and ice forecast for most of the uk over the weekend. with me tonight the deputy chief fire officer of the greater manchester fire and rescue service — ben said the emergency services were taken by surprise to some degree, no named storm come in warning from the authorities, could you have been better prepared if that information had been forthcoming? yes, certainly better— had been forthcoming? yes, certainly better prepared - had been forthcoming? te: certainly better prepared when you have something that we will see in certain weather events in these locations and we did have low—level warnings and to be fair to the agency in relation to these matters, escalating from the yellow warning which is the lowest level of warning that provide an another warning of the evening of new year's eve to say that we would see significant rainfall across the region and greater manchester and that will give us some opportunities to start this preparations and the challenges is knowing exactly where that rainfall will actually land and what impact that will have on a specific location and always well prepared and more equipment and better trained firef

the greater manchester fire and rescue service have been contacted for details, and the king and queene welcomed hundreds of newly elected members of parliament and ennobled peers from across the house of lords to buckingham palace for a reception in the state ballroom. the duke and duchess of edinburgh and the duke and duchess of gloucester joined their majesties at that reception. the prime minister and leader of the opposition were also in attendance there, and during the reception their majesties and their royal highnesses met the elected mps. following last year's general election and peers who have been appointed to the house of lords following the coronation of the king and queen in may. may of 2023. that is, of course, and those are the latest gb news headlines. for now. it's back to nigel. >> 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. >> this government is all about growth. of course, there >> this government is all about growth. of course be 1ere >> this government is all about growth. of c