♪ ♪ narrator: funding for this presentation of this program is provided by... woman: architect. bee keeper. mentor. a raymond james financial advisor tailors advice to help you live your life. life well planned.

narrator: funding was also provided by, the freeman foundation. and by judy and peter blum kovler foundation; pursuing solutions for america's neglected needs. announcer: and now, "bbc news". anchor: hello. i am christian fraser and this is "the context." >> i can say this -- show me a single self-respecting man that would climb into bedith that woman ever. >> the company has suspended -- it comes after comments made by lawrence fox during an interview last night. >> i don't want to say i'm pleased by it. i just think it was the best outcome i could hope for. ♪

anchor: crisis at gb news as two of its main presenters are suspended after their broadcast last night. also on the program the largest untapped oil field in the u.k. gets the go-ahead. the u.k. prime minister says it is right for the countries energy security but campaigners are calling it a reckless decision. the first base and the u.k. where people will be able to take their own illegal drugs gets the go-ahead in glass no and travis king who fled to north korea in july is back in u.s. custody after being expelled by pyongyang. good evening. gb news has suspended both lawrence fox and it's late night presenter dan borden over sexist comments that he made last night. oren's fox had been speaking about the evidence, the political correspondent who

corresponds. here is what he said. >> show me a single self-respecting man that would like to climb into bed with that woman, ever. it was not an insult. anchor: in a statement gb news said the exchange was completely unacceptable. we have formally suspended lawrence fox while we can sit -- continue our investigation. after watching the segment evans tweeted that she felt physically sick. the host said having looked at the footage he could see how inappropriate his reaction was. and i want to be clear that i was in no way amused by the comments. which is odd because of lawrence fox released a whatsapp exchange in which it seemed to indicate that they -- some of them were but at least one producer had been told ahead of their show what lawrence fox was going to say. he shared another screenshot which details in an email

exchange what his thoughts were he did not use some of the offense of language that he used later on the show. the journalist in question has been speaking today to bbc news cast. >> is it apology accepted? >> let's just see how the investigation goes. if everything reverts back to normal, i'm also interested to see how the investigation goes. i would like to see what they make of it. as far as i understand there have been a lot of complaints. >> talking about social media most people saw this last night not on gb news but when you tweeted the clip of it. why did you want to do that? >> it was sent to me. i had it sent to me by someone that appeared on the panel. i wasn't going to do anything about it. and i was going to go to bed and i thought, no, that is repulsive and why should i take that secret of his to sleep with me. it needed to be called out.

and it is also the first -- one of the many things that lawrence fox has said about female journalists the last couple of years. a colleague, journalist colleague of mine claimed -- and then there is a brilliant commentator who he has made jibes about before asking who on earth would want this woman to be has girlfriend. that kind of narrative -- why can't he just pick at the arguments but when it goes after someone's body and appearance, it is just disgusting. >> what happens to your phone once you put it to the side and try to go to sleep? >> i actually did go to sleep. that was the problem. and then i woke up this morning terrified. >> because? >> there was a lot there. a lot there.

i have never ever woken up to a notification of a push notification. and i also wake up to your brilliant radio programming and that was on the bulletin and that really frightened me. i've never had that before. anchor: a statement has been released on x saying that we can confirm that we have received comments -- complaints about comments that lawrence fox made a we are assessing them against our broadcast rules and will publish the outcome as quickly as possible. let's speak to the author and journalist kate. thank you for coming on the program. gb news just -- does pride itself as being a free speech station. reporter: it always likes to sail close to the line. and be provocative and controversial. but clearly this was a new low

even for gb news. and it is shocking really not only for this instep but it speaks to a wider trend for misogyny being acceptable. anchor: there is an issue more broadly in the industry but i am keen to know what your experience has been gb news because you have appeared on some of their programs. reporter: i have. and i think it is interesting to think -- all of the people involved in this incident, the presenter, dan is the most high-profile but there would've been numerous producers and people in the gallery who did nothing during this exchange. and he did not even apologize until complaints flooded in. it is quite startling to think what would've happened if a guest had said something racist or homophobic. you would like to think that would have been immediately apologized for it. anchor: so where does that come

from? reporter: where does what can from? anch: where does the attitude, that sort of bravado, even verging on misogyny within the program, where does that come from? reporter: i think it is widespread across the media. it is happened to me not only appearing on gb news but other broadcasts. and it is not just the media out. look at how we treat female mps in prague -- in politics or high-profile women in many industries. you are seeing casual misogyny and objectification across the board. anchor: this is a really big test for the regulator. a lot of people attacking them today. let me read you what michael craig said. they are -- they are a week and feeble and gutless organization.

do you think gb news has been emboldened by the inaction of the regulator? reporter: yes. i think there are a lot of factors. it definitely does not seem to have much power or flex to it and i think it is ratings chasing at the end of the day. they know people that some have a huge following and people like to watch this kind of controversy. for my part when i was a guest on gp news -- gb news, even the innocuous comment from the anchor that i was an attractive girl. anchor: did you call them out? reporter: i did. anchor: and what was the reaction of gb news? reporter: it was a good-natured exchange and i was there to

discuss whether women like to be damsels in distress. calling women girls was something we were talking about and he was saying, you are an attractive girl. i've had that even from women. they are unconsciously using this language or refocusing on women's appearance in a way that they never would with men. anchor: how would you like the station to react to what it has done today? we have two presenters under suspension. reporter: i think those presenters need to be sacked. if they are going to make any kind of clear and decisive stand on this. not only for the staff that work at gb news, how can they expect to be a respected broadcast when they have presenters talking in such a sickening and shocking way about women. if that had been accidentally recorded, that would've been bad

enough but the fact that it was broadcast live on air with no comment or apology -- anchor: fox is unrepentant. he has pleaded that a number of -- he has tweeted that a number of times today. reporter: he feeds off the heat and support that he gets and so does gb news. they love the controversy and the provocation of it. they laughed at the fact that they -- they love the fact that they are being talked about but if they have any sense they know they should sacked them both. anchor: will you go back on the channel? reporter: i would think twice about it. let's see what happens with the investigation and what steps they take. i think it is important that a breadth of opinions are discussed. that is why i talk on right-wing

and left-wing channels and i think there is a place for that but this has gone too far. anchor: lovely to talk to you. thank you for coming on the program. the u.k. government has approved new drilling in one of the largest untapped oil and gas fields in british waters. rosebank is in the north sea about 100 30 kilometers west of shetland. experts say it contains 350 elgin barrels of oil and production could start in 2026 with extraction continuing until at least 2030. it is thought 69,000 barrels of oil could be produced every day, 8% of the uk's total output. there would also be natural gas, 44 million cubic feet produced each day during the lifetime of the project. the energy secretary said we will need oil and gas on the path to net zero so it makes sense to use our own supplies from north sea fields. the jobs will enable us to have

greater energy independence. here is the view of scotland's first minister who opposes it. >> this is the wrong decision to be made and i have expressed my concerns going ahead for quite some time. most reasonable people are in our position. we do not think the cap should be turned off but nor is the north sea and unlimited oil -- oil and gas extraction. we have invested in transitioning workers to renewables. and that is one path i am commitd to in this latest development. this is just another demonstration of the u.k. government being overly ambitious. anchor: critics say most of the oil is the kind that we don't refine and so will be exported and sold on the international

markets. they argue taxpayers will be subsidizing oil companies. i need that we will not e coming back in improved energy bills. let's put some of that to the country manager for ecuador, the firm that will operate this field. welcome to the program. let's start with that point. will the oil produced be consumed in the u.k.? >> we don't know. if this is the point about energy security, for us energy security is about it being there if the u.k. needs it and we can say that if the u.k. needs it it will be consumed in the u.k. and it will be controlled by you -- by the u.k.. anchor: but will it be sold first to the international market in which case if it is, we don't control the price? >> not if the u.k. needs it then it would come to the u.k. my analogy as we grow a lot of corn and wheat in this country

and we make a lot of corn flakes and they are sold and eaten in europe but the security is a wheat field or the cornfield is in that the u.k. and when times of trouble you need security it is there and that is the same for the cornfield ast is for the oil field and that is what energy security is. it is not about stopping global trade. anchor: you made a big play today about how much greener this field is compared to around the world. one of the lowest co2 footprints, compared to a sector averaging about 20 kilos per barrel but those calculations depend heavily on whether the oilfield is electrified. when will that happen? >> not until 2030. anchor: it will not have a greener footprint. >> it will not have three but 12. even without electrification

this will have half the emissions of whawe would otherwise have to do which would be to buy it from abroad. if we don't develop this u.k. will consume the same amount of oil after as before that we will buy it from countries where they will have higher carbon emissions and the environment does not care where the you missions come from. and the tax take for that will go to the country selling it to us. and number three, the jobs will go to the country where it happens. on all three metrics it is better to have it here at a lower rbon footprint. we want it electrified. this is groundbreaking. we electrify fields in norway and we have made this ready based on experience. you can plug in the vessel. it costs a lot of moneto do. we rely more on our field to have electrification. we have -- we need a grid.

and of course we need to build out renewables as a country and ecuador is doing a lot of that. we hope her first power on the wind farm which will be the world's biggest imminently. and that is in the u.k. anchor: you brought up taxation. tell me where the -- if the money calculations are right. the oilfield -- tax breaks and exemptions will cover 3.75. >> that is not correct. to be clear, though many being spent, the billions where the companies are taking a risk to take the oil out is all from the companies. from ourselves and our partner. the u.k. government and taxpayer will not why you're one pound to either of us. anchor: you get 91 p back for

every pound of investment. >> that is also not true. taxation is higher than normal corporation tax. it is a u.k. resource and we are extracting it as a u.k. resource so a lot of the rent should go to the u.k. citizens. it is already 40%. that was the original tax rate. then the u.k. government put on an extra 35%. the tax rate is 75%. so the profits we hope to make, 75% of the profits we will pay to the exchequer and the tax fund. and when the government put this 35% on top was we will charge you more text but if you spend more money in the u.k., we will reduce some of the tax increase. if people want to call that a loophole or a tax break -- anchor: the point is the industry as a whole lobbied

against windfall tax and said they would discourage investment but the evidence here is they haven't. >> we are the second-biggest taxpayer in the world. the tax rate in norway is 78%. paying taxes not something we are afraid of and we think it is right in and extractive industry where the resources are in other countries. what is important is stability. you mentioned that with -- that this will run until 2030. it won't. it will run until 2050 plus. you spend a huge amount of money upfront and have decades to recoup it. what you need is stability. i am pleased that the parties have recognized that stability is needed for big investment and that is important for our investment. it is also really important across-the-board. and i think both conservatives and labor have come out with the message of stability is important.

anchor: i want to pick up on that point. it is a more hostile environment for investors because of the climate science. would it have made a difference had labor come out and said they would revoke the license? with that have made the investment impossible or less attractive? what with the decision have been? >> it is a hypothetical. they said they will not revoke and they recognize that stability is important and that message is important to us. for every pound we are spending, we are spending two pounds on renewables in which we have 20 year plansncluding wind farms and hydrogen plants. all of those we are making big investments that will go for 20 years and that message of stability is important. that is the energy transition for us, accelerating the new but don't switch off the old before the new has come through

otherwise we will get big price rises trying to de-carbonized the oldest much as you can and push the new technologies including renewables carbon cap -- renewables, carbon capture and hydrogen. anchor: thank you. around the world and across the u.k., this is bbc news. let's take a quick look at some of the other stories making news. five labor regional mayors have urged the government not to scrap the hs to rail line thank such a move would be an international embarrassment. the speculation the prime minister is considered canceling the northern leg because of soaring costs. the government says no decision has been made. ireland is feeling the effects of storm agnes. the office warned that there would be winds between 60 and 65 miles per hour.

mps are calling for a bolder approach to reducing persistent school absence in england. more than a fifth of students are missing at least 10% of lessons, about double the pre-pandemic todo. ministers say they are increasing support for schools including introducing mentors to work with those families that are affected. you are watching bbc news. let's pick up more about the story we have just been discussing. this was the rosebank oilfield. i think we can speak to the conservative mp, douglas. i'm sorry, we were struggling to make a connection but there you

are an thank you for coming on the program. we were just speaking with alex from equinor. a lot of people expressing concerns today about the investment in rosebank. why do support it? >> as an msp that represents northeast of scotland i know how to fight the oil and gas industry so it is good to see this project is finally being given the go-ahead. it will protect thousands of bs into the future. and it renews confidence in an industry that has had a hard time. i am pleased it has been given the go-ahead today. anchor: you heard the green mp speaking this morning stating 90% of the oil would be exported. what is the truth? alex said that is not the case. if there is a shortage in the u.k., it would be for the u.k. market. what is the picture? >> in terms of the gas, that can

be used in the country and the type of crude oil that can be refined in this country as well. if it did need to be exported for refining, the products would be welcome to back to this country. so i think it is a lack of understanding of how the market works globally to make that argument. if you look at how much energy we import, i think it was 170 billion last year so surely there is more we can produce in this country ended is better for our jobs and environment and the right thing to do. anchor: we set down our net zero target. alex said it will not be able to electrify the plant for perhaps another 10 years. there is the suggestion that the plant on its own will blow through the target set for the oil and gas sector. >> i think he said it would be electrified by 2030.

and we also heard from him in terms of carbon footprint for producing the oil and gas from our field, it is lower than anything else in this country and probably far lower than anything else we would import. all there is still a need for oil and gas -- while there is still a need for oil and gas, it is much better to produce it in this country and it feels like rosebank has a much less carbon footprint then importing it from other countries but we don't have any control at all over how it is produced. anchor: do you expect there will be a legal challenge given the targets we set for net zo? >> when it comes to the targets for net zero the prime minister was clear. 2050, net zero and we are still on track. in terms of oil and gas production, that is still declining rapidly. this slows it by a little bit. i expect there will be a legal challenge but hopefully it will not delay the project too long

because in terms of the northeast of scotland, we need the jobs and the investment. the sooner it happens the better. anchor: good to talk with you and thank you for coming on the program. let's, before we go to the break , you will know if you watch your cartoons that yogi bear was smarter than your average bear. he loves a picnic lunch. in a nature park in northern mexico chomping through several carbons -- cartons of tacos and snacks on the table. the family in question did what all good picnickers should do in these circumstances, they handed it over. a bare necessity is not to interfere. it does not end well if you go between the food and a hungry bear. what would you do in this circumstance? yes, me too. i would hand him the salts. we will be back straight after

the break and we will talk about drugs and the safe space they are creating in glass now to get on top of the record of deaths there. and i daresay we will talk about plenty more. stay with us. narrator: funding for this presentation of this program is provided by... narrator: financial services firm, raymond james. narrator: funding was also provided by, the freeman foundation. and by judy and peter blum kovler foundation; pursuing solutions for america's neglected needs. ♪ ♪

♪ ♪ narrator: funding for this presentation of this program is provided by... woman: architect. bee keeper. mentor. a raymond james financial advisor tailors advice to help you live your life. life well planned.