stop men in women's sports . to stop men in women's sports .

to stop men in women's sports. then, at 6:11, a bell tolled to mark the moment of that july shooting, and the crowd were heard chanting cory in honour of the firefighter killed protecting his family in that shooting. elon musk then made a surprise appearance, joining trump on the stage, bouncing around as musk called the republican campaign a must win to protect democracy. taking aim at president biden , we had one at president biden, we had one president who couldn't climb a flight of stairs and another who was fist pumping after getting shot. >> fight, fight, fight. shot. >> fight, fight, fight . flood >> fight, fight, fight. flood coming down the face. >> elon musk there. who needs no introduction? a british climber stranded on a mountainside in northern india has been rescued after being trapped for three days. faye manhas and her american partner michelle dvorak were struck stuck at more than 21,000ft after losing their equipment in a rockfall on

jacumba mountain, a french climbing group helped them descend before they were airlifted to safety by the indian air force . that's the indian air force. that's the latest from the newsroom for now. plenty more on that breaking news regarding sue gray with our correspondent katherine forster. now though, back over to darren 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 . gbnews.com forward slash alerts. >> thanks very much, sam. let's get stuck to in today's topics. sue gray has stepped down from the prime minister's top team and has been appointed as the prime minister's envoy for the nafions prime minister's envoy for the nations and regions. have you any idea? because i haven't. in any idea? because i haven't. in a statement , she said it any idea? because i haven't. in a statement, she said it had become clear in recent weeks that intense commentary around my position risked becoming a

distraction to the government's vital change work of change. well, joining me now to discuss this is the gb news political correspondent, katherine forster. catherine, the conservatives have come out on this and they've said, who's going to be running the government now? i mean, it's all it ain't looking too great, is it? three months in from the july landslide? >> no, indeed . disarray in >> no, indeed. disarray in downing street. but i think change was inevitable because, look, since labour came

change was inevitable because, look, sinceofabour came change was inevitable because, look, sinceof westminster issue, niche sort of westminster issue, well, yes and no . because if well, yes and no. because if number 10 isn't working properly, then things like the donation scandal, all the sort of infighting that we're hearing aboutis of infighting that we're hearing about is allowed to go unchecked. so sue gray, i think her position was becoming untenable. the only surprise is perhaps that she's gone now. but several weeks , clearly there several weeks, clearly there have been people briefing against her. we had the story just a couple of weeks ago that she was paid more than the prime minister. and now simon case, the cabinet secretary. he has also leaving. he was going to be leaving anyway. there's quite a lot of bad blood , frankly, lot of bad blood, frankly, between him and between sue gray going back while they were both working in whitehall under different administrations, and the third big figure in number 10, besides, obviously the prime

minister is morgan mcsweeney. now he is the winner in all of this. he was the mastermind behind labour's election victory because they've got these 412 seats, but they only got 34% of the vote. that's only up 2% from where they were in 2019. so quite something what they have managed to achieve. so he is going to take sue grey's role as chief of staff. she is going to take a different much less important role. let's face it, as the prime minister's envoy for the regions and nation, she'll be working out of the cabinet office. she's got very close links back to northern ireland. of course , but isn't it ireland. of course, but isn't it ironic that on the day that camilla talks to boris johnson about many things in her wide ranging interview, partygate being one of them, you know, sue

gray , she carried out that gray, she carried out that investigation. boris johnson accepted the findings in full, but it did raise a lot of eyebrows , didn't it? when she eyebrows, didn't it? when she was later appointed as keir starmer's chief of staff. >> i mean, catherine, is this a sign of a government in freefall? i mean, is it unprecedented? would you argue for a government in its infancy, as this one is to lose the its chief of staff for number 10 downing street? quite so early? >> well, it's not a good start, is it? certainly. >> well, it's not a good start, is it? certainly . and robert is it? certainly. and robert jenrick and other conservatives have leapt onto this. robert jenrick has said that this is a government in freefall now. sure, plenty of other administrations have had problems. we had the bernie ecclestone scandal not far into tony blair's administration, and then there was the other chief of staff, very controversial dominic cummings. under boris

johnson. and when they become the story, the chief of staff, dominic cummings, in that case, sue gray in keir starmer's case, this is not good news. but of course, in the case of dominic cummings, it all took rather longer. so number 10, the prime minister will now be hoping that with sue gray out of the picture in number 10, with simon case going shortly and with more morgan mcsweeney stepping up that they can get things back in track. i think some of the criticism apart from many people saying that sue gray was a control freak who sort of controlled access to the prime minister, was that simply, she wasn't political enough. she'd come from whitehall, she'd come from the civil service things that many people might have thought should have been very obvious in terms of the donations getting ahead of that , donations getting ahead of that, shutting that down don't seem to

have been done. they hope that morgan mcsweeney now will be a rather more politically savvy chief of staff. >> all right, katherine forster, there are brilliant political correspondent. thank you very much for that update. we'll come back to catherine later on. i'm joined by my panel, brilliant as they are former labour party mp stephen pound and the former deputy leader of reform uk, ben habib . stephen, as a labour man, habib. stephen, as a labour man, how do you think this is? is this is this a sign of a government in freefall as the tories are arguing? >> i don't think it is. i think he has acted decisively. but i think above all, it's actually a great tragedy. i've never met anyone who has worked with sue gray, who doesn't agree that she's a supremely talented and very, very brilliant organiser and a manager. she's also got a fascinating back history. i mean, she's extraordinarily interesting woman. you know, she's certainly not your faceless civil servant. but look, i think what we all accept is that dominic cummings is, you know, katherine forster was very good, very clever to actually make that analogy that read across dominic cummings became the story . and i think when

the story. and i think when somebody who's supposed to be in the background pulling the strings, like, i mean, who can remember the name of the chief of staff before sue gray, i mean, you and i know it, but a lot of people would never even have heard of liam. so. so the reality is when she becomes the story, then we have a problem. i do, however, think that in many ways, sue gray has become a lightning rod for what is perceived as a lack of cohesion and a lack of coherence within the party. and we've got a problem in the labour party, let's not deny it, catherine said there. >> you know, sue gray wasn't an especially political beast, but can you argue that when her son is now a labour mp ? is now a labour mp? >> well, i don't know. i mean, she only joined the labour party in 1923, 2023 i think so, i mean, you know, whether i mean, you know, my son actually voted reform, you know , i can forgive reform, you know, i can forgive him for that man. >> but man, what a good man. i knew you were a secret, right winger. >> good god, no , no. but you >> good god, no, no. but you know the sins of the children are not visited upon the parents. let's be honest. >> tell us about morgan mcsweeney, then. >> well, this is quite interesting because obviously , interesting because obviously, one of the narratives here is the sort of internal fighting and because of the fact that

both of them have irish backgrounds, it's they call it green on green. i mean, yeah, at present time to say that morgan mcsweeney has won this, i think actually diminishes the seriousness of what's actually happened here. who replaces her is the key thing. but i have to say, this business, i think you quite rightly raised your eyebrows as high as they could possibly go when you heard this. that's it. this business about, you know, envoy to the outer reaches of, you know , himars reaches of, you know, himars century or something, i don't know. >> well, the nations and the regions, i think we have a very cruel expression in the whips office. >> very, very cruel. it was. i certainly don't apply when somebody lost their job and they were given something which was like like, i mean, when i lost my job, when i was made parliamentary private secretary to the chancellor of the duchy of lancaster, i was told i said, listen, it was a dog biscuit, a dog biscuit. >> so sue gray has been given a dog biscuit. ben habib, what do you make of all this? >> well, stephen puts a very brave. as much as i love stephen, it's a very brave face on a on a government that is in disarray. funnily enough, one of the read across the reader crosses that one could make here

is that we all raised our eyebrows when sue gray joined the government in the first place because of the pivotal report. yeah, after the pivotal role she held. >> do you have sympathy with bofis >> do you have sympathy with boris johnson's remarks on that? oh, completely. >> yeah. i mean, i think boris johnson, you know, viewers will know this probably of my view of bofis know this probably of my view of boris johnson. i think he was an extraordinarily bad prime minister and he didn't get brexit done. and he however however , you can't have someone however, you can't have someone who's put in charge of investigating his misdemeanours suddenly crossing the floor, as it were, and joining the labour party . and that may have been party. and that may have been the first sign of the cronyism that we've now seen rampant in the labour party. you know, it's all being revealed how much they're on the take and, you know, they've got their little fingers in all sorts of little pies and sue gray was the was the first kind of, you know, heads up , the first kind of, you know, heads up, boys and girls, this isn't quite right. and it's interesting to me that she has left. she's obviously got issues with keir starmer. one of the

things that we had all hoped for with the labour government was , with the labour government was, notwithstanding our complete criticism of their ideology, that they might at least be competent in in a managerial sense, but they haven't even been that, you know, they're either on the verge of doing u—turns or are doing u—turns, or are having opprobrium levelled u—turns or are doing u—turns, or are having opprobrium levelled at them by the media from all at them by the media from all sides of the political spectrum. sides of the political spectrum. the guardian all the way through the guardian all the way through to the telegraph. and so i think to the telegraph. and so i think it is a government in disarray. it is a government in disarray. he's got this massive majority he's got this massive majority that will shield him for a bit, that will shield him for a bit, but the local elections next but the local elections next year are worth watching. oh, year are worth watching. oh, they are indeed that result in they are indeed that result in blackpool. >> you must have been happy blackpool. >> you must have been happy about that one. ben habib, thank about that one. ben habib, thank you very much for that. we'll you very much for that. we'll come back to you shortly. and come back to you shortly. and that was stephen pound there. that was stephen pound there. the former labour mp as well the former labour mp as well before him. we're joined now by before him. we're joined now by the former labour spokesman, the former labour spokesman, james matthewson james. thank you very much for your company. james matthewson james. thank you very much for your company. what do you make of this, ben what do you make of this, ben habib? they're saying that this habib? they're saying that this is a government in freefall , the is a government in freefall , the is a government in freefall, the tories saying exactly the same is a government in freefall, the tories saying exactly the same thing. actually, boris johnson thing. actually, boris johnson

must be. well, he'll be cutting out a piece of cake, i think, in celebration. >> yeah. there's nothing stops bofis >> yeah. there's nothing stops boris johnson from having a party. so i don't think that's unusual to be honest. but at the same, at the same time , whilst same, at the same time, whilst these are, you know, developments that certainly merit scrutiny and merit, looking at closely today , looking at closely today, actually for a lot of people in the labour party will be good news, not because of sue grey's departure

news, not because of sue grey's depa you sheriff-”i"; llll llllllllll news, not because of sue grey's depa you thatziféclalll�*ll llll lllllllllll news, not because of sue grey's depa you that they'vel llll lllllllllll news, not because of sue grey's depa you that they've wonllll lllllllllll news, not because of sue grey's depa you that they've won and llllllllll tells you that they've won and that sue gray has been jettisoned out of downing street, or whether it tells you that sue gray has had enough and decided to leave, you know, you can draw your own conclusions from it. but i think the important thing is that this power struggle that's been going on, that keir starmer supposedly has been, you know, very frustrated by when he went to, to washington dc, you know, a few weeks ago, he said specifically to everybody in downing street before he went, this better be resolved by the time i get back. and if not, i'll be taking action. there seems to be that action. so i think it's good news in a sense. but of course, it's never a good look for a new government, so they have to fight the optics. yeah. >> james, one of the things that really struck me this morning was our political well , was our political well, superstar, you could say camilla tominey she had boris johnson on this morning and they were discussing the fact that, you know, boris won this 80 seat majority and quite frankly, it was wasted. could you make the same argument already about this

government, which was elected on a platform of change? >> no, i don't believe so. i think it's far too early for that kind of speculation. i think all the things that we've seen and we've seen issues. don't get me wrong, things like the winter fuel allowance, you know, things that i disagree with and other commentators and other labour supporters disagree with. however, things like this with. however, things like this with the sue gray stuff, this is administrative. this is stuff that they need to change. and if they don't change it, if they don't turn around and start making these efficiencies and kind of streamlining their their kind of streamlining their their kind of streamlining their their kind of operation in downing street, then they will fall foul and waste that, you know, the majority that they've got. if they don't do this now then they will never be able to get hold of it. so i'm pleased that they're doing it now. and it seems to be that they're paying attention to the things that need to be resolved and resolving them. but, you know, the other thing, the other thing that's at play here as well, is the fact that in the media, we don't often talk about people behind the scenes in politics

until there's a problem, you know? so we forget how prominent and how much of the work has been. >> there's been quite a few of those staffers. >> yeah, there's been quite a few of them in recent years, the likes of dominic cummings and all the rest of it. but we have to remember 90% of the time these people do a fantastic job and they're often underpaid and they have a lot of emotional blackmail. well, i don't think sue gray was underpaid. >> she made sure she got quite the pay increase. but like james, we'll leave that there. thank you very much . james thank you very much. james matthewson there. the former labour spokesman, with his views on sue gray, which will be coming to you after this short break. you're with me. darren grimes on gb news. lots more coming up as i say. sue grey's resignation will be covering that more after this with my brilliant panel. you're with gb news, where britain's news channel

welcome back to the weekend with

me, darren grimes. now sue gray has stepped down from the prime minister's top team. she was, of course, his chief of staff and has instead been appointed as the prime minister's envoy for nafions the prime minister's envoy for nations and regions. in a statement, she said it had become clear in recent weeks that intense commentary around my position risked becoming a distraction to the government's vital work of change. well, joining me now is matthew stadlen, the political commentator, to offer his opinion on this resignation. this ain't good, is it? >> i was having lunch next door, hence why i'm not in my usual m&s suit and i'm in my slacks. but this obviously on the face of it, is not a good story for the government. the government came in on a wave of this notion of professionalising government professionalising the servicing of the people, and i was, amongst others, who basically felt and maybe even used that awful phrase , the grown ups are

awful phrase, the grown ups are back in charge. and that's what i felt early on, and that has rather come crashing down. let's face it, there are a couple of things possibly to say about this story. that means it's not as bad as it might first appear for labour and for starmer. i think the first is that there is an element of it being a westminster story. i'm not quite sure how much this will resonate around the country unless it starts to spiral out of control and there's contagion. and i think the second thing is that this is so early in starmer's premiership, so early in this new government, that if they now get their act together, there is plenty of time to get things right on that point. >> matthew, if, if rishi sunak had lost his chief of staff this early into when he took over from liz truss, would you have been sat here saying, you know, oh, this is very early in his time as prime minister, he can turn this around. i think you'd have been saying, oh, look, this is a shambles. this is totally chaos. >> i probably would have been.

and indeed, he did suffer some early ministerial resignations or sackings, did he not? i mean, i think gavin williamson didn't last particularly, particularly long. look, do i have a sort of natural inclination towards this labour party ? yes. do i want labour party? yes. do i want this this labour government to do well? yes. is it in all of our interests that we have a fresh start and that it works? of course it is because we need growth and we need to make sure that our our country succeeds. as i say , on the face of it, as i say, on the face of it, it's not a great look on the point of the replacement morgan mcsweeney. >> any thoughts? there ? >> any thoughts? there? >> any thoughts? there? >> well, there's been these rumours of backbiting and leaking at the heart of government , and that leaking at the heart of government, and that is obviously completely unsustainable. if you look back to the old new labour government of blair and brown , the of blair and brown, the so—called heebie jeebies, you know, that went on endlessly, didn't it? the sort of the rumoured reported infighting between tony blair's team in number 10 and gordon brown's team in the treasury, and that

holds government back. and i don't think it impresses the public. so, as i say, starmer needs to grip this now. he can probably get away with this mistake. and i say it's a mistake. and i say it's a mistake because ultimately it's his responsibility. but if there's contagion, if this sort of story continues, if other people resign in the near future, that is a really bad look . because future, that is a really bad look. because in order for government to carry out what it wants to do, for it to have a chance to achieve what it wants to do, it has to have stability at its heart. if it doesn't have that, then it's like a sort of black hole and it sucks. all the policy initiatives in. we've got a vitally important budget for our country. >> whatever our politics come in the budget. >> i don't think so. i think getting it out of the way now, if this was going to have to happen, getting it out the way now and sue gray has become the story and the way that alastair campbell eventually became the story, that took a lot of time, didn't it? i mean, that rumbled. alastair campbell was in position for a long time. this is so stunningly and shockingly early in the starmer premiership

that in that sense, you know , that in that sense, you know, it's a very bad look, as i say, but it also gives time for recovery. but they have to get a grip. >> i mean, i remember the constant attrition against dominic cummings. he very much did become the story and i thought he was quite an effective person in that, in that role . do you make that role. do you make a comparison between the two? because dominic cummings more controversial, more renowned, you could argue he lasted longer than sue gray has. >> well, dominic. and that harmed johnson's government, didn't it? i mean , dominic didn't it? i mean, dominic cummings was driving up and down the country during the pandemic. i don't think there were any suggestions to barnacles. i don't think there are any suggestions that sue gray has done anything like that. i think she's very well respected. i heard andy burnham recently talk about how brilliant she's been in talking about, i think , the in talking about, i think, the nafions in talking about, i think, the nations and the regions or either or, and that's going to be her, her new role. i'll say one more thing. i thought it was a misjudgement, and i did say this at the time when labour was in opposition, i thought it was a misjudgement by starmer to appoint her in the first place, because it gave the appearance of undermining the independence of undermining the independence of our civil service.

>> well , of our civil service. >> well, indeed it did. it did indeed. and that's what a lot of people are saying, matthew. but matthew stadlen will come back to you after the break with ben habib. that should be good fun for our viewers . now, folks, for our viewers. now, folks, you're with me. darren grimes on gb news. we've got plenty more coming up on today's show. first of all, it's your news with sam francis . francis. >> very good afternoon to you from the newsroom, 1:32. and let's just bring you a roundup. then of the key points from that news, we've been covering in the last hour that sir keir starmer is now facing fresh turmoil, as sue gray has, as you've just heard, stepped down as his chief of staff. conservative leadership hopeful robert jenrick says her departure is to down vicious labour infighting. the former immigration minister says the government is in freefall . downing street, freefall. downing street, though, has responded by announcing five new senior appointments, including morgan mcsweeney as the new chief of staff, replacing sue gray. sir

keir starmer insists the changes will strengthen his team. he says ahead of marking 100 days in office, sir keir starmer has also been raising concern that the sparks of war in the middle east are igniting tensions here at home, with a sharp rise in hate crimes against jews and muslims. writing in the sunday times today, he's also raised fears of a direct conflict between israel and iran, which he says could have catastrophic global consequences . well, that global consequences. well, that comes as israel has this afternoon issued new evacuation alerts for parts of southern lebanon. we can take you live now to pictures of the lebanese skyline above beirut, the sun just setting there as smoke continues to hang in the air after recent airstrikes have taken place. that alert to evacuate has been issued by the idf , asking residents in at idf, asking residents in at least 25 areas. we understand to

move north. and a record breaking 973 migrants have crossed the english channel in just a single day yesterday, according to home office figures. they arrived in 17 small boats, surpassing the previous record of 882 people in june. previous record of 882 people in june . saturday's surge also came june. saturday's surge also came as four migrants, including, sadly a young child, died making that journey. the total number of arrivals this year has now reached 26,612. it follows, though, a new deal between the home secretary and other g7 ministers to tackle the criminal smuggling gangs. russia has launched more than 80 drones and three missiles at ukraine in a significant overnight attack. it comes as president zelenskyy is preparing to unveil a victory plan during a crucial allies meeting in germany later this month. the plan is expected to detail steps towards ending the ongoing war with russia. and as ukraine is nearing now a

thousand days of that conflict with russia , boris johnson has with russia, boris johnson has said that the russian president is bad but not mad. in a candid interview with camilla tominey, the former prime minister shed light on his interactions with vladimir putin, providing a glimpse into their complex relationship . relationship. >> he means no good for this country. he regards the united kingdom as their among their most important strategic foes, probably their most important strategic foes, which is a pity. but he's chosen that path, and we're now in a very, very unhappy position. and you know, what he is doing in ukraine is criminal. and it is also a mistake. it's a mistake for russia. it's a mistake for putin. >> and if you didn't didn't get a chance to catch it or you just want to watch it again, you can catch the highlights from the interview with boris johnson here on gb news tonight at 6:00. those are the latest headlines

for now darren will be straight back after this short break 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 alerts

>> welcome back to the weekend with me, darren grimes. now sue gray has stepped down from the prime minister's top team and has instead been appointed as the prime minister's envoy for nafions the prime minister's envoy for nations and regions. even our good friend stephen pound couldn't spin his way out of this one. he says she said in a statement that it had become clear in recent weeks that intense commentary around my position risked becoming a distraction to the government's vital work of change. now, earlier, boris johnson spoke

about sue gray in in an exclusive interview with our very own camilla tominey about sue gray . sue gray. >> is she responsible for your demise? what did you make of her appointment as starmer's chief of staff ? of staff? >> i thought it was extraordinary, to be honest, but there you go . but look. but there you go. but look. but again, you asked me about mistakes i made. i shouldn't have appointed her and asked her to do that thing. and i made. >> do you think that? >> do you think that? >> well, because it turned out. what i didn't know that she'd already been approached to be the chief of staff of ed miliband and who you're very close to on the net zero front. and he and i were at the same primary school, but sue gray, and should she not have been appointed, should she not have that role in downing street? >> she's in a very influential position, i think. >> look, i mean, it's far be it from me to intrude on labour's private grief, but you know, i do wonder what what on earth is going on with those guys. i mean, you know this guy waheed alli, why is he giving money? to what? what was it about this this mp called conlon that made him money for wallpaper and

things ? no, on the contrary, as things? no, on the contrary, as soon as as soon as i knew that money going into the what was then the ill fated refurbishment fund for the whole of number 10, as soon as i knew that it had come from a particular tory dononl come from a particular tory donor, i paid him back in full because i thought i cannot be. even though the money was going on the blooming number 10 flat, which was, you know , not which was, you know, not something that i owned. well, do you think starmer's getting an easy ride? >> i paid how you paid him back in full when you made these sorts of errors. is he getting off lightly with dodi gate? >> i'm sure people were totally right to try to beat me up and, you know, whatever . that's you know, whatever. that's politics. and i don't blame. i don't blame the tory party for wanting to chuck me out . if they wanting to chuck me out. if they thought that that was genuinely, you know, that's that's what tories do. they're, they're , tories do. they're, they're, that's how they behave. regicidal. i tried to explain to them that it would not end well. okay. and it didn't .

okay. and it didn't. >> well, i mean, boris johnson now will be like the cat that got the cream because he was absolutely right there. surely. matthew stadlen, he was absolutely right to argue that he was stitched up like kipper. >> he wasn't stitched up like a kipper at all. he resigned in disgrace. he loves to blame anyone but himself. he's even now. he's even now reneging on apologies that he has given in the past. but on the sue gray issue, i did feel you said to me that had this been happening under rishi sunak government, wouldn't i have been saying what a shambles i've already. i've already said that this is a messy situation. and i did say when starmer was in opposition that there was a problem with him appointing someone who had been so senior in the civil service and who had actually beenin service and who had actually been in charge of the investigation into boris johnson and partygate . why? because it and partygate. why? because it is really important that a civil service is not only independent, but it is seen to be independent. >> all right. and ben habib ross says, is this just grey matter?

does grey matter? i quite like that drum roll please. >> no, i mean it was interesting heanng >> no, i mean it was interesting hearing james before the break and, you know, saying that keir starmer has moved to head this off. she sacked his decisive action. how many times have we heard that from politicians. it's never decisive action. when you get a government where you've got to sack the chief of staff within three months of taking office, there's something fundamentally wrong with what's going on and what we've seen with keir starmer. and i touched on it earlier, is an inability simply to manage. on it earlier, is an inability simply to manage . there are simply to manage. there are administrative failures at the heart of government . it's heart of government. it's i mean, we can all disagree or have a debate about the policy position of the labour party. and i disagree with the majority of it, but they can't deliver it in an effective executive way. and so they've got administrative issues, and that doesn't go away by sacking sue gray. >> ultimately, stephen, i can remember a quote from from lord attlee after he was prime minister and he was asked about civil service, impartiality . and civil service, impartiality. and he said, look, a weak minister

won't be bossed around by the civil service. is this a sign that sir keir starmer is a weak prime minister? >> no, i think in many ways he's a strong prime minister, but i actually, you know, si king si king to actually draw the poison for this. but look, let's get a couple of things absolutely straight. when you take over the running of a country after 14 years, the biggest problem you face immediately is the civil service. you've got to get the engine has got to work in the car. you've got to actually work with them. and, you know, they say politicians propose civil servants dispose in reality , if servants dispose in reality, if the civil service isn't working with you, you aren't able to do anything. when we took over in 97, we had a year's worth of briefings before that from senior civil servants. every government before an election gets a briefing. what we really wanted last time around was to actually get someone like sue gray, who knew how the machine worked, and that was the key and the crucial thing. what we didn't realise , and i think didn't realise, and i think matthew makes a very, very important point here. we didn't realise how much she was associated with the supposedly impartial civil service. >> and on this point of associations with the past, simon case is also, we believe,

or we were told, stepping down as he towards the end of the yean as he towards the end of the year, head of the civil service. so is the there's a real chance for a reset and a fresh start. and by the way, on starmer, if he's anything, he's ruthless . he's anything, he's ruthless. you might not agree with him, you might not like him, but i think he is extremely tough. >> that doesn't make him a capable administrator. are you saying sue gray is going to replace simon case? >> oh, hang on, hang on a minute. >> i've seen more. no, no, not at all. she's gone to the nafions at all. she's gone to the nations and regions, and i think thatis nations and regions, and i think that is probably a good appointment. if andy burnham is anyone to listen to accept that. >> listen. i've seen more positions than the kamasutra. well, the newcastle united. well , well, the newcastle united. well, gosh, especially yesterday anyway, let's we'll go to a quick break. >> you got a point. >> you got a point. >> but well thank you very much for one. yes i have, i have and we'll be coming back to this meddlesome pair in a second. you're with me darren grimes on gb news. we'll see you after this. with gb news, news channel.

welcome back to the weekend with me, darren grimes. now that breaking news that sue gray has stepped down from the prime minister's top team and has been appointed as the prime minister's envoy for nations and regions, which, as i said earlier, even stephen pound, former labour mp, couldn't spin as a promotion. in a statement, sue gray said it had become clear in recent weeks that intense commentary around my position risked becoming a distraction to the government's vital work of change. now i'm joined again by my panel. the former labour party mp stephen pound, labour spinster and spinster spinner. >> i don't even identify as a spinster. >> you could self—identify as a spinster these days. >> you can do anything, especially under labour. >> let's be very careful what we say. >> and the former co deputy leader of reform uk, ben habib, i just want to read out a few comments and then have you

respond to them. lady westminster on gb views says so. sue gray resigns today . sue gray resigns today. strategic way to keep immigration and the channel crisis record numbers today off the news agenda christina says well, how can you explain why the labour government aren't saying how many failed migrants have been deported? but robert says , darren, i worry now that says, darren, i worry now that we have and this is one for stephen pound. we have a load of very inexperienced people running the country. there was no risk analysis on winter fuel payments. we have a foreign secretary that seems very inexperienced, giving away territory without even talking about it. in the house of commons, spending more time on the world stage than in britain and quite frankly, making a fool of themselves. we are not in safe hands. and judy's finally says, sorry, stephen starmer is as weak as water. he's out of his depth and floundering around like a fish out of water. >> oh dear, oh dear, i think let's take take one at a time. yes, the business with david lammy on the chagos islands. i think it's actually a very good

deal for britain's security. what it means is that we've now got diego garcia, which is a crucial for china's security, for china. now, hang on second. >> we had diego garcia. >> we had diego garcia. >> i'm sorry , and we were about >> i'm sorry, and we were about to lose it because of all the international challenges against it. look, let's get a couple of things straight. the idea that mauritius is so totally in china's pocket is pretty unfair to the people of mauritius, but why give up any british territory? because we would have had to have given up the lot. >> no, i wouldn't give it up. >> no, i wouldn't give it up. >> no, i wouldn't give it up. >> no, no, i'm the signal. >> no, no, i'm the signal. >> it sends the signal it sends to the rest of the world is awful. all right. >> no. i'm sorry. for years and years, tom and ellie in the house of commons used to raise the human rights of the chagossians. we are actually giving them. >> well, the chagossians are saying that they didn't want this to happen. >> by the way, they're all my political life. they've been saying they wanted it to happen. >> well, on that point, though, of this being a floundering government, no, it obviously is, given these headlines come on. >> i'm sorry if keir starmer was floundering and flapping around like a landed herring, he wouldn't have sacked her. he wouldn't. he didn't sack sergei, but he wouldn't have signed off on it. he's done that. and i

think it was interesting, matthew, saying earlier on that, you know, he was particularly ruthless. i mean, you know, the momentum and the sort of the hard left corbynites call him stalin. you know, i think he is actually, if anything, the antithesis of the floundering . antithesis of the floundering. he's got a vision, he knows how to do it. and he's at the moment he's in risk of having it knocked off course, and he's determined to get us back on the tracks. >> all right, ben, do you see it that way that this is getting back on track? >> that was an art in brilliant oratory, stephen. but i mean, this man, he has a chancellor of the exchequer who claims as a £22 billion black hole when challenged to evidence it that she refuses to release the paper over and over again, she said no, she there was a freedom of information request put in by the financial times and the treasury declined to send in their their detail. treasury declined to send in their their detail . they're now their their detail. they're now prevaricating over vat on schools because they haven't done an impact assessment and they're being told, actually, this is going to damage the state school sector . it's going state school sector. it's going to force teachers out of work. they're not going to come back into it. the winter fuel benefit withdrawal was a complete disaster. they talked about the

border command security thing, which was going to cut back illegal migration. it's had zero effect. i read this morning the new policy on illegal migration is £75 million to tackle outboard motors. i mean , you outboard motors. i mean, you know, get real. this government doesn't have a vision, stephen. and what we've seen and what we hadnt and what we've seen and what we hadn't seen before the election and i don't think they would have got the 9.7 million votes if we had seen it. but what we see now is a government that doesn't have joined up thinking it hasn't got a coherent plan. it's all over the place. >> they've just appointed morgan mcsweeney and his wife is a former animal rights activist, imogen walker, who's now an mp. imogen walker, who's now an mp. i mean, goodness gracious me, ben, i you know, i don't have much more faith that anything's going to get things can only get better. >> oh, you weren't around in 97. >> oh, you weren't around in 97. >> i wasn't i mean, i was born, but i wasn't around the only protection starmer's got is a 175 seat majority in all other respects, he is going to now have a pretty big defence. >> it's a huge defence. but he's

going to have the media against him. he's got the people of this country increasingly against him. he is going to take a thumping after a thumping. >> okay, it's not exactly how the media with him since day one. >> well well, well well now folks, you're with me. darren grimes on gb news and a very rowdy panel. lots more coming up with them on today's show. first of all though, we're going to get a quick look at the weather with catherine. i nearly said sue gray. >> so that's where she. no, no . >> so that's where she. no, no. >> so that's where she. no, no. >> heavy showers. first thing will be followed by a warm, cosy day . boxt will be followed by a warm, cosy day. boxt boilers will be followed by a warm, cosy day . boxt boilers sponsors of day. boxt boilers sponsors of weather on gb news. >> good afternoon and welcome to your gb news. weather update from the met office, a lot cloudier out there this afternoon but brighter tomorrow with sunshine and showers before turning colder as we end the new week. so low pressure is dominating out towards the west. we've got frontal systems bringing cloud and outbreaks of rain. so through this afternoon cloud and rain will continue to push its way north and

eastwards, coming into northern parts of england. and then later on into parts of scotland further towards the west. it will turn a bit drier, with clearer skies developing, but also some showers pushing through as well . otherwise the through as well. otherwise the towns and cities holding up generally around 10 or 11 degrees to start monday morning. but it's going to be a damp and gloomy start across much of scotland, with outbreaks of rain continuing through the morning and into the afternoon. we've also got an easterly wind, so a chilly feel here underneath the cloud and rain across northern ireland. we may see some sunshine to start the morning, especially towards the west , but especially towards the west, but we have got showery outbreaks of rain across northwestern parts of england towards the south. some bright skies to start the morning, but also some showers. so through the rest of monday morning, cloudy conditions remain across northern parts of scotland, but further towards the south. plenty of bright

skies through the morning into the afternoon, but showers will start developing. some of these could be on the heavy side with the odd rumble of thunder and perhaps merging to give some longer spells of rain. otherwise, the temperatures up around 17 or 18 degrees as the high, but feeling unpleasant in the north, underneath the rain and then our focus through monday evening turns towards the south, with heavy spells of rain pushing into wales and towards the midlands as well. but as we go through the week, wednesday holds on to sunshine and showers. but then it is going to be turning colder from the north by. >> despite the morning rain, it'll be a nice warm, cosy day . boxt heat pumps sponsors of weather

>> good afternoon. it's 2:00 on sunday the 6th of october. this is the weekend on gb news. well,

it's the big story of the day. the breaking news this afternoon that sue gray has stepped down from the prime minister's top team and has been appointed as the prime minister's envoy for nafions the prime minister's envoy for nations and regions. the former chief of staff said she's standing down as her role had become a distraction. sir keir starmer thanked her for her work in a statement, and she's replaced by morgan mcsweeney , replaced by morgan mcsweeney, the prime minister's chief adviser , and stephen pound and adviser, and stephen pound and ben habib will have the very latest on him. and we'll bring you all the very latest top political guests . i'm darren political guests. i'm darren grimes and this, my friends, is the weekend .

the weekend. now, this show is nothing without you and your views. let me know your thoughts on all the stories we'll be discussing today by visiting gbnews.com/yoursay and join the conversation. and he just said grey is starmer's fall guy. what say you ? well, keeping me say you? well, keeping me company on today's show is the former labour party mp stephen pound and the former co—deputy leader of reform uk, ben habib. but my friends, before we get stuck into today's stories, here's the news with sam francis . here's the news with sam francis. >> darren, thank you very much . >> darren, thank you very much. good afternoon to you. it's just after 2:00. let's start with a roundup then of the key points from that breaking news this hour that sir keir starmer is, while facing fresh turmoil as his chief of staff, sue gray, has resigned, saying she feared becoming a distraction to the government. her exit this hour follows reports of tensions in number 10, including with the

prime minister's chief adviser, morgan mcsweeney, who is now stepping into her role. conservative leadership contender robert jenrick says her departure exposes what he's called vicious labour infighting and claims the government is in freefall. in response, downing street has announced five new senior appointments. sir keir starmer insists those changes will strengthen his team as he approaches 100 days in office. well, meanwhile, sir keir starmer has also been raising concern that the sparks of war in the middle east are igniting tensions here at home, with a sharp rise in hate crimes against jews and muslims. writing in the sunday times, he's also raised fears of a direct conflict between iran and israel, which he says could have catastrophic global consequences . catastrophic global consequences. and that warning from the prime minister comes as israel is expanding its airstrikes in lebanon, while the conflict with hezbollah intensifies. massive and consecutive strikes hit

beirut's southern suburbs overnight, and here are some of the pictures into us from that emerging situation in beirut. it comes as israel claims its forces have killed 440 hezbollah fighters in its ground operations in the south, and destroyed 2000 hezbollah targets. meanwhile, we've also heard today that gaza several deaths there have been reported after a strike on a mosque . and after a strike on a mosque. and in the last hour or so, we've also heard the breaking news that israel has issued new evacuation alerts for southern parts of lebanon. let's take you live now to pictures over the skyline of beirut. as smoke continues to hang in the air after recent attacks. you can see there the sun slowly setting in the night sky. the israeli military issued new evacuation alerts today for residents, they say, in around 25 areas in the south of lebanon, they're calling on them to head immediately. they say to the

north of the awali river. so that latest news just into us on the ongoing situation in lebanon . the ongoing situation in lebanon. and we'll stay in the middle east. it is indeed an afternoon of breaking news and israeli airstrikes have reportedly targeted three cars around 200km north of lebanon. that's in syria, in the city of homs, according to the state news agency israeli airstrikes. they're reportedly attacking three cars. they were carrying. we understand medical and relief materials in the city of syria's homs that just into us. we understand that there is also some damage reported. any more details on that we will bring to you when we get it ? well, we're you when we get it? well, we're going to stay with breaking news. and i'm just hearing as well at this time that a terror attack is unfolding at a bus station in beer—sheva in israel. it's left reportedly one woman

dead, eight others injured. that attack comes , of course, on the attack comes, of course, on the eve of the october 7th attack last year , various anniversary last year, various anniversary memorials taking place over the course of this weekend. we understand the terrorist was shot dead . israeli police say shot dead. israeli police say they're now searching for any possible accomplices after reports of both stabbing and gunfire. we will try and confirm any more details for you and bnng any more details for you and bring that to you. but indeed a lot taking place across the region of the middle east this afternoon. back here, a record breaking 973 migrants crossed the english channel in a single day yesterday, according to official figures. they arrived in 17 small boats passing the previous record set in june of 882. saturday's surge also came as four migrants, including a young child , died making that young child, died making that journey. the total number of arrivals this year has now reached 26,612, and it follows a deal between the home secretary

and other g7 ministers to tackle criminal smuggling gangs. and other g7 ministers to tackle criminal smuggling gangs . and criminal smuggling gangs. and turning to the conflict in russia , russia has launched more russia, russia has launched more than 80 drones and three missiles at ukraine overnight in a significant attack, according to the ukraine air force. it comes as president zelenskyy is preparing to unveil his victory plan during a meeting with allies in germany later this month that plan is expected to detail steps toward ending the war with russia. well, as ukraine now nears a thousand days of conflict with russia, bofis days of conflict with russia, boris johnson says the russian president is bad but not mad. and in a candid interview with camilla tominey, the former prime minister shed light on his interactions with vladimir putin, proving that there is a glimpse into their complex relationship. take a listen . take a listen. >> he means no good for this country. he regards the united kingdom as their among their most important strategic foes,

probably their most important strategic foes, which is a pity. but he's chosen that path and we're now in a very, very unhappy position. and . and you unhappy position. and. and you know what he is doing in ukraine is criminal. and it is also a mistake. it's a mistake for russia. it's a mistake for putin. >> and full highlights of that interview with camilla tominey and boris johnson tonight here on gb news. 6:00. finally, donald trump has returned to butler, pennsylvania, the site of the attempted assassination back in july. and he gave a promise that the us would reach mars if he's re—elected. addressing a crowd of thousands behind bullet—proof glass, the former president began his speech in a light hearted manner. >> as i was saying . >> as i was saying. >> as i was saying. >> he also pledged to halve energy prices, to cut taxes and to stop men in women's sports .

to stop men in women's sports. then, at 6:11, a bell tolled to mark the moment of that july shooting, and the crowd were heard chanting cory in honour of a firefighter who killed was killed protecting his family. elon musk , though, then made a elon musk, though, then made a surprise appearance, joining donald trump on stage, and he called the republican campaign a must win to protect democracy. but not before he took aim at president biden . president biden. >> we had one president who couldn't climb a flight of stairs and another who was fist pumping after getting shot . pumping after getting shot. fight, fight, fight. blood coming down the face. >> that's the latest from the newsroom. for now, do keep across the gb news website or social media to make sense of just what's taking place in the middle east this afternoon. now, though, we'll head back to darren 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 . gbnews.com forward slash alerts. >> thank you as ever, sam. right, we're going to get stuck in to today's topics. sue gray has stepped down from the prime minister's top team and has been appointed as the prime minister's envoy for nations and regions. in a statement, she said it had become clear in recent weeks that intense commentary around my position risked becoming a distraction to the government's vital work of change. well, joining me now is gb news political correspondent katherine forster . catherine, katherine forster. catherine, one of our viewers, caroline, has said , darren, what on earth has said, darren, what on earth is the envoy for nations and regions? i can't remember who held this position before as i understand it. catherine no one has. much more junior role, isn't it, than

the chief of that she has now vacated. i think, to be honest, this is about face saving because the situation in number 10 has become, frankly , 10 has become, frankly, untenable. we've seen in the last three months that sir keir starmer, with this huge majority that he's got, there's been a number of unforced errors. there's the ongoing scandal around donations , freebies, lord around donations, freebies, lord alli and more coming at a time of cutting winter fuel payments for pensioners. and there's a sort of dysfunction that's been going on at the heart of the number 10 operation, a bit of a turf war between several key players. sue gray being one of them now. sir keir starmer raised a lot of people's eyebrows when he appointed her as chief of staff because she was a long time veteran of whitehall. she had, of course, led the partygate investigation into gatherings during lockdown under boris johnson's leadership,

and he thought that she was the right appointment. herjob was right appointment. her job was to get labour ready for government. she understands how government. she understands how government works. she's been in whitehall for a very, very long time, but it hasn't worked out well at all because we've had all these unforced errors. there's been briefings and counter briefings. simon case, the cabinet secretary, and sue gray, there's no love lost between them. he is also leaving shortly. but the big winner is morgan mcsweeney. now he is stepping up to take sue grey's role as chief of staff . and he role as chief of staff. and he basically a very quietly spoken, unassuming northern irish man. but the mastermind between labour's victory, a victory that they got 412 seats on only 34% of the vote. that's only 2% more than they had back in 2019, when

jeremy corbyn led them to their worst result since 1935. so the hopeis worst result since 1935. so the hope is now that with sue gray moving on, with simon case moving on, with simon case moving on, with simon case moving on with morgan mcsweeney now in charge behind the scenes, that they can get a grip of things going forward because they have got nearly five years. of course , till the next of course, till the next election, but they haven't had a good start . and the poll ratings good start. and the poll ratings for the prime minister are absolutely collapsing. and they've lost a number of council seats recently, so they do need to get on top of this. and of course, it all begins with what's happening at the centre in that building. number 10 downing street. >> well, indeed, indeed . >> well, indeed, indeed. katherine forster, thank you very much for that update. we'll come back to catherine later on. now, the former conservative mp miriam cates joins me now. i'm delighted to say we'll come to her in just oh, she is there.

miriam . there she is. like miriam. there she is. like magic. she appears now . miriam, magic. she appears now. miriam, what do you make of all of this? a lot of our viewers are saying, hang on a minute. i've never heard of this role, this envoy for regions and nations. and is she getting the same enormous pay she getting the same enormous pay packet that starmer gifted her? >> i've never heard of it ehhen >> i've never heard of it either. and i don't know about the pay. i think one thing we need to wait to find out is whether she can do that role. i'm sure your viewers will have heard that there's a committee that government ministers and senior government officials have to be verified by before they can do a new role to check that there isn't a conflict of interest with their previous high profile role. i mean, i assume that that's already been thought about, she can go on to do this role, but obviously until we know what it is we can't know. but i think really what this is about is a power struggle at the heart of 10 downing street. it's very similar to the row over dominic cummings. you've got a prime minister who's worried that his staff are becoming a

distraction. you've clearly got disagreements within the team and obviously they've made the decision that despite her enormous experience and the fact that she was brought on board to help labour prepare for government, they've been out of power for a very long time. that clearly it's not worth it anymore because she has become the distraction. so that seems to be the story. but of course, what it calls into question is the power of unelected people around the prime minister. and i think this really goes back to tony blair's time in parliament. before then, i don't think anybody really knew who the officials in downing street were, who were running a prime minister's diary, who were doing their press. that wasn't kind of part of the package of our politics. now, it very much is. and i think speaking as a former mp, it can be quite frustrating sometimes when you are the elected one, you're the one who's been put into the house of commons by constituents and yet actually the feeling that the country is being run, the decisions are being made by people who are completely unelected, unaccountable and often unknown to mps . often unknown to mps. >> yeah. i mean, miriam, what do you think this means for the upcoming local elections? i mean, are you happier than a pig

in muck ? in muck? >> well, i personally am taking a break from party politics at the moment, but speaking as i mean, i can never be an impartial observer, but speaking as an observer, it is extraordinary how quickly labour have fallen in the polls. and of course they've got this enormous majority , but they know majority, but they know everybody knows that. that's really because people voted in any way they could to get the conservatives out. and they've won a huge number of seats without an awful lot of votes. and so they didn't have a great deal of goodwill to start with. and very clearly that is dropping dramatically. so if things carry on as as they do, then there's a good chance that then there's a good chance that the conservatives will win back a lot of seats next may. but also i think that reform will do extraordinarily well . but one extraordinarily well. but one thing i was thinking this morning, though, is that people complained over the last 14 years that there was no difference between conservatives and labour, and i think that was and labour, and i think that was a very, very fair criticism. but actually what's happening now is that labour are showing their socialist colours . obviously socialist colours. obviously this is a political row, but in

the other policies that they're bringing forward, the loss of the chagos island, the vat on private schools, all these other things, actually, now there is a very clear difference between labour and conservatives. so maybe in the long term that's good for our politics. >> yeah, i mean it's a national reminder isn't it, of what you get really. but i wonder then on the point of, you know, stephen poundis the point of, you know, stephen pound is next to me right now , pound is next to me right now, and he's been spinning like a sort of hot plate on goodness only knows what. but stephen pound says , look, this shows pound says, look, this shows that sir keir starmer is strong. he's willing to take the tough decisions and get rid of those who may be distractions to his government of change. what say you may well be true and certainly boris johnson tried the same thing with getting rid of dominic cummings. >> you tried to remove the person that's become the centre. the distraction . but really what the distraction. but really what happens next is not predictable for boris, certainly it was the beginning of the end. sadly. well, sadly, from my perspective and it may well be for keir starmer , because of course he

starmer, because of course he has made this decision now and officially it's she that has resigned rather than him sacking her. but you know, we don't know what. >> come on miriam, we're not that foolish are we. we don't know. >> but but the question mark is, are the, you know, are the fractures too great already in terms of the team in number 10. and that comes back to my earlier point of why now do we have this system where so many unelected people have so much power? it's not the case that, of course, the prime minister has to have people who are managing his diary , managing his managing his diary, managing his communications. of course, that is true . but when it's run like is true. but when it's run like a presidential office, this is very much like the united states run. you have a president, they appoint their team, they make the decision. that's not how our parliamentary system is designed to work. the prime minister operates with the consent of their mps, and only with the consent of their mps. and this is where the last government went wrong. and it looks like this is where this government is going to go wrong as well. so i think we need to get back to the power base. being in parliament where the accountability is,

because that's the people that people have elected rather than the power base being this kind of unelected underground network of unelected underground network of people who most ordinary people don't know who they are. >> yes , indeed. well, gary, on >> yes, indeed. well, gary, on gb views miriam is suggesting that the daily mirror buy themselves a new lettuce because they're not overwhelmingly confident that sir keir starmer will cling on. but we shall see. what about potatoes? yes, yes yes, yes. all right. miriam cates former conservative mp. thank you as ever for your time . thank you as ever for your time. now, my friends, you're with me. darren grimes on gb news. we've got lots more coming up in the show. we're going to bring in the panel. i will let my hot plate stephen pound bnngin bring in his views. you're with us. gb news where

a very warm welcome back to the weekend with me, darren grimes. now sue gray has stepped down

from the prime minister's top team and has been appointed as the prime minister's envoy for the prime minister's envoy for the nations and regions. in a statement, she said it had become clear in recent weeks that intense commentary around my position risked becoming a distraction to the government's vital work of change. now on that point, john has written in and john says, i think the position of envoy to the regions and countries was probably last used in roman britain. watch out for sue gray moving into an office on hadrian's wall. well, that's very good, john. we'll see what my panel make of this. we've got the former labour party mp spinner stephen pound. he spins on the dance floor. believe me, i saw him do that actually. and ben habib, the former co—deputy leader of reform uk. i have no idea. if you're a mover on the dance floor. >> i try and avoid it. well, how. >> now. >> well, sue gray is going to have plenty of time to move on the dance floor, so i don't know

if she is really, because, look, i mean, i've been trying to think i've been wracking what's left of my brains for what the special envoy is, and presumably she's going to link up with all the various metro mayors, the regional mayors, the west of england mayors. so what you're saying is she'll hire new staff. so there'll be bigger budgets. >> they'll have to be offices. >> they'll have to be offices. >> so it's going to make the whole thing more expensive. >> the prime minister is ahead of us here. he's already set up something called the council of nafions something called the council of nations and regions, which includes the first ministers, the mayors. so we have that anyway, she oversees that. so she is going to be the envoy of the council. but as you rightly point out, or was it you , point out, or was it you, darren? it's going to be just another crashing waste of money. >> well that's that's my point. who how does it work if your democratically elected mayor, who is supposed to be there to represent you and have power devolved to them from central government now , has now has a government now, has now has a starmers woman in one of those jobs directing them and she's also a soft irish nationalist. >> let me just oh dear. and she's been appointed to this sensitive role. she you know

she'll be before we know it. she'll be championing a plebiscite in northern ireland for the unification. >> that's, i think, ireland, even for you, ben. that's pushing it. >> even for me. yeah. even for me . me. >> look, let's be honest. we do have the council of the regions, which exists already, and we also have a committee in parliament which actually brings together this. and in some people think that the council for the regions was actually the first step towards changing the house of lords, going from an elected house of lords to a regional based house of lords. there's a lot of talk about that already, but whether this role is a coordination role, whether it's a part or whether it's part of the whole levelling up process, which was started, let's be fair, by boris johnson . let's be fair, by boris johnson. we don't know at the moment. >> but again, darren makes a good point. well, he usually does. but the council the council constitutes elected individuals. whether or not you agree with no, no, no you've got appointed to it. >> i'm sorry. >> i'm sorry. >> and she. well yes but they're all elected. she has no electoral mandate. >> there are people on the council. >> she is the envoy . >> she is the envoy. >> she is the envoy. >> but steven do it on ben's point. do we have a problem with

unelected people in this country? >> because miriam made the point . >> because miriam made the point. very well. she made miriam made the point very well. >> yeah, well, i can still remember very, very well back in the alastair campbell days when he referred back to bernard ingram when he was working with mrs. thatcher. bernard ingram used to ring up tory mps and say, i think what you mean to say, i think what you mean to say when you're on tonight, tonight is and we used to get this thing from alistair. we used to have pages in those days. now pages obviously are in the news now. >> but they were little things that i hope you didn't keep it down near your trouser belt. yes. that could be quite dangerous. it used to be your gulags in the submarines. >> we used to actually have a radio, a radiation detector down there. and i used to say, why do we want it on our belts? he said, well, what part of your body do you want damage the most anyway? but the point being, we said the thing says lie—ins, to take yes. and the person who sent those out from alastair campbell's office was not elected. there's nothing new about that. but no, no, the fact that it's not new, i think we should move on from that. >> yeah, that's not the point. >> yeah, that's not the point. >> i think it's overseeing democratically elected mayors that we were told were devolving power to them. >> but we'll move on from that point because graham power on a

lead though. yeah . well well lead though. yeah. well well that's what it's going to be with sue gray holding the lead. but anyway grumpy granddad says i wonder what sue gray gets paid as the prime minister's envoy, you ask that first. well, i did , you ask that first. well, i did, i bet it's nowhere near what she gets now. it's not exactly an important job, which you disagree with, stephen. it seems to have been invented on the spur of the moment. probably to stop her talking about what's happened and, you know, resigning and giving an excuse to the daily mirror or the, i don't know, some republican. >> i bet her salary is exactly the same . can you countenance the same. can you countenance can you think of a reason why she would take a reduction in salary? >> so where's the budget? which budget is it going to come from? well, exactly. >> well, we've got a £22 billion black hole and here we are. got someone. oh, well hang on prancing around. >> they've just spent £22 billion on carbon capture and carbon capture, which doesn't work. >> you know, they haven't spent it yet. we're going to we're going to follow on the policy of the previous government to go for carbon capture and storage. >> well, between sue gray and carbon capture and storage, you're going like mad on the country's credit card .

country's credit card. >> i mean, it is extraordinary, isn't it ? just digressing from isn't it? just digressing from sue gray for a moment. for a moment that rachel reeves entire narrative for the last three months has been that we're skint, we've got a black hole that we inherited, in fact, actually created by the labour party because of the choices they've made since they took office. and yet they're still putting their metal, the foot to the floor, you know, metal to the floor, you know, metal to the pedal, pedal, pedal to the metal , pedal the pedal, pedal, pedal to the metal, pedal to the metal. yeah. on spending . on spending. >> i even read in the paper this morning someone suggesting capital controls to stop the rich leaving the country. >> absolutely. so what are we going to see here? we're going to see interest rates going up. we're going to see pound weakening. we're going to see people buying strike capital are buying strike on gilts. this is all under a labour. you know this is labour though ben. we've seen it before with labour. >> and you remember this stephen. >> and you remember this stephen. >> yeah. well i was there mate. >> yeah. well i was there mate. >> you're a whippersnapper. >> you're a whippersnapper. >> you're a whippersnapper. >> you were there. >> you were there. >> yeah. but come on in 78 we had a marginal rate of income tax, which was do you remember

how much it 92%. yeah. and you know, i mean i think a few people said that they wanted to leave the country and set up a little independent island where they pay for everything, but people didn't. we're not going to go and come back to the old days of the 1960s, but we did have a brain drain doom spiral that doom spiral as well, though, where you start to, you know, one person goes and you do that to try and stop the rot, right? >> and it wasn't effective for bofis >> and it wasn't effective for boris johnson. some are arguing it won't be effective for sir keir starmer. it's very early days for people to be speaking in such strident terms about the failure of this government. >> yeah , well look, it's been >> yeah, well look, it's been a pretty short honeymoon and i think i think somebody showed him to his hotel in liverpool and said, this is the honeymoon is over. sweet. i mean, it's not been much fun, but, you know, for heaven's sake, it's like 49, 50 days in, you know , and we 50 days in, you know, and we still haven't actually completely got our feet under the table. >> can i just add something? if we've got if we've got a moment? catherine rightly said that they got katherine forster said that they'd got 2% more in this election than they did in 2019.

actually in number of votes. they've got 600,000 fewer votes in this election than last time. and that's because there's a voting strike by the british electorate, because they're sick and tired of voting for things , and tired of voting for things, and tired of voting for things, and they're not having it. >> but the important thing the dial has not shifted. if you look at all the polls today, labour are still ahead of the tories. now, the martin martin by—election in blackpool was a 23.9% swing to reform. that's a by—election with a couple of hundred people voting. labour have been losing seats to the greens to and the snp, but nationally the dial hasn't shifted. labour are still well ahead of the tories on the national vote. >> all right, well, we shall see. >> i'll give you well, ben, a very, very, very briefly i wanted to ask you that we're talking there about labour still doing well in the polls. the reform vote. do you still think that's going to split the tory vote? what do you think's going to actually. >> well, i think what the local elections, for example, do you expect reform to do. well, i tell you what's extraordinary about reform, i've done branch meetings. you know, they're

setting up branches at the moment and i've done a number of branch meetings. people are turning up in hundreds now. that's immediately after an election. normally there's a bit of quiet, people get a bit of sun was there? i heard. yeah, probably. but you know, he's regretted it ever since. the country, the country is out of my will. the country is not in a post—election malaise . let's post—election malaise. let's wait five years. the country is still energised for politics and the labour party better watch out because it's not. >> ben, did you listen to listen to jenrick's robert jenrick speech? the labour party, that was nigel farage light if ever i heard him. >> well, a tribute act , a >> well, a tribute act, a tribute act, a poundshop nigel farage. i said the other day , farage. i said the other day, pound, now you're with me. darren grimes on gb news. plenty more coming up on today's show. first of all, we're going to get you news with sam . you news with sam. >> very good afternoon to you. it is exactly 2:30. the top story. and we will start with a roundup of the news that sir keir starmer is facing fresh

turmoil as his chief of staff sue grey, has, as you've just been hearing, resigned over fears that she said she was becoming a distraction to the government . her exit follows government. her exit follows reports of tensions inside number 10, including with the prime minister's chief adviser, morgan mcsweeney, who will now be stepping into sue grey's previous role. conservative leadership contender robert jenrick says her departure exposes what he's called vicious labour infighting and claims the government is in freefall. in response, though , downing street response, though, downing street has announced five new senior appointments, sir keir starmer insists those changes will strengthen his team as he fast approaches 100 days in office. a recap of that breaking news we brought you from israel in the last half hour or so about that terror attack, believed to have taken place at a bus station in beersheba. it has reportedly left one woman dead, eight others injured. the attack, of course, comes on the eve of the october the 7th attacks, the

anniversary today or tomorrow. the terrorist was reportedly shot dead with israeli police now searching for accomplices. they say after reports of both a stabbing and gunfire being heard. video from that scene sadly shows a body lying on the floor inside the station . floor inside the station. emergency teams treated the injured and rushed them to hospital, though they are believed to be in a stable condition . israel has issued new condition. israel has issued new evacuation alerts for parts of southern lebanon. we can take you live now to pictures above the skyline of beirut as smoke continues to hang in the air above the skyline of beirut following recent strikes, the evacuation order issued by the idf alert today is for residents in around 25 areas in south lebanon, calling them to head immediately north above the river awali . meanwhile, here in

river awali. meanwhile, here in the uk, faith leaders are calling for unity after what they have described as a horrific year of suffering in the middle east. more than 2600 protesters have taken place across the uk, with 550 arrests and policing costs of over £46 million. anti—semitism and anti—muslim hate have reached record highs , with thousands of record highs, with thousands of incidents recorded this year. in a joint letter, those faith leaders have rejected hatred and they're calling for communities to stand together . to stand together. cross—community events are planned today, including vigils in oxford and in hyde park in london. we're hoping to bring you live pictures from that memorial later this hour. as the country marks a year since the war began , a record breaking 973 war began, a record breaking 973 migrants crossed the english channel yesterday, to according official figures from the home office. they arrived in 17 small boats, surpassing the previous

record set in june of 882 migrants. saturday's surge also came as four migrants, including a young child, sadly died making that journey. the total number of arrivals this year has now reached 26,612. it follows a new deal between the home secretary, yvette cooper, and other g7 ministers to tackle the criminal smuggling gangs. russia has launched more than 80 drones and three missiles at ukraine in a significant overnight attack. it comes as president zelenskyy is preparing to unveil a victory plan during a crucial allies meeting in germany later this month . the plan is expected to month. the plan is expected to detail steps towards ending that war with russia, and while specifics remain under wraps at this stage, the us is suggesting it could include revised requests for increased military support . well, as ukraine is support. well, as ukraine is neanng support. well, as ukraine is nearing a thousand days of that conflict with russia, boris johnson, former prime minister, has said the russian president,

vladimir putin, is bad, not mad. in a candid interview with camilla tominey earlier today, the former prime minister shed light on his interactions with the russian president, providing a glimpse into their complex relationship. >> he means no good for this country . he regards the united country. he regards the united kingdom as there among their most important strategic foes , most important strategic foes, probably their most important strategic foes, which is a pity . strategic foes, which is a pity. but he's chosen that path, and we're now in a very, very unhappy position. and, you know , unhappy position. and, you know, what he is doing in ukraine is criminal. and it is also a mistake. it's a mistake for russia. it's a mistake for putin. >> and to catch the highlights from that interview, you can tune in to gb news at 6:00 for a full recap. that's it from me for today. lewis mckenzie will be here at 3:00 with a full round up. now though, it's back to darren for the very latest gb

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>> welcome back to the weekend with me, darren grimes. now, as you're probably aware in this breaking news, sue gray has stepped down from the prime minister's top team already and has been appointed as the prime minister's envoy for nations and regions instead by julius caesan regions instead by julius caesar, i'm informed now in a statement , she said it caesar, i'm informed now in a statement, she said it had become clear in recent weeks that intense commentary around my position risked becoming a distraction to the government's vital work of change. well, i'm joined now by the reform mp richard tice . richard. hello. richard tice. richard. hello. good to be with you, my friend. now , richard, can i start by now, richard, can i start by

asking you, henry newman, who was a former government adviser, he has said how sue grey's role gone through the advisory committee on business appointments, because she's actually covered by business appointment rules for the next two years after leaving office, and she'll be invoicing on the very area she was actually working on in government as a permanent secretary, so there could be really a rule break potentially here. >> let's focus on the overall issue here, darren. >> good afternoon. >> good afternoon. >> which is that i launched a word back in january of this year called starmageddon, a new word in the oxford dictionary. >> little did we realise that it would be starmageddon on absolute steroids. >> and shortly after that they appointed to grey. supposedly the grown up in the room, supposedly the most experienced, wisest civil servant to be his chief of staff to prepare for office and government in a stable, successful transition. and what we've actually got is

utter chaos that looks to chaotic tory government look like a model of stability. i mean , just look at it. we've got mean, just look at it. we've got cronyism from top to bottom, across government, from suits to glasses, including actually the cronyism of her own son, newly elected to parliament, being given a parliamentary post and position . absolutely position. absolutely extraordinary. we've got the chaos around some of their key policies rowing back on the non—dom issue, rowing back, we hear today, darren, on the chaotic scenes around vat on school fees. we've got chaos in the boats yesterday, a record that boat number of crossings yesterday was a record since november 22nd. so all of this supposed grown up preparation for government by this individual actually has led to total and utter chaos, not to

mention the chaos of chagos and the whole point of the chief of staff is to organise everything so that it's smooth and organised. the prime minister can rise above the challenges and the difficulties and everything be sweetness and light . and actually what we've light. and actually what we've got is exactly the opposite. >> so what will reform be focusing on then, in regard to all of this? once parliament is back in session? >> well, parliament is back in session tomorrow after recess, which frankly has gone on way too long and we've got a very big day. we're putting in an urgent question with regard to chagos. we've got a press conference on law and order tomorrow morning, which is very important, and you must not miss. so yeah, it's a very busy day indeed. and that's just going to set the trend of frankly , what we've said before, frankly, what we've said before, which is we're the real opposition. the tories are scrapping over who's going to be the irrelevant next leader of their party. and they seem to miss many of these important

issues whilst they've been sort of staring at their own navel and, and it's us that frankly is leading the way, leading the agenda, leading the challenge and the opposition to this chaotic starmageddon nightmare that the country is, is living in. >> all right. >> all right. >> we'll see what you get up to next week. thank you very much. richard tice deputy leader of reform uk. i'm joined now by nigel nelson, gb news senior political commentator. nigel, can i ask you your opinion? you've been around the block. if i can be so impertinent. now, the question that former tory advisers are raising is could this be a breach of the actually having gone through whether or not it has actually gone through the advisory committee on business appointments, because sue grey's role in government as permanent secretary was actually overseeing the very oversight of areas that she was looking at.

she will be looking at now. >> well, it'll certainly be up to business to appointments decide whether there is any breach. i suspect there won't be simply because she got the job in number 10 and they cleared that. so i'd imagine that the new job as envoy for the nations and regions, and of course, we don't quite know how that job will pan out, will probably pass the test. but as i say, it's up for business appointments to actually decide whether there is any kind of conflict of interest. >> yeah. i mean, the whole thing, all the comments, nigel, are saying , thing, all the comments, nigel, are saying, oh, thing, all the comments, nigel, are saying , oh, look, this thing, all the comments, nigel, are saying, oh, look, this has been dodgy from day dot and actually they're very they're flabbergasted that actually this happened to begin with. do you think it was a mistake appointing sue gray in the role to begin with? >> well, in the event that she's gone so quickly, yes, it would appear to be. i mean, i think that sue gray was a really effective civil servant, and she seemed to be tailor made for the

role she was given. but then events really conspired against her. so the problem over her 170 zero zero £0 salary, which was 4000 more than the prime minister, that pitched her into the public eye, which is one place she never wants to be. and of course, we've had all the problems over freebies . which problems over freebies. which one would have thought that she would be responsible for dealing with and advising the prime minister? it's not a very good idea to take them. so for someone from the from the back room, she was then thrown into the forefront and i can understand why she feels really uncomfortable with that position and wants to wants to get back into the background again. >> yeah. >> yeah. >> i mean, just briefly, nigel, how how do you think actually this will be the saving grace for the prime minister? do you think this will turn around and heal think this will turn around and heal, you know, no longer be going down in the polls? titanic esque ?

esque? >>i esque? >> i think that there are several good appointments that go along with this. james lyons is the strategic communications director. i know james, he's very good. he was formerly at nhs england. i think he'll do a good job there. jill cuthbertson is the other one. who is keir starmer's private secretary, promoted now to deputy chief of staff . i've known her since she staff. i've known her since she did the same role for, for gordon brown and ed miliband. she's very experienced and should be very good. >> all right . should be very good. >> all right. nigel nelson, thank you very much. as ever. my friend, and thank you to my panel friend, and thank you to my panel. we are going to bring them back in after this very short break. my friends are with me. darren grimes on gb news. we've got lots more coming up with analysis of course, on that breaking story on the prime minister's chief of staff quitting, ben habib . there's quitting, ben habib. there's champing at the bit to comment on what we've just heard. you're with gb news, where news

a very warm welcome back to the weekend with me, darren grimes . weekend with me, darren grimes. now that breaking news, sue gray has stepped down from the prime minister's top team and has been appointed as the prime minister's envoy for nations and regions instead. in a statement, she said it had become clear in recent weeks that intense commentary around my position risked becoming a distraction to the government's vital work of change. well, change it has. and sue gray is offski. let's see what my panel make of what they've heard in the last half hour or so. now , ben habib on hour or so. now, ben habib on that point that of what you've just heard there, would you argue that actually richard has argue that actually richard has a point in saying, look , this a point in saying, look, this has been a total disaster, but then also nigel nelson said this could turn it all around. >> i just can't see how this can

turn it around. >> sue gray is not to be clear that starmer not richard tice. yeah. >> no, i mean , i can't see how >> no, i mean, i can't see how starmer could turn things around. sue gray is not an isolated incident in labour's otherwise uncheckered 90 days in office. she is part of a panoply office. she is part of a panoply of own goals, policy decisions, announcements , u—turns, damage announcements, u—turns, damage to the economy , all sorts of to the economy, all sorts of things that everyone can now see in stark clarity. and so i just don't see this being turned around. i see this much more along the lines of miriam cates interpretation of unelected figures, unelected figures, and dominic cummings sacking wasn't the end of boris johnson's woes. all it does is the organism that is the labour government is out of . it's lost its balance. yeah . of. it's lost its balance. yeah. and it's on its back foot and this is going to continue. >> i am really struck by this advisory committee on business

appointments decision and what. >> yeah. what's happened there. because, you know, i think actually stephen and you're probably tell me you disagree with this, but i'm worried that don't assume well i think actually if this if this were the tories , if this had been the tories, if this had been bofis the tories, if this had been boris johnson, people would be saying, hang on a minute. >> yeah, well hang on. if she'd been appointed to, to sort of run some business then fair enough. i think maybe this is not a business. but here's an interesting thing about sue gray. i mean, she comes from a pretty difficult background. her mother worked behind the bar, her father died. she didn't go to university. so, you know, that's how she joined the civil service. got to do with. well, hang on a second. i was just about to say. then she enters the civil service. she then decides to pack it in and run a pub in newry, the cove in makes a great success out of that i. how about this? she might actually make a success out of this envoy to the regions and the nations, and it could be in about a year's time. we're thinking, why on earth didn't we have somebody doing that before? sue? sue gray has actually triumphed in the face of adversity, because many times in the past, whenever anyone says

more government is the solution. >> stephen, nine times out. >> stephen, nine times out. >> i think that was ronald reagan, wasn't it? well, it's either you or ronald reagan from the government. >> i'm here to help. and that's the most frightening words . the most frightening words. yeah, yeah, but that's true. they're just creating new layers ofjobs they're just creating new layers of jobs for the boys. i know sue gray is not a boy, but you know the expression jobs for the boys? >> absolutely. well, we talked about the council of nations and regions created last month by new advisers. they'll have new advisers . they'll have to meet advisers. they'll have to meet somewhere. there will be, you know , no doubt, lots of will she know, no doubt, lots of will she still be getting her salary and then she'll be trotting around then she'll be trotting around the country, giving her two pennies worth to the elected representatives of the people. >> more than two pennies. >> more than two pennies. >> more than two pennies and 170 grand. i don't think you know the whole while we're on it, the whole nations and regions thing, i think, is damaging to the fabnc i think, is damaging to the fabric of the united kingdom in itself. it's hugely costly. >> devolution in general . >> devolution in general. >> devolution in general. >> devolution in general. >> devolution in general has been a disaster. tony blair was he did a lot of things that were wrong. devolution was one of them. >> right. we'll have to. we'll

leave that one there. but stephen pound, the former labour party mp, and ben habib, the former deputy leader of reform uk. >> it's quite a mouthful, isn't it? yes . it? yes. >> the only thing breaking is the labour party. i was about to say. but but actually i think darren grimes is fit for breaking as well. thank you very much to my panel. now you've been with me, my friends darren grimes on gb news. don't go anywhere though. in a moment it's fiery debate with nana akua. everyone needs a nana cheers for your company. first of all, we're going to get a look at the weather with catherine the nana state nana. who ? who? >> a chilly start will give way to a lovely warm afternoon. boxt heat pumps sponsors of weather on gb news. >> good afternoon and welcome to your gb news. weather update from the met office. a lot cloudier out there this afternoon but brighter tomorrow with sunshine and showers before turning colder as we end the new

week. so low pressure is dominating out towards the west. we've got frontal systems bringing cloud and outbreaks of rain , so through this afternoon rain, so through this afternoon cloud and rain will continue to push its way north and eastwards, coming into northern parts of england and then later on into parts of scotland . on into parts of scotland. further towards the west. it will turn a bit drier with clearer skies developing, but also some showers pushing through as well. otherwise the towns and cities holding up generally around 10 or 11 degrees to start monday morning. but it's going to be a damp and gloomy start across much of scotland, with outbreaks of rain continuing through the morning and into the afternoon. we've also got an easterly wind, so a chilly feel here underneath the cloud and rain across northern ireland. we may see some sunshine to start the morning, especially towards the west , but especially towards the west, but we have got showery outbreaks of rain across north western parts of england towards the south, some bright skies to start the

morning, but also some showers, so through the rest of monday morning cloudy conditions remain across northern parts of scotland, but further towards the south plenty of bright skies through the morning into the afternoon. but showers will start developing. some of these could be on the heavy side, with the odd rumble of thunder and perhaps merging to give some longer spells of rain. otherwise, temperatures up around 17 or 18 degrees as the high but feeling unpleasant in the north underneath the rain. and then our focus through monday evening turns towards the south, with heavy spells of rain pushing into wales and towards the midlands as well . but as we the midlands as well. but as we go through the week, wednesday holds to on sunshine and showers. but then it is going to be turning colder from the north by judith raanan. >> we can expect clear skies leading to a light and warm day ahead. lovely boxt solar sponsoi's

well . well. >> hello, good afternoon and welcome to gb news. we are live on tv , online and on digital on tv, online and on digital radio. i'm nana akua and for the next few hours me and my panel will be taking on some of the big topics hitting the headlines. right now. this show is all about opinion . it's mine, it's about opinion. it's mine, it's theirs, and of course it's yours. we'll be debating and discussing and at times we will disagree. but no one will be cancelled. so joining me for the next few hours, broadcaster and journalist danny kelly, and also political commentator jonathan lis. oh goodness me, he's smiling already left. he's smiling. breaking news though, from earlier this afternoon. sue gray has quit her role as prime minister's chief of staff. she says that she's risking becoming a distraction. the tories say sir keir starmer's government are in chaos. are they right ? are in chaos. are they right? answer my poll. it's on x. it's

up right now . then in