Fortunately uh, but what was strange, it didnt really affect me because i was around that kind of stuff all the time. Growing up, violence was normal. Growing up, violence was normal. The creators of a west end play. Could you turn on plans to hold black only evenings following criticism from number 10 . Speculation mounts over the health of the princess of wales, so we are asking, is it time for the royal family to be more open . 7 good . Good morning in 7 good morning in f1, 7 good morning in f1 , red bull good morning in f1, red bull chief Christian Horner is under intense scrutiny ahead of the bahrain grand prix as Max Verstappen takes pole on the eve of the new season. Its a big day two in the premier league. Could Manchester United, though, be to make their to be ready to make their move to replace ten hag . Later. Morning. Its another chilly day and watch out for some hefty, showery rain as well as a bit of snow tomorrow, though, bnngs bit of snow tomorrow, though, brings better news if its drier weather youre after, ill have the shortly. The details shortly. Morning , the details shortly. Morning, im pip tomson. Good morning, im pip tomson. Good morning, im pip tomson. Good morning, im Michael Portillo and this is breakfast on gb news. On gb news. News. So last night, friday, when were all going home ready for the weekend, we were notified that the Prime Minister was going to be making an urgent announcement. And so he did. Announcement. And so he did. Michael portillo, what did you think . Well, i, i thought precisely what youve said was bizarre. I mean, if we have a problem with extremism and if there have to be legislative changes which are both perfectly reasonable points of view, then surely the Prime Minister would go to the house of commons, which is the place where legislate is made. House of commons, which is the place wicommonsate is made. House of commons, which is the place wicommonsate issitting. House of commons, which is the place wicommonsate issitting lastrse of commons was sitting last week. Was sitting week week. It was sitting the week before. Because before. We know that because there was turmoil on both occasions. To come out on occasions. So to come out on a wet friday evening and announce important measures about extremism struck me as very important measures about extr were first told that he was making that announcement, thought hes going to call an election because you dont or even quit. Election because you dont or even quit. Did you think that was a possibility . Was a possibility . Well, i just thought you know, weve so often heard that the podium is going to be positioned outside number 10, downing street, and it normally does presage very important downing street, and it normally does of� sage very important downing street, and it normally does of thee very important downing street, and it normally does of the sortery important downing street, and it normally does of the sort thatmportant downing street, and it normally does of the sort that you rtant news of the sort that you describe. I i also think, you know what also made it slightly bizarre was to talk about extremism on the day that youre responding to a by election in which your party has been annihilated. And by the way, so annihilated. And by the way, so is the chief Opposition Party makes it look as if youre saying the by election and there was a reference to the by election speech, makes it look if youre saying the look as if youre saying the by election symptom by election is the big symptom of extremism. That of extremism. I think that introduces an unfortunate introduces quite an unfortunate confusion the issue , confusion into the issue, because people were saying, well, would say that because well, you would say that because you in you were defeated in the by election. Do you know what i mean . Yes, yes. It kind of cheapensit mean . Yes, yes. It kind of cheapens it because makes it cheapens it because it makes it a to the by election a response to the by election rather a response to rather than a response to everything been everything that has been happening the 7th happening since october the 7th and that, because and indeed before that, because he the rochdale he said that the rochdale by election words he said that the rochdale by eitction words he said that the rochdale by eit wasi words he said that the rochdale by eit was extreme, words he said that the rochdale by eit was extreme, highlyis were it was extreme, highly alarming. Yes. Now thats thats almost criticising the nearly 6000 people who voted for George Galloway, almost 4000 people, sorry, the 12,000. Yes, yes, yes. Isnt it. Its almost saying, well, your votes just weird. Just writing them off in a way which, which is not a good move. I think , to describe a i think, to describe a democratic event as alarming , to democratic event as alarming, to imply that a democratic event and election is a symptom of extremism is very problematic. I mean, of course, you can say that the candidate whos been elected is someone whos espoused extremism. Youd have to make the case very carefully, because George Galloway very because George Galloway is very good back. But you good at arguing back. But you could make that case. But you need be very careful not to need to be very careful not to say that the decision of thousands people is itself thousands of people is in itself an well, lets bring in senior well, lets bring in senior political analyst at orthodox conservatives, david moore, to talk about this. And also political commentator peter spence , for a very good morning spence, for a very good morning to you both. Uh, david, my to you both. Uh, david, my michael described it as bizarre. Michael described it as bizarre. What did you think of rishi sunak speech in the pouring rain in downing street on a friday evening . Evening . Well, i think it was a strong call that there was something very unprecedented going on. Now, we saw mr galloway winning by elections in the past, for example, for the respect party, especially when left especially after when he left the labour party but the labour party over iraq. But what seeing the moment what were seeing at the moment and what we saw was a very toxic by election, where it was decided Foreign Policy decided by a Foreign Policy tragedy , exploiting foreign tragedy, exploiting that Foreign Policy tragedy, using the flags of palestine to basically say, this is what im standing purely on this ticket. And when people ask him what hes actually going to do for rochdale, there wasnt any at all. And what the any answer at all. And what the prime was saying is Prime Minister was saying is this needs more social this country needs more social cohesion. Who is cohesion. Ian, as someone who is a conservative at the a social conservative at the moment, are divided. In moment, we are divided. Were in fear moment and fear at the moment and especially a situation especially over a situation where britain, quite frankly, doesnt political stake doesnt have a political stake anymore, at least not controlling that area. This idea that we can just send in the troops and enforce a ceasefire when the fact the matter is when the fact of the matter is we using diplomatic channels we are using diplomatic channels as secretary is as the foreign secretary is doing moment. So were doing at the moment. So were seeing a by election dominated purely Foreign Policy grounds purely on Foreign Policy grounds and potentially potentially more in so i think the in the future. So i think the Prime Minister had strong Prime Minister had a strong message to say, yes, i agree with michael. It was very unprecedented. Unprecedented. Yes, david, let me pursue that with you. I mean, supposing we agreed with every word that youve just said, every word that prime had that the Prime Minister had said, you know, why not . Why on earth not go to the house of commons . Hed talking about commons . Hed be talking about legislation. He was talking about law. Is not about changing the law. Is not the of commons the the house of commons the place to that . To do that . Indeed. I think the well, indeed. I think the house commons, especially house of commons, especially when can table when other mps can, can table such and again hold such questions and again hold hold the executive account. Hold the executive to account. Absolutely. Think there is absolutely. But i think there is an unprecedented situation in this at moment where this country at the moment where mps standing down because mps are standing down because they fearful mps offices they are fearful mps offices torched are fantastic statesmen and women who who fear they cant run again. Jewish children cant run again. Jewish children who are fear of going to school and all forms of, of hatred from also that, you know, we see people like nick griffin at the far right endorsing mr galloway in that election. So were in a in that election. So were in a country at the moment where fear is rife and that people dont feel they can speak up. And its feel they can speak up. And its about time we have a Prime Minister who can. And i think he is doing that. Minister who can. And i think he is doing that. And during that is doing that. And during that speech, he was heckled speech, he was still heckled from i think its from outside. So i think its about time. Also, the police really start cracking down on extremism, extremism as well. Well hang on, hang on. Well hang on, hang on. He heckled from outside. He was heckled from outside. I thats not an extreme i mean, thats not an extreme missed threat, it . Lets missed threat, is it . Lets lets honest and bring lets be honest and bring in Peter Spencer, political commentator , what did you commentator peter, what did you make of rishi sunak speaking make of it . Rishi sunak speaking from heart or was it all from the heart or was it all political posturing . Political posturing . Oh, very much political posturing. I mean, this wasnt a policy. This was a speech. He policy. This was a speech. He didnt really say anything that he hasnt already said. Hes already had the mob rule stuff, and it already had the announcement about the £30 million for mps securing. He million for mps securing. He did, however, very effectively times away from them. Um, George Galloway and onto him. I mean, you guys are being gloriously rude about the whole thing, but the fact is that the newspapers were rather less critical. Just said, oh, rishi sunak has spoken up. I think what is what is behind all this is a very real fear on his part of George Galloway. Now, of course, galloway. Now, of course, galloway. Now, of course, galloway is a threat to the labour party because of the historic anti semitism, but also i mean, he has i mean , george i mean, he has i mean, George Galloway were the love him or hate him and many people do hate him. He is one hell of a class act when it comes to rhetoric. I mean, hes up there when it comes to most. Using the english comes to most. Using the english language is up there with winston or indeed our Winston Churchill or indeed our esteemed colleague nigel farage, who to deliver brexit who managed to deliver brexit single handedly. And a single handedly. And that is a threat not only to the labour party, also the conservatives um, pete, peter, were you surprised then, given your criticism . Criticism , criticism . Given my criticism, for that matter, that sir keir starmer appeared to very starmer appeared to be very appreciative of speech , kind appreciative of the speech, kind of behind it and said, of rowed in behind it and said, oh were at one with oh yes, were were at one with the Prime Minister the need the Prime Minister on the need to extremism. To fight extremism. Was that surprising to fight extremism. Was that surjlising to fight extremism. Was that suijl think not because because i think not because because starmer, most certainly is also frightened of George Galloway. And i come back to his extraordinary rhetorical prowess. I mean, hes got more going for him when it comes to delivering speeches than starmer or or or or sunak put together. Hes very , very good at it. Now hes very, very good at it. Now he will have one of a platform in the form of the house of commons. Just imagine that Prime Ministers question time when he comes up with something really outrageous. Whos going get outrageous. Whos going to get the is it going to be the headlines . Is it going to be sunak or is it going to be him . Its going to be him. David, the liberal democrats and were were far more and snp were were far more critical and scathing of what rishi sunak had to say. Liberal democrats said tories have sown the seeds of division for years. The snp said they are the architects of the culture war in the uk , i. E. The Prime Minister the uk, i. E. The Prime Minister needs to look a bit more inwardly. Inwardly. Well, quite frankly, the liberal democrats dont like this country. They sold off our sovereignty to the European Union. Also dont like union. The snp also dont like this union either, so i dont take any lessons from them about that. I think is trying to that. I think rishi is trying to unite a country here, a country that concerned about a rise that is concerned about a rise in and domestic in extremism and domestic threats. Also spoke about threats. And also we spoke about mr rhetoric. Yes, he mr galloways rhetoric. Yes, he might impressive at the might be quite impressive at the despatch box, but at the end of the day, lets look at his record on action, supporting proxies this country, proxies that hate this country, that liberal democratic that hate the liberal democratic and values of and also conservative values of this country. He has supported the war ukraine. So hes not the war in ukraine. So hes not an antiwar candidate. Very an antiwar candidate. He very much a putin apologist much has been a putin apologist in the past. Yes. Said it was in the past. Yes. He said it was anideal in the past. Yes. He said it was an ideal. But of course, when putin moved he started putin moved in, he started blaming as per and blaming the west. As per and nato. He also supports hezbollah as these islamist proxy as well. These islamist proxy for iran. And he supported many for iran. And he supported many other dictators as well. So im very much concerned about this result myself. Result myself. Uh, david and peter , um, uh, david and peter, um, thank you very much indeed. Juua thank you very much indeed. Julia i rather wonder whether the speaker of the house of commons, if hes recovered his self belief, might say to the Prime Minister, look, thats the sort of statement that should be made to the house of commons, not on a friday evening in downing street. Really . You think you should pull aside about it . Pull him aside about it . The sort thing that its the sort of thing that speakers the past have been speakers in the past have been very exercised quite very exercised about, quite rightly. Okay will what well, we will see what happens to talk to happens now we want to talk to you well about next wednesday you as well about next wednesday because it is the spring budget. And here on news next and here on gb news next wednesday going wednesday evening, were going to Live Programme to have a special Live Programme from , avon dissecting from whitehall, avon dissecting jeremy hunts spring budget. I think whitehaven think thats whitehaven in cumbria. Yes, yes, you can be part the audience as michelle part of the audience as Michelle Dewberry nigel farage dewberry and nigel farage broadcast. The raf has broadcast live. The raf has sparked fury after announcing its going to retire 30 Quick Reaction alert jets used to protect british skies from potential attacks. Potential attacks. The jets will be grounded despite completing only just 40 of their predicted flying hours, in a move that has been likened to quotes scrapping spitfires before the battle of britain , before the battle of britain, military historian and Defence Analyst chris newton joins us now. Um, analyst chris newton joins us now. Um, chris, analyst chris newton joins us now. Um, chris, there are, now. Um, chris, there are, i think, many people who will make that parallel about scrapping spitfires before the battle of britain. What on earth is going on at a time when were talking about heightened tension . The need to defend the country . We have some highly capable aircraft , but they are quite old aircraft, but they are quite old in design, but theyre still highly capable , and the raf is highly capable, and the raf is telling us its not going to fly them. What is going on . Uh. Good morning. And uh. Good morning. And essentially what the mod is doing is essentially these, um, aircraft , these, uh, typhoon aircraft, these, uh, typhoon aircraft, these, uh, typhoon aircraft that there are parts of the older tranche , tranche one. The older tranche, tranche one. So these were entered service in, uh, from 2003. And effectively, the mods argument is, is that, um, there theyre, theyre going to cost to to, main to maintain and they are they dont have the, the kind of equipment and, and the software of the later tranche two and three aircrafts and therefore to, to keep them is going to be expensive. And the money the £300 million, um , is going to be £300 million, um, is going to be needed to , to spend on on needed to, to spend on on maintaining tranche one could be used on tranches two and three instead. Um i have to say that sounds very rational, but dont you think its a pr disaster . Is this not going to cause outrage . I mean, is it not a mixed message from the government, on the one hand, to be telling us that were in a s