r , regarded by many as salmond, regarded by many as a titan of scottish politics, has died at the age of 69. he was reportedly giving a speech in nonh reportedly giving a speech in north macedonia this morning, andifs north macedonia this morning, and it's understood he died at some point after the event. 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 instrumental in the 2014 independence referendum, a campaign that ultimately ended in defeat. following his resignation as both first minister and snp leader. salmond later went on to lead the alba party . tributes are later went on to lead the alba party. tributes are being paid across the political spectrum this evening to alex salmond , this evening to alex salmond, and a short while ago buckingham palace issued a statement from the king where he has said that he and the queen are greatly saddened to hear of the sudden death of alex salmond, adding his devotion to scotland drove his devotion to scotland drove his decades of public

his devotion to scotland drove his deca 100 of public his devotion to scotland drove his deca 100 daysblic his devotion to scotland drove his deca 100 days inc his devotion to scotland drove

his deca 100 days in and sir tonight, 100 days in and sir keir starmer admits it has not been smooth sailing. in a video posted on social media, the prime minister has been reflecting on labour's landslide win in july, but acknowledged the choppy days since taking office. when asked if he thought his staff had been successful, his staff had been successful, his spokesman said it's up to the public to decide . the public to decide. >> today marks 100 days of my labour government. before that, 14 years of tory failure. 14 years is a long time to cause damage. 100 days isn't much time to fix it. i will level with you.the 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 to change that. you voted for. the next 100 days starts now, and i won't waste a moment. the prime minister there. >> and finally for now. gb news

can reveal that an average of 135 migrants have crossed the engush 135 migrants have crossed the english channel in small, small boats each day since prime minister sir keir starmer took office. over 13,500 have arrived since the 5th of july. today alone, more than 400 migrants made the perilous journey from france , pushing the total for france, pushing the total for the year to nearly 27,200. a home office spokesman insists they are committed to dismantling people smuggling operations, saying that the government will stop at nothing to bring these criminals to justice. those are your latest gb news headlines. for now, i'm katie bowen. more from me in an hour for the very latest gb news direct to your smartphone, sign up to news alerts by scanning the qr code, or go to gbnews.com forward slash alerts . forward slash alerts. >> before we start tonight's

show, can i just share a couple of thoughts with you and a couple of words about the late, great alex salmond, former scottish first minister, former leader of the snp. now he and i differed politically, but i'll never forget in one of my early tv appearances, i was presenting a show called the last word on more4 when that channel launched about 20 years ago, and there were lots of politicians on the show. they were very self—absorbed and serious, and they came and they went. when alex salmond joined me in the studio, he chuckled at all of my jokes, gave great answers , and jokes, gave great answers, and afterwards invited me to join him for tea at the house of commons. now, i didn't accept because i don't take freebies, but it just was the measure of the man. a real gentleman and a titan of a politician . so just titan of a politician. so just in loving memory of alex salmond and thoughts with his wife moira and thoughts with his wife moira and his family and friends at this very sad time. okay folks, it's this very sad time. okay folks, wsfime this very sad time. okay folks, it's time for my take at ten. do

you remember when the word victim had some actual meaning? flood victim. victim of a burglary. occasionally i'm a fashion victim. hopefully i've got away with it tonight. but now victimhood is worn like a badge of honour. it is something that people strive for. enter stage left . the queen of stage left. the queen of self—pity, meghan markle , who self—pity, meghan markle, who this week announced to a group of very young children that she is, and i quote, one of the most bullied people in the world. this is the same woman who was subjected to a lengthy buckingham palace investigation into bullying allegations against her. the results of which were kept private, although if she were exonerated, would her pr team not be shouting that from the rooftops? of course, we will never know whether markle bullied staff at the palace, but what we do know is the vast number of employees

that she's got through on her watch, number of people that have worked for her and then left. meghan markle gets through more staff members than james corden gets through mars bars with the hollywood reporter magazine claiming that meghan is like , and i quote, a dictator in like, and i quote, a dictator in high heels who reduces grown men to tears. meanwhile, the daily beast website report a former courtier as saying there definitely were bad, very bad. even psycho moments. i witness people being chewed up in person and over the phone and made to feel like . however , five current feel like. however, five current and former employees shot back and former employees shot back and told us weekly she's the best boss ever. she gives staff bundles of freshly cut flowers, home produced eggs and makes her team feel like seeds being watered . blimey. i'd rather be watered. blimey. i'd rather be shouted at, frankly, than

treated like a potted plant. but the former employee who spoke to the daily beast dismissed the us weekly article as a cynical exercise, saying look, she's lovely when it's all going. her way, but a demon when the worm turns, she barks out orders and sends angry emails. at 5 am. now this is all hearsay, their word against hers. markle would strenuously deny the allegations, but we do know that an astonishing 18 members of staff have quit working for her since 2018. now, i'll grant you that meghan markle has had some pretty negative press, and i'm very concerned about her claims this week that much of the vitriol happened while she was expecting her two children. that is awful. but this is a woman who chose a very public role , who chose a very public role, firstly as a hollywood actress and then as the daughter in law of the future king of england.

hardly choices made by a shrinking violet or someone who wants to stay out of the papers . wants to stay out of the papers. and are these claims of bullying a way to censor critics like yours truly? our princes and millionaire actresses, the latest protected class . are we latest protected class. are we not to call out meghan markle for her abject lies in the oprah winfrey tv interview, when, for example, she claimed to have been married the day before the wedding, something dismissed as nonsense by the archbishop of canterbury. or what about the unfounded slur of racism against an unnamed member of the royal family ? or what about the family? or what about the mocking of our late great queen elizabeth in that awful netflix interview with the fake curtsy? look how mortified harry is. they're ashamed to be sat next to a woman mocking a truly great britain . and markle this week

britain. and markle this week plays the victim in front of an audience of little girls at an event which was supposed to be about them and their future, but which, true to form, she made about herself. this is the same meghan markle who told a reporter a few years ago, no one ever asks how i'm feeling. well, let me tell you about you, meghan. you are one of the most famous people in the world. you're married to a prince. you are a multi—millionaire. you have two beautiful children, an idyllic life in hollywood, california, and a sprawling mansion in montecito, which we're told boasts 16 bathrooms. perhaps meghan would argue that one of the reasons that she's been bullied is because of her royal connections. maybe that is the albatross around her neck. she may be right, but it's a mystery. therefore, why she would hang on to her royal titles if the royal connection is so negative to her. although i can think of a few million reasons why she's hung to on

them. but after all these revelations , one title meghan revelations, one title meghan markle will never shake off is duchess difficult a title that she's definitely earned ? your she's definitely earned? your reaction to the suggestion that meghan markle is one of the most bullied people in the world? do you have sympathy for the duchess of sussex? let me know your thoughts . your thoughts. gbnews.com/yoursay. but first, tonight's top pundits. i'm delighted to have political commentator fleur elizabeth. we have fleet street legend, broadcaster and writer nina myskow and former national newspaper editor, no less . the newspaper editor, no less. the one and only neil wallis . neil. one and only neil wallis. neil. duchess. difficult. does meghan markle deserve that title? markle deserve th