And the telegraph reporting a secret plot to bring Boris Johnson back before the next election to rescue the conservatives fortunes. Ill get reaction from tv news legend nigel farage, biographer Michael Crick. It might take a ten. Meghan markle is looking to revive her brand in the uk. Hell revive her brand in the uk. Hell will freeze over before that happens. Ill be offering my own personal professional advice to the sussexes at ten. You wont want to miss it. Ill be dealing with Meghan Markle in no Uncertain Terms at ten. Its been a while. You wont want to miss it. So two hours of big opinion, big debate and big entertainment and its saturday night. Youve hard week. Night. Youve had a hard week. Youve working hard. Youve been working hard. Hopefully youve put the hopefully by now youve put the kids so why you kids to bed. So why dont you crack beer , uncork crack open a beer, uncork a bottle of wine, or fire up the kettle and lets get to work . Because mark dolan tonight is your perfect saturday night in. Dont anywhere. See you dont go anywhere. Ill see you after headlines. After the news headlines. And ray. Ray addison. Thanks, mark. Good evening. Our top stories this hour. The ministry of defence has confirmed reports of a fire on board its flagship Aircraft Carrier , hms queen elizabeth. Carrier, hms queen elizabeth. This morning. The Royal Navy Vesselis this morning. The Royal Navy Vessel is currently docked at glen mallan in scotland. The mod glen mallan in scotland. The mod said the fire was quickly brought under control with no reported injuries. No ordnance was involved in the incident. Was involved in the incident. They are now working with scottish fire and rescue to establish the cause. The prime establish the cause. The Prime Minister says he plans to pay for cuts to National Insurance contributions by kerbing the benefits budget. Rishi sunak told the sunday times hes concerned by forecasts which show welfare spending is set to rise by more than £100 billion a year until 20 2829. Mr sunak said that 2. 5 million working age people have been signed off as unfit to work and that, quote, just doesnt strike me as a system thats working properly. He insists he will end National Insurance contributions if he wins the next general election. The uk was involved in election. The uk was involved in a joint operation overnight which saw dozens of drones downed in the red sea. The defence secretary confirmed that hms richmond shot down two drones, repelling an attack by iranian backed houthis. The United States says in total , United States says in total, Coalition Forces hit 28 unmanned aerial vehicles. In a post on social media, grant shapps said the uk and its allies will continue to take the action necessary to save lives and protect the freedom of navigation. Well, huge crowds navigation. Well, huge crowds have marched through Central London and glasgow today, demonstrating against the war in gaza. Demonstrating against the war in gaza. Thousands took part in the gaza. Thousands took part in the Palestine Solidarity Campaign protest. You can hear them there protest. You can hear them there demanding an immediate ceasefire in london. The rally began at hyde park, finishing at the us embassy. The met police says there was no significant public order disturbance, but six people were arrested and one man was later de arrested. Well. Was later de arrested. Well. Meanwhile, the met says officers have been dealing with multiple pubuc have been dealing with multiple public order events across london today. The force says there have been pockets of violent disorder in bermondsey, where officers have been dealing with fans as they travel to the tube. Over 2300 officers have been policing 11 events, including eight football matches, an International Rugby fixture and, of course, the pro palestine protests. Police pro palestine protests. Police are investigating whether any criminal offences have been committed at three branches of an undertaker in yorkshire called urns are in place at legacy independent Funeral Directors in hull and east riding. Thats after Humberside Police received reports of what it says was concern for care of the deceased on wednesday. A direct phone line has been set up for anyone who may have been affected. For the latest affected. For the latest stories, sign up to gb news alerts. How do you do that . Simply scan the qr code on your screen or go to gb news. Common alerts. Now back to mark dolan. Alerts. Now back to mark dolan. Many thanks to my good friend ray addison, who returns in an hours ray addison, who returns in an hours time. Welcome to a very special mark dolan tonight your perfect saturday night in. In my opinion, ill be dealing with outdoor company, the north face who want to brainwash their customers with divisive ideas about race. Remember the good old days when businesses just wanted to sell you stuff . In the big story, the rumour mill has gone into overdrive with both the express and the telegraph reporting a secret plot to bring back Boris Johnson before the election. Ill get reaction from tv news legend nigel farage, biographer Michael Crick. My mark meets guest is the voice of Paddington Bear, popular british actor and star of one foot in the grave. Jonathan kidd. The grave. Jonathan kidd. Looking forward to this. In my take at ten, in just an hours time , Meghan Markle is looking time, Meghan Markle is looking to brand in the uk. To revive her brand in the uk. While hell will freeze over before that happens, ill be deaung before that happens, ill be dealing with the sussexes in no Uncertain Terms at 10 00. You wont want to miss it now. Donald trump and joe biden lock horns this week in the battle for the white house. But which outcome is best for britain . Ill be asking the queen of us royal political and showbiz reporting Kinsey Schofield plus kinsey will reflect reflect on Prince Edwards 60th birthday this weekend. Does the late queens youngest son deserve more recognition . Weve got tomorrows front pages at 1030, with three top pundits who havent been told what to say and who dont follow the script. Tonight, actor and tv presenter. Tonight, actor and tv presenter. The much beloved national treasure, Christopher Biggins , treasure, Christopher Biggins, another national treasure, former tory mp and now former ive been down on the farm a couple of weeks ago, the fabulous neil harris and tv personality, broadcaster and dropper of truth bombs, precious muir. Also tonight, after they muir. Also tonight, after they got clobbered by the chancellor in this weeks budget, are the owners of second homes selfish . Ill be asking top property expert russell quirk. And the most important part of the show, your emails. They come straight to my laptop mark at gbp news. Com. And this show has a golden rule. We dont do boring. Not on my watch. I just wont have it. And let me tell you, have it. And let me tell you, its a special show tonight. Not because weve got great guests, not because weve got great stories, but because it is stories, but also because it is director joshs birthday. And isnt he good for working on his birthday . Working on a saturday night . So lets make it one to remember. Lots to get through. Dont go anywhere. We start with my big opinion. Remember the good old days when corporations were about making money . Now they want influence society they want to influence society and the world a better and make the world a better place. May god help us enter stage left Outdoor Clothing giant north face, who are giving customers a 20 discount if they complete an orwellian Racial Inclusion course called ally in the outdoors. One module includes the contested concept of White Privilege with skin colour seemingly a defining factor in peoples access to the outdoors. Thats strange. I must have missed those racial checkpoints when i was out strolling through the cotswolds and cumbria. The Controversial Program even urges participants to file formal complaints to their bosses if their colleagues brand them woke. There you go. A nice bit of dystopian mind control thrown in for good measure. Intellectual tyranny from a lovely, kind sharing Company Responsible for producing thousands of tonnes of landfill destined polyester every year. Get your colleague fired if they call you woke. That kind of political brainwashing would have even the leadership of north korea blushing. Now clearly there is racism in our society. Its a huge problem. But ideas like White Privilege often taught in our private and Public Institutions as facts are deeply controversial. Theyre divisive, controversial. Theyre divisive, and they are contested by many. And they are contested by many. Why . Well, because terms like White Privilege are rooted in so called Critical Race Theory or anti racist ism, which is different from what most of us think, which is that racism is bad and should end cr2 Critical Race Theory, anti racism and so called White Privilege contend that youre basically racist if you have a certain skin colour. Quite the accusation. This progressive accusation. This progressive ideology is in reality incredibly regressive as it sees people of colour as victims, subjugated by their white masters. And amazingly, it masters. And amazingly, it believes in racial segregation. Believes in racial segregation. Whether its theatre shows for black only audiences away from the so called white gaze or safe spaces for minority groups at university and elsewhere. Wildly university and elsewhere. Wildly patronising. Of course, none of this brings people together. Black only theatre shows directly mirror apartheid in south africa, and the horrific two tier society of 1950s america. Racism is humanitys worst crime and remains a big problem in all societies , as it problem in all societies, as it must be tackled, but not with more prejudice, more segregation, and more racism. Segregation, and more racism. Ultimately, the spirit of this bonkers campaign by north face goes against the leader of the Civil Rights Movement in america doctrine, Martin Luther. Martin luther king this is a guy who said we should all be judged by the content of our character, not the colour of our skin. He not the colour of our skin. He dreamed of a society which saw no colour. Dreamed of a society which saw no colour. But now dreamed of a society which saw no colour. But now corporations no colour. But now corporations like north face want to see only colour. North face are obsessed with the colour of your face. One question in this creepy for test customers asks you to make a mental tally of how many black people youve seen in the countryside. Surely thats something only a horrible racist would do. Counting up people of would do. Counting up people of colour make it make sense. Now, colour make it make sense. Now, maybe there are some elements of Critical Race Theory which are valid, and its important that we have a National Conversation about how people of different backgrounds are treated, whether its work or Health Opportunities or everyday prejudice. But its not the job prejudice. But its not the job of a huge multi billion pound corporation to do that. Its their job to corporation to do that. Its theirjob to sell Us Corporation to do that. Its their job to sell us warm gloves, reliable walking boots and cosy jackets for the winter. You want comfortable clothing that keeps you dry , not a that keeps you dry, not a political lecture based around controversial ideas, many of which are offensive to and contested by people of colour themselves. For example, dont themselves. For example, dont divide us is a Campaign Group made up of leading ethnic voices and others in the uk who share Martin Luther kings dream of a colour blind society. Their director is the academic alka sehgal. Cuthbert posted a posting on x this week. Dont divide us, said the following. Divide us, said the following. They said the north face race test is completely ridiculous, encouraging customers to agree that the outdoors is oppressive to black people in exchange for a discount isnt going to help them reverse their year on year losses. Meanwhile writing in the times, the brilliant columnist jawad iqbal said the north face test is shameful discrimination. He wrote this hairbrain corporate wheeze shamefully encourages the very discrimination and division that it claims to be against. And, as iqbal points out, if youve got to do a racial awareness course, does that include people of colour to get the discount or do the north face think that all of their customers are white crumbs 7 their customers are white crumbs . That sounds like prejudice too. What a mess. The north face should be focussed on the colour of their rather expensive jackets and trousers and nothing else. Shame on them for peddling this divisive, dangerous nonsense. Yes, if they carry on nonsense. Yes, if they carry on lecturing their customers, the nonh lecturing their customers, the north faces profits will head south. This pathetic outdoor brand should zip it and take a hike. Now whats your reaction, hike. Now whats your reaction, mark at gbnews. Com with me tonight in the studio, my top punst tonight in the studio, my top pundits , actor and tv presenter pundits, actor and tv presenter Christopher Biggins, former conservative mp and farmer neil pansh conservative mp and farmer neil parish and tv personality and broadcaster precious muir. Great to have all three of you with me. Ill get to my viewer email shortly. Precious muir, let me start with you. Do you think that this little test from north face a good thing . Face is a good thing . Not at all. I think its a form of exploitation , because form of exploitation, because its not benefiting black people or people of colour in any way. Like, are they getting any profits from this sale that theyre putting on . Is it being donated to charity . I think that its an actual, its going against what were actually supposed to be doing. And i feel like its not benefiting in any way. And why we doing this . Way. And why are we doing this . 20 your, know, your 20 off your, you know, your its basically for them to its just basically for them to get people to buy. Thats the exactly what its about. Its got nothing else to do with black people, right . I know black people, right . I know a lot of white people that dont go skiing. I mean, its not you know, theyre its not right. Theres a lot of people that dont go skiing. Its not a race thing begins. Hasnt got the need for it. No, its certainly not right. No, its certainly not right. Maybe back in the day, but i mean, north face will argue that all to is to all they want to do is to educate some of customers educate some of their customers about and about the very unequal and prejudicial which prejudicial society in which we live. With that . Live. Whats wrong with that . I think wrong way about think its the wrong way about doing it. Its not making a i mean, its not making a clear at all. Its just it clear sign at all. Its just it just seems to me like theyre trying to get sales theyre trying to get sales and theyre using and using black people and discrimination race to do it. Does it come from a good place . Are they are they are they coming from good they coming from a good motivation when this . Motivation when they do this . Money was being if the if the money was being if the money charity, money was given to charity, thats actually, know, thats actually, you know, helping people of colour and black yeah, black people, then. Yeah, i would definitely a would say this is definitely a great but i dont great campaign, but i dont think its getting think it is. Its just getting them sales. And what about the messaging of is it patronising . I think its just its just ridiculous and its actually insulting to black people because youre saying that they dont do this, they dont do that, but they do and they buy your product and they go skiing and they go and they go and they go out and they go walking and of so its walking and all of that. So its kind like its an insult. Kind of like its an insult. Who came up this idea . Who came up with this idea . It company. I mean, its it the company. I mean, its some in their marketing some genius in their Marketing Department absolutely had nothing to than come Nothing Better to do than come up this rubbish. It is. Up with this rubbish. It is. I find it really disgusting and i just think its appalling. It is. I think, mark, its offensive. Yes, i really do. It is. And i think the whole idea is that we actually dont see the colour of the different coloured skins because we actually get on with everybody. And yes, there will be some prejudice in places , but be some prejudice in places, but of course this sort of campaign, it just makes the prejudice more. And of course, if youve got anybody that gets wound up , got anybody that gets wound up, about, you know, the man in his very bc then a moment very anti woke bc then a moment