in years. rights in years. >> it's 6 pm. and this is the saturday five. welcome to the saturday five. welcome to the saturday five. welcome to the saturday five. well, hey, what a week, what a week . if you missed week, what a week. if you missed seeing the northern lights across britain the other day, don't worry. the real northern light is right here on the saturday five. you're very welcome now. downing street said the public would decide if labour's first 100 days have been successful and happily answer that for them, but i'm fairly certain i'll be cancelled faster than the reviews for carol vorderman's latest leftie luvvie book on amazon. now in up in scotland, the scottish government decided to give free travel to asylum seekers, free mobile accommodation, energy and now bus passes. i say well why wouldn't you come to the united kingdom? i've packed my bag, tossed my passport into the tyne and i'm heading up to scotland for an easy life, tax free. and

yvette cooper has managed to nab herself some taylor swift tickets. it turns out, as

herself some taylor swift tickets. itheir|s out, as herself some taylor swift tickets. itheir argument about outlines their argument about a chosen topic. then we all pile in. and of course, we want your views as well. please do send your comments to gb news. dot com forward slash yoursay. and don't forget to get your questions in for ask the five. no topic is off limits, but before we get into all that, tearing each other apart, it's a saturday night news with sam francis . francis. >> darren, thank you very much and good evening to you. it's just gone 6:00. we start this hour with a recap of the breaking news we've been bringing you in the last half hour or so that the former first minister of scotland, alex salmond, regarded by many as a titan of scottish politics, has today died at the age of 69. he was giving a speech in north macedonia this morning and it's understood he died at some point

after that event. well , understood he died at some point after that event. well, salmond was first minister between two thousand and seven and 2014, leading the snp to historic victories, including a majority in the 2011 scottish parliament election . he was also election. he was also instrumental in the 2014 independence referendum, a campaign that ultimately ended in defeat and then following that defeat, salmond announced he would resign as first minister and also as snp leader. his deputy, nicola sturgeon, then succeeded him in both of those roles. his time in office, marked by significant political achievements , controversial achievements, controversial decisions and what some would regard as a relentless pursuit of scottish independence . well, of scottish independence. well, that loss is as expected, being felt across the political landscape. we've had some statements on social media. first here you can see from the scottish labour leader anas sarwar he has paid tribute to salmond, describing him as a

central figure of politics for over three decades. former prime minister rishi sunak also posting in just the last few minutes , saying alex salmond was minutes, saying alex salmond was a huge figure in politics. he says while i disagreed with him on the constitutional question, there was no denying his skill in debate or his passion for politics. may he rest in peace and i'm just reading here a statement in from the prime minister. also sir keir starmer saying that for more than 30 years alex salmond was a monumental figure of scottish and uk politics, saying he leaves behind a lasting legacy as first minister of scotland. sir keir starmer says alex salmond cared deeply about scotland's heritage, its history and culture. i offer his family the condolences they deserve today so that news just into us in the last hour or so that alex salmond, former first minister of scotland, has died today at the age of 69. turning to other

news tonight and 100 days in, sir keir starmer admits well, it hasn't been smooth sailing. in a video posted on social media, the prime minister's been reflecting on labour's landslide win in july, but acknowledged choppy days since taking office when asked if he thought his start had been successful, his spokesperson said it's up to the pubuc spokesperson said it's up to the public to decide. sir keir starmer has also used the landmark 100 days to criticise 14 years of conservative rule, calling it a period of failure despite challenges though, with party management and slipping poll numbers, he's vowed to press ahead with his agenda. >> today marks 100 days of my labour government . before that, labour government. before that, 14 years of tory failure . 14 14 years of tory failure. 14 years is a long time to cause damage. a 100 years is a long time to cause damage. a100 days isn't much time to fix it. i will level with you. the scale of the damage is huge. but i will take

the tough decisions to fix the foundations of our country, to deliver the long term change we need that change that you voted for. the next 100 days starts now , and i won't waste a moment. now, and i won't waste a moment. >> sir keir starmer there, posting that video message on social media today marking 100 days in office. the owner of p&o ferries will attend a major investment summit next week , investment summit next week, despite strong criticism from louise hay, the transport secretary. she had called for a boycott on p&o after it sacked 800 british staff last year, a move she described as a national scandal. reports suggested that her remarks may have jeopardised a £1 billion investment in the uk by the ferry firm's parent company. but prime minister sir keir starmer has since distanced himself and the government from that call for a boycott, saying the situation will be resolved. gb news can reveal tonight that an average of 135 migrants have

crossed the english channel in small boats each day since sir keir starmer took office, with now over 13,500 arriving since the 5th of july election. today now over 13,500 arriving since the 5th of july election. today alone, more than 400 migrants alone, more than 400 migrants made the perilous journey from made the perilous journey from france, pushing the total for france, pushing the total for the year to now nearly 27,200. the year to now nearly 27,200. with the winter months fast with the winter months fast approaching, authorities say they are concerned that criminal approaching, authorities say they are concerned that criminal gangs could increasingly risk gangs could increasingly risk migrants lives in the difficult migrants lives in the difficult weather conditions. but a home weather conditions. but a home office spokesperson says that office spokesperson says that they are committed to they are committed to dismantling people smuggling dismantling people smuggling operations, saying the operations, saying the government will stop at nothing government will stop at nothing to bring criminals to justice. incident 13,500 arriving since to bring criminals to justice. we've heard tonight that a woman we've heard tonight that a woman has died after falling overboard has died after falling overboard from a cruise ship near the from a cruise ship near the channel islands. a major rescue channel islands. a major rescue operation was launched after the operation was launched after the french coastguard received a french coastguard received a distress message shortly after distress message shortly after midnight. despite their best midnight. despite their best efforts, the woman was sadly efforts, the woman was sadly pronounced dead after being pronounced dead after being recovered from the water and recovered from the water and being brought to a rescue being brought to a rescue

centre. the cruise ship is now centre. the cruise ship is now docked in southampton as an docked in southampton as an investigation begins into that investigation begins into that incident

investigation begins into that incidealex salmond, his family knew alex salmond, his family and his loved ones. plenty more on that breaking news throughout the rest of this evening here on gb news, as we mark the death of alex salmond , aged 69, tonight. alex salmond, aged 69, tonight. now, though, it's back to the saturday five for the very latest gb news direct to your smartphone, sign up to news alerts by scanning the qr code, or go to gb news. >> .com. forward slash alerts . >> .com. forward slash alerts. >> .com. forward slash alerts. >> it's saturday night and you're with the saturday five. i'm darren grimes and i can promise that you're in for a very lively show. first of all, though , we are, of course, have though, we are, of course, have to talk about the tragic death of former snp leader alex salmond. alex salmond, i think it was safe to say, was a tartan titan. he has, of course, passed

away at the age of 69, but he leaves a legacy as the former first minister of scotland. a major figure in scottish politics even today. and he died after giving a speech in north macedonia earlier on. now salmond was instrumental in actually transforming the scottish national party from the fringes of party politics into a political powerhouse. he played a pivotal role in paving the way to the 2014 independence referendum, but then , of course, referendum, but then, of course, campaigning throughout it to get them to that 45% vote share that they managed to secure after stepping they managed to se