hello and welcome. i'm alastair stewart and for the next 2 hours i'll be keeping you company here on tv and radio with the stories that really matter across the country. we've plenty coming up today, including have you got ideas that your already putting into place to stretch those shopping power and those gallons of fuel as the cost of living crisis grips us in the run up to christmas , we'll be chatting to christmas, we'll be chatting to a real range of guests on how britons will be adapting survive

this winter and building the businesses. also that promise a better tomorrow . so all of that better tomorrow. so all of that to come and we really want to hear from you . but first, let's hear from you. but first, let's bnng hear from you. but first, let's bring you right up to date with, all of the day's news. here's tatyana sanchez . thank you tatyana sanchez. thank you alastair. good afternoon. 12:01. this is the latest from gb newsroom. some breaking news to bnng newsroom. some breaking news to bring you. at least eight people have died and 13 are missing after a landslide in italy. the incident happened on the holiday island of ischia , which has been island of ischia, which has been hit heavy rain in days. hit by heavy rain in days. emergency services say they are continuing the search and rescue operation as buildings have been engulfed by the landslide. we'll bnng engulfed by the landslide. we'll bring you more on this as we get it . an independent review into it. an independent review into the london fire brigade has found the service to be in situ a misogynist and racist. found the service to be in situ a misogynist and racist . well, a misogynist and racist. well, our national reporter theo

chikomba is outside lfb headquarters for us. theo, what can you tell us about this new report .7 yes, that's right . it's report? yes, that's right. it's a report looking into the culture here at the london fire brigade. this report was commissioned in 2020 when a trainee took his life. he had asked for support and asked to be moved a number of times . but be moved a number of times. but that didn't happen. now as a former chief crown prosecutor in the north—west says, the london fire brigade is institutionally misogynistic and racist. just an example in this report, a black firefighter had a noose put by his locker . a female firefighter his locker. a female firefighter had a video inappropriate a video of a exposing himself sent her. now the commissioner , you her. now the commissioner, you know has said that there's no for discrimination and harassment and bullying in the bngade harassment and bullying in the brigade around 2000 staff who are still working in the force and those who have left gave their testimonies in this independent report . thank you

independent report. thank you very much, theo, for that. we'll bnng very much, theo, for that. we'll bring you on that story as we get it . train cleaners have get it. train cleaners have voted to strike pay in what would be the biggest strike ever in the industry. the rail, maritime and transport unions say more than a thousand of its members working several private contractors backed the industrial action. it says strikes by train drivers continue today with more travel expected. members of aslef across 11 train operators will walk out in a dispute over pay, meaning a significantly reduced service . the death of a man at service. the death of a man at the manston migrant processing centre may been caused by a bacterial infection . that's bacterial infection. that's according to the home office. an investigation is currently ongoing and the coroner hasn't made a final conclusion on the cause of his death. it's believed the man arrived in the uk on, a small boat just a week before he died. the government say they're offering for the infection at the manston centre

. the united nations is calling for humanity and aid for people in ukraine who have been left without power following russian attacks. it's after ukraine's president zelenskyy says 6 million people without electricity after the theories of rocket attacks earlier on this week . the mayor of ukraine, this week. the mayor of ukraine, vitaly klitschko, says about 70% of households in cave still have no power . meanwhile, british no power. meanwhile, british intelligence says russia is removing nuclear warheads from old cruise missiles before using them for attacks in ukraine. the mod says the move highlights moscow's low stock of long—range missiles . moscow's low stock of long—range missiles. england manager gareth southgate played down boos by disappointed fans following the lions draw with the usa in the world cup last night . it lions draw with the usa in the world cup last night. it means the team missed out on a chance to guarantee a place in the last 16. supporters at a fanzone in south london were furious by the

result throwing cups and spraying drinks . result throwing cups and spraying drinks. england will face wales next with the latter needing that victory to up their chances of , needing that victory to up their chances of, making the needing that victory to up their chances of , making the knockout chances of, making the knockout stages . former england manager stages. former england manager sam allardyce says he's still hopeful england can win the tournament . there's enough tournament. there's enough experience in the backroom staff, the manager, there's enough experience in the squad . enough experience in the squad. now, having gone through two tournaments that they've got the tools to win this garrison , to tools to win this garrison, to use the squad to its full potential. and that means for me quite a few changes for the next game . while disappointed england game. while disappointed england and wales fans in still believe they have a chance of moving on in the tournament, they have a chance of moving on in the tournament , the always in the tournament, the always hopeful is an england fan that will progress in the tournament though. they were a good team. they got some of the world's best players. yes. they didn't last night, but you always hope for you always live for that

dream . i mean, we are dream. i mean, we are disappointed with the with the result, certainly in the iran game . were hoping to get a point game. were hoping to get a point out of that at least put us in a big position and keep in big position and keep that in our hands the next round our own hands for the next round of but we are still in of games. but we are still in a tournament the final tournament going into the final round . we still round of games. we can still qualify . we're delighted to qualify. we're delighted to still be in that conversation and the met office issued yellow weather warnings for rain and strong winds for large of the uk this weekend. conditions will affect southern england wales and scotland. the warnings in wales and england come into at 2 pm. today and they stay in place until a m tomorrow morning. forecast say there's going to be travel disruption well. as a result . this going to be travel disruption well. as a result. this is gb news will you? more news as it happens. now it's back to alastair stewart& friends .

alastair stewart& friends. tatiana thank you very much indeed. so with no sign of inflation falling or the general cost of living crisis is easing, and as current strikes continue and as current strikes continue and others poised to unfold, we're committing today's programme to try and help you as the government is about to spend £25 million on an advertising sharing their best tips on how to cut back on energy. reduce your bills and reduce national demand. we just wondered if you out there might have even better ideas or clever ploys that you've already put in place to those few pounds. go little bit further. so do please send them in and we will share the best. the address as always . gb news the address as always. gb news gb news. or you can tweet at gb news or you can tweet me directly or go on facebook and we will the best with everybody watching and listening as we proceed through the next couple

of hours. now good news for some. the next tranche bailout money is about to swing its way to the poorest, including pensioners. we gb news have no money to give you, but we have great guests who might just be able to help you save real cash and get through it all, but also as more rail strikes are confirmed , are you getting from confirmed, are you getting from a to b? how are you communicating with people in the face of the postal strike and indeedin face of the postal strike and indeed in the run up to christmas, getting stuff to people with nurses to downed tools except in emergencies? maybe there aren't any fallback positions, but have you had thoughts about that as well ? thoughts about that as well? does a fallback position exist ? does a fallback position exist? i've got a nurse coming on the program a bit later on to talk about the strike and what we should do as a let's be blunt, we don't like to curl up in. so let's see if can help each other pull . we've also got some really pull. we've also got some really important thoughts about to avoid the scammers the fraud merchants for whom these hard

times are a breeding ground for that nastiness , so—called black that nastiness, so—called black friday deals and offers need a health warning . we have that for health warning. we have that for you as well. let me repeat it once more. i'd love to from you. so please do send in your thoughts on all of that and anything else that's troubling you. will share the best you. and i will share the best as we towards 2:00 here on as we move towards 2:00 here on gb news tv and radio. the address again at gb news start that again gb news at gb news dot uk tweet at gb news or tweet me direct or go to facebook . and me direct or go to facebook. and let's start with one of the best young political commentators around. let promote who i always like to talk about these things and she is live the and she is here live in the studio with me . the government and she is here live in the stispending me . the government and she is here live in the stispending ae . the government and she is here live in the stispending a fortune government and she is here live in the stispending a fortune on ernment and she is here live in the stispending a fortune on the nent is spending a fortune on the energy price protection scheme and is about to spend

energy price protection scheme and is about to spen d £25 and is about to spend £25 million on an advertising campaign. do you think they've got a grip on this ? no, i don't got a grip on this? no, i don't think they have a grip this at all, quite honest with . all, to be quite honest with. and i think one of the main reasons they don't have reasons that they don't have a grip is not just grip is this crisis is not just affecting the most vulnerable or the society, as in the poorest society, as in previous crises we've potentially seen this, but this is affecting every single person in society . everyone is in society. everyone is struggling with their energy bills right now. i know quite comprehend it on the front page of the independent today they ran with the story about how by next april 1 million people are going to be in fuel poverty. next april 1 million people are going to be in fuel poverty . and going to be in fuel poverty. and this is also because of the government plans and then backtracking again and governments changing over again again. so in the budget, just a few weeks ago, jeremy hunt said that they would be dropping that energy price guarantee from what it is right now, energy price guarantee from what it is right now , £2,100 for it is right now, £2,100 for households and it will be going up to £3,000 per household. this is a huge increase for a lot of

people who are already struggling with these prices jump struggling with these prices jump up. yes. and for some, the struggle a becomes unbearable, which is why the gentleman sitting to next is now going to join our conversation. it's matt dronfield is the ceo of the london debt free advice service set up by that. by the measure, i mean, the fact of the matter is she's absolutely spot on. it's been bad. it is likely to get worse. we heard that from ofgem just the other day and you are there set up by the mayor not to try and help people save money, but to try and help just keep going. what a state of affairs. it's a mess. alistair absolutely. you're right . for absolutely. you're right. for the last 16 years and this is as bad as we've seen it. inquiries into, our service up 300% this time year. and we're speaking about it right now for many of our customers out there in local authority, housing or housing, which means that metres so people already choosing to self

disconnect from their electric and gas they cannot keep their families warm this christmas and we about you know we've heard around the vouchers that people are getting many of our customers are not those vouchers yet and they're having to constantly chase get them. so constantly chase to get them. so we're really concerned we're really really concerned about look like with about what they look like with so people . but whichever so many people. but whichever side the political spectrum side of the political spectrum you come from, i'm guessing you come from, and i'm guessing you come from, and i'm guessing you slightly different you might slightly different on that spectrum , the fact of the that spectrum, the fact of the matter is , as a country, we matter is, as a country, we cannot afford as taxpayers to sort it all as as everybody who's got an ounce of intelligence said this is essentially about ukraine. it's about global oil, gas, energy and oil prices and what have you . short of completely changing the system which which some people have been saying we are stuck in that corner . and when stuck in that corner. and when we were preparing this programme , one thing struck me and this is to both of you, that there are awful lot of folk, good folk , you out there and a couple of

other guests who are coming along in just a moment full of great ideas how save great ideas how to save a bubble, to how to get bubble, to hear how to get through virtually no through it. there's virtually no real out there about how real advice out there about how to build growth in the economy , to build growth in the economy, how to support people, creating new businesses, those who generate and from generate new wealth and from that new taxes and what have you. nightmare is you. i mean, my nightmare is dependency culture and slump. do you sense that? would you make a good point? but the question is , if the government can't afford to keep people warm this winter, whether they're going to end up where going end up where families going to end up in pneumonia in hospital with pneumonia and then bill the nhs will then the bill for the nhs will go the and the nhs go through the roof and the nhs is already knees . we need is already on its knees. we need to keep families warm, we need to keep families warm, we need to support in place. to put the support in place. and yes, global events yes, there are global events affecting people's energy prices , but we can't let people die. this winter no genuine bill is all right. everybody here is saying that for him. but i noficed saying that for him. but i noticed when i mentioned a bit about growth, job creation, wealth creation , your was wealth creation, your head was was nodding in agreement. i mean

, that literally post the budget is a zero agenda on that front i agree with that i think the budget that jeremy hunt brought out was dramatically . in out was dramatically. in generating growth. we seem to be stuck as rachel reeves said just other day in this doom loop like we are getting borrowing, borrowing, taxing , spending borrowing, taxing, spending again and again and again on top of each other from the budget thing, which i thought was so disappoint. as you saying earlier, we've got nurses on strike at the moment. they're asking a 19% pay rise. that's a lot in total would cost the lot in total it would cost the government about billion. government about 10 billion. the government about 10 billion. the government put forward for to increase in line with inflation . that's costing them £11 billion. that's basically dead end road those benefits are going nowhere. there is no growth generated from giving those increase in benefits. i mean , of the extraordinary mean, of the extraordinary things and we've heard it time and time again on gb news tv and radio is the number of nurses

that are voting with their wallets and their feet. they're going to work in tesco or in some other supermarket before you got into debt advisory work, you got into debt advisory work, you used to work with young on building up their skill set, getting out there, finding a job, money. and at the end of the day, paying tax. don't we need 100 times more of that right now? we do need to sit there. who's doing the high paid jobs? it's a very good question and one that we'd love to have a government ministers on the sofa with us to discuss properly. and ispoke with us to discuss properly. and i spoke the increase i spoke about the 300% increase we're through to we're seeing coming through to our traditionally over our service. traditionally over the it's lots of the last 16 years. it's lots of people looking people that were looking for work that i helped too when i was working for the youth charity. not anymore. it's charity. it's not anymore. it's nurses, it's teachers, it's doctors , it's the people we doctors, it's the people we clapped during the covid pandemic then struggling. pandemic and then struggling. they work in endless hours to support and our families . support us and our families. we're sick, and yet we as a society are not supporting them in britain. one of the thing that i will say, which is brutal and i obviously i wasn't going

to agree with you and, nobody is suggesting are going to agree with you and, nobody is su die sting are going to agree with you and, nobody is su die and are going to agree with you and, nobody is su die and we are going to agree with you and, nobody is su die and we shouldire going to agree with you and, nobody is su die and we should do going to agree with you and, nobody is su die and we should do nothing to die and we should do nothing about the last to about it. i'd the last person to say thing that i say that. but one thing that i will which is brutal will say, which is quite brutal is that much more is that there is much more energy building up energy in building up a dependency culture than there is in stand on your own two feet in a stand on your own two feet and pay your way. in a stand on your own two feet and pay your way . when you and pay your way. when you talked about folks who cannot pay talked about folks who cannot pay in pay their bills and end up in your office your brilliant your office to your brilliant team operating table, team on the operating table, they are great, great people. it's don't earn it's because they don't earn enough. they don't have right job or they haven't been able to set up a business that generates even . if you stick all of even more. if you stick all of that together those extra that together and those extra winging their way universe or credit, top ups, pensioners and the rest of it, it is fine . the the rest of it, it is fine. the flames of a dependency culture rather than a stand on your own two feet culture. i know that's , but i want you to say it. you'll i think many people would agree with you watching at home i think if you come into our finance centres and shadow some of you'll so of our advisers, you'll see so many three many people work into three jobs whilst having childcare responsibilities whilst after a

member of their family they're doing everything they can to pay their bills to put food on the table. but the rate of inflation at the moment, with everything else on that just isn't enough. there's only so many hours in day, if you will. two in three jobs. what else can you do? and yes, when i working the yes, when i was working the youth charity for youth employment charity for people starting career, people starting their career, that was great to get them a foot up. but when people are already doing jobs, already doing three jobs, they haven't start their haven't got time to start their own not everyone can own business. not everyone can run own business. run their own business. need nurses. teachers we need nurses. we need teachers we need people our supermarkets do people in our supermarkets do jobs. said, we clapped them jobs. as i said, we clapped them dunng jobs. as i said, we clapped them during the covid pandemic. jobs. as i said, we clapped them during the covid pandemic . we during the covid pandemic. we can't have a society without them they're vital. let us . them. they're vital. let us. yeah on definitely on the i completely agree and i do think the nurses should get a pay rise what they're asking for now and even rishi sunak came out yesterday saying you know at this that is a rather this time that is a rather impossible ask to you 19% of a pay impossible ask to you 19% of a pay rise but they're that saving lives and just the two days of strikes that they'll be going on in december. and now we're going

to have about 30,000 operators and postpone because of this. we've got waiting of 1.7 million. and i think a lot of the pay increase that is there is within nhs funding on the whole, in just before tony blair came in the funding for the nhs, about £33 billion. it's now at 180, around about £33 billion. it's now at 180, aroun d £1,000,000,000. that 180, around £1,000,000,000. that is an almost fold increase funding for the nhs. the for the pay funding for the nhs. the for the pay rises must be found in that there needs to be reform things , need to be moved round like where is all of this money going otherwise? we've got longest wait times, no ambulances. you can't anyone on the phone weeks to see a doctor for you know , to see a doctor for you know, the smallest ailments. you know, there be reform there . have you there be reform there. have you both trimmed your sales personally to about to what you earn and it's none of my business but to live within that. but we have and i'm you know, i'm lucky i've been gainfully employed all my life and jobs that pay and quite often jobs that pay

quite i'm the first to quite well. i'm the first to admit publicly. but admit that quite publicly. but even trimming our even now we are trimming our sales and there. have you sales here and there. have you had personally had to that personally the saying mean , i have saying yes. i mean, i have a good i'm well for. saying yes. i mean, i have a good i'm well for . that good job i'm paid well for. that job that i do my service charge for apartment live in for the apartment i live in london by 33% london gone up by 33% this month. that's about london gone up by 33% this month. that's abou london gone up by 33% this month. thatforibou london gone up by 33% this month. thatfor more. so my gym been asked for more. so my gym memberships being the most efficient effective efficient and effective thing that done terms of that you've done in terms of your personal so i've your personal budget. so i've got with my gym got off course with my gym membership. i can't afford to do that. that right? that. and that increase, right? i'm to go, you i'm going to have to go, you know, to going know, not going to have to going to for runs the street. to go for runs on the street. i can't go gym classes anymore. can't go to gym classes anymore. i've got to make cutbacks. lots of have to do that. of people have got to do that. unfortunately our unfortunately for many of our customers they've already cut back they possibly customers they've already cut bachecause they possibly customers they've already cut bachecause that's they possibly customers they've already cut bachecause that's that possibly customers they've already cut bachecause that's that potop ly can because that's that be top of list when they sat down of the list when they sat down opposite you and said in opposite you and said i'm in debt okay, me your debt so okay, tell me your standing orders. tell me your subscriptions what have you done? the most done? that's been the most radical to my radical thing i have to tell my heating yet. so our house heating on yet. so our house is agreed just cost agreed that it's just not cost effective. and rather sit effective. and i'd rather sit there desk , go the there at my desk, go into the office at desk with office or sit at my desk with two addressing on hat on two jumpers addressing on hat on rather than turn it on. but not

just for me. i've had some of my friends that are leaving homes to go back home, to live with their parents because. it is just not sustainable . the amount just not sustainable. the amount of money they spend on the rent the amount of money they spend their saving their bills. we're not saving anything. as a younger generation and it's easier to generation and so it's easier to live at home than it is to rent someone. me about it. yeah someone. tell me about it. yeah final point. and it segways nicely from that actually . and nicely from that actually. and you were both very candid about dangers of a dependency culture. and thank you particularly for being as frank as you were . the being as frank as you were. the other thing i sense partly as an observer, but also partly as a as a dad is a divide that i said, you know, top up payments ringing that way, whether it's the winter fuel allowance for pensioners or or the pension index linked as per the triple lock agreement that was in the conservative party's manifesto, etc, etc, etc. but people of our age and my children's feel, people of my age are getting it all and there's zilch for them. so a dependency culture and an

anger from younger folk , older anger from younger folk, older people , you sense when you to people, you sense when you to i'll give you give you an example of a custom that came in just this week. i work at the young working family. one is a teacher, one is a nurse nhs. they had teacher, one is a nurse nhs. they ha d £11,000 worth of debt they had £11,000 worth of debt to their authority council to their local authority council tax their tax arrears because their prioritising, feeding their family and everything else. first the council was demanding three and a half thousand pounds a their payments to a month in their payments to repay that. that's three times their between their monthly income between them doing them and they're doing really valuable but there is hope because i don't want to put this out there right. our advisers were there. they stepped in they managed write off 1500 pounds managed to write off 1500 pounds of and rather than of that debt. and rather than the extortionate 3500 monthly payments they negotiated and without tice's appeal, they put that down t 0 £458. so then that that down to £458. so then that that down to £458. so then that that customer now has mf only £300 a month more and just want to get in there quick, our advice is work seven days a week. yes, we've got advice this london but we're open nationally . people watching at . there's people watching at home worried about home and they're worried about

they now on 880 they should call us now on 880 857080 with seven days a week and we're open 8 am. to eight. you're back. we'll pop that off the website as well. matt dronfield always know, it's a pleasure to meet you. we haven't spoken on let's spoken before. anybody on let's run. pleasure to run. it's always a pleasure to talk really honest talk to really honest conversation and thank you for that. one thing that one of that. and one thing that one of our is really tweeted our viewers is really tweeted i now with you is when now share with you is when you do the central heating, do turn the central heating, make that the radiators in rooms that you use don't use quite that you use or don't use quite much are turn down and don't use the word room at all. turn it right off. yeah. good advice . right off. yeah. good advice. good to see both of you. thank you very much indeed. continuing this who's been on the this, someone who's been on the program before and i'm delighted to has to back to say has agreed to come back for more . also known on social for more. also known on social media as she's all that budget. and there she is . she's a one and there she is. she's a one woman band in a way , in woman band in a way, in a mission to share tools of financial with her followers, followers , as i say, likely 6.7 followers, as i say, likely 6.7 thousands subscribers on youtube

, point 1000 on tok. she must be doing something right. and what was an advice is now in effect pretty well become a business. so we're talking here about checking out subscriptions if you don't really need get rid of them don't use the central heating . if you've got a card, heating. if you've got a card, a cardigan available when you do to the heating on, check that you know, heating rooms that you don't you don't use. what are your top just to help folk get through it all. to be honest, i feel like now more than ever honestly , we need to really make honestly, we need to really make sure that we're managing the money the little money that we have and advice has been to my followers as always to make sure your budget is and it is how you going forward towards your goal. so my goal at the moment is obviously keeping an eye on my electricity, my gas making sure that my money is going there first about everything because that's the one expense i'd say

the increase most of everything else . i just feel like i was one else. i just feel like i was one of your and i feel like , you of your and i feel like, you know. yes may seem like, you know, people incomes having that increase next year may seem like bit of a money pit. but at the same time, i feel there is a lack of education. i agree with you. there is a dependency out there mindset because people haven't been given the skills or know how to manage their money. they don't know how write about it. and i think that is it's unfortunate, you know. well the timing is brilliant because we were talking about the need to give advice and guidance and that was very that's what he used to do is to work with young, trying to skill them out, find them work and so on and. you are an outstanding example of that yourself because you were you had difficulties in yourin were you had difficulties in your in your in your private life. none of our business we have talked about it before, but you also had massive debt . so you also had massive debt. so you also had massive debt. so you giving advice to people

you were giving advice to people you were giving advice to people you with great answers. you came up with great answers. and it's business will and it's now a business you will now monetise those volumes of followers so it can be done . i followers so it can be done. i hear you, but not everybody is like me and not everybody has the, you know, the mindset to go and research and look into these things . and for me, there wasn't things. and for me, there wasn't anyone like at the time i recently doing picked up lives where we do like mock budget wednesdays and people send me in their budgets and we try to like construct a realistic budget for them. you'd be surprised how many people don't know the basics in terms of the ins and outs and how to balance this remaining over and it is worrying because everybody wants to go to like a debt an agency or something like that. they feel embarrassed, so shy when they someone who is a bit they see someone who is a bit more relatable, suppose, like more relatable, i suppose, like myself. heard my story, myself. and i've heard my story, it's of bite it's easier to kind of bite offload, but there tends to be more help out there. and i really do believe that that dependency mindset is built because we haven't been given

the skills, we haven't been given the education on what bookkeeping and management is all about. then agree with that absolute. you've got you've got to put your hand up and you've got to read the stuff, inform as well as skill yourself. yeah then are you worried i put this to tell and i put it to matt as well . are you worried on the well. are you worried on the other side of this which we will get through ? no doubt we will get through? no doubt we will get through? no doubt we will get through? no doubt we will get through it . get through? no doubt we will get through it. but on the get through? no doubt we will get through it . but on the other get through it. but on the other side of this, there is a culture , a flat, low growth economy . , a flat, low growth economy. does none of us any good . yeah, does none of us any good. yeah, i worried about that. as i said , the dependency mindset has definitely been feel on because of lack of education and i liken it i can't emphasise that enough is a lack of education. if you can't given people handouts and tell them this, this place not in a way for educating them with a way to set up that money or to invest that money or to put that money to good use. what do you

expect to happen? what do you expect to happen? what do you expect happen? they're going expect to happen? they're going to you to just become dependent on you giving, we need giving, them handouts. we need to actually think to help them by actually think those get further those skills to get them further on you know , to ahead. on you know, to get them ahead. well that's always a pleasure to talk to you . the budget saw the talk to you. the budget saw the poster up there behind you quite right too. and put little labels on jam jars and make sure you've got a enough money to pay for whatever you have to. and thank you very much doing keep in touch. you always back on the program. there are program. so there we are repeating one thing that both dentists and matt also said is . dentists and matt also said is. just inform yourselves that you don't get debt and financial cnses don't get debt and financial crises creeping on you and go, oh, what was that all about? and follow people like fam on social media. that's it's free. you can get really good advice and very good guidance and that applies also to matt drum fields london debt free advice service it's debt free is the ambition and it is free so do get in touch.

joining now is geoff moody is the gb news southwest of england reporter who's affinity devon outlet in bideford for us to see what they're making of it on the streets of bideford geoff , streets of bideford geoff, always good to see you. over to you, my friend . well retailers you, my friend. well retailers have been a bit worried about this black friday, haven't they, alison? they think? they were worried that it was going to be bit like today's weather. a damp squib, but it been. it's defied all expectations sales this black friday and this weekend have been as good as last year, if not better . to give you an if not better. to give you an example of that, barclaycard are saying that they've had a 3.2% rise in sales in credit card transactions and footfall has been up well on 2021. still back to pre—pandemic levels though, but still pretty . now we both but still pretty. now we both know don't we are the statistics sometimes lie they can be a

false friend . and normally black false friend. and normally black friday is a real indicator. if you get a bumper black friday that that you're going to have a bumper december a great for everybody. but talking to people here at this centre this retail outlet in bideford this morning , people are telling me, yes, they have come out for to as many bargains as they can . but many bargains as they can. but what they're trying to do this yearis what they're trying to do this year is buy everything in one fell swoop to go in on friday. throughout this weekend , cyber throughout this weekend, cyber monday, by all of their christmas shopping in one go. so could well see that this is a bit of a false start really let's see what they had to say i'm going to go to my daughters all the time. they're going to go there. and instead of buying presents, we kind of put presents, we all kind of put money for christmas money in each for the christmas day. so we can have day. so and then so we can have food things. otherwise food and things. otherwise it's a everyone a bit for everyone really cutting we've just cutting back a lot. we've just used a lot of like selling sites , shopping in charity shops

locally , well to support local locally, well to support local businesses but yeah, cut back a hell of a lot so santa will be coming but maybe the list is a little bit shorter, a little bit more limited . last year. little bit shorter, a little bit more limited . last year . yes, my more limited. last year. yes, my source is at the north pole telling me that santa claus will be coming this year, but with a slightly smaller sack that they are. geoff, that to you and to your guests there. thank you very much. and just to underline very much. and just to underline very first point that you made, because actually very because it is actually a very realistic saving tip as well, if you know you've got to go you know that you've got to go and do various things around the town wherever it may be, try town or wherever it may be, try and group them together because that motor behind you will guzzling up the petrol as it goes. so if you can make just one journey and take all of those, it actually makes economic as well. geoff moody, thank you very much indeed. as i said, always good to. see you. jeff moody west of england correspondent. you're watching and stewart and listening to. alison stewart and listening to. alison stewart

and more and friends with lots more coming program . but coming on today's program. but the number of young people experiencing reaches 86,000. gb news midlands reporter joined fundraisers sleeping out overnight to raise money in support of them. we'll find out how that went . next. looking to how that went. next. looking to this afternoon and the uk is looking to be rather mild thanks to the winds upcoming from the south. let's take a look at the details. the southerly winds will be brisk with strong gusts developing north—east scotland as outbreaks rain arrive during the afternoon , though shetland the afternoon, though shetland will stay drier the evening. winds will be particularly strong in the west with the risk of coastal gales. however, it will turn drier for northern as the rain clears , areas of the rain clears, areas of northern england will see heavier bursts of rain develop into the afternoon, turning it into the afternoon, turning it into a wet and soggy saturday. despite the mild conditions late november, the feel of will be tempered by all the rain and

wind and northwestern wales will be exposed to some of the strongest gales . inland areas of strongest gales. inland areas of england will be slightly more sheltered during the day . the sheltered during the day. the breeze will begin to pick up as the cloud thickens and the outbreaks of rain gradually progress eastwards as south—east england that will remain dry. as for longest and there'll be some sunshine during the afternoon temperatures may be a touch lower than those in the west and due to the wet week many western areas had the additional rainfall this afternoon and could lead to some disruption and surface flooding. so should be taken when travelling following highs of . 14 celsius following highs of. 14 celsius temperatures won't drop too much this evening . temperatures won't drop too much this evening. i'm not sure whether .

good afternoon. it's 34. i'm tatiana sanchez . the gb tatiana sanchez. the gb newsroom. at least 13 people are missing after a landslide . missing after a landslide. italy. eight people were believed to have died to one italian government . but the italian government. but the interior minister , the deaths interior minister, the deaths haven't been confirmed. the incident happened on the holiday island of ischia has been hit by heavy rain in recent days. emergency say they're continuing the search and rescue operation as buildings have been engulfed by the. we'll bring you more on this as we get it. by the. we'll bring you more on this as we get it . and the this as we get it. and the london fire brigades commissioner has accepted the organisation is institutionally racist and he told the bbc he was heartbroken and has vowed change following . an independent change following. an independent review into company's culture. the report the count from a black firefighter had a noose placed by his locker . women placed by his locker. women being groped and having their

helmets filled urine. the review was , commissioned after was, commissioned after a trainee firefighter , took his trainee firefighter, took his own life in 2020. rail strikes by train drivers today with more travel disruption for passengers. members of aslef across 11 train operators will out in a dispute over pay , out in a dispute over pay, meaning a significantly service. the general of aslef is due to meet the secretary, mark harper week to discuss the dispute . week to discuss the dispute. england manager gareth southgate played down boos by disappointed fans following . the lions draw fans following. the lions draw with the usa in world cup last night. it the team missed out on a chance to guarantee a place in the last 16. supporters at a fanzone in south london with furious by the result throwing cups and spring drinks. england will face wales with the latter needing a victory. will face wales with the latter needing a victory . keep out needing a victory. keep out their chances of making the knockout stages . and the met

knockout stages. and the met office has issued weather warnings for rain and. strong winds for large parts of the this weekend. conditions will affect southern england wales and scotland. the warnings in wales and england come into force 2 pm. today and they'll stay in place until 3 am. tomorrow morning. forecasters say there's going to be travel disruption a result . tv online disruption a result. tv online and dab+ radio . this is gb news and dab+ radio. this is gb news now it's back to alastair stewart and friends . stewart and friends. tatiana, thanks very much indeed. sean says we buy non—branded . it's the biggest non—branded. it's the biggest saving we've made. so policies that all and thanks very much indeed sean keep. those observations coming in now 86,000 young people are currently experiencing homelessness in the uk and that is to the charity centre point.

8500 of them are in the west midlands alone in birmingham. many of them turn towards charities like st basil's and every year they host an event called the big sleep out to raise tens of pounds for their youth homeless prevention work . youth homeless prevention work. well, our reporter jack carlson went along last night to find out how it and to talk to some of the people involved. an annual event since 1990 the st basil's big sleep challenge people to sleep rough one night in an effort to raise money for the campaign to prevent youth homelessness in birmingham . it's homelessness in birmingham. it's a night which easily raises thousands of pounds for the charity year . thousands of pounds for the charity year. and head of charity every year. and head of fundraising, says . fundraising, barry hodge says. the never been more the event has never been more important flagship important. this is our flagship fundraiser that it raises the most money out of all the events we throughout the and we do throughout the year and ultimately be able ultimately allows us to be able to much needed to provide that much needed support young living support for young people living in west midlands and people in the west midlands and people are here tonight doing it. what

can they expect? i can see sock boxes. what have we got? it's one of those bizarre events that it's a coming together of people from all different walks of life. schools are here life. we've got schools are here tonight. we've got faith groups out tonight. big corporates out here tonight. big corporates are tonight. got are here tonight. we've got people are people from local government are here. taking part in here. they are taking part in this bringing this event. it's a bringing together people together because people are unique and this stance of homeless, they be of homeless, they not be part of growing they not be growing up homeless. they not be part society. so part of our society. so ultimately, what they'll experience tonight is the experience tonight is for the first will this very first half. it will be this very relaxed atmosphere. but the truth midnight kicks in and truth is midnight kicks in and this event starts the reality sort thing that we are trying sort of thing that we are trying to prevent. well, can tell you something, a the something, for a lot of the people we do this event, it's not the actual doing the event but realisation and but the realisation kicks and it's home it's about when they get home they shower and against they have a shower and against their realise their own bed and realise they're gonna it they're not gonna have to do it again tonight and that's the moment that stick in their moment that we stick in their head the people head forevermore. the people here given cardboard here all get given cardboard and plastic their plastic sheeting to create their own accommodation for the nights, pretty nights, and people get pretty creative their designs too. creative with their designs too. but there's but behind the box, there's a more why take

more serious why people take part . we wanted to come to show part. we wanted to come to show a how it is like being living on the streets like a homeless person and like how they have to like use cardboard and they can't actually have like a proper roof their head because they don't have enough money . so they don't have enough money. so it just felt like a really good thing today for together to do something that obviously affects people in our community. something that obviously affects people in our community . and people in our community. and yeah, see what , it's like yeah, and see what, it's like for the charity for them. the charity centrepoint a 3% increase in the homeless population in england by 2024 as birmingham is the youngest city in the country. many of the people that fall into it here will be aged below 24. it's why simba's chose focus is so much of its work on prevention. it's really about refocusing where the priority are. as a country, we tend to on crisis and the old saying goes if you always focus on crisis , if you always focus on crisis, all you're ever going to get is crisis . so the issues that we crisis. so the issues that we are trying to resolve are much further we're further upstream. so we're working in schools, working in

colleges. i'll give you colleges. i mean, i'll give you a quick example. i was at school today young people today talk to the young people about because about homelessness because we know when know if we catch people when things fall apart things start to maybe fall apart , them from , we can prevent them from ending in a situation we're ending up in a situation we're going have on going to have to rely on a charitable rely on, you charitable cause or rely on, you know, council laws or, you know, local council laws or, you know, local council laws or, you know, anything else . ultimately, know, anything else. ultimately, that what important that is what important about that is for trying to achieve many people this christmas will be on of becoming be on the brink of becoming homeless they do. charities homeless if they do. charities st basil's thanks to donations , st basil's thanks to donations, people at events like this will there to support them. jack carson gb news. food for thought there and always good to see people doing. delightful things to help other folk. i'll start at the top of the programme to get in touch and you have which is truly excellent. quick one from my phone that's come in literally last few literally in the last few seconds, says . turn seconds, murphy says. turn off the you leave the lights when you leave a room, close the doors, put down little down draught, exclude rugs on floorboards . it all rugs on floorboards. it all helps. keep temperatures up and it all helps save electricity or

however you heat your home. thank you very much indeed. read a bit out of sean and his message earlier on, but he also makes the point that you should always try and use your local butcher and your farm shop. no alterations there. he says good to local people . always to support local people. always good value money glidden good value for money glidden says at night when you're under a duvet in one room or one bedroom for 8 hours, programme your boiler thermostat to reduce the temperature in the rest of the temperature in the rest of the house and then only raise it when you get. that's very sensible and. again, i'm sure save a bit of . clare joins in save a bit of. clare joins in and says we had about 30 conifers cut down when we bought house so the wood burner is used all day and all evening switching to solar too. so aiming for self—serve efficiency, barbecue and pizza oven also gets fired up with twigs, branches from the apple and walnut trees . same as when and walnut trees. same as when i was a child in the 1960s. i was

a double good saved money and remember those happy days of yore. so we are and have a good pizza at the same time as well. thank you for that. do keep those thoughts coming in. and as i say, will share them as the programme progresses. not only because it's lovely to hear from you, because means you you, but because it means you might a few bulb. next might just save a few bulb. next time. you have pay your oil, time. you have to pay your oil, gas that's whole gas or bill. that's the whole purpose of it. and you're watching and listening to alison's friends with alison's do it for friends with any still come this any more. still to come this afternoon with black afternoon including with black friday, which we've already nodded to once, already with that yesterday and the cyber monday coming up on its way. christmas shoppers are rich pickings for the fraudsters . pickings for the fraudsters. we'll be speaking to experts can help you avoid scams. but first, a quick break.

welcome back. it's called you're watching alastair stewart& friends here on gb news tv and a great ear. many of us of us dream of getting away from it when the weather turns cold and damp during the winter months . damp during the winter months. but buyers beware . some holiday but buyers beware. some holiday bug bargains are not what they seem . and that is the warning seem. and that is the warning that comes the very top, the civil aviation authority, which says that many too good to be true deals are actually scams. angry travellers noticed that their family holiday out to be either illegal fake with little or protection and i'm delighted to be joined live by paul smith, who is the director of consumer and markets group , the civil and markets group, the civil aviation authority. good of you to us live . i've heard about to us live. i've heard about black friday and cyber monday but i'd never heard about this i

know about ab tur and i got protection and stuff like that. but a big and growing industry scamming folk for their money over a flight to aix or a to why yes so good afternoon alistair and to your viewers as well so we know from surveys we've done that this black friday cyber monday period is one where an increasing number of are looking out for or could be tempted by houday out for or could be tempted by holiday bargains. and we really just want make sure that that experience they the holiday experience when they the holiday is positive one. so is a really positive one. so there are just some simple things to really out for if you book a holiday or a book in a package holiday or a flight, accommodation check, flight, an accommodation check, it's we've got it's atol protected. we've got a website at all .org you can that the you're buying from the company you're buying from is licenced is properly licenced by ourselves . if you can't use your ourselves. if you can't use your credit card that gives you extra protection . if anything does go protection. if anything does go does go wrong also , look out for does go wrong also, look out for those hidden extras or are you sure what the full price is? what's the luggage allowance where you have to pay for some extra luggage and of course take out travel insurance . so that

out travel insurance. so that means your experience means hopefully your experience be positive. but if there be really positive. but if there is something, wrong, is something, that goes wrong, you're there'll be you're protected and there'll be somebody you. if somebody there to help you. if there are there there is a problem, are there any venues locations that seem to be particularly vulnerable to this year? if i fancy going to the south of france or going to turkey or cyprus whatever it might be an extra warner because because you and your colleagues , the caa know that that's where fraudsters are operating . so fraudsters are operating. so while that's true, i wouldn't say this particular a particular destination, it's more around the increasing use of online to book holidays know up to up to a three quarters of people think and do book holidays online an increasing number of younger people as well doing that and unfortunately you see in other aspects of life online scammers are about holidays are often quite a high value purchase for people. so again, perhaps a particular for scammers so it's not a particular destination.

it's really the use of that onune it's really the use of that online and. looking out for, as i say, is it atol protected use your credit card if you can just to make sure that hopefully all deposits have experience. it should be a positive experience . but if anything goes wrong, you've to protection to help you've got to protection to help you've got to protection to help you situation and if it you in that situation and if it drops into your inbox or somebody tweets you with this very dubious offer should the air a logo be on initial message or is it if you fall for it and then start process of making an enquiry and then you start to get paperwork back from them. should it be there from the outset so absolutely should be on there so for package holidays it's atol it's the actual brand that you look for and but what i would say to people is before you commence that booking process just just up on our website at all .org put the name of the company into website and that will tell you have they got the atol licence from are they

and therefore is your holiday if you make a booking is that protected . if something does go protected. if something does go wrong and suddenly of course sometimes things do go wrong but hopefully not very often and we can here to help you if you are using a company that's licenced by ourselves . yeah. and not only by ourselves. yeah. and not only but also the bond so that things did go wrong. then you have you have a financial fallback position , which clearly you position, which clearly you wouldn't have if they were part of . absolutely. so if of atol. absolutely. so if something does go wrong, for example, before you travel, then we would be to provide a refund under the atol scheme. if you are overseas when something goes wrong with your with your travel agent, then would help you agent, then we would help you make you back make sure that you get back from, from wherever you are and do that when there are unfortunately a small number of, of, of failures year where that's where that's helped people those situations really and very very good advice indeed. so if you if you you smell a rat at all, then go on to their website, check it out. but the name of the person in

there and part company with a penny until you're confident if you do eventually part company with your do it on the credit card because you get extra card because then you get extra support the final support that at the final question is slightly cheeky one because we're also looking at the industrial in this the wave of industrial in this country you finding the caa country you finding that the caa finding out the domestic airline and travel is having bit of a bit of a boom a bit of a renaissance because of the because of the strikes on the railway i mean, certainly, if you want to get to edinburgh or glasgow or manchester from from down south, there are domestic aviation routes that you can use if you can't use the train. are you seeing a bit of a boom? there so we're certainly seeing a big recovery obviously after the pandemic in air travel across the whole across the whole piece. i wouldn't say there's a particular increase in in domestic travel as a result of the strikes, or at least not not information got for that. but certainly , you know, some but certainly, you know, some positive things now increased

connectivity around the country from from aviation so, you know, whether that's to northern ireland or to ports or to other places. but we're just seeing i think a general and this is really positive, you know, people keen to back people are keen to get back flying to travel again. flying and keen to travel again. whether that's meet family and friends or whether that's to have have holiday. so i think have have a holiday. so i think it's positive recovery it's a really positive recovery from the from from what happened in ex paul, great in the pandemic. ex paul, great to talk to you. thank you very much, fitting us into much, dave for fitting us into your smith your busy that's paul smith director of consumer and market groups at the civil aviation authority with brilliant advice and guidance. if you are tempted to a quick break and it just doesn't look quite right, he's the place to go to and they'll put you absent mutiny right about it because are about it because there are scammers out there . joining me scammers out there. joining me now is tony sales certainly knows a lot about the dangers of fraud and scamming, having been a fraudster himself . indeed, a fraudster himself. indeed, tony was britain's greatest fraudster, according to some in the in the media, but saw the

light and is now the also the kofi founder of we fight fraud. denise surprised you when you were on the bad side of the fence just how easy it was con people like me and others . no people like me and others. no because as people we only ever hear what people say to us. so we unless we believe in everyone's lying to us the time. then we're kind of not we're not going to disbelieve them. so it was really easy always. and it still easy to get information out of people because as humans we don't mind sharing that kind of stuff , you know. yeah of stuff, you know. yeah interesting time that very honest together with what my previous guest was saying from the civil aviation authority . the civil aviation authority. you know, two weeks in the south of france for just 50 you know, two weeks in the south of france forjust 50 quid of france for just 50 quid sounds absolutely wonderful . and sounds absolutely wonderful. and i'm desperate to have a break. and i've just about got 50 quid i can scrape together you full

for because you want to for it because you want to believe you're seeing . believe what you're seeing. yeah, but i guess that la so there's different types of with there's different types of with the online thing because not we're used to transferring money quicker we we're living in a much faster paced world right. so we've got different websites where we can and find a room overin where we can and find a room over in one country and we can find the matched all up together . and the problem is that we're always looking something a little bit cheaper. now when you're doing that and companies may ask you to transfer the funds that is where the problem lies because you transfer funds to someone and you're taking out of the payment network that's accepted like , you know, visa, accepted like, you know, visa, mastercard, these types of companies that will trace back the payments when you try and square that it's very different because your instigating that payment to someone so that then is on you and your responsibility and that's where we see a lot of the holiday scams creeping in there are

still many types of different types ones that, you know, they you know, you can buy a voucher to get holidays, you know, that circumvent in the isle type of thing. and this is where criminals get very smart just procedures that in place i found it fascinating when i was reading up on you and the notes that my lovely team gave me aboutis that my lovely team gave me about is that that some of your main your big, big customers are the world's leading brands wanting to protect their and i guessin wanting to protect their and i guess in a way reputations in sense is that because they they fear they're being ripped off or people are ripping me others off in their name other store live in their name other store live in an unprecedented times. okay. yeah there are we are continuously under attack from all of our foreign state actors or hackers that are trying to steal data the data ends up on the dark web fraudsters . my old

the dark web fraudsters. my old self then get hold of this information and they call it now social engineering and they will start to target people on the phone. so can relate it to the phone. so can relate it to the phone spoofing stuff that we've seen recently. yeah where people bank numbers spoofed and that their bank is talking to them and how they have to secure their money. then you have the hmrc scams but there's the phishing scams, the ransom web attacks, there's an option loot tsunami of data, right there that the old, you know , they're that the old, you know, they're the old me the current to die would take an abuse and that's why we all have to get better as humans defending against this can . barrage of fraud that we can. barrage of fraud that we see every day you know increase massive like we began our conversation funnily this afternoon and about the fact

that pensioners are about to get their winter fuel payments and people on universal credit there's a lot of government money as you said, hmrc , but money as you said, hmrc, but also department of work and pensions winging its way. also department of work and pensions winging its way . and in pensions winging its way. and in my naivete at my age , i was my naivete at my age, i was genuinely shocked to see that those government payments to those government payments to those in the need were absolute top target for the fraudsters . top target for the fraudsters. yeah, because they're the most vulnerable right and because they're the most vulnerable fraudsters target that, you know, we think about it. we come out of a pandemic everyone's in panic and fear. out of a pandemic everyone's in panic and fear . you're panic and fear. you're a criminal who can utilise that panic and fear create more panic and fear . you can steal people's and fear. you can steal people's money and that's what the fraudsters do. and now it's just there's more crises coming. we've just had the war on ukraine that's impacted a bit us and we were worried about them. and now got a cash for living like never before . on the back

like never before. on the back of all that stuff. we've got and panic like we've never had before . and so we're more before. and so we're more vulnerable than we ever saw before. and the fact that the government wants to give us money the criminals want to try and steal that money from whatever can and will whatever way they can and will try . tony sales really enjoyed try. tony sales really enjoyed that conversation . i learned a that conversation. i learned a great deal from it and i'm sure that those who are kind enough to be listening to or our conversation will have done as well. and if you want more , we well. and if you want more, we fight. fraud is website and tony sales there is the co—founder look out for yourself and the fraudster may be to be her majesty's revenue and customer or the department of work and pensions. so really you do have to be careful out there . you're to be careful out there. you're watching and listening to alastair stewart& friends with lots more. to this lots more. still to come this afternoon more money afternoon including more money saving tips from the experts. plus, be by kids tv and plus, we'll be by kids tv and panto star mike mclay now. oh, yes, we will. but first, a quick

break .

it's 1:01 am. it's1:01 am. so welcome if you've just joined us here on gb news tv and radio, we're with you right up until 2:00. and hello again and thanks for being with if you've been us with us. if you've been with us since 12:00, i am alastair stewart and we've plenty more still come in our second, our still to come in our second, our stories of how britons are adapting to survive in the face of the cost of living crisis . of the cost of living crisis. they're saving money and taking on those rising energy bills , on those rising energy bills, we'll also be crossing to doha to get a sense of the mood there following a lacklustre day for the home nations at the world cup yesterday. and we'll be looking ahead at that crucial time between and wales next week

. but first, let's bring you right up to with all of the day's news. here again , tatiana day's news. here again, tatiana sanchez. day's news. here again, tatiana sanchez . thank alistair. this is sanchez. thank alistair. this is the latest from the gb news london fire brigades says firefighters face being sacked if they're found to have bullied or beaten racist misogyny or homophobic . andy rowe says there homophobic. andy rowe says there will be a zero tolerance approach after an independent review into the culture within the service . the report revealed the service. the report revealed accounts a black firefighter who accounts a black firefighter who a noose placed by his locker women being groped and, people having their helmets filled with urine. the review was commissioned after a trainee firefighter his own life in 2020. london brigade bosses have said the behaviour isn't acceptable and. they've welcomed the recommendations made by the review . at least 13 people are review. at least 13 people are missing after a landslide in

italy. a number of people are feared to have been killed in the incident on the holiday island of ischia, which has been hit by heavy rain in recent days. however, italy's interior minister says the deaths haven't been confirmed . emergency been confirmed. emergency services , they are continuing services, they are continuing the search rescue operation. this building have been engulfed by landslide . train cleaners by landslide. train cleaners have voted to strike over pay in what would be the biggest strike everin what would be the biggest strike ever in the industry. the rail maritime and transport unions say more than a thousand of its members working for seven private contract owners backed the industrial action . it says the industrial action. it says rail strikes by train drivers continue today with more disruption expected . members of disruption expected. members of aslef across 11 train operators are walking out in a dispute over pay, meaning significantly reduced service service . the reduced service service. the death of a man at the manston migrant processing centre may have been caused by a bacterial infection . that's according to

infection. that's according to the home office . an the home office. an investigation is currently ongoing and the coroner has made a final conclusion on the cause of his death. it's believed the man arrived in the uk on a small boat just one week before he died. government say they're offering vaccinations . the offering vaccinations. the infection at the manston . mr. infection at the manston. mr. stevens , the united nations is stevens, the united nations is calling for humanitarian aid . calling for humanitarian aid. people in ukraine who've been without power following russian . it's after president zelenskyy says 6 million people are without . after the series rocket without. after the series rocket attacks earlier this week , the attacks earlier this week, the mayor of ukraine, vitaly klitschko, says about 70% of households in keith still have no power . meanwhile, british no power. meanwhile, british military intelligence says russia removing nuclear warheads from old cruise missiles. before using them for attacks in ukraine. the mod says the move highlights moscow's low stock of

long—range missiles . the england long—range missiles. the england manager, gareth southgate played down boos by disappointed fans following the lions draw with the usa in world cup last night. means the team missed out on a chance guarantee a place in the last 16. supporters at a fanzone in south london were furious by the result throwing cups and spraying drinks. england will face wales next, with the latter needing a victory to keep up their chances of making the knockout stages . former england knockout stages. former england manager sam allardyce says he is still hopeful england can win the tournament . there's enough the tournament. there's enough experience in the backroom staff manager, there's enough experience in. the squad now having gone through two tournaments that they've got the tools to win this competition . tools to win this competition. but gareth needs use. the squad to its full potential and that means for me quite a few changes for the next game will disappoint england and wales fansin disappoint england and wales

fans in qatar still believe both teams have a chance of moving on in the tournament ? the always in the tournament? the always hopeful is an england fan that will progress the tournament, though they were a good football team , they got some of the team, they got some of the world's best players. yes, they didn't perform last night. world's best players. yes, they didn't perform last night . but didn't perform last night. but you always hope for you always live for that dream. and we are disappointed with the with the result, certainly in the iran game. we are hoping to get a point of that, at least put us in a big and keep that three in our own hands for the round of games. but are still in the games. but we are still in the tournament into final tournament going into the final round games, we can still round of games, we can still qualify . we're delighted qualify. we're delighted to still be in that conversation . still be in that conversation. and the yellow weather warning for rain and strong winds also affecting travel today with the warnings in place for large of the uk. conditions will affect southern england. wales scotland. the warnings wales and england will come into force in around an hour's time and they stay in place until 3 am. tomorrow morning . this is gb

tomorrow morning. this is gb news we'll bring you more news as it happens. now get back to alastair stewart& friends friends . friends. tatiana, thanks very much indeed. now, before we go back to , our top discussion about the to, our top discussion about the cost of living yesterday saw black sales bouncing back this year as shoppers seek bargains in the run up to christmas . and in the run up to christmas. and it'll happen all over again for , say cyber monday in just a few days. , say cyber monday in just a few days . and like you , i'm sure my days. and like you, i'm sure my timeline and has been awash with those tempting offers that look just too good to true and tragically many of them actually are exactly that. so i'm particularly pleased to be joined by levi winchester , the joined by levi winchester, the money editor of , the joined by levi winchester, the money editor of, the daily mirror and mirror money , who has mirror and mirror money, who has been leading something of a one

person charge against this and joins me live now. great see you. and we have to cancel the last time we tried to book . i'm last time we tried to book. i'm thrilled to bits that we able to sort it out today is all about practical tips and guidance to folks listening to our conversation. so i delete them from my timeline and i just from my timeline and ijust ignore direct messages offering me things that just cannot be true because they are on. what are the other tips you as , an are the other tips you as, an expert, would offer to ? expert, would offer to? listening to and watching our conversation ? how good knowledge conversation? how good knowledge to . thank you so much for having to. thank you so much for having me on. so absolutely. black friday, cyber monday, you're going to bombarded with deals, as you said , you know, older , as you said, you know, older, everywhere you look there are discounts galore on every thing from air fryers. i mean, i find from airfryers. i mean, i find all the biggest trend this and then you've got all the usual too on everything from clothes too on everything from clothes to vacuum cleaners and christmas gifts. so i think looking into cyber monday, it's really really

important to be prepared . stop important to be prepared. stop by writing a list of things that you actually want to buy. this will help you to avoid any impulse spends that next work out your budget go free your bank statements and work out what you can actually afford to buy after you've paid off all your bills, your food, your transport, etc. but then also make sure you're not going to be spending all of your disposable . next, make sure you compare pnces . next, make sure you compare prices using websites like google shopping and price . buy google shopping and price. buy or come will come will come over amazon. and then if think you have phones, do check if you can get cashback for websites like topcashback so you can . this is topcashback so you can. this is basically where you get money back on qualifying spends on purchases you making purchases that you making anyway. then finally wash out your refund over time right. so while monday seems like a while cyber monday seems like a lot of fun, it's very easy get sucked in and it's so important your research first and i'm remembering as well in that context because the civil civil aviation authority just making

exactly the same point . if it if exactly the same point. if it if it's, you know let's pop across to paris for the dinner a big celebration or out of the south of france for a couple of weeks. use a credit card, make sure. that you're right. so that the thing that friend of mine was thing that a friend of mine was pointing about, amazon , is that pointing about, amazon, is that it's a market place as well for a lot of other people who may not be well known , identifiable not be well known, identifiable brand traders , just you and me brand traders, just you and me thinking it's to sell x, y or z. but collection of vinyl or whatever it might be. you can use that as well. and for that you've got to be doubly careful . yes, absolutely. so whenever you're shopping online, it's always important to be cautious. but black friday and cyber monday in particular is often a prime time for scammers so. last yean prime time for scammers so. last year, the number of purchase scams, which is where you are tncked scams, which is where you are tricked into buying something onune tricked into buying something online doesn't actually exist rose by 34% on black friday and cyber monday last year. rose by 34% on black friday and cyber monday last year . so if cyber monday last year. so if you spot something online , read

you spot something online, read the reviews on check website to check that for genuine also be aware of any unusual phone calls or emails weren't expecting. and if you think you have scammed, contact your bank immediately and report it. action and you're absolutely right . if it seems absolutely right. if it seems too good to be true , then too good to be true, then chances are it probably is . and chances are it probably is. and again, my apologies that . we had again, my apologies that. we had to reshuffle it, but i'm we were able to do that successfully and do keep in touch always welcome on the programme anyway winchester there the money editor of the daily mirror and mirror which itself is mirror money which itself is well worth following for good tips and guidance. talking of rich i've just had an absolutely brilliant message online as as promised and that is from mel who says save by buying traditional gifts as well, things like gloves and scarves because they also help keep you warm like that. i thank you for that. i do love it. now that's a

little upbeat we're not going to be totally down the dumps today , but we're being realistic and honest . it it does appear that honest. it it does appear that we're on the precipice of a another winter of discontent because the government is about to spend because the government is about to spen d £25 billion on to spend £25 billion on advertising, campaigning, sharing their best tips on how to on reduce to cut back on energy. reduce your bill and indeed reduce national. but is the people's. we wanted to hear from you on what you're doing to try and keep ahead of the game and keep warm this winter. keep ahead of the game and keep warm this winter . and many of warm this winter. and many of you have already done that for which we are grateful. keep them coming in and. we'll share them before we finish the show at 2:00. what's more more 2:00. what's more as more rail strikes confirmed , how are strikes are confirmed, how are you getting from to how you you getting from a to b? how you communicating in the communicating with people in the face of the postal strike and getting people we up to getting to people as we up to christmas there are answers to all those . but with nurses all of those. but with nurses poised to down tools except in emergencies. is there a position? does one exist? well, i'm to be joined next by will

hodson , who's consumer champion hodson, who's consumer champion of how save it. also an entrepreneur who entered the dragons den with look after my bills and was given one of the best deals that on the show. so far. so what was congratulations on that so you have expertise in these areas what are your top that you're prepared to share not for a deal with me because as i said at the of the programme i have no money to offer. i can't take shares or offer. i can't take shares or offer at kind of deal. offer you at any kind of deal. but you're an experienced deal maker. what do you think every man, woman and child listening to conversation be doing to this conversation be doing right to and keep bills right now to try and keep bills in order ? well, the first thing in order? well, the first thing you do is you look what you can do without having to sink any of your own money first. so you've got things like making sure that you're running your machine at the temperature at 30 the lowest temperature at 30 degrees is nearly always enough. don't set off your washing your dishwasher and that's it is full then look at things like excluding drafts around the home. now those might seem minor

, but i promise you they can add up to hundred pounds savings up to hundred pounds of savings per year. but for big savings, the really big savings you need to invest little bit of money. i would recommend anyone to look for that energy performance certificate . this is a certificate. this is a government approved certificate. it's available online and it will set out what steps you would need to take to make your home more energy efficient . it home more energy efficient. it sets out how much it would cost and also how much it would save . and one angle on the current crisis prices being so high is the and they're being so investments that might have taken two years to pay off might now pay off in less than months. in particular, i'm thinking about stuff like insulating your loft that costs abou t £500 to do loft that costs about £500 to do and will save you about loft that costs about £500 to do and will save you about £450 a yearif and will save you about £450 a year if you've got an average sized home, does cost a lot to have that survey done and resulting in the that you just

which i guess is like an emoji and tells you what you need to do before the next time it's free it's absolutely free. so if you if your home is being on the market either to be rented or to be bought in the last couple of decades there will be an ep energy performance certificate . energy performance certificate. this can't be jargon anymore. everyone be familiar with it as an epc that will be available onune. an epc that will be available online . the government website . online. the government website. the numbers are going to give you a rough idea of how much you could save and you could be surprised if you've got a few hundred pounds spare. and we don't have that. if you have don't all have that. if you have , there has never been a better time to invest energy time to invest in energy efficiency because as you said alister , my background on alister, my background on dragons den was about saving people money, but that was different time that was going to save to change save money. you had to change your , get a cheaper your energy, get a cheaper tariff . you can't do that tariff. you can't do that anymore . now the only way to anymore. now the only way to reduce your energy bill is to reduce your energy bill is to reduce your energy usage. we can do a lot on our own. i've just

discussed here with you, but what we really is government help. nothing of a national insulation scheme is what's required . can i finish with this required. can i finish with this observation? and i was talking to my first two guests about it. one was a debt adviser and the other a young political . and i other a young political. and i put it to both of them , agreed put it to both of them, agreed that what we really need , apart that what we really need, apart from the certificates you've described it , from the certificates you've described it, insulation and all the rest it, is need growth the rest of it, is need growth in the economy. we need better pay- in the economy. we need better pay. more businesses , pay. we need more businesses, which expert in as which you're an expert in as well, up to get the well, setting up to get the economy otherwise , we are economy otherwise, we are heading and heading for dependency and decline. how worried are you about that ? but it sounds as about that? but it sounds as though everyone's agreeing with you on this too. so, you know, without being too. do agree without being too. i do agree without being too. i do agree with as well this focus on with you as well this focus on growth actually gave a bit of a bad rap because we all know that things didn't go particularly well truss when that was well for liz truss when that was her however, if we're her mantra. however, if we're talking about sparing not capacity for the economy to grow, i think that has to be

priority. it's not a subject from the cost of living crisis in my mind , growth is what in my mind, growth is what happens with the money that's left after your bills are paid. with bills going the roof, it's the first priority of any growth government to do whatever it can to get those bills under control. after that , we're control. after that, we're looking at a new future for britain. we're looking at new ways to generate growth. and i think got any number of advantages as a nation, not just in the energy sector where we are world leaders in things like offshore wind , also things like offshore wind, also things like financial technology , medical financial technology, medical technology, these things are going to be vital in the future. i think the government is going to big role to play supporting making most of its making the most of its potential. hodson music to potential. well hodson music to my ears i agree with single word of that thanks also your tips on the certification and invest a little bit to save potentially a lot. great see you in touch. lot. great to see you in touch. love to talk to you again. will hudson their champion hudson their consumer champion at how save another great at how save it? another great site to up read it and follow

the advice and guidance . well, the advice and guidance. well, joining me now is angus forbes. change of tack slightly although he is also a small business man . but first and foremost, angus is conservative councillor for the course of gowrie ward and. he has been a conservative councillor for the last five years and over that period has fought hard for his neck of the woods politically and economically as a councillor and a small businessman. have you ever known more challenging times than these ? no, absolutely times than these? no, absolutely not. i haven't even imagined more challenge times the need. so i'm relatively lucky in that the councillor, gary, a relatively affluent area. so i'm not seeing the issues that of my colleagues are seeing at the but without a shadow of a doubt that my mill bike mill box to the modern polyols is more fuel with a questions about the cost of living than. absolutely anything else that and interestingly more

than say i'm worried the rail strike because can't get from a to b or i'm worried about the fact that the prime minister member of your party has said we simply can't afford the pay that the nurses are seeking . it's the nurses are seeking. it's straightforward cost of living stuff. it's making ends meet. myself yes absolutely. i mean, i used to joke that my mailbag was full of complaints about dog poo. i have another complaint . poo. i have another complaint. dog poo. for months now i will get at least two emails a day about the cost of living crisis. people going from one extreme to be genuinely terrified right to simply asking for or where they can find some tips and guidance like we've just heard from other people on your show today , but people on your show today, but but i mention the fact that you are a business man as well as being a politician because one of the things that worries me most in this context is that the real answer to all of this is not direct government in terms of bailouts , although there's

of bailouts, although there's another argument to be had about pubuc another argument to be had about public sector pay, it is about growth in the economy, as you just heard from my last guest, there is a former contestant on there is a former contestant on the on the dragons den. and unless we're building new businesses , unless we're businesses, unless we're employing people and paying them decent money , this economy is decent money, this economy is going to grind to a halt and it's going to become a dependency culture , a politician dependency culture, a politician and a businessman that worry you. it does. it absolutely does worry me. so i'm a i'm not sure if you mentioned not my business is relatively small a self—employed photographer so from a business perspective , the from a business perspective, the cost of living crisis is not affecting me in that regard, but it is affecting me because. my customers are having to change the spending pattern so big businesses that would have engaged a photographer engaged me as a photographer to do for them are now do some work for them are now affected by excuse me, by the cost electricity and other fuel . so therefore they're looking at other ways to money. and that's my business the that's affecting my business the moment as well. but yeah , what moment as well. but yeah, what you said is absolutely right.

interestingly heard you there say that you hadn't directly impacted you. do you mean your own budget or your business might? well, my business is relatively small . i'm relatively small. i'm self—employed, so the amount of that my business uses is so that it's not really making a difference to me in terms of energy costs , but it is making energy costs, but it is making a difference to my customers. therefore, changing their spending patterns and instead of engaging me to do some photography work for them, they are do it themselves are choosing to do it themselves . what your view when you . and what your view when you reflect upon those problems that people bring to you via your your or your mailbox? i mean , your or your mailbox? i mean, the post, if they can still get a letter, do or more directly, electronically who say, oh, the government have got to the government have got to the government have got to the government have got to do even more because if you tot up what this government has spent on helping with energy prices and, paying helping with energy prices and, paying for the huge cost of the whole pandemic period for taxpayers, there is limit to

just how deep their pockets should be be . interesting you should be be. interesting you say that because actually the tune of the vast majority of the letters i'm getting are not about the government must do more for me than must give me more for me than must give me more actually more money because i actually think majority of think the vast majority of people what you've people agree with what you've just and that the amount of money government money the government spent on the the last three the country over the last three years and we'll years is astronomical. and we'll take decades and decades and generations to pay by it. so people are asking about that. they're about where they're asking me about where can i get some money to help? is there that can there money available that can help advice the help me? is the advice of the council or anyone else. can you give me about reducing the cost of as a we are of living? and as a we are issuing to people and i'm issuing advice to people and i'm seeing really interesting things where people are helping each other. charity is and other. so charity is and churches creating warm churches are creating warm spaces people and have spaces. people can go and have a bafic spaces. people can go and have a basic lunch and a cup of tea and the table tennis and the other chat.i the table tennis and the other chat. i with elderly ladies chat. i with five elderly ladies on thursday who told that what they're doing is they're all getting together so instead of the one each of them sitting in

the one each of them sitting in the royal house, they're going round each other's houses. so they heat one house on monday they heat one house on a monday and tuesday. and under house on the tuesday. and kind of things and these are the kind of things that are doing just to that people are doing just to try and get through winter try and get through the winter and upside to that. and there's an upside to that. angus just that angus isn't that just nice that people which is people can help other which is excellent and a of you to excellent and a great of you to find for us saturday find time for us saturday afternoon angus and a pleasure talking thank very talking to you thank you very much angus forbes much indeed. that's angus forbes who conservative councillor who is a conservative councillor in ward, councillor gary in gowrie ward, councillor gary ward , and as you said, ward, and as you said, a self—employed small business man with absolute honesty and transparency . as a conservative transparency. as a conservative councillor about the state that we're in and what his voters and electorate people he represent have been telling him about the state we are in talking of which i am delighted to be joined by my next guest and writer sarah palmer . not a my next guest and writer sarah palmer. not a great programme for you so far because as i sense of sympathy with the nurses but also a sense that

there is a limit to what the government can do to help. and the prime minister himself yesterday said simply meet your demand deep down. you don't want to go on strike either. do you know? no, i'm actually against strike. so i think 9 billion, it would it would cost to meet this pay would it would cost to meet this pay rise demand 17.6. i think that's unreasonable and i do think a strike would be a very unsafe for the british medical journal has already shown that when there are less nurses on shift mortality rate rises . a shift mortality rate rises. a study in the us that there was a 19% rise in mortality when the nurses went on strike for there. so i think that that shows that icannot so i think that that shows that i cannot see they can meet the nmc code of conduct which is to the safety of all patients and uphold the reputation of , the uphold the reputation of, the profession, so as even though i am a nurse and i do sympathise. still i don't think it's the answer and i don't think it's morally right. although you're also as a commentator on these

matters as well as a nurse . matters as well as a nurse. yeah. and we're looking at pictures now if you're, if you're listening to us on the radio we're watching looking at pictures that you shoot a pictures that you shoot not in a hospital at we're surrounded by nurses and other workers that mixed signals government because when the royal college initially said we balloted and these are the results they also said but we've with the health secretary and the buzz was quite positive now all gone very very quiet . now all gone very very quiet. does that worry you? it does it concerns me that they said steve barclay walked away from negotiating with them on the pay demand. but then i'm not sure what the government can do . what the government can do. they've already said that this is unreasonable , i think, the is unreasonable, i think, the amount that they're asking for is unreasonable that is just so unreasonable that i can't see how negotiation is possible for the government and the and the rcn. i you were at those talks because actually you do answer your own question in a piece . i did i do answer your own question in a piece. i did i read do answer your own question in a piece . i did i read that piece. i did that. i read that you wrote and is that you you wrote and that is that you are as frontline nurse

are convinced as frontline nurse that there is fat that can be cut from the nhs and a lot of it is to be found as a lot of gp news and radio viewers , news and radio viewers, listeners have told me in a whole series of emails and tweets, that is in middle tweets, and that is in middle management i'm going cut management that i'm going to cut from i am in from you, because if i am in trouble or my kids are in trouble, it's you and, the doctor the consultant doctor and the consultant to help manager help me out. the middle manager . but but you've looked at that from front line and you say, from the front line and you say, yes, can done. oh yes, that can be done. oh absolutely. there's a huge waste of money and mismanagement of funds i mean nhs funds in the nhs and i mean nhs england. had a load of england. they had a load of laptops they threw away after a couple years of having them. they them all in bulk in the pandemic and then they had to dispose of them within two years saying i mean saying they were owed. i mean that's waste of money. but then, as you this middle as you say, this middle management well, mean, management as well, i mean, there's waste on there's such a waste on management there's such management and there's such mismanagement of the whole system. they need an system. i think they need an overhaul whole structure overhaul of the whole structure of how the is managed and of how the nhs is managed and i think there's a lot of unnecessary in place when that , unnecessary in place when that, that money could be saved and

then maybe it would be more reasonable to then for a pay rise for the nurses. but we can't just keep giving more and more to the nhs. you more money to the nhs. but you so honest it because i do so honest about it because i do genuine relief on quite genuine relief on that. quite extraordinary because the debate within the rail industry is exactly that that both the government new transport secretary and the train operating companies a network rail themselves are saying the unions like it or not if you to these changes in work practises and so on that there will be money. yeah in effect you're sitting as a nurse saying yeah let's look at what those changes have work practises of how the nhs works might be made and then about, you know, what you might actually find the money that we want. right. exactly want. that's right. exactly whereas too to ask whereas at the moment too to ask the taxpayers to spend 9 billion on a pay rise for nurses when they haven't done anything to actually the actually save money. the nhs, with all of these areas that could easily be improved upon, i think that's what so think that's what i find so unreasonable about the whole situation. a strike. if situation. and then a strike. if it wasn't living

it wasn't a cost of living crisis and weren't in a deep crisis and we weren't in a deep recession and then maybe it would more reasonable if they would be more reasonable if they made demand , it made a reasonable demand, it wasn't met and there was wasn't being met and there was the there. but the the money there. but at the moment the situation just doesn't for that. it's doesn't allow for that. it's possible to that pay rise. possible to get that pay rise. so and the public love you guys and gals. does the royal college realise how much that love may decline as result of decline as a result of industrial action? well, that's the feel there's the thing. i do feel there's a degree of brainwashing because the wilfully encourage the rcn quite wilfully encourage , this sort of attitude among all of the nurses as it's sort of team effort to believe that they're quite hard done by and they're quite hard done by and they do work really hard they deserve a pay but i think they've been misled to a degree by the aca and they've all ended up with an unreasonable view. but i think because they but i think that's because they haven't been encouraged to critique the argument a pay critique the argument for a pay rise and timing . sure. yeah rise and the timing. sure. yeah when you keep in touch with this because as this progresses hopefully not to all out action keep in touch with us because love to talk to you again. you've been about and you've been so about it and you've got brilliant, positive

ideas thank you very ideas as well. thank you very much sarah jane much indeed. thanks. sarah jane palmer said, is a palmer there, who as said, is a frontline but also frontline nurse, but also a really thoughtful writer on all of these matters . it is. what is of these matters. it is. what is it ? it's 12 minutes. imagine it? it's 12 minutes. imagine not. it's 128. it? it's 12 minutes. imagine not. it's128. so it? it's 12 minutes. imagine not. it's 128. so that's it? it's 12 minutes. imagine not. it's128. so that's coming up to 1:30. i apologise. and in that final hour with lots more still to come here on an independent review has found that the london fire brigades institutionally racist and misogynist will be live at the lfb headquarters for reaction to that. lfb headquarters for reaction to that . but first, lfb headquarters for reaction to that. but first, a quick look at the weather . looking ahead to the weather. looking ahead to this afternoon and the is looking to be rather mild thanks to the winds are coming from the south. let's take a look at the details . the southerly winds details. the southerly winds will be brisk with strong gusts developing northeast scotland with outbreaks of rain arrive dunng with outbreaks of rain arrive during the afternoon . so during the afternoon. so shetland will stay drier until the evening. winds will be particularly strong in the west with the risk of coastal gales. however it will turn drier for

northern ireland as the rain case areas of northern england will see some heavy rain develop into the afternoon , turning it into the afternoon, turning it into the afternoon, turning it into a wet and soggy saturday despite the mild conditions for late november. the feel of things be tempered by all the rain and, wind and north—west and wales be exposed to some of the strongest gale inland areas of england. will slightly more sheltered during the day , but sheltered during the day, but the breeze will begin to up as the breeze will begin to up as the cloud thickens and the outbreaks of rain gradually progressed eastwards . south progressed eastwards. south southeast england will remain dry for the longest and there'll be some hazy sunshine during the afternoon. but temperatures be a touch lower than those in the west and due to the wet week , west and due to the wet week, many western areas have had the additional this afternoon could lead and surface lead to some and surface flooding so cash should be taken when travelling and that is how the weather

good afternoon is 132 and i'm tatiana sanchez in the gb newsroom london fire brigade chief says firefighters face being sacked if they're found to have believed or been racist, misogynistic or. have believed or been racist, misogynistic or . andy rose says misogynistic or. andy rose says there will be a zero tolerance approach after , an independent approach after, an independent review into . the culture within review into. the culture within the service. the report revealed accounts from a black who had a noose placed by his locker. women being groped , people women being groped, people having their helmets filled with urine. the review was commissioned after a trainee firefighter took his own life in 2020. london fire brigade bosses have said the behaviour not acceptable and they welcomed the recommendations made by. the rail strikes by train drivers

continue today with more travel disruption expected passengers. members of aslef across 11 train operators are walking out in dispute over pay, meaning a significantly reduced service . significantly reduced service. the general secretary of aslef is due to meet the transport secretary mark harper next week to discuss the dispute . england to discuss the dispute. england manager gareth southgate played down boos disappointed fans following the lines draw with the usa in world cup last night. it means the team missed out on a chance to guarantee place in the last 16. supporters are a fan zone in south london with furious by the result throwing cups and drinks. england will face next with the latter needing a victory to keep up their chances of making the knockout rounds . at least 13 knockout rounds. at least 13 people are missing after a landslide in italy. a number of people are feared to have been killed. the incident on the houday killed. the incident on the holiday island , which has been holiday island, which has been hit by rain in recent days.

however, italy's interior minister says the deaths haven't been confirmed. emergency services say they are continuing the search and rescue operation as buildings have been engulfed by the landslide . and a yellow by the landslide. and a yellow weather warning for rain and strong winds will also be affecting travel today with warnings in place for large parts of the uk. conditions will affect southern england, wales and scotland . the warnings in and scotland. the warnings in wales and england will come into force in around half an hour's time and they'll stay in place until a m tomorrow morning . tv until a m tomorrow morning. tv on dab plus radio this is gb news now is back alastair stewart and friends . stewart and friends. tatiana thank you very much indeed and promised we pick up on one of the stories in tatiana's news now an independent review indeed found that the london fire brigade is,

and i quote , institutionally and i quote, institutionally misogynist , racist. the misogynist, racist. the independent culture review , the independent culture review, the lfb culture after trainee firefighter matthew from as far spree took his own life in august 20, 20. more than 2000 current and former staff and community groups spoke out, reporting sexist, racist and homophobic behaviour. leadership issues were also mentioned . issues were also mentioned. staff are afraid to speak out about abuse and accept evil behaviour toward members . the behaviour toward members. the pubuc behaviour toward members. the public was also recorded by the london fire commission has said that the behaviour highlighted unacceptable and welcomed recommendations made by the review. while gb news national reporter theo theo chikomba is outside the london fire brigade had for us now. i mean this is quite staggering as a report plus the acceptance it by the

bosses where you are . yes it's a bosses where you are. yes it's a report into the culture here at the london fire brigade. it's a report that took around ten months and is out who is a former chief crown prosecutor former chief crown prosecutor for the north—west with his team of them spoke to a number of officers across the country as you mentioned earlier around 2000 fire brigade workers were questioned over that period and it was it was through written statements interviews. and so not just to give you an example , some of the stuff that is in this report . a white female this report. a white female firefighter , too, received a firefighter, too, received a video of a colleague exposing himself . video of a colleague exposing himself. there video of a colleague exposing himself . there were examples of himself. there were examples of men huddled around a screen watching in in their offices. and just this one, which is very it says women go to work, could end up being sent to extreme many dangerous incidents . one many dangerous incidents. one female firefighter was saying in these cases your life depends on

your colleagues and you have to rely on them to get safely and how can you do that when they think so little of you and treat you like dirt all time without respect it makes job impossible. this report has been heard by the mayor and of course, the brigade's commissioner. he's saying he is horrified to read the report into . the brigade the report into. the brigade adding, i think there are many staff decent who public servants and will be equally and he's horrified and yet really. and he says from today it will be completely clear to all staff that behaviour that isn't acceptable , that we have zero acceptable, that we have zero tolerance and that they will potentially lose their jobs stuff. yeah, thank you very much indeed. that's gb news national reporter theo chacon at the headquarters , the london fire headquarters, the london fire brigade . and we want to bring brigade. and we want to bring you the full statement. i'd like to take a few moments, but it's

very important to have balance and all the facts when we're covering something as sensitive as this. so we have full as this. so we have the full statement london fire statement from. the london fire commissioner , andy wroe, who statement from. the london fire comnmentionedkndy wroe, who statement from. the london fire comn mentioned iniy wroe, who statement from. the london fire comnmentioned in his/roe, who statement from. the london fire comnmentioned in his report ho statement from. the london fire comnmentioned in his report .o theo mentioned in his report. what he has said is this today is a very sobering day. what he has said is this today is a very sobering day . there is is a very sobering day. there is no place for discrimination and harassment or bullying the brigade. and from it will be completely clear to all staff what behaviour isn't acceptable and, what the consequences be. so there you have it on the record . the boss. we shall watch record. the boss. we shall watch with great interest. you're watching and listening to alastair stewart& friends with plenty more. still to come in the final 20 minutes or so of the final 20 minutes or so of the programme, including we've spoken lot today about how we spoken a lot today about how we can consumers through cost can help consumers through cost of living crisis and the winter of living crisis and the winter of discontent. but what about small business? is they, of course, backbone of this course, are the backbone of this backbone this country. we've backbone of this country. we've discussing how they can play their part and indeed how they are continuing to play their part with a small business. live

here in the studio . but first, here in the studio. but first, we can have a quick break break.

welcome back. it is 1342, sort of 8 minutes to the welcome back and listening to and watching alastair stewart and friends here on gb news and radio and thank you very much indeed for so doing as i have made crystal clear on this programme many times, in my view , and it is times, in my view, and it is actually an economic fact . small actually an economic fact. small businesses are the backbone of the backbone of this country and they too, like everybody else , they too, like everybody else, suffering from the cost of living , rises suffering from the cost of living, rises in suffering from the cost of living , rises in energy prices, living, rises in energy prices, rise of raw material wages and of the rest of it. and they are trying to keep going what little growth there is to keep that going as well. some restaurants and pubs literally stripping

back their menus and offering bafic back their menus and offering basic dishes instead, just save on their outgoings and keep . on their outgoings and keep. well, i'm delighted to be joined live in the studio now by wilford burrows who is the owner of the grill shack and tiki bar and i know about you've literally had to back on portion sizes and you're alone because when . the group would was taken when. the group would was taken oven when. the group would was taken over. that was one of the key things that they had to even at that level of scale. but have you actually felt that you not make it? yes. and to be honest , make it? yes. and to be honest, alistair, it's not just me i think is entire industry . alistair, it's not just me i think is entire industry. i mean, we're talking about the third of the hospitality industry that my shut down the bobbie gentry time . so bobbie gentry time. so everyone's hoping to have a good christmas hopefully . i think you christmas hopefully. i think you mentioned also about reducing the portions, but we're also

reducing the price as well in some cases, but not items on our menu. for example , we're going menu. for example, we're going we're going to reduce the portions where we can. we will do it , but we portions where we can. we will do it, but we to be realistic. and you're very active in trying to draw people in with special offers and promotions . are you offers and promotions. are you still able to do that because of any promotion that saves me the consumer above or to cost you money? indeed, he did. it does cost us money, but where we can , we would do some promotion, especially on drinks. we can play especially on drinks. we can play the that we are play around with the that we are making on drinks, for example, we promotions. the happy we can do promotions. the happy hours attract more people hours to attract more people changing marketing strategy if it's social media the way we do it's social media the way we do it trying to find some ideas to innovate , trying to stay alive innovate, trying to stay alive innovate, trying to stay alive in this business otherwise it's going to be almost impossible with the rising cost of guys of electricity, you name it . it's electricity, you name it. it's a very challenging we are facing no . what would you say was the no. what would you say was the standout thing that you have

been to do or forced to do you choose the language that you want to use both to the businesses going also to keep your own head above water. what have you had to do that you never dreamt you'd have to do six months ago? probably it's the way we do business in general in terms of trying to cost saving activities, not just me . every one involved in doing me. every one involved in doing stormont as well in business, we cutting the good and maybe early. so as possible, cutting the ventilation, the system as as possible as well in the evenings switches switch off everything. the lights that we use to lift on an evening. maybe if are no light to see the sight of the restaurant. maybe we turn it off in evening before we leave . shopping the way we do leave. shopping the way we do shopping as . well, instead of shopping as. well, instead of going to the store, maybe we looking online to how we can find it cheapest it bargains. i mean it's black friday and is onune mean it's black friday and is online trying to find some

onune online trying to find some online that going to us over the next few days or weeks faster absolutely fascinating fascinating you don't only run your own brilliant tiki bar and restaurant you're also you set up restaurant you're also you set up haitian collective of businessmen and women who are running all sorts of small businesses who are the optimists . and why are they optimistic ? i . and why are they optimistic? i guess. . and why are they optimistic? i guess . thank . and why are they optimistic? i guess. thank you. yes it's the is the only haitian we want in the uk to be in this elite haitian cocktail bar in the uk. so as such, people travelling from far to come and tie our food to have a taste of . haiti food to have a taste of. haiti because the news haiti is not always great if . you try to be always great if. you try to be that's a great business ploy . so that's a great business ploy. so i'm trying to do my best to keep my customers as luckily to me i think some of my cousin's they can afford we got less of inflation they can still afford

to come on having a nice good food and a nice cocktail in me some worms as well especially traffic. i mean so it's good to see think for some of our competitors as well it on your location as well where you you can afford to be to charge someone maybe can afford to be to charge someone mayb e £30 for it can we someone maybe £30 for it can we go to it relies on peas but i kind of do that way i mean i've donein kind of do that way i mean i've done in three so it's is to find a live wage where you can between the customers your location trying to balance it all to see what you offer to the customers that we only speak to you and your customers as well so you maintain that balance and trying to keep above the rest really to survive as you look forward to the budget autumn statement call what you like. there were headline stories in there about giving pensioners a little bit more money, which is great, and giving the poorest folk a little bit more money . folk a little bit more money. but the other great headline was that people who do work and earn decent money will be dragged

into a higher rate of tax the next story that's going to hit you have less you is people who have less money their because they are money in their because they are now tax . how worried now paying more tax. how worried are very worried. i was are you? very worried. i was hoping the government going to do something about tax . also do something about tax. also some of the rishi sunak he was the head of the chancellor back then. the head of the chancellor back then . did come out of nothing then. did come out of nothing dunng then. did come out of nothing during covid help. businesses, small businesses. so tell you that because they help out eat out to help out it didn't help us a lot. so this sort of initiative i was hoping to get from from the government, they mini budget. let me just kill it . and now we're hoping maybe the government come some government will come with some sort something to help us sort of something to help us out. so we genuinely keep our fingers crossed for you, for the people you employ, and also your friends trying to friends who are also trying to do same thing, because it do the same thing, because it really does matter. is it really does matter. it is it will virus owner of grill will for virus owner of grill shack tiki as you may have shack and tiki as you may have just noticed on that brilliant t—shirt. thank you. and i'm glad

they you the best of luck. they wish you the best of luck. thank present and thank you to present and chatting about it as the chatting to us about it as the challenges the front facing challenges the front line facing exactly the same problems as you it making meet keeping the it making meet and keeping the business now england fans as well as the nations wags we gather from the newspapers bless their hearts were caught yawning after last night's world cup ball draws the papers have called it against the united states of america. there's little doubt that it was a bad day for british football. there's a lot of people told me last night on line saying i didn't understand it that in fact the draw was just as good it pretty well guarantee it would pretty well guarantee that england through, that that england got through, but didn't stop it being but that didn't stop it being any less of a bore wales lost two nil to iran, england and wales are now set to play against each other on tuesday and one of the papers there the daily mail is dubbing the battle of a brit . so there we go daily mail is dubbing the battle of a brit. so there we go our reporter. as you heard a little

earlier here, gb news tv and radio is live for us covering all of these events. and i'm delighted that he is i think about to join us. i'm just waiting confirmation . get us waiting confirmation. get us into it so we can cross live to and paula hawkins is there waiting for i heard you a little bit earlier on the fans phlegmatic philosophical or even risking optimism what do you reckon ? oh depends . you thought reckon? oh depends. you thought so, alistair . i reckon? oh depends. you thought so, alistair. i think most wales fans saying hey, we were rubbish against iran. iran deserved to win , we're just glad to be here win, we're just glad to be here because it's our first world cup since 1958. fewer friends. i respectfully said no, we're still up for it. we're still in it. we're still in the conversation. and we can beat england tuesday, which they england on tuesday, which they have go have to do and hope results go their if they're going to their way. if they're going to qualify for the second round. england qualify for the next

even if they get beaten three nil by wales, they could still qualify the next round . but the qualify the next round. but the big game here, well at the moment we can say what's happening right now. poland are currently leading saudi arabia. it's almost half time in that game. saudi arabia missed they've just missed a penalty and that match. remember saudi arabia beat argentina and that why argentina against mexico huge game here this evening you're talking about the battle of britain alistair. this is the battle of latin and of course, little mexico will hope to knock argentina out of the world cup because argentina have to win that match if they want to stay in the competition later and argentina we former argentina as we know former champions they're one of the favourites to this favourites to win this competition hoping competition so they'll be hoping to the spirit the late to invoke the spirit the late great maradona in. the meantime, mexican fans will be hoping to cause a huge upset by knocking them out of the world cup. this is what mexicans have been telling us . very exciting to telling us. very exciting to here in our well, this is my first world cup and i it it well

i think it's the loss of messi andifs i think it's the loss of messi and it's kind of confusion because we are huge fan of massive but also for so it's very exciting what would it mean for mexico to knock argentina out of the world cup. i think very hard. i mean we to hope because you love messi but yeah yeah but we're from mexico we support both and to get . and support both and to get. and tuki llosa i know . yeah that tuki llosa i know. yeah that songis tuki llosa i know. yeah that song is one of the songs the mexican fan sing you watch tonight because both the mexico and the argentines love dressing up. we've seen a mexican batman wandering the streets of doha. they'll be dressed , various they'll be dressed, various costumes waving flags, huge drums. those massive flags that you see in latin and latin american football. there'll be loads of noise tonight. it's

going to be it's going to be really good. that one kicks off at 7:00 uk time, 10:00 doha time . in the meantime, england will be hoping to progress to the next phase as we've already mentioned, we had with mentioned, we had a chat with these fans earlier today these england fans earlier today . us they are a good side , . us they are a good side, they're a young side. in four years they're to be a years time they're going to be a force if it's in the force especially if it's in the you the next cups in the you the next world cups in the states they'll a team to look states they'll be a team to look out start the team out for you start with the team that well before. i that played so well before. i can't him for his team can't criticise him for his team choice but as players you didn't turn up didn't perform like we thought were going to thought they were going to perform should drawn perform. you should have drawn like was the one we were calling out for . i'm a like was the one we were calling out for. i'm a chelsea supporter and two guys i would have replaced i would've put grealish and followed for in on matt and sterling. then i didn't think i performed at all last night. yeah. so taking on wales on tuesday day and as i say we've still got to come today france against denmark is one of the world's best players kit and mbappe and then lionel messi his have to be messi go later. paul

thank you very much indeed paul hawkins gb news reporter live in qatar with with more stories running at the same . then you running at the same. then you can score goals against iran but they are probably shouldn't mention that but i did in a blog for. keep in touch. maybe we'll talk to you later on. thank you very very much indeed. i don't normally have world cups at christmas one of the christmas time, but one of the things that you do normally have, i am delighted say , is have, i am delighted to say, is a pantomime with family and friends . it is part of the friends. it is part of the tradition the way of celebrating . i was intrigued to know how the cost of living crisis is affecting the great british tradition because be honest, it may not be on list of things with which you can not do bit turkey , bit potatoes or whatever turkey, bit potatoes or whatever . how fair's that great tradition . british pantomime . tradition. british pantomime. some theatres like bridlington spa. we were delighted to find out of introduce payment plans to spread the cost of tickets,

but will theatre generally fall foul of family efforts to? cut costs? this year? i'm delighted to be joined live . the studio to be joined live. the studio still just about smile by a man who knows his fair share of panto and entertaining folk. it is the great mike thank you alastair is in difficulty this yeah alastair is in difficulty this year. it is tough times. i'm not making light. no, no, it's tough time . you and the people who run time. you and the people who run the theatres that you work in. yeah, very tough. i think yeah, very tough. and i think a lot of it is now we're doing a special of four and special family of four and a family five tickets you family of five tickets which you know, i'm at the ipswich know, i know i'm at the ipswich regent coming saved by regent theatre coming saved by the way. it's a great show. i'll leave you. it's couple of tickets so i think they're doing things to families, you know. so they're special prices and they're doing special prices and things is nice things like that, which is nice to because as you know, this to see because as you know, this is a said not sorry, not just bridlington. no, i think the bridlington. no, i think all the theatres as well. theatres are doing as well. i don't have to payment don't have to do the payment plan, are helping . so plan, but they are helping. so we come across we will never, ever come across that. we that. i mean, we have volunteers. people the volunteers. the people on the team said, well, it you know, london's good at west end

london's very good at west end if got few extra tickets. if you got a few extra tickets. yeah some big popular yeah some of the big popular shows then the little kiosks are very rah singing leicester square you know obviously we haven't in ipswich . so haven't got that in ipswich. so we by the way don't go to leicester square to get tickets ipswich because there won't be any. i'm just, i just want to point the other thing point out now the other thing i to point out how theatres to do is point out how theatres themselves weird. themselves feeling weird. i mentioned but mentioned bridlington there but but go the but you know if you go on the london underground you travel london underground or you travel by train there are posters everywhere yeah very often featuring people like yourself styles and stand styles from television and stand up and the rest of it taking part in banter are most of the theatres. make a theatres. this trying to make a go it of course i especially go of it of course i especially coming after the pandemic coming back after the pandemic you that mean year was you know that i mean year was the first time after the pandemic and you were pandemic and you you were running probably about 60 running out of probably about 60 70% and we hoping 70% capacity. and we were hoping that little bit that year will be a little bit more, know , i asked son more, you know, i asked my son is pennsylvania. so this year is in pennsylvania. so this year i'm hoping they will. and i think some of them , like i said think some of them, like i said to you before, they're doing special which is special deals which which is great, see, because it is hard time there . really, really

time out there. really, really hard and interesting. hard time. yeah and interesting. my last guy, i don't know if you had because you were just had it because you were just coming in, but the restaurateur in the bar. yeah, yeah . in the bar. yeah, yeah. beforehand saying that as it were spending patterns are changing . and in the midst of changing. and in the midst of the panic pandemic , we had the the panic pandemic, we had the now prime minister when he was chance saying eat out to save the economy and the rest it the economy and the rest of it theatre generally is not getting a lot of love and getting a lot of money from this company. it didn't get any of its own. every theatre i know, actor, theatre i know, every actor, every actress and we didn't get any help at all we were the one sort area that was like okay, sort of area that was like okay, well, worry about them well, don't worry about them because important. because we weren't important. and just said, and as you've just said, at christmas, you christmas, we are important. you know, we saw that our two and a half hours people coming a theatre they get lost in the story and our job is make them story and ourjob is make them cry and forget everybody's forget about the electricity, forget about the electricity, forget about the gas for and a half hours. my job as a comic is to make sure that they laugh and. just have great time to and. just have a great time to me one of the most

me as well. one of the most important aspects it, and you important aspects of it, and you say, looking into the say, well, looking into the eyeballs, there watching say, well, looking into the eyit'slls, there watching say, well, looking into the eyit's mum there watching say, well, looking into the eyit's mum and there watching say, well, looking into the eyit's mum and dad'e watching say, well, looking into the eyit's mum and dad'e wakids|g say, well, looking into the eyit's mum and dad'e wakids , of is it's mum and dad and kids, of course. it's the first time. course. and it's the first time. it's alister, it's the first time, alister, that child will enter a that a child will enter a theatre, it's the first time they'll ever, ever enter a theatre how nice that. let's theatre and how nice that. let's hope they get hooked. i you the best of luck and all of your friends thank you. friends colleagues. thank you. it's for, all of it's a tough time for, all of us. if it works for you, us. but if it works for you, that's great because will that's great because it will deliver my prices. it's still going delighted to have mike going to. delighted to have mike on the programme and this year's adaptation pan is at adaptation of peter pan is at the ipswich reading theatre. and you that's all we you see him there, that's all we have back midday have time for today, back midday tomorrow . and until then i you tomorrow. and until then i you have a lovely saturday, a splendid evening, but don't be anywhere other than 12. tomorrow barking up .

hello and welcome. this is