a great country, but >> we are a great country, but we've lost our way. >> we most certainly have lost our way. but other tories, the right ones to make us find it again. she issued her first major speech of 2025, so we'll take a look at that. also coming up tonight, a ceasefire is potentially imminent in gaza. there's been calls now for a reunification scheme similar to that we saw for ukraine. would you support that or not.7 and sweden, they say that migrants should have to prove they respect western values. many say that we should follow suit. should we.7 and that we should follow suit. should we? and how would that work? we've got all of that and lots more. and keeping me company tonight, two new faces to the panel. we've got the editor of the jewish chronicle, jake wallis simons and kieran adrian newey, the political commentator. but before we get stuck in, let's cross live for the 6:00 news headlines.

>> michelle, thank you and good evening to you. the top story at 6:00. well, far too little action. that was the home secretary's damning verdict as she unveiled a new national level rapid audit of grooming gangs and new local inquiries. yvette cooper has announced tougher sentences, mandatory reporting and expanded investigations to cover recent cases. the government will also support victim centred local inquiries in oldham and four other pilot areas. >> all those national inquiries, reports and hundreds of recommendations. far too little action has been taken and shamefully little progress has been made. most important task should be to increase police investigations into these horrific crimes and get abusers behind bars. we will introduce stronger sentences for child grooming, making it an aggravating factor to organise

abuse and exploitation. and i can announce new action today to help victims get more investigations and prosecutions underway. >> well, it comes after weeks of pressure now on the government for a new national inquiry into grooming gangs, with the tory leader, kemi badenoch and even elon musk saying local probes aren't enough. the shadow home secretary has also slammed the government's plans, saying it's totally inadequate. chris philp said earlier in the commons that up to 50 towns are affected, and questioned why others are being ignored, ignored them and in some cases even covered up these horrendous crimes because of absurd concerns about so—called cultural sensitivity. >> ten days ago, the prime minister compounded this by saying it was a far right bandwagon to raise these issues and call for a proper inquiry. let me say this it is not far right to stand up for rape victims. >> in other news tonight, a

teenager has been found guilty of murdering the 15 year old euanne of murdering the 15 year old elianne andam during a row in london over a teddy bear. hassan sentamu stabbed the aspiring lawyer in the neck after stewing over a water splashing prank the day before. the court heard the 18 year old had a history of violence and had brought a knife to the scene. elian's family hugged as the jury convicted him of murder, while sentamu was seen crying in the dock. he'll be sentenced in march, with police praising elian's friends and a bus driver who comforted her in her final moments. well, the detective on the case, becky woodsford, has been giving a statement outside the old bailey. she says elian was killed for simply standing up for her friend. >> his claim is that he acted through diminished responsibility, and that was never accepted by the prosecution team. and today the jury prosecution team. and today the jury agreed, and they found him guilty of murder. we work together as a team, and during our investigation, we've had the

opportunity from michael and dorcas and elian's family to learn what a bright, funny and happy person elian was. >> sir keir starmer has said that the uk will play its part in guaranteeing ukraine's security after a peace deal. that's as he makes his first visit to kyiv as prime minister. his trip comes as russian drones were targeting the city, a reminder of the daily threats that ukrainians face. the uk has also unveiled a £45 billion military aid package, including cutting edge air defence systems and training for ukrainian cadets. sir keir starmer has also called for peace through strength, warning that weakness could invite more war and embolden aggressors worldwide. and in a historic move, the 100 year uk ukraine partnership has been agreed, cementing ties in defence and in technology. the head of england's largest non—metropolitan police force has today been suspended with immediate effect. thames valley's chief constable, jason

hogg, is under investigation by the iopc for gross misconduct. that investigation focuses on allegations that he failed to properly investigate the improper retention of sensitive police information. we understand an interim appointment for that role will be made by the end of the month and strikes set for the next two sundays on avanti west coast have been called off, but the dispute isn't quite over yet. workers from the rmt union had been gearing up for walkouts over rest day working, but after talks with the rail firm, the union has now suspended those strikes to allow for further negotiations. rmt says the suspension shows their commitment to finding a resolution, but warns that future strikes are still on the horizon. that's the news on gb news. i'll be back with you for a full round up in the next hour or so. now though, it's over to michelle 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 for that. i'm michelle dewberry and i'm with you until 7:00 tonight. i find it very depressing. that story in the headlines just there. yet more teenagers killing each other. i mean, no one is ever going to win from this. you just heard there another person, what, 15 losing their lives? nobody, i don't think, is fully appreciating the impact that all of this leaves behind, not just the victim that's been made, but of course, that's been made, but of course, that will lose their child when that will lose their child when that person goes to prison. the whole thing is just absolutely tragic. and speaking of tragedy, many of you will remember this face jimmy mizen absolutely awful story back in 2008, of course, when he was killed. well, fast forward to present

day. the person that actually committed that crime went to prison for that crime. well, he's now been released and has repositioned himself as some kind of, you know, like, drill artist, whatever they call themselves now covering their face with balaclavas, rapping about, you know, violence and all the rest of it. i really hate that genre of music. maybe i'm just getting to be an old biddy, but when you're rapping about killings, stabbings, all the rest of it, it's pretty disgusting. and then can you imagine being jimmy mizen family when you find out that that rapper and i'm not going to even give him his name, thank you very much to promote him. but imagine being the mother of jimmy mizen to hear that that person is now having music that was then played on the bbc. yes, you heard that right. the bbc actually played that guy's music. what on earth is this world coming to? the bbc, though, say that they don't glamorise violence. make of all

of that what you will. anyway, i am with you till 7:00 tonight. and alongside me i said two new faces. but as jake wallis simons has just reminded me, he was on this programme quite some time ago when we used to have a bigger panel. do you remember that? we used to have three people. if you never saw it then you missed out. what can i say? but anyway, we welcome him back tonight. of course. he is the editor of the jewish chronicle and definitely a new face. i'm not losing my marbles on this one. kieran. andrew, a political commentator. new face. very welcome to the show tonight, as are each and every single one of you at home. and you know the drill. it's not just about us. it is very much about you guys at home. so what's on your mind tonight? get in touch with me all the usual ways. email me gb views @gbnews. com go to the website gbnews.com/yoursay. or of course you can tweet or text me. but today all eyes on the commons because the home secretary, yvette cooper, was speaking out addressing these rape gangs. there was many people waiting with bated breath. what is she going to announce? a national inquiry

finally. is she that far right, do you think, to call for that? no, it would appear not. charlie peters, you are alongside me now. bring the viewers up to speed with what happened in the commons today. >> well, it was always going to be politically impossible for the home secretary to