Revealing the intimate details andinner revealing the intimate details and inner workings of the royal family during the coronation and Manchester United came from two nil down last night to secure a late win against aston villa , late win against aston villa, but the manager was being sacked at half time. Is his future secure . And celebrate your 2024 in style come january , the first style come january, the first wine will be sold in pint sized bottles thanks to what the government called post brexit freedoms. Freedoms. Good morning to you. Thank good morning to you. Thank you for joining good morning to you. Thank you forjoining us on this you for joining us on this wednesday, 27th of december for what it did you get for christmas. Any naff presents . Thats the big talking point this morning. Any old links africa sets that you would have got as year old teenager got as a 15 year old teenager that still getting now . That youre still getting now . One got her wife some one husband got her wife some anti wrinkle cream. We want to know what you got any absolute disasters in terms of the presents. Let us know gb views presents. Let us know gb views at gb news. Com leave your name and any pictures and also where youre news youre from. But first the news headunes youre from. But first the News Headlines with sam francis. Ben headlines with sam francis. Ben pip thank you very much. Good morning im sam francis in the gb news room. The headlines at nine. The prospect of a general election in the spring is growing, with labour moving on to a campaign footing. Its being reported footing. Its being reported that has told his that keir starmer has told his top team to finalise their manifesto plans within weeks. Manifesto plans within weeks. The labour leader has also told his shadow ministers to have their policy proposals by their policy proposals ready by mid january. Well, that comes as mid january. Well, that comes as reports have emerged that downing street is considering axing inheritance tax and reducing income tax. Cutting reducing income tax. Cutting inheritance tax would create a dividing line with labour, who are believed to be against the cut. But the move is one of a handful of attention grabbing pledges. The number 10 is hoping will boost rishi sunaks chances of a win in an election. The Prime Minister has said he intends to a general intends to call a general election in but opinion is election in 2024, but opinion is split on whether it will come in the spring or the autumn. The spring or the autumn. Commuters could face train cancellations and flooded roads as storm garrett hits the uk. Yellow weather alerts are in place across the uk , threatening place across the uk, threatening to bring flooding and power cuts. Scotrail says passengers can expect long delays and cancellations from high winds and heavy rains. Passengers are and heavy rains. Passengers are also travelling home for christmas after Christmas Eve, but theyre being warned to check their journeys ahead of time and travel only if its necessary. Storm garrett is the seventh named storm of the current season, which started in september , and it runs until september, and it runs until august next year. Meanwhile, christmas rail disruption is continuing to allow for Engineering Works. London paddington station remains closed after affecting journeys to and from south wales , to and from south wales, bristol, the west country and heathrow airport. London, Victoria Station, though has no Southeastern Services until the 1st of january. Brit will soon be able to buy new pint sized bottles of still and sparkling wine in the uk. Bottles of still and sparkling wine in the uk. Thats as part wine in the uk. Thats as part of a new proposal post brexit freedom. A new 568 mil amount freedom. A new 568 mil amount will appear on supermarket shelves, as well as pubs, clubs and restaurants. The government and restaurants. The government says the move will offer more flexibility and choice for customers. Champagne pint customers. Champagne pint bottles were sold in the uk until 1973, but they stopped production as they didnt comply with eu weights and measures. With eu weights and measures. You can get more on all of those stories by visiting our website gbnews. Com now though, back to pip and ben. Good morning. Pip and ben. Good morning. Great to have your company this morning on britains newsroom. Hope youve been able to relax the last couple of days and relax while youre watching and relax while youre watching and listening to us this morning. Lets start with politics, because in a major speech in january, this year, the Prime Minister said he would halve inflation, grow the economy , Lower National debt, economy, Lower National debt, shorten nhs waiting times and stop Asylum Seekers crossing the channel on small boats. And now, today again, were seeing talk of spring tax cuts, including ditching the dreaded inheritance tax. All in order to smooth over voters. So when looking back at rishi sunaks five pledges, how many of them has he achieved . Has he achieved . Our Political Correspondent olivia utley lee tells us more. So i want to make five promises to you today. To you today. Five pledges to deliver peace of mind. Five foundations on of mind. Five foundations on which to build a Better Future for our children and grandchildren. Grandchildren. When rishi sunak laid out his five pledges in a speech to journalists back in january, it was widely believed in westminster that he was being unambitious. But 12 months on unambitious. But 12 months on and the goals to halve inflation, grow the economy, cut, national cut, nhs cut, National Debt, cut, nhs waiting lists and stop the boats remain to a varying extent unfulfilled. And as pledged, unfulfilled. And as pledged, inflation has halved this year from a high of 10. 7 at the end of last year to around 4 now. But thats the end of the unalloyed good news. Despite jeremy hunts get back to work spnng jeremy hunts get back to work Spring Budget, jeremy hunts get back to work Spring Budget , the economy has Spring Budget, the economy has stubbornly failed to grow for most of the year , growth has most of the year, growth has hovered around the zero mark, meaning we are permanently teetering on the edge of a recession. And theres bad news recession. And theres bad news in the National Debt quarter, too. Far from falling, economists suggest that debt economists now suggest that debt is , and the obr has is skyrocketing, and the obr has said the current trajectory said that the current trajectory is unsustainable. Meanwhile nhs is unsustainable. Meanwhile nhs waiting lists reached an all time high of an eye watering 7. 7 million last month, and with demand back to pre pandemic levels, they dont set to levels, they dont look set to shnnk levels, they dont look set to shrink time soon. To shrink any time soon. To compound problem , nhs nurses compound the problem, nhs nurses and doctors have been striking on and off all year and doctors at least look set to continue well into 2024. As for stopping the boats. Polls suggest that the boats. Polls suggest that the public believe a sunak has failed on this pledge too, though that may be a little unfair. The data shows that there has actually been a 30 drop in crossings. This year compared to last. It is perhaps hardly a surprising view, friend on that point. On foreign courts, the conservative is in Civil Conservative Party is in civil war mode over the rwanda scheme, which set to be bogged which looks set to be bogged down parliament for many down in parliament for many months to come. Down in parliament for many mo meanwhile,e. Starmer meanwhile, keir starmer is coming his own solutions. The governments lost control of our borders. I think the way to the boats is to smash to stop the boats is to smash the gangs that are the criminal gangs that are running trade of running the vile trade of putting in the boats in putting people in the boats in the first place. Start of the year, the at the start of the year, the Prime Minister to judge Prime Minister asked us to judge him he delivered him purely on how he delivered on pledges. He on his five key pledges. He cleverly gave himself some wiggle room in the run up to the general with the general election, with the exception inflation, exception of halving inflation, he any he deliberately didnt set any deadunes. He deliberately didnt set any deadlines. But 12 months on, and deadlines. But 12 months on, and with popularity ratings at an all low, sunak is all too all time low, sunak is all too aware that time is fast running out. Olivia utley e gb news. And olivia joins us now from westminster. Olivia, do you westminster. Olivia, do you foresee a spring election . Foresee a spring election . Well, thats the question on everyones lips in westminster at the moment. The thinking for at the moment. The thinking for a long time has been that the conservatives will wait it out for as long as they can. They are expecting the election to be pretty catastrophic for them. But most conservative mps ive spoken to think that if they can hold off until the end of next yean hold off until the end of next year, then there is at least a glimmer of hope. The logic behind that is that as the year progressed, inflation will continue to go down, which will ease the cost of living crisis a little bit, at least Interest Rates will slowly, slowly start to come down over the course of this year, which will take a little bit of pressure off from mortgage holders. But on the other hand, the issue with waiting is that the poll ratings dont seem to be going anywhere. Rishi sunak popularity has actually gone down since he got into office a year ago, and the conservatives are as a whole are still hovering around the around the 20 mark. And theres another school of thought which believes that, well, theres going to be a set of local elections in the spnng a set of local elections in the spring and wouldnt it be better for the conservatives to pre empt what is set to be a pretty bruising round of elections and rip off the band aid with the general election in april or may . And as we were heanng april or may . And as we were hearing in the news there, there is some evidence that that might be the way ministers are thinking at the moment, that there talking now about scrapping inheritance tax, something which has been on the books for a long time, but it sounds as though plans are now properly being drawn up. Is that because they are planning to go to country in may . The other to the country in may . The other evidence suggest could evidence to suggest that could be is jeremy hunt be the case is jeremy hunt brought a big tax cutting brought in a big tax cutting measure his autumn budget. So measure in his autumn budget. So theres £0. 02 cut to National Insurance tax, which will actually make a real difference to the, uh, Purse Strings of the average worker. And interestingly, he tabled emergency legislation to implement that change in january. Normally, tax changes like that would be saved for the start of the tax year in april. But as hes choosing to do it so early with this dramatic piece of emergency legislation, could it be that he is hoping that the general public feels the effects of that change before an election and starts to feel a little bit more warmly to the conservatives . Rishi sunak is the only person who can tell us when the when a general election will be so the speculation is bound to continue for at least a few months. But generally the feeling in westminster is beginning to shift from its surely going to be the end of the year to it. Well, might be the year to it. Well, might be the beginning of the year, and we should remind ourselves, shouldnt we . That polling shows the that latest polling shows the tories some 20 points behind behind labour. So its a case of whether these pledges that were heanng whether these pledges that were hearing about today , these hearing about today, these attempts to woo the Younger Voters , those scrapping voters, those scrapping inheritance tax as well, are they going to shift the polls in any shape or form . Any shape or form . I mean , well have to wait i mean, well have to wait and see. It feels pretty unlikely at the moment. A couple of things that the conservatives are are planning , as well as are are planning, as well as scrapping inheritance tax, is possibly scrapping stamp duty. Now, there are lots of conservatives who have said for a long time that stamp duty is a bad tax because it gums up the property market, and the thinking is that it would give First Time Buyers a real start up the ladder. If stamp duty were to be scrapped. That said , were to be scrapped. That said, it only applies to houses worth over £425,000. I think it is. So over £425,000. I think it is. So it really is. Most beneficial to those in london and the south east is it really possible at this stage when they are, as you say, 20 points behind in the polls for the tories to whip up some sort of a rabbit out of the hat, which will turn around their fortunes and win them a general election . Well, maybe, but dont think scrapping but i dont think scrapping inheritance going to be it. Okay. Olivia utley political okay. Olivia utley Political Correspondent. Thanks ever so much for your insight. Well, much for your insight. Well, lets get some more insight now because joining us his because joining us for his reflections on rishi sunaks year as Prime Minister is former editor of the labourlist. Peter edwards. Peter, it might help if edwards. Peter, it might help if we just sort of go through some some of these pledges. But first of all, youre or your overall analysis of what rishi sunak has or has not achieved. Well, hes restored a level of competence in the eyes of his supporters and a level of integrity after the scandals of bofis integrity after the scandals of Boris Johnson and the chaos of liz truss. But whether youre on the left or unaligned, you , you left or unaligned, you, you would have to say that hes not making on those making progress on those pledges. So hes clearly a hard working, decent individual, doesnt drink. But on the Core Measures like are we rich or poorer than ten years ago or five years ago . Our Public Services improving our nhs waiting lists going up and down. Hes on all of these hes struggling on all of these and particularly on inflation. Thatis and particularly on inflation. That is still a problem. Okay. Some these things are but some of these things are out control. Know, out of his control. You know, the pandemic, wasnt in the pandemic, he wasnt in charge pandemic charge when the pandemic happened. We know all happened. We know. We know all about what happened that about what happened there, that there lot of unforeseen there was a lot of unforeseen problems the impact thats problems and the impact thats had weve also had on the economy. Weve also got in ukraine, which got the war in ukraine, which has inevitably affected uk too. Well, rishi sunak was chancellor, so the second most important person in the country at the time of the pandemic. There was a brief period and i thought it was very ill advised where the conservatives tried to thought it was very ill advised where closely nservatives tried to thought it was very ill advised where closely tie rvatives tried to thought it was very ill advised whereclosely tie inflationried to thought it was very ill advised whereclosely tie inflation ind to thought it was very ill advised whereclosely tie inflation in uk more closely tie inflation in uk with the war in ukraine, and clearly the appalling events in ukraine do have some impact, particularly on Energy Particularly on the energy market, actually the roots market, but actually the roots of high inflation. It of britains high inflation. It remains high above the bank of england target go back many years. So, for example, dont years. So, for example, we dont grow own food or grow enough of our own food or theresa may sold off our gas reserves. So the inflation crisis a long time in the crisis is a long time in the making. And sadly, its a long time unwind although time to unwind because although rishi sunak one of his rishi sunak met one of his pledges inflation, its pledges on inflation, its still above prices are going above target prices are going up, not down. Peter, in terms of stopping the boats, which was one of his main pledges and perhaps the most important when it comes to voters. Hes not stopped the voters. Hes not stopped the boats, he has of course boats, but he has of course halved the number of crossings. Some might argue thats because of the weather. Um, can we be generous this christmas and give him semi win on that front . Him a semi win on that front . No, i mean, i dont like talking of winning and talking in terms of winning and losing, but obviously thats how pollsters it. So pollsters will look at it. So around about 28 30,000 boats expected cross this year, expected to cross this year, were nearly at the end. Uh, were nearly at the end. Uh, theres a suggestion in the summer that the peaks and troughs weather troughs that are weather related, than anything related, rather than anything the does, so bad the government does, so bad weather disincentivizes crossing. Concern , crossing. But the other concern, i think, for particularly for people is that i think, for particularly for peo tories is that i think, for particularly for peo tories have is that i think, for particularly for peo tories have expended that i think, for particularly for peo tories have expended a1at i think, for particularly for peo tories have expended a lot the tories have expended a lot of Political Capital on the rwanda scheme to send 1 to 200 people to rwanda if it ever happens, and boat crossings are around 28,000. And if and when rishi does get a plane off the ground for rwanda, how big a victory is that going to be in terms of when it comes to polling day . Well, to me its a catastrophic judgement failure and a catastrophic moral failure because it deeply as because i oppose it deeply as a wrong thing to do, outsourcing our moral responsibilities. But it good for him it will be good for him politically. Parts politically. Certain parts of the will it. The printed press will like it. It shore up his support on it will shore up his support on the conservative backbenches and maybe tory voters who maybe core tory voters who wouldnt go to labour but would otherwise at home. Um, otherwise stay at home. Um, might be tempted out because theyll see that as action on immigration. Criticism it immigration. My criticism of it would of it, would be. But the scale of it, as as being wrong, is so as well as being wrong, is so small. 1 to 200 people, legal migration is is much bigger migration is a is a much bigger issue. Yes, it is. And labour will have to have a clear answer on that going into the election because going to the period because going back to the period when has lost elections when labour has lost elections in the last 10 to 15 years, uh, social security, immigration and leadership have been the three primary concerns. I think labour are better position. Are in a much better position. All of those now. But immigration, quite understandably, always an understandably, is always an issue election time because issue at election time because of the pressure on Public Services. Services. It is an issue at election time. A bigger issue time. But is it a bigger issue than cost of living and the than the cost of living and the economy and whats happening with mortgages . With peoples mortgages . I still think it will well, i still think it will be a cost living election be a cost of living election because theres that old american phrase, its the economy, were all economy, stupid, that were all too say to each other. Too polite to say to each other. But even when inflation comes down, has, um, people are down, as it has, um, people are still paying more mortgage still paying more in mortgage is Mortgage Rates will be mortgage Interest Rates will be higher for longer. Many they are coming down though, right . Higher for longer. Many they are conmortgage though, right . Higher for longer. Many they are conmortgage ihough, right . Higher for longer. Many they are conmortgage i think, right . Higher for longer. Many they are conmortgage i think aight . Higher for longer. Many they are conmortgage i think a five . Higher for longer. Many they are conmortgage i think a five year mortgage i think a five year fix fell below 4 for the first time in recent days. So people might be starting to feel it a lot better off in the coming months. Well theyll months. Well i think theyll feel worse off rather than feel less worse off rather than better off. And the other point briefly on inflation up on food, food inflation is up 30, three 0 in 2 years. The bank of england target for inflation is 2. So the thing is, whatever happensin is 2. So the thing is, whatever happens in the next 12 months, as of today, were still poorer and were not going to necessarily make up the ground. So think the real so i think thats the real challenge for conservative spinners. Not the case, though, is it not the case, though, that with inflation falling interest of Interest Rates, falling, cost of living the living going down, that the tories and sunak will look, tories and sunak will say, look, dont because dont gamble on labour because were heading in the right direction, were making progress were heading in the right dirithis. 1, were making progress were heading in the right dirithis. Yes, re making progress were heading in the right dirithis. Yes, things the second part will be its always dont gamble on the opposition. I think keir starmer is decency and is a man of decency and integrity and honesty, but therell lot of thrown therell be a lot of mud thrown at his previous career cps. But on remember, on inflation, remember, uh, pnces on inflation, remember, uh, prices not down. Prices are not coming down. Theyre a slower rate. Im not entirely sure that inflation was within rishi sunak control. Anyway, one of the targets of halving inflation. Thats a great Prime Ministers. Thats a great point. Its six all guys. 6 or 7 guys or girls in the bank of england on the Monetary PolicyCommittee Setting the Central Government base rate has a much bigger impact than anything. The Prime Minister can do. So it is down to the bank of england primarily. Okay okay. To the bank of england prirgreat okay okay. To the bank of england prirgreat stuff. Okay. To the bank of england prirgreat stuff. Former editor of great stuff. Former editor of the labour list. Really good to have thoughts this morning. Have your thoughts this morning. Thank you so much. Interesting its going interesting stuff. Its going to be uh, yeah. Whether the tories are going you know, tories are going to, you know, seize opportunity say, seize the opportunity to say, look, doing good job in look, were doing a good job in inflation. Mortgage Interest Rates are down. Bank of rates are coming down. Bank of england rates england Interest Rates potentially well. Is potentially falling as well. Is it be a gamble by it going to be a gamble by taking starmer. But lets taking on starmer. But lets move on. Its been a busy year for as king for the royal family as king charles embraces his first year of one of biggest of the reign, one of the biggest royal this year, royal events this year, obviously, kings obviously, was the kings coronation may. Obviously, was the kings cori people may. Obviously, was the kings cori people from viay. Obviously, was the kings coripeople from right obviously, was the kings cori people from right across the people from right across the world gathered in london to witness this moment, world gathered in london to witness this moment , this day in witness this moment, this day in british history. British history. Gb news George Pearce looks back at the extraordinary day prince harry and Meghan Markle have continued to dominate the british headlines in the last year since stepping down as working 2020. Working royals in 2020. December 2022, harry and in december 2022, harry and meghan released the first of many netflix projects with a fly on the wall documentary about their new life in california. In their new life in california. In the sixth episode series, the couple spoke their time as couple spoke about their time as working of the monarchy, working members of the monarchy, including scathing including their scathing opinions royals. Opinions of other royals. Despite the despite mixed reviews, the series a streaming success, series was a streaming success, breaking netflix breaking multiple netflix records. Sussexes also records. The sussexes also produced other projects for netflix and spotify, including hean netflix and spotify, including heart of invictus , a film by heart of invictus, a film by prince harry focusing on his Invictus Games in january. This yean Invictus Games in january. This year, harry continued to rock the royal rift as he released his tell all memoir his 416 page tell all memoir spare. In his own words, the duke of sussex recalled what it was growing up in the royal was like growing up in the royal family, describing living family, describing it as living in prince williams in his brother prince williams shadow , accused prince shadow, and accused the prince of of a physical attack. Of wales of a physical attack. Grabbed by the collar, he grabbed me by the collar, ripping necklace and he ripping my necklace and he knocked floor. Knocked me to the floor. I landed on the dogs bowl which cracked under my back , the cracked under my back, the pieces cutting into me among many revelations, including his past drug use and work in the military, prince harry branded Queen Camilla dangerous for forging the forging connections with the british order British Press in order to improve her image. British press in order to imfbuckinghamige. British press in order to imfBuckingham Palace and Buckingham Palace and kensington have Kensington Palace have not commented the allegations. Commented on the allegations. The seller, the book became a best seller, selling over 1. 4 million copies. The fastest selling non fiction book of all time. In may this book of all time. In may this yean book of all time. In may this year, the sussexes revealed they were involved in a near catastrophic chase after catastrophic car chase after attending an awards ceremony in new spokesman for the attending an awards ceremony in new couple spokesman for the attending an awards ceremony in new couple branded an for the attending an awards ceremony in new couple branded the or the attending an awards ceremony in new couple branded the ordeal royal couple branded the ordeal a relentless pursuit by highly aggressive paparazzi. But some eyewitnesses disagree. The duchess of sussex had delivered an at an acceptance speech at the ceremony after collecting an award for her spotify podcast, archetypes. Prince harry is still dragging several Newspaper Publishers the courts publishers through the courts over unlawful over alleged unlawful information as well as information gathering as well as the government over his security in the uk. This month, harry said it was a great day for truth when a judge ruled he was a unlawful information a victim of unlawful information gathering mirror gathering by mirror Group Newspapers , awarding more newspapers, awarding him more than £140,000 in damages to end a turbulent year for the sussexes. Omid scobie released his second royal biography, end game, in which senior members of the royal family were rocked once by a set of once again by a fresh set of allegations and claims. Meghan and are yet to disclose and harry are yet to disclose any involvement in the book, which received widespread which has received widespread backlash name backlash after appearing to name two in connection two senior royals in connection with allegation first brought with an allegation first brought to light by sussexes. To light by the sussexes. In their oprah their interview with Oprah Winfrey there were winfrey, where there were alleged conversations and concerns son archie. Concerns about their son archie. The is set to see more the next year is set to see more projects in pipeline for the projects in the pipeline for the couple. Will deliver them couple. But will it deliver them stateside . Success will the stateside . Success and will the royal with the sussexes royal rift with the sussexes continue . Pierce gb news continue . Georgia pierce gb news is what will the coming year hold for the royal family . Did you watch the documentary last night . Yes the kings coronation. What did you think it was . It was very interesting. And talking of harry meghan , talking of harry and meghan, harry, in book, spare, harry, in his book, spare, talked the fact that talked about the fact that his father, the king, was very cold emotionally growing up and not very hugs very affectionate with hugs and kisses. Actually that kisses. But actually in that document last night you saw king charles prepping for the coronation by embracing Prince George , prince louis and also george, prince louis and also william of course, in a very warm and affectionate way, which, you know, totally blows apart harrys assessment in his book. I mean, things could have been different when he was a kid, you know, he might have worked on himself, maybe. Worked on himself, maybe. Yeah. You know, we dont know what happens closed what happens behind closed doors, he does seem , doors, do we . But he does seem, by all accounts, to be doing a pretty fine job. Who . The yeah, yeah , it was the king. Yeah, yeah, it was an speech, wasnt the king. Yeah, yeah, it was an talking speech, wasnt the king. Yeah, yeah, it was an talking aboutzech, wasnt the king. Yeah, yeah, it was an talking about the, wasnt it . Talking about the environment and. And the climate. And actually, before i heard actual heard about, well, the actual content i was content of his speech, i was thinking, come on, charles, please dont lecture us the please dont lecture us on the climate. A more climate. But it was a more widespread about looking widespread talk about looking after earth taking care after the earth and taking care of i can, you of nature, which i can, you know, everyone can get on board with tone to his to his mother. You know, yeah. I thought, you know, there there was a, there was there was there was a, there was what i noticed was that excuse me, ive a keep me, ive getting a cold. Keep your ill get through. Your distance. Ill get through. But there was, there was a distinct, lack the distinct, distinct lack of the family we always family photos that we always used see when, when late used to see when, when the late Queen Elizabeth he was Queen Elizabeth and he was standing well, of course. Standing up as well, of course. Whereas queen used whereas the late queen used to down. To sit down. Um, were also talking this morning about worse Christmas Presents. Worst presents. What was your worst christmas you received Christmas Present . You received this now do let us know. This year . Now do let us know. Dont worry about offending people. Hopefully theyll see the joke. We just want to have a little bit of chat about this, because theres a survey that has been done as to what people told, which that theyd received as a rubbish gift. Told, which that theyd received as a rubbish gift. And on this as a rubbish gift. And on this list, i dont see the problem with half of these. By the way, i cant get my head around this. A bag of onions. Why would you give somebody a bag of onions unless it was for cooking the christmas lunch a fly zapper . Dont problem see, i dont see the problem in thats quite handy. But. But what . What you and i disagree about is a husband giving his wife a tub of anti wrinkle cream. Why not . Im sorry. I dont see whats the issue. Issue. As i said earlier, we somebodys got me like an under eye roller to get rid of bags and sort of dark circles, and i was very appreciative. I said, thank much. I said, do thank you so much. I said, do you think im looking haggard . He but you could he said, well, no, but you could do with it. See, if somebody sent anti wrinkle cream, id sent me anti wrinkle cream, id be theyre suggesting be thinking, theyre suggesting l, be thinking, theyre suggesting i, ive got that i, you know, ive got to that point where need a bit work point where i need a bit of work doing which which maybe i do. Anyway, let me know. Your but anyway, let me know. Your worst presents. Tell worst Christmas Presents. Tell us gbviews gbnews. Com. Im im so specific with my family that i did all right. Ive done all right. This year. In the past its been things like, um, turkish delight because i cant stand it. So do you request your presents beforehand . Do you say, i would or i need this . Yeah. I mean, i say, id love id love some christmas candles. This is my favourite brand of chocolate. Yeah, yeah, a good yeah, yeah, thats a good idea, jerry. I very honest. Yeah, i am i am very honest. Yeah, i am very honest, clinical and to the point so gbviews gbnews. Com. Still . Uh, well, well still to come . Uh, well, well be talking about worst Christmas Presents reflect more about presents and reflect more about what could be a spring election. What could be a spring election. This is britains newsroom on gb news, the peoples channel. See you soon. A brighter outlook with boxt solar, the sponsors of weather on. Gb news. On. Gb news. Hello there. Good morning, im greg dewhurst. Welcome to your latest gb news weather forecast. Garrett is bringing forecast. Garrett is bringing some heavy rain, strong winds and some snow across parts of the country through the day ahead. We can see on the chart this morning plenty of cloud outbreaks of heavy rain. Could be some local disruption to your travel journeys , with spray on travel journeys, with spray on the roads, localised flooding to the roads, localised flooding to the rain, bumping into colder air across scotland leading to some snow here. This combined with 6070 miles an hour winds, will lead to some blizzard 6070 miles an hour. Wind gusts possible around the coast, 40 to 50 inland and temperatures are relevant 12 or 13 celsius. Exceptionally mild , but with the exceptionally mild, but with the cloud, the rain and the wind, it will feel cooler than this through into the evening time. It really squally it remains gusty, really squally showers through during showers pushing through during the evening time. Some gusty the evening time. Some gusty winds 6070 miles an hour. Continuing around some western coasts over night we see the showers start to ease a little, the winds easing a little for some, but still wintry showers and strong winds across the far north of scotland, which could again lead to some disruption first on thursday morning. First thing on thursday morning. An on thursday. An unsettled day on thursday. Blustery showers across much of the uk merging into some longer spells of rain which could be heavy at times to this feature, giving some squally winds and rain as we move through the afternoon into the evening time. Temperatures is a little lower for most single figures across the north of the uk, staying in double figures towards the far south of that warm feeling inside from boxt boilers , inside from boxt boilers, sponsors of weather on. Gb news. Sponsors of weather on. Gb news. Up next spring, tax cuts and inheritance tax cuts are we heading towards a spring election in 2024 . Also keep youn election in 2024 . Also keep your, uh, keep your answers coming in about your worst Christmas Present. Christmas present. This is britains newsroom on gb news, the peoples channel. Good morning. Its 10 am. On wednesday. The 27th of december. This is britains newsroom with me, ben, leo and pip tomson coming up , me, ben, leo and pip tomson coming up, spring tax cuts and taking the axe to inheritance tax. Just the latest sweeteners from the Prime Minister to woo over tory voters is lifting the cartoon on the kings coronation. Were you watching last nights royal documentary revealing the intimate details andinner revealing the intimate details and inner workings of the royal family during the coronation and Manchester United came from two nil down last night to secure a late win versus aston villa. Late win versus aston villa. Is erik ten hags job now safe . Safe . Two days after christmas we were asking about the worst Christmas Presents youve received. Received. Were already getting some, uh, some answers coming in there with photos attached , so were with photos attached, so were looking forward to showing you those in a bit. Some dodgy looking gifts. Theres a rope brooch which looks fairly ominous. I might say. Gb views at gb news. Com do of course, let us know your name and where youre getting in touch with us from right. Lets get your latest headlines now, heres sam francis. Heres sam francis. Pip. Ben thank you very much. Good morning. Im sam francis in the gb newsroom. The headlines at ten. The prospect of a general election in the spring is growing, with labour moving on campaign footing. We on to a campaign footing. We understand starmer has told understand keir starmer has told his frontbench team to finally finalise their manifesto plans within weeks. The labour leader within weeks. The labour leader has also told shadow ministers to have their policy proposals ready by mid january. Well, it ready by mid january. Well, it comes as reports have emerged that downing street is considering axing inheritance tax and reducing income tax. The move is one of a handful of attention grabbing pledges that number 10 hopes will boost rishi sunaks chance of a win. The housing secretary, michael gove, has suggested to the times has also suggested to the times that the party will cut the upfront cost of a home for First Time Buyers in a pre election giveaway. Prime minister has giveaway. The Prime Minister has said that he intends to call a general election in 2024, but opinion is split on whether it will come in the or the will come in the spring or the autumn. Commuters could face autumn. Commuters could face train cancellations and flooded roads as storm garrett hits the uk. Yellow weather alerts are in uk. Yellow weather alerts are in place across the uk, threatening to bring flooding and power cuts. Scotrail says passengers can expect long delays and cancellations from high winds and heavy rain. Passengers who are travelling home after Christmas Eve are warned to check their journeys ahead of ahead of time and travel only if necessary. Storm garrett is the seventh named storm of the current season, which started in september and runs until august next year. September and runs until august next year. Meanwhile christmas rail disruption is continuing to allow for Engineering Works. Allow for Engineering Works. London paddington station remains closed after affecting journeys to and from south wales, bristol and west country and heathrow airport. London Victoria Station has no Southeastern Services. Until the Southeastern Services. Until the 1st of january. Brits will soon be able to buy a new pint sized bottle of still and sparkling wine thats as part of new post brexit freedoms. The new size will appear on supermarket shelves, as well as pubs, clubs and restaurants. The government says the move will offer more flexibility and choices for customers. Champagne pint customers. Champagne pint bottles were sold in the uk until 1973, when britain joined the european common market, but it stopped as they didnt comply with eu weights and measures. Part undersecretary for business Kevin Hollinrake says the move will benefit everyone. Will benefit everyone. Well, hes a really important change. We used to be able to buy pints of champagne in bottles and wine, for example, before joining the European Union, so i think its an opportunity for innovation. Opportunity for innovation. Churchills favourite size of bottle. He said it was the right bottle. He said it was the right size for lunch for two or for dinner for one. So um, so i think its a nice innovation and something we can do now. We left the European Union. Well, meanwhile, hospital car parking fees in england have risen than 50 in the last risen more than 50 in the last yeah risen more than 50 in the last year. Thats according to new figures. Visitors and patients spent £146 million for parking in 2022 to 23. Thats the equivalent of £400,000 spent in hospital car parks every day. The data, which was uncovered by the liberal democrats, also found that parking fees paid by hospital staff has soared by more than eight fold. Its up from 5. 6 million to more than £46 million. More more than 200,000 shoplifting cases went unsolved in the space of just a yean unsolved in the space of just a year, new figures show. Only around 15 of the 362,000 cases were said to have resulted in a suspect being charged. The lib suspect being charged. The lib dems, who studied the figures , dems, who studied the figures, have accused the government of failing to tackle what they call an epidemic. The Home Office Spokeswoman said that charging rates shoplifting are up by rates for shoplifting are up by almost a third in the past year , almost a third in the past year, and the number of people shopping in the boxing day sales across the uk was more than a fifth lower than this time last yeah fifth lower than this time last year. Figures from mri Software Found that whilst footfall had been 2. 3 higher for figures before, 3 pm, it was significantly lower when recorded across the whole day. The group said the busier start on tuesday was driven by a 6. 5 increase in high street visitors , as the only location to experience a rise was central london. This is gb news across the uk. Were on your tv, in your car, on radio and on your smart speaker. Now though. More from pip and ben. From pip and ben. Sam , thank you very much and sam, thank you very much and thank you to you viewers and listeners, because you are cracking us up this morning with the worst Christmas Presents youve received. Ill just read youve received. Ill just read you a couple. Keep them coming in, wont you . Gb views at gb news. Com. Carol from newport in wales. Good morning. You say the wales. Good morning. You say the worst present i received was a sexy of underwear size ten. Sexy set of underwear size ten. Unfortunately i was a size 18 at the time. I decided that year that we would stop buying each other presents. Are they still together . Back story to this carol. Let us know the back story. My argument was that the husband probably like the rest of us blokes, just didnt know to what get. What, you know, just of what, you know, just kind of guessed and picked it up. One guessed it and picked it up. One more very quick one here. Rather than receiving a terrible Christmas Present, i was guilty of buying boy, pay of buying one. Boy, did i pay the my late wife the price. I bought my late wife a subscription for weight watchers. Didnt well. Watchers. It didnt go well. Jared from benfleet in essex. Im not surprised theres too much going on about women and weight here. Lets talk about the lets lets talk about the men. Eddie lees. Good morning. You youve got a and you said youve got a brush and comb set youre as bald as a coot. Thats lazy. Thats lazy. Oh, great. Oh, great. Was responsible for that one. Was responsible for that one. Okay, lets get lets get serious because we need to talk. We talk politics and we need to talk politics and look sunak record. You look at rishi sunak record. You might. You might think its been goodin might. You might think its been good in the last year. You might disagree. A speech disagree. But in a major speech last january, he said he would halve inflation, grow the economy , Lower National economy, Lower National debt, shorten nhs waiting times and stop Asylum Seekers crossing the channel on small boats and now, today again, were seeing talk of spring tax cuts, including ditching the dreaded inheritance tax, all to smooth over voters. Joining us now is olivia utley from our westminster studio. Uh, olivia , are we going studio. Uh, olivia, are we going to be seeing a spring election to be seeing a spring election to coincide with the halving of inflation . Um, Interest Rates coming down and of course, Mortgage Rates coming down as well. Was it nicely timed for sunak . Sunak . Well, it is looking more likely that we will be facing a spnng likely that we will be facing a spring election. Up until now , spring election. Up until now, the general thinking in westminster has been that the tories will hold off calling an election for as long as they possibly can. Their poll ratings at the moment are pretty dire. Theyre about 20 points behind laboun theyre about 20 points behind labour, and the consensus has been that over the course of 2024, that might get a little bit better as the situation in ukraine hopefully calms down. There should be cheaper gas prices, which will. Take a prices, which will. Take a little bit of pressure off the cost of living crisis. In the meantime, inflation should continue to slow down, meaning that Interest Rates will begin to down. When that to go down. And when that happens, mortgage holders should be a little bit of a of a be in a little bit of a of a better meanwhile, of better position. Meanwhile, of course, rishi course, targets like rishi sunaks plan to bring down illegal migration, he is hoping that the rwanda plan will finally get through parliament in the first half of next year. And that should actually make a dentin and that should actually make a dent in those numbers by the end of year. There is new of next year. But there is new thinking that suggests that actually quite a lot of mps think that it will be better just to rip the band aid off and get the election over with in the spring. The thinking behind thatis the spring. The thinking behind that is essentially that things could actually get worse. Yes inflation is likely to fall, Interest Rates are likely to go down, inflation that immigration might finally begin to tumble. Might finally begin to tumble. But will any of that happen fast enough for an election , even if enough for an election, even if it is at the end of next year . Theres quite a lag on all of these things. The rwanda policy is still making its way through the first stages in the house of commons at the moment, so there is there are mps, there are strategists in westminster who think, no, lets hurry it up, lets get it over with. Lets get some big, bold policies out in the next couple of months and have an election in may and there is some evidence that those right at the top of government are getting keener on that strategy. Jeremy hunt, in that strategy. Jeremy hunt, in his autumn statement, promised a big tax cut, a big National Insurance cut and interestingly, he chose to bring it in with emergency legislation in january rather than leaving it to the beginning of the tax year in april. As is customary now. Is that because he wants people to start feeling the effects of that cut in their pockets that tax cut in their pockets before an election . Quite before an election . Quite possibly. I the way both parties are very much on an election footing at the moment. It feels as though we are gearing up to a campaign, but whether that campaign, but whether that campaign will be 12 months long or four months, well have to wait and see. With the labour leader telling his shadow cabinet to be ready for an early election. Um , how likely is that then . Um, how likely is that then . To speed up sir Keir Starmers pledges . Because theres still plenty of people who havent got a clue what hes what hes campaigning on. Well absolutely. And on on an issue like illegal migration, for example , illegal migration, for example, there are plenty of labour voters and even a few labour councillors and possibly some mps who think that keir starmer hasnt really got his ducks in a row. His plan for illegal migration is to smash up the people smuggling gangs in france, as he keeps saying. The france, as he keeps saying. The conservatives argue that obviously thats what theyve been trying to do for the last 13 years, and its easier said than done. The other part of his plan a returns agreement with plan is a returns agreement with the eu, whereby high migrants who come to britain illegally from france could be sent back to france, but in exchange , to france, but in exchange, britain would take a quota of migrants who land in the eu. Generally, that , of course, generally, that, of course, means that we could end up with more Illegal Migrants coming to the uk than weve got at the moment. Is a policy like that going to go down well with the general public . There are those in the labour party who think not. So, yes. Could in the labour party who think not. So, yes. Could keir in the labour party who think not. So, yes. Could keir starmer not. So, yes. Could keir starmer and his shadow cabinet now be trying to finesse a few of those really important policy points in preparation for an election which could be coming much sooner than they were expecting . Sooner than they were expecting . Olivia, just very, very briefly , how much notice does briefly, how much notice does sunak have to give before calling an election. Calling an election. That is a very good question, and i dont actually know the answer. Um, its im pretty sure its about Something Like a couple of months , so it could be couple of months, so it could be sprung on us pretty quickly. Yeah. I thought it might have been eight weeks, but i wasnt too sure. But olivia utley, thank very much. Live in our thank you very much. Live in our westminster studio. Um, lets move on now to the royals. Its been year the royal been a busy year for the royal family charles ii family as king charles ii embraces first year the reign. And last night we were given a rare glimpse behind palace walls. Did you watch the documentary . It was a look into the rehearsals for last may, the sixth coronation . Yeah , it was very good. Now yeah, it was very good. Now lets take a look at the prince of wales and his family joining the king and queen rehearse the king and queen to rehearse the king and queen to rehearse the complex and ancient ceremony. Lets a listen. Lets take a listen. The prince of wales has a key role in the coronation yes. Of course. Wow look at that. Food this is a chance for the prince to support the king as he prepares for his big day. Prepares for his big day. I think what struck me particularly is how extraordinarily affectionate they are. Theyre clearly a very they are. Theyre clearly a very close family, you know, of all the generations. And in a sense, the generations. And in a sense, you felt youre part of a family occasion as well as, you know, a royal occasion and a national occasion. As well. Occasion. As well. There seem to be a lot of genuine warmth there. Lets chat a little bit more about this with historian and royal commentator rafe heydel mankoo. Commentator rafe heydel mankoo. Very good morning to you, ralph. Very good morning to you, ralph. Thanks. Thanks joining us. Thanks. Thanks forjoining us. Um, itll be interesting to see how that documentary rates wont it . Because the kings Christmas Day message topped the tv ratings as nearly 6 Million Viewers tuned in. So it does seem like people have still got a lot of time for the royals. A lot of time for the royals. Yeah, youre absolutely right. And in fact, last years christmas message that he gave broke all records for the 21st century, when there were 8 million watching. So theres a very clear evidence that the kings succession has gone very well indeed. I think hell be very happy with the reception to his kings speech on various levels. And as you say with this levels. And as you say with this documentary yesterday , which i documentary yesterday, which i think showed, you know, the true nature king and queen nature of the king and queen behind all that sort of formality. Were very used to these types of bbc documentaries, even during the queens reign, we saw a more informal side to her majesty , informal side to her majesty, uh, in her documentaries. But i think this went a step further in sort of in candour and informality and reflects, i think, the character of his majesty, who we know has a great sense of humour also of sense of humour and also of Queen Camilla, who is the most down to earth and approachable member of the royal family so there some lovely little there was some lovely little scenes , king holding scenes there, the king holding up wings and up his robes like wings and saying i can fly. The queen referring to the pageboys with her know, i am with her as you know, here i am with the lads, and think that sort the lads, and i think that sort of each monarch has to of reflects each monarch has to put their own stamp on the monarchy set the for monarchy and set the tone for the i think were the new reign and i think were getting a good glimpse of the king here, respecting all the formalities coronation formalities of the coronation and realising and so forth, but also realising the modernise as the monarchy has to modernise as to be relevant to the 21st century. Ralph , following whats been ralph, following whats been a somewhat argued two years of attacks from harry and meghan when it comes to the monarchy, and charles, is this a bit of a pr win . This documentary, as you said, showing that lighter said, showing that the lighter side king and actually side of the king and actually rebutting claims in harrys book that his father, when he was a child. Anyway, things could have changed, his father was changed, but his father was quite cold and unaffectionate because we saw in the documentary really documentary some really heartwarming of charles heartwarming scenes of charles embracing louis and embracing prince louis and prince and giving them Prince George and giving them a peck on cheek before the peck on the cheek before the coronation yes, youre absolutely right. Yes, youre absolutely right. You know, there were two pr camps in the 1990s. There was dianas pr camp and the prince of waless pr camp. Diana was far more effective at getting over that idea that she was the loving, doting mother. The king wasnt as good at doing that, even though he actually was. He was so hands on with his with his children. And i think, you his children. And i think, you know, were seeing with the way he interacts with his grandkids also, genuine love and also, and the genuine love and warmth around, around his warmth he has around, around his son to the true essence of the king. And youre quite right. This has been a good pr move for the because know, the the king because you know, the first i said of the first year, as i said of the kings reign, is his chance to show and the show the nation and the commonwealth what type of a monarch hell be. And i think this documentary does it does in a way. Summarise this year a good way. Summarise this year weve a foreign state visit weve seen a foreign state visit by the president of korea. President here. President bidens arrived here. Weve seen the king win over the french and the germans with those terrific visits to germany, where he impressed them with his knowledge of germany , with his knowledge of germany, of german, rather. And in france , where he received a huge standing ovation from the from the French Assembly and also as head of the commonwealth, going for the first time to a commonwealth nation as sovereign, kenya, where sovereign, going to kenya, where of there were issues of course there were big issues about the marmoul about britain and the marmoul uprising. And we saw that he was uprising. And we saw that he was every bit worthy successor to every bit a worthy successor to his mother the way that she his mother in the way that she diplomatically handled that and won the respect of the kenyans. You think, ralph, that do you think, ralph, that being as its nearly four years since harry and meghan stepped down as working royals, that really we should just stop talking about them as much . You know, they always crop up in every conversation that we have. And dont get me wrong, yes, theyre yes, there theyre fascinating. Yes, there are a lot of headlines that they have , you know, carefully have, you know, carefully curated for themselves. But it is nearly four years now. Is nearly four years now. Yes, id like Nothing Better than to stop talking about harry and meghan. Unfortunately, im always asked to speak about them. Uh, but youre youre youre quite youre quite right here. You know, the harry and meghans, uh, fame is related to their proximity to the royal family and the further away they get from the royal family, and the more time that elapses between their last contact with the royal family, the less relevant they are. We were relevant they are. And we were seeing effects of that now seeing the effects of that now in america, of course, where weve seen their poll ratings take there , becoming take a nosedive, there, becoming increasingly irrelevant. And i increasingly irrelevant. And i think its time we all woke up to that fact and actually focus on the positivity around the monarchy, which is one of the few institutions this few institutions left in this country, along with the military, with our armed forces that actually serves as way to that actually serves as a way to unite i think we can, unite us. And i think we can, most of us, at least, can agree that a good thing for the country. Um, yeah. Some some would argue that they are talked about so much because they pose a threat to the monarchy like never some accuse harry, never before. Some accuse harry, or at least meghan, of wanting to bring down monarchy. Um, to bring down the monarchy. Um, but, yeah, it remains to be but, uh, yeah, it remains to be seen happens on that front. Seen what happens on that front. But agree would be nice but i do agree it would be nice to hear less of the to hear a lot less of the sussexes. Indeed, historia and royal commentator ralph rafe heydel mankoo, royal commentator ralph rafe heydeforjiankoo, royal commentator ralph rafe heydefor your o, royal commentator ralph rafe heydefor your time. Much for your time. Thank you so much. Although the duchess of sussex, i feel like shes been pretty quiet this yeah makes me this year. Yeah which makes me think theres whats whats she plotting announcement plotting for a big announcement on something anyway , you will of on something anyway, you will of course hear it here on gb news. Now, how would you like to win . Well, wouldnt like to win well, who wouldnt like to win £10,000 brand new tech and £10,000 cash . Brand new tech and shopping vouchers. You could be the winner of our very first Great British giveaway. Heres Great British giveaway. Heres all the details you need to know. Make sure you dont miss your chance to win three brilliant pnzes chance to win three brilliant prizes in our Great British giveaway prize , which can make giveaway prize, which can make your new year start with a bang theres a totally tax free £10,000 cash to be won, cash to spend however you like. What would you do with it . Well also send new year shopping send you a new year shopping spree with £500 of vouchers to spendin spree with £500 of vouchers to spend in the store of your choice. And if all of that wasnt youll also a wasnt enough, youll also get a brand iphone pro max for brand new iphone 15 pro max for another chance to win the iphone. The another chance to win the iphone. The vouchers and £10,000 cash gb win to 84. 902. Text cash tax gb win to 84. 902. Text cost £2 plus one Standard Network rate message or post your name and number to be zero one. Po box 8690. Derby de192. Uk only entrants must be 18 or oven uk only entrants must be 18 or over. Lines close at 5 pm. On friday the 5th of january. Full terms and Privacy Notice at gb news. Com forward slash win good luck. Still to come. Luck. Still to come. It was an incredible game wasnt it . If you saw it, Manchester United came from two nil down to secure a late win against aston villa last night. Is manager erik ten hags job now safe . You are watching and listening to britains newsroom on gb news. Great to have your Company Sunday mornings from 930 on gb news. News. Good morning and seasons greetings. I think you can still say that, cant you . Between christmas, its still technically the Christmas Season i so so yeah, youre safe. So yeah, youre safe. It is almost 1025. You are with britains newsroom on gb news with ben, leo and me. Pip tomson all right. Lots of very interesting emails come in about worst Christmas Presents a lot we cant read, by the way. Maybe after the 9 00 pm watershed, but what have you got there . Well, steve in wakefield oh, well, steve in wakefield says look at this horror. Gifted to my brother and sister to me by my brother and sister in law. Is that sexy steve corkscrew . Is that sexy steve corkscrew . Is that sexy steve corkscrew . Um, thats quite novel, though, isnt it . If id probably keep that in my kitchen. Im such a scrooge, though. I hate those kind of presents. Youre never going to use it. Where are you going to put them . Its taking up space. Its like someone gave once. No offence someone gave me once. No offence to person. Theyll know to this person. Theyll know who they they me they are. But they gave me a book famous last of book of famous last words of people their deathbed. And people on their deathbed. And im when am im just thinking, when am i going to read that . Well, you never know. Well, you never know. Holiday read, is its not a holiday read, is it . Im to take it on the sunbeds. No, but you might be, you know, at home with flu. Yeah. Think about things. But as other people the people have said, its the thought that counts, you know, and are absolutely right. And you are absolutely right. But have but its still nice to have a laugh your worst christmas laugh about your worst christmas prezzies. Like tricia says, when i worked in a large retailer, prezzies. Like tricia says, when i woman in a large retailer, prezzies. Like tricia says, when i woman camearge retailer, prezzies. Like tricia says, when i woman came ine retailer, prezzies. Like tricia says, when i woman came in and ailer, prezzies. Like tricia says, when i woman came in and bought one man came in and bought expense, an expensive vacuum cleaner, his wife. I said to cleaner, for his wife. I said to him, she wont be happy it came back unopened after christmas for refund. For a refund. Money back. Got her money back. Got her money back. Those coming in keep keep those coming in loving them. Gb views gb news. Com. Lets go through the biggest moments of yesterdays bomb boxing day fixtures. And if bomb boxing day fixtures. And if youre a villa fan, aiden. It youre a villa fan, aiden. It was a pretty rubbish Christmas Present. Present. Well, it was going brilliantly. Pip. Up until half time. I mean, the post mortems are being written at half time for man united. I mean, everyone assumed with Dave Brailsford in the stand erik ten hag would be stand that erik ten hag would be on his last on his last legs going but yeah, if going into january. But yeah, if youre i have to say, youre villa, i have to say, i mean what a performance in the first half they looked comfortable, they look slick, they everything i they looked everything i predicted they might the predicted they might be in the last but ill tell you last 48 hours, but ill tell you what, title what, if youre really title contenders, irrespective of whether to whether youre going to a massive arena like old trafford, youve got the places completely massive arena like old trafford, youve gand � re places completely massive arena like old trafford, youve gand � re plac since bonfire night. Its a now its about how they recover its now about how they recover from that. But for united mean its now about how they recover fromwast. But for united mean its now about how they recover fromwas a but for united mean its now about how they recover fromwas a big for united mean its now about how they recover fromwas a big storynited mean its now about how they recover fromwas a big story ofed mean its now about how they recover fromwas a big story of the mean its now about how they recover fromwas a big story of the day n that was a big story of the day because half time was because at half time it was curtains for ten hag it looked like. But then this is a sign of a bad culture because if a player if the players can just suddenly things around suddenly turn things around on a switch half time suddenly turn things around on a swit come half time suddenly turn things around on a swit come out half time suddenly turn things around on a swit come out and half time suddenly turn things around on a swit come out and look time suddenly turn things around on a swit come out and look completely and come out and look completely different side and turn the game around get a morale boosting around and get a morale boosting win . Where the hell have win . Well, where the hell have they month . They been for the last month . Why have they been for why the hell have they been for the last six weeks . Where . Where the last six weeks . Where . Where the they been the the hell have they been the last ten years . Cant you just yeah, why cant you just focus start . Focus from the from the start . About. Its a bad its about. Yeah, its a bad culture theyve got it in culture if theyve got it in them. I remember Alex Ferguson when he against leeds when he played against leeds back he criticised the back in 1996. He criticised the opponents because his manager at one managing one of his friends was managing them, leeds played them, and they. Leeds played brilliantly that night. That night they win. But he night they didnt win. But he said players cheating said these players are cheating their good their manager, theyre good players. Play their manager, theyre good playthis play their manager, theyre good playthis every play their manager, theyre good playthis every week . Play their manager, theyre good playthis every week . And. Ay like this every week . And thats the united some the problem with united and some of playing of the big clubs youre playing against. Against teams, against. You play against teams, you raise their and you raise their game and it leaves if leaves managers thinking, if youre dont you . Leaves managers thinking, if yourarent dont you . Leaves managers thinking, if yourarent you dont you . Leaves managers thinking, if yourarent you up dont you . Leaves managers thinking, if yourarent you up in dont you . Leaves managers thinking, if yourarent you up in the1t you . Leaves managers thinking, if yourarent you up in the table] . Why arent you up in the table with us . Also sir jim with us . Also Sirjim Ratcliffe and also sir Jim Ratcliffe was stands well, was in the stands as well, watching. 25. Watching. Hes just bought a 25. Wasnt stand. Yeah. He wasnt in the stand. He wasnt around. He wasnt he wasnt around. But sir Dave Brailsford, hes uh hes hes number two was was there what there i dont really know what sir going sir Dave Brailsford is going to do much sir Dave Brailsford is going to do background much sir Dave Brailsford is going to do background in much sir Dave Brailsford is going to do background in football much sir Dave Brailsford is going to do background in football and h of a background in football and hes record in cycling was hes a record in cycling was pretty good they money hes a record in cycling was pretty intod they money hes a record in cycling was pretty intod but they money hes a record in cycling was pretty intod but they that money going into it. But after that not when had not so good when they had allegations of cheating etc. But look, bought the look, they bought 25 of the club and ive covered it extensively few extensively in the last few few days. In control of the days. But hes in control of the football things right days. But hes in control of the footho things right days. But hes in control of the footho you hings right days. But hes in control of the footho you need right days. But hes in control of the footb to you need football now. To me, you need football personnel who understand the game. There are exceptions, but i Clive Woodward i think if sir Clive Woodward going into southampton back in 2005, guy 2005, it did not work. The guy didnt know anything about football. Was got football. Harry redknapp was got annoyed. From annoyed. He got ruffled from above the club, above and he left the club, ended up getting relegation relegated, didnt come for relegated, didnt come back for seven hag is erik ten hag job then is it safe or safer . Erik ten hag job then is it saf erik ten hag job then is it saf dressing room and that was very imminent. Certainly imminent on the pitch. Certainly in yesterday and imminent on the pitch. Certainly in the yesterday and imminent on the pitch. Certainly in the last yesterday and imminent on the pitch. Certainly in the last few yesterday and imminent on the pitch. Certainly in the last few weeks. Day and imminent on the pitch. Certainly in the last few weeks. Theynd in the last few weeks. They turned yesterday. Turned it around yesterday. Thats culture. Thats a sign of a bad culture. Fulhams whats this about fulhams goalkeeper naughty. Goalkeeper being naughty. Well he he wanted to get on with the game. His team were losing vitality down losing down to the vitality down at bournemouth of at bournemouth and he kind of manhandled the ball boy manhandled the, the ball boy just little bit. His manager just a little bit. His manager came afterwards and said came out afterwards and said i havent it. And then about havent seen it. And then about ten minutes later he oh ten minutes later he said oh well, know it wasnt really well, you know it wasnt really a he sort touched a push. He just sort of touched him. Had it, he had it. It was just em firm of e elee it was just a bit of a shove, wasnt i think he the wasnt it . I think he was the keeper he keeper was upset that he was taking his to give him the taking his time to give him the six it went yeah. Taking his time to give him the six hes it went yeah. Taking his time to give him the six hes six it went yeah. Taking his time to give him the six hes six footant yeah. Taking his time to give him the six hes six foot six yeah. Taking his time to give him the six hes six foot six and yeah. Hes six foot six and he shouldnt you shouldnt be really you know, raising to young raising his hands to a young boy. There precedent for boy. There is precedent for this. Eden this. Back in 20 1213, eden hazard manhandled a ball boy down no down at swansea. There was no punishment him punishment for he gave him a boot the summer. Punishment for he gave him a boot the summer. Yeah. Boot in the in the summer. Yeah. No. Yeah. No i think i think i think he sent him some boots afterwards to say thanks. Sorry. Thought so sorry. I thought the actual speak, so sorry. I thought the actuthat speak, so sorry. I thought the actuthat ball speak, so sorry. I thought the actuthat ball hadzak, so sorry. I thought the actuthat ball had the was that the ball boy had the ball on his stomach. Was that the ball boy had the balthishis stomach. Was that the ball boy had the balthishisthe mach. Its this is the thing. Its naughty because clubs naughty because the clubs are obviously instructing their ball boys keep hold boys or ball girls to keep hold of if youre winning, of the ball. If youre winning, then hold it. Make then just keep hold of it. Make it bit difficult for it a little bit difficult for the player resume the the player to resume the game. Its old trick. Know its an old, old trick. I know people of people used to do that kind of thing was a kid. Used thing when i was a kid. Used to be and girls be ball boys and ball girls at football matches and also the last do is an last thing you want to do is an away is get the crowd away keeper is get the crowd on your by. Away keeper is get the crowd on youyeah, by. Away keeper is get the crowd on youyeah, exactly. By. Yeah, exactly. Yeah, exactly. Well, mean, some of well, i mean, some of the, some houses some of the, some of the houses that go on were, were, that used to go on were, were, were knew someone that used to go on were, were, were a knew someone that used to go on were, were, were a boy knew someone that used to go on were, were, were a boy at new someone that used to go on were, were, were a boy at charlton eone whos a ball boy at Charlton Athletic the 80s athletic back in the 80s and they the ball they said, if you get the ball just on have just even raining on or have a bucket put it in bucket nearby and just put it in the water so that when youre when the opponent the when the opponent takes the throw, of hands when the opponent takes the tiso n, of hands when the opponent takes the tiso its of hands when the opponent takes the tiso its all of hands when the opponent takes the tiso its all stuff of hands when the opponent takes the tiso its all stuff like hands when the opponent takes the tiso its all stuff like that, nds. So its all stuff like that, you pitch. You know, on the pitch. Bournemouth run bournemouth on a great run arent they. Hes 19 out of 21 points. Four wins four wins out well four wins four wins out of doing well four wins four wins out of were doing well four wins four wins out of were were doing well four wins four wins out of were were going oing they were they were going nowhere the season. Nowhere early in the season. They and they they really were. And everyone gary everyone was saying well gary oneills now come in everyone was saying well gary on yeah. So theres still quite a because, a few fixtures because, um, i think manager a few fixtures because, um, i thin saying manager a few fixtures because, um, i thin saying i manager a few fixtures because, um, i thin saying i dont manager a few fixtures because, um, i thin saying i dont rhow ger was saying i dont know how many games theyve played in ten days. A heavy schedule. It i mean, he always schedule. It aboutean, he always schedule. It about the he always schedule. It about the schedule; schedule. It about the schedule but you moans about the schedule but you know pip that thats thats the moans about the schedule but you know in that thats thats the moans about the schedule but you know in english|ats thats the moans about the schedule but you know in english football s the moans about the schedule but you know in english football. ; the moans about the schedule but you know in english football. Dont grind in english football. Dont come you dont like come here if you dont like it because its part. Back in because its part. Weve back in the 60s we had football on Christmas Day and we had that sequence famously sequence of results famously when there were there were something as Something Like four times as many and many goals on average. And people were saying, these players are knackered. They cant cant perform. Were cant they cant perform. Were getting freak results, but the point part of the point is that its part of the endurance it gets endurance test. Yes, it gets busy around christmas. Yes, it gets easter. The gets busy around easter. The reason get paid a lot reason you get paid a lot is because tv Companies Need to because the tv Companies Need to put because people at put games on, because people at home its part put games on, because people at ho our its part put games on, because people at ho our culture. Its part put games on, because people at ho our culture. Accept its part put games on, because people at ho our culture. Accept it. Ts part put games on, because people at ho our culture. Accept it. Yeah rt of our culture. Accept it. Yeah we what think about we know what you think about that. E e very clear. Thank you. Whats very clear. Thank you. On Christmas Day, i was saying the same thing we need because they in the nfl now. They they do it in the nfl now. They play they do it in the nfl now. They play games. Play Christmas Day games. I know we need half the games on Christmas Day, half on boxing day. Then weve got entertainment. Day. Then weve got entepointnent. Day. Then weve got ente point these managers, this point these managers, they want breaks well. Want winter breaks as well. To play at so they want to play at christmas. Play in christmas. They want to play in january. Are we january. I mean when are we going middle summer going to play middle of summer solstice . Going to play middle of summer solzgreat thank aiden, great stuff. Thank you aiden, all , still to come. We all that uh, still to come. We are talking about hospital park. Are talking about hospital park. Do you go to the hospital and look at how much its going to cost you to park and, quite frankly, get furious frankly, get rather furious about it . Well, scandal gets about it . Well, the scandal gets worse. Despite a conservative manifesto pledge to end unfair fees. Yeah attacks on the sick. Some are calling it elsewhere. How will First Time Buyers, movers and landlords fare next year . Fare next year . Thats and much more. Plus, thats and much more. Plus, your worst Christmas Presents after your morning news with sam francis. Francis. Pip. Ben, thank you very much. Its 1032. Pip. Ben, thank you very much. Its1032. Im sam francis in the gb newsroom. Well the prospect of a general election in the spring is growing, with labour moving on to a campaign footing. Its being reported that keir starmer has told his top finalise their top team to finalise their manifesto plans within weeks. The labour leader has told shadow ministers to have their policy proposals ready by mid january. Policy proposals ready by mid january. It comes as reports emerge that downing street is considering axing inheritance tax and reducing income tax. The tax and reducing income tax. The move is one of a handful of pledges that number 10 hopes will boost rishi sunaks chances of win. The housing secretary of a win. The housing secretary has suggested to the times that the party will cut upfront costs of homes for First Time Buyers in a pre election giveaway. In a pre election giveaway. Commuters could face train cancellations and flooded roads as storm garrett hits the uk. Yellow weather alerts are in place across the uk, threatening to bring flooding and power cuts. Passengers travelling home after christmas are being warned to check their journeys ahead of time and travel only if necessary. Storm garrett is the seventh named storm of the current season , which started in current season, which started in september and runs until august next. Meanwhile delays and next year. Meanwhile delays and cancellations due to Engineering Works are adding to the travel disruptions. London paddington station remains closed, affecting journeys to and from south wales, bristol and the west country and to heathrow airport, london, Victoria Station has no Southeastern Services either. Until the 1st of january, hospital car parking fees in england have risen by more than 50 in the last year, new figures show that visitors and patients spend £146 million for parking in 2022 to 23. Thats the equivalent of £400,000 spent in car parks every day. The data, which was uncovered by the liberal democrats, also found hospital staff paid eight times more in parking fees. Staff paid eight times more in parking fees. Thats up from 5. 6 parking fees. Thats up from 5. 6 million to more. Than £46 million to more. Than £46 million. And as ever, you can get more on all of those stories by visiting our website, gbnews. Com. Gbnews. Com. For stunning gold and silver coins, youll always value rosalind gold proudly sponsors the gb news Financial Report , the gb news Financial Report, and heres a quick snapshot of todays markets. The pound will buy you 1. 2720 and ,1. 158. The price of gold is £1,626. 66 per ounce, and the ftse 100 is at 7733 points. Rosalind gold proudly sponsors the gb news Financial Report , still to come. Report, still to come. Is it a tax on the sick . The latest fury over hospital car Parking Charges. This is britains newsroom on gb news with ben and. That i knew had dewbs co weeknights from six. Welcome back. Its 1038. Welcome back. Its 1038. Youre with pip and ben on britains newsroom here on gb news. A quick couple of emails that have come in about dodgy Christmas Presents. This one Christmas Presents. This one from said my son bought me from peter said my son bought me a fake lottery scratch card and my grandson actually my grandson and i actually thought £50,000. We thought wed won £50,000. We were jumping up and down only to see my son laughing. We knew then it was a very cruel joke. Thatis then it was a very cruel joke. That is cruel. Gussied. Gussied. Goodness me. Goodness me. Gutted. Gb views gb news. Com were getting plenty of photographs to accompany your comments as well, so thank you very much. Now lets look at what is in the papers. Were pleased to be joined by author and broadcaster emma woolf and political russell political commentator russell quirk to look at the days headlines. Shall we start, emma , headlines. Shall we start, emma, with rishi sunak performance . Has it been a good one over the last 12 months . And what more has he got to do before this . Has he got to do before this . What were told is a looming spnng what were told is a looming spring election now. Hes got quite a lot to do, hasnt he . I think we can all agree on that. I think maybe one of achievements of his biggest achievements of the being getting of his biggest achievements of the it. Being getting of his biggest achievements of the it. Beinknow,ing of his biggest achievements of the it. Bein know, living through it. You know, living to fight day. I mean, hes fight another day. I mean, hes had some really sticky moments. I looking i think hes looking increasingly beleaguered, quite isolated. And i mean that jokey isolated. And i mean that jokey sort of video that he put out. What did you think of that . What did you think of that . I thought was odd. I i thought it was very odd. I do very i know hes do think its very i know hes trying of but trying to make a joke of it, but it kind of it just to me kind of crystallises. Does he have any crystallises. Does he have any political judgement . He political judgement . Does he have , uh, good advisers have any, any, uh, good advisers around him who are thinking about the situation that the country is in . I know its christmas. I know were all being hearted, i being light hearted, but i genuinely wonder was genuinely wonder what was his thinking about making that video. It meant appeal thinking about making that vid but to me it just sort of fell flat , um, that i what do fell so flat, um, that i what do you think . Because today were hearing aboutin because today were hearing about in particular. Well, i was just i was just to ask just i was just going to ask you. Okay give us your comment on that first. It was wholly i think it was wholly inappropriate. While i think it was wholly inajcountry e. While i think it was wholly inajcountry e. Almost while i think it was wholly inajcountry e. Almost burning, the country is almost burning, youve you know, youve got kind of, you know, sunak hes kind of emperor youve got kind of, you know, suna guys hes kind of emperor youve got kind of, you know, suna guys kind kind of emperor youve got kind of, you know, suna guys kind ofnd of emperor youve got kind of, you know, suna guys kind of literally|peror nero guys kind of literally fiddling, you know, messing around as everythings around as if everythings just a bit a i dont know bit of a laugh. I dont know whether video, do whether we have the video, do we . Wooden, to we . And very wooden, i have to say. Also, if you do watch say. But also, if you do watch it, watch hes holding it, watch how hes holding his pen. Oddest , it, watch how hes holding his pen. Oddest, most weird thing. Hows he holding it . Hows he holding it . Um, like you shouldnt hold a pen. Like youre pen. Like when youre three years learning write years old, learning to write at school, and know , you kind school, and you know, you kind of it like this . Yes of holding it like this . Yes its strangest thing. Its the strangest thing. Out. If you. Check it out. If you. If youre sure what were youre not quite sure what were talking about, have a look on social very easy to social media. Its very easy to find. What you think find. See what you think about rishi christmas. Rishi sunaks christmas. Um christmas message christmas video. But lets talk about what video. But lets talk about what is claimed theyre offering , the is claimed theyre offering, the sweeteners theyre offering , uh, sweeteners theyre offering, uh, over the next few months. So over the next few months. So theyre trying to appeal to young voters, giving them help to a house, uh, scrapping of to buy a house, uh, scrapping of inheritance tax. Do you think inheritance tax. Do you think this could shift the polls . No, no, because i think the last two years have shown the so called conservative party to be rather disaster, know, be rather a disaster, you know, mainly dont look mainly because they dont look and feel like conservatives. Um, and feel like conservatives. Um, i this kind of last i think now at this kind of last stage, maybe ten months, 11 months election , um, months out from an election, um, you know, to be so contrite and naive as to think by saying to a few First Time Buyers, heres a new scheme to allow you to get onto the first rung of the property and that now property ladder and that now might the. Apparently might make the. Apparently theres only 6 of under theres only 6 of those under 25 would conservative. 25 would now vote conservative. So turn that 6 into so to turn that 6 into something mean all theyll have to do an awful lot more than just buyers. Just bribe First Time Buyers. I think with a mortgage product. Emma. Sorry to interrupt, russell. Looking at russell. I was i was looking at the online to all these the reaction online to all these mooted tax cuts. Course, mooted tax cuts. And of course, this may re emergence of this may be the re emergence of the buy scheme. And the help to buy scheme. And actually everyone online was saying we dont about all saying we dont care about all this just want see saying we dont care about all thissmall just want see saying we dont care about all thissmall boats;t want see saying we dont care about all thissmall boats stopped. See saying we dont care about all thissmall boats stopped. And of the small boats stopped. And of course legal migration , which course legal migration, which the tories have complete control over and reduced the tens of over and reduced to the tens of thousands like some have promised recent years, which promised in recent years, which is well 700. Is well over 700. The legal migration, yeah, the legal migration, well 700,000 be well over 700,000 could be nudging a million by next year. Who think youre right. Who knows . I think youre right. And people not and i think that people are not fools. I think thats the problem a couple of months problem for a couple of months now, both now, probably longer. Both Political Parties have been almost the public like almost treating the public like fools. Yesterday keir fools. Yesterday. Yesterday keir starmer was saying, oh, do you know weve got a solution know what . Weve got a solution for rwanda. Well, rwanda for the rwanda. Well, the rwanda problem, illegal migration problem, the illegal migration problem. Well offshore them. You know, are you know, these are these policies around policies are floating around today. Hear about inheritance today. We hear about inheritance tax weve tax possibly being cut. Weve been stuff. They been hearing this stuff. They bubble float around. Bubble up, they float around. Are to be policies. Are they going to be policies. Are they going to be policies. Are we that both are they not. We know that both parties on an election parties are on an election footing. Think its time footing. But i think its time to start announcing real policies with real flesh on the bones. Maybe not at christmas, but soon, and just stop trying. I mean, you dont say, oh, were going to help you buy First Time Buyers. To help you, buyers. Were going to help you, but were going but were also going to help everyone, the rich, everyone, you know, the rich, the about the older people about inheritance tax and their children. You children. Were not idiots. You cant children. Were not idiots. You cant need cant help everybody. We need some up some realistic, grown up policies and at the moment, it looks starmer and looks like both starmer and sunak are of ideas or out of sunak are out of ideas or out of policies and are just sort of floating any old thing. Well, theyre going to have to get wriggle because to get a wriggle on because we could election could have a general election this spring. Russell, talk this spring. Russell, lets talk about elses about someone elses performance. King charles, his first full year as king. Are you a fan . A fan . I im a royalist , so im i im a royalist, so im a supporter of the royal family. I think king charles has done okay. And i think its probably a question of no fireworks. No a question of no fireworks. No explosions, really. Um i think his speech was okay on Christmas Day, although it was a kind of tinged with a little bit of woke, wasnt it, terms woke, wasnt it, in terms of, you earth you know, the earth and protecting earth and society protecting the earth and society and on. Think, we and so on. But i think, look, we know of king know the measure of king charles. What he charles. We know what he believes. We that an believes. We know that hes an environmentalist, although he now lots of now has several homes, lots of cars carbon the cars and a Carbon Footprint the size small country. Uh, in size of a small country. Uh, in on his own. Um, i think the one blot in his copybook , though, blot in his copybook, though, for me was cop 28. So i do not think king charles should have gone to cop 28. I do not think that he because it be that he should, because it be being political, and he needed a political role. Yes, believe political role. Yes, i believe so. He couldnt, of so. Um, now he couldnt, of course, away course, keep himself away because of his environmental credentials. I do think it credentials. But i do think it overstepped terms of his role overstepped in terms of his role as an unbiased and apolitical monarch. Um, so as an unbiased and apolitical monarch. Um, so i think as an unbiased and apolitical monarch. Um, so i think that was monarch. Um, so i think that was a bridge too far, but i think otherwise i think we should be proud of him, know . Of proud of him, you know . And of course, big shoes fill. Fill. Ema fill. Be takingvuld charles fill. Be taking a. D fill. Be taking a leaf charles fill. Be taking a leaf out charles fill. Be taking a leaf out of1arles fill. Be taking a leaf out of hisas not be taking a leaf out of his late mothers and, late mothers book . And, and, you apolitical, you know, being apolitical, never complaining. Never. You shouldnt know shouldnt really need to know what he is for or against. I think we anyway. Know think we know anyway. We know now charles was and now Prince Charles was for and what king actually what king charles i actually really this. Think hes ethink hes a e i think hes had a really strong first year. Still strong first year. Hes still dogged by family issues. That is, know, and the prince is, you know, and the Prince Andrew revelations are looming any got more any day now. Weve got more coming about the epstein coming out about the epstein affair. I coming out about the epstein affair. I think the prince harry and meghan are still a problem. So these really so despite these really difficult family issues, which are being played out in the pubuc are being played out in the public eye, i think king charles has had a very strong year. And weirdly, it. Weirdly, hes rising above it. I dont think the public are actually bothered that. Actually bothered by that. I mean, priced in, andrew. Mean, weve priced in, andrew. Weve priced in harry meghan mean, weve priced in, andrew. Vand priced in harry meghan mean, weve priced in, andrew. Vand fthink in harry meghan mean, weve priced in, andrew. Vand fthink peopley meghan mean, weve priced in, andrew. Vand fthink people reallyvieghan. And i think people really respect king the respect king charles. The response speech response to the kings speech i thought was, was really positive. And actually he doesnt feel political. Thats that speech at cop 28 was quite moving. And the speech yesterday, sorry, the day before Christmas Day speech. Yes. He raised issues that are sort of political. The environment. Well political. The environment. Well its about our earth. And he raised issues about the gaza israel. Clearly he gaza israel conflict. Clearly he was about, you know, the was talking about, you know, the conflict in the east. But conflict in the middle east. But if you cant as king, if you cant talk about world peace, if you cant talk about protecting our if you cant talk our earth, if you cant talk about communities giving to each other, your the other, whats your whats the point of you . I think hes actually doing a really good job and overtly and not making it overtly political. Russell. Political. Russell. Yeah, i think that his yeah, i just think that his role ceremonial. Its of role is ceremonial. Its of almost a kind of a ceremonial head of state. He needs to leave the politics others. As the politics to others. As simple um, and i think simple as that. Um, and i think hes in danger of overstepping the frankly. Um, you the mark, frankly. But, um, you know, not to say that he know, thats not to say that he shouldnt have view and an shouldnt have a view and an opinion, theres opinion, but theres a difference between being the prince everybody prince of wales and everybody knowing stands for and knowing what he stands for and what opinion you what his opinion is. Once you get role as a monarch, get into that role as a monarch, it is constitution that you are non political. And i think non political. And i think thats we need to stay in his lane. In my opinion. Okay. Uh something that is getting people going well getting people going as well today hospital car parking today is hospital car Parking Charges , patients and visitors charges, patients and visitors forking out a whopping £146 million for car parking last yeah million for car parking last year. Now that is up by 50 from the previous year. This is a point i think they scrapped. This is abhorrent and of course in other parts of the United Kingdom you dont pay to park in hospital. Scotland park in hospital. So scotland for instance. But the fact for instance. Um, but the fact that as either a patient or a visitor to a patient or indeed as a member of staff within the nhs , you have to car parking nhs, you have to pay car Parking Charges. I nhs, you have to pay car Parking Charges. I mean, its yet another stealth as were another stealth tax, as if were not taxed enough. In fact, we are taxed enough. Now not taxed enough. In fact, we are ta more nough. Now not taxed enough. In fact, we are ta more than]. Now not taxed enough. In fact, we are ta more than weve now not taxed enough. In fact, we are ta more than weve everv not taxed enough. In fact, we are ta more than weve ever been taxed more than weve ever been taxed more than weve ever been taxed in history. So think one taxed in history. So i think one is the amount of money that is now being recouped, if you like, gained by nhs trusts up to £150 million a year, as you say , million a year, as you say, trebled in two years, but also the faff when it comes to how you have pay for your you have to pay for your parking. Dont know if anybody parking. I dont know if anybody recently that. Recently has tried to do that. You real pain. So you know, its a real pain. So i think this should be scrapped entirely. And lets be honest, entirely. And lets be honest, £150 a £150 million as a as a percentage , almost of the total percentage, almost of the total nhs budget of £180 billion a yeah nhs budget of £180 billion a year, um, from a visibility from an optics perspective , you know, an optics perspective, you know, rather than the government tinkering with, you know, pints of champagne and so on, as theyve announced this morning, perhaps they should get stuck into Something Like this instead. Emma russell says its emma russell says that its a drop in the ocean compared to the needs. But the money the nhs needs. But isnt that isnt the argument that they need they can get to . They do, but theyre wasting a huge amount. Id love to know where actually goes. Where this money actually goes. Um, no goes um, look, no one goes to hospital for you go to hospital for fun. If you go to hospital, either very ill hospital, youre either very ill or youre injured, or you need some medical assistance. Some kind of medical assistance. You its you dont go there for fun. Its not. Even if were not recreation. Even if i were labouh not recreation. Even if i were labour, if i was starmer this morning or i sunak even, labour, if i was starmer this morningsay i sunak even, labour, if i was starmer this morningsay boom. Sunak even, labour, if i was starmer this morningsay boom. Thatak even, labour, if i was starmer this morningsay boom. That would 1, labour, if i was starmer this morningsay boom. That would be i would say boom. That would be something i would announce. Theyre you know, theyre scrapped. You know, that is that is something solid that they could people actually could do, that people actually care about. Weve all there care about. Weve all been there with elderly parent with an elderly parent or a grandparent sick child , or grandparent or a sick child, or a woman labour or whatever it a woman in labour or whatever it is know of these do is. And i know some of these do get exemptions. Is. And i know some of these do get if emptions. Is. And i know some of these do get if emfare|s. Is. And i know some of these do get if emfare the current nhs if you are the current nhs guidance is guidance says that there is exemption for disabled people, frequent outpatient attenders, parents of Sick Children staying overnight and staff working night shifts. Its still very , very its still very, very difficult as you when you turn up at hospital, are up at hospital, you are expected, some of expected, you know, some of these may be these exemptions may be its a bit arranging patient bit like arranging patient transport. I dont know if youve do that for transport. I dont know if y relative do that for transport. I dont know if y relative , do that for transport. I dont know if y relative , that do that for transport. I dont know if y relative , that d absolute a relative, that is an absolute nightmare. Trying to trying to nightmare. Trying to trying to get through that maze. But i genuinely think that that would be very popular sort of be a very, very popular sort of a pledge to a manifesto pledge just to aboush a manifesto pledge just to abolish them immediately. Yeah. Current guidance is in that current guidance is in force. The problem is the force. But the problem is the nhs trusts some them nhs trusts or some some of them at anyway arent enforcing at least anyway arent enforcing it. They what i mean is when it. And they what i mean is when you turn up at the point of entry, you have to pay and then you able claim all you may be able to claim it all and a great point, and also you make a great point, russell. Dont and also you make a great point, russework dont and also you make a great point, russework the dont and also you make a great point, russework the time dont and also you make a great point, russework the time anyway. Even work half the time anyway. They as on street they are the same as on Street Parking nightmare. Stress its just unnecessary stress when do is be at when all you want to do is be at the your profiting from the side of your profiting from almost of almost your the inconvenience of you going there. You know , for um, you know, you know, for um, you know, an unfortunate reason in the first place and then having to pay first place and then having to pay the privilege. Pay for the privilege. Its profiting misery. Profiting from peoples misery. The pandemic will i mean, the pandemic will have effect the have had an effect on the figures. Also very figures. Its also very difficult for elderly people as well, ringing up well, because of that ringing up special helplines , all of that special helplines, all of that kind stuff, they are kind of stuff, which they are debarred. Debarred from. Know elderly people we know that elderly people arent online, they dont necessarily have smartphones. All isnt just all of that stuff. It isnt just a in a machine. And if a coin in a machine. And also if youre someone, become youre with someone, they become sicker. Be running sicker. You have to be running in whole thing. Sicker. You have to be running in yeah, whole thing. Sicker. You have to be running in yeah, thatsnhole thing. Sicker. You have to be running in yeah, thats thatsthing. Sicker. You have to be running in yeah, thats thats parti. Yeah, thats thats part of the wider argument with with the loss lot of loss of cash, really a lot of these days you need apps these these days you need apps to apps on smartphones. To download apps on smartphones. And that stops a lot of people being, i suspect, people from being, i suspect, someone with a Business Brain could go save £150 could go in and save £150 million could go in and save £150 milthey could about five minutes they could about five minutes get diversity get rid of a few Diversity Inclusion managers. Diversity. Still diversity. Theyre still spending million year on spending £600 million a year on ben are there are there still . Im just trying to think about are about my local hospital. Are there machines . Cash there car parking machines . Cash only are a lot of them still only are a lot of them still only take cash . I know my understanding was that they were those phone helplines where you have ring up and you have to have to ring up and you have to download some on download an app in some way on a fast, isnt and then if fast, isnt it . And then if youve youve got 25 youve got if youve got 25 minutes, has minutes, an older person has to be through though, and be taught through it though, and its and also its very difficult and also pubuc its very difficult and also public transport is available, say, major london hospitals. Say, in major london hospitals. A if youre you but a if youre sick you cant , you know, if youve cant, you know, if youve broken your leg, how are you going there . Problem going to get there . The problem is you is many, many rural areas you dont have easy dont have you dont have easy access to public transport. So the really quite. The whole thing is really quite. Love to know how id also love to know how many fines are levied, the amount levied amount of fines that are levied for to for people that arent able to understand the parking rules properly. Notwithstanding the properly. So notwithstanding the amount actually amount that people are actually paying amount that people are actually paying tickets on a paying for their tickets on a day day basis, how much is day to day basis, how much is being levied in fines those being levied in fines for those we actually able we actually being able to . Every now and we get stories every now and then working night then of nurses working night shifts for weeks weeks on shifts for weeks and weeks on end, not knowing theyve been fined of some silly fined because of some silly parking intervention, and theyve been slapped with five £6,000 fines to shift half their shifts. Shifts. Pay probably, you know, and its caring. Its a tax on caring. Thats what people are calling it. Its a should be abolished. Did abolished. m russell, did you say Diversity Inclusion is russell, did you say dive|million. Usion is 600 million. Something that. Yeah. Something like that. Yeah. Something like that. Its yeah. Yeah. Goodness me its just shocking. Just so shocking. Theres much wastage and theres so much wastage i mean procurement mean things like procurement you know you can get a box of paracetamol. We all know you can paracetamol. We all know you can get that for 50 pe down the local the source. Local shops and the nhs source. Things that at huge cost things like that at huge cost £12 a box. Well the nhs still prescribe aspirin and paracetamol which you can buy ludicrous in boots. Okay, so would and theres still also sorry the biggest buyer of millions in the world. Apparently until recently was the nhs fax machines , fax the nhs fax machines, fax machines and fax paper. You cant fax anyone. What are doing buying that . Are they doing buying that . Yeah. Its ludicrous. It be more a vote would it be more of a vote winner then the tories to winner then for the tories to scrap the car Parking Charges . The car Parking Charges the hospital car Parking Charges that be to announce that it would be to announce what were told a is what were told is a is a scrapping inheritance tax. Scrapping inheritance tax. Well, inheritance tax of course is responsible for about £7 billion in income every year. It does only affect about 4 of estates. But its still a lot of money. Its £7 billion. The thing is though, as people are getting wealthier through property, course its property, of course its estimated that in the next five years or so, inheritance tax will be responsible to the exchequer for £15 billion. Will be responsible to the ex its uer for £15 billion. Will be responsible to the ex its air for £15 billion. Will be responsible to the ex its a tough £15 billion. Will be responsible to the ex its a tough one £15 billion. Will be responsible to the ex its a tough one really, llion. Will be responsible to the ex its a tough one really, forn. So its a tough one really, for them to abolish. Although, as them to abolish. Although, as emma rightly says, theyve been talking about this for years and years years, know, years and years, you know, almost every almost in every election, every budget like stamp budget, its a bit like stamp duty. They table the duty. You know, they table the fact these two things are fact that these two things are going be abolished because fact that these two things are goingwould abolished because fact that these two things are goingwould be olished because fact that these two things are goingwould be veryed because fact that these two things are goingwould be very popular. Se they would be very popular. But then, of course, someone like jeremy hunt comes along or someone treasury someone from the treasury and says, a sec. Says, no, hang on a sec. Politically, a fantastic politically, this is a fantastic idea, we dont want to idea, but we dont want you to do because course, you do it because of course, you need do it because of course, you neejust lastly, emma, thoughts just lastly, emma, thoughts on house prices for 2024 . Mortgage down Mortgage Rates coming down fairly swiftly, it seems. Are we in for another correction , do in for another correction, do you think in the next 12 to make any financial predictions at thisliterally week read literally last week i read the bank of england, the governor, no, governor, saying, oh no, no, rates going stay high for governor, saying, oh no, no, rawhile, going stay high for governor, saying, oh no, no, rawhile, goi|then stay high for governor, saying, oh no, no, rawhile, goi|then suddenly for a while, and then suddenly theyre a theyre coming. Its just a nonsense. The latest news is nonsense. The latest news is always you know, completely contradicted immediately. Contradicted immediately. Russell, youre a property man, arent you . Thoughts me just you to let me just take you back to the beginning when lots the beginning of 2023, when lots of experts saying of so called experts were saying that would that the Housing Market would crash by between and crash by anything between 10 and 30. Are down about 30. House prices are down about 3 year on year. So i suspect that well actually see little that well actually see a little bit of in compared bit of growth in 2020 compared to, in germany. To, say, 10 decline in germany. Add. I may add. I may add. Yeah, i mean, weve yeah, yeah. I mean, weve done considering. Yeah, yeah. I mean, weve dorokay. Considering. Yeah, yeah. I mean, weve dorokay. Conwillring. Yeah, yeah. I mean, weve dor okay. Conwill talk okay. Well, we will talk to you in the next hour. You again in the next hour. Thank you. Both are you travelling from travelling home today from visiting family over christmas . Do keep an eye out for strong winds and rain battering the country. Details coming country. The details coming next. A brighter outlook with boxt solar for sponsors of weather on. Gb news. Weather on. Gb news. Hello, its Aidan Mcgivern here from the met office with the gb news forecast storm garrett is bringing strong winds and gales to much of the uk through the rest of the day. Heavy rain and in some places heavy snow fall. The garrett moves across parts of northwest uk with its trailing weather fronts, bringing outbreaks of heavy rain, and as that rain moves into cold air across northern scotland, some significant snow above 200m and some blizzards and drifting of that snow as well. 20cm plus over higher parts of northern scotland. Heavy rain as well for many other parts of the uk, sweeping through, followed by blustery showers and gales with 50 to 60 mile per hour wind gusts for southern coastal counties of england. Western parts seeing 50mph wind parts as well seeing 50mph wind gusts and winds peaking gusts and the winds peaking across scotland later across northern scotland later in the day, with the risk of 80 mile per wind gusts, so mile per hour wind gusts, so some treacherous conditions out there during the rest of wednesday. Overnight, it stays wednesday. Overnight, it stays blustery showers blustery with further showers coming the chance of 60 coming in and the chance of 60 or even 70 mile per hour wind gusts in some of these showers across parts and of across western parts and of course, with the wind and those showers , its going to showers, its going to be generally frost free. But well continue snow over generally frost free. But well conhills snow over generally frost free. But well conhills scotland snow over generally frost free. But well conhills scotland in iow over generally frost free. But well conhills scotland in those er the hills of scotland in those showers. And then as we start off thursday , well, really, off thursday, well, really, its a blustery its less a very blustery day. Its less windy wednesday , windy compared with wednesday, but still a strong wind out there. Frequent showers or there. Frequent showers or longer rain. Still longer spells of rain. Still some hill snow across northern scotland will be some scotland, but there will be some dner scotland, but there will be some drier and brighter interludes in between. The heavy showers. Between. The heavy showers. That warm feeling inside from boxt boilers sponsor of weather on. Gb news. On. Gb news. Weve been asking all morning about your worst christmas gifts. What do you think of this one . Rosie youve sent us this picture. This was from your brother to wind you up. Goodness me. Goodness me. Where are you going to put it . Rosie . Rosie . Let us know. Let us know. Kim jong un, lots more to come at the top of the hour. Talk to you very good morning. Its 11 am. On wednesday, 27th of december. This is britains newsroom with me, ben elliott and pip tomson spring tax cuts and taking the axe to inheritance tax. Just the axe to inheritance tax. Just the latest sweeteners from the Prime Minister to woo over tory voters lifting the curtain on the kings coronation. Were you watching last nights royal documentary revealing the intimate details andinner revealing the intimate details and inner workings of the royal family during the coronation Manchester United came from two nil down to secure a late win versus aston villa. Is erik ten hags job now safe . Ten hags job now safe . And two days after christmas , and two days after christmas, were asking about the worst Christmas Presents. And were also asking you about hospital car Parking Charges. I think this has got you going as well this morning because of the amount of money being raked in by these fees, what do you think on everything were talking about so far today . Vaiews gbnews. Com. And we look forward to hearing from you. Lets get your latest headunes you. Lets get your latest headlines now with sam francis. Headlines now with sam francis. Pip. Pip. Ben. Thanks very much. Im sam francis in the gb newsroom. Sam francis in the gb newsroom. The headlines at 11. The prospect of a general election in the spring is growing, with labour moving on to a campaign footing. We understand that keir footing. We understand that keir starmer has told his frontbench team to finalise their manifesto plans within weeks. The labour plans within weeks. The labour leader has told shadow ministers to also have their policy proposals mid january. Proposals ready by mid january. Well, that comes as reports have emerged that downing street is considering axing inheritance tax and reducing income tax. The move is one of a handful of attention grabbing pledges that number 10 hopes will boost rishi sunaks chances of a win. The sunaks chances of a win. The housing secretary, michael gove, has times has also suggested to the times that the party will cut the upfront cost of a home for First Time Buyers in a pre election giveaway, the Prime Minister has said that he intends to call a general election in 2024, but opinion is split on whether it will come in the spring the will come in the spring or the autumn. Thousands of travellers autumn. Thousands of travellers are at risk of missing their flights due to multiple signal failures on the rail networks. East Midlands Railway said the issue is disrupting services between london Saint Pancras and luton airport. Earlier, a Thameslink Service calling at the airport was delayed by nearly two hours. Meanwhile christmas rail disruption is continuing as Engineering Works take place. London paddington take place. London paddington remains closed , affecting remains closed, affecting journeys to and from south wales, bristol, the west country and heathrow airport. Commuters and heathrow airport. Commuters are also facing train cancellations and flooded roads as storm garrett hits the uk , as storm garrett hits the uk, with multiple yellow weather alerts in place as storm garrett is the seventh named storm of the current season, which started in september and runs until august next year. Brits will soon be able to buy new pint sized bottles of still and sparkling wine. Thats as part sparkling wine. Thats as part of new post brexit freedoms. The new size will appear on supermarket shelves, as well as pubs, clubs and restaurants. The pubs, clubs and restaurants. The government says the move will offer more flexibility and choice for customers. Offer more flexibility and choice for customers. Campaign pint bottles , champagne and pint pint bottles, champagne and pint bottles rather were sold in the uk until 1973, when britain joined the european common market, but it stopped as they didnt comply with eu weights and measures. Parliamentary and measures. Parliamentary under secretary for business Kevin Hollinrake says the move will benefit everyone. Will benefit everyone. Well, hes really important. Change we used to be able to buy pints of champagne in bottles and wine, for example, before joining the European Union, so i think its an opportunity for innovation. Churchills innovation. Churchills favourite size of bottle. He favourite size of bottle. He said it was the right size for lunch for two or for dinner for one. So um, so i think its a nice innovation. Its something we can do now. We left the European Union. European union. Car parking well, hospital car parking fees in england have risen by more than 50 in the last year. Thats to according new figures. Visitors and patients spent £146 million for parking in 2022 to 23. Thats the equivalent of £400,000 spent in hospital car parks every day. The data, which was uncovered by the liberal democrats, also found parking fees paid by hospital staff has soared more than eight fold. Its up from 5. 6 million to more than £46 million in more than 200,000 shoplifting cases went unsolved in the space of a year , unsolved in the space of a year, new figures show. Only around 15 of the 362,000 cases were said to have resulted in a suspect being charged. The lib suspect being charged. The lib dems, who studied the figures , dems, who studied the figures, have accused the government of failing to tackle what they call an epidemic. Failing to tackle what they call an epidemic. The home office Spokes Office spokes a Home Office Spokeswoman, said charging rates for shoplifting are up almost for shoplifting are up by almost a third in the past year , and a third in the past year, and the number of people shopping in the number of people shopping in the boxing day sales across the uk was more than a fifth lower this time than last year. Figure from mri Software Found that whilst footfall had been 2. 3 higher for figures before 3 00 pm, it was significantly lower when recorded across the day as a whole, the group said. A busier start on tuesday was dnven busier start on tuesday was driven by a 6. 5 increase in high street visitors, and the only location to experience a rise was central london. This is gb news across the uk. Were on tv in your car , on Digital Radio tv in your car, on Digital Radio and on your smart speaker. Now, though, more from pip and ben. Though, more from pip and ben. Some thank you. Lets read out some of your messages. See out some of your messages. See what youre talking about this morning. What is getting you going . And in morning. What is getting you going . And in the morning. What is getting you going . And in the last few going . And in the last few minutes we were discussing these hospital parking fees, which hospital car parking fees, which have soared. By 50 in a year. Have soared. By 50 in a year. Um, pete in wales says im in complete agreement with abolishing hospital Parking Charges. However i abolishing hospital Parking Charges. Howeveri remember charges. However i remember before charging came in you couldnt find a space because the general public selfishly used the car park for shopping. Used the car park for shopping. And work parking. Uh, alice says when we reduced car park charges at a london hospital, the car parks became full with local office workers. Before 8 became full with local office workers. Before 8 am, we had to reset the charges to the local going rate to have any Spaces Available throughout the day. Uh hospital car parks should be free of charge, she says. Its not as simple as that. That seems to be a recurring theme, doesnt it . People abusing the system and ruining else . Ruining it for everyone else . Cant a ticketing cant they just have a ticketing system at system like they have at waitrose car waitrose or supermarket car parks . You parks . You dont pay, but you need to come in to need a ticket to come in to ensure its not a bad suggestion. Pete brierley says suggestion. Local brierley says suggestion. Local hospital � y says his local hospital has a terrific Brierley Hill in terrific system Brierley Hill in the they give you the west midlands. They give you 15 parking. Oh, 15 minutes free parking. Oh, okay. This is a very sarcastic message , he says. Who can go to message, he says. Who can go to any department any hospital . Any department in any hospital . In minutes . Takes longer in 15 minutes . It takes longer than that to find a parking park , parking space, car parking space. Yeah, i think youre right there, pete. Well, thanks ever so much for all your thoughts so far. Keep them coming in. Gb views gb news. Com right now halving inflation. Grow the economy lower, national , shorten nhs National Debt, shorten nhs waiting times , and probably most waiting times, and probably most importantly for some stop Asylum Seekers crossing the channel on small boats. Those were all the five pledges made by the Prime Minister last january. Minister last january. And today again, were seeing talk of spring tax cuts , talk of spring tax cuts, including ditching the inherited gas tax to appeal to voters. So when looking back at rishis five pledges from earlier this year , how many of earlier this year, how many of them has he achieved . Olivia utley tells us more. Shes live. Utley tells us more. Shes live. I want to make five promises to today. The five pledges to you today. The five pledges to you today. The five pledges to deliver a peace of mind, five foundations on which to build a Better Future for our children and grandchildren seven when rishi sunak laid out his five pledges in a speech to journalists back in january, it was widely believed in westminster that was being westminster that he was being unambitious. Unambitious. But 12 months on and the goals to halve inflation, grow the economy , cut, National Debt, the economy, cut, National Debt, cut, waiting lists and stop cut, nhs waiting lists and stop the boats remain to a varying extent unfold. Billed as pledged extent unfold. Billed as pledged inflation has halved this year from a high of 10. 7 at the end of last year to around 4 now. But thats the end of the unalloyed good news. Despite jeremy hunts get back to work spnng jeremy hunts get back to work Spring Budget, the economy has stubbornly failed to grow. For stubbornly failed to grow. For most of the year, growth has hovered around the zero mark, meaning we are permanently teetering on the edge of a recession. Theres bad news recession. And theres bad news in the National Debt. Quarter two. Far from falling, economists now suggest that debt is skyrocketing and the obr has said that the current trajectory is unsustainable. Meanwhile, nhs is unsustainable. Meanwhile, nhs waiting lists reached an all time high of an eye watering 7. 7 million last month. And with demand back to pre pandemic levels, they dont look set to shnnk levels, they dont look set to shrink time soon. To shrink any time soon. To compound the problem, nhs nurses and doctors have been striking on and off all year, and doctors at least look set to continue well into 2024. As for stopping the boats, polls suggest that the boats, polls suggest that the public believe a sunak has failed on this pledge to , though failed on this pledge to, though that may be a little unfair. The that may be a little unfair. The data shows that there has actually been a 30 drop in crossings compared to crossings this year compared to last. Hardly a last. It is perhaps hardly a surprising view on that point. On foreign courts , the on foreign courts, the conservative party is in civil war mode over the rwanda scheme, which looks set to be bogged down in parliament for many months to come. Meanwhile, keir is meanwhile, keir starmer is coming own solution coming up with his own solution as lost as the government has lost control borders. Control of our borders. I think the way to stop the boats smash the criminal boats is to smash the criminal gangs are running. Vile gangs that are running. The vile trade putting people trade of putting people in the boats place. Boats in the first place. The of the year, the at the start of the year, the Prime Minister asked us to judge him how he delivered Prime Minister asked us to judge hinhis how he delivered Prime Minister asked us to judge hinhis five how he delivered Prime Minister asked us to judge hinhis five key1ow he delivered Prime Minister asked us to judge hinhis five key pledgesielivered Prime Minister asked us to judge hinhis five key pledges. Livered Prime Minister asked us to judge hinhis five key pledges. Hered on his five key pledges. He cleverly gave himself some wiggle in the up the wiggle room in the run up to the general election, with the exception halving inflation, exception of halving inflation, he deliberately set he deliberately didnt set any deadunes. He deliberately didnt set any deadlines. But 12 months on, and deadlines. But 12 months on, and with ratings at an with popularity ratings at an all time low , sunak is all too all time low, sunak is all too aware that time is fast running out. Olivia utley gb news is out. Olivia utley gb news is joining us now in the studio is one man hoping to capitalise on any potential tory collapse. Any potential tory collapse. Deputy leader of reform uk ben habib. Ben um five pledges ben habib. Ben um five pledges at the start of the year can we not give rishi half a point for halving the number of boat crossings across . Is he halved them . Is it half . I think hes brought them down quite considerably. Yes absolutely. And be the first to admit and id be the first to admit when rishis got something right and he reduced the number of and he has reduced the number of illegal crossings of the channel illegal crossings of the channel, but that is principally due to identifying the albanians as being a significant part of the problem in albania. Of course, is the weather related as well. Be weather. As well. It could be weather. People are saying that weve had worse weather this year than in the watch the past. I dont watch the charts as avidly as some do , charts as avidly as some do, clearly, but you know, was clearly, but you know, there was a significant amount of people coming across in 2022 who were albanian, from a safe country to the United Kingdom, who obviously should have been returned. Has now got returned. And he has now got that agreement, not that returns agreement, not without with albania. Um, without cost with albania. Um, but he still hasnt really grasped the problem of the illegal crossings of the channel in, you know, just like his fellow European Union member state governments havent grasped the problem, maloney , grasped the problem, maloney, for all the talk that she had in order to elected, hasnt order to get elected, hasnt really stopped the boats coming into really stopped the boats coming intcproblem. It comes to how problem. When it comes to how voters will vote, i think its a very visual example , paul, of very visual example, paul, of how our government is failing to protect and promote the interests of the United Kingdom. As keir starmer said , made me as keir starmer said, made me laugh when keir starmer said the governments lost control of our borders of course was governments lost control of our borpredecessor of course was governments lost control of our borpredecessorand ourse was governments lost control of our borpredecessor and his se was governments lost control of our borpredecessor and his his was his predecessor and his his mentor. But his predecessor and his his mentor. But tony blair, who effectively opened the border, the United Kingdoms borders, to unbridled migration. But its unbridled migration. But its very, very visual, isnt it . We all know that the nation state thatis all know that the nation state that is the United Kingdom is threatened. Weve lost control of our borders. We have a of our borders. We have a progressive socialist system that doesnt recognise british culture, british values, british language, our history is constantly being trashed. Our constantly being trashed. Our economy is in trouble. We promote the interests of migrants, legal migrants. Im talking about over and above and to the detriment of the indigenous working population. All these are symptoms of the United Kingdom failing as a nafion United Kingdom failing as a nation state. But the most visual example is illegal crossings of the channel. And of course, the one thing that the tories can manage and can control legal migration is also somewhat argued. Spiralling completely out of control completely. A city the size of birmingham over the past two years. Yes and, you know, olivia kind of said it. You know, the second said it. You know, the second just talking about the economy said it. You know, the second just tsecond, bout the economy said it. You know, the second just tsecond, bout th office has ever reduced National Debt. Only way control debt. The only way you control national is by growing the National Debt is by growing the economy so that as a proportion of that, if rishi sunak had done something right, would you admit it . Because it does sound well. It does sound like you are on and im not saying this is wrong, im just putting it to you. Are you on a mission to obliterate the tory party . I am on mission to i am on a mission to obliterate party, obliterate the tory party, but not anything obliterate the tory party, but not conservative thing obliterate the tory party, but not conservative party against the conservative party its because the parliamentarians that represent the conservative party have taken this country to the point of existential , uh, evaporation. Of existential, uh, evaporation. Thats where we are. Suella braverman made a fantastic speech in washington, where she identified the problem. Of course, she was talking about migration , but the problem is migration, but the problem is manifold. Its in every aspect manifold. Its in every aspect of our existence, including pertinent and very importantly, the economy. And, um, you know, the economy. And, um, you know, we when you look at what rishi sunak says , hes hes got no sunak says, hes hes got no vision for the United Kingdom. What we desperately need, desperately need is Economic Growth. And you dont get Economic Growth through unbridled migration that might appear to hold up, uh, gdp. But gdp per capita reduces and you create all sorts of other strains in the economy, migration, because weve got a lot of vacancies. Yeah, weve got a lot of vacancies, but weve got 6 Million People in this country, 3 million before the before lockdowns, the pandemic, before lockdowns, 6 million now to a greater or greater or less extent on universal credit. Weve got a broken labour market. The priority of the government should be getting british citizens back into the workplace and at the heart of that problem is an overtaxation of the working and middle classes. And weve got thats got to be the priority tax to cut tax on working class, not inherited tax. By the way , will you be tax. By the way, will you be standing in against the tories at what could be a spring election . 630 seats. Weve already got 440 odd candidates lined up. We will be ready to stand right across great britain. Were not, um, were not targeting Northern Ireland because actually we dont have any conservative or labour representation in Northern Ireland, which is one of the issues that Northern Ireland suffers see the suffers with. And we see the dup, tuv and up as our friends , dup, tuv and up as our friends, as unionist friends of, of reform uk. So some would say you need to do what the brexit party did in 2019 and step aside to ensure a tory victory, because otherwise youll be handing the keys to keir starmer vote keir starmer if you vote tory and another tory and you get another tory government, youre going to get labour. Government, youre going to get laball. Government, youre going to get laball weve. Government, youre going to get laball weve had under 13 years all weve had under 13 years of ostensibly conservative governance is labour policies. We have all the symptoms of progressive socialism gone wrong National Debt, out of control, tax , nation out of control, a an tax, nation out of control, a an economy that isnt growing , economy that isnt growing, people getting poorer , a broken people getting poorer, a broken labour force. Can i just finish broken Public Services though . Are you . We are going to get seats. Its not sufficient for seats. Its not sufficient for reform. Reform. 4 million votes in 2015 with one seat. Whats changed from that . Were still using the first bad as first past the post as bad as things were in 2015, as much as people recognise the need for brexit, for the United Kingdom to leave the eu in 2015, things now are immeasurably worse. Now are immeasurably worse. The population is incredibly freestyle. They are irritated. Freestyle. They are irritated. Its a mild way of putting it. I cant say what i would want to say on daytime television. They are irritate ed to the point of um uh, you know , not homicidal um uh, you know, not homicidal tendencies. But um uh, you know, not homicidal tendencies. But you um uh, you know, not homicidal tendencies. But you know what tendencies. But you know what i mean . With, with the conservative government and they recognise people arent stupid. They damaging the they recognise how damaging the tories have been and how more damaging labour would be. And the only challenge reform uk faces. Its policy faces. Its not a policy challenge. Its not a its not a have we got the right people challenge. The challenge face challenge. The challenge we face is name out to the is getting our name out to the reaches of great britain. If we can achieve that, if people know we exist, they will vote for us because they are sick and tired of whats been happening to the country and the vast majority of people in this country are small c even those who c conservative, even those who vote labour are small c conservative. They want to see National Interest being promoted. They want policies, legislation, regulations that promote british citizens and the National Interest. They dont want to be governed through supranational institutions, which is the obsession of this government or through so called independent bodies that they keep up and stripping keep setting up and stripping away power from the democratic , away power from the democratic, because itll the proof will be in how you do out the election. In how you do out the election. It will. Yeah. And very finally are you attracted by a pint of wine . I attracted by a pint of wine . I was benefit. Was looking at that benefit. I mean, of all the of all the benefits that brexit offered, thats not the one would thats not the one that would have top of my, my, have been at the top of my, my, my, i mean, actually my, my list. I mean, i actually dont pour myself dont know what i pour myself when a glass of wine. It when i pour a glass of wine. It has to be full though. Im not for half glasses. I think if youre of youre going to have a glass of wine, thing up wine, fill the wretched thing up to top. I think it was to the top. I think it was churchill famously churchill who famously championed churchill who famously champ said. Bottle he said. A full bottle of champagne. Yeah, champagne. I think it was. Yeah, a full is too much. Half a full bottle is too much. Half a full bottle is too much. Half a is too little. So a a bottle is too little. So a pint. Thats just right. Man. Good man. Good man. Habib, deputy all right. Ben habib, deputy leader thank leader of reform uk. Thank you so busy so much. Right its been a busy year family as year for the royal family as king charles the third embraces his first the reign. His first year of the reign. One of the biggest royal events. Year was, events. This year was, of course, kings coronation course, the kings coronation last may. People from across the world gathered here in to london witness the big day. Uh, a momentous day, in fact, in british history. Obviously, if british history. Obviously, if youre a royal fan , not if youre a royal fan, not if youre a royal fan, not if youre a royal fan, not if youre a republican. Yeah and last night we caught a glimpse of the really fascinating documentary of that first the throne. And first year on the throne. And were joined royal were joined now by royal commentator mike cole, who can tell us more. Michael was was last a bit of win for charles . Yeah. Good morning ben. Good morning pat. Uh, well, it was quite a watch wasnt it . One hour and 45 minutes. Only slightly shorter than the coronation itself. I think it coronation itself. I think it was a win , definitely for the was a win, definitely for the royal family. But it wasnt a pr puff job. It was really quite profound. And i think it was profound. And i think it was hugely impressive to see the amount of love, loving care and great skill that went in to making it a great success. I mean, the crown jewellers, uh , mean, the crown jewellers, uh, expanding the size of the crown so that it fitted, uh, the head of the king, uh, the teams of brilliant , of the king, uh, the teams of brilliant, uh, ladies at the Royal College of needlework at Hampton Court creating the velvet, uh, cloak train for, uh, camilla, Queen Camilla. I mean, that was wonderful, but if you said to me what was the thing that i noticed more than anything, im bearing in mind that i filmed my First Television report about it. Uh, the king, when he arrived at michaelmas terme, 1967, which is 56 years ago at cambridge, at trinity college. So ive been reporting on him all these years. What is different now . And you see it there in that photograph, how relaxed, how happy, how smiling he is. I think we really do have a merry monarch here. And in the past he was very querulous at times he was touchy. He was difficult. Touchy. He was difficult. Sometimes he was in almost despair that people didnt understand him, didnt get him, and maybe he didnt even like him. But after 18 years of happily married life, i think what youre seeing now is a man who was inherited, uh, his true estate. His got the top job as the dear much missed Princess Diana once described being king. Uh, and hes grown into it. Its almost like a rebirth of the man. And its good to see michael. Michael. What do you think the next year will hold for king charles as more of the same . I mean, as more of the same . I mean, there are, you know , there is there are, you know, there is a little bit of criticism towards him about the fact that he still really dabbles a bit in politics and he shouldnt might he be a little bit more restrained on that front . That front . Yeah, i think hes actually he stayed away from that poisonous brew as much as possible. He learned during the longest apprenticeship in the world, 70 years. He saw the example of his mother, and hes kept very largely out of politics. But what i think youll see him doing, and its about time. Time . Uh, hell be about time. Time . Uh, hell be going abroad. Hes got 14 going abroad. Hes got 14 overseas realms. There havent overseas realms. There havent been royal visits by the head of state, by the queen because she was getting old and infirm. And was getting old and infirm. And the lifelong travel to canada and australia and new zealand and australia and new zealand and all the other realms overseas. So i think youll be seeing a lot of that and quite rightly too. And i think hell be enjoying it. Hes fit. Uh, hes, uh, quite clearly happy. Uh and i think that that will translate. And thats extremely important because those are the ties that bind us. Michael, you , um, you michael, you, um, you mentioned that hed been staying away from that so called poisonous brew as you described it quite eloquently, of getting involved in politics. But some would that actually would argue that actually going to 28 and climate to cop 28 and climate conferences and also basing his Christmas Day speech on the climate is exactly that. But michael cole, great stuff as always. Appreciate that. Royal commentator. We will you commentator. We will see you very, very soon. Now, how would you like to win £10,000 cash . Brand tech and shopping brand new tech and shopping vouchers . Well, you could be the winner of our very first Great British giveaway i here are all british giveaway here are all the of how could the details of how you could make yours. Time is make those prizes yours. Time is ticking on your chance to become the very first winner of the Great British giveaway and grab cash, tech and a ton of treats. Theres a stunning £10,000 in tax free cash. What would you tax free cash. What would you spend that on . Well also give you a tech update with the very latest iphone 15 pro max. And finally , well treat you to finally, well treat you to a shopping spree with £500 in vouchers to spend at the store of your choice for another chance to win the iphone. The vouchers and £10,000 cash tech gb win to 84 9002. Text cost £2 plus one Standard Network rate message or post your name and number to gb zero one, po box 8690. Derby d e192. Uk only entrants must be 18 or over. Lines close at 5 pm. On friday the 5th of january. Full terms and Privacy Notice at gbnews. Com. Forward slash win. Good luck. Good luck. Not bad eh . Good luck if youre entering that. Still to come make sure youre brolly is on hand. Storm garrett is on hand. Storm garrett is battering the coast. Well bring you the latest on you all the latest on the weather front. There weather yeah there are weather warnings in place. Warnings that are in place. They have extended for some have been extended for some parts the country. Hundreds parts of the country. Hundreds of scotland and the of homes in scotland and the north east of england are without power. Take care wherever go and we will wherever you go and we will bnng wherever you go and we will bring you bang up to date very shortly on britains shortly here on britains newsroom monday to thursday from six till 930. Welcome back. It is fast coming up to 1130. Youre with britains newsroom on gb news with pip tomson and ben leo. Now lets talk about the weather. What is it like where you are . What is it like where you are . Many of you might have begun your journey home today after the celebrations, but the christmas celebrations, but there are a number of warnings in place. Storm garrett is with in place. Storm garrett is with us, bringing strong winds and heavy rain. Heavy rain. Yes. The met office has issued nine weather warnings as britain braces for storm garrett to hit with concerns there could be transport disruption and power cuts. Power cuts. Our National ReporterTheo Chikomba, is somewhere in the uk. Im not exactly sure. Oh, youre in dover , theo. Thats youre in dover, theo. Thats thats good to know. Let us know then what it is like where you are. That sea looks pretty darn rough. Rough. Yeah, well, a very good morning to you both. So just over my right shoulder. You might just be able to see those waves crashing onto the stairs here. Winds of around 25mph. But as you say, there are nine weather warnings within the uk here in the south coast, in the south east, in parts of Northern Ireland, in wales , and the worst ireland, in wales, and the worst weve seen so far is in scotland. But its not affecting the central parts of the uk at the central parts of the uk at the moment. So we are still early in the day and its expected that theres going to be disruption for people who are travelling around, particularly those who are travelling from their relatives or friends homes following the christmas break in the last couple of days. So theyre being warned by the rac to keep both hands on the steering wheel. Would you believe because just in case believe it . Because just in case there is any problems , there is any problems, particularly if youre in your car and its going from left to right the roads. But if you right in the roads. But if you are near the coast, like we are at the moment, do be aware of those warnings. But also in the south towards portsmouth , those south towards portsmouth, those who would be looking to use hovercraft services, those arent working today. And if you arent working today. And if you are attempting to make that journey from southampton to cowes on the isle of wight, do bearin cowes on the isle of wight, do bear in mind that there may be some disruptions and cancellations today because of the high winds. Cancellations today because of the high winds. So the red the high winds. So the red funnel, Red Jet Services today. So do check before you leave just in case. But as i say in the north part of scotland, theyre expecting winds of around 780 to 80mph. And theres some disruptions with Train Services there as well. But thats at the moment. Its services there as well. But thats at the moment. Its very windy. Its probably not not the day. Sometimes you do see people swimming in the sea during the christmas break, but today probably think theyll be avoiding it just because of the high speeds. Today high wind speeds. Today and theo, are you the only person on that beach there. Person on that beach there. Well, there have been some talk workers. Weve been here for a while now. There have been going in and out, bringing their dogs, just going just to the middle bit there to take some pictures. But relatively people are safe here. So were not the only ones in this area. Yeah im just concerned youre just a bit concerned youre going swallowed up by going to get swallowed up by a wave you. Wave behind you. Tv , but yeah, itd make great tv, but yeah, youd bit soaked. But theo youd get a bit soaked. But Theo Chikomba national gb news reporter. Thank very much. Reporter. Thank you very much. Theo mentioned there that, you know, doesnt expect anyone know, he doesnt expect anyone to jumping water, to be jumping into the water, but have just but actually the rnli have just released urging released a statement urging people not to for a swim. Unbelievably. Its daft. Yeah. And the met office, also updated office, they have also updated their weather theyve their weather warnings. Theyve extended them heavy rain across wales and Northern England. Those warnings are in place in wales until 4 00 this afternoon and in Northern England until 6 00. So do please take care. Yeah. Please stay safe. All right. Um, lets move on. Boxing day sales. They were back with a bang yesterday as spending was predicted to hit a new five year high and presenter Clare Balding faced criticism after comments saying tv is full of average, overpaid men. Overpaid men. Tell it like it is. Youre right. Yeah, no, i genuinely am coughing. Not about comments. Luckily im im not quite overage just yet. I look about 17 safe. Yeah right. All that and much more to come after your morning news with sam francis. Morning news with sam francis. Ben pip, thank you very much. Good morning. Its 1132. Ben pip, thank you very much. Good morning. Its1132. The headunes. Good morning. Its1132. The headlines. The prospect of a headlines. The prospect of a general election in the spring is growing as the labour party moves onto a campaign footing. Its being reported that sir keir starmer has told his top team to finalise their manifesto plans just weeks. The plans within just weeks. The labour leader has also told shadow ministers have their shadow ministers to have their policy proposals ready by mid january. Well, it comes as mid january. Well, it comes as reports have emerged that downing street is considering axing inheritance tax and reducing income tax. The move is one of a handful of pledges that number 10 hopes will boost rishi sunaks chances of a win. The housing secretary, michael gove, has suggested to the times that the party will cut upfront costs of a home for First Time Buyers in pre election giveaway. In a pre election giveaway. Thousands of travellers are at risk of missing their flights due to multiple signal failures on the rail network. East Midlands Railway says the issue is disrupting services between london Saint Pancras and luton airport. Earlier, a thameslink airport. Earlier, a Thameslink Service calling at the airport was also delayed by nearly two hours. Meanwhile christmas rail disruption continues as Engineering Works take place. Engineering works take place. London paddington remains closed , affecting journeys to and from south wales , bristol, the west south wales, bristol, the west country and heathrow airport. Country and heathrow airport. And as weve been hearing, commuters are facing train cancellations because of flooding and road travel is also disrupted as storm garrett hits the uk. Multiple yellow weather alerts are in place across the country. The storm is the seventh named storm in the current season, with, which started in september and runs until august next year , and you until august next year, and you can get more on all of those stories and many more by visiting our website, gbnews. Com. For exclusive, limited edition and rare gold coins that are always newsworthy, rosalind. Gold proudly sponsors the gb news Financial Report , and news Financial Report, and heres a quick look at the mornings markets. The pound will buy you 511. 2724 the pound will buy you 1. 2724 and ,1. 1513. The price of gold is £1,623. 29 per ounce, and the ftse 100 is at 7738 points. Rosalind gold proudly sponsors the gb news Financial Report right. Report right. It was a big day of sports yesterday. Lots of horse racing and football. Lets go and football. So lets go through all biggest moments and football. So lets go throtourall biggest moments and football. So lets go throtour sports biggest moments and football. So lets go throtour Sports Reporter moments and football. So lets go throtour Sports Reporter aidan nts with our Sports Reporter aidan magee aiden. What was going on at both camps in the king george . Oh, it was a stellar race. Yesterday pippa i went yesterday pippa and i went through program through all the program yesterday, i think eight meetings for meetings in total. A big day for the for jump, jump and the for the jump, jump game and hewick the 12 to 1 shot. In the best tradition of boxing day racing. It just came from nowhere, i would say. I mean, i sat here a couple of days sat here for a couple of days saying game was saying that brave mans game was going allaho they were going to win or allaho they were both, i think 13 to 4. I think allaho was a real strong favourite there because bravemansgame wasnt able to repeat success that it had repeat the success that it had last but hewitt came last year. But hewitt came forward to as i say, gavin forward 12 to 1. As i say, Gavin Sheehan in the seats in the saddle rather, he was the third choice because the trainer decided that. The other two that decided that. The other two that he wanted, they just werent available. So he just threw in Gavin Sheehan because he was in form went and took it. Form and he went and took it. And was great of and so that was a great day of racing. Yesterday, we should and so that was a great day of racing. Yesther y, we should and so that was a great day of racing. Yesther mcvey hould and so that was a great day of racing. Yesther mcvey houl philip and so that was a great day of racingas esther mcvey houl philip and so that was a great day of racingas esthe laterey houl philip and so that was a great day of racingas esthe later thisyul philip davis as well. Later this parish, they had parish, of course, they had a horse running in the 1155 at aintree, a 25 to shot. They aintree, a 25 to 1 shot. They informed me, but it finished second. Golden glance. Wow. And second. Golden glance. Wow. And a second second place. Not quite the phil me put a second second place. Not quite the a phil me put a second second place. Not quite the a poundhil me put a second second place. Not quite the a pound each me put a second second place. Not quite the a pound each way,e put a second second place. Not quite the a pound each way, each ut a second second place. Not quite the a pound each way, each way put a pound each way, each way too tight for that, so didnt bother. Well talk football in um, well talk football in just a minute. Boxing day results. But lets just mention results. But lets just mention darts dont always darts because we dont always mention theres this darts because we dont always mentiorold theres this darts because we dont always mentiorold wonderkidzres this darts because we dont always mentiorold wonderkid ,es this darts because we dont always mentiorold wonderkid , lukeiis 16 year old wonderkid, luke littler playing tonight. He has won £25,000 already. Its a bit like playing who wants to be a millionaire. You know you win prize money as you as same as you as you go along. Same as you would in tennis and golf. And he he in he yeah, hes hes hes in action tonight against matt campbell. The popularity of darts is just astonishing. I darts is just astonishing. I mean 20 years ago today i was at the circus in purfleet. The circus tavern in purfleet. I had my laptop there, a box of quality street. I might have had had my laptop there, a box of qbox y street. I might have had had my laptop there, a box of qbox ofstreet. I might have had had my laptop there, a box of qbox of roses. I might have had had my laptop there, a box of qbox of roses on might have had had my laptop there, a box of q box of roses on migiothere had had my laptop there, a box of q box of roses on migiother sided a box of roses on the other side as bit greedy, and so as well. A bit greedy, and so we were get were struggling to get six paragraphs daily mirror, were struggling to get six pathe aphs daily mirror, were struggling to get six pathe sun, daily mirror, were struggling to get six pathe sun, in daily mirror, were struggling to get six pathe sun, in the daily mirror, were struggling to get six pathe sun, in the mail, mirror, were struggling to get six pathe sun, in the mail, mithe in the sun, in the mail, in the broadsheets, they broadsheets, because they just werent to werent interested and we had to do with do a little bit creative with some storytelling as some of the, the storytelling as well. Was well. Phil taylor, who was a guest show the other day, guest on the show the other day, he huge, name. But he was a huge, huge name. But now when i see i mean, they told me back in two thousand and seven, from seven, were moving from the circus the ali harbi circus tavern to the Ali Harbi Ali north london. Alexandra ali in north london. Alexandra palace. Isnt going palace. I said, this isnt going to youre not going to work because youre not going to work because youre not going to replicate the to be able to replicate the pub atmosphere a venue as atmosphere in a venue as big as that. I wrong its that. I was wrong because its such a brilliant event. Im going to go couple of days going to go in a couple of days time, think. Yeah, big time, i think. But yeah, big night action tonight. Raymond night of action tonight. Raymond van in van barneveld, former winner in i in action i think 2006. Hes in action today as well. Veteran compared today as well. Veteran compared to luke little. And there was i think telling off think you were telling me off um off you. People off screen werent you. People were something were saying was he something about he. About luke little saying is he. Posted a picture of his mum posted a picture of luke opening presents under luke opening his presents under the and said hes still the tree and said hes still a 16 year old at heart. But some people funnily, people replied quite funnily, funnily i wonder if luke funnily saying i wonder if luke knows about santa claus. Knows that about santa claus. Yeah, yeah, they saying yeah, yeah, they were saying to your school to him, youve got your school in and such in the morning and its such a unique , isnt it . Unique sport, isnt it . Darts, the atmosphere, the entrance music. Yeah. Wonderful. Proper its wonderful. Its proper razzmatazz stuff. It was always good, but it suffered a lull with snooker, the sort of start of really. It really of the 90s, really. It really struggled. Money of the 90s, really. It really strugglparticularly money of the 90s, really. It really strugglparticularly monand as wasnt particularly good. And as i say, we to get creative to i say, we had to get creative to get in papers. But soon get it in the papers. But soon it soon snowballed. Youve get it in the papers. But soon it s well, well show that if we get it, just quickly. Get it, but just very quickly. Manchester villa, that was the game of the day. It was so going so well for villa. I mean said that villa. I mean we said that united them turning villa. I mean we said that unitertheir them turning villa. I mean we said that unitertheir door them turning villa. I mean we said that unitertheir door them on,1ing up at their door at 8 00 on, on boxing evening. It was going boxing day evening. It was going so villa they just so well for villa but they just turned the second turned it around in the second half they half and i dont know if they realised of realised the severity of the situation, looked situation, but they looked completely they completely transformed when they came completely transformed when they camvin the net. A couple ball in the net. A couple of times var they times ruled out by var and they turned it around won two turned it around and won two nil. Three two. Nil. Sorry, won three two. Garnacho star, took the garnacho was the star, took the star won the star turn. Won the man of the match. Absolutely outstanding. I weve this i think weve got this picture with you at the, the picture with you at the, uh, the football yesterday. A look. Liam zampa football yesterday. I a look. Liam zampa football yesterday. I am. A look. Liam zampa football yesterday. I am. Oh look. Liam zampa football yesterday. I am. Oh hesz. Liam zampa football yesterday. I am. Oh hes nice. N zampa football yesterday. I am. Oh hes nice. Hes,1pa uh. Did you a uh. Ma uh. Did you a big cuddle . Did you get a big cuddle . Did you get a big cuddle . I did a bit, mean i did a bit, yeah, i mean i if if stayed longer i would if i, if i stayed longer i would have into playing have talked him into playing upfront we upfront for qpr because we needed the score. Was and what was the score. Was it a day. We lost two nil. It a good day. We lost two nil. Had great out. Yeah, we had a great day out. Yeah, we weve got some we always do it. Weve got some gb some great gb news has got some great friends qpr gb news has got some great frierthey qpr gb news has got some great frierthey that qpr gb news has got some great frierthey that well. Pr fan. They respect that as well. Great. Excellent, great. Excellent, great. You very much. We need thank you very much. We need to because still to rattle on because weve still got about. Uh, got more to talk about. Uh, boxing successful got more to talk about. Uh, boxirthey successful got more to talk about. Uh, boxirthey did successful got more to talk about. Uh, boxirthey did you cessful got more to talk about. Uh, boxirthey did you head jl were they did you did you head out bargain yesterday . Out for a bargain yesterday . This is britains newsroom gb out for a bargain yesterday . This iswe tains newsroom gb out for a bargain yesterday . This iswe tainbacstroom gb out for a bargain yesterday . This iswe tain back nsrooyou gb news. We are back with you in just jiffy that i knew had dewbs co weeknights from six. Welcome back. Welcome back. Its 1142. Youre with britains newsroom on gb news with me, ben, leo and pip tomson. Were pleased to be joined again by author and broadcaster emma wolfe and political commentator russell quirk. Good commentator russell quirk. Good morning. Good morning to you both to discuss the days headunes both to discuss the days headlines and we will start emma, with the splash on the front of the daily mail. I think it is saying that dozens of under fives referred to nhs gender service , under fives gender service, under fives under five year olds. This is absolutely ludicrous. I dont think any child at all should be anywhere near a gender identity clinic. I think weve seen how damaging this can be for a child to be told that theyre born in the wrong body, or that they need to question their is their gender in any way, is ludicrous. I think its akin to child abuse. I think we need to let children children. If let children be children. If little boys want dress up, if little boys want to dress up, if they with they want to play with traditionally girly things, whatever around , whatever or the other around, let children. This is let them be children. This is extremely confusing. Of course, we all understand. We accept that older children and teenagers may at some stage experience psychological distress. They may experience gender dysphoria. All of that. Gender dysphoria. All of that. Thats on a case by case basis. Thats on a case by case basis. Thats on a case by case basis. That should be a conversation between parents and and between parents and teachers and counsellors whatever. But i counsellors and whatever. But i think anyway, growing up is a confusing time. Shouldnt minimum confusing time. Fatyuldnt minimum age at all . Dont think children should i dont think children should be well, so lets say under 16 or under 18, dont know. But or under 18, i dont know. But i would set the bar extremely high. I, i dont think children of any age need to be in these clinics having their gender questioned. Questioned. So, so clearly the age limit should be because law should be 18 because that in law is the point at which you become an adult. The is the point at which you become an adult. The very an adult. And the very thought im violent agreement with im in violent agreement with emma. Very thought that emma. The very thought that a child years old, 12 years child at ten years old, 12 years old, alone or knows old, let alone 5 or 6, knows their mind and their body their own mind and their body enough actually go through enough to actually go through what be a very what could be a very psychologically damaging, but also medically damaging psychologically damaging, but also almost medically damaging psychologically damaging, but also almost theiically damaging psychologically damaging, but also almost the kindy damaging psychologically damaging, but also almost the kind of amaging psychologically damaging, but also almost the kind of an aging and almost the kind of an irreversible process that sends them down a route whereby they then believe forever or until its too late, that they are a boy and a girls body, or a girl and a boys body. I mean, frankly, you have to shine a light on the parents here. Yeah. Um, that dont then see um, that that dont then see this a phase it this just as a phase like it would believe at four would be if you believe at four years old, youre a dinosaur or your man or your barbie. Your spider man or your barbie. Right. Thats my your spider man or your barbie. Idoes. Thats my your spider man or your barbie. Idoes. Fourts my your spider man or your barbie. Idoes. Fourts old,y son does. Hes four years old, and probably not going and we probably not going to think hes 15 or 20. Think that when hes 15 or 20. Right. So you exactly. Right. So. So you dont that dont continue down that path, that fantastical path , when it that fantastical path, when it comes to gender, its an extremely dangerous thing. Of that. This its all of that. This morning my i have three year morning my i have a three year old. We had a very complicated for discussion over breakfast for me discussion over breakfast about the different genitalia. About the different genitalia. And i was explaining that boys have this and girls have that. That quite challenging to that was quite challenging to explain three year old. The explain to a three year old. The idea that children are old enough at that age to feel that theyre in the wrong body in any way. But what if you get really distressing the parent distressing as the parent encouraging distressing as the parent encalmostg distressing as the parent encalmost that they they get to almost that they they get to the point at 12 or 13 years old where all of a sudden these clinics suggest puberty clinics start to suggest puberty blockers,. Mean, blockers, for instance. I mean, again, of no return, again, the point of no return, whereby 12 and 13 year olds could be irreparably damaged both physically and psychologically by taking effectively something that changes the may make them infertile for the rest of their lives. That may be abhorrent. That may be abhorrent. I hold my hands up. Im not a parent, so. But. And you three, parent, so. But. And you three, you three are. But let me just ask a question. As a non parent, is there a situation in very , is there a situation in very, very rare cases where parents know their kids inside out . Could there be a rare case where. Yeah, and thats why i talked about a case by case basis. But i dont think that we should have schools wholesale discussing this kind of stuff. I just dont think its their place. Well, thats part of the problem, youve got problem, isnt it . Youve got well, the apparent problem youve got being raised. Blame parents i dont blame parents as much as guys. Actually blame as you guys. I actually blame the schools a lot the woke agenda in schools a lot more. Well, look, can we all remember being teenagers . Can we remember being teenagers . Can we remember puberty adolescence remember puberty and adolescence and relationships and feelings and relationships and feelings and emotions and our bodies changing . It was a really confusing time. The idea that you would make you feel different every feel different every day. You feel weird body, you weird in your body, then you feel the idea that at feel good. You. The idea that at 12 or 13 or even 615 that you would be settled enough to make a that will, as you a decision that will, as you say, affect you for the say, russell, affect you for the rest life. Rest of your life. Every parent that sadly, for every parent that genuinely their genuinely believes that their seven year old child and this is ridiculous my ridiculous by the way, in my opinion. Every parent ridiculous by the way, in my opin genuinely every parent ridiculous by the way, in my opin genuinely believesarent ridiculous by the way, in my opin genuinely believes their that genuinely believes their seven the seven year old child is in the wrong body, there is also a parent wants onto parent that wants to go onto tiktok their a tiktok and parade their boy as a girl. Is a boy for girl. Their girl is a boy for the of making the purposes of making themselves famous vicariously or indeed for the purposes of generating cash. Weve seen that on social media, where parents effectively are are forcing their children to do something that they, as a parent, want because want notoriety because they want the notoriety from disgusting. From it. That is disgusting. Do you one of the do you know, one of the biggest me as a parent biggest fears for me as a parent now is when my or now is when my child or children, two boys children, ive got two boys start school start start school and start interacting the interacting with the with the state and the establishment and im worried about, you know, what theyre going to be teachingyeah. System. Yeah. Which Education System is a real concern already my three year old comes home and talks about rights. And thats about his rights. And thats great he understands that great that he understands that he rights. But do he has human rights. But i do find it quite startling at find it quite startling that at nursery , theyre inculcating nursery, theyre inculcating this into very, very young this stuff into very, very Young Children three year olds children two, three year olds about their rights. And they say, going do say, no, im not going to do that. Thats not something thats by parents. And thats driven by parents. And i think are schools and think the school are schools and nurseries are interfering. Them have and just let them have fun and enjoy learn enjoy themselves and learn and play enjoy themselves and learn and play and yeah, more than 70 parents, more than 70 kids. Sorry. Under this scheme at the tavistock, should we talk about Clare Balding made what Clare Balding whos made what some say is a controversial comment by claiming that tv is full of average, overpaid men . Full of average, overpaid men . Shes been hitting out at the inequality , which has left women inequality, which has left women underrepresented in the middle ranks broadcastingjobs. Ranks of broadcasting jobs. Russell, can i just turn this around second . Imagine around for a second . Imagine if i said that was other way i said that it was the other way round, that there were too many women broadcasting , round, that there were too many women broadcasting, and round, that there were too many women broadcasting , and those women in broadcasting, and those that in it are talentless that are in it are talentless and are paid too much. Can you imagine how quickly . Its not what said. Well, its not what she said. Well, its not what she said. Talentless actually what talentless is actually what she exactly what she says. No, its exactly what she says. No, its exactly what she no, no, its more nuanced. She has said average she has said theyre average and too and theyre effectively paid too much. You much. Let me just give you a quick all the very, very quick list of all the very, very well women in broadcasting. Well paid women in broadcasting. Sarah fiona sarah cox, zoe ball, fiona bruce, lauren laverne, sophie raworth, naga munchetty, Michelle Hussein , laura Michelle Hussein, laura kuenssberg, Victoria Derbyshire , kuenssberg, Victoria Derbyshire, susanna reid i mean, come on, these people are on three, four, £500,000 a year. Zoe ball is on a million. Barton has essentially joey barton has essentially done past couple of done that in the past couple of weeks been lambasted, weeks and hes been lambasted, hasnt with sport. He says, i dont to mens dont want to watch mens football women in football with women involved in it or even watch womens football, because the standard isnt as good and its caused an almighty row , some calling almighty row, some calling him far bigot and far right and a bigot and i would agree with him. Woman and i still im a woman and i still prefer mens football, prefer watching mens football, but thats because liverpool are at today. But thats because liverpool are at was today. But thats because liverpool are at was talking today. But thats because liverpool are at was talking about|y. Well, he was talking about commentators almost suggesting that commentate that women cannot commentate on clare saying Clare Balding was saying was that lots lots of that there are lots and lots of average supremely well, average men paid supremely well, and to be woman, to be and that to be a woman, to be that, be of those women that, to be one of those women on list, have be on your list, they have to be exceptional. A exceptional. So shes making a i mean, the bar is mean, look, im not the bar is higher. Yeah. The bar higher. Higher. Yeah. The bar is higher. And have to really rise and that you have to really rise to the top, whereas there are lots just bumbling along. To the top, whereas there are lots shes just bumbling along. To the top, whereas there are lots shes justevenibling along. To the top, whereas there are lots shes justevenibling athat. Shes shes not even saying that she average. She wants women to be average. Shes equal isnt pointing the isnt she just pointing the finger at herself calling finger at herself and calling herself . Herself exceptional . Was on a there, look, it was on a walking the dog. The dog podcast. Her walking the dog podcast. Her walking the dog podcast. Know i think when do you know what i think when it comes to people that it when it comes to people that insist making everything it when it comes to people that insist gendering everything it when it comes to people that insist gender or| everything it when it comes to people that insist gender or| eveior� ning it when it comes to people that insist gender or| eveior sog it when it comes to people that insist gender or| eveior so on, about gender or race or so on, what this does is the opposite of binding us together as a society. Know, king charles society. You know, king charles talked this on christmas society. You know, king charles talkvin this on christmas society. You know, king charles talkvin speech on christmas society. You know, king charles talkvin speech. N christmas society. You know, king charles talkvin speech. Ichristmas society. You know, king charles talkvin speech. It isistmas day in his speech. It is divisive. The fact that clare divisive. The fact that Clare Balding says this balding comes out and says this stuff, actually stuff, when women actually are doing as as do you doing just as well as who do you think she referring to . Think she was referring to . Should name drop anyone . Should we name drop anyone . Gary was the gary lineker well, that was the first one that came to my mind. Hoping youd that. I was hoping youd say that. I was hoping youd say that. Thats and thats a fair. Thats a fair point. Suspect, given fair point. I suspect, given that hes on million of that hes on £12 million of taxpayers her taxpayers money, i think her point are have point is, is that women are have to so much harder, um, to to work so much harder, um, to be treated equally. Yeah, but youre here on merit, arent you, pip . Well, i would hope so. There you go. I would if you go. I would hope so. If i wasnt, probably rather wasnt, then id probably rather not here. Not be here. Exactly. Exactly. No, pip exceptional. No, no, pip is exceptional. Pip cant just be average. And im average, im not saying ben is average, but what her point. Clare baldings walking the baldings point is walking the dog. I dont know why she was making her point in her walking the dog. Who she make the who who did she make the point and she talks she walks a dog and she talks while she does. Is one of these podcasts on her phone . Think. Her phone . I think. Clare. I think shes great. Clare. Im fan and im a big horse racing fan and shes you know, a supreme shes been you know, a supreme talent. Yeah. On that front. Shes but yeah, and shes in a challenging field. You know Sports Broadcasting is more probably is more competitive for, for women. But who knows. I think she should be asking the question. I mean, shes apparently bbc, the question. I mean, shes apparon ly bbc, the question. I mean, shes apparon about bbc, the question. I mean, shes apparon about £200,000 bbc, the question. I mean, shes apparon about £200,000 year. The question. I mean, shes appar which ut £200,000 year. The question. I mean, shes apparwhich which� 0,000 year. Yeah. Which which is a fair, fair money. Fair amount of money. Its nothing like , yeah, but its nothing like, why times less why is she on five times less than . Than zoe ball . I dont see zoe ball as being than zoe ball . Itimes see zoe ball as being than zoe ball . Itimes moreioe ball as being than zoe ball . Itimes more talentedis being than zoe ball . Itimes more talented than ng five times more talented than clare be Clare Balding. That should be an argument, ever argument, but have you ever understood pay . Understood the pay . Salary, the salaries the pay salary, the salaries that ever . That the bbc ever . Well, there you go. They make no to me at all. No sense to me at all. You pay gary lineker why you pay gary lineker 1. 3 million. Why you pay gary lineker1. 3 million. Yeah women have to overperform stay level with overperform to stay level with the man , is what she had the average man, is what she had to say. So we have to work a lot harder to prove ourselves. You about that . Harder to prove ourselves. I you about that . Harder to prove ourselves. I agree you about that . Harder to prove ourselves. I agree foru about that . Harder to prove ourselves. I agree for me about that . Harder to prove ourselves. I agree for me personally,it . I agree for me personally, i dont think its ever been a problem for me , but im sure problem for me, but im sure theres women that i know wholl probably text me after the show to say, yeah, absolutely. Probably text me after the show to el y, yeah, absolutely. Probably text me after the show to el y, yelikeabsolutely. Probably text me after the show to el y, yelike it. Olutely. Probably text me after the show to smaybe ike it. Olutely. Probably text me after the show to maybe the it. Olutely. Probably text me after the show to maybe the point ely. Probably text me after the show to maybe the point isy. Probably text me after the show to maybe the point is a bit maybe the point is a bit more nuanced. Maybe women nuanced. Pick maybe that women are things, are judged on other things, because we talk about because i think if we talk about appearance the women, appearance or the age of women, those probably more those things are probably more relevant. You get relevant. I think that you get an awful lot of men who are like russell, a little bit greying around whereas around the temples, whereas you dont tv who are dont see women in tv who are not perfectly quaffed and maintained and all of that. So i think maybe the appearance thing for me is more of a ageism. Lets just something lets just do something very, very guys, very light and very quick, guys, because to read out some because we want to read out some viewers your worst viewers messages. Your worst Christmas Present, emma. Year, when covid that first year, when covid was real, i covid. That was real, i got covid. That first christmas i lost my first christmas and i lost my sense taste and smell. That first christmas and i lost my senshorrid. Ste and smell. That first christmas and i lost my senshorrid. Ie and smell. That first christmas and i lost my senshorrid. I never smell. That first christmas and i lost my senshorrid. I never gotell. That first christmas and i lost my senshorrid. I never gotell again was horrid. I never got it again , but it was a nasty Christmas Present. Got . I had , but it was a nasty christmas presalt. Got . I had , but it was a nasty christmas presalt. Month got . I had , but it was a nasty christmas presalt. Month old. . I had like a two month old. Got your smell back . Have you got your smell back . Yeah yeah, its all back. Back. It wasnt its all back. But it wasnt a proper covid. A fun it was proper covid. Lot of people would yeah, a lot of people would relate that russell. Yeah, a lot of people would relate mine|t russell. Yeah, a lot of people would relate mine isiussell. Yeah, a lot of people would relate mine is almost and so mine is almost my best and my worst. I dont know what to do bought my worst. I dont know what to d it looks beautiful. Its sat there on my shelf, but i cant eat because its nice. Eat it because its so nice. Do . What do i do . What do i do . You just want to bite into the wheel. Exactly, cant, can i . Exactly, but i cant, can i . Exactly, but i cant, can i . Want hear about i dont want to hear about any chocolate. Actually, i dont want to hear about any the chocolate. Actually, i dont want to hear about any the ch0vcoupleactually, i dont want to hear about any the ch0vcouple of ually, i dont want to hear about any the ch0vcouple of days, after the last couple of days, im for im done with it, i think for a good couple of months. Kept us well, youve kept us entertained all morning by telling about worst telling us about your worst Christmas Present, sending pictures in as well. So thank you howard says. I you so much. Howard says. I received a bottle of received a bad bottle of aftershave from my aunt and had aftershave from my aunt and had a beard and moustache for a full beard and moustache for quite years. Quite a few years. Colin my sister got the colin says my sister got the worst a joke. The worst present as a joke. The parcel said something for your neck. Parcel said something for your neck. When opened. A neck. When opened. It was a scrubbing brush. Some years ago, says frank. My some years ago, says frank. My wife gave me a Christmas Present of a special edition jar of marmite. Oh, i love marmite. Now hes marmite. Had gold now hes marmite. Had gold flecks in it. She bought it apparently in the autumn from one of from one of what he says was a Bargain Basement store when he opened it on Christmas Day its sell day. It had gone past its sell by date. I would be devastate , gutted. Id be delighted getting some marmite for christmas, gary says. I marmite for christmas, gary says. I remember one christmas my brother bought our mum two toilet and a small packet toilet rolls and a small packet of daz dairy. Why would you do of daz dairy. Why would you do that . Theres practical very quickly. Your your worst present. Your your worst present. My worst present would have to be, um turkish delight because i hate the stuff. Hate because i hate the stuff. Hate the stuff. But thank you so much. And thank you to you both. Thank you to you at home or wherever youre watching and listening to us from, uh, its been great fun. This morning. That it from britains that is it from britains newsroom. Were back tomorrow. See you then. Next is yes. See you then. Up next is good britain with yes. See you then. Up next is good carver. Britain with yes. See you then. Up next is good carver. Wellitain with yes. See you then. Up next is good carver. Well see with yes. See you then. Up next is good carver. Well see you1 tomorrow. It is. Im flying solo yes it is. Im flying solo today on good afternoon britain. Its me. Emily carver, with you 3 00. Just had some you until 3 00. Just had some breaking chancellor , breaking news. The chancellor, jeremy announced that jeremy hunt, has announced that the Spring Budget will be on the 6th of march, but will it be accompanied bold tax accompanied by some bold tax cuts that people want . Well let cuts that people want . Well let you know. Also, Ricky Gervais has under a bit fire has been under a bit of fire following latest netflix following his latest netflix special. Ill reveal reveal why . But looks like things are heating up. Heating up. Boxt boilers sponsor of weather on gb news is. Weather on gb news is. Hello, its Aidan Mcgivern here from the met office, with the gb news forecast storm. Gareth is bringing strong winds and gales to much of the uk through the rest of the day. Heavy rain and in some places heavy snowfall. All the garretts heavy snowfall. All the garretts moves across parts of north west uk , with its trailing weather uk, with its trailing weather fronts bringing outbreaks of heavy rain. And as that rain heavy rain. And as that rain moves into cold air across northern scotland, some significant snow above 200m and some blizzards and drifting of that snow as well. 20cm plus over higher parts of northern scotland. Heavy rain as well for scotland. Heavy rain as well for many other parts of the uk, sweeping through, followed by blustery showers and gales. With blustery showers and gales. With 50 to 60 mile per hour wind gusts for southern coastal counties of england. Western parts seeing 50 mile per parts as well seeing 50 mile per hour gusts winds hour wind gusts and the winds peaking northern scotland hour wind gusts and the winds peakiin northern scotland hour wind gusts and the winds peakiin the northern scotland hour wind gusts and the winds peakiin the day, orthern scotland hour wind gusts and the winds peakiin the day, withrn scotland hour wind gusts and the winds peakiin the day, with the vcotland hour wind gusts and the winds peakiin the day, with the riskand later in the day, with the risk of 80 mile per hour wind gusts, so treacherous conditions so some treacherous conditions out during rest of out there during the rest of wednesday overnight, stays wednesday. Overnight, it stays blustery, with further showers coming chance of 60 coming in and the chance of 60 or even 70 mile per hour wind gusts in some of these showers across and of across western parts and of course, with the wind and those showers , its going be showers, its going to be generally free. But well generally frost free. But well continue snow over continue to see some snow over the hills of scotland in those showers. And then as we start off thursday, what really, its a its less a very blustery day. Its less windy with wednesday, windy compared with wednesday, but a strong wind out but still a strong wind out there. Frequent or there. Frequent showers or longer spells of rain. Still some snow across northern some hill snow across northern scotland, there will be some scotland, but there will be some dner scotland, but there will be some drier brighter interludes in drier and brighter interludes in between. The heavy showers. Between. The heavy showers. That feeling inside from that warm feeling inside from boxt boilers , sponsors of boxt boilers, sponsors of weather on. Gb news. Good afternoon britain. It is good afternoon britain. It is 12 00 on wednesday. The 27th of december. Rishi sunak ring giveaway. Its just been announced just moments ago that the Spring Budget will take place on march the 6th. The Prime Minister is said to have demanded a gear change on tax. Hes looking at axing inheritance tax altogether, shaking income tax ahead of shaking up income tax ahead of the next general election. Will the next general election. Will it be a bold budget and storm garrett chaos . The met office garrett chaos . The met office has issued nine yellow weather warnings across the uk as travellers are warned of potentially Hazardous Conditions on road and rail and shoplifting