with news team. well let's start with news that a plane that crashed, killing 38 people, was shot down by russian air defence systems, according to sources. speaking to the reuters news agency. the azerbaijan airlines plane had been flying east across the caspian sea when it changed course and then went down in kazakhstan. footage circulating onune kazakhstan. footage circulating online shows the plane making a steep descent before crashing into a fireball, with parts of its fuselage torn away from the wings. in the last few minutes. the broadcaster euronews, citing azerbaijani government sources, reported that a preliminary investigation has found that a russian surface to air missile was fired at the plane. that was dunng was fired at the plane. that was during a drone air activity in the area that then exploded, they say, next to the aircraft, with shrapnel hitting passengers and cabin crew. an investigation is now underway, but that news just breaking in the last half hour or so that sources say a

russian air defence system did indeed shoot down that azerbaijani airline plane. well, in some more breaking news here at home, a double murder investigation has been launched today after two women have died following reports of a stabbing in milton keynes. thames valley police major crime unit say the woman, aged 38, and the other 24, died at the scene in bletchley on christmas day. a teenage boy and a man in his late 20s were also seriously injured, but at this stage are understood to be in a stable condition in hospital. a dog was also injured in the incident and it was taken to vets but sadly didn't survive. police have arrested a 49 year old man on suspicion of murder and attempted murder, and he remains in custody. reform uk's membership has overtaken the conservatives just months after nigel farage's return as leader. the party's tracker shows more than 132,000 members by midday

today. that's a 300% surge since farage's comeback in june. younger supporters, cheaper fees and frustrations with the tories are all driving the growth, as farage claims reform is the future of british politics. it comes as the conservatives last reported around 120,000 members. that was in november, but have since faced criticism for a lack of direction under leader kemi badenoch. well, the reform party leader, nigel farage, has been speaking to our home and security editor, mark white, about that news today. >> incredible. over 15,000 people have joined us and given us their 25 quids over the last four days. this is an historic moment when the newest party in british politics overtakes the oldest existing political party in the world. something is happening. so of course i'm delighted. >> and boxing day shoppers are avoiding the high street today, with footfall down over 12% compared to last year. retail parks, though, have fared

slightly better, but overall activity across the uk destinations is still more than 10% lower than in 2023. analysts are blaming the shift to online shopping, rising costs for physical stores and changing habhs physical stores and changing habits that have been driven by year round promotions. barclays estimates that we will still, though, spend £4.6 billion today, but most of it, as in previous years, will be spent online. those are the latest headunes online. those are the latest headlines for now. i'll be back with you in around an hour. and now it's over to michelle dewberry 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. >> well hello there, it's finally upon us. in the words of naughty holder, it's christmas! how exciting! you know what.7 i thought it'd be rude then, wouldn't it.7 not to do a dewbs& co special. so here we are.

delighted to be sharing this christmas with you. and boy have we got a lot to discuss. let's cast our mind back then, shall we, to july. it feels like a lifetime ago, doesn't it.7 the general election. still massive debate raging on about whether it was the right thing or the wrong thing. but what did it mean for this country? and what will the future look like going forward under the labour government? of course, then we saw the budget, didn't we? oh, i can tell you now that really did divide opinion again. have they got their priorities right? who were the winners. who were the losers? and will we see any u—turns on some of the less popular measures. what do you think to that? and of course, a horrendous moment in our country's history saw the awful, awful stabbing of three little girls. what followed then were riots and protests up and down the country. we remember it well. but what did it all mean for the future of community relations and so much more also

as well, a massive moment again, donald trump re—elected, selected again as the president of the usa. goodness gracious me, there is so much to discuss. so without further ado, let's get stuck in. well hello there! how exciting is this? i'm excited anyway. are you? i am michelle dewberry and i'm with you for the next hour. christmas special dewbs& co. what a treat! and i thought to myself, who best then to spend the next hour with me and with you? look, no one else was available, i'm afraid. matt goodwin, the pollster and academic. >> oh ho ho ! >> oh ho ho! >> oh ho ho! >> bill rammell, the former labour minister. i didn't really mean that, by the way. there was lots of people available and i said, no, the audience love you too. >> sorry. who are you? >> sorry. who are you? >> well, who am i? that's that's $1 million question. actually. i often wander the streets late

overnight, thinking to myself, who am i? and how did i get here? i've never quite answered that, i can tell you. anyway. how are you all? all you lovely people? how is your christmas going? lots that we need to discuss tonight, and you have had an opportunity to be very much part of this conversation. i'm excited to share with the nafion i'm excited to share with the nation many of your christmas trees. you've all been getting in touch with me as well, telling me your highs and your lows of 2024. so as i said, it's a lot that we need to discuss. but do you know what i thought to myself? since it is christmas, it'd be rude, wouldn't it? not to start with a long standing tradition of dewberry tavern. so without further ado, cheers to each and every single one of you at home. cheers to each and every one of my panel. cheers, everyone. matt goodwin looks like he's been in my tavern for about six hours already. >> cheers, cheers! >> cheers, cheers! >> i feel for myself to this delightful cheeseboard i should add, we've got cheese in front of us. >> the nation watching on. >> the nation watching on. >> we have cheese, lots of cheese. >> we have lots and lots of

cheese. actually, we don't have my favourite cheese though, which i'm very disappointed about. well, i just i'm a simple about. well, ijust i'm a simple person and i just like i hadn't person and ijust like i hadn't noticed, i know. well , you're noticed, i know. well, you're too you're too kind. just like a simple basic cheddar, but like that's that. >> that's a red cheddar. >> that's a red cheddar. >> no, the pale one. >> no, the pale one. >> should we, should we show viewers one? >> everybody. >> everybody. >> should we show viewers our rather? >> this is this one. i don't mind that i will. i will eat that if that's all that's available. i don't mean to be ungrateful, but i do prefer, like the paler coloured cheddar, if you know what i mean. >> i'll tell you what though, that that one on the left with the red currants, it only appeared a few years ago and it's everywhere now. >> well, there you go. >> well, there you go. >> enough of the cheese, east park. you see? what do you see what i did there? yeah. and over the cheesy talk, he's getting a little bit too into it. now. i was going to be telling us all kinds of stats and statistics about the cheese. will be it will be falling asleep after all of this. so you know what? without further ado, let's take a look back then, shall we? because i couldn't start this program without delving into the general election in july. of

course, it took so many of us by surprise, didn't it? shall we remind ourselves of some of the key moments? >> earlier today, i spoke with his majesty the king to request the dissolution of parliament. >> the king has granted this request and we will have a general election on the 4th of july. >> so i promise this a new mindset. >> mission, government, an understanding at the core of everything we do in the 24 , the everything we do in the 24, the year the voters finally get to pack up this awful, out of touch conservative government. >> but i hope and believe we can get a cohort of mps in westminster so that we can be the voice of opposition. >> we did it. >> we did it. >> you campaigned for it. you fought for it, you voted for it, and now 1524 00:08:54,912 --> 00:08