>> good afternoon britain. it's >> good afternoon britain. it�*s 12:00 on thursday the 27th of february. i'm tom harwood. february. i'm tom hannood. >> and i'm emily carver. >> and i'm emily carver. >> we're live in washington dc >> we�*re live in washington dc with the prime minister and donald trump. ahead of the pair's first face to face meeting since the us election, sir keir starmer rise to the occasion or will he be slapped down in front of the world's media? >> let's be honest, the european union was formed in order to screw the united states. that's the purpose of it and they've done a the purpose of it and they've mmaww the purpose of it and they've done a good job of it. but now i�*m president. >> that's right. it's dawn here in washington, dc, where keir starmer has arrived and is waiting to meet donald trump later today in the most consequential meeting of his seven months as pm. will trump underwrite peace in ukraine? and

what about the chagos islands? there's so much to play for. it's a massive day. >> there is so much to play for. and in other news, bombshell immigration statistics more migrants applied for asylum in britain than ever before, new stats reveal last year, 100 and almost 110,000 people applied. almost one third of those arrived by small boat or home. security editor mark white tells all. >> well, pakistanis are the top nation represented on the asylum applications, about 10% of the total and the number of hotels that are being used for asylum seekers has also increased. 38,000 people being held in hotel accommodation. >> and i'm in wethersfield in essex, the heart of immigration nation, where locals are concerned as a local former raf camp is set to be turned into a place where over 800 asylum seekers stay, outnumbering the

local residents. >> i tried to take the fingerprints of this old boy one time, and he'd had his hand in the mash barrel all his life, you know, there's no skin at all you know, there�*s no skin at all on there. there's no prints. and hollywood legends gene hackman and his wife are found dead in their home alongside their dog. tributes, of course, pouring in for the late oscar winning actor. >> it's a big day for keir starmer, isn�*t it? i'm not sure how much the us press is focusing on this meeting, but it's certainly huge in this country. will keir starmer get get what he wants from donald trump? >> of course, we all watched with fascination when emmanuel macron sat down with donald trump, at times speaking french, at times speaking english. some would argue, trying to get around the president of the united states using that sort of bilingual tongue. but of course,

there's nowhere to hide for our prime minister. everything he says will be analysed. perhaps there'll be some quick barbs back sent his way from the president of the united states. it will be every second. fascinating. >> yes, i do think there�*s probably a bit of a personality clash there. they're very different men, aren't they? donald trump and sir keir starmer in every single way, from their worldview to just how they interact with other people. so it should make for very interesting watching. so do stick with us. gbnews.com/yoursay is the way to get in touch throughout the show. we're going to get the headlines with tatiana. >> and emily. thank you very much. and good afternoon. the top stories. well, the latest migration stats have been released today and just over 108,000 people applied for asylum in the uk last year, the highest number for any 12 month penod highest number for any 12 month period since current records began in 2001. the number is up

18% from 91,811 in 2023, according to figures published by the home office. migrants who arrived in the uk after crossing the english channel in small boats accounted for 32% of the total number of people claiming asylum last year. pakistani was the most common nationality among asylum applicants in 2024, accounting for just over 10,000. home office minister dame angela eagle says the government is cracking down on asylum applications. >> they are high because many people want to come here, but asylum claims are often people who've come over on work visas who�*ve come over on work visas or student visas and then claim asylum. 50 we have to have a be asylum. so we have to have a be much tougher on how we deal with visa overstayers. and we've begun to do that, which is why we have returned 19,000 people who have no right to be in the country since we came into government. >> in other news, us president donald trump says it's up to europe to provide security

guarantees for ukraine. and he also says there will be no guarantees of washington's involvement. ukraine's president zelenskyy is due to meet the us president to sign a deal tomorrow. the irish taoiseach will reportedly meet president zelenskyy first. the prime minister, sir keir starmer, will. he is in washington today where he�*s due to meet the u5 where he's due to meet the us president later on. and speaking to reporters last night, sir keir starmer dismissed growing tensions between the us and europe, insisting the special relationship must go from strength to strength. >> we have an incredible $1.5 trillion invested in each other's economies. our trading relationship is notjust strong, it's fair and balanced and we work together to create amazing things like the internet or the jet engine. but most of all, and this is really the bedrock of that relationship, we share fundamental values of openness, of democracy, freedom of speech,

freedom to thrive, and freedom to pursue the future. >> jailed mp mike amesbury returned to court this morning to appeal his ten week prison sentence for punching a man to the ground. the former labour mp, who now sits as an independent, had previously apphed independent, had previously applied for bail but was refused by the judge. amesbury pleaded guilty last month to assaulting 45 year old paul fellows, following a row in a street in cheshire in october last year. he is facing calls from the home secretary to resign and secretary to resign, and tributes have begun pouring in for hollywood actor gene hackman, who was found dead alongside his wife at their home. bafta says it is saddened by the news. a warning the following contains flashing images. police in santa fe say they were found at their home in new mexico alongside their dog, adding there were no signs of foul play. the 95 year old, two time oscar winning actor was best known for his role as buck barrow in bonnie and clyde. his roles in the french connection

and mississippi burning, alongside playing lex luthor in superman movies in the 19705 and the 19805. valerie perrin, who starred alongside jean in superman in 1978, described him as one of the greatest to grace the silver screen. and those are the silver screen. and those are the latest gb news headlines for now. more from me in half an houn >> good afternoon britain. it'5 >> good afternoon britain. it�*s 12:07. now the prime minister has flown 3000 miles across the atlantic for his first face to face meeting with president trump since the united states election. >> yes. and speaking to reporters, starmer dismissed the growing tensions between the us and europe. he insists that the special relationship must go from strength to strength. sir keir is expected to try to persuade mr trump that europe is taking its own defence seriously, but that us involvement is still vital. >> well, will the two see eye to

eye, or will they find the chemistry lacking? and perhaps the insults are flowing? >> okay, well let's cross to washington dc and speak to our political editor, christopher hope. christopher, it's been a long night for you, i can imagine. thank you for being up so early for us in the states. 50 so early for us in the states. so what�*s on the agenda today? >> well, today is absolutely huge. it�*5 >> well, today is absolutely huge. it�*s the most consequential day in the seven months of the prime minister's time in office. and it will do so much, frankly, to set his legacy as a prime minister. it happens very quickly. blinking, blinking an eye. you can move on from downing street. you think back to tony blair and bosnia and the iraq war. these things are the issues they are remembered for and the choices he's taking right now about about ukraine trying to build this peace, working out with donald trump, if he can underwrite that. peace is so, so important. and plus the chagos islands. but just remind our islands. butjust remind our viewers what's happening today. and this is of course, 515 today, uk time the pm arrives in the white house. he then goes to the white house. he then goes to the oval office, where he'll sit there in front of the fire with

president donald trump. albion, there will be all there asking him questions and seeing what president trump might say and what the keir starmer might say. 5:35 pm. they offer a lunch that's uk time and 7 pm. live on gb news. the joint press conference between the president, united states and the uk prime minister. huge moments happening here and politics is moving so, so quickly. you mentioned that emily, is the media focusing ment