Transcripts For GBN Sunday 20240704

Polling stations since friday, with reports that in occupied ukraine, ballot papers are being collected at the point of a gun. The re election of Vladimir Putin is beyond doubt. With putin is beyond doubt. With Alexei Navalny eliminated, can the russian opposition expose the russian opposition expose the illegitimacy of his rule . The illegitimacy of his rule . Will the sham elections embolden putin in his illegal invasion of ukraine . Speaking of disputed borders this year, england lost a tireless campaigner for the restoration of the Historic Counties which have been mangled by reforms. Pam moorhouse was unflagging in her efforts to have the counties recognised, at least in ceremonial form, eventually enlisting scores of members of parliament into her campaign. Another woman who the campaign. Another woman who the years could not condemn was unearthed literally close to the historic burley house in a remarkable stroke of luck, a roman marble head was disinterred by a mechanical digger. The sculpture was probably the prized possession of the ninth earl of exeter, a noted grand tourist who loved italy. But how did they end up buned italy. But how did they end up buried 300 yards away from the house before that mystery, and all the rest, here are your latest News Headlines with tatiana sanchez. Tatiana sanchez. Michael. Thank you. The top stories from the gb newsroom. Scenes tories have attempted to downplay claims of a conservative plot to replace rishi sunak as Prime Minister, with Penny Mordaunt reports in the mail and the telegraph say mps on the right of the party would like miss mordaunt to lead them into the next election in an effort to avoid , quote, an effort to avoid, quote, catastrophic losses in the polls. Former business secretary Jacob Rees Mogg denounced the idea as madness. Jacob rees mogg denounced the idea as madness. The move would idea as madness. The move would mean a fourth leader of the party in just five years, former conservative Party Leader Sir Iain duncan smith, told gb news Camilla Tominey the main focus should be on the election and not on tory infighting. Not on tory infighting. Weve got to stop turning inwards on ourselves and start trying to get behind the idea that weve got an election to fight and the public wants to know were both united and know that were both united and were very clear. Theres points, said earlier on about were very clear. Theres pointo said earlier on about were very clear. Theres pointo get id earlier on about were very clear. Theres pointo get the arlier on about were very clear. Theres pointo get the labourn about were very clear. Theres pointo get the labour partth were very clear. Theres pointo get the labour party into how to get the labour party into an argument that you can then how to get the labour party into an them ent that you can then how to get the labour party into an them over1at you can then how to get the labour party into an them over in you can then how to get the labour party into an them over in terms an then how to get the labour party into an them over in termsan the] kill them over in terms of the way take, debate is way that you take, the debate is really dynamic really critical and dynamic politics demands it. What dynamic demand dynamic politics does not demand is literally the sort of third, the third leader in a short space of time that replaced bofis space of time that replaced Boris Johnson , shadow paymaster Boris Johnson, shadow paymaster general Jonathan Ashworth told gb news the governments priorities are all wrong. Priorities are all wrong. Rishi sunak hes not acting in the national interest. Its reckless, its irresponsible. He should name the day of a general election and stabilise matters. At the moment, hes more preoccupied with his own leadership and saving his own skin than governing in the national interest. And i think national interest. And i think after 14 years, this is a pretty discredited government. He needs discredited government. He needs to name the day, i mean, but if he doesnt name the date soon, we could have a leadership election soon. The defence ministry, ministry of defence says grant shapps was forced to abandon a trip to southern ukraine last week for security reasons. British intelligence warned of a credible missile threat from russia, saying the kremlin had got wind of his visit. Thats according to the sunday times. Mr shapps was due to travel to odesa a day after a missile hit the city, while the ukrainian president and the greek Prime Minister were visiting there. Five people were killed the five people were killed in the explosions, to explosions, according to ukrainian. Ukrainian authorities. Meanwhile, the latvian Prime Minister has told the sunday telegraph that britain should consider conscription and a total defence model to deter russian aggression. Latvia reintroduced the model last year with all able bodied men required to complete 11 months of military service. However, in of military service. However, in january, the uk Armed Forces Minister James Heappey , said any ministerJames Heappey, said any talk of the uk introducing conscription to the army if nato goes to war with russia was nonsense. All that as russians nonsense. All that as russians are casting their ballots on the final day of voting for the countrys next president , Vladimir Putin, whos been in power since 1999, is expected to win another six year tum with a landslide victory. The election landslide victory. The election comes just over two years since russias invasion of ukraine. The first two days of the vote saw dozens of incidents of vandalism at polling stations, with several people detained across russia. Former adviser to the clinton and bush administration, steve gill told gb news the locals see no other opfion gb news the locals see no other option but to keep putin in power. Voters are telling them that they are voting not just because they think that its a close race, but because they want to send a message that they support putin. And theres a lot of reasons to they have 2. 6 gdp. They have 7 inflation. It was 1,500 when he first took office. And you know, theyre happy with where the economy is. Theyre happy with his leadership. And one of the voters told me today that by voting, even though they think hes going to handily, its hes going to win handily, its like shaking hand and like shaking his hand and saying, you. Saying, thank you. Councils will have to consider whether residents support low traffic neighbourhoods in their areas before going ahead with the schemes. The draft guidance is due to come into force this summer. Theyre designed to encourage cycling and walking by limiting driving in side roads and include wider pavements and barriers to restrict vehicles. Ltns often use signs and bollards to prevent traffic being able to drive along a certain route, as well as local residents, businesses and Emergency Services will also need to approve of the move. And need to approve of the move. And finally, a volcano in iceland has erupted for a fourth time in just three months. Previous eruptions destroyed roads and forced a town to evacuate. If forced a town to evacuate. If youre watching us on television, youll be able to see fountains of molten rock soaring into the night sky from fissures in the ground, authorities had warned. For weeks that an eruption was imminent. Just south of icelands capital, reykjavik. Icelands capital, reykjavik. For the latest stories, you can sign up to gb news alerts by scanning the qr code on your screen. Or you can go to gb news. Com alerts. Now back to Michael Portillo i thank 5mm thank you, tatiana sanchez. The labour party talked up the prospect of a general election in may, suggesting that it is confident that it would win a snap poll. Well, its hard to disagree , people. Polling, which disagree, people. Polling, which often carries out polls for gb news, has this week put labour a devastating 28 points ahead of the conservatives why does rishi sunak receive no credit for progress in the last six months weve seen two tax cuts, Falling Energy prices and inflation and reduced illegal crossings of the engush reduced illegal crossings of the english channel. Is there any event or development a deus ex machina that could alter tory fortunes . To answer that, i have with me. Madeline grant from the telegraph henry hill, who is Deputy Editor of conservative home, and ivor caplin, who is a defence minister under tony blair, welcome all of you to gb news. Welcome back in every case. Madeline, first of case. And madeline, first of all, just give us an idea of the mood of the conservative party in parliament. Whats on in parliament. Whats going on there . There . Its pretty grim at the moment. I think that although there is a sense of, in some cases, outright rebellion, like maybe now we should see if we can do any better taking our chances by switching leaders. Id say across the board its a real sense of, i dont id say across the board its a real sense of , i dont know, real sense of, i dont know, kind of hopelessness. You know, you have to keep turning up and making the case for the government. If youre on the airwaves, etc. But its increasingly difficult for them to do that. And of course, all around them they see more and more colleagues putting their heads above the parapet and saying, im not going to rerun in the next general election, which adds to this kind of sense of doom and decay. But its never quite. I dont think its got to the point where its bad enough are thinking, enough that people are thinking, oh, lets, you know, take a gamble on another Prime Minister. Things kind minister. But things just kind of getting and of chug along, getting worse and worse gradually. Shipman worse gradually. Tim shipman in the refers the the sunday times refers to the prime authority Prime Ministers authority ebbing away, which an ebbing away, which raises an interesting ebbing away, which raises an interetheyre going to remain in if theyre going to remain in office, lets say, until december, which is a distinct possibility. I mean, how will that be possible if the if the authority continues to ebb at its present rate . I really i dont know how what they i think they will have to start taking on board the concerns of backbenchers and, being a bit better at, at communicating with them, because when youve got, youre having to rely on your, your mps and ministers to, to go out and bat for you on a regular basis, and you know, the attack lines write themselves. Theres great disappointment about the way that hester debacle that the frank hester debacle was number 10. Was handled by number 10. It wasnt just the remarks themselves, handling themselves, but the handling of it fact so many it and the fact that so many people made to look silly people were made to look silly by having to and defend by having to go out and defend the that was ever changing, the line that was ever changing, so i really think they have to improve with improve their relations with mps because sort of because the mood is sort of becoming ever more conspiratorial. Theres a marvellous anecdote the other day of a backbencher going to the Prime Minister and saying, i dont know what your vision is. And he said, well, the is very clear. Talk the vision is very clear. Talk to staff, which thought was to my staff, which i thought was a summary of where we a brilliant summary of where we stand. Henry moving towards the sort of main question, is there anything, anything that could make life better for the tories . Labour screwing up, if you think about when was the last time that a party threw away a 25 point lead in the polls . It was 2017, when theresa may thought, ive got this big thought, okay, ive got this big lead. Im going to use it to do something worthwhile. And im going asset older going to ask asset rich older people to some of their people to pay for some of their own care. Almost through people to pay for some of their owrelection are. Almost through people to pay for some of their owrelection. Re. Almost through people to pay for some of their owrelection. Now,nost through people to pay for some of their owrelection. Now, lost through people to pay for some of their owrelection. Now, i dontrough people to pay for some of their owrelection. Now, i dont think the election. Now, i dont think labouris the election. Now, i dont think labour is going to be silly enough that. Enough politically to do that. So the the government enough politically to do that. So tis the government enough politically to do that. So tis that, the government enough politically to do that. So tis that, youthe government enough politically to do that. So tis that, youthe goyou ment has is that, you know, you talked about of the tax talked about some of the tax cuts everything else, but talked about some of the tax cutstax everything else, but talked about some of the tax cutstax cutszrything else, but talked about some of the tax cutstax cuts are1ing else, but talked about some of the tax cutstax cuts are largelye, but the tax cuts are largely illusory, right. Like to illusory, right. Like thanks to fiscal tax going up. Fiscal drag, tax is going up. And weve point and i think weve hit the point where economy where the political economy of this really just kind of this country really just kind of visibly doesnt work right, like the weve got. The publics that weve got. Weve toxic combination of weve got a toxic combination of very taxes and public very high taxes and Public Services are under strain, and we have very high immigration. But its not delivering gdp per capha but its not delivering gdp per capita growth. And capita economic growth. And there is very little that the government can do about that. After 14 years. Because at this point, if youre the Prime Minister and i know rishi minister and i know that rishi only years only came in a couple of years ago, you deliver ago, but if you deliver a damning speech about law and order immigration, it is order or immigration, it is necessarily an implicit critique of own governments record. Of your own governments record. Now, i dont think labour have many answers on most of this stuff either, i think that stuff either, and i think that they to have a they are going to have a terrible in government. But terrible time in government. But but of maybe but no. And short of maybe argentina the falklands argentina invading the falklands again, we again, but even then, could we get there days . Get the ships there these days . I dont know if we could. No, i can guarantee you we could. Yeah. Yeah. In Douglas Smith today was saying that its saying to camilla that its different from because it different from 1997 because it turns are vast numbers turns out there are vast numbers of people whove not yet made up their mind how to vote. Whereas in 1997 they were saying, were really looking forward tony really looking forward to tony blair. Henry is there anything in distinction, in that distinction, do you think . Think . I mean, look, maybe at the margins, possible that the margins, its possible that the election will be closer than the current polls suggest. Know, current polls suggest. You know, if some nose break towards if some dont nose break towards the whatever the conservatives for whatever reason, hunt has reason, if jeremy hunt has another event where he another fiscal event where he really the thing, really micro targets the thing, the kind of policies i think that make a difference are that could make a difference are things child benefit things like the child benefit clawback at the clawback that he had at the budget, was budget, because that was a really intervention and really targeted intervention and the families that benefit will really whereas a big the families that benefit will really like whereas a big the families that benefit will really like the whereas a big the families that benefit will really like the ihereas a big the families that benefit will really like the i cant,; a big the families that benefit will really like the i cant, its ig the families that benefit will really like the i cant, its too thing like the i cant, its too diffuse. I dont think voters will you can claw it will notice. So you can claw it back at margins. But in back at the margins. But in terms winning the election terms of winning the election from here, no, i dont see how thats either. Thats possible either. To talk about the do you want to talk about the comparison mean, comparison with 1997 . I mean, one that strikes me one thing that strikes me because, i was very because, you know, i was very much events in 1997 and much part of events in 1997 and we were very divided party. We were a very divided party. But we continued, i dont think this just my fantasy. I think this is just my fantasy. I think we continue quite to like each other, i rather like michael other, and i rather like michael hudson. I like ken hudson. I rather like ken clarke, even though, you know, we were on opposite sides of many arguments , whereas many of the arguments, whereas the tories the moment really the tories at the moment really seem detest other. On seem to detest each other. On the hand, we just the other hand, as we just alluded keir starmer is not alluded to, keir starmer is not tony blair at this point. Do you want to comment on the comparisons with 97 . Well, firstly, said firstly, michael, ive said constantly that keir isnt tony blair and you know , i think blair and you know, i think thats a fair point to say in the same way that our elections are different, every election is different as we know, and i have been saying to people all around the south east and south west when im out and about doing various things that people who are on boards have to do for the labour party , you know, its labour party, you know, its actually about us understanding that theres still work to do. That theres still work to do. You know, no ones cast a single vote yet on a general election , even though the polls election, even though the polls are polling at that. That level of 27, 28 points as henry just said, you know it. So it looks good. But not a single vote has been cast. So thats the first thing. The second thing is i think keir will be a good Prime Minister. And you know, i look forward to that. But at the same forward to that. But at the same time its not going to be the same as what happened in 1997. I think it will be different both in government with a different Economic Situation than the one we inherited in 1997. So i think theres all those sort of things that have got to come to it. And i think the other one is that everyone likes to know what labour stands for and what labour stands for and what labour wants to do in government. But an old friend of yours now, lord haig, he once said to me , its the one thing said to me, its the one thing that the opposition should never do is to actually give away all their best ideas. Some might say that non doms have just been one of those issues that could also have a terrible accident with a new idea. As henry said, i think ive increasingly it strikes me that the fact that starmer is not blair is not going to make much difference to the general election result. After all, what it may make a difference to is what its like to be in government, because the blair government, because the blair government got off with such a rocket boost, didnt it . You remember the scenes of blair going up the at the street in downing street . You cant downing street . You cant imagine received imagine starmer being received in same way. I imagine starmer being received in same way. I cant in quite the same way. I cant imagine, you know, things can only being played only get better being played when starmer arrives. We use that when we go. Do you. Yeah. Do you. Yeah. They like getting drunk and dancing to it at conferences. Its, its not a tune that i particularly enjoy , but because particularly enjoy, but because the time at which was played. The time at which it was played. But but do you take that point . It might it might mainly affect the beginning of the government. That will i think that that will happen. Dont think happen. I dont think we can expect that you know, what expect that big, you know, what happened 97 coming again. Happened in 97 coming again. I think it will very much look, think it will be very much look, business as usual. That will be i the area that keir will i think the area that keir will want to go through, he knows this is going to be difficult. But in of the economic but in terms of the Economic Situation and that the government, our Labour Government, our Labour Government has got to actually be able to do that. Be able to do that. Madeleine, we better address the question of whether the conservatives would better conservatives would do better with yeah. What do with a new leader. Yeah. What do you . You think . I think that fundamentally, if at polls over if you look at the polls over the last year and a bit, although i think journalists often get rather, they get rather sort of preoccupied with some slight shift from day to day. If you look at the general picture, its pretty much been, day. If you look at the general pictiknows pretty much been, day. If you look at the general piclikiiow , pretty much been, day. If you look at the general piclikiiow , equally nuch been, day. If you look at the general piclikiiow , equally bad, been, day. If you look at the general piclikiiow , equally bad, post, you know, equally bad, post truss onwards. And i think that truss onwards. And i think that there is this debate about what is actually in rishi sunaks gift to achieve. But i think a lot of the damage was simply inflicted there and then by forever torpedoing the conservative reputation for sound money and economic competence. I mean, once thats gone, its very hard to revive it. So i think that in some ways changing leader would not changing leader would would not address and of address that problem. And of course, everyone comes back to the about 14 years. Its a the point about 14 years. Its a delivery question. Its more i think what they need to do is to, you know, try to regroup. If they possibly can stop being quite so hostile to each other, as were and maybe as you were saying, and maybe try tangible things try and look for tangible things that could point to, when that they could point to, when we to next we come round to the next general would general election, henry would things be very different if bofis things be very different if Boris Johnson had been a bit braver and fought his seat at a by election and held it . Uxbridge was held. I mean, if he were member of parliament he were a member of parliament now, feel a bit now, things would feel a bit different there would be different because there would be a alternative. Mean, a real alternative. I mean, someone proven someone who was a proven election winner, but, know, election winner, but, you know, penny all these Penny Mordaunt and all these others no particular others, theres no particular reason theyre reason to think that theyre better no , rishi better than rishi. No, no, rishi currently sort of the currently has sort of the ultimate security, which ultimate job security, which is he that nobody wants, he has a job that nobody wants, all who be all of the people who want to be tory leader seriously want to take the election, take over after the election, because all that because otherwise all that happens. Take now is happens. If you take over now is that the face on that you are the face on the wikipedia entry for the catastrophic 2024 general election result. It would be different if boris was there. It would be because currently the plotters are still talking about trying to bring boris back despite hes not despite the fact that hes not in rishi sunak in parliament. And rishi sunak is who decides he is the man who decides if he gets to candidate. So if he gets to be a candidate. So if he had fought and won, think that had fought and won, i think that would changed the narrative would have changed the narrative around have around boris because hed have won by election. I think won that by election. I think that would expunged lot that would have expunged a lot of sort of, of the accumulated sort of, negative reputation. And his, his be it would negative reputation. And his, his more be it would negative reputation. And his, hismore like be it would negative reputation. And his, hismore like trying be it would negative reputation. And his, hismore like trying to e it would negative reputation. And his, hismore like trying to call would be more like trying to call charles the second from charles the second back from france than from avalon. France than arthur from avalon. Right. Be a right. Like it would be a completely different operation. But not there, and nobody but hes not there, and nobody serious to take over. Now, serious wants to take over. Now, the mechanics would be hideous, and there would be critical pressure for an immediate general election. So i think that theres no chance of it happening. Tony was happening. Either tony blair was famously about his famously pessimistic about his own of winning. Own chances of winning. Election day, apparently on election day, he asking, you know, whether he was asking, you know, whether there back to the bar there was a way back to the bar for because he thought for him because he thought he wasnt you wasnt going to win. Do you think keeps him think starmer also keeps him reserve just in reserve some caution just in case doesnt work case this doesnt work out . Just one little bit well, just one little bit about what happened in 97 at 2 00 in the morning was my result. And thats the point when tony says to alastair, i think weve won that and hes obviously up in sedgefield and im down on the south coast doing something else. So i think that how he played it. He, that was how he played it. He, he all along wanted to keep very calm about the elections. And i think keir is following that kind of approach. And i think its the right thing to do. Its this whole thing about the polls are really interesting , but are really interesting, but theyre only interesting now because of where it is and big, big polls. But ultimately youve got to get the votes right to actually win , win elections actually win, win elections around, you know, places like sussex , places like oxford, sussex, places like oxford, places in the, in the, in the north of england where we didnt win in 2019. I would like keir starmer to hold a rally in sheffield. Neil. Neil. All right. Were all right. That definitely doesnt happen anymore. Thats not going to happen, isnt it . Thank you very much, henry hill. Ivor. Captain and madeline grant. After the break, we turn to another one the another election. One where the incumbent losing. Incumbent has no fear of losing. And russia, although theres no prospect Vladimir Putin being and russia, although theres no prospec could adimir putin being and russia, although theres no prospec could the nir putin being and russia, although theres no prospec could the pollutin being ousted, could the poll nonetheless be significant . Stay with welcome back. Since friday, voters in russian have been variously coaxed, cajoled, and coerced into voting in an election that everyone knows can have only one result. Six more years for president Vladimir Putin in occupied ukraine, voting has started early and typically under the supervision of Armed Russian soldiers. Putin wants to ensure a significant turnout to bolster his credibility and to suggest pubuc credibility and to suggest public support for his war against ukraine, to help us to understand these nuances , im understand these nuances, im joined by adam ure, who is an expert on russia and ukraine at the levski consultancy. Welcome, the levski consultancy. Welcome, adam. Thank you very much for coming in on sunday. Thank you. Help us to understand this because, i we in the west because, i mean, we in the west understand that all serious candidates arrested or candidates have been arrested or in some cases eliminated, so they cannot be serious candidates. We know that the candidates. We know that the constitution was manipulated and that the referendum in which that the referendum in which that was put to the people was donein that was put to the people was done in a very unsatisfactory and untransparent manner. So nobody in the west is going to say that this is the legitimate result. So why does vladimir result. So why does Vladimir Putin about things like putin care about things like turnout and indeed his own majority . I think youre right to point to turnout. That is the key point of these elections. The result, as you say, is pre known. And i dont think there are any illusions either in russia or around the world as to whos going to win these elections. The point of these to my mind, is turnout as a demonstration of legitimacy, as a symbolism of coercion and also in a way, as an act of repression. And i think its important to understand the way that the repressive regime in russia works. There is a holistic works. There is a holistic system here that relies not just on physical threats , not just on on physical threats, not just on torture and murder. And and the elimination of potential oppositions, but it relies also on the, the repression of information and the way that that messaging works is to intimidate people, to intimidate voters. And i think the fact of turnout here is a clear message of repression and fear to the russian people. The fact that russian people. The fact that putin will be mobilised and supported by a huge number of people , and the greater the people, and the greater the turnout, i think the more that places pressure and fear on potential opposition organs, eliminates them and also undermines the potential threat that they could have politically to him going forward. So you think the audience for this is internal . Its not meant to impress other countries. I think it is internal. That is the key point. Yes, as well. Is the key point. Yes, as well. And add that apart and we might add that apart from all these whips, there are also carrots for people to go to the polls, theres a sort of party atmosphere. There might be party atmosphere. There might be free drink, there might be the opportunity to win a raffle and things like that. Thats true. Ive been to a russian president ial election before and been to one of the electoral stations , in 2012. So electoral stations, in 2012. So not recently , just to at the not recently, just to at the time to find out for myself how it worked and to find out the atmosphere and processes there. Atmosphere and processes there. The atmosphere, i think in 2012 was a lot different , the atmosphere, i think in 2012 was a lot different, but the atmosphere, i think in 2012 was a lot different , but there was a lot different, but there was a lot different, but there was a lot different, but there was a party atmosphere. It was very welcoming. People were very welcoming. People were greeted with balloons , music, greeted with balloons, music, posters , very friendly electoral posters, very friendly electoral staff who are also very bemused to see me Walking Around and having a look, as you say, now that has changed. So there is a lot of coercion. There are tea lot of coercion. There are tea cakes, theres been a lot of unofficial messaging sent out on telegram channels that people could potentially meet their prospective future partner there, that it would be a Good Opportunity for young people to o p goportunity for you n 9 peo ple to opportunity for young people to go and meet a potential date. Theres also been a lot of coercion about this. Russia has a very large public sector, so people in public sectorjobs have been ordered by their bosses to go and vote. There are stories over the past couple of days of people being bused from their work to electoral stations , in some cases being taken there too early. So left outside electoral stations waiting for them to open. So there are them to open. So there are a whole load of carrots and sticks, as you say. And also in sticks, as you say. And also in the temporarily occupied territories of ukraine, where illegal elections are being held, there is a lot more coercion. So again, that goes back to the holistic repressive structure and system that putin has created over the past 25 years, which does work in different areas. But what can opponents do . Sorry . What can opponent do . What can opponent do . Its very, very difficult. But they understand very well this holistic information and repression. And the, the system that putin and the regime have set up, which doesnt just rely on physical repression, but it relies on symbolic acts of repression and informational repression and informational repression , as ive said. So the repression, as ive said. So the opposition has relied greatly and are trying to pierce through that symbolism and the informational side. Theyve tried to express in various ways, although they cant physically take on the putin regime, and theres no way that theyll be able to win this election. They are trying to promote as much as they can, informational acts that demonstrate some kind of expression, and opposition. Expression, and opposition. If they if they dont vote, they increase putins victory. And if they do vote, they increase the turnout. So theyre really kind of stuffed, arent they . I really kind of stuffed, arent they . I understand that navalny had this idea that people should go en masse to the polls at a particular moment to create the look of a demonstration. Yes, thats going on as we speak. Thats the midday against putin. And is that today . That is today. And that was supposedly at midday, moscow time. So its been going on really from morning our time into the afternoon. And as we speak now, the opposition are trying to promote this as much as they can. There is a kind of cat and mouse game going on at this moment on telegram, with opposition trying to opposition figures trying to promote this midday against putin. The idea behind that is that everyone should just turn up at 12 00, because there is no other way that they can express their opposition. But if they go at 12 00, then that is a way, symbolically , that they can try symbolically, that they can try and pierce through this information structure. The problem with that is that they have been going en masse, and theyve been putting up pictures and telegram them and videos on telegram of them in lines queuing for electoral stations, claiming that this is a part of the opposition queuing up and voting at the same time, pro putin telegram channels are, as we speak , claiming that this as we speak, claiming that this Opposition Campaign has failed, that the opposition, as it was, should already admit that its not working and that these people are queuing up, are actually voting for putin. An american commentator this morning told gb news of examples. Obviously anecdotal, but voters going along and saying, you know, weve got 1. 7 no, sorry , weve got 2 growth, more sorry, weve got 2 growth, more than 2 growth. Weve got 7 inflation. It was 1,500 when putin came to power , were putin came to power, were grateful to putin and were coming along because voting is like shaking his hand. So i mean, clearly some people are completely enthusiastic. I was going to say taken in, but that would be maybe a bit too prejudiced. But theyre enthusiastic. Yes. Yes, they are the, the difficulty, as i say, is that putin has learned and his regime has learned very well over the past quarter of a century, how to control their population, how to control their population, how to use these various levers in order to cajole people to support him, to eliminate the opposition in a variety of informational but also physical ways. And what youre left with really is very limited choices for people to actually act in this and the putin regime. Get this, the, the, the only way really that theyve had, as ive said, is to try and leverage these different symbolic and informational points to try and at least express a, opposition and punch through this holistic repressive system that putins put in place. There are other indicators about the economy, as you say , that, do seem to work you say, that, do seem to work in putins favour. I think there are questions, really, after this election comes and putin 5. 0 appears as to how those are leveraged and how hes able to maintain the support and also how hes going to further manipulate the information space, but also use more physical ways to suppress a people. An extraordinary thought touching at the end there, which is that one way or another, its a fifth turn. And thank you very much to adam. Your after the break, well pay tribute to a tireless for the tireless campaigner for the traditional of england traditional counties of england who sadly died earlier this yeah who sadly died earlier this year. With us. Welcome back. Pam moorhouse was born in bradford in the west riding of yorkshire, in 1946, and as a little girl she moved to grimsby in lincolnshire. But before her 30th birthday, that Short Description of her birth and childhood had been rendered out of date by the 1972 local government act. Officially, her place of birth was now West Yorkshire and her hometown was in the non metro county of humberside. This to pam , was a humberside. This to pam, was a piece of cultural and geographic vandalism that she could not abide, and she spent much of her life campaigning for the restoration of britains Historic Counties. The repositories believed, of repositories she believed, of unique cultures and characteristics that shouldnt be swept away by bureaucrats in whitehall. Here she is explaining why she felt so strongly about the issue in a video for the British Counties Campaign to get recognition of the traditional counties , you the traditional counties, you need massive education for everybody. Everybody. All School Children should know all this and it should be out in tourist information, in museums , which at the moment it museums, which at the moment it certainly isnt. Im angry about what happened to the counties because it was forced on us. Certain laws are pushed through and you accept them and like it, or you get punished for not obeying , which is dreadfully obeying, which is dreadfully unfair. When were a democratic country, we choose our leaders, our mps , our councillors. So we our mps, our councillors. So we should have a say complete say in what they actually do , pam in what they actually do, pam died earlier this year at the age of 77. Her passing was marked in the telegraph by none other than gb news political edhon other than gb news political editor, Christopher Hope , who editor, Christopher Hope, who joins me now, Christopher Good morning to you. Your reflections on pam. Why why did you choose to write about her at the time , to write about her at the time, i thought what pam represented michael was something important, i think people want where you live is so important to your identity, i was born in liverpool, lancashire, and when i was three, it became merseyside. Im not sure what. Well, i was too young to know, but i think that it matters in this kind of thing. I was struck by a by an omission by michael heseltine, that he had ripped up these Historic Counties by taking a light aircraft flight across the country and redrawing lines on a map. I mean, if you have an example of a kind of whitehall diktat , just changing whitehall diktat, just changing the identity of where people live, its that and were seeing more of that now with the changing in peoples street names from names which may seem offensive to some people, to something else. I think what is forgotten about these things in whitehall or town halls, is that where you live . Really matters, and you mess with these historic boundanes and you mess with these historic boundaries at your peril. And Pam Moorhouse, as a factory worker, and the telegraph ran a very , very good obituary of her, very, very good obituary of her, making clear that you know her. She is a late bloomer in politics, but , but she really politics, but, but she really fought very hard, and she was really a frustrated that whitehall had discarded these historic names. Whitehall had discarded these historic names. We are seeing historic names. We are seeing them come back, arent we . I think that cumbria is now westland and cumberland, so seeing some of them re emerge. Seeing some of them re emerge. But this stuff matters. Michael christopher, thank you very much for joining me on a sunday morning. Im going to turn now to gerald dugdale, a friend and co campaigner. Obviously sympathy on the death of pam , tell me on the death of pam, tell me about how successful you think she was. Its a little bit frustrating because shes passed i think just a moment or so before her her true time. So i think that we were getting 3040 towards the 50 mark in terms of success, which obviously needs a job to be done and a job thats left oven be done and a job thats left over. So shes got the boat out into the middle of the middle of the river, but we need to carry on rowing now to the other side and to make sure that her legacy gets the ultimate fulfilment. Gets the ultimate fulfilment. Christopher was mentioning there that some names have there that some old names have returned. Ed has has that been returned. Ed has has that been quite a widespread process, or has it just been 1 or examples . Its 50, isnt it, because the government dont really know what theyre doing or theyre just being obfuscating so deliberately , but theyre just deliberately, but theyre just leaving everybody in a state of complete bewilderment . I mean, complete bewilderment . I mean, chris hope said, okay, weve got cumberland and westmorland back as Council Areas, but those arent the true, Council Areas relating to the county. So, for example, penrith is in westmorland council, but cumberland county, but above all that youve still got these some of these 1974 creations like cumbria as ceremonial counties which persist and are still going to be for the moment, the ultimate reference points for our county identity. You must have thought about this a lot. How did it happen, particularly , i think in the particularly, i think in the 19705, particularly, i think in the 1970s, by the way, under a conservative government that whitehall knew best, that ministers decided that they really could make these changes, apparently without much consultation. Obviously, certainly without a referendum or anything like that. Well, you could ask mr heseltine about that. It will be great to get him on the program. I wanted get him here with i wanted to get him here with pam talk about it. But henry pam to talk about it. But henry smith mp , whos one of our smith mp, whos one of our champion mps, i think probably the best way the devil makes work idle hands to do. And work for idle hands to do. And if you have the feeling that youve got sort make your youve got to sort of make your mark in life, thats mark somehow in life, thats what do and you start what you do and you start meddling things meddling with things that shouldnt with. Shouldnt be meddled with. You see, i cant imagine any government, any party thinking, ooh , well put this into ooh, well put this into a manifesto, and this will be one of the things that will really help us get elected. So seems help us get elected. So it seems to it must something that to me it must be something that cropped they were in cropped up while they were in government. Have government. There must have been a dont know, a phalanx of, i dont know, Civil Servants or ideologues of some thought some kind who suddenly thought that a brilliant idea to that it was a brilliant idea to redraw counties. I suppose redraw the counties. I suppose it was one of these white heat of technology things. One of these ideas that if it were different modern, it must different and modern, it must be better, mean, people different and modern, it must be bettthink mean, people different and modern, it must be bettthink like mean, people different and modern, it must be bettthink like thatnean, people different and modern, it must be bettthink like that in an, people different and modern, it must be bettthink like that in those ople did think like that in those days. I did think like that in those days. I think wishful thinking. With the greatest of respect. And portillo, it and mr portillo, i think it might just be think you need might just be i think you need to that question mr to ask that question to mr heseltine again. Wanted to heseltine again. He wanted to make so he says, and make his mark. So he says, and hey, civil hey, who were the humble Civil Servants in their servants to, to stand in their way. I like the principle way. I mean i like the principle of Civil Servants kowtowing of the Civil Servants kowtowing to, minister, to, to an ambitious minister, but some sometimes the to, to an ambitious minister, but service ome sometimes the to, to an ambitious minister, but Service Needsymetimes the to, to an ambitious minister, but Service Needs to atimes the to, to an ambitious minister, but Service Needs to put es the to, to an ambitious minister, but Service Needs to put a; the civil Service Needs to put a rein in and make sure that, things kept kept ticking over nicely. Well, okay, so let me ask you kind of a very obvious question. Whats wrong with, say, merseyside . Whats wrong with bringing the services not only of liverpool but of the wirral and, and the hinterland together . Because after all, you know , a police car isnt going know, a police car isnt going to stop at the boundaries of lancashire. It, it needs to continue to do its work. But you could just do it in such a sympathetic way. I mean, if you look at america, for example, they havent mangled the states because you get urban areas overspilling. Look at areas of overspilling. Look at kansas city for an example for an american state. Youve got an american state. So youve got an american state. So youve got an and youve got an urban area and youve got coordination that urban area, coordination of that urban area, but youve got a very clear dividing line, historic dividing line preserves our history line that preserves our history between whatever states between whatever the two states are, missouri. Off are, kansas and missouri. Off the top of my head, i think, im sorry. Im trying to think myself. Im trying to think myself. Okay, so lets do it skilfully. We need to build on the past. We dont live in the past. We build on it. And we and we and we head for. For a great future cherishes the past future that cherishes the past of, our nation, all of, of our nation, as all nafions of, of our nation, as all nations should. Thats what moorhouse and thats what Pam Moorhouse was all about. Sir. Yes, sir. yes, sir. Thank no, thank you very thank you. No, thank you very much indeed, gerald dugdale. Well, to well, from Historic Counties to historic houses, which continue to secrets, burley to reveal their secrets, burley house, the home of elizabeth, the first great minister, sir william cecil, revealed more of its history recently when an ancient roman stone head was found buried in the grounds. The found buried in the grounds. The houses creator, John Culverhouse, will be with me in a to explain well, welcome back to keir starmer is set to insist today that labour can deliver security for decades. And is ready to make the difficult decisions. Make the difficult decisions. Hell be speaking at the scottish labour conference in glasgow later today , in an glasgow later today, in an attempt to woo voters away from the Scottish National party. It the Scottish National party. It comes as the labour leader launched on donald trump launched attacks on donald trump over his comments on nato. Earlier, gb news breakfast earlier, the gb news Breakfast Team spoke to political commentator sophia worringer. Commentator sophia worringer. Hes trying to set himself up as this world leader in foreign affairs, not just in domestic affairs. Although his comment to donald about donald trump was thinly veiled. I think he didnt exactly , directly address him, exactly, directly address him, but he was talking about the need to rebuild and renew and strengthen the Nato Alliance rather than fracture it, which was a direct comment about the potential of , trump if he wins potential of, trump if he wins the us election , which the polls the us election, which the polls are suggesting may be likely. And his desire to withdraw americas support from the long Standing Alliance of that type. I mean, clearly, sir keir is buoyed by what we saw in the, the two by Election Results over the two by Election Results over the last few days. But the fact that hes going to say, well, two key things. One, that labour can deliver security for decades , but also that voters, if they vote labour in scotland, will be able to have the power to build able to have the power to build a new scotland. It all sounds very strong, very sort of hot, very strong, very sort of hot, very encouraging for voters north of the border. But what doesit north of the border. But what does it actually mean . That is a very good question. That is a very good question. I think sir keir starmer has been very good on the rhetoric here. He is tapping into an understanding that scotland feel left behind, which obviously the snp capitalises on. But its very hard to understand what he means. He talks about the scars left by moving away from Traditional Industries in scotland , such as coal mining scotland, such as coal mining and steel, and yet he doesnt really say how he will, marry. Really say how he will, marry. His desire to keep scotland buoyant and have its reliance on these energy consumption, industries , and yet also meet industries, and yet also meet his green targets, which obviously seem at odds with his criticism of how scotland moved away from coal mining. So its quite difficult to understand exactly what he is promising scottish voters, apart from grand notions of more close working with local government, etc. To try and peel off some of that snp vote, which obviously is very clear that they want more independence. But obviously the problem is in scotland that a lot of the policies that the snp are promising, a lot of the things that they say voters want are things they can deliver already. They dont need an independent scotland to be able to deliver that. And yet they keep promising more, but they dont actually look at the powers already. Powers they have already. Covering all the bases the liberal democrats have their spnng liberal democrats have their spring conference in york right at the moment. Their leader, ed davey, is addressing the conference. Were going to go live and hear what he has to say. The truth is, this Prime Minister is now so weak he will say anything to stop his own right wing mps from kicking him out before the british people get the chance. Hes outraged , running down hes outraged, running down the clock, enjoying the trappings of for office a few months more. While the crisis facing our country just get worse and worse and worse. Worse and worse and worse. Conference that shouldnt even be an option for a Prime Minister and really, its a small but telling example of what is wrong with our broken political system and the two big parties who prop it up. The only parties who prop it up. The only reason rishi sunak gets to pick a date of his choosing is because two years ago, the conservatives passed a law taking that power away from parliament and handing it solely to the Prime Minister and while liberal democrat mps stood firm and voted no, labour stood back and voted no, labour stood back and let it pass. A shameless act and let it pass. A shameless act of conservatives rigging the system in their favour again, but aided and abetted by labour in the hope that it might one day benefit them too. Never mind the damage it does to public trust in our democracy, never mind the chaos and uncertainty it causes for business, never mind all that. The only thing that mattered to the conservative and labour parties was their own narrow self interest. And liberal self interest. And liberal democrats, thats what sets us apart from the other parties. We dont ask how we can benefit from the current system. We ask how we can change the system to benefit everyone. We dont see benefit everyone. We dont see politics as a game of accumulating power for ourselves. We see it as a chance to put real power in everyones hands to give people a fair deal , because the mess our country is in demands not a plan to tweak things , but a plan to tweak things, but a plan to transform everything. When transform everything. When i travel across our great united kingdom, when i hear from families struggling to make ends meet, Small Businesses crushed under the weight of conservative red tape and crippling energy costs , patients waiting months costs, patients waiting months or even years for the treatment they desperately need. When they desperately need. When i see how so much in our country just isnt working the way it should, from crumbling schools to sewage in our rivers, i simply cant understand how the other parties dont seem to get it. Steady as she goes isnt going to cut it. The same old answers will only leave us with the same old problems. Tinkering the same old problems. Tinkering around the edges wont come close to solving anything. And yet. Yet. So that was a live feed. The liberal democrat leader, sir ed davey, speaking at his partys spnng davey, speaking at his partys spring conference. Interesting to me indeed, that he was speaking there. Apparently without notes, without a lectern, i think without an autocue , a technique which which autocue, a technique which which i found quite effective. So we were hoping to talk to the curator of burghley house about the discovery of a roman statue in the grounds. Had a few technical issues. Hoping to speak culverhouse in the speak to John Culverhouse in the next is all for next hour. So that is all for the first hour of sunday with Michael Portillo. But please dont i be dont wander away. I will be back in a very few minutes and well talking about well be talking about controversial artworks, and well about israeli well be talking about israeli politics. And i will mark the iranian holiday of nowruz with the brilliant Hannah Harley young. Therell be lots of iranian food. See you soon. Iranian food. See you soon. A brighter outlook with boxt solar sponsors of weather on. Gb news. Hello there. Welcome to your latest gb news Weather Forecast from the met office. Well, as we go through the rest of today, we will see the overnight rain finally begin to clear the east. And really, for many of us, its a mixture sunshine and a mixture of sunshine and scattered so we can see scattered showers so we can see the front responsible the weather front responsible for rain. Just for the rain. Its just beginning to move the north beginning to move into the north sea and for many of us, really, as i said, its going to be an afternoon of bright spells and scattered its going scattered showers. Its going to take however along take its time. However along that coast fairly that east coast are fairly cloudy damp. Sunday cloudy and damp. Sunday afternoon here, but elsewhere, hopefully we will see some sunshine. Best of it may well be down towards the south western corner for many its going to be a mild in the south. Could a mild day in the south. Could see highs reaching 1516, possibly 17 degrees as into this evening. Some clearing skies for a time across england and wales and turning dry but further west, another band of cloud and rain moving in quite a small area of rain to not lasting anywhere for too too long. But just maintaining this rather changeable picture, but a mild one for all of us. Temperatures not falling much lower than around 5 to 7 degrees across the uk. So a mild start to monday. This area of cloud and rain just beginning to move in towards the nonh beginning to move in towards the north sea as we head towards lunchtime behind it. Some fairly decent weather a time, decent weather for a time, especially for central and eastern of the country, eastern parts of the country, but west, another band but further west, another band of rain moving in as we end the afternoon , but again, mild afternoon, but again, mild temperatures once again potentially up to 17 degrees in the southeast. The southeast. That warm feeling inside from boxt boilers sponsors of weather on gb news. Good afternoon, and welcome to the second hour of sunday with Michael Portillo. The question of how museums handle works. Art, whose content is works. Of art, whose content is now seen as controversial, has led to polarisation. And some led to polarisation. And some argue that offensive imagery must and others say must be removed and others say that responding to modern sensibilities, to art created in other times is wokery. The tate britain has sought to tread a middle path, retaining a mural painted by rex whistler almost a century ago that has been denounced as racist for its depictions of black people. But installing a piece of video art to add context to the original mural , ill to add context to the original mural, ill discuss whether this could be a path forward for the museum world with a curator, david boyd hancock, a cacophony of International Voices criticised the israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, our own foreign secretary , lord our own foreign secretary, lord cameron, has become forceful in his calls for israel to allow aid into gaza. Perhaps more significant intervention came from Senate Majority leader Chuck Schumer in the United States, who says that netanyahu should leave the political stage if israel wants to secure a lasting peace. Are we speaking to former israeli diplomat alon pinkas to see how all this is playing out in israel . As i pinkas to see how all this is playing out in israel . As i said at the top of the program, the spnng at the top of the program, the spring equinox approaches. The spring equinox approaches. The people of iran have for millennia marked the ancient festival. We shall be having our own celebration in the studio as the brilliant Hannah Hawley, young creator and host of crazy sexy food will feed me with delicious iranian dishes. All of that lies ahead of us. But first, the News Headlines with tatiana sanchez. Tatiana sanchez. Michael, thank you very much. And good afternoon. The top stories from the newsroom. Senior tories have attempted to downplay claims of a conservative plot to replace rishi sunak as Prime Minister, with Penny Mordaunt reports in the mail and the telegraph say mps on the right of the party would like miss mordaunt to lead them into the next election in an effort avoid, quote, an effort to avoid, quote, catastrophic losses the catastrophic losses in the polls. Business secretary polls. Former business secretary Jacob Rees Mogg denounced the idea. The move would idea as madness. The move would mean a fourth leader of the party in just five years, former conservative Party Leader Sir Iain duncan smith, told gb news the main focus should be on the next election and not on tory infighting. Got to stop infighting. Weve got to stop turning inwards on ourselves and start trying to get behind the idea that weve got an election to fight and the public wants to know that were both united and were clear. Were very clear. Theres i said theres points, i said earlier about how to the earlier on about how to get the labour into an argument labour party into an argument that you can kill them over that you can then kill them over in of that you in terms of the way that you take. Debate is really take. The debate is really critical, dynamic politics critical, and dynamic politics demands dynamic demands it. What dynamic politics demand is politics does not demand is literally the sort of third, the third leader in a short space of time that replaced Boris Johnson , transport secretary mark harper says that unlike labour, the conservatives have a plan on delivering for the country. Youve got to show them by the time of the election two things weve got to show them that weve got a plan. The plan is working and its delivering for them, and i think we can see that it for them, and i think we can see thatitis for them, and i think we can see that it is on inflation and on taxes. Weve also then got to show them the labour party show them that the labour party doesnt a plan. And will be doesnt have a plan. And will be a big risk. For example, we know the wants to spend the labour party wants to spend £28 billion on green plan. £28 billion on their green plan. Theyve hidden the price tag now, but they dont know how to pay now, but they dont know how to pay for it. That would mean taxes going up, but shadow paymaster general Jonathan Ashworth told gb news the governments priorities are all wrong. Rishi sunak hes not acting in the national interest. Its reckless, its irresponsible. He should name the day of a general election and stabilise matters. At the moment, hes more preoccupied with his own leadership and saving his own skin than governing in the national interest. And i think after 14 years, this is a pretty discredited government, he needs to name the day, i mean, but if he doesnt name the date soon, we could have a leadership election soon. The ministry of defence says grant shapps was forced to abandon a trip to southern ukraine last week for security reasons. British intelligence warned credible missile warned of a credible missile threat from russia, saying the kremlin had got wind of his visit. Thats according to the visit. Thats according to the sunday times. Mr shapps was due to travel to odesa a day after a missile had hit the city while the ukrainian president and the greek Prime Minister were visiting there. Five people were killed explosions, killed in those explosions, according to ukrainian authorities. Meanwhile, the authorities. Meanwhile, the latvian Prime Minister has told the sunday telegraph that britain should consider conscription and a total defence model to deter russian aggression. Latvia reintroduced the model last year with all able bodied men required to complete 11 months of military service. However in january, the uk Armed Forces Minister, James Heappey, said any talk of the uk introducing conscription to the army of nato goes to war with russia was nonsense that as russians are casting their ballots on the final day of voting for the countrys next president , Vladimir Putin, whos beenin president , Vladimir Putin, whos been in power since 1999, its expected to win another six year terms with a landslide victory. The election comes just over two years since russias invasion of ukraine. The first two days of the vote saw dozens of incidents of vandalism at polling stations, with several people detained across russia. A detained across russia. A volcano in iceland has erupted for a fourth time in just three months. Previous eruptions destroyed roads and forced a town to evacuate. Fountains of town to evacuate. Fountains of molten rocks can be seen soaring into the night sky from fissures into the night sky from fissures in the ground. Authorities had warned for weeks that an eruption was imminent. Just south of icelands capital, reykjavik. And steve harley, reykjavik. And steve harley, best known as the front man of cockney rebel, has died at the age of 73. Come up and see me to make me smile. Age of 73. Come up and see me to make me smile. The band enjoyed make me smile. The band enjoyed huge success in 1975 with the number one hit make me smile. His daughter greta says he died peacefully with his family by his side. For peacefully with his family by his side. For the peacefully with his family by his side. For the latest his side. For the latest stories, you can sign up to gb news alerts by scanning that qr code on your screen. Or you can go to gb news. Com alerts. Now back to michael i thank 5mm thank you. Tatiana sanchez in the wake of the black lives matters protest back in 2020. Tate britain felt compelled to shutter its restaurant, which has on its walls a mural painted by rex whistler in the 1920s. The mural had been denounced as racist for its depictions of black people. Rather than remove it , which is black people. Rather than remove it, which is in any case impossible under conservation laws. The tate has now installed a piece of video art to add context to whistlers artwork. Museums are facing unprecedented pressure to manage how they present artworks from different eras , which contain images that eras, which contain images that some people find offensive to discuss whether the tates middle path could be a way forward , im joined by the art forward, im joined by the art academic and curator david boyd hancock. David, welcome to gb hancock. David, welcome to gb news. Good morning. You are a specialist in 20th century art. Thats correct. So tell us a little bit about the whistler mural in the tate. A little bit about the context. What is the subject matter . Well, subject matter is a sort of a hunt. I mean, whistler was a very young man when he painted. He he was the slade school of art was at the slade school of art here in london, hed been here in london, and hed been commissioned the commissioned to decorate the whole of this restaurant, whole walls of this restaurant, beautiful restaurant. And so the theme is a hunt for delectables food. These these people are going on a on a sort of hunt around almost around the sort of the world. They go to africa, to china, and theyre on this sort of big adventure with, with a story it. And discovering all story to it. And discovering all sorts of curiosities and foods along way. Along the way. So how how could there come into this . How could they intrude into this , this image, intrude into this, this image, for example, of a of a young black boy with a chain around his neck being being towed behind a carriage , i think. Yeah. I mean, its a curious interlude episode in the, in the narrative. I mean, its a very tiny theres two little, black characters, maybe three, and then theres a couple of chinese characters as well. They go to a cafe, china and the great wall, so i dont know, it has been interpreted as sort of a sort of a jokey part in this, this fantasy story, which is very exotic. Its about whistler sort exotic. Its about whistler sort of representing this sort of story, and it seems very anomalous in it. Its a very small part of the of the whole mural. And its been called in the New York Times in places , the New York Times in places, this racist mural. But its not at all. Its just these two little tiny elements which largely went, largely unnoticed for, for decades. For, for decades. Well, i used to go to the, the tate gallery as it was called in those days, tate gallery restaurant a great deal. It was a very remarkable restaurant. I mean, it wasnt sort of the restaurant of the gallery. It was an institution, a itself. It a destination in itself. It attracted a lot of politicians, attracted a lot of politicians, a journalists. It had a lot of journalists. It had a fabulous wine list. But of course, one of the joys of lunching or dining there was the mural. But i must say, none of us, as far as i know, ever studied it in detail or spotted this. No, i mean, i only ever dined in there once. I was commissioned to write a book for the and they took the tate, and they kindly took me there. Hadnt me for lunch there. I hadnt been afford it before. Been able to afford it before. It very. Yes, very, its it seemed very. Yes, very, its very beautiful and very expensive, but yeah, certainly a sort of sitting down. You wouldnt you wouldnt have noficed wouldnt you wouldnt have noticed unless unless you were actually sat right next to it in one the tables, sort of next one of the tables, sort of next to it. You wouldnt have, you wouldnt and wouldnt have noticed. And apparently been brought wouldnt have noticed. And ap attention been brought wouldnt have noticed. And ap attention prior been brought wouldnt have noticed. And ap attention prior to en brought wouldnt have noticed. And ap attention prior to theyrought wouldnt have noticed. And ap attention prior to the blackt to attention prior to the black lives matters movement. All way back in the and all the way back in the 19705, it and all the way back in the 1970s, it appears that at least somebody had complained about it. What do you think of the up to date response . What do you think of the idea of this video installation alongside it . Well, i havent seen the installation yet, but ive read some interesting interviews with the artist keith piper, and he seems to have done a wonderful job with it. Think its a very job with it. I think its a very interesting response that theyve hes clearly theyve done. Hes clearly delved whole history of delved into the whole history of what whistler was trying to do with the with the murals , his, with the with the murals, his, his work, and its a very sensitive and thoughtful response. What theyve done is theyve created they have its a its a conversation between what piper calls sort of maybe the ghost of whistler and actor playing his part and a University Professor sort of interviewing him. And this was 2020 two minute piece and a dialogue between them discussing whistlers work. But then aspects equally of this detail in his painting and as i understand it, the professor talks and asks whistler about it. And piper very rightly hasnt put words into whistlers mouth. Hes hes he says. So mouth. Hes hes he says. So whistler sort of hesitates when it comes to this part of the discussion and sort of tries to sort of pass pass over it. Discussion and sort of tries to sort of pass pass over it. But sort of pass pass over it. But thats all thats in there. So the its moved from being a restaurant to an art restaurant to being an art piece. Its so its the piece. Yeah. Its so its the entirety of the walls apart from anything else , i imagine this anything else, i imagine this has been quite damaging to the tates finances because i assume it a substantial it was quite a substantial income generator. It was quite a substantial inc painting, the crucifixion and the resurrection at cookham. At the resurrection at cookham. At the same time, virtually it was of whistler, and that has these black figures who being black figures who are being resurrected at the same time in the village of the little Berkshire Village of cookham, and offence was taken, at that representation there, for example. So thats a very big work that is currently not on show, and its not likely to be seen again. That tends to be the easier way of doing things. The easier way of doing things. But then there is equally an awful lot of interpretation. So awful lot of interpretation. So museum, where i live in oxford, the Pitt Rivers Museum , thats the Pitt Rivers Museum, thats got into quite a debate about where its collection is has come from, and trying to interpret that in a new, sort of a new sort of fashion. And i think sort of fashion. And i think commissioning artworks is a very interesting way of doing that. And i think piper has responded very cleverly to what theyve asked him to do. Asked him to do. Do you share the view that some people have that it seems now that teams are some of our great collections , are not are great collections, are not are not keen to defend the body of work that that they manage, that they kind of almost leading the opposition to it. Yes. Yeah. There is definitely a feel of that. And i think thats unfortunate and thats becoming more , more thats becoming more, more commonplace. And i think its dnven commonplace. And i think its driven by younger curators , driven by younger curators, younger academics coming through with a different sort of agenda to existed before and do to what existed before and do feel a certain amount of reason to. Yeah, to attack the works in their collection and even find defence where, where there isnt offence intended. So the offence intended. So the Fitzwilliam Museum in cambridge, for example, is sort of courting controversy at the moment with its own reinterpretation of its collections and looking at landscapes and constable landscapes and constable landscapes and constable landscapes and bringing sort landscapes and bringing in sort of issues of politics and race and identity into what and National Identity into what really seems like a sort of an innocent painting of, of the engush innocent painting of, of the english countryside. David, thank you very much. David boyd hancock, englands, country houses tend to entice us with their secrets , and perhaps with their secrets, and perhaps none more so than the grand burley house, home of one of the greatest statesmen of england, william cecil. He was the william cecil. He was the shepherd to Queen Elizabeth the first, almost a year ago, as workmen were digging for a new car park, they found in the bucket of the excavator an ancient roman marble head. Its estimated to be 1800 years old, at least as of this weekend. Its going on display at burghley house. But to explain the mystery of how it ended up buned the mystery of how it ended up buried some 300 yards from the house, its my pleasure to be joined by the houses curator, John Culverhouse. John, very to good see you and welcome to gb news, so what do we think was the origin of this head . Its roman. Is it . Roman. Is it . The head is roman. The that it joins to is italian. But i think much later , added to the think much later, added to the headin think much later, added to the head in the 18th century to make up a souvenir for the rich aristocrat travelling on his grand tour in italy and tell us who that aristocrat was in this case, this was brownlow, the ninth earl of exeter. A marvellous man, travelled twice around italy, bought large amounts of fine art that are still in the collection, and its just the kind of thing that he would have purchased. Okay. Youre fairly confident about that. What are your theories as to why it would end up 300 yards away from the house . Im a lot vaguer there. The area it was found is a lot wide, if you like the back entrance to birley , its not a main birley, its not a main driveway. And the bust and head are too small to have just been placed beside a roadway. Theyd need a plinth or a pedestal or Something Like that, i my only thought is a bungled burglary. If somebody pinched it from the gardens closer to the house, perhaps its blooming heavy. But at the time they got it down to the side of the drive, it was probably, lets put it under a tree, come back for it later and put some earth over it. And thus it stayed. It stayed. We were looking at some photographs there, which i think showed you alongside the mechanical digger driver. Tell us about the moment of the discovery. Discovery. Greg was a lovely guy. The car park is my house and id got to know greg. Greg over the months when he was working adjacent , and the look on months when he was working adjacent, and the look on his face when he came to my back door holding this wonderful head , it just it was well, it was one of those moments. You dont get it very often. And to cap that, when i was in my office two weeks later or a week or so later, they came in and said, weve got something else. Yes what . And there was the bust that goes with the head quite astonishing. And probably the most astonishing thing they hadnt most astonishing thing they hadnt broken. Well, there was one scratch on the face apart from that, there was no damage to either. No, thats absolutely marvellous. I mean, theres some luck there, theres also luck there, but theres also someone whos been very careful and so youve and very thoughtful. So youve been trying to piece together the story. Youve also been trying to piece together the pieces, havent you . Have pieces, havent you . So you have reunited the head with the bust. Have rejoined , we sent they have rejoined, we sent the whole to off kate bowles in harrow, who is a remarkably skilled conservator, and she worked on it for some months. Little by little, taking off some of the filth but leaving an amount of encrustation just to show the story of this beautiful lady, when it came back, it was , lady, when it came back, it was, well, i had seen photographs in the interim, but it was still pretty much a revelation. She is a very beautiful person , and she a very beautiful person, and she will now be on display at burghley house. She is being shown on a windowsill on the hells staircase, which is on the end of the tour of the house, and also on the staircase area are half a dozen other marbles, which the ninth earl bought on the same journey in italy. Italy. Marbles and marbles. Thank you very much indeed, John Culverhouse. After the break we will move to the middle east, where israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is being denounced by enemies and allies. Stay us. Welcome back. The israeli Prime Minister has been the subject of scathing International Criticism for much of his political career. Since israel launched its operation to root out hamas following the october 7th attacks by that terror group that killed 1200 israeli civilians. Senior political leaders in states that are friendly to israel are concerned that netanyahu is now an obstacle to peace. The most significant intervention came from Chuck Schumer, the United States Senate Majority leader, who is jewish. Schumer called for elections in israel and made clear that he thought it time for netanyahu to exit the political stage. The fourth major obstacle to peace is israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has all too frequently bowed to the demands of extremists like minister smotrich and ben gvir and the settlers in the west bank. Now, if president Prime Minister netanyahus Current Coalition remains in power after the war begins to wind down and continues to pursue dangerous and inflammatory policies that test existing us standards for assistance, then the United States will have no choice but to play a more active role in shaping israeli policy. By using our leverage to change the present course. Present course. To find out how all this is playing out in israel, im joined by former israeli diplomat alon pinkas, who joins me from tel aviv. Thank you very much for coming on gb news. And first of all, why do you think that Chuck Schumer delivered that Chuck Schumer delivered that speech and made those points , hi, michael. Good to be points, hi, michael. Good to be with you again. I think there were three reasons or three explanations. Missions, to his speech. Explanations. Missions, to his speech. The first was that it speech. The first was that it serves the president that he uses, proxies , to exert pressure uses, proxies, to exert pressure on israel. The second explanation is that there is a, a increasing fatigue, disappointment, and disillusionment, with mr netanyahu, whom the americans do not necessarily any longer see as an ally. And the, the third explanation, michael , would be, explanation, michael, would be, that this was a, a, a sort of an introduction to a series of american moves, even though mr schumer , although hes the schumer, although hes the Senate Majority leader, is not a policy maker, but rather a legislator, this was the, the beginning of a series of moves that the americans are thinking of making. And the response, of making. And the response, unpredictably, came very quickly. Mr netanyahu today accuses the, American Administration of no less than, administration of no less than, a lacking conscience, and, you know, conscience. Im sorry. And know, conscience. Im sorry. And that, instead of pressuring israel, they should pressure hamas, which doesnt really make sense unless mr netanyahu and i think mr schumer called it. Right. Unless mr netanyahu is intent and deliberately seeking a confrontation with the biden administration, as ever in the United States, this has led to polarisation. Republicans have attacked Chuck Schumer, and they, i think, are showing a pretty wilful disregard , hard pretty wilful disregard, hard for the degree of controversy that now surrounds netanyahu in israel. Do you want to speak to that point, please , you broke up that point, please, you broke up to disregard for what, michael, the republicans in criticising schumer are showing a wilful disregard for the truth of the extent of controversy in israel about netanyahus premiership. About netanyahus premiership. Okay. Well, there are two things here. First of all, the republicans, ever since october seventh have refrained from attacking biden for a very sinister and quite, predictable political reason. They have seen that his support, his unwavering support for israel, is actually costing him politically. Hes haemorrhaging votes in, in several swaths of the, american electorate , arab americans in electorate, arab americans in michigan, the African American community, and particularly across the board amongst the young. And secondly , on the what young. And secondly, on the what young. And secondly, on the what you refer to, michael , and you refer to, michael, and thats a critical point that you made. Mr schumer was speaking after knowing or being cognisant of the polls in israel that indicate clearly that 70 of israelis want netanyahu to call for an early election, 65 think he should resign, 69 think that hes being driven , by by hes being driven, by by political survival rather than the well being of the hostages and a ceasefire. So he he faced and a ceasefire. So he he faced a lot of opposition before after the war began, that mr, the, the or mr schumer was, was tapping on, on, on knowledge of both israel and, Current Trends in the us public opinion. The us public opinion. Im sorry that we have a delay on the line, but i hope that our viewers can make out what were saying. I was going to say to you that netanyahu was quite unpopular even before the war began. What are the elements war began. What are the elements of the conduct of the war that may have increased his unpopularity . Correct. Okay. Unpopularity . Correct. Okay. Thats another good question , thats another good question, first of all, hes being seen, wider. Lee, first of all, hes being seen, wider. Lee, as being responsible for october, for the october 7th debacle. But at the same time refusing to take responsibility unlike, say , Neville Chamberlain unlike, say, Neville Chamberlain in 1940, he is also refused to be held accountable. He is also refused consistently to call for an election, saying , for an election, saying, for example, i am responsible , i am example, i am responsible, i am accountable, i need to run. I need to manage the war now. We will we will have enough time for an election. And i plan to call for an election immediately after the war. He has failed to do any of those and so, his failure to take responsibility is one thing that is leading to his or increasing his unpopularity. The second is a growing notion that he does not prioritise the release of the hostages, and instead is being dnven hostages, and instead is being driven by, political survival instincts. And the third is that instincts. And the third is that his statements we will demolish, we will annihilate, we will eradicate , we will topple. Hamas eradicate, we will topple. Hamas has not happened until now. And so you take the three of those combined , his responsibility, combined, his responsibility, his, failure to, be held responsible, held accountable and the management of the war and the management of the war and that obviously increases his unpopularity, which, by the way, right now stands michael at 19, one 9, alan pincus, i thank you very much indeed for that very precise analysis , which helps us precise analysis, which helps us enormously to understand what is going on in israel today. Later in the show, well be marking the iranian festival of the equinox with the creator and host of crazy sexy food, Hannah Harley young. Before that, here harley young. Before that, here are the latest News Headlines with tatiana sanchez. With tatiana sanchez. Michael. Thank you. The top stories from the gb newsroom. Senior tories have attempted to downplay claims of a conservative plot to replace rishi sunak as Prime Minister, with Penny Mordaunt , reports in with Penny Mordaunt, reports in the mail and the telegraph say mps the mail and the telegraph say mp5 on the right of the party would like miss mordaunt to lead them into the next election in an effort to avoid, quote, catastrophic losses in the polls. Former business secretary Jacob Rees Mogg denounced the idea as madness. The move would mean a fourth leader of the party in just five years. The ministry of defence says grant shapps was forced to abandon a trip to southern ukraine last week for security reasons. British intelligence warned of a credible missile threat from russia, saying the kremlin had got wind of his visit. According to the sunday times. Mr shapps was due to travel to odesa a day after a missile hit the city, while the ukrainian president and the greek Prime Minister were visiting. Five people were were visiting. Five people were killed in the explosions, according to ukrainian authorities. Russians are authorities. Russians are casting their ballots on the final day of voting for the countrys next president , Vladimir Putin, whos been in power since 1999, is expected to win another six year tum with a landslide victory. The election landslide victory. The election comes just over two years since russias invasion of ukraine. The first two days of the vote saw dozens of incidents of vandalism at polling stations, with several people detained across russia. A volcano in across russia. A volcano in iceland has erupted for a fourth time in three months. Previous eruptions destroyed roads and forced a town to evacuate fountains of molten rock can be seen soaring into the night sky from fissures in the ground. Authorities had warned for weeks that an eruption was imminent. Just south of icelands capital, reykjavik. And steve harley, reykjavik. And steve harley, best known as the front man of british rock band cockney rebel, has died at the age of 73. Come up and see me to make me smile. The band enjoyed success in 1975 with the number one hit make me smile. Steve harley had still been touring until recently, but cancelled dates to have treatment for cancer. His daughter greta says he died peacefully with his family by his side. For peacefully with his family by his side. For the peacefully with his family by his side. For the latest his side. For the latest stories, you can sign up to gb news alerts by scanning the qr code on your screen or you can code on your screen or you can 90 code on your screen or you can go to gbnews. Com alerts i welcome back. Dawn neesom , welcome back. Dawn neesom, who was taking over at 1 00 dawn. Regale us with what is on your show. We have got a brilliant, perfect Saint Patricks day show. Were just going to have some fun today, we have a giant fish waving a union flag. We have. We have some. We have. We have some. We have some brilliant guests. We have. Were asking, has the penny dropped with the conservative party . Which penny . Which penny . Well, take your pick. But well, take your pick. But Penny Mordaunt, is she really the stalking horse, weve also got conscription. Would you sign up, michael, if i were the right age, tommy. Age, tommy. Thats army. Were talking dads army here. Come on. You can. You can cope with that one, cant you, dawn . Very good. And so irelands had good time recently. Had a pretty good time recently. Theyve the nations. Theyve won the six nations. Absolutely yeah, and indeed. Absolutely yeah, and obviously with surname like obviously with the surname like neesam, support my neesam, i have to support my husband. Sort of like some irish blood. So thats im blood. So thats why im supporting are supporting that. And we are going live to ireland for some celebrations so its celebrations as well. So its going proper, proper going to be a proper, proper irish on show today. Much to look forward to. Dawn will be here at 1 00. Well it is an excellent weekend to be irish. They have won the six nafions irish. They have won the six nations galopin des champs has won the gold cup at cheltenham and in dublin and belfast, and london. Parades are getting underway for Saint Patricks day. Dougie beattie is at the belfast parade, which will be setting up very soon, dougie, tell me, are they recent sporting triumphs celebrated all the way through the island of ireland . Ireland . Oh, most certainly. I mean, the Irish Rugby Team has always been a force to be reckoned with, and it is an all ireland team. Of course we do have a cricket all ireland team and you know, theres other things like basketball and so forth. But really the Irish Rugby Team is the main sport that is in all ireland basis and it always has been. And to be honest about it, its because they do so well with grass roots. Its also with grass roots. Its also because, things like the gaa are there that teach the children to catch a ball above their head while in flight without looking at that really, really, at it. That really, really, really brings forward rugby to the stage that it is at this minute in time and it is celebrated the whole way through the island of ireland. Yesterday i in very area on i was in a very unionist area on south belfast on the malone road and that was instonians rugby club, who played tomorrow actually in the schools cup against a ballymena school and that a big day them. So that is a big day for them. So rugby really does unite ireland. Horse of unites horse racing, of course, unites ireland. A lot of horsey stuff here and Saint Patricks day , here and Saint Patricks day, theres no doubt about it. Its it really does unite ireland because it is the patron saint of ireland. And of course, saint of ireland. And of course, Saint Patricks celebrated all over the world because the irish built a lot of the cities in the world, and they brought their culture with them to celebrate it. But they were economic migrants that went for, to, to build and to work to and bring the money back to ireland. And they always like to hold that bit culture them. Bit of culture with them. And, yeah, really has paid yeah, it really, really has paid off for them. And this parade is due to start very shortly. And actually, ill see if i can grab anybody here. Yeah. Theres a man sir. Are you . Man here, sir. How are you . Youre good. Thank you. Youre very good. Thank you. Youre very good. Thank you. From ireland . No youre not from ireland . No scotland. What you to scotland. And what brings you to here today . Patricks parade. Saint patricks parade. Family with my wife family connections with my wife and a cousin of, mckenzies. So theyve got a connection back here. Brilliant. Thank you very much. Enjoy. Thank you. Enjoy much. Enjoy. Thank you. Enjoy your day. So there. There you 90, your day. So there. There you go, michael. It does bring tourism as well. Weve got sport. But it is this week. This yearis sport. But it is this week. This year is very strange because the six nations, the cheltenham festival, Saint Patricks day all fall together, which means tomorrow is a bank holiday. And of course therell be hangover tuesday coming very, very shortly. Dougie, have a wonderful time. I hope all the people of belfast and of dublin, and indeed those parading in london, have a marvellous afternoon after the break, a feast of delicious dishes as hannah young will be in the studio to celebrate the iranian festival of nowruz welcome back at this time of yean welcome back at this time of year, millions of people in iran and surrounding countries celebrate the new year. And the arrival of spring with the festival of nowruz. It has an ancient provenance, originating perhaps in prehistory a time perhaps in prehistory at a time when mankinds closeness to nature made the passing of winter a cause of celebration in a way that we can scarcely conceive today may be comparable to being liberated from an oppressive enemy. For 13 days the festival is celebrated by appreciating natures bounty, including delicious food. We have with us a glorious array of dishes prepared by the ever brilliant Hannah Hawley young creator and host of crazy sexy food. How magnificent youve. Youve been here before and you brought marvellous things. But today youre bringing iranian things. So what is your connection with iran . So my mother is iranian and i also married an iranian. And its a part of my heritage that i really do identify with because, there is so much beauty in the country, the history of it, our culture. Im going to take you through all the traditions and the symbols of this special time of yeah symbols of this special time of year. And i just, i symbols of this special time of year. And ijust, i sort symbols of this special time of year. And i just, i sort of year. And ijust, i sort of i just yeah, i have this connection. I feel i feel iranian, and, and i love that. Iranian, and, and i love that. And you learned to cook from your mother. Oh, yes. She shes the reason im basically doing everything i do today. Are some well, there are some absolutely things well, there are some absolyeah. Things here. Yeah. No, this is not the no, no, no, this is not the food. This is the food over food. This is the food over here. But i sort of. You here. But what i sort of. You sort 13 day sort of said its a 13 day celebration, it also celebration, and it also celebrates the spring equinox. Weve come out the darkness weve come out of the darkness of winter , and its hope. Its of winter, and its hope. Its rebirth, its new life. And so rebirth, its new life. And so two big things kind of start off the celebrations. One is something called the carlos sainz suri, which is where people come together. Families and friends, and they build a bonfire in their garden and they jump bonfire in their garden and they jump over the bonfire. And i think its really important to note that the bonfire is not negative. Its a positive thing. Were respecting the fire and we are getting rid of negative energy. So were are getting rid of negative energy. So were jumping over into year. Wow into the new year. Wow yeah, im not sure im quite up to that anymore, but dont worry, im not going to im not going to make you do that. I would have done that. Will have to eat but you will have to eat which is great. Which which is great. Then these dishes and then all these dishes here to eat. Here which were not to eat. So this is called the no. So this is called the haft seen, which you go to haft seen, which if you go to any household at this any iranian household at this time, table or a time, you will see a table or a fireplace an area where they fireplace or an area where they place items have place all of these items have seen in farsi means the seven ss haft, meaning seven. So there of symbolic and there are lots of symbolic and traditional things on here. Im going to take you through some of a bit of money. So of them. A bit of money. So money for prosperity. Yeah, weve got here sabzi which is the grass and the sprouts. This is rejuvenation and new is for rejuvenation and new life, candle for life, a candle for enlightenment. Weve got goldfish for life as well. We goldfish for life as well. We have garlic, which is for good health. Apple for beauty. We have painted eggs, which is for fertility. We have what we call fertility. We have what we call in the western world, sumac. We in the western world, sumac. We call it sumac, which is for the sunrise us. Weve got vinegar here, which is for age and patience , which im sure you patience, which im sure you have lots of. How absolutely superb. So how absolutely superb. So and other various bits and pieces, huge amounts of symbolism. Yes. Now marvellous fragrances are rising from this food. Okay, so im actually im going to talk to you about this one first. All right. This is sort of considered the dish of new year. This is called, sabzi pollo. Mahi mahi means fish. Pollo. Mahi mahi means fish. Sabzi means herbs. The rice is cooked with a mixture of aromatic herbs. We use a lot of coriander, parsley, chives and something called fenugreek, which i think in indian cooking. A lot of people call it methi. Thats how a lot of people know it. This is called kuku sabzi. So the word sabzi is being used a now. This the way a lot right now. This is the way that in this is to that i would like in this is to like a spanish omelette. Yes. Or like a spanish omelette. Yes. Or like know, a tortilla. Like a, you know, a tortilla. It5 like a, you know, a tortilla. Its herbs and eggs. And then the fish, the interesting story about the fish is that if you were in iran, we would be eating caspian whitefish. Obviously, were iran , so we are were not in iran, so we are going to. This is a sea bass. You substitute the sea bass. You substitute the sea bass. You substitute the sea bass. You could do sea bass or haddock. And this this is, this has a lovely yellow stain to it. What have you done to that . Okay. So that is turmeric. And as you can see also on the rice, the orange bits of rice is the infamous saffron, which is sort magnificent saffron, sort of magnificent saffron, magnificent, magnificent saffron which i dont know if people know is actually more expensive than weight , i know is actually more expensive than weight, i dont than gold by weight, i dont know how youve managed to produce this warm in the studio. Thats absolutely marvellous. Ihave thats absolutely marvellous. I have my ways , these are not i have my ways, these are not oranges. These are called narenj, which is a persian orange , in the uk, we cant orange, in the uk, we cant really get them, but i guess we get, i believe. Correct me if im wrong, we do get some of them over from spain and portugal. They are slightly portugal. They are slightly bitter in taste and this is prevalent in all the meals served at this time of the year. What was the word you used . Narenj. Yes. You know the spanish for an orange . Jarang. Exactly, yes. Exactly, yes. Of course , orange is and of course, orange is quite close to that word as well, isnt it . And orange . An orange . Yes. The dish to your right is what i would consider. What do you think of the rice . The rice is superb. The rice is superb. Yeah, it is. This is the thing with iranian food. Its not spicy. Its fragrant. You not spicy. Its fragrant. You know, were using herbs and its slow cooked. I always say to my friends , if someone is going to friends, if someone is going to offer to cook you iranian food, say yes , because they must love say yes, because they must love you so much. It can take days to make some of these dishes. Yes. Ive dined with iranian friends and they take such care. Yeah. Is what you yeah. Now this is what you described being close to described as being close to a spanish omelette. Not the spanish omelette. Yes. Not the rice but, spanish rice off it. But, spanish omelette would be yellow. This is is this full of herbs . Full of herbs again, the same ones. Coriander , ones. Sort of, coriander, parsley, dill, fenugreek. Some chives or some some, spring onions. And you just slow. I prefer to slow cook it into, like, a frying pan, like a deep frying pan dish. Some people cook it in the oven. Its preference. You use the word freshness and that is absolutely the word summarise its all summarise it. Its all delicious. Its light. It dances on the tongue. Okay. This is a very this is okay. This is a very this is an important dish. Is it. This is considered. And the official is considered. And the official or the unofficial dish of iran. This is called ghormeh sabzi. Again that word sabzi. You can see this is a vivid green plate. See this is a vivid green plate. All of these are involving herbs very important at this time of the year. You know, its rebirth. Were coming into a new season a new year. This is slow cooked lamb in a herb stew with kidney beans. We use kidney beans over here. But the biggest part of this are those kidney beans. There they are. There they are. And im going to show you this. This is the piece de resistance that is a persian dned resistance that is a persian dried lime. Now this is the thing that will make any iranian dish. When you buy them, you can buy them in any iranian supermarkets. Theyre rock hard. You pierce them with a knife, you put them into the stew from the get go, they soften over the slow cooking time, and you then at the end, press the lines against the side of the saucepan and they release the most beautiful fragrant juice. And this youll taste it now. And so that will be all the way through. You will, you will taste that lime flavour. I do, i think thats magnificent. This is i honestly think, one of the best dishes ever created. So ive tasted the sauce with its lovely kidney beans. And then theres some lamb in there as well, have a slow there as well, which have a slow roasted, its sort of roasted, again, its sort of preference. Lamb shank, lamb shoulder , youve got such a shoulder, youve got such a difficult job. I know you have so cooked that and youve done it absolutely to perfection , i was absolutely to perfection, i was wondering this goes back, we think, thousands of years. Yes. To prehistory. When does one appropriately use the word persian, well, persia became iran in the 30s. Iran in the 305. Are they synonymous . Are they synonymous . Its the persia. Is iran, for me, for my personal experience and a lot of iranian friends , and a lot of iranian friends, persian friends, its really up to the individual what they prefer to use. I have a lot of friends who dont like to be called persian. I have a lot of friends who dont mind , i friends who dont mind, i consider i consider myself iranian, but also if you said i was persian, i would have no problem with that. I think it problem with that. I think it really depends on the individual and sort of your relationship with the history of the country. Tell me about what and tell me about what persian people would be doing with people would they with how many people would they be sharing this and in what circumstances . Gosh. I mean, the more oh my gosh. I mean, the more the merrier. Something the merrier. I think something about persians , iranians is that about persians, iranians is that we love to around our family we love to be around our family and our friends, and were feeders. So especially at this time of the year, if youre coming over to the house, youre not coming for a cup of tea. Youre coming for a whole spread. Will not let you spread. We will not let you leave until stomach is full leave until your stomach is full and all about, you know, and were all about, you know, celebrating great life. Celebrating the great in life. And i one to point and i think one thing to point out nowruz is that we are out about nowruz is that we are celebrating and respecting nature food. This is not nature and food. This is not about gender. Its not about politics. Its not about religion. Its purely about celebrating the new year, new life, rejuvenation and iranian people have this extraordinary culture of hospitality. Culture of hospitality. Artie. Yes. And speaking of hospitality, im just going to im just going to open this bottle over here. Im loving all these different cultures happening today. Well, you you will be aware that this is Saint Patricks day. Yes. And this is a premium irish whisky. And i thought that it would be appropriate to have a little toast , to wish all our a little toast, to wish all our irish friends and all our iranian friends great happiness as they celebrate their various festivals. Absolutely good health to you. Good health. Now you actually are not drinking and theres a very good reason for that. But but im enjoying it all on my own. And thank you for joining enjoying it all on my own. And thank you forjoining me in thank you for joining me in spirit. So, hows your business going . Everything is going very well. Ive just been filming the 10th season of my podcast, which i dont know how i got to ten seasons, but here we are, so were working on that. And i also am starting to prep a lot of the food festivals that are going to be coming up from sort of may onwards, that sort of actually my busy period this summer. Magnificent. Every time you yes. Well, every time you come here, you do something absolutely superb and delicious, but you have completely taken me by today with by pleasant surprise today with this superb display of iranian food , and i think i got the food, and i think i got the pronunciation wrong. Its no ruse , is it . No ruse . Ruse, is it . No ruse . Nowruz. I say nowruz, you say. I will say one thing. I dont know if i have time, but once the celebrations are done , once the celebrations are done, we tie up. You take we tie these up. You take sprigs, you tie it up, you throw it back into the river or the water. We want to give the food back the land. Back to the land. Absolutely marvellous celebration, full of marvellous cultural references. Thank you so much, hannah, for the superb face. Thank you much to all face. Thank you very much to all my who have come along my guests who have come along today. Grateful when today. Im so grateful when people their sunday people give up their sunday mornings afternoons to be mornings and afternoons to be with i will be here next with me. I will be here next week until then, wish you week so until then, i wish you a wonderful and i cant wait wonderful week and i cant wait to see you next sunday. Looks like things are heating up. Boxt boilers sponsors of whether on gb news. Hello there welcome to your latest gb news Weather Forecast from the met office. Well, for the week ahead its remaining changeable across the board for most of the week. It will be fairly mild, but towards the end of the week into the weekend it does look like it will turn briefly colder. So for the rest briefly colder. So for the rest of sunday still got low pressure. Generally in charge across the but any across the country, but any showers fizzling out showers generally fizzling out as the evening goes on, so some fairly clear skies developing across england and wales. But it doesnt last long in the west. Another band of cloud and rain beginning to work its way into by the end of the night, clear skies out towards the east and maybe across Northern Ireland. And for of us, it is going and for all of us, it is going to be a mild one, temperatures not falling lower than 5 to not falling much lower than 5 to 7 degrees. So into monday morning, a bright start in the east, but the cloud and rain across central will move across central parts will move its eastwards as the day its way eastwards as the day goes on behind it. Some drier and brighter for a time. And brighter weather for a time. This transfers towards the east into afternoon and that into the afternoon and that allows another band of cloud and rain to work its way in from the west quite wet end to the west. So quite a wet end to the day for Northern Ireland. But for many another day. For many another mild day. Temperatures up to 17 degrees in the southeast. Tuesday for a lot of us its going to be a rather cloudy picture. Outbreaks of rain moving their way south eastwards. It does brighten up later on in the day across Northern Ireland and scotland, but whole middle of the but on the whole middle of the week remaining unsettled. But for of us, temperatures for all of us, temperatures staying on the mild side for the time year , that warm feeling time of year, that warm feeling inside from boxt boilers sponsors of weather on gb news as i well. Well. Well. Hello. Good afternoon and welcome to gb news sunday. Happy Saint Patricks day if youre celebrating. Thank you for celebrating. Thank you for joining us this lunchtime. Im dawn neesom for the next two hours for keeping you company on tv, online and on digital radio. Cracking show for you. Coming up this hour. Has the penny dropped for the tories . A plot are for the tories . A plot are apparently rife in the conservative party as right wing mps reportedly unite with moderates to replace rishi sunak with Penny Mordaunt. But would a change in leader really save the tories, then . Should we bring back conscription . The latvian foreign minister says uk and other members should follow his country in adopting the finnish model of National Service in an effort to deter russian aggression. So should we bring back conscription . Would you join up and londons best fish and chip shop has been ordered to remove a mural by council officials, joining us later to find out exactly why. Hey, but find out exactly why. Hey, but this show is nothing without you and your views, so let me know your thoughts on all the stories were discussing today. Email me at gb views gbnews. Com or message me on our socials. Were message me on our socials. Were at gb news. But first lets get the News Headlines with the deliciously dressed in green tatiana sanchez