Transcripts For GBN Sunday 20240703

Faced the risk of being ethnically cleansed. Since then, ethnically cleansed. Since then, the worst predictions of International Observers have come to the armenian come to pass as the armenian held region of Nagorno Karabakh collapsed , prompting thousands collapsed, prompting thousands of people to flee from Azerbaijani Armed forces. Baroness caroline cox from the house of lords has recently returned from armenia and speaks to us. After all that, well need to see the better side of life. And Stefan Kyriazis will life. And Stefan Kyriazis will be here to provide it. Hes been to see the dance show message in a bottle at sadlers wells, described as an uplifting and poignant tale of humanity. It will tell me about that and more. Well also be tuning in to Angela Rayners speech today at the Labour Party Conference and in the second hour, following the farce of High Speed Two railway line, well ask the question , will britain question, will britain ever recapture the enterprising spirit of victoria . Indian spirit of victoria . Indian engineers and builders . And if engineers and builders . And if youve given up alcohol in october, well be showing you how to make some guilt free cocktails. Before all of that cocktails. Before all of that here are the latest headlines with Theo Chikomba. With Theo Chikomba. Good morning its 11 02 with Theo Chikomba. Good morning its11 02 Theo Chikomba in the newsroom. Benjamin netanyahu has vowed to take mighty vengeance against the Terror Organisation hamas after. More than 250 israelis after. More than 250 israelis were killed and more than 1500 injured. In a surprise us attack, more than 313 palestinians have also died after hamas fired thousands of rockets and gunmen stormed the border. Local news reported israeli civilians in border towns barricading themselves in their homes, pleading for help. The Israeli Military says they are still fighting hamas in eight areas near gaza. The hamas eight areas near gaza. The hamas says israeli capt thieves are being held in secure places, including tunnels. Israeli prime including tunnels. Israeli Prime Minister said hamas wants to murder us all. We what happened today has never been seen in israel and i will make sure that it does not happen again. The entire government is behind this decision. The idf will immediately use all its strength to destroy hamas capabilities. We will destroy them and we will take mighty vengeance for this black day that they have forced on the state of israel and its citizens i speaking to gb news, Israels Deputy ambassador to the uk Oren Marmorstein held back tears as he discussed the scenes after the attacks. And she has blood the attacks. And she has blood all over her body , grabbing her all over her body, grabbing her by her hair and the terrorists shove her into a car. And her shove her into a car. And her eyes, petrified. Eyes thinking eyes, petrified. Eyes thinking what they are going to do to me. What kind of people can commit these atrocities to other people , to children . Im people, to children . Im secretary Suella Braverman has said she expects the police to use the full force of the law against displays of support for hamas. It comes after videos have emerged appearing to show people in various parts of the city with flags flying while clapping in celebration. An immigration in celebration. An immigration minister, Robert Jenrick , shared minister, Robert Jenrick, shared one of the videos posted on social media. He described those celebrating as disgusting and said there is no place for anyone who glorify the terrorist activities of hamas in a statement, Scotland Yard said the met has increased patrols in parts of the capital, transport secretary mark harper also condemned any support of hamas when he spoke to gb news. That is, of course, a proscribed terrorist organisation in the United Kingdom. So anybody expressing support for it is committing an offence and i would hope that the metropolitan police will investigate carefully any reports of anybody doing so and well take all the necessary steps aftennards. Steps aftennards. Labours Party Conference is getting undennay in liverpool and theres already been a big ticket promise for the nhs. Sir ticket promise for the nhs. Sir keir starmer has pledged £1. 5 billion to tackle the nhs waiting lists. Under the proposal , waiting lists. Under the proposal, all waiting lists. Under the proposal , all doctors waiting lists. Under the proposal, all doctors and nurses would be paid overtime to carry out procedures out of hours, creating more than 2 million appointments each year. The Labour Party Leader told a reception last night that the rishi sunak had been a nodding dog, leading to years of failure and it was time for change and staying with labour, the party said it would use Counter Terror tactics to monitor the most dangerous violent offenders in england and wales. Its part of labours mission to halve incidents of violence against women and girls over the next decade. The shadow home secretary says officers would be told to relentlessly pursue perpetrators who pose the greatest risk using all the tools at their disposal. Yvette cooperis tools at their disposal. Yvette cooper is due to announce the plan at labours Party Conference. A significant quantity of what is thought to be cocaine has been discovered off the coast of dorset and hampshire. The National Crime agency is invest waiting after a fisherman discovered holdalls containing hundreds of kilos of the powder in the sea off purbeck more washed up on a beach on the isle of wight. The nca says the class a drugs would have originated in south america. They are urging the pubuc america. They are urging the public to report any similar packages to their local police force. Its the end of an era force. Its the end of an era force. Its the end of an era for britains high streets today as the final wilko shops closed their doors , the remaining 41 of their doors, the remaining 41 of wilkos locations will switch off their lights for the last time later. The Household Goods retailer has been gradually closing its outlets over the past month after it went into administration in the brand, first started trading trading as wilkinson in leicester in 1930. By wilkinson in leicester in 1930. By the end of the decade, it had expanded to nearly ten locations, almost. 12,500 staff locations, almost. 12,500 staff will now be made redundant. This is gb news across the uk on tv, in your car, on Digital Radio and on your Smart Speaker by saying play gb news now its back to michael. Back to michael. Thank you Theo Chikomba. The world woke up to shocking news from israel yesterday. Hamas terrorists fired thousands of rockets into the country and infiltrated towns and villages infiltrated towns and villages in committing in the south, committing murders, rampaging through the streets , capturing military streets, capturing military equipment and israeli civilians. Israels Defence Forces were unprepared for the attack , which unprepared for the attack, which comes as israel and saudi arabia intended to establish diplomatic relations is to discuss it. Im joined by israeli author hen mazzig and robert fox, defence editor at the evening standard. Welcome to you both to gb news. Hen we heard Benjamin Netanyahu saying just then that nothing like this had happened to israel, i mean, thats thats pretty much the case, isnt it . Certainly not in your lifetime. Yeah , absolutely not in my yeah, absolutely not in my lifetime. And i would argue even probably of the darkest days probably one of the darkest days in israelis are in israeli history. Israelis are really broken. I spoke to my family and my friends and everyone are just in a state of shock. We havent seen anything like that. Think that not only like that. I think that not only the casualties, but the images of the barbarism and the and the children and women being kidnapped into gaza is just heartbreaking and terrifying. And its really tragic day for israel. Israel. Do you think israelis are upset with their government about what has clearly been an intelligence failure . I dont think were at the point of being upset. I think israelis are just so broken at the moment. Were still i mean, there were still hostage situations that have been unfolding overnight. The terrorists are still inside israel. Theyre still committing israel. Theyre still committing atrocities. So i think israelis atrocities. So i think israelis are still at a point of recovering and standing up , are still at a point of recovering and standing up, but recovering. I mean , theres over recovering. I mean, theres over 100 families, 100 women, children held in gaza by people that have shown such disregard for human rights. Weve seen horrific images. And i think thats still in the conscience of every israeli today. Of every israeli today. It may be too early to answer my next question as well, but netanyahu has spoken of this being a war. Hes obviously intending that the response will be very thorough indeed. Do you think thats appropriate . I think that we havent seen anything like that. As i said before, and thats why the response has to be large , larger response has to be large, larger than anything weve seen before. There were so many cycles of violence between israel and hamas over the years , but every hamas over the years, but every cycle of violence just ended with ceasefire and both sides went back. But i think this time there wont be a ceasefire. The way that weve seen it, it cannot be. I mean, theres over 100 people, again, family that have been broken that are held in gaza. Israel cannot just in gaza. Israel cannotjust respond. I mean , what is a respond. I mean, what is a measured response . Right. What is a proportionate in the case where you have women being raped , families being torn apart, elderly being taken into gaza . All of this is just so horrific and barbaric. And i dont even and barbaric. And i dont even know what will be a measured response to that. Response to that. Do you know what the motivation is for this hamas attack . I mean, we know in attack . I mean, we know in general why hamas wants to attack israel, but presumably an attack israel, but presumably an attack on this scale is going to produce an extraordinary reaction from israel. Im just wondering, is that what hamas wants . Does hamas want to see the israeli is thought by the to world overreact . World overreact . That has been their strategy for a long time. But i have to say that hamas is its it did not surprise us that hamas behaves this way. I mean, there is a border with hamas and fences for that exact reason. When people are saying that palestinians are breaking free out of gaza, the meaning is exactly what were seeing. And i think thats why israel is so diligent and protects our borders. We know what hamas is about. This is an organisation thatis about. This is an organisation that is called for the genocide of jews worldwide. And the whole ideology is like that. So for israelis, while we are shocked and broken, we expect this from from hamas. We know that this is what theyre about. So thats why i dont think that there is a strategy behind it. More for hamas specifically. Its just this is what they are. And i think because we saw joe biden and zelenskyy and leaders, macaroon leaders from around the world speaking up and condemning hamas. Were just hamas. So harshly, were just happy that the world is seeing what is really about. What hamas is really about. Robert, lets talk about the link with this supposed restoration of diplomatic relations with saudi arabia. Is this this would be very unwelcome to iran. Iran backs hezbollah and hamas. Is this the connection its in the background, but i think theres something that we just heard from ken thats going on. There is a generation shift. And in palestinian militancy , and in palestinian militancy, there is a different degree of violence. And i would say at one level, as weve seen with people indiscriminately shooting at civilians, why of amorality and coming back to your saudi point , i think there is a feeling amongst middle autant, extreme militant palestinians and arabs that the old arab world, which would sponsor them through things like the arab league, the organisation of the islamic conference, thats on other things that in fact that they have taken their eye off the ball with how toxic still the palestinian issue remains. But palestinian issue remains. But timing was everything here, and thats where i do suspect there has been real a real psyops cycle , logical operational cycle, logical operational planning. And thats where we were talking just before coming in here. Is it hezbollah in the north . Because in a way , north . Because in a way, hezbollah and hamas have just be rather strange about this are odd bedfellows because hamas grew out of a sunni community. Hezbollah is largely shia. That doesnt count in the new multi dimensional chess of geopolitics. Hamas is sponsor, possibly iran. Hezbollah saw their opportunity. Yom kippur, there opportunity. Yom kippur, there was sense somehow that things were asleep at the wheel in the command centres in jerusalem and tel aviv and also that the big arab world doesnt care. Lets go for it. And theyve exploited a moment of weakness for Benjamin Netanyahu. He leads a pretty netanyahu. He leads a pretty oddball coalition in he has been in court. Hes still being investigated and prosecuted. So investigated and prosecuted. So he is not the man that he was. Yes and with on the right, the new members of the cabinet are like, you. I have been like, you. I have been recommending maximalist positions with regard to the occupied territories, which everybody knew that in practical terms they couldnt prosecute. They cant fully occupy the west bank. But now the big question is hes faced with a huge operational and tactical question. As you have put it so clearly is what do you do about gaza now theyre Holding Hostages there and its the degree which changes the quality. The number of this thing. And this is a very, very grave crisis. And netanyahu was talking about forming a an all Party Coalition during this crisis. Do you think many israelis would welcome that . I think they will. I think israelis have been torn on on this internal social, political issue of the judicial reform and overhaul. And there were, you overhaul. And there were, you know , hundreds of thousands of know, hundreds of thousands of israelis that came out to protest against it and against the government. So i think at this time, when we are so deep down, israelis want unity , down, israelis want unity, thats something that weve seen throughout the years in every time of a war or a conflict or in human nature, when there is an external threat to come together and i think in this case, israelis would be welcoming this this type of coalition its early days. Thank you both very much for coming in on this sunday. Thats hen mazzig and robert fox after the break, ill be speaking to screenwriter Nicholas Martin, whose latest movie is poignantly timed. Golda follows israels only female Prime Minister as she faced the 1973 yom kippur offensive by egypt and syria. 50 years ago. Years ago. Hello there. Im Jonathan Vautrey. Who is your gb news Weather Forecast provided by the met office with a months worth of rain having fallen over some parts of scotland already this weekend, things will be turning just that bit drier as we head into the start of the new week. These still lingering into the start of the new week. These throughoutill lingering into the start of the new week. These throughout sunday,ing into the start of the new week. These throughout sunday, sol around throughout sunday, so still providing some outbursts of rain. Heavy initially, but they slowly begin to ease they will slowly begin to ease off as we head throughout the day, turning patchier day, generally turning patchier and , but still and lighter, but still likely that will some impacts that we will see some impacts dunng that we will see some impacts during course of the rest of during the course of the rest of this weekend. Elsewhere, a drier end some sunny end to the weekend, some sunny spells trying to break through, but lot of cloud across but quite a lot of cloud across Northern England into parts of northern well. But Northern Ireland as well. But temperatures above temperatures widely above average of year, average for the time of year, seeing around 25 c the seeing highs around 25 c in the south east. The rain band in the north generally sink southwards as into the overnight as we head into the overnight period, positioning itself across parts southern across parts of southern scotland, the scotland, fringing into the parts Northern Ireland parts of Northern Ireland as well. A largely dry well. Elsewhere, a largely dry night. Lot of cloud, though, night. A lot of cloud, though, pushing western coastal pushing into western coastal areas will turn quite murky here, mild for most of us, here, a mild one for most of us, though, temperatures not dropping below 15 c, dropping much below 11 to 15 c, a fair amount of cloud to start off monday morning, then particularly in this band particularly thick in this band from Northern Ireland, southern scotland, and scotland, Northern England and some along western some of the cloud along western coastal linger coastal areas could linger throughout good chunk of the throughout a good chunk of the day. Best of sunshine day. Best of the sunshine developing central southern areas again, areas of england. And again, temperatures will notably temperatures will be notably above normally expect above where wed normally expect them in october, them for this point in october, 24, 25 c possible once again , 24, 25 c possible once again, the heat wont last throughout the heat wont last throughout the entirety of the week, though something and bit something cooler and a bit wetter later on for midpart by news. The peoples channel. Britains news channel. Britains news channel. Welcome back. My next guest agreed to come on the show before we knew about the attacks on israel. Nicholas martin is a screenwriter and Film Producer whose latest work god cast helen mirren as israels only female Prime Minister. Facing the onslaught of syrian and egyptian armies whose attack on israel in 1973 initiated the yom kippur war exactly 50 years ago. Heres a very quick look at the movie today. Today. The egyptian and syrian armies launched an offensive against israel. Our enemies against israel. Our enemies hoped to surprise the citizens of israel on yom kippur. Our troops are outnumbered 7 to 1. Its the arabs reached tel aviv , israel will be wiped off aviv, israel will be wiped off the map. In my aviv, israel will be wiped off the map. In my day they aviv, israel will be wiped off the map. In my day they stood the map. In my day they stood for the Prime Minister. Dodi kissinger is on the line. Remember that i am first an american second. I am secretary of state. And third, i am a jew. You forget that in israel we read from right to left Nicholas Martin joins me now. Welcome. Its a its a magnificent film. Congratulations, helen mirren spectacular as golda meir. Why did you want to make a film about golda meir . I mean, im about golda meir . I mean, im always seeking out iconic characters. I love indefatigability. I love indefatigability. There she was. No one had done there she was. No one had done it for a while. And when i started digging into the story that it became clear that the yom kippur war was the moment that really defined her. And sadly , today, you know, we are sadly, today, you know, we are the israelis are talking of the second yom kippur war. So there was always theres always a struggle when youre trying to finance a film where people are say , how is this relevant . It say, how is this relevant . It sadly , its you know, ive spent sadly, its you know, ive spent the day feeling sick because its too relevant. Yeah and why it struck me was that you showed a woman who was immensely decisive , immensely decisive, extraordinarily courageous. She extraordinarily courageous. She was prepared to take the decisions , as apparently, decisions, as apparently, according to you anyway , she was according to you anyway, she was willing to stand up behind the mistakes that others had made. And not embarrassed those people. She was willing to take the blame for herself, and yet she was very, very sick. And she obviously felt under enormous pressure as not only did she try to save country, but she to save her country, but she threatened to 30,000 threatened to kill 30,000 egyptian soldiers whod fallen into an israeli trap. What an extraordinary figure. Extraordinary figure. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. I think in terms of her Decision Making and her leadership and her steadfast ness, it was really a it was really a product of her life. If we think of churchill at the beginning of the second world war, when he said Something Like , all of my mistakes have brought me to this point, but churchill was a man that learned from mistakes. And think from his mistakes. And i think golda from similar golda was cut from similar cloth. She saw the pogroms in russia as child , and she russia as a child, and she describes her childhood as being a fear, hunger and fear. Describes her childhood as being a fear, hunger and fear. She a fear, hunger and fear. She then lived in the United States , loved the americans, really understood the american people. She emigrated to israel in the or to palestine , as it was in or to palestine, as it was in the early 20s and saw the birth of the country. She saw the war of the country. She saw the war of independence and of course did her best to help jews during the holocaust. And she she knew the holocaust. And she she knew the arabs well. So so when the surprise attack of the yom kippur war began almost exactly 50 years ago to the day , she was 50 years ago to the day, she was uniquely placed to lead the country because she you know, shed lived her life and shed learned from her own mistakes. Learned from her own mistakes. Yes s so it is an extraordinary film. And we see, for example , film. And we see, for example, your allegation. I would like to test you on this, that the great hero of the israelis, moshe dayan, who by this stage is the defence secretary, pretty much has a nervous breakdown. Yes, this is documented. Yes, this is documented. Yes, this is documented. There are conflicting views on how deep this and how profound this breakdown was , but profound this breakdown was, but he certainly wasnt offered his resignation and was unable to function for several days at the beginning of the war. He was such a figure and so feared by israel. His enemies that go israel. His enemies that go older was very, very keen that nobody found out about this. And she didnt accept his resignation. And she sent him resignation. And she sent him home and asked him to sort of get a grip on himself and then brought him back later on. And he then functioned. He was he was a good soldier. He functioned very well and helped to make the decision to cross the canal. And what about your your scenes with Henry Kissinger . So she she she has this great relationship with kissinger and with the United States for the reasons that youve given. Yet reasons that youve given. Yet in a way, she she tricks kissinger because she implies in your script that shes to going sign a peace deal. But actually she presses on her military advantage until she gets the egyptian president , sadat to want face to face talks and until sadat will admit that hes going to speak to the Prime Minister of israel, in other words, more or less recognising israel. Yes so kissinger was the most powerful man on the face of the earth at the time. But this little old lady with bad feet did did trick him. And it was did did trick him. And it was a combination of deep admiration and respect for kissinger, but also an understanding that his what he wanted was different to what he wanted was different to what she wanted. You know, it said that when kissinger looked at a map of the middle east and he only saw the soviet union and the United States , he didnt the United States, he didnt really notice that there were any countries there. He was only interested in keeping the soviets out of the middle for , soviets out of the middle for, east you know, because he wanted to keep control of energy, etcetera. But gold, gold, his agenda was completely different. And she he played this game of poker with him. She eventually poker with him. She eventually forced him to take her side, which she was confident that eventually he would do. But she she really tortured him and tortured him about his own jewishness and, you know, played some terrible tricks on him. Some terrible tricks on him. There are parallels not only with whats happening in israel today, but also with whats happened with ukraine in that it is assumed that the european asians will not be vocal in support of israel because theyre so dependent on arab oil. In 1973. Absolutely. Absolutely. Absolutely. So the parallel with ukraine is very real and the lesson of the yom kippur war was if you dont control your energy supply, youre not truly an independent nation. Now, theres been a change in that the us are now Energy Independent. Theyve discovered these vast out oil fields in texas. But the question is, you know, would the russians have had the confidence to invade ukraine if europe had been Energy Independent . And its the lesson that we still havent learned in this country. We which is we are dependent upon energy from abroad. And until that changes, we will remain in trouble on this day when people are so fearful and so anxious about whats happening in israel, shall we end on an upbeat this war leads to a peace treaty. The greatest peace thats ever been made between the combatants. And thats how your film ends. It ends with this extraordinary scene of golda meir and sadat, the egyptian president , joking and laughing president , joking and laughing with each other, and she making a present to his new grandchild. So you know, sometimes at least in the past, it has led to peace. Yes that was goldas greatest legacy. She she she she states legacy. She she she she states in the movie and she felt at the time, you know, if i can get sadat by the throat, he will make a deal. And she the whole point of goldas life was to persuade the neighbours to. Persuade the neighbours to. Recognise israel. And when sadat did, it was as led to a 50 years of peace, which continues to this day. And its an this day. And its an extraordinary achievement. Sadly, theres israel is still at war technically with syria at and the Current Situation action is , you know, its the big is, you know, its the big problem is going to be between israel and hezbollah and theres no peace there. None. No peace there. None. One of my biggest takes from it was, is the courage, the decisiveness politics needs that. And i think it is so absent. But when i see in your film, she says she has to make a compromise position between two lots of vice. She goes for the compromise. Somebody starts to argue against, she says the decisions being taken, she probably knows its the wrong decision, but her job is to make decisions. I so admire that insight. In your script. I think goldas leadership style was was very thoughtful and democratic. She would listen to everyone. Listen, listen, listen. Everyone listen, listen, listen. Everyone would argue and then she knew that as a leader, she had to then make a decision. And its then make a decision. And its better to make some decision than none at all. And in the end, it was a decision. You end, it was a decision. You know, there were warring factions amongst her generals and she made a decision that was going to hold everyone together. And now im sure she would have liked to have mobilised far more troops. But that might have split, know moshe may split, you know, moshe dayan may have i dont approve of have said, i dont approve of this, and the whole thing would have fallen apart. So it was this endless, endless compromising. So it was this endless, endlesswhennromising. So it was this endless, endlesswhen the ising. So it was this endless, endlesswhen the moment came, she but when the moment came, she was brutal. And thank was absolutely brutal. And thank you very much indeed. She not only makes the decision, she sticks with the decision. Are you listening, boris . Just amazing stuff. Thank you. Thank boris . Just amazing stuff. Thank you. Thank you very much indeed. Nicholas martin. Congratulations on the film golda with helen mirren elsewhere in the middle east, far from the israeli conflict, Something Else has been brewing recently. Thousands of Ethnic Armenians have now fled their homes in the region of Nagorno Karabakh , the ethnic of Nagorno Karabakh, the Ethnic Armenian enclave is legally part of azerbaijan, whose armed forces launched a lightning assault to take control of it last month. Baroness claire cox from the house of lords has visited armenia. Scores of times and relates her fears for its armenian population. Well ive armenian population. Well ive had the painful privilege of visiting Nagorno Karabakh. Many , many times, and many, many times, and recently the situation has become very, very serious. Its become very, very serious. Its a little bit of ancient armenia thats started in located in azerbaijan , so its formerly azerbaijan, so its formerly part of azerbaijan. And last part of azerbaijan. And last december, azerbaijan blockaded the only road from armenia into Nagorno Karabakh , which is used Nagorno Karabakh, which is used for bringing in medicines and food and so on. So the situation was becoming very serious. The was becoming very serious. The armenians who live in Nagorno Karabakh , they were Nagorno Karabakh, they were getting malnutrition and one person actually died from starvation , maybe more than one. Starvation, maybe more than one. And then the situation got much worse. About three weeks later when azerbaijan began military offensives and it started shelling parts of Nagorno Karabakh , people were Nagorno Karabakh, people were killed. We dont know exactly how many, but quite a few were killed. Many more and killed. Many more injured. And the towns and villages inside karabakh, they were bombed. And karabakh, they were bombed. And it was obviously horrific. And it was obviously horrific. And then the armenians began leaving Nagorno Karabakh about three weeks ago, a huge exodus, because they felt they couldnt stay. They were under attack. Stay. They were under attack. There was Food Shortages and they were being constantly persecuted. And so they began persecuted. And so they began leaving. And since then, theres leaving. And since then, theres been a massive exodus of the armenians who live in that little land is the historic land. Its got some of the oldest churches in the world because armenia was first nation become christian in the fourth century. Culturally and century. So it is culturally and historically armenian. But the armenians are forced to leave and theyve been leaving, im afraid, in huge numbers. I think probably at least 100,000. We dont know the exact figures. We dont know the exact figures. We dont know the exact figures. We dont know the exact figures left. Vast majority are left. But the vast majority are leaving or have left. And that is very, very tragic. The problems that still remain are the fact that its very hard for those in there to get food , to those in there to get food, to get medical treatment. Theyre get medical treatment. Theyre wounded and its really its kind of its being called ethnic cleansing by observers. And. Cleansing by observers. And. Finally, a serious thing is that azerbaijan is taking prisoners of the armenian people who live in Nagorno Karabakh. Some of their leaders , i know them very their leaders, i know them very respected and honourable, decent people have been captured and are now in prison in baku , the are now in prison in baku, the capital of azerbaijan. And capital of azerbaijan. And theyve been landed with horrific condemnations of things that will bring very nasty pnson that will bring very nasty prison sentences. Theyre not true , but they are imprisoned true, but they are imprisoned and they are now facing trial with very serious charges. So its a very, very sad situation. Its actually quite a miniature hell, massive exodus , miniature hell, massive exodus, Food Shortages because of the blockades and people being taken into prison and being given very, very serious prison sentences. One of the great problems is, is that the International Community has so far just stood by and let it all happen. Theyve given verbal condemnation and criticism , but condemnation and criticism, but the United Kingdom has done nothing by way of action to call azerbaijan to account. I think what is needed at this stage are sanctions. But they have not yet been applied. So azerbaijan is continuing with impunity. Continuing with impunity. That was baroness claire cox speaking on the crisis in armenia and azerbaijan. Soon armenia and azerbaijan. Soon there will be something a bit lighter after the break, as Stefan Kyriazis will join me with his latest reviews of london theatre. See started at piccadilly in manchester. Of course, voice one on air. Yeah. Um. On air. Yeah. Um. Welcome back. Welcome back. Were going to take you live to the Labour Party Conference kicking off in liverpool. Deputy leader Angela Rayner is speaking and lets have a little listen in. Campaign you and michael ran years of hard work led to the people of rutherglen put in their faith in labour. This week a watershed moment now conference. Its no offence , but conference. Its no offence, but ihope conference. Its no offence, but i hope this is the last speech youll hear from me on this podium before a general election. Because just like you , i am. Because just like you, i am sick of being in opposition when you elected me three and a half years ago, it was the honour of my life. But you didnt elect me to be deputy leader of the opposition when you elected me to be deputy Prime Minister of a Labour Government. Labour government. A Labour Government that will transform peoples lives like the last Labour Government changed my own. Now we have a changed my own. Now we have a great week in store, but it comes after one where we saw the chaotic face of todays tory party see, theyve had quite a year since we last met the leader who lost to a lettuce , leader who lost to a lettuce, the chancellor who forgot his own tax return and forgot to declare it to gavin williamson, forced to resign because he turned out to be a bully. Who turned out to be a bully. Who knew . Dominic raab also forced knew . Dominic raab also forced to resign as a bully. I think to resign as a bully. I think everyone knew that one except the Prime Minister , apparently. The Prime Minister, apparently. And theres the home secretary sacked as a threat to national security. The same home security. The same home secretary reappointed noted next week. I think they call that time served. Apparently she time served. Apparently she believes in the rehabilitation of offenders after. Of offenders after. All and now we have a Prime Minister refusing to hand over his whatsapp messages , as i assume whatsapp messages, as i assume Jacob Rees Mogg also refused to hand over his carrier pigeon. Hand over his carrier pigeon. Conference throughout all of it, the Prime Minister simply cannot stand up for the country against his party. He is apparently planning another reshuffle. Maybe thats why he thinks were offering him seven different bins for different kinds of rubbish. And of course that rubbish. And of course that their conference, liz truss was back. But one thing did become clear last week. We all know that hes just ken in her barbie world and what a contrast we are to the tories with keir at the helm, labours shadow cabinet is hungry for change and i might be a little bit biased, right. But i think my team are shining stars. I i think my team are shining stars. I lead i think my team are shining stars. I lead a i think my team are shining stars. I lead a formidable frontbench with matt, sarah flow, paul , isla, mike nav, mary flow, paul, isla, mike nav, mary sharon, sue amwaj and justin and imran leading on the new deal for working people. All. For working people. All. A conference. I also want to pay tribute to the woman who paved the way for labours bold housing and levelling up vision with grit and determination. With grit and determination. Lisa nandy. Lisa nandy. The reality is that labour is already delivering in power from our elected mayors to our local Authority Leaders or the Labour Government in wales , our government in wales, our movement has never been so unified , so focussed around one unified, so focussed around one aim to give britain its future back. But the tories also have one singular focus to desperately cling on to power. Thats why the tories levelling up project was dead on arrival. You cannot level up from the top down. The tories only know how to centralise power and hold wealth where it benefits them and it is under their watch. The places that once built britain have been abandoned completely. Have been abandoned completely. Cities crumbling, high streets emptying rising crime , streets emptying rising crime, streets that were once bursting with pride shut down and boarded up, denied a brighter future. Rents that are skyrocketing. Mortgage is soaring where work does not pay is soaring where work does not pay that lingering sense that britain is broken. The britain is broken. The Collateral Damage from the swing of the tories wrecking ball for the conservatives of growth isnt for everyone. It means the isnt for everyone. It means the jobs for the boys and a free ride for vested interests. The ride for vested interests. The super rich, the non dom as water bosses. Super rich, the non dom as water bosses. As for our proud united bosses. As for our proud United Kingdom that once spearheaded the industrial world was not a trickle down nation. It was trickle down nation. It was a country where innovation and growth rose up from the ports of factories. The warehouses in hartlepool, humber and teesside. And in my lifetime , growth. And in my lifetime, growth used to be in the hands of the workers and communities that built britain from their graft came wealth. What today working came wealth. What today working people are grafting while ministers in their ivory tower in whitehall. The truth is , and in whitehall. The truth is, and im not afraid to say it, its a responsible government that recognises their role in providing stability in peoples lives. What stability has been lives. What stability has been smashed at the hands of this Prime Minister , who in his Prime Minister, who in his Conference Speech spent an hour rallying against plots and controversies that dont exist, worshipping. At the altar of liz worshipping. At the altar of liz truss, a government that has gone off the rails quite literally in the north. The Prime Ministers speech didnt even mention housing once. Know even mention housing once. Know that, no doubt thats because his housing policy is the same as his new smoking policy. Increase the prices year on yean increase the prices year on year. So eventually no one can. Year. So eventually no one can. Buy angela rippon, Angela Rayner speaking there from liverpool at the Labour Party Conference, talking about being sick of being in opposition , saying that being in opposition, saying that she looks fonnard to being deputy Prime Minister a lot of good knockabout jokes about the conservative party and then beginning her attack on the conservatives in earnest beginning the Labour Party Conference in liverpool. Well back to the studio and im blessed to be joined now by Stefan Kyriazis, who , amongst Stefan Kyriazis, who, amongst other things has been to sadlers wells in london to see a new dance show that will later on go on an international tour. Stefan, tell us about message in a bottle that line sounds familiar to me. It is. Now, if you told me you were to going send me off to a show with music by sting about my migrants crossing the seas with modern contemporary dance, i might have been a bit. No, thank you. What it is, is one of the you. What it is, is one of the most beautiful, moving, exquisitely crafted shows that ive seen in a very long time. I loved it. So yes, yes, it is. The music of sting. And lets take lets take a clip right now. Oh, yes. Itll help you to explain it. Help you to explain it. Ill be watching every breath you take, every move you make , you take, every move you make, every bond you break. Ill be watching you every single day. Every word you sing single day. Every word you sing , every game you play. I will , every game you play. I will watch you take every move you bond you. Bond you. Stefan eloquent though you are pictures worth a thousand words. That is remarkable. Well, words. That is remarkable. Well, so obviously i could hear the music of sting there. And tell me about the ballet then. How does that work around . What has it got a story . It absolutely has a narrative story. So week we had the story. So last week we had the black sabbath ballet, which was inspired music, but inspired by the music, but absolutely and absolutely no narrative. And then jukebox musicals then you have jukebox musicals in which story in theatres, which are the story of tina turner and Michael Jackson their own music. Jackson using their own music. And is using all the music and this is using all the music of obviously own of sting, obviously not his own life so what the songs life story. So what the songs do, is way more successful do, which is way more successful than jukebox musicals, they than jukebox musicals, is they they soundtrack action. They soundtrack the action. They capture spirit , but they capture its spirit, but they dont have to be vocalised by someone. All the storytelling is being by action on being told by the action on stage it is done absolutely stage and it is done absolutely beautiful. You saw that dancing. Incredible dancing. It fuses jazz , modern ballet, hip hop, jazz, modern ballet, hip hop, street art, classical, contemporary. Its glorious. You contemporary. Its glorious. You saw all the tricks they were doing. There were endless cheers and whoops all the way through from the audience, but also moments of extreme beauty. And its telling the story. As you saw, a family , five people, two saw, a family, five people, two parents children. And parents and three children. And i someone talking i heard earlier someone talking about everything in about everything going on in palestine and israel at the moment sometimes you moment and how sometimes you need a bit more need to make it a bit more personal. You need to go into someones house to see what actually happened. And is actually happened. And this is what does. Seen all what this does. Weve seen all the news. Weve seen the terrible news. Weve seen terrible statistics. Weve terrible statistics. Weve weve heard every it just heard it every day. And it just becomes slightly and what becomes slightly noise. And what this does it gives us a very this does is it gives us a very beautiful, happy opening, a land thats never named. Its sunny. The family, the oldest boy is getting married. Hes fallen in love. Soundtrack by every love. Its soundtrack by every little thing she does is magic. Its joyous. So happy for its joyous. Youre so happy for them. And then this them. And then theres this enormous boom of bombs going off and everything is ripped away from them. And you have this almost sort of staccato like strobing with everybody staggering and their lives staggering back and their lives are taken away. You saw that in credible one of my favourite moments is when they flee. All theyve sold everything. All theyve sold everything. All theyve sold everything. All they left these little they have left these little knapsacks, down on knapsacks, they put them down on the a square. They step the floor in a square. They step inside the lights go down. Projections of a raging sea behind. Sound effects , lights behind. Sound effects, lights creating the wind and the rain. Creating the wind and the rain. And suddenly were at sea and theyve created boat simply theyve created a boat simply from their own knapsacks. And its visually gorgeous and it lets you do the imagining as well. But also youre invested in these five people and your heart gets broken because you care for not another tissue day. Was it lots of tissues . Three times, but actually twice for love stories as im also a sucker for a beautiful love story. And the two older children have absolutely beautiful love stories. There are stories of compassion, of acceptance and discovering new lives, of hope. And its all absolutely extraordinarily dance enacted by the cast. I cant praise it highly enough. You cannot. And so people should go and see it where they should go and see it where they should go and see it at the moment, its on at the peacock theatre, which is part of sadlers wells in london until october 14th. Afraid youd have to then im afraid youd have to go sydney in australia, then go to sydney in australia, then europe, then its europe, then america. Its coming back to the uk, but only in its long wait, in cinemas. Its a long wait, but of may next year and but 30th of may next year and the 2nd of june. Its in cinemas. Cant it cinemas. I cant praise it highly it in london. Youve been to a sondheim show as well . I have. Its called old friends. Its basically the new expanded gala expanded version of the gala that was on last year. Lets have a look at a clip of that great day when ill be in love. Oh, it looks enormous fun. It looks enormous fun. But i wonder, can you make something new of sondheim . Do you need to make something new of sondheim . This is very much a celebration version. And its a its a reminder. Like theres very much this. Theres a famous when the broadway baby, often the sing her the woman comes on to sing her song and she and the producer was like , why are you going to was like, why are you going to sing me . And shes like, sing for me . And shes like, oh, ive sondheim. Hes ive got some sondheim. And hes like, tunes and like, oh, no tunes then. And its very sondheim is often its very much sondheim is often seen as a little bit intimidating, intellectual, not for so oh my for everybody. So oh my goodness, show, i just sat goodness, this show, i just sat there and it was hit after hit. I laughed much. His lyrics i laughed so much. His lyrics are funny. So this is are very, very funny. So this is more celebration. This is a more a celebration. This is a reminder this man was an reminder that this man was an absolute great but its also a chance for musical, crazy people like me to see someone like bernadette peters, who saw in bernadette peters, who we saw in the tt with all the crazy red hair. Shes 75 there in her spangly dress. She is an absolute broadway legend. Shes incredible. So you have the joy incredible. So you have the joy of seeing her. One of sondheims muses. Yes. But also lots of red muses. Yes. But also lots of red hair. Bonnie langford , who often hair. Bonnie langford, who often gets a little bit of short shrift. She was in sondheim, age eight as baby june in gypsy. And was taken to broadway. This woman has had a career and she does a stand airing version of im still here, and it was really great to see the crowd roaring for her. So this is more its a celebration and it clipped. You have west side story, you have gypsy, you have sweeney todd. The joy of the sweeney todd. The joy of the songs, the humour, and also for me, i mean, i love his stuff, but i dont know all of it. There are songs like the boy from which is a play on the girl from ipanema, but the boy is from ipanema, but the boy is from this. Its sung by this kind of sugary, vampy older lady. And hes from this, this, this crazy spanish place thats like 28 syllables long and lots of and it gets funnier and funnier and more ridiculous until the twist is that hes actually from wales. And you know where hes from in wales. And she has to do all of that as well. But you also see this man gave incredible roles for older women. So all the way through and you to get and then you got to get a gimmick from gypsy is three faded showgirl is bernadette faded old showgirl is bernadette peters, 75. Shes the one that comes out to pump it with a trumpet, literally between her legs. At one stage there are all these songs, but there are songs about life, about marriages, about life, about marriages, about people not wanting to get married. Married for years, married. Married for 30 years, leaving people young. Love in west side story. Its all there. I was going to say west side story. Youre talking about the tunes. He didnt write the tunes for west side. He wrote the lyrics. He wrote the lyrics. He wrote the lyrics for that and for gypsy and quite and for gypsy and youre quite right, he was an amazing lyricist, and im just delighted to hear you still to hear that you were still laughing at because they laughing at them because they are so clever. The plays on words. He the plays on words. Yeah, he had ear. Had a fantastic ear. That on. And thats had a fantastic ear. A that on. And thats had a fantastic ear. A huge on. And thats had a fantastic ear. A huge run. On. And thats had a fantastic ear. A huge run. Thats. Nd thats had a fantastic ear. A huge run. Thats untilats got a huge run. Thats until january three and thats on at the gielgud in london. And you can that was from can also some of that was from the year, which had an the gala last year, which had an even starry cast year. Even more starry cast this year. Weve got people like lea salonga year was judi salonga last year was judi dench, mckenzie dench, Julia Mckenzie like extraordinary michael ball thats iplayer. So i thats on bbc iplayer. So also i recommend it live with bells on, but also its on iplayer, so do catch it there. Catch it there. Fantastic. Stefan, thank you very its so brilliant very much. Its so brilliant to have your enthusiasm and to have a different colour flower each week. Its marvellous. Okay, that completes the first hour of sunday with Michael Portillo. Stay ill return in stay with us. Ill return in a few moments to ask how in the light of the hs2 fiasco, can britain recapture the spirit of industry once propelled to industry that once propelled to us of the league of us the top of the league of nafions. Us the top of the league of nations. Hello there, im nations. Hello there, im Jonathan Vautrey. Who of your gb news Weather Forecast provided by the met office. With a months worth of rain having fallen over some parts of scotland already this weekend, will be turning weekend, things will be turning just that bit drier as we head into start of the new week. Into the start of the new week. These are still lingering into the start of the new week. These throughoutill lingering into the start of the new week. These throughout sunday,ing into the start of the new week. These throughout sunday, sol around throughout sunday, so still some outbursts around throughout sunday, so sti rain. Some outbursts around throughout sunday, so sti rain. Heavy some outbursts around throughout sunday, so sti rain. Heavy initially, tbursts around throughout sunday, so sti rain. Heavy initially, butsts of rain. Heavy initially, but they slowly begin to ease they will slowly begin to ease off as we head throughout the day, patchier day, generally turning patchier and , but still likely and lighter, but still likely that will some impacts that we will see some impacts dunng that we will see some impacts during course of the rest of during the course of the rest of this elsewhere, a drier this weekend. Elsewhere, a drier end the some sunny end to the weekend, some sunny spells to break through, spells trying to break through, but a cloud across but quite a lot of cloud across northern into parts of Northern England into parts of northern as well. But Northern Ireland as well. But temperatures widely above average of year, average for the time of year, seeing around 25 c in the seeing highs around 25 c in the southeast. The rain band seeing highs around 25 c in the southeast. The rain band in the north generally sink southwards as we head the overnight as we head into the overnight period, itself period, positioning itself across parts of southern scotland, the scotland, fringing into the parts northern as parts of Northern Ireland as well. Elsewhere a largely dry night. A lot of cloud, though, pushing western coastal night. A lot of cloud, though, pushiiwill western coastal night. A lot of cloud, though, pushiiwill turn estern coastal night. A lot of cloud, though, pushiiwill turn quite coastal night. A lot of cloud, though, pushiiwill turn quite murky|l areas will turn quite murky here. A mild one for most of us, though, temperatures not dropping much below 11 to 15 c is a fair amount of cloud to start monday morning. Then start off monday morning. Then particularly this band particularly thick in this band from Northern Ireland, southern scotland, northern and scotland, Northern England and some cloud along western some of the cloud along western coastal linger coastal areas could linger throughout of the throughout a good chunk of the day. Best of the sunshine developing central southern areas again , areas of england and again, temperatures notably temperatures will be notably above where normally expect above where wed normally expect them this point in october them for this point in october 2420 celsius 2420 five degrees celsius possible once again , the heat possible once again, the heat wont last throughout the entirety though entirety of the week, though something bit something cooler and a bit wetter later on by d goo by good afternoon. Welcome to the second hour with sunday with Michael Portillo ambulance your afternoon through meadows of arts culture. Good conversation and in celebration of sober october some non alcoholic cocktails ever more people are jumping on the wagon and giving up the booze so bartender Joe Edmondson will mix delicious cocktails that will help you to Party Without later nursing a hangover. Party without later nursing a hangover. Before that, i want to hangover. Before that, i want to ask what has become of the spirit of isambard kingdom . Brunel the cancellation of the manchester leg of hs2 indicates a wider cultural problem. Britain can no longer gets things done , whether its things done, whether its building houses. Major infrastructure or energy resources. Well be drilling resources. Well be drilling down into that one in a few minutes. Eric kaufmann is an esteemed academic and social scientist who has given up a professorship at Birkbeck University of london. In an article for the critic, he denounces an erosion of Academic Freedom at the university. Youll join me on this free speech channel to explain more. Speech channel to explain more. China looms ever larger on the Eastern Horizon and britains appropriate policy response is hard to frame correctly. The concern of mp for Bolton North East mark logan is well placed to consider the issue. Having worked at the british consulate in shanghai, ill ask him what were to make of the disappearance of several once prominent chinese leaders. But before all of that , here are before all of that, here are your main headlines with Theo Chikomba. Good afternoon. Chikomba. Good afternoon. Its 12 01 on Theo Chikomba. Good afternoon. Its12 01 on Theo Chikomba in the newsroom. Benjamin in the newsroom. Benjamin netanyahu has vowed to take mighty vengeance against the terrorist Organisation Hamas after more than 250 israelis were killed and more than 1500 injured in a surprise attack took more than 313. Palestinians have also died after hamas fired thousands of rockets and gunmen stormed to the border. Local news report said israeli civilians in border towns barricading themselves in their homes, pleading for help. The Israeli Military say they are still fighting hamas in eight areas near gaza. Hamas says areas near gaza. Hamas says israeli captain tvs are being held in secure places , including held in secure places, including tunnels. Israels Prime Minister said hamas wants to murder us all. What happened today has never been seen in israel and i will make sure that it does not happen again. The entire government is behind this decision. The idf will immediately use all its strength to destroy hamass capabilities. We will destroy them and we will take mighty vengeance for this black day that they have forced on state of israel and its on the state of israel and its citizens as speaking to gb news, Israels Deputy ambassador to the uk Oren Marmorstein ein, held back tears as he discussed the scenes after the attacks. In the scenes after the attacks. In and she has blood all over her body , grabbing her by her hair body, grabbing her by her hair and the terrorists shove her into a car and her eyes petrified , her eyes thinking petrified, her eyes thinking what are going to do to me . What kind of people commit these atrocities to other people , to children . Haim home , to children . Haim home secretary Suella Braverman has said she expects the police to use the full force of the law against displays in support of hamas. It comes after videos have emerged appearing to show people in various parts of the city with flags flying while clapping in celebration. Immigration in celebration. Immigration minister Robert Jenrick shared one of the videos posted on social media. He described those celebrating as disgusting and said there is no place for anyone who glorifies the terrorist activities of hamas. In a statement, Scotland Yard said the met has increased patrols in parts of the capital. Speaking to gb news earlier , speaking to gb news earlier, transport secretary mark harper also condemned the celebrations i mass is, of course, a proscribed terrorist organisation. In the united organisation. In the United Kingdom. So anybody expressing support for it is committing an offence. And i would hope that the met neapolitan police will investigate carefully any reports anybody doing so and reports of anybody doing so and will all the necessary will take all the necessary steps aftennards a protest steps aftennards as a protest are briefly interrupted. Speeches at Labour Party Conference event this morning, he was quickly removed from the stage before Angela Rayner took to the podium, officially opening the event. To the podium, officially opening the event. Labours deputy leader took the opportunity to present the party as a contrast over a decade of conservative government. As conservative government. As never been so unified , so never been so unified, so focussed around one aim to give britain its future back. But the tories also have one singular focus to desperately cling on to power. Thats why the tories levelling up project was dead on arrival. You cannot level up from the top down. The tories only know how to centralise power and hold wealth where it benefits them. Labour where it benefits them. Labour was Party Conference is getting undennay in liverpool and theres already been a big ticket promise for the nhs. Sir keir starmer has pledged £1. 5 billion to tackle nhs waiting lists. Under the proposal, doctors and nurses would be paid over time to carry out more procedures, out of hours, creating more than 2 million appointments each yean 2 million appointments each year. The labour leader told a reception last night that rishi sunak had been nodding dog, leading to years of failure and it was time for change. And staying with labour, the party says it would use Counter Terror terror tactics to monitor the most dangerous violent offenders in england and wales. Its part of a mission. Labours mission to halve incidents of violence against women and girls over the next decade. Add the shadow home next decade. Add the shadow home secretary says officers would be to told relentlessly pursue perpetrators who pose the greatest risk using all the tools at their disposal. Yvette cooperis tools at their disposal. Yvette cooper is due to announce the plan at labours Party Conference. This is gb news across the uk on tv in your car on Digital Radio and on your Smart Speaker by saying play gb news now its back to michael. News now its back to michael. Thank you Theo Chikomba. Thank you Theo Chikomba. Britains engineers were once the toast of the world as they laid down the Railway Tracks that linked the country, dug the sewers that improved Public Health and launched the ships that connected an empire. This weeks announcement that the second leg of the hs2 between birmingham and manchester is to be scrapped summarised death be scrapped summarised the death of enterprise and of that enterprise and competence. Parts of the competence. Parts of the conservative party, particularly its younger members, still clamour government to clamour for the government to build, not least build, build, build. Not least the new houses which they say are alleviate are needed to alleviate a critical shortage. Gb news liam critical shortage. Gb news Liam Halligan new book, home truths gets to the heart of britains housing shortage. Gets to the heart of britains housing shortage. Im gets to the heart of britains housing shortage. Im joined by housing shortage. Im joined by him and also from derby by Sam Ashworth Hayes from the daily telegraph. Liam, congratulate us telegraph. Liam, congratulate us on the book. What is it that is stopping us building homes . Well, i think we need to be careful here, michael. Theres lots of reasons why hs2 wasnt a good project and maybe we can get into that, but the uk does have an infrastructure building problem. We spend 0. 9 of gdp a year on infrastructure. The year on infrastructure. The aussies are 1. 5. The nonnegians 1. 7. The chinese almost 5. So there is a dearth of ambition here. We havent built a new Nuclear Power station since sizewell b that was commissioned in 1987, the year i took my a levels. Believe it or not. And in my lifetime we havent built a new town , even though the a new town, even though the population in that period has gone up from roughly 50 million to almost 70 million people. Well, thats why young people were clamouring for more homes to be built, not just young to be built, notjust young people, but their parents and their grandparents, too. Thats why its pretty astonishing to me. Michael that sunak me. Michael that rishi sunak didnt mention housing once in his keynote speech speech in manchester. I wrote in the telegraph today that i wonder if labour are going to mention housing in liverpool and they are. Theyre housing in liverpool and they are. Theyre coming out of housing in liverpool and they are. Theyre coming out of the are. Theyre coming out of the blocks we just heard blocks fast. We just heard Angela Rayner talking about housing papers. The housing and the papers. The sunday have been briefed sunday papers have been briefed as well. Ill be scrutinising those closely those policies very closely because im about to get on a train to liverpool now. It is extraordinary , not to it is extraordinary, not to mention housing because amongst young its the main topic young people its the main topic of conversation. For most of of conversation. For most of them, the fact they cant get on them, the fact they cant get on the housing ladder at for all those of them who are aspiring to get housing ladder, to get on the housing ladder, that now probably moved out that its now probably moved out of their reach because of the mortgage you mortgage rates. And you and i were talking about earlier were talking about this earlier and you know, this is and i said, you know, this is what young people are talking about. Said its about. And you said its what their and their their parents and their grandparents talking about. Grandparents are talking about. Absolutely true. It covers a swathe of the population. The main had main preoccupation, tories had nothing about our nothing to say about it. Our strange, indeed. Im afraid makes the prime im afraid it makes the Prime Minister look out of no minister look out of touch. No housing issues for him. Hes got multiple multiple multiple homes on multiple continents. But continents. Of course. But its not just about getting on the property that to property ladder. That tends to be obsession of be the obsession in of relatively well heeled people who in in the london based who work in in the london based media. But of course , were media. But of course, were talking about really high rents as well. Rents have gone up across the uk by 12 over the last year , according to last year, according to rightmove , and rents have gone rightmove, and rents have gone up further, more outside of london than inside of london. Quite incredible. And heres the irony. As its become more difficult to own a property, many landlords have quit the sector and because theyve quit the sector, there are fewer properties to rent. And so as house prices may be, if anything, easing off, the rents are going up very, very sharply. The cost of servicing and the cost of servicing a mortgage of a particular size goes up because Interest Rates are going up. And just finally, on housing, because renters on housing, because if renters dont often get a look in in the debate because were all obsessed about getting on the property owning this obsessed about getting on the properiof owning this obsessed about getting on the properiof home owning this obsessed about getting on the properiof home owners,|ing this obsessed about getting on the properiof home owners,|ing home nation of home owners, our Home Ownership rate is now below the average the eu , by the way. Average of the eu, by the way. Indeed, also a shout out is what ive written about in sunday ive written about in my sunday telegraph today what ive written about in my sunday tele and h today what ive written about in my sunday teleand i today what ive written about in my sunday teleand i used today what ive written about in my sunday teleand i used to today what ive written about in my sunday teleand i used to call|y what ive written about in my sunday teleand i used to call councillat you and i used to call Council Houses in 1979, a third of uk households were in state owned council housing, maybe thats a bit too high, but now its 13. Bit too high, but now its13. There are 1. 5 million families families on the Council House waiting list, and yet we havent built more Council Houses than weve sold off or have been demolished for more than 40 years. So theres a real dearth of social housing. Hundreds of thousands of kids living in temporary accommodation , in temporary accommodation, in homelessness, up hugely. The party that grabs this issue, particularly of council housing, will win a lot of seats across the red wall, not just in the north and the midlands, but the south west and london too. Its a major, major issue, a cinderella issue that rarely gets mentioned. I, as an old tory, would be in favour of building Council Houses even if one day you sell them to the. Absolutely. So you know, thatcherite know, following the thatcherite policy. Hayes know, following the thatcherite pci cy. Hayes know, following the thatcherite pci hope hayes know, following the thatcherite pci hope down hayes know, following the thatcherite pci hope down the hayes know, following the thatcherite pci hope down the line hayes know, following the thatcherite pci hope down the line in hayes know, following the thatcherite pci hope down the line in derby; is i hope down the line in derby. Can we turn to this matter of infrastructure sam do you have an analysis for why the british are just so hopeless at Building Infrastructure . Liam there was infrastructure . Liam there was saying that we spend less than other but what other countries, but what is even remarkable is how much even more remarkable is how much worse we spend it. Allegations that its costing us, you know, ten times as much per mile to build a railways, to build a railway as some of our close rivals. Yes, absolutely. And it all comes back to the same core issue that we have with housing, which is effectively that its incredibly hard to get anything donein incredibly hard to get anything done in britain because the planning is just riddled Planning System is just riddled with and you can take with vetoes. And you can take three really quick examples. Theres an interconnector which was be built that was supposed to be built that make landfall near portsmouth, connect continent. It connect us to the continent. It will meet of will be able to meet 5 of electricity demand. You can go back last january. Kwasi back to lastjanuary. Kwasi kwarteng as business secretary locked part because locked it in part because inspectors it could cause locked it in part because inspento rs it could cause locked it in part because inspento sports it could cause locked it in part because inspento sports pitches. Cause locked it in part because inspento sports pitches. Thise harm to sports pitches. This eventually got overturned in the high court, but now its back with this is years with ministers. So this is years of because making its of delay because its making its way planning process way through the planning process and his objections at every level we level take reservoirs. We havent reservoir since havent built a reservoir since 1992, this wonderful 1992, but we have this wonderful game play. If you want to game we play. If you want to build one, we say the homes arent it. And arent there to justify it. And if want to build homes, we if you want to build homes, we say, im theres not say, im sorry, theres not enough reservoir capacity. And say, im sorry, theres not enoufinally,voir capacity. And say, im sorry, theres not enoufinally,voirlastacity. And say, im sorry, theres not enoufinally, voirlast example, then finally, the last example, then finally, the last example, the thames crossing is the Lower Thames Crossing is going to cost 8 or £9 billion. The planning application alone is costing more than nonnay spent on building the roads. The worlds longest tunnel. Worlds longest road tunnel. Its an insane amount of cost delay and uncertainty added into the system. So its no wonder nothing gets done. Sam is it also partly that no one is responsible for anything in all the debate about dropping the top half of hs2 . I never the top half of hs2 . I never heard the name of the person in charge mentioned who is responsible. I think the answer is that no one is responsible. No one seems to be responsible for the end to end architecture of any project. It doesnt seem that the permanent secretary in any department is particularly concerned about. It doesnt seem that regards or that any minister regards him or herself responsible , all herself as responsible, all because simply say, we because they simply say, oh, we had because the costs had to drop it because the costs went though had went up as though they had nothing do with controlling costs. No, thats absolutely right. There is its very hard to look at a government project and find at a government project and find a named official who is responsible for its delivery and responsible for its delivery and responsible for its delivery and responsible for having it conducted in a sensible way and with high speed. Two in particular, was a i think particular, there was a i think someone suggested it was about 30 of the added on 30 billion of the cost added on remembering the project was supposed to cost 33 billion to start off was because they start off with was because they chose to gold plate the system in a very particular way because the turned around and the treasury turned around and said, we dont want to pay said, well, we dont want to pay for maintenance. So the contractors will. The contractors will. The contractors said, contractors therefore said, well, ramp the contractors therefore said, well, now ramp the contractors therefore said, well, now withoutnp the contractors therefore said, well, now without pay the costs now without pay in the future. Want this future. We dont want this hanging over this is hanging over us. This is obviously ridiculous decision obviously a ridiculous decision that made that would not be made if someone was personally responsible. When have responsible. But when you have this Network Organisations this network of organisations all interacting and all competing hard to competing and its very hard to assign blame, its a sort of thing happens. Thing that happens. Of features of course one of the features of course is that we have a national is that we have a Good National tradition of protest and opposition, but of course they stand a massive chance of success because with the Planning System we have with the numbers of layers of Decision Making , if youre numbers of layers of Decision Making, if youre able to delay something, theres a very good chance either that youll delay it beyond your own lifetime or simply that along the way it will get so expensive. I mean, hs2 is an example. There were so many protests about it running in the open air that it was largely put in tunnel. Then when it goes in tunnel, we say, aha, this thing is expensive to build. Exactly. I mean, and theres exactly. I mean, and theres examples of this all the way through the system. If we take felixstowe, which is our major container port, they have been applying to build a new harbour across their across from their, their existing major harbour since 2003. They eventually got approval in 2020 to its 19 years of delay because they were going through repeated appeals and sort of protests from local people and the system as designed in the in the Planning System as designed , basically system as designed, basically puts vetoes in at every layer from multiple organisations. So places like Natural England , places like Natural England, which are supposed protect the environment. You have local home owners to their owners want to protect their property have property values. You have councils dont want councils who perhaps dont want to have to deal with the disruption local disruption to their local economy. Layers of economy. And so the layers of autocracy make almost autocracy make it almost impossible to get anything done i let me let me turn to liam. No politician, it seems to me, wants to address fundamental issues that are involved here. I mean, we could also be talking about the National Health service. But to tell you the truth, im not interested in listening to any politician who is not prepared to say there is a funding issue which a funding issue here which requires a top to bottom restructuring and this is my proposal. Discuss i think thats exactly right. Theres a tremendous article by a guy called professor Stephen Glaister who ive talked to about many, many years. About hs2 over many, many years. He britains pretty much he is britains pretty much doyen transport academic. Hes been on the National Infrastructure commission. Hes been and done that. And he been there and done that. And he was warning about the issues surrounding hs2 , an out of surrounding hs2, an out of control vanity project, gravy train. Do we really need high train. Do we really need high speed rail in a country where the distances are relatively small . London to manchester is half the distance of paris to lyon. You dont really need high speed rail. And yet we had to have it because chest beating tubthumping politicians wanted to cut the ribbon on a kind of virility symbol of the nation. So that was a problem. I think also within whitehall theres stuff gets kicked into the long grass all the time and then politicians come in and do too and make big statements with almost no connection to reality. For instance, the Prime Minister in manchester said, were going to scrap birmingham to manchester of hs2, which makes a bad project completely illogical. Weve already got two illogical. Weve already got two train lines from london to birmingham , so why build another birmingham, so why build another one for £100 billion . It makes no sense. But then the Prime Minister came up with a number of other schemes that may work. And yet when you talk to transport professionals about those no those schemes, there was no reference to any of the local authorities or to any of the local politicians. These schemes local politicians. These schemes looked as if were just looked as if they were just plucked out of the air in a hurry in order to make a conscious a Conference Speech look little bit better. Look a little bit better. So theres a combination of, i think, opaque, unaccountable Civil Servants who no one knows the name of, as you say, and then politicians occasionally coming in with a sledgehammer to crack nut, making statements crack a nut, making statements that are completely politically infeasible. So were caught infeasible. So were caught between these two political cultures , the whitehall culture cultures, the whitehall culture of kind of lack of transparency and the and the political culture of vanity projects and chest beating. And in between in there is where we need to be. I disagree with some of what youve said. For example, i believe that all developed countries need high speed rail and you can talk about distances. London to inverness is about the same as london to geneva. So there are very large distances however, we distances in europe. However, we are its are agreed that its all a howling but neither one of howling mess, but neither one of us has put fonnard a proposal for top to bottom reform, which is what is actually needed. But thank much, liam, for thank you so much, liam, for coming and thank you. Sam coming in and thank you. Sam ashworth, for joining coming in and thank you. Sam ashworth, forjoining in ashworth, hays forjoining in the as well. After the discussion as well. After the discussion as well. After the ill be joined by the break, ill be joined by eric whos given eric kaufmann, whos just given up professorship at birkbeck, up a professorship at birkbeck, university and says university of london. And says the academics are facing an unprecedent attack on their intellectual freedom. Hello hello there. Im Jonathan Vautrey here with your gb news Weather Forecast provided by the met office. This weekends heavy rain across scotland is slowly beginning to ease off. It will beginning to ease off. It will be turning patchier and lighter throughout the rest of this afternoon this evening afternoon and into this evening as into overnight as well into the overnight penod as well into the overnight period pushing period actually pushing southwards see southwards. So starting to see some move into northern some rain move into northern parts of Northern Ireland and eventually and eventually dumfries and galloway, Scottish Borders galloway, the Scottish Borders region as well. Elsewhere, a drier quite lot of drier night, but quite a lot of cloud pushing into western coastal could turn quite coastal areas could turn quite foggy murky but foggy and murky here. But underneath cloud will underneath all that cloud will be for most of be relatively mild for most of us. Dropping us. Temperatures not dropping much below 11 to 15 c as we start off monday. Then there will be this thick band of cloud for Northern Ireland, southern scotland Northern Areas of scotland into Northern Areas of england bring light england could bring some light outbreaks and drizzle in outbreaks of rain and drizzle in places. Cloud across places. Some of the cloud across the back to the the west will burn back to the coastal areas, but it could unger coastal areas, but it could linger in some places throughout much day. The best parts much of the day. The best parts of sunshine be central of the sunshine will be central areas wales into central areas of wales into central southern of england as southern areas of england as well, temperatures to 6 well, temperatures 5 to 6 degrees wed degrees above where wed normally them at this normally expect them at this point generally normally expect them at this point between generally normally expect them at this point between 17enerally normally expect them at this point between 17 and lly normally expect them at this point between 17 and 24 c, ranging between 17 and 24 c, there changes afoot, there will be changes afoot, though, as we into tuesday though, as we head into tuesday and this frontal system is going to way from to start pushing its way in from the slowly its the northwest slowly moving its way south so rain way south eastwards. So rain initially across northwestern areas scotland will be not as areas of scotland will be not as heavy as what seen over heavy as what weve seen over the but its falling the weekend, but its falling over saturated ground. So over very saturated ground. So there is the possibility of some further here. Well further impacts here. Well eventually in the south eventually arrive in the south eastern we towards eastern areas as we head towards wednesday with some wednesday and thursday with some cooler following cooler conditions following on behind during rest behind as well during the rest of by news. The peoples channel. Britains news channel. Britains news channel. Welcome back. Eric kaufmann is an academic social scientist at was until just recently , the at was until just recently, the professor of politics at Birkbeck University of london. Hes resigned from that position , citing the encroaching, sometimes informal restrictions on Academic Freedom. Eric, on Academic Freedom. Eric, welcome back to gb news. Thank you for joining welcome back to gb news. Thank you forjoining us. Of welcome back to gb news. Thank you for joining us. Of what thoughtcrimes are you guilty right . Right . So what happened is essentially i had a few twitter pylon is an open letter etcetera mainly about what i was saying in the press and also on social media. So something as innocuous as sort of making fun of Justin Trudeau being unable to say the words lgbt. Q that would be enough to sort of lodge in the complaint dossier. So thats the thats an example of the kinds of things any sort of opposition to movements that characterise themselves as anti racist, anti fascist or pro trans or whatever , any sort of questioning lands you in hot water in this, in this sort of environment. What about more substantial works . Have you written on things chunk chunks of prose that aroused their ire . Aroused their ire . Well, they dont tend to read very deeply. So yes, i have had a book with penguin in 2018, which was on right wing populism, you know, was largely an empirical analysis. I sort of perhaps was arguing not as forcefully against some of these movements as they would like, but i dont think thats really the cause here. They they read tweets. They dont read books. So really what going so really what gets them going is social media. You is more the social media. You keep they. Keep saying they. Who they . Yes who are they . Yes who are they . Yes so they what were talking aboutis so they what were talking about is a sort of network of radical activists , students to radical activists, students to some degree in the student union, to some degree, staff and people on twitter. And they are all interacting and coordinating to some degree. They might, to some degree. So they might, for example , decide were going for example, decide were going to do a twitter mob, were going to do a twitter mob, were going to of put something out on to sort of put something out on twitter well and get as twitter and well try and get as many people as we can to like it and to comment to and attack and to the University Fire to push the university to fire somebody. People might that how many people might that be . Many does it take be . How many people does it take to intimidate a university . Well well, i wouldnt say the university was necessary, eerily intimidated acted intimidated or that they acted badly, certainly it would badly, but certainly it would be, you know, could be in the thousands , small thousands. Its thousands, small thousands. Its a if youre a a small network. But if youre a university and you see even a few hundred or a thousand, you think, god, this is big. Think, oh my god, this is big. Why . Why . Thats exactly what im getting at. Why . Thats exactly what im get yes, at. Why . Thats exactly what im getyes, its a few hundred or a yes, its a few hundred or a few thousand. Why are institutions, as case, institutions, as in this case, university . But it could be a business. Could be a business. It could be a government. Why are they terrified or people . Terrified of 100 or 1000 people . Theres a couple of well, theres a couple of reasons. Is i think they reasons. One is i think they have entire departments which are managing the are dedicated to managing the universe so universe citys brand. And so any big deal. Any thing becomes a big deal. Thats i mean, the thats number one. I mean, the other is that they are other thing is that they are acutely sensitive on anything around diversity equity. Et cetera. Because theyve made these and because these commitments and because they of all watch each they sort of all watch each other and theyre held up to that by left wing staff, for example. I mean, and lets not forget that students in britain are lean about 6 to 1, left to right. The academics are even more so, maybe 9 to 1 left to right in the social sciences. So there is this certain sensitivity around these issues. And will respond to some degree. But there are lots of people with whom i dont agree politically, but i dont go out to try and make them lose their job. All right. When you say the staff are 9 to 1, i hope you dont mean that. You know those nine would like everyone to lose his or her job. Not at all. Not at all. And in fact, its only about1 in 10 academics that are pro cancel culture terms of firing people. So its a very small but very vocal minority. Yeah, sorry. Yeah, sorry. In university, youre in a university, if youre telling one of telling me that one tenth of staff are favour of staff are in favour of cancelling, i call that a very large number because i thought universities were about free speech, of course happened but of course whats happened is ideology of the is that the ideology of the cultural left has, or the left in general has shifted to be more illiberal intolerant. In general has shifted to be mor we. Iberal intolerant. In general has shifted to be mor we canal intolerant. In general has shifted to be mor we can see intolerant. In general has shifted to be mor we can see thattolerant. In general has shifted to be mor we can see that amongst and we can see that amongst young survey data for young people in survey data for very this now very clearly that this is now a much Illiberal Movement much more Illiberal Movement than used to be 20 years ago, than it used to be 20 years ago, for example. So thats part of the problem is culture of the problem is the culture of the problem is the culture of the left, of the young left is much more illiberal and intolerant, all based on this idea of Emotional Trauma and emotional safety , you know, free emotional safety, you know, free speech causing this kind of psychological to designated psychological harm to designated minority groups. And therefore, it must shut how did it must be shut down. How did the University Authorities at Birkbeck University of london, react and how should they have reacted . Well, i dont really reacted . Well, i dont really fault them. I mean, they didnt fault them. I mean, they didnt obviously fire me. But there is a process that the activists know they can activate, which is that whenever they make an internal formal complaint, it gets investigated and so they knew that if they could get somebody to make an internal complaint, then they can make your life hell. And that sort of theres a phrase, the process is theres a phrase, the process is the punishment. You get the the punishment. So you get the email you report it email telling you to report it to this tribunal. Who will decide fate . All decide your fate . And its all quite unsettling. A way, quite unsettling. And in a way, these theyve learned how to weaponize these university procedures. Actual top procedures. The actual top levels university are levels of the university are reasonable. Know the law, reasonable. They know the law, etcetera, but they its the interaction between these activists and these procedures that really causes the problem. That really causes the problem. You may not want to, but do you want to draw just for a moment on what kind of anxiety that produces in a person like you . Yeah, because i mean, the thing about academia is, you know, theres hundreds of applications for position. Applications for every position. If know , theres a if youre, you know, theres a tight network gossip travels fast. So if you find yourself out job, youre not getting out of a job, youre not getting back the system. So that back in the system. So that creates a of anxiety you back in the system. So that createknow of anxiety you back in the system. So that createknow whatmxiety you back in the system. So that createknow what your y you back in the system. So that createknow what your punishment dont know what your punishment will be, might it be, you know, a small punishment . It be a small punishment . It could be that fired and your mind that youre fired and your mind gets right . That youre fired and your mind gets so, right . That youre fired and your mind gets so, by ht . That youre fired and your mind gets so, by the way, youre and so, by the way, youre happily talking about punishment as have been a crime. Right. Were talking here about situation there about a situation where there is no crime precise. Precisely. But you nicely, precisely. But you dont you even youre dont you know, even if youre you and you may well be you know, and you may well be exonerated, that is the likelihood. The likelihood. But still, its the not knowing sort of is. And not knowing that sort of is. And thats the intent, i think is just a chill that just to create a chill so that they know time you think they know next time you think about out, youll shut about speaking out, youll shut up wont. Youve taken up and you wont. Youve taken a position at the University Position now at the university of buckingham. That because is that because the University Buckingham different . Yes. The university of yes. The university of buckingham is probably the only yes. The university of buciofgham is probably the only yes. The university of buciof aboutis probably the only yes. The university of buciof about 180 obably the only yes. The university of buciof about 180 institutions jnly one of about 180 institutions in britain. Is explicitly britain. That is explicitly prioritising free speech and Academic Freedom over some of this emotional safety dei sort of agenda, social justice agenda. And i think for that reason its been very clear that it will give you maximum latitude in terms of freedom of research, teaching expression , discussion. Teaching expression, discussion. So its different and in a way, and that sort of allowed me to set up now these im going to set up now these im going to set up now these im going to set up a couple of things. One is a course, a 15 week course on woke as an ideology because we are, you know, its a very important ideology. Making important ideology. Its making headunes important ideology. Its making headlines west. Its headlines across the west. Its changing electoral results. And yet no papers, nobody yet there are no papers, nobody studying it critically because its too uncomfortable and people are just not going to want to touch that the way they would the populist right. Would say the populist right. Right. Fascism, which rightly right. Or fascism, which rightly receives a huge amount of academic attention. But this doesnt very briefly, if you would , will things in future get would, will things in future get worse or better . I think they are they are likely to get a little bit better over the short term, but worse over the long term. And the reason i say that is that the younger population under age 30 is considerably more illiberal and intolerant of speech that offends , that is speech that offends, that is supposedly offends minority groups. And so that means that as that generation becomes the median, so we know that young academics on the left are twice as intolerant as old academics on the left. And so as that Group Becomes the median, i think were going to be in bigger trouble, not less trouble. Well , eric huffman, trouble. Well, eric huffman, i trouble. Well , eric huffman, i very well, eric huffman, i very much hope that you enjoy your new at the university new position at the university of buckingham. You for telling us and thank you for telling us about has happened and about what has happened and coming free speech coming on the free speech channel, to do a few channel, so to do in a few minutes, the conservative mp, mark to talk mark logan will join me to talk about peoples republic of about the peoples republic of china. That, reminder china. Before that, a reminder of news stories with of the top news stories with Theo Chikomba. Theo chikomba. Its 1232 on theo Theo Chikomba. Its1232 on Theo Chikomba in the newsroom. Israels prime the newsroom. Israels Prime Minister says his inaya what happened today has never been seen in israel. Seen in israel. And i will make sure that it does not happen again. The does not happen again. The entire government is behind this decision. The idf will immediately use all its strength to hamass capabilities to destroy hamass capabilities. We will destroy them and we will take mighty vengeance for this black day that they have forced state of israel forced on the state of israel and its citizens. Begum what happened today has never been seen in israel and i will make sure that it does not happen again. The entire government is behind this decision in the idf will immediately use all its strength to destroy hamas capable cities. We will destroy them and we will take mighty vengeance for this black day that they have forced on the state of israel and its citizens i home secretary Suella Braverman says she expects the police to use the full force of the law against the displays of support for hamas. It comes after video has emerged appearing to show people in various parts of the city with flags flying while clapping in celebration. Immigration minister Robert Jenrick shared one of the videos post to social media, saying there is no place for those who glorify terrorism. In a statement, Scotland Yard said the met has increased patrols in parts of the capital. A protester briefly interrupted speeches at a labour Conference Event this morning. He was quickly removed from the stage before Angela Rayner took to the podium officially to open the event. Labours deputy leader event. Labours deputy leader took to the opportunity to present the party as a contrast to over a decade of conservative government has never been so unified, so focussed around one aim to give britain its future back. But the tories also have one singular focus to desperately cling on to power. Thats why the tories levelling up project was dead on arrival. You cannot level up from the top down. The tories only know how to centralise power and hold wealth where it benefits them. Where it benefits them. You can get more of all of those stories by visiting our website gbnews. Com now its back to michael. To michael. Thank you. Theo chikomba mystery swirls around the upper echelons of the Chinese Communist party as several members of the upper echelons have suddenly disappeared from pubuc have suddenly disappeared from public view. Among them are the former foreign minister and gang and minister for defence, li changfu. Does it signify vicious changfu. Does it signify vicious political infighting or could there be more prosaic reasons for their sudden absence . Im joined by a member of parliament who has perhaps more expertise on china than anyone else in the house of commons. Mark logan spent several years at the british consulate in shanghai. British consulate in shanghai. Mark, its a great pleasure to have you on. Gb news welcome, very good afternoon. Thank you. Michael, what do you make of whats happening in the upper reaches the communist reaches of the communist party . Well, that reaches of the communist party . Wel mentioned that reaches of the communist party . Wel mentioned there that reaches of the communist party . Wel mentioned there may that reaches of the communist party . Wel mentioned there may bethat reaches of the communist party . Wel mentioned there may be two you mentioned there may be two Different Things happening. The case of chen one, in the case of chen guang potentially looking at a personal issue related to his private life when he was ambassador for china to the United States. And in the case United States. And in the case of li changfu, there has been reports around potential corruption. So i think your question implicitly is asking is there some Bigger Movement happening within the communist party of china or indeed factionalism taking place . And of course, that that could be the case, because even though a lot of times as western observers , we like to think as observers, we like to think as the communist party to be this monolithic entity, but actually because it doesnt have a Multi Party System like we do, it ends up within its own party. It has to have these factions and this this pull and push factor happening. Yeah, but you its not yeah, but you think its not as systemic a problem . And i think saying the think youre saying that the president in any way president is not in any way threatened. I mean, from the outside, we would look at the policies they pursued. For policies that they pursued. For example, did example, during covid, which did lead did lead to lead to protests and did lead to a reversal of the national policy. Would have thought policy. And i would have thought a loss but a considerable loss of face. But has all that been left behind . Well, i think its interesting this, because interesting to say this, because we go back the way at the start of you could argue of 2020, and you could argue that those initial few that in those initial few months, first that months, the first year that china had a relatively good pandemic terms of its pandemic in terms of its lockdowns, terms keeping lockdowns, in terms of keeping covid incredibly covid numbers incredibly low throughout then throughout the country. But then you fonnard tail end you fast fonnard to the tail end of last year and as you rightly pointed out, some of the protests that were happening in cities like shanghai, like beijing, northwest beijing, even in the northwest of china, and people again, were looking into that to see if there was wider discontent there was some wider discontent happening. And i think, you know , extent. But then this , to an extent. But then this not kind of, i think, overexaggerate because we were talking about probably the low thousand were thousand of people that were taking to the streets at that time in, for example, all shanghai. I still do think shanghai. But i still do think that the last year, year and a half, its been incredibly difficult for china economically. That, of course, has had an impact on its domestic politics. I also domestic politics. And i also think impact its think its had an impact on its international relations. So international relations. So maybe some. Going back to your point at the point about the changes at the top higher echelons of the communist party , us as british communist party, us as british people and the uk government looking at china, ill be interested to see if there is indeed any policy changes and indeed any policy changes and indeedif indeed any policy changes and indeed if we need to realign how we interact with china. Growth is well down. The growth rate is well down. Is a critical point . Is that a critical point . I mean, id been kind of led to believe that youd need a very high growth rates to hold china together, maybe too together, but maybe thats too simplistic. Well, i think for a very long time, the great china time, some of the great china thinkers, lot tend to be based thinkers, a lot tend to be based in United States. One in the United States. One professor, david shambaugh, and as talked going as he often talked about going back years, is that the back ten, 15 years, is that the communist party have communist party tends to have two levers. One is economics and the tends to be on the the other tends to be on the nationalism front. So i think its in everyones interest that china continues news to well china continues news to do well economically. Its the worlds second biggest economy after the united the us and china United States. The us and china are the big engines of are the two big engines of growth. So i do that its growth. So i do think that its important that china that important that china keeps that growth get Growth Growth and tries to get growth back where it was kind of back to where it was kind of pre pandemic levels as much as possible. We have seen in the wider east asia region that there has been a slowing in growth in recent reports have also south also been looking at South East Asia indeed asia as asia or indeed south asia as potentially being a third engine coming years to come. Tell me what its like to be a china watcher. Maybe a little bit about your experience in china, your linguistic abilities and one can study such an and how one can study such an opaque system. I think thats what attracted me to china, actually. This is something i find when im looking in the uk. In recent years, actually, there have been as many people , if not more, as many people, if not more, seeking studyjapanology as many people, if not more, seeking study japanology or seeking to study japanology or to go and study korean studies and sometimes i find it unfortunate because china, from a personal point of view and from a cultural point of view, is a fantastic country. It has a fantastic, fantastic history. You know, going back 3800 years, the language is just incredibly interesting. So i actually find interesting. So i actually find perhaps that opacity in the chinese system is what attracted it to me. Perhaps for some people who were sovietologists going back 30, 40 years ago, something something quite similar. So whenever were asked, i suppose, to analyse the upper echelons of the chinese system , i think, well, you know, system, i think, well, you know, ispent system, i think, well, you know, i spent a good few years working there, private sector and public sector, and still that invisible hand and not that hand of adam smith, that of the communist smith, but that of the communist party in china is one thats very difficult to decipher. And also which it has also the extent to which it has support within china, but also its power as well, can be quite visible and visible at the same time. I saw someone making a good point about open sources in other words, that the chinese tend to tell you in public speeches what they intend to do, and rather more than perhaps in european countries, they actually achieve what they set out to do. So a public source is quite important source. Quite an important source. I actually do think so. And i was reminded that it was someone like actually had like tony blair actually had said ago, is said this 15, 20 years ago, is that should actually listen that you should actually listen to a chinese politician or leaders speech because theyll end trying to do or will end up trying to do or will indeed do. Most the stuff indeed do. Most of the stuff that in the speech that they they out in the speech that they they out in the speech that think down to, you that i think comes down to, you know china or a western know a uk china or a western liberal democracy. And the chinese system. There is an inherent challenge in battle here because in the uk , as you here because in the uk, as you can appreciate, former mp michael, is that theres a real pull towards short termism and responding to the latest twitter post thats going out within the chinese system, they dont have that same pressure to respond to things instantaneously. They do have their five Year Economic plans and for the most part can plans and for the most part can plan much more in the long term than we are able to do. Than we are able to do. Were all very anxious about taiwan. What would your what would your advice be be to us about taiwan . I think we need to tread very carefully because because from my understanding and i was in d. C. Just last week, is that the United States wouldnt want us in the uk from an official position doing something with taiwan or in taiwan , which would taiwan or in taiwan, which would make the United States or indeed their leaders look weak within dc and across their constituents. So i do think we need to we need to decrease the temperature as much as possible on the taiwan issue. But at the same time is recognising that there has to be a peaceful reconciliation in the cross straits. Cross straits. Sorry, what does that mean . Does that mean that taiwan has become part of the peoples republic . No. What it means is though, is that both sides, whether its within taiwan or indeed within the republic of china, the peoples republic of china, is has to be a is that there has to be a concerted effort to make sure that happens as much that trade happens as much as possible. Theres people to people because as people exchanges because as weve seen in recent times, whether its on the eastern borders of europe, European Union or indeed just over the weekend in israel, is that fighting and conflict is in no ones interest. Ones interest. Some people say that china is determined to resolve the taiwan issue without fighting. I assume thats something we cant actually rely upon. Actually rely upon. I mean, the thing is, is that at the moment, taiwan , i think at the moment, taiwan, i think it has been itself alone, not recognise as a country in the International Community. The uk , we dont have an official relationship with taiwan , but we relationship with taiwan, but we do have a lot of interaction in with taiwan. We have a Representative Office there and likewise within london from from taiwan as well. And its got a great amount to offer. Again, whether culturally , whether in whether culturally, whether in terms of technology , erg and terms of technology, erg and innovation. We know that theyve got a massive chip operation as well. Semiconductor within taiwan itself. So its taiwan itself. So its incredibly important that there is a way even to find the status quo and to keep the status quo in effect for as long as possible. Possible. And if by chance you werent able to continue your parliamentary career, would your interest in china be lifelong, do you think . Absolutely. Absolutely yes. In china and also both in china and also actually in the last year, ive taken up an interest in japan as well and trying to learn japanese mandarin, japanese along with mandarin, because the chinese because i thought the chinese would me. But actually its would help me. But actually its been of a hindrance and been a bit of a hindrance and its the last few its confused me in the last few months. Logan, you so mark logan, thank you so much. You very much. Thank you very much. Michael stick around as michael studio stick around as ill be sampling some delicious non alcoholic a non alcoholic cocktails in a few minutes in celebration of sober october. Christys on gb news. Im gb news radio. Radio. Welcome back. We have had dry january, but if one month of sobriety isnt enough for you, why not partake in sober october as well . Its a trend thats becoming particularly popular among young partygoers to give us a taste of whats possible without alcohol, im delighted to be joined by bartender joe edmonds , alongside samantha edmonds, alongside Samantha Gilchrist , who runs edmonds, alongside Samantha Gilchrist, who runs a edmonds, alongside Samantha Gilchrist , who runs a collection gilchrist, who runs a collection of wedding venues. Joe welcome to gb news. Thank you. What are you going to rustle up for us . Were going to start with the sun and the moon. Its like a champagne entry cocktail. Why dont you mix as you speak . Because thatll be even quicker and just give us a guidance as to what youre to going be pouring in there. All right. All right. So first we have our dry spirit and you go, yep, 50 mils of this. So of this. So mantha yes. Why do you think young people are interested in not having alcoholic cocktails . Why is that catching on . Well, basically what we found is i dont drink and i have been to many big events whereby i was served a soft drink in a little ugly tumbler that was probably like £2, 50. And for me, what i decided was within the wedding collection that we have of venues , it was really important venues, it was really important to offer something to the people that arent drinking because weve done a survey and found 24 of the guests that come to weddings dont actually drink alcohol. For me, it was like, alcohol. So for me, it was like, well , they need something fun well, they need something fun and glamorous. Glamorous. That looks great. So we teamed up with merlin from first dates and he helped us create these cocktails so dry london spirit. I mean, to me, that looks very much like a bottle of gin. Yeah, but obviously it is not. It is alcohol free and flavoured. You can easily find this stuff, can you . Yes, you can buy it online. And this ones likened to rum. So this drink that were making right is weve right here is what weve designed wedding day. So designed for the wedding day. So this something this would be something that, you could done before you know, could be done before the wedding to calm your nerves. Great mix. Its a great mix. Its could it calm its how could it calm your nerves . Doesnt any nerves . It doesnt have any alcohol because it has some sage in it. And fresh lemon. And fresh lemon. I see. Okay. Are you going to give bit of a whizz . Yeah give that a bit of a whizz . Yeah how many you making for us how many are you making for us today , joe . Youre making. Today, joe . Youre making. Four. Im making four. Im making four. Sure well get oh, im not sure well get through all four, but lets. Lets see. This one given a very, good shake. Yeah. So, very, very good shake. Yeah. So, yes , this is. This is glamorous. Yes, this is. This is glamorous. This is going to look lovely. Obviously, seeing obviously, the cabaret of seeing the barman give it a shake in the barman give it a shake in the cocktail shaker. The cocktail shaker. I think part of what you give it the cocktail, it a shake in the cocktail, youre not. Go all over the studio. Itll go all over the studio. Itll go all over the studio. And im sure joe will help you with that part the fun. You with that part of the fun. Part of the fun. This is part of the fun. This is part of the fun. Show me how to do that. Now youre going put some ice in youre going to put some ice in there . Yeah othennise it just doesnt do it. Did you say what did say a of people. Yeah so what we did was we conducted a study to out conducted a study to find out because i thought, well, cant conducted a study to find out betthee i thought, well, cant conducted a study to find out betthe onlylought, well, cant conducted a study to find out betthe only person well, cant conducted a study to find out betthe only person that, cant conducted a study to find out betthe only person that thismt conducted a study to find out betthe only person that this ist be the only person that this is happening thats experienced. Happening to thats experienced. Need to find somewhere to, we need to find somewhere to, to hit it. Right. Magic touch that just sealed. Yeah. Because othennise obviously let him have a shake. Obviously let him have a shake. Let me have a shake before you. Right. You dont want to over shaking i suppose either. Shaking i suppose either. So yeah. When you when you shake you want make sure the shake you want to make sure the ice goes from this to this ice goes from this end to this end. Yeah. There you go. End. Yeah, yeah. There you go. Good. Consider it shaken. And. And im not particularly stirred. And now we need to break the seal. Were pushing here. And seal. So were pushing here. And then in. Good. There then were in. Very good. There we go. We go. Right. So yeah, this is the first one that weve put together. Weve done a series of three different cocktails throughout the day and we just want to offer it to our guests as an alternative. Joe, ill tell you , youve joe, ill tell you, youve just got the one cocktail shaken have just got the one cocktail shaker. Have you . I was wondering whether you could we have multiple would you like to get on the second one . Get going on the second one . Ill give sam a and you ill give a sam a drink and you get going the second one get going on the second one if you would. Were doing is you would. So all were doing is were topping, were doing the base, going to base, and then were going to top up with ginger top it up with ginger beer. Excellent yeah. Want to top this one . You want to top this one . Well go with that. All right. All right. I must it looks i must say, it looks glamorous, doesnt it . Its got i must say, it looks g|lovely us, doesnt it . Its got i must say, it looks g|lovely little esnt it . Its got i must say, it looks g|lovely little esnof t . Its got i must say, it looks g|lovely little esnof froth; got i must say, it looks g|lovely little esnof froth onyt a lovely little bit of froth on the nice, cloudy, yellow the top. Nice, cloudy, yellow base to it. Yeah. We need to top with ginger beer. Yeah. We need to top with gin well, eer. Yeah. We need to top with gin well, this very one. Well, this very one. Well, this very one. Okay, now weve yeah. Yeah. Okay, now weve got bottle opener. Got a bottle opener. There we go. Yeah. There we go. Yeah. There we go. So marilyn taught us how to make all of about a week make all of these about a week ago. And this is joes second time making them. So, hes time making them. So, yeah, hes doing not. Doing great. Joe, you may not. You may not succeed in finishing the second one, but please okay, please begin it. Whats okay, whats the one going to whats the second one going to have it . Have in it . Thats different. Do you want to last one . Joe . Do to go to the last one . Joe . Do the for driver. The dance for driver. Yeah. Oh yeah. Oh yeah. That is that the dance for that is that so the dance for driver is like a margarita. And this one has the everlys for mr non alcoholic element to it. Yeah thats the one. Thats this thing here called eva forest. Yes so weve eva leaf forest. Yes so weve chosen this one and the lyras to make the base of the drink and then this one has. Oh do you want to try this one. One. One. Well i will try this one. Yes i will. Yeah. Thats pretty good. Im, i dont like too sweet a drink. Yes i tend to dnnk sweet a drink. Yes i tend to drink wine rather than cocktails. Yeah, but i must say, i would not be disappointed if i was offered that as an alternative to an alcoholic drink. I would not. In fact, in some ways, id be relieved. So. Exactly what you just said. Yes. You dont like things that too sweet. So for me, that are too sweet. So for me, i dont want to be drinking. I wont name them. But certain soft drinks all evening because theyre very sweet. So what theyre very sweet. And so what we looking to do add we were looking to do was add elements which do have elements to this which do have a bit more a sour element, but bit more of a sour element, but so that its not just, you know, youre choosing to not drink alcohol, now youre loading alcohol, but now youre loading up sugar evening either. Up on sugar all evening either. Yeah. The other thing is if youre drinking a very sweet alcoholic cocktail, masks alcoholic cocktail, it masks the taste of the alcohol. So you become very unaware how . Very unaware. Thats what frightens me a sweet cocktail. I me about a sweet cocktail. I just dont know what im taking in at all. Mm. How are you doing over there, joe . Very, very good. This is. This. This ones going to be. You enjoy this one. So this one also has tajin spice on the glass, which gives it, again, that sort of salty , spicy element. When we put it together in the final mix. Do you know joe has been so fast . Ive i think we might even manage to taste the second one. Lets see if we can get it in. Oh, if we can get it out. There we go. You go right. We need to dress the glass. We need to dress the glass. Quickly, joe. Dress quickly. Quickly, joe. Dress quickly. What are you doing . Oh, yeah. What are you doing . Oh, yeah. Just a little lime on the rim. Exactly. Very lovely. But this certainly gets away from your point. Youre given a second rate looking drink. This thing is looking drink. This thing is being prepared. Possibly properly, by a barman and even the rim. Oh, how marvellous. The rim. Oh, how marvellous. Oops. Yeah lets go with that a little bit of a spill going on there and then lets get it in, see if you can try it before we run out of time. Ill just say that when this Program Comes to an end in a moment or two, emily carver will be here. Shes taking over at 1 00. Uh, and you like to try them . I would absolutely love emily to be able to try all of these. She can do so with these. And she can do so with impunity because, of course, it wont affect her addiction. Shell be able to speak absolutely. Right, joe . Absolutely clearly. Right, joe . Thatis absolutely clearly. Right, joe . That is a very beautiful construction on. Would you be a little bit messy . Would you be happy if i took that . We need to garnish one for this one. Thank you. And one for you. And a little garnish. And for you. Well , there we go. I think well, there we go. I think this is joe. Thank you very much. Thats been absolutely splendid, sam, you very splendid, sam, thank you very much. Think we should we much. I think we should we should toast those people who are a sober october. Are having a sober october. Absolutely. Should say that absolutely. We should say that there an alternative to there is an alternative to alcoholic that they alcoholic drinks and that they can very tasty. Well, thats can be very tasty. Well, thats thats thats to be tested right now. Now. And this one. Yeah thats lovely. The gun actually, the garnish on the on the glass did a great deal on the on the glass did a great deal. So where are you . Where are you shaking your cocktails . Where am i shaking my cocktails everywhere. Im all up and the country, really. And down the country, really. But us. But joe works for us. Youre freelance. No no. Youre a freelance. No no. Youre a freelance. No no. Joe works for us predominantly highley predominantly at highley manor, which sussex which is one of our sussex wedding yeah, but hes wedding venues. Yeah, but hes also uni, so hes one of our also at uni, so hes one of our great team that and, you great team that come in and, you know, work for us in and around the schedule. Hes very the uni schedule. But hes very good cocktails, hence good with the cocktails, hence us him in today. Wow us bringing him in today. Wow sam the barman and sorry joe the barman. Thats sad, but you dont want to let me near the bar. Thank you both very much for coming in so, as i say, emily carver will be here in just a moment. That is it for me for this week. I will be back next week, whether you youre planning to enjoy a tipsy tipple or a sober sunday. Wonderful day. Sunday. Have a wonderful day. Please me again. Same time please join me again. Same time next week. See you then. Bye good afternoon. Welcome to gb news sunday. Thank you for joining us this lunchtime. Im emily carver for the next two hours, ill be keeping you company on your tv online, and Digital Radio. So coming this hour, it is so coming up this hour, it is the start of the Labour Party Conference. Its kicked off today in liverpool. A cautiously today in liverpool. A cautiously confident keir starmer says labour are bang on schedule to win the next general election. But if starmer right to be this confident with the general election still a year away, then an the death toll continues to rise as fighting between the Israeli Military and hamas continues in territory near gaza. Through these attacks , gaza. Through these attacks, hamas have killed at least 300 israelis throughout the day. Skate back into gaza with dozens of citizen is being held hostage. Well be bringing you the very latest. And coming up at the end of the hour, new uk guidance says the uk should retain, but explain statues of slave traders. Keep the statues, slave traders. Keep the statues, but make a conscious effort to explain the Historical Context as to why they are there. Is as to why they are there. Is that the right compromise . And that the right compromise . And please do as always, get in touch. Send us your thoughts on gb views at gbnews. Com. Send me