special jam we've got a very special jam packed festive bumper edition of the show. it's been a tumultuous yearin the show. it's been a tumultuous year in british politics. from rishi is things can only get wetter. general election announcement followed then of course by two tuc free gear. keir never here keir and starmer, the former homer to the rise of reform on the night before christmas. i'll be asking who's had a christmas cracker and which turkeys have had a year to forget . and a right year to forget. and a right royal year it has been from the king and princess catherine's cancer diagnosis to a double spectacular recovery and seemingly non—stop nonsense from harry and meghan. it's been a right royal year to remember. we'll look back at some of the highs and lows of the royal family in 2024, and britain is bracing itself for a record breaking christmas day, as thousands of illegal immigrants are expected to arrive on dinghies from france. labour promised to smash the gangs, but

the evil people smugglers never stop, not even at christmas. and to chew this over on today's show, i'm joined by my festive panel show, i'm joined by my festive panel. susie stride, the political commentator and labour activist and the conservative commentator eamonn bogor. that's all coming up in your next hour. stay tuned and let's get cracking. only one more sleep now. have you done your wrapping? i haven't started. have you bought your presents? ditto. hopefully the missus is watching and you've got it all nicely in the bag, as ever. saving me at christmas. here's a question i want to put to you today. if you could invite three people to christmas dinner, living or dead anybody, who would it be? who would be your dream christmas dinner? i'll get the ball rolling, shall i? i'll go for donald trump. i'll go for football manager legend brian clough and lemmy from motorhead. now, what does that say about me? i like a bit of rock n roll,

i like a bit of sport and i like a bit of politics. today we've got all of the above. let me know, who is your dream christmas dinner guest? get in touch gbnews.com/yoursay. but now it's time for your news headlines. >> martin, thank you very much. and a very merry christmas eve to you as well. well, it's just gone 3:00. the top story this houn gone 3:00. the top story this hour. thousands of migrants are massing along france's northern coast, preparing to cross the channel over christmas. exclusive gb news footage shows hundreds in makeshift camps near dunkirk, with many more spotted along the coast. sources say thousands are waiting for calmer weather expected tonight, with crossings potentially topping 2000 people in the coming days. border force says it is on high alert, while smugglers are advertising a so—called christmas special to reach the uk before the new year. more than 35,000 people have crossed so far this year. that's a 20%

increase on 2023. sir keir starmer has come under fire today for planning to jet abroad over the new year after spending christmas at chequers with his family. critics have slammed his recent travel habits, with over 170 hours spent in the air since july, while key domestic issues they say, remain unresolved. the prime minister's team won't reveal his destination for the new year, but insists he will stay in charge rather than handing over to his deputy. his latest foreign trips to norway and estonia only wrapped up just last week, looking towards a better and a brighter future. thatis better and a brighter future. that is the prime minister's christmas message, his first in power. six months into his leadership, he's urging people to look after those around us with calls for peace in the middle east as well. opposition leader kemi badenoch struck a personal note calling christmas her very favourite time of year and thanking the public for their support and kindness. while liberal democrat leader sir ed davey paid tribute to young carers sharing his own

experience of looking after his sick mother while he was a child. the race to go green is back on as the government launches a consultation on phasing out new petrol and diesel cars by 2030. transport secretary heidi alexander promises clarity for the auto industry, updating targets for zero emission vehicle sales and threatening £15,000 fines for manufacturers if they miss their quotas. but car makers, including ford, warn that demand isn't keeping up and say bold government incentives are urgently needed. in brighton, police are searching for two men after the rape of a 19 year old man in the city. the victim was approached near a restaurant early on the 21st of december before being attacked. he later managed to find help from a passer—by and is being supported by specialist officers. detectives are now asking anyone who may have seen anything take place or recognises the men in

two pictures released to get in touch. in the united states, there has been christmas eve chaos earlier for half a million passengers as a technical glitch grounded all american airlines flights. the federal aviation authority issued a nationwide ground stop for the airline's 6000 daily flights. they have now resumed with passengers reporting they are starting to board, but delays are expected to ripple throughout the day. a russian cargo ship under western sanctions has sunk in the mediterranean after an explosion in the engine room left two crew members missing. footage shows the vessel listing badly before it went down near spain and algeria. 14 crew were rescued and brought safely to spain, but officials haven't yet confirmed what caused the blast. ukraine, though, claims that the ship was on a secret mission to syria to remove weapons after the fall of bashar al—assad. and nasa's parker solar probe is set to make history today on christmas eve, with the closest ever

approach to the sun. the spacecraft will skim just 3.6 million miles from the star's surface. trust me, it's closer than it sounds. enduring temperatures of nearly 1000 degrees and speeds of 430,000 miles an hour. scientists say the mission will uncover secrets about solar activity, helping to protect satellites, power grids and astronauts. the spacecraft is set to reconnect with earth on the 27th of december, hopefully safely completing its record breaking flyby. those are the latest headlines for now. plenty more still to come this afternoon with martin 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/alerts. >> thank you very much, sam. now. twas the night before christmas when sir keir starmer

released his first christmas message to the nation since becoming prime minister, sir keir starmer, who went to downing street, of course, after leading labour to what could be considered a landslide victory if a shallow one, depending on how you look at it on july the 4th. starmer filmed his message beside a christmas tree in number 10. let's have a little listen. >> christmas people will be travelling up and down the country, heading home, visiting relatives and loved ones to celebrate together the hope and joy celebrate together the hope and joy of this special season. it's a time to remind ourselves what's really important family, friendship and fellowship between all people being there for one another in these celebrations, as well as the more difficult times. i'd like especially to thank those who will spend their christmas serving others this year in our nhs and emergency services, our armed forces and the churches

and charities that will welcome every person this christmas. because i know this is not an easy time for everyone, and my thoughts are with all those who are lonely this christmas. having a tough time. missing a loved one. you are not alone because as christians celebrate the birth of jesus christ, the christmas story reminds all of us to reach out to one another, to care for one another, and to look after those around us. this christmas, i will be hoping for peace, particularly in the middle east. as the birthplace of the christmas story. i'll be looking towards a better, brighter future for every person and celebrating the joy and wonder that christmas brings. so from my family to yours, i hope you have a very merry christmas.

>> have a merry christmas. perhaps, though, if you're not a pensioner who's lost their winter fuel allowance, perhaps not. if you're a farmer concerned about inheritance tax, perhaps not. if you're one of the millions of waspi women. but sir keir starmer certainly likes his tree. and while we were in the christmas spirit, shall remind ourselves of a very awkward moment earlier this month when the prime minister turned on the no ten christmas lights. >> five, four, three. two one. yayi it worked! nervous >> five, four, three. two one. yay! it worked! nervous moment there, but it's all good. >> and there we go. right. let's get the thoughts now of my spectacular christmas festive panel spectacular christmas festive panel. suzy stride, the political commentator and labour activist and the conserv