Gbnews. Com. But now somebody who does all answers. Its does know all the answers. Its the day with polly the news of the day with polly middlehurst. Middlehurst. Jacob thank you and good evening to you. Will the top story from the jhb newsroom. Story from the jhb newsroom. Israel is warning residents living in the north of the country to stay home and lock themselves inside died, raising concerns of a possible infiltration on the ground. Israel Defence Forces say at least a dozen drones have been spotted in the region in the sky, but no evidence of any impact following the aerial alerts yet. Meanwhile, in the alerts yet. Meanwhile, in the United States , a secretary of United States, a secretary of state, Antony Blinken , is on his state, Antony Blinken, is on his way to israel to meet the israeli Prime MinisterBenjamin Netanyahu, who said the us is determined to make sure israel has all it needs to defend itself. Now, earlier, the uk itself. Now, earlier, the uk foreign secretary, whos in israel, was forced to run for cover when a siren sounded. If youre watching on tv , take youre watching on tv, take a look at these pictures which were posted on social media by the Israeli Foreign minister. The government says James Cleverlys visit there is a sign of the uks unwavering support for the country. Lets show you for the country. Lets show you live pictures at the moment of the situation in gaza, where the only power station stopped working hours ago. You can see more or less in darkness tonight, apart from the odd light and a centre of gaza lit up using, we believe , power up using, we believe, Power Generators now thought to be the only source of electricity in the city. Well, earlier on this afternoon, the un chief, Antonio Guterres , addressed the crisis guterres, addressed the crisis in gaza, saying crucial life saving supplies, including food and water, must be allowed into the strip. I am concerned about the recent exchange of fire along the blue line and recent reported attacks from southern lebanon. I appeal to all parties and those who have an influence over those parties to avoid any further escalation and spill over. I further escalation and spill over. I call for the immediate over. I call for the Immediate Release of all israeli hostages held in gaza. Civilians must be held in gaza. Civilians must be protected at all times in International Humanitarian law, must be respected and upheld. Must be respected and upheld. Meanwhile , a 26 year old meanwhile, a 26 year old british man who was working as a Security Guard at the festival in israel, which was interrupted by hamas, has been confirmed dead. Jake marlow, whos been missing since the raid on the supernova festival in the desert, died in southern israel. His mother , lisa, wrote on his mother, lisa, wrote on facebook tonight that she and her family were heartbroken after hearing the crushing news as politics and the Shadow Health secretary says labour would turn the nhs on its head if it got into power. Wes streeting argued that reform is more important than pouring money into a Health System that isnt working. He warned that the nhs faces bankruptcy unless its overhauled and he set out plans to shift its focus from hospitals to providing more care in the community. A Labour Government will take immediate to action cut waiting lists. We will provide an extra £1. 1 billion to help the nhs beat the backlog with extra clinics, the evenings and weekends providing 2 million more appointments each year. Faster treatment for patients, extra pay for staff. The first steps to cut the waiting list and beat the tory backlog. Wes streeting speaking there. Youre with gb news across the uk on tv in your car, on Digital Radio and now on your Smart Speaker by saying play gb news this is britains news channel. This is britains news channel. We kissed the foreheads and arms of the resourceful, intelligent designers. That is intelligent designers. That is how the Supreme Leader of iran praised hamass deadly terrorist attack on israel. In a speech he made yesterday. He went on to say that iran was kissing the hands of the palestinians who planned as well as planned the attack as well as these sickening statements of support. Ayatollah ali khamenei support. Ayatollah ali khamenei also used his televised statement to deny irans involvement in the assault launched on israel in recent days. Despite such claims , we days. Despite such claims, we simply cannot forget that iran is at the heart of this conflict andindeed is at the heart of this conflict and indeed played a crucial role in orchestrate rating and funding it. The relationship between iran and palestine is complex and its essentially born out of the iranian revolution in 1979. The palestine liberation organisations support for irans revolution culminated in the symbolic transition from an Israeli Embassy in tehran to a palestinian one. The appalling events of recent days compels us to examine the alliance between iran and hamas more carefully. Iran and hamas more carefully. Iran irans manipulative actions exert a powerful influence in the middle east. For instance, the middle east. For instance, the hamas attack on israel has now, according to reports, made a us brokered peace deal between saudi arabia and israel less likely. The Abraham Accords that iran doesnt like because it normalises relations between other middle Eastern States and israel. And iran has its own disagreements with saudi arabia. It has its own conflict with saudi arabia. As to who is more important in the middle east. So its hardly surprising to find irans fingerprints on a disagreement between states and to try and get its claws into it, to stop it. And we need to it, to stop it. And we need to be clear about this because the problem is the west has to recognise what the threat is , is recognise what the threat is, is what the danger is. It was what the danger is. It was george bush junior who talked of an axis of evil and there is an axis of evil that is still there. Its iran, its russia, its north korea, hamas. And this is a puppet. But theyre all fundamentally opposed to the western way of life. And want to destroy it. They dont just want to win elections. They want to destroy the western approach to life, which they disapprove of. And this is under threat, not justin and this is under threat, not just in israel, but also in ukraine, in iran and russia are two parts of this axis of evil. And we, the west , need to show and we, the west, need to show strength. Weakness is ultimately strength. Weakness is ultimately defeat. As always , i want to defeat. As always, i want to hear from you. Let me know your thoughts and mail. Margaret gbnews. Com. Im now joined by brooks newmark, writer and visiting academic at the university of oxford. Brooks, university of oxford. Brooks, first of all, thank you for coming in. Youve been very involved in ukraine and youve written an article for the catholic herald, echo , catholic herald, echo, explaining irans involvement. How can you be so certain that iran is involved . Iran is involved . Well, i think you have to look historically, hamas in their attacks in the past on israel, have been somewhat intermittent , chaotic , nothing intermittent, chaotic, nothing of this scale , all in order for of this scale, all in order for hamas to execute something of this enormity, of this scale without the Intelligence Services in israel picking it up, they needed a major state behind them. Theres no way they could have pulled this off. And i think all fingers seem to be certainly pointing to iran. Why . Because there is, as one can see on social media, there were meetings between senior hamas officials , between senior officials, between Senior Iranian revolutionary guard officials , and even to connect officials, and even to connect the dots. There were then meetings between people from the foreign Russian Foreign ministry and the Russian Military with the iranians. So theres this at the iranians. So theres this at the iranians. So theres this at the end of the day , hamas has the end of the day, hamas has been used to further the ends of two objectives. One in there is no way iran wanted saudi to sign the Abraham Accords. Why is this so important to iran . What is the risk to iran iran . What is the risk to iran of saudi arabia for signing the abraham accord . Abraham accord . Well, because then what happens is the bugbear israel , happens is the bugbear israel, which historically , ali, saudi which historically, ali, saudi has been a big funder for of the palestinian cause of hamas. And so on. That would then be removed. That then gives their big enemy, which is israel , big enemy, which is israel, which ive still never understood, because is the iranian border, of course, its nowhere near there. That that, you know, they then create an imbalance of regional power. So imbalance of regional power. S0 saudi imbalance of regional power. So saudiand imbalance of regional power. S0 saudi and iran regionally have always sort of vied for whos the most powerful. And this the most powerful. And this would enable them because they would enable them because they would then get more support from the west, particularly from the us military support and so on, to effectively be the superpower, regional superpower i and thats irans big fear because iran has been hostile to saudi arabia and indeed different branches of islam in iran, in saudi arabia, and competition over religious motives as well as everything else. And so by trying to make the relationship between saudi arabia and the west more broadly difficult , arabia and the west more broadly difficult, iran arabia and the west more broadly difficult , iran strengthens its difficult, iran strengthens its own position. Thats your basic thesis, correct . Or the flip side of that coin, they dont want saudis position to be strengthened. So the implication of that is then their position is weakened. So at the moment, you know, whod have ever imagined that, at the moment, you know, whod have ever imagined that , that, have ever imagined that, that, you know, the uae , for example, you know, the uae, for example, would have signed the Abraham Accords to have peace with israel . They did. Qatar even israel . They did. Qatar even though qatar has not signed it, certainly during the world cup, they allowed israelis into the country. So theres been this country. So theres been this rapprochement with the gulf states and israel. Well, to an extraordinary declined the ambassador from the uae for forgive me name dropping told me last year that it was easier from the uae nowadays to get israel and it was to get into israel and it was to get into israel and it was to get into israel and it was to get into london, which is not something should something we should be particularly of. But the particularly proud of. But the other of this is russia , other part of this is russia, because what seems to be happening seems to be beneficial to russia as well, because weve had announcements that funding may be diverted to israel from ukraine and therefore it takes the pressure off russia to some degree. So. The sort of russian degree. So. The sort of russian narrative on media has had a big impact on certain elements within the republican party. The republican party, the gates, congressman gates and Marjorie Taylor greene from i think its georgia. She they think its georgia. She they have been able to effectively hold the Us Government hostage because they oppose funding for ukraine. Now if youre putin, youre sort of thinking theyre let me sort of get in there somehow now. And if i can help cause some problems in the middle east with israel , who is middle east with israel, who is the uss biggest ally in the middle east, then it gives those republicans an excuse to say, well, fine, you know, even though were not going to support ukraine, we will support israel. But israel has a complex relationship with russia as well, doesnt it . So russia has interests in israel. It doesnt want to alienate the israelis too much. Well, its actually the other way round. So effectively, the russians have given israel a free hand when it comes to deaung free hand when it comes to dealing with with the effectively the new hezbollah who has been developing in syria. So whats happened over the term of this civil war in syria is theres been a new hezbollah developed. So we have hezbollah developed. So we have one in lebanon and now we have one in lebanon and now we have one emerging in syria. So what putin has effectively said is, look , i will let you have a free look, i will let you have a free hand there, but you cannot be overtly supporting ukraine in any way. And given that israels biggest interest is protecting its borders, understandably , its borders, understandably, particularly with syria , that is particularly with syria, that is effectively the deal netanyahu did. Did. And how concerned are you that at the moment the west is allowing its enemies to make the running . That we have a lot of stories telling israel not to overreact and to pull its punches in response. We have a distraction from ukraine. We have saudi arabia having pulled out of discussions on the abraham accord. Is this all going the way our enemies would want it . And what should we do to respond . To respond . And well, at the end of the day its the us. Is the day, its up to the us. Is the superpower when it comes to the west, so we can react , we can superpower when it comes to the west, so we can react, we can do what we want. Even many European Countries can do what they wish. Clearly the us leadership. But clearly the us leadership when it comes to nato is critical and unfortunately theres been very weak. Us leadership when it comes to russia , when it comes to the russia, when it comes to the palestinian issue, when it comes to iran. So just to give you an example , i think it was biden example, i think it was biden senti example, i think it was biden sent i think it was 6 billion to iran in the past few weeks. To iran in the past few weeks. And when we sent 400 million last year. So the uk has been doing this as well. The whole of doing this as well. The whole of the west has been weak in this sense. But but in a in a way to try and re engage in a positive way with iran. How have they been rewarded . Not at all. What has happenedis rewarded . Not at all. What has happened is iran has continued to undermine our allies in the middle east and has done as far as im concerned, has been responsible for orchestrating this attack by hamas on israel. And so youve got the republicans on one side not funding ukraine and no, no, its actually the majority of republicans , but enough of them. Republicans, but enough of them. But enough of the minority. The tail that the yes. The tail that wags the dog, its the thing in dog, its the same thing in israel. Its the the israel. Its the its the religious in israel religious extremists in israel that are wagging the tail, wagging the dog. But its netanyahus political differences in the us are causing a degree of weakness in the response. Yes. Brooks, thank you very much indeed. Dont forget let much indeed. Dont forget to let me thoughts. Mel. Me know your thoughts. Mel. Margaret coming up margaret gbnews. Com coming up next, be censoring the next, should we be censoring the horrific social media content from the ground in israel or do we need to face the reality of what is really going. Radio. Welcome back. Im still Jacob Rees Mogg, and this is state of the nation. Youve been getting in touch with thoughts, stephen, with your thoughts, stephen, you talk of the western way of life. Jacob, exactly is the jacob, what exactly is the western way of life . It seems to me lot in the me its changed a lot in the past years. I preferred past 30 odd years. I preferred it fellow man it when trusting your fellow man was it. And marie , if was a part of it. And marie, if we get tough on iran, we have to get of the get tough on the rest of the axis too. Weve been axis of evil, too. Weve been passive long. Well, passive for too long. Well, marie, i agree with you. Now, anyone whos glanced at social media over the last few days will no doubt have seen some of the most horrifying sights from hostages being aggressively dragged from vehicle to vehicle by armed islamists to dead bodies of innocent israelis being paraded mercilessly through the streets. The shameless and inhuman nature of the contents splashed across our Small Screens over past few Small Screens over the past few days has led the uks technology minister, michelle donelan, to call an urgent meeting with social executives to social media executives to demand the removal of hamas incurred violence spread across their platforms after concerns were raised of misleading and historic footage portrayed as the conflict. Art the current conflict. Art minister said we are taking action to stand in solidarity with israel and our jewish community. However, the violence we are witnessing is real. This is a difficult question. Should the full horror be shown so that we know the reality of what people have had to suffer . Or does that glorify violence . Im not sure i know the answer. Where do we draw the line between protecting ourselves and our children from this brutal content and making sure the general know the full general public know the full truth is what is transpiring . Well, im pleased to be joined by toby young from the free speech union. Toby, thank you speech union. Toby, thank you for joining us. Particularly as forjoining us. Particularly as i believe there have been technological difficulties. There must be some limits to free speech. Mustnt there . Free speech. Mustnt there . Yes, i think there are. Yes, i think there are. I dont think many free speech defenders, even people who describe themselves as free speech absolutists, would defend child, for instance. Child, for instance. They wouldnt necessarily defend libel defamation , defend libel defamation, slander. They wouldnt defend the betrayal of state secrets and where the Supreme Court generally draws the line is that anything which directly incites violence , it should be violence, it should be prohibited. But anything beyond that shouldnt. But on the issue of twitter and the footage thats been uploaded to twitter of the atrocities committed in israel on on saturday and aftennards, i think on balance , aftennards, i think on balance, they shouldnt be prohibited. I they shouldnt be prohibited. I think it was an important corrective to the initial reporting of what was happening in israel in the Mainstream Media with even the bbc refusing to describe hamas as terrorists. There was this sort of effort at impartial ality which often descended into both sides ism displayed by the Mainstream Media, at least in the initial wake of the attacks. But when you actually could see footage on on x of what the terrorists were actually doing, if you were Strong Enough to watch it, it became clear that these were terrorists, these were barbaric acts. People were being slaughtered , murdered, womens slaughtered, murdered, womens bodies were being desecrated. People were being kidnapped, including babies. And that that including babies. And that that put it all into a context which the Mainstream Media had really failed to do. All right. But i had somebody on programme on monday on this programme on monday night , on watching night who, on watching television, had seen five of his friends who had died , and he friends who had died, and he only knew about it through seeing television on. Now, if that werent a friend of yours but of your family but were a member of your family , pretty brutal . And , isnt that pretty brutal . And shouldnt there be some consideration for the thoughts of the bereaved when the bodies of the bereaved when the bodies of who have been of people who have been brutalised shown on brutalised are shown on television and whether this is a video pictures rather than television . Television . Yeah, well, i wouldnt advocate showing that kind of imagery on television. I mean, i imagery on television. I mean, i think people have got to decide for themselves selves whether they want to see it and theyve got to be given adequate warning so theyre prepared and know what theyre letting themselves in for. It shouldnt just be broadcast on, you know, the nightly thats for sure. Nightly news, thats for sure. You given due warning but are you given due warning on social media when you click on social media when you click on it . Arent you actually given much on Television Much more warning on television where the news broadcaster will say there may be some scenes that people will not want to see and there may be pictures of dead bodies and so on. So actually a News Programme will give you more warning than you open up twitter and you find theres something there to catch your attention that turns out to be horrific. Be horrific. Well, i dont think so. Most of the horrific footage thats been uploaded did to x comes with, you know, a content advisory, a warning of some kind, and you can usually see a still image from the video in question before you click on it to watch it. So its usually pretty clear if its going to contain something disturbing. I contain something disturbing. I mean, im a pretty frequent user of x, formerly known as twitter, and i havent been ambushed by anything. I havent seen anything. I havent seen anything that i didnt want to see. Thats taken me by surprise. Well thank you very much, toby. Lets now turn to my panel, the former labour the prestigious former labour councillor and Public Affairs guru craig, and the guru kevin craig, and the rambunctious former editor of the mackenzie. The sun, kelvin mackenzie. Kelvin, you edited National Newspaper for a long time. You must have had to make these decisions as to what pictures you put paper when you you put in your paper when you were. How did you draw were editor. How did you draw the line right. Well, just take the well, if we just take the position are today, is well, if we just take the po |tion are today, is well, if we just take the po | have are today, is well, if we just take the po | have ivee today, is well, if we just take the po | have ive got day, is well, if we just take the po | have ive got iay, is well, if we just take the po | have ive got i pay is well, if we just take the po | have ive got i pay for is so i have ive got i pay for a number of news sites as a couple of them are free, but mainly mainly theyre subscription. Mainly theyre subscription. So theyre going through an editing process. Right. Its not being thrown at me. And if i see anything. Right. So anything anything. Right. So anything i see on there , i am saying to see on there, i am saying to myself, somebody with some brains and some knowledge has actually already looked at this. Thats enough for me. Thats good enough for me. I dont dwell on those pictures. I know what theyre going to do. I dont believe that this comes as a surprise to people now that horrible things are happening out there. Im in favour of them being im actually in favour of them being on the news sites. I am personally not in favour of looking at them myself. When you when you make these decisions , when you make these decisions, honestly, i think id make a different decision when i was older than when i was younger. When you were younger, it was all gung well put it out there when you get older because you now have a whole load of family and friend relationships similar to the one that you you said about what happened, if it was somebodys family that was that was being videoed and were being shot or some of the shocking things that have happened, then i think the decisions are different. Definitely different. So definitely maturity a difference. But maturity makes a difference. But some of these things are being put on in to order show put on there in to order show you its the enemy who are putting them up there to say, weve got a lot more where that come from. That very , come from. So that is a very, very upsetting aspect. Yeah kevin, i mean, i agree with that , that when its being put up by hamas or supporters of hamas, theres something particularly clearly sinister and unpleasant about clearly sinister and unpleasant aboyeah. Yeah. Yeah. And i mean, this is such a such a depressing and deeply reflective week given whats happened. And i agree with you, jacob, theres something very unsettled about the impact on friends and family of the instant images and video that can be transmitted around the world. And if you think back to previous conflicts, the iconic power of images like the young girl in vietnam who was photograph left having been affected by napalm and the and the impact of some american soldiers, the way its done now and it has been since really the last 15, 20 years global conflicts are transmitted to our ultimately our living room. If you choose to engage with the websites. Yes. And i is it our websites. Yes. And i is it our living room, though, or is it. Its actually the phone. So thats a thats a good point. It is the phone and devices. And i think we have to exercise huge discretion as parents and grown ups over younger people and their access to this material. I like the fact that the secretary of state is convening this discussion because ultimately i dont believe that the Media Companies , the online Media Companies, the take enough the tech giants do take enough responsibility. Responsibility. The area where im torn is that some of the things ones read in the last few days are so horrible that its hard to believe that theyre true and that when there are pictures , that when there are pictures, you then know that it is true , you then know that it is true, too. And so theres part of me that feels its important that they are shown. People know the horror. And theres the other horror. And theres the other part of me that thinks, but this is just so unfair on the families. I think both those things are true. Jacob i think the reality is it will forever more be difficult unless you get into nafion difficult unless you get into nation level like the chinese do. Blocking it will be very difficult in democracies to restrict totally this content. I think responsibility from the providers is important. And as kelvin said, discretion and maturity in terms of what you choose to access online because some of it is so deeply disturbing but common flicts and the horror of war and terrorism are in instantly available now, right . Well, that is the main difference, isnt it . Everybody has a phone. Everybody has a video camera. Essentially. They are all television cameraman. They are essentially and they are doing it for lots of different reasons. We can see that in a fight outside a pub in preston right. Suddenly you that in a fight outside a pub in preston right. Suddenly you pick up one of the news sites and there it is, a proper fight taking place in actually pretty good clear video. And this was something you would have never, ever seen before. And people ever seen before. And people actually, unfortunately , wallow actually, unfortunately, wallow in some of that violence. They in some of that violence. They wont be wallowing in this violence. But there is no doubt violence. But there is no doubt that if you looked at the numbers, if you asked mailonline to show what what people are clicking on, unfortunately, you would see have a different view of humanity and morality than the one were discussing. And thats the really nasty side that the glorifying side of it that the glorifying of violence is the bit that you want to stop. Yeah. How do you want to stop. Yeah. How do you persuade the Tech Companies to do this that , and do you want do this that, and do you want them being the arbiters of taste anyway . Im not sure. I think thats a really good question, jacob. Im not sure i want elon musk orbiting anything. Really. Hes not. Hes not orbiting anything. Well, thats the thats the problem. That that is his difference between his ownership and the previous ownership. But i dont want but i dont much want a secretary of state doing it either. Well perhaps not. But i mean, i think. But i mean, i think. What about a labour secretary . I tell you what, forget labour toryumon. I think its a healthy thing that a conservative secretary of state is convening this discussion because my overall view is that the a lot of the large platforms do sufficiently hold on. Do not sufficiently hold on. Weve got the eu now saying actually we and we are going to i mean, they can they can find you, i think 6 of your Gross Revenue because of the stuff thats being put up on this. Got no problem with what ive got no problem with what the have come out with. The eu have come out with. I mean, seems to me to i mean, that seems to me to be different be moving to on a very different discussion from this one. Discussion from from this one. Yeah, once , weve had a yeah, but for once, weve had a discussion where there isnt a clear answer that normally this panel clear answer that normally this panel, particularly we know exactly what we think, where it should go. But ladies and should go. But ladies and gentlemen, its to you gentlemen, its up to you. You must you take must decide. You must take responsibility what you responsibility for what you watch what you decide watch and what you decide to look and personal look at. And personal responsibility is fundamentally important. Be important. Later on, ill be deciding whether the leader of the labour more the labour party is more conservative than the conservatives. Should 007 conservatives. Plus should 007 diversify make the real mrcs diversify to make the real mrcs even better . So radio. Welcome back. Our man, Jacob Rees Mogg. And this remains rees mogg. And this remains state of the nation. Youve been getting in touch with your thoughts, peter says we must not stop sharing graphic images on Mainstream Media, especially of war atrocities, hard as they war atrocities, as hard as they are watch. We must are to watch. We must not sanitise it. It reminds of sanitise it. It reminds us of wars futility and patrick slightly disagrees. He said, sadly, i actually feel the more people are presented with violent images, the less impact it has and the more desensitised people become. In an interview people become. In an interview with our Political Editor christopher hope, sir keir starmer has said today that his party will aim to reduce the overall tax burden for working people if labour wins the next election. The leader of the election. The leader of the opposition said that while his focus for the economy would be on growth, he also wanted to fix what the current government had done to countrys finances. Done to the countrys finances. Heres what he had to say. I competitive tax i said competitive tax regime. Look , weve got the regime. Well look, weve got the highest rates of tax that weve had since the Second World War under this government. So all weve got from this government is and low growth, and is high tax and low growth, and that the wrong for the that is the wrong recipe for the country. Competitive of course. But is on growth and but my focus is on growth and growing the economy and that will the tax burden come down . My . My speech . Burden come down will the tax burden come down under labour . Id like the overall burden, particularly working people, particularly on working people, to obviously we to come down, but obviously we will of course, and will operate of course, and always within our fiscal rules. With his promise to cut taxes, as disraeli might have put it, has starmer found the tories bathing and stolen . Are clothes . Well, joining me now to clothes . Well, joining me now to discuss star himars tax plans is former labour mp simon danczuk. Simon, you very much for simon, thank you very much for coming in. This is extraordinary. Youve got a leader of the opposition, a labour man named keir after the founder of the labour party , founder of the labour party, being more of an advocate for tax cuts than jeremy hunt, the conservative chancellor. Yeah, though youve seen that interview, hes being very cautious. Cautious. He doesnt want to contradict Rachel Reeves, the shadow chancellors position in terms of fiscal responsibilities. So hes being careful in terms of the words that hes using. But there is no doubt about it. He has an ambition, a desire, as weve seen there , to reduce weve seen there, to reduce working peoples taxes. And im not surprised by that. I mean , not surprised by that. I mean, under a conservative government we have 50 year high in income tax levels that people are now paying, tax levels that people are now paying, not least because the threshold hasnt been changed. And so it can only really go in one direction. Surely well, the interesting thing is whether starmer is copying the tony blair playbook and that is to say quite conservative things about tax before an election. And then when you get election. And then when you get in, of course , the increase in in, of course, the increase in state spending and the increase in taxation creeps in. Well, theres no doubt about it that a lot of pledges being made during Labour Party Conference in terms of the nhs and an and other issues and how feasible it is to fund all of that from growth. I suspect it isnt. So hes going to have to isnt. So hes going to have to raise the money in some way if hes going to meet some of the Funding Proposals that have been suggested labour during their suggested by labour during their conference, but nevertheless their ambition is to go for growth , grow the economy. Growth, grow the economy. Theyve got a lot of business support. I have to say, talking about the conference itself, Rachel Reeves made , whats Rachel Reeves made, whats a competent speech . I think on the tuesday of conference thats been well received. Shes proposing no increase in wealth taxes. So theres no £0. 45 tax, which is what ed miliband was proposing in 2015. Shes not going to increase income tax as well. So theyve been very fiscally concerned. Lviv and we fiscally concerned. Lviv and we do see the two parties now really fighting over very similar territory. This is the blair playbook, isnt it . You copy the tory economic policy, but theres all this talk of Growth Without any plan of how you create growth. The only person who ever had a plan for growth was liz truss. Yeah, fair point. I mean , yeah, fair point. I mean, what, what starmer did say dunng what, what starmer did say during his speech to conference was that hell build 1. 5 million houses now that will stimulate the economy. If im not sure how the economy. If im not sure how easy it will be to build 1. 5 million houses, but that will stimulate the economy. That sort of activity. And Rachel Reeves went big on manufacturing as well , which we heard very little well, which we heard very little from at the conservative conference. Okay. Weve had 30 years of okay. Weve had 30 years of not building enough houses. We had prescott saying he had John Prescott saying he would build more houses when he was in charge of the department. Weve had the conservatives saying houses and now weve saying more houses and now weve got keir starmer more got keir starmer saying more houses. A real houses. Unless theres a real willingness to take on nimbyism and reform. One one of the jewels in the socialists crown, the 1947 town and Country Planning act, one of the revered attlee acts. Theres no chance is there . No. And landbanking by the volume landbanking by the volume of land banking is a myth really i our House Builders have 4 to 5 years of supply of land which is comparable with other builders. Global only, and is what any sensible business would have considering it can take you 1020 years to get planning permission. So land banking is permission. So land banking is one of those cheap attacks of politicians that doesnt actually bear out in reality. I might give you that. Jacob but. But, but youre right. What keir is saying is that he will build more houses and he will reform them. He will have to radically reform. I agree with radically reform. I agree with you. The radically reform. I agree with you. The Planning System , if he you. The Planning System, if he wants to achieve this, but his message is that hes going to do that. Message is that hes going to do that. And itll be interesting that. And itll be interesting to absolutely to see. Absolutely well, because this government has that has tried to do that and actually against a wall of nimbyism , it didnt get through nimbyism, it didnt get through with amongst conservatives, amongst conservatives , but amongst conservatives, but labour mps are just as argumentative for their own constituents. There was a constituents. There was a wonderful quotation thrown back at keir starmer on the today programme this morning, something said about something hed said about not allowing own allowing development in his own constituency u. S. Allowing development in his own constituency us. And thats very to overcome. Very hard to overcome. Thats right. And hes well, thats right. And hes saying this on in relation to planning reform and then he has other that around other policies that are around devolution. Well, he cant have devolution. Well, he cant have it both he cant give more devolution. Well, he cant have it both down he cant give more devolution. Well, he cant have it both down locally1t give more devolution. Well, he cant have it both down locally. T give more devolution. Well, he cant have it both down locally. Ande more devolution. Well, he cant have it both down locally. And then � e power down locally. And then from on high regulate in terms or deregulate in terms of planning and housing and devolution was one of the great failures of the 97 to 2010 labour administration, wasnt it . Thats led us with all sorts of problems and helped disunite the united kingdom, which were now beginning to get back together again. Well, make the point that well, i make the point that if you to see where labour if you want to see where labour is, perform in is, how labour will perform in government, have a look at government, then have a look at how perform in in wales or how they perform in in wales or how they perform in in wales or how perform in some of the how they perform in some of the Mayoral Election areas that we have in the uk. And its not all positive, so i cant see that point. Well , thats certainly well, thats certainly something i wouldnt expect you to say, that there are areas where devolution really doesnt work and that we are in many ways a unitary country, arent we . And actually actually as a politician, when youre knocking on doors and somethings going wrong in your area and you know its the local councils fault , its the local councils fault, when your partys in government, you have found this. They you must have found this. They blame you and the government. They dont blame the local council authority. Yeah, no, ive been on something of a journey in terms of devolution, in thinking it was something of a panacea. But in more recent times, ive come to the conclusion that this argument that you know more power to manchester and everywhere and this everywhere else and this demonisation of london, when the reality is i mean, the capital city is not just the capital city. I mean, its a its a real economic motor race for the whole country, isnt it . And its an international city. And thats what we need. Brilliant thank you very much, simon shortly after these messages from our sponsors , should our from our sponsors, should our secret service rely on the diversification of fictitious characters to help boost the quality of their workforce . The answer may be too secret to tell you, but come back and well see welcome back. I continue to identify as Jacob Rees Mogg and this continues to identify a state of the nation. And youve been getting in touch with your thoughts. Can please remind people of the financial mess the Labour Party Left the country in last time they were in power. As you remember, they even last time they were in power. As you a remember, they even last time they were in power. As you a rememin r, they even last time they were in power. As you a rememin downingen last time they were in power. As you a rememin downing street left a message in downing street saying there is money left. Saying there is no money left. They since condemned the they have since condemned the tories that was tories austerity policy that was needed to put right the financial incompetence of the labour shall remind labour party. I shall remind them much. And them. Thank you very much. And alan says morecambe and wise little and large. Now its starmer and streeting. Comedy starmer and streeting. Comedy duos on. Well, i rather duos live on. Well, i rather liked morecambe and wise , but liked morecambe and wise, but never mind. 007 is back in the never mind. 007 is back in the news again. But its not a thunderball of speculation over which Hollywood Star will grace our screens with a licence to kill in a couple of years time. Instead, intelligence expert john taylor has claimed that the next james bond, being black and nextjames bond, being black and female , would boost diversity female, would boost diversity within mi6. Yes, the real, not the fictional mi6. Mr taylor the fictional mi6. Mr taylor described bond as the biggest recruitment aid for intelligence careers in recent memory and says james bond has been nothing but good. But should we be slightly concerned that our National Intelligence agency is seemingly relying the seemingly relying on the portrayal a fictional hero to portrayal of a fictional hero to boost quality of the boost the quality of the workforce . Or has the golden eye of mr taylor caught on to a phenomenon that could benefit us all by encouraging more skilled individuals from backgrounds individuals from all backgrounds into arguably some the most into arguably some of the most important country . Important jobs in the country . Well we can go back to my secret agents, the former labour councillor and Public Affairs guru kevin craig, and the rambunctious former editor of the kelvin mackenzie. The sun, kelvin mackenzie. Kelvin youd made a good double, a seven, wouldnt you, in your day . Day . I day . I think i probably would have drunk too and therefore id drunk too much and therefore id probably away all probably given away all the all the secrets. I think the nations secrets. I think thats a preposterous idea. By the way, if they want to kill , the way, if they want to kill, if they want to kill the james bond franchise stone turn bond franchise, stone dead, turn it into a woman. It doesnt really matter to me what colour or where they come from. I think thats perfectly, perfectly fair thats perfectly, perfectly fair that you know, there are that but you know, there are some some things which will work better in the manner we expect them to work. And having a handsome man who has women falling at his feet seems a perfectly admirable idea. And so perfectly admirable idea. And so i hate i hate that particular idea. I dont know why the guy said it. And i hope that he doesnt say it again. Doesnt say it again. And it has worked very well. Its been a very good formula. Well , jacob, one thing, if well, jacob, one thing, if youre get on there youre going to get me on there is person tell ken is a labour person tell that ken gordon brown, Alistair Darling , gordon brown, Alistair Darling, save this from economic save this country from economic implosion in the crisis. Putting that to one side to james, that to one side back to james, im a fan of alistair im quite a fan of Alistair Darling, believe me that im quite a fan of alistair darliithere believe me that im quite a fan of alistair darliithere b are. E me that im quite a fan of alistair darliithere b are. S0|e that im quite a fan of alistair darliithere b are. So on hat im quite a fan of alistair darliithere b are. So on this as once there we are. So on this as i know this story right this is a guy this is not official secret Service Policy were chatting about here. Its the detail of this is that we dont know. But he could be a secret agent for all we know. Well, listen, hes speculated he could be a secret agent. Jacob, could be right. And we. I think we all love our secret service for what they do our country. You do for our country. And you know, enough about know, no one talks enough about the prevent, by the the attacks they prevent, by the way. But listen, dont really way. But listen, i dont really care. It doesnt matter. James care. It doesnt matter. James bond can be black, white, asian , female. Why not . You know, some females in our military would take the three of us apart, right in a blink. So i think almost all of them would take me. Think almost all of them would taan me. Were talking about i mean, were talking about were talking about a cinema. Talking a cinema. Were talking about a cinema. A talking a cinema. Were talking about a cinema. A talkiig a cinema. Were talking about a cinema. A talki do a cinema. Were talking about a cinema. A talki do not a cinema. Were talking about a cinema. A talki do not believena. And a media. I do not believe im not saying that there shouldnt be the equivalent of a female jane bond. Right but dont leave james bond alone. He has been the most spectacular. I dont think theres love, but i dont think theres love, but i dont think theres love, but i dont think i dont think theres any issue with race actually. I think you could have james bond from any race and that wouldnt matter at all. I dont think an old etonian , but think hes an old etonian, but lots people go to eton. Well lots of people go to eton. Well well, one of the fine. So many topics. Jacob, one of the fine fictional old etonians. Well, will eton exist under labour . Well, thats another debate. 20 hike. Itll take over. Ill take it over 50,000 a year. But can we agree that actually race of james bond doesnt matter . That thats thats absolutely fine. It wouldnt make any difference to it at all. In fact, it might strangely, because of the way the world works now, if you have youre appealing to lots of different markets and the uk eton market is a is only a small market. So but make it a handsome man i its it does seem a bit odd to make it a woman. Listen, do you know what this is . Vintage gb news story selection here. A speculative x spook , from what i can see, spook, from what i can see, talks about why the next james bond being a woman or a person of colour might be and blah blah rubbish. Talk about the real stuff, but do you think its a goodidea stuff, but do you think its a good idea that mi6 uses james bond as a recruitment because they often have conflicting views, dont they . Views, dont they . On the one hand, they say its not like james bond, and when come in here, sit when you come in here, you sit in room analysing lots of in a dark room analysing lots of documents. The other hand, documents. On the other hand, theyre glamour theyre quite like the glamour because of the because it makes some of the best and the brightest apply. To best and the brightest apply. To the sis. Yeah. I mean, look, it doesnt i think it can be a good recruiting tool. The fact is, i think what you almost said something i really agree with kelvin, which is in the in the geo political world that we face. Right. If you think about the arenas that our secret Service Personnel have to operate in, it would actually be quite helpful often for agents to be non white, right . If you think of the work theyve got to do. Interesting i well, yes, i mean, being white in middle white and in the middle east right thought was quite right now, i thought was quite dangerous. Yeah and so the key question, i suppose, is of the james bond so far, who is your favourite . Far, who is your favourite . I actually because im of an age sean connery. Age sean connery. Your sean connery man. Sean connery. Well, i wont do impression but you see my full name jacob is kevin. Daniel craig. So who do you think im going to say so are you actually here in disguise . Disguise . Are you. Are you the real james bond . James bond . If only. But, you know, i think its a great franchise. Generates a lot of money for this can we all just this country. Can we all just relax they relax about what colour they are . I dont care if are . And if its i dont care if its a woman. Doctor who its a woman. So what doctor who . Look that female doctor. . Look at that female doctor. Disaster, the absolute disaster, by the way, the audience is totally lapsed. Lapsed. I havent watched doctor who since was doctor who. Since tom baker was doctor who. Youre youre old youre saying youre a bit Old Fashioned . I yes. And fashioned . Oh, i am, yes. And perhaps thats the same vintage because think , is because roger moore, i think, is the absolute epitome of james bond, because he does it with such charm and humour. Yeah, he did. And makes it very good. Family viewing , actually. Yeah. Family viewing, actually. Yeah. And i watch it endlessly with my sons and my daughters, not so keen on it. And the double entendres pass over them, which is great because othennise it might be slightly more embarrassing. Its a great franchise. We just need to stop worrying about what colour or gender they are, but we have maintain but we have to maintain the franchise. Franchise. We agree about the but if we agree about the gender agree but if we agree about the gendethe agree but if we agree about the gendethe gender. Agree but if we agree about the gendethe gender. You gree but if we agree about the gendethe gender. You know, this about the gender. You know, this is this has made a lot of money for almost everybody, especially the and why we the james bonds and why we should change a successful should change a very successful formula for what i think is a gamble. However, if some other gamble. However, if some other filmmaker wants to come along and create an equivalent, right, thats fine. But you can be absolutely sure that that the broccoli , the broccoli lady, she broccoli, the broccoli lady, she is not doing anything. I think youre right. I think youre right. I think youre right. And actually having emmas a lady extremely successful. Lady was extremely successful. It was well, worked it was well, it worked brilliantly and made the franchise better. So franchise even better. So theyre good at the incremental improvement parts. But to have a lady would be lady james bond would be a pretty fundamental change. But jacob, well, it would. But jacob, you look, got say, you know, look, ive got to say, as outsider, got get as an outsider, weve got to get talking about the stuff that really matters country. Really matters in this country. What about damage what about the damage youve done to farmers in your constituency have constituency lately . Have you seen dont see . Seen what we dont see . What dont want what you dont want socialists on here . Socialists coming on here . Hes promoting australian beef. Theyre him letters. Im. Im. Im. Im with jacob. We need free trade. Honestly, our world would trade. Honestly, our world would be better. Tell you, be a lot better. I tell you, jacob, always been jacob, farmers have always been complaining. Keir starmer farmers. Now, given what hes doing, i cant believe it. The british farmers do extremely well and extremely competitive. We have tariffs that beef to come that encourage our beef to come from and france. Farmers from ireland and france. Farmers we want do that. We want to do that. Farmers. Farmers in farmers. Farmers weekly is in arms against you. To an to an nfu go to an ffa, go to an nfu meeting if you can get in there for all the range rovers, id be amazed. Protectionist minute the protectionist minute batus either, batus isnt best pleased either, but expect. But thats what you expect. Protectionism harms the protectionism always harms the people who are protected. Its appointed. Its fundamental that free trade boosts the consumer interest. So are you saying that you dont want a lower price of food . For my constituents . Food . For my constituents . Because i do. In an inflationary era, dumping, though dont. How do dumping, though we dont. How do you . So there you you stop dumping . So there you go. Mean, thats my thats my go. I mean, thats my thats my only go. I mean, thats my thats my onleell, maintaining well, were maintaining quality with, quality standards turns up with, you know, gazillion tonnes of you know, 20 gazillion tonnes of something and just bumps it on there and completely destroys there and completely destroys the market. How you feel about that . How do you feel about that . How do you feel about that . Actually we dumping is actually we havent really got time to go into this, but dumping is possible to stop under wto agreements. Dumping often agreements. But dumping is often used excuse for banning used in its excuse for banning goods are simply being goods that are simply being produced competitively and one got be very careful about produced competitively and one got wee very careful about produced competitively and one got we used careful about produced competitively and one got we used to reful about produced competitively and one got we used to have about that. We used to have anti dumping measures on on solar from china to solar panels from china to defend a german industry which was of no interest to the british consumer anyway. That is probably a discussion for another. Jacob labour another time. Jacob but labour will stand up for local farmers. Even kevin wont. Daniel craig who got in your bit on the farmers . Thank you panel. Farmers . Thank you to my panel. We didnt previously know that we a lookalike, james bond, we had a lookalike, james bond, with along with kelvin with us along with kelvin mackenzie. Thats all for me. Up next, its patrick christie. Is patrick. What is on your bill of fare evening . Fare this evening . Yes, it says that we still dont it . There dont know. Isnt it . But there we loads we go. Look, ive got loads coming going to be coming up. Im going to be talking about whether or talking as well about whether or not of not we are inviting a load of anti semites europe in anti semites into europe in light shocking scenes light of some shocking scenes that place at the that are taking place at the moment refugee in moment in refugee camps in greece. Having look greece. Im also having a look at why and gary lineker at why the bbc and gary lineker and are reluctant to call and co are so reluctant to call terrorists terrorists. I will also be having a little look as well at harry and meghans latest eco hip rac. And i will even be mentioning a thing or two about a black female james bond and whether or not its a good idea. If only someone else had had conversation so far had had that conversation so far this evening. Make sure you stay tuned. Thats yl tuned. Thats to be very exciting. King made it clear the king has made it clear that terrorists, so that hamas are terrorists, so god save the king. Thats all from be back tomorrow from me. Ill be back tomorrow at Jacob Rees Mogg. At 8 00. Im Jacob Rees Mogg. This state of the this has been state of the nafion this has been state of the nation weather nation and the weather in somerset absolutely somerset will be absolutely glorious. Deo. Glorious. In excelsis deo. Hello. Its Aidan Mcgivern here from the met office. With the gb forecast. But the gb news forecast. But todays rain clears south, turning sunnier in the for north thursday, but also turning colder as weather fronts sink south, allowing cold air from the north to push into much of the north to push into much of the uk. However, these weather the uk. However, these weather fronts marking the boundary between warm air to the south and cold air to the north contain some wet weather and weve certainly seen a wet day across of wales, the across much of wales, the midlands anglia rain midlands east anglia and it rain sinks slowly south overnight. Still some heavy downpours through parts south wales , through parts of south wales, the anglia the south midlands, east anglia damp and gloomy as we begin things on thursday, mild in things on thursday, but mild in the south, colder but the far south, colder but brighter across scotland, northern ireland, Northern England, a frost in places. And england, a frost in places. And actually thats where the brightest weather will remain throughout thursday. Plenty of sunny spells for northern ireland, north wales, Northern England, southern and eastern scotland. Still some showers and a bit of a breeze for the north west of scotland. But not as much as wednesday. Further as much as wednesday. Further south, it stays damp and gloomy. All the heavier rain eases for a time 19 celsius in the south, albeit with grey leaden skies. Then the rain peps up once again through much of wales, the midlands, Northern England for a time on friday morning, some heavy downpours also potentially for the south east of england could cause some issues of rain warning force that clears warning in force that clears through then Colder Weather through and then Colder Weather arrives for the weekend with quite showers quite a few showers for saturday. Drier for sunday and some overnight frosts you with gb news. The top story tonight, the us secretary of state is on his way to israel after Hamas Terrorists attacks at the weekend. Anthony attacks at the weekend. Anthony blinken said the us is determined to make sure israel has all it needs to defend itself. Hes due to meet senior itself. Hes due to meet senior israeli officials, including Prime MinisterBenjamin Netanyahu , and to discuss netanyahu, and to discuss boosting military support if needed. Im going with a very simple and clear message on behalf of the president of the United States and on behalf of the american people, and that is that the United States has israels back. Have back the we have the back of the israeli people. We have their back today. Well have it tomorrow. Have every tomorrow. We will have it every day. Day. And here in the uk, the metropolitan police has appealed for or images of last for footage or images of last weekends attack on israel. The forces Counter Terrorism unit is appealing for anyone in the uk who has direct evidence related to the terrorist attacks there. And thats after the foreign secretary whos in israel , was secretary whos in israel, was forced to run for cover when a siren sounded when he was on a visit. Today. The video was posted on social media by the Israeli Foreign ministry. The Israeli Foreign ministry. The government said. James cleverlys visit to israel is a sign of the uks unwavering support for the country. Lets support for the country. Lets show you live pictures of gaza tonight,