changing room with a transgender nhs doctor , who argues he's nhs doctor, who argues he's biologically female. the case is fuelling even more debate over gender identity and women's spaces, as the claim against the doctor fair and a controversial change to the uk's assisted suicide bill proposes replacing high court judges with a panel of experts to approve cases. labour mp kim leadbeater says it strengthens safeguards, but critics warn it puts vulnerable people at risk. are we on the slippery slope before the bill has even passed? state of the nafion has even passed? state of the nation starts now. i'll also be joined by my most pugnacious panel former editor of the sun, kelvin mackenzie, and journalist and broadcaster michael crick. as ever, it's a crucial part of the programme. let me know your views, mailmogg@gbnews.com. but now it's your favourite time of the day. the news bulletin with tatiana sanchez.

>> jacob, thank you very much. the top stories this evening. 11 labour councillors have been suspended from the party as part of its investigation into a whatsapp group containing offensive messages, which saw a former minister sacked and a second mp lose the whip. a labour spokesperson said swift action will be always taken where individuals are found to have breached the high standards expected of them as labour party members. burnley mp oliver ryan was the second mp to be suspended. he has apologised for comments made in the group. he followed andrew gwynne, who was also sacked as a health minister. gerald cooney, the former labour leader of tameside council, said he raised concerns about gwynne's remarks several times in the past year. labour mp jo white spoke to gb news. >> well, i think they deserve to go. i obviously don't know what they said, but clearly they crossed a line. that whatsapp group was set up in 2009 during

the trigger ballot post. >> called trigger me timbers. >> called trigger me timbers. >> exactly. >> exactly. >> yeah. so that's why. >> yeah. so that's why. >> yes, it's a play on words and so onto jeremy corbyn. every mp had to go through a trigger ballot process. andrew gwynne i understand, was under threat. and so he tried to set up a group of supporters. >> supporters, friends. >> supporters, friends. >> yes. and so he felt in that environment he could cross the line and he was holding them in. i believe this is my interpretation with jokes and attacks on members of the public. >> trying to get them all jolly along, and they just went too far in what's called banter. >> exactly. >> exactly. >> in other news, a national police chiefs council spokesperson says police officers and staff should always be held to the highest standards and we must ensure that only those who are suitable to wear the uniform enter and remain in policing. the comments come as the high court ruled the met police cannot dismiss officers by removing their vetting clearance. sergeant lino di maria successfully mounted a legal challenge after having his vetting removed over sexual assault allegations, which he

denies. he was found to have no case to answer in respect of the allegations, and argued that having his vetting removed without the accusations being proved is a breach of his right to a fair trial. israel's prime minister says the gaza ceasefire will end if hamas does not return israeli hostages by midday on saturday, benjamin netanyahu warned of intense fighting if the hostages are not released. his comments echo those of us president donald trump, who earlier said the israel—hamas ceasefire should be cancelled if hostages held in gaza are not returned on time. terror group hamas announced last night that they will delay hostage releases planned for saturday until further notice, and sir alex ferguson led the tributes to denis law as the football community paid their final respects, saying he was one of the greatest players ever at man united. ferguson, the former manchester united manager, was in attendance alongside several other united greats including ruud van nistelrooy and paul scholes, while denis law died last month

at the age of 84. those are the latest gb news headlines for now. more news from me in an houn >> 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. >> welcome back to state of the nation. today marks 50 years since margaret thatcher became leader of the conservative party, the first female leader of a major political party in the western world. when she became the tory leader in february 1975. few could have predicted the fundamental impact she would have, not just on britain but on the world stage, going on to win three consecutive general elections. she was a revolutionary force who embodied conviction politics at its finest. as she famously declared, i am not a consensus politician. i am a conviction

politician. i am a conviction politician. margaret thatcher's journey to the top was anything but easy and happened in spite of widespread scepticism, even from her own beloved husband dennis, who muttered heath will murder you. but the then mrs. thatcher was never one to back down from a challenge. she thrived on debate and dissent, stating with characteristic confidence i love argument, i love debate. i don't expect anyone just to sit there and agree with me. that's not their job. in the eyes of many, it was her refusal to conform that made her refusal to conform that made her such a formidable force. a premiership beginning in 1979 was marked by groundbreaking policies that changed the face of the united kingdom, from the sale of council houses to privatisation to a crackdown on the trade unions. she reshaped the trade unions. she reshaped the economy and society, waging a lifelong battle against the evils of socialism. >> and socialist governments traditionally do make a financial mess. they always run out of other people's money. it's quite a characteristic of them. >> exactly what's happening now. her belief in rolling back the

frontiers of the state epitomised her economic philosophy, and when the pressure mounted, as they did in 1980 with soaring unemployment, she famously stood her ground. >> to those waiting with bated breath for that favoured media catchphrase, the u—turn. i have only one thing to say u—turn if you want to. the lady's not for turning. >> that moment became one of the defining quotations of her career on the global stage. she found a kindred spirit in us president ronald reagan. together, they championed the fight against communism, cementing the special relationship between the uk and the us. the soviets dubbed her the us. the soviets dubbed her the iron lady, a nickname she wore with pride. >> i stand before you tonight in my red star chiffon evening gown. my face softly made up and my fair hair gently waved. the

iron lady of the western world. >> her legacy in the united states has not gone amiss. republican presidential candidate nikki haley invoked the spirit of lady thatcher in a 2023 primary debate. >> this is exactly why margaret thatcher said, if you want something said, ask a man. if you want something done, ask a woman. >> well, i'm not sure i'd go that far, but two pivotal events defined her time as prime minister the falklands war in 1982 and the miners strike of 1984 85. victory in the falklands demonstrated her decisive leadership, while her handung decisive leadership, while her handling of the miners strike highlighted her fierce commitment to economic reform. we always have to be aware of the enemy within, which is much more difficult to fight and more dangerous to liberty. but thatcher was more than just a tough politician. she had a philosophical side, too. quoting saint francis of assisi upon her 1979 election victory. >> where there is discord, may

we bring harmony. where there is error, may we bring truth. where there is doubt, may we bring faith. and where there is despair, may we bring hope. >> well, she certainly brought a lot of hope. and her impact extended beyond economics and politics. she shattered glass ceilings, became the first female prime minister in british history, despite once rather modestly saying this. >> i don't think that there will be a woman prime minister in my lifetime, and i don't think it depends on so much whether it's a man, prime minister or a woman prime minister is whether that person is the right person for the job. >> well, she was certainly the right person for the job, and she did something to herself. few could ever achieve. she proved she was wrong. her understanding of the challenges women faced was clear when she remarked, any woman who understands the problems of running a home will be nearer to understanding the problems of running a country. her departure from office in 1990 was

dramatic, the culmination of cabinet betrayals that she described as treachery with a smile on its face. yet even after leaving number 10, she remained a towering figure in british and global politics. leaders from across the political spectrum, including labour's gordon brown, admired her conviction. mr brown commissioned a portrait of her , commissioned a portrait of her, acknowledging her role in bringing meaningful change to the uk, one which the reverend starmer famously the uk, one which the reverend starmer famous