welcome to gloria meets he was chief whip under boris johnson's premiership. it's mark spencer. you write boris johnson off at your peril . he's he is a hugely, your peril. he's he is a hugely, hugely talented politician. the man who wants you to put him in charge of our justice system , charge of our justice system, labour's steve read . i was labour's steve read. i was frozen stiff because there was a knife on my throat. and afterwards, you know, i looked, i got home, i looked in the mirror. there was a nick with a knife of beans and she was elected in 2019. conservative mp virginia crosbie i have

surgeries. i do face to face surgeries. i do face to face surgeries where i wear a stab jacket . obviously following the jacket. obviously following the murder of david amess . all that murder of david amess. all that after your news . good evening. after your news. good evening. i'm aaron armstrong. it is 6:00 in the gb newsroom. the prime minister has indicated he is willing to address nurses demands for more money and has declined to rule out reopening this year's pay deal. speaking to the bbc , rishi sunak also to the bbc, rishi sunak also accepted the nhs is under enormous pressure but suggested much of that was down to the pandemic. it's understood strikes will continue to go ahead as planned this month, despite mr. sunak comments. the royal college of nursing have urged downing street to meet the union halfway and its demand for a 19% pay rise. the shadow health secretary wes streeting , health secretary wes streeting, though, says labour couldn't afford that either. i'm afraid i did have to say to the nurses , did have to say to the nurses, however much i totally sympathise with their pay claim.

we would. i would cannot, in all honesty, commit to say if i was in government today, i'd be able to give the 19. but we did say we would sit down and negotiate. i think that's what the government should do. while health minister maria caulfield told gb news she agrees with the prime minister that although the nhs facing undeniable viable nhs is facing undeniable viable pressure winter, there are pressure this winter, there are mitigating circumstances . seeing mitigating circumstances. seeing a twin demick of both covid and flu, we're seeing over 50% increase in the number of patients in with flu. at the moment. that has a knock on effect. if beds aren't available for a&e, which leads to the long waits describe it waits which you describe and it has on effect on has a knock on effect on ambulances being stuck at a&e, trying their patients trying to unload their patients .labour trying to unload their patients . labour has been urged to team up with the scottish national party to block the government's plans to implement minimum levels during levels of service during industrial action. the bill will be introduced in parliament shortly to ensure vital public services are maintained and dunng services are maintained and during strikes . snp's during strikes. snp's westminster leader stephen

flynn, though, has requested a meeting with sir keir starmer to discuss policy proposals . russia discuss policy proposals. russia claims it's killed more than 600 ukrainian soldiers in their temporary housing in a strike in eastern ukraine. its defence ministry says the missile attack was revenge for ukrainian strike on russian barracks in a moscow controlled part of donetsk that killed at least 89 russian troops. russia has yet to provide evidence of the attack. ukraine's rejected the claim as propaganda for the shelling, though, did take place in several parts of ukraine shortly after russia ended itself declared ceasefire to mark orthodox christmas . china has orthodox christmas. china has reopened its borders for the first time in three years after imposing strict travel restrictions at the start of the pandemic. incoming travellers will no longer need to quarantine, but will still need proof of a negative pcr test taken within 48 hours of travelling. china recently

dismantled its zero covid policy , which included some of the tightest restriction since including frequent testing and mass lockdowns. some 2 billion trips are expected over the penod trips are expected over the period that includes the chinese new year. this month. hundreds of people have been protesting in central london in solidarity with anti—government demonstrations in iran . demonstrations in iran. protesters marched through trafalgar square earlier chanting and justice for iran . chanting and justice for iran. yesterday, two men were executed by the regime for allegedly killing a member of the iranian security forces during demonstrations last year. human rights organisations have described the two men their trial as a sham . prince harry trial as a sham. prince harry has spent accused of making the invictus games a target for extremists by revealing in his memoir that he killed 25 taliban fighters in afghanistan. the former head of the royal navy says the games due to be held in dusseldorf in germany, will not have serious security issues

because of the connection to harry. he called the duke very stupid and king charles as being seen in public for the first time since the details from his son's memoir emerged . the king son's memoir emerged. the king stopped to interact with crowds as he arrived for a church service in norfolk this morning. it comes as a string of personal revelations have been made pubuc revelations have been made public this week with prince harry's book spare accidentally released early in spain on the first ever rocket launch on uk soil will take place tomorrow evening. it's part owned by richard branson. the virgin orbit bobo will launch from a new facility in newquay in cornwall around 10 pm, although thatis cornwall around 10 pm, although that is weather dependent . tv that is weather dependent. tv online and dab+ radio. this is gb news will have more news at the top of the next hour .

the top of the next hour. marks spencer, the conservative mp for sherwood, you're now a minister in the department of fisheries and food and agriculture . i want to start agriculture. i want to start this interview by talking to you about your time as chief whip under boris johnson. it was a turbulent time when mps are rebelling , all that turbulent time when mps are rebelling, all that angry about gathering in number 10. what is the personal toll that that takes on an individual who is in the chief whip role.7 yeah. so i think not as much as there is pressure on the prime minister. but i suppose i look back at that time and reflect . but but i suppose i look back at that time and reflect. but boris came in as prime minister. he got brexit to deal with and to very dealt with that very quickly. but none of us knew that covid was about to hit us or war in ukraine and, you know, you look back and you think, oh, what a privilege it was to be

part of that at the centre of the whirlwind, if you like, dunng the whirlwind, if you like, during that political turmoil . during that political turmoil. huge, huge global challenges facing the country and now i'm quite proud to have been part of that of that government dealing with those huge challenges. did you ever have any sleepless nights with a particular strain or. you know, i think you clearly are. you think about it all the time and you think about how you can affect the world around you and how you can make it a better place. but i've always been a fairly laid back person and very relaxed. you just try and deal with just need to try and deal with the go along. but the issue as you go along. but you know , we've got a cabinet you know, we've got a cabinet that was sharing that responsibility we've responsibility to say we've got a that was a prime minister that was gripping it. you know, pretty robustly and i think it's worth looking back, you know, people criticise boris particularly around what happened over covid, but no one ever went without a ventilator in this country. you look at other countries in europe, you know, the italians or germans or spanish were really struggling to get ventilator capacity. never happened uk. we were the

happened in the uk. we were the very first to out the very first to roll out the vaccine. that was all due to bofis vaccine. that was all due to boris drive this thing right from the and actually from the centre. and actually bofis from the centre. and actually boris johnson nearly was put on a ventilator. that must have been such an anxious time . so been such an anxious time. so that was genuinely was quite, quite a moment. i can remember. mark well ringing to say the least , civil service mark well ringing to say the least, civil service ringing inside of a cabinet call in 15 minutes. and you're on that goal and you said, i need to tell you that the prime minister's taken into intensive care and suddenly sort of hit you that wow, this is this is serious. sort of hit you that wow, this is this is serious . and dom raab is this is serious. and dom raab to his credit, stepped up and held the full while while boris was recovering. but thank goodness he got through it and talk us through the process of when members of parliament, your own side, the people that you're in charge of ensuring the vote the right way when there is a problem and you think i am not

going to get this votes through all this rebellion is too big. what point you tell the prime minister that .7 yes. so it's minister that? yes. so it's a it's a it's a it's a slow boil process, if you like. so, you know, rewind . i need to know as know, rewind. i need to know as chief whip, as government chief whip, i need to know what makes my colleagues take what you know, what stimulates them, what they to achieve. and you they want to achieve. and you achieve that getting to know achieve that by getting to know them personally because i want to them re—elected . i want to get them re—elected. i want them to win the next general election. to know what election. i need to know what their is all so that their priority is all so that when a policy comes forward when a new policy comes forward from an individual department, i will know who those individuals are. think may a challenge are. think may have a challenge with will have a view on with this or will have a view on it. and you can then reach out very early to say, look, this is what we're thinking of doing. how feel? do you want to how do you feel? do you want to sit down the minister? and sit down with the minister? and so a very slow process to so it is a very slow process to get point where someone get to the point where someone may disagree. and even at may well disagree. and even at that you can then do quite that point you can then do quite a lot to try and placate them, accommodate them make accommodate them and make it work. that's lot

work. of course, that's a lot easier if you've got an 80 seat majority like boris achieved, because to that because you can then say to that individual, maybe you'd like to go in constituency go and work in your constituency on rather than put on that day rather than put yourself in the awkward position where you don't want to support this policy and for future generations or historians. when you look back on your role as chief whip , is there anything chief whip, is there anything you regret about how you perform that role or anything that could have been done differently? no. i mean, i think you can always you can always reflect on what you can always reflect on what you could have done or should have done. but i think, you know , on the whole, when you look back at what that administration achieved delivering the achieved in in delivering the vaccine and getting brexit done and dealing with the challenges that we faced as a nation that mean the million the millions of pounds that they poured in we have into nhs . i think have into the nhs. i think actually you could look back with a of pride at what with a degree of pride at what the was able to the government was able to achieve. you would have been subject to a witness to both,

probably some angry conservative mp during when the party just wouldn't go away for weeks , wouldn't go away for weeks, months, daily. negative news stories about what went on in number 10 during lockdown . do mp number 10 during lockdown. do mp take that out on the chief whip when they're angry? so i mean, i think that's one of the roles of the chief whip in the whips office to absorb that to make sure that they understand what is colleagues and is driving the colleagues and what them awake at night. what keeps them awake at night. what, there concerns are what, what there concerns are thatis what, what there concerns are that is that is one of the fundamental roles the whips fundamental roles of the whips office to that office to absorb that information to communicate information to then communicate that to downing street . and, you that to downing street. and, you know, i'd always say to colleagues, i'd much you colleagues, i'd much rather you came into my office and shouted at me and told me how angry with and then go on gb news and do it, you know, let's keep those conversations internal. i'll try and accommodate you and help you get to the bottom of what is making you so grumpy as long as we can do that internally, rather than externally. was there a moment when you realised

it was not recoverable for boris johnson that his leadership was was done so , i mean, you should was done so, i mean, you should never write boris johnson off, you know, i think we wouldn't be the first people to test the air and say, oh, you know, boris's times write boris off . because times write boris off. because if you look back, you know, everybody said you could never become mayor of london. and he did it. and then they said, well, you'll never get re—elected. you look at the polls, the polls are telling you you'll re—elected. he you'll never get re—elected. he did know, you'll did it well, you know, you'll never brexit, boris. it's never solve brexit, boris. it's you know, the theresa may government was completely paralysed. nothing you paralysed. there's nothing you can do, boris, to solve this problem. and he did it. you know, think you're know, i think you're right. bofis know, i think you're right. boris at peril. boris johnson at your peril. he's hugely he's he's a hugely, hugely talented politician. was it a mistake to get rid of boris johnson? well, you know, i think clearly that was the decision that he made to go. i think now we've we've got rishi in as prime minister rishi is the man for the moment. he clearly has a very credible, bright driven individual. he's got, you know,

fizzing with policy ideas. i think rishi is the man of this moment. that doesn't mean to say that boris is not got a big role in politics, in uk politics in the future . so you think that we the future. so you think that we could still see boris johnson at some point in the future in a in a leading role in british politics? so what i would say to you is that he is a man of huge talent, that my constituents love him, that as a love and respect him, that as a party, we'd be very foolish to not make the most of those talents that clearly he has as an individual . sleaze, sex ism an individual. sleaze, sex ism and bullying the existence size say they exist in parliament to what needs to change. so i think we've made some changes actually, but we have made some progress in the right direction . what is absolutely fundamental is that those who are victims have got the confidence to come forward, that they feel as though if they make an allegation that allegation will be taken seriously, will be investigated properly , and

investigated properly, and they've got the confidence to come forward . we've made a few come forward. we've made a few changes in that direction . and changes in that direction. and so, for example, now it is possible to make an anonymous complaint . that will be long. complaint. that will be long. how do you do that? through anybody? that's right. through the independent . and there are the independent. and there are little cards everywhere, all over parliament where people can pick up and toilets and pick up and in the toilets and in the tea room , in the library in the tea room, in the library where people can go and make those contacts. so if for example, someone comes forward and said, look, i don't want to make a formal complaint, but mp , i think acted inappropriately and just want to log that . i and just want to log that. i don't feel i've got enough for a formal complaint and then somebody else comes forward about the same. mp and then somebody else is then possible for that authority . t go back for that authority. t to go back to individuals and to those three individuals and 90, to those three individuals and go, you need to know that go, look, you need to know that you're not your own so you're not on your own here. so someone made a similar someone else has made a similar allegation that demonstrates allegation and that demonstrates allegation and that demonstrates a pattern of behaviour which you might want to consider now making a formal complaint. so it

can be investigated properly . can be investigated properly. now you've got to do that as delicately as possible, of course, because dealing course, because we're dealing with reputations with people's reputations and you people to make you don't want people to make false but victims false allegations. but victims are . they really to are upset. they really have to feel confident that they will be taken seriously if they make an allegation. recall allegation. can you recall a time you were chief whip time when you were chief whip that you had to deal with with a with a wrong and perhaps like a criminally wrong ? so, i mean, criminally wrong? so, i mean, i've had both extremes, actually, where one where that was a very, very serious criminal allegation or two, one of which clearly they were guilty and were sent to prison . guilty and were sent to prison. and the other one where the person who'd have the allegation made against them was found to be completely innocent. and so you have to deal with both of those allegations in the same way. and if somebody if an mp has been accused of something of a sexual nature , something very

a sexual nature, something very serious , should they be allowed serious, should they be allowed to come onto the parliamentary estate while that is being investigated ? what we don't want investigated? what we don't want to do is end up in this circumstance where, you know, i could quite easily make an allegation against ed davey , allegation against ed davey, keir starmer and rishi sunak tomorrow , and the three of them tomorrow, and the three of them out of the parliamentary process by making a false allegation. that would be clearly would be would be wrong . but it is very would be wrong. but it is very difficult because, of course, you've not dealing with employees . some fees are not employees. some fees are not employees. some fees are not employees. they all advocates, they all represent lives of their constituents . so the power their constituents. so the power lies with the constituents to get rid of them. but of course, if someone's made a very, very serious allegation about inappropriate behaviour within a parliamentary office, it's then very difficult for that person to keep coming into the parliamentary office working with an individual. it may have made the allegation against them which is why the speaker's pulled together this committee to contradictions. to look at those contradictions. want . and what about when it's

want. and what about when it's not of a criminal nature, but perhaps somebody is making an offensive remark? yeah so. so we should all call out what you called out immediate . and i called out immediate. and i don't think we've got a responsibility as members of parliament to do that. so i think you just you you have to say so you're still in stranger's ball. you overhear someone say something that is clearly wrong. have to go. clearly wrong. you have to go. but so sorry to interrupt , but i'm so sorry to interrupt, but heard what you said but i just heard what you said and that was wrong. you should not that. should not have said that. you should apologise you just said apologise for what you just said because caused because you clearly caused offence to that individual and called out there and that. and you don't have to do that in an aggressive way. but i think you then start to change that culture by calling out culture slowly by calling out there , and then another people there, and then another people should then step in and go, actually, he was actually, you know, he was right. you shouldn't have said that. do you think the fact that you strangest bar, you mentioned the strangest bar, which of those many which is sort of like those many bars sort of like a pub bars that sort of like a pub type of bar in the commons does not play a part . do you think

not play a part. do you think the number of drinking establishment is so i mean, you know, alcohol is vital to life, i'm afraid. and if you don't have a facility for members of staff. so at the end of the day, when i finished, i work to go and have a beer together and to socialise. then i'll go off site and it or they'll drink in and do it or they'll drink in their offices behind closed doors. now i put it to you actually, in actually, you're probably in a much environment where much safer environment where there and other there are journalists and other members of the public and civil servants around . that's actually servants around. that's actually a fairly healthy place to go and have a quiet drink now, of course. so there'll be examples of where people have taken that to extreme and they've got an issue with with alcohol. i think many people would be surprised actually at the drinking culture, not i also not most employees but there are definitely occasions i'm not paid to myself as an angel. definitely occasions i'm not paid to myself as an angel . and paid to myself as an angel. and this idea of going through the lobbies drunk voting on issues

with a scheme for inside you know i'm not i'm not saying that very often, to be honest . it's very often, to be honest. it's not i think there's a danger that we over a pint this as a as a problem. i don't see there's an issue with people lobbying dnnk an issue with people lobbying drink with a few mates at the end of the day when you've finished your your work, clearly you don't want colleagues to be drinking at excessively at lunchtime and then having to deal with constituents and that's judgements that you should be able to make for themselves without authorities getting involved . and to go to getting involved. and to go to your current brief fisheries your current brief fisheries your fisheries minister, it's a in your responsibility list the great british chippy. yeah it's having a bloomin tough time right now. we've got chippies closing . it's no longer a cheap closing. it's no longer a cheap meal . how do closing. it's no longer a cheap meal. how do we save closing. it's no longer a cheap meal . how do we save the british meal. how do we save the british chip shop? well, i think you can. you can make the same argument at the high street

demand as well. you know, it's not just fish and chip shops there are lots of those shops are under pressure. that's the fundamental answer. the direct answer got them answer is you've got to use them or you'll if you don't or you'll lose them if you don't use your fish and chip job, it will disappear because it won't have trade to able to have the trade to be able to continue. would say to continue. i would say to people use and chip shop use your fish and chip shop because a great british because it's a great british tradition and just stick a few mushy peas on the side as well. mark spencer it's been a pleasure. thank you . coming up, pleasure. thank you. coming up, shadow justice secretary steve reid, until you lose your own parent, you don't know what it quite what it means. and it's shocking. it's heartbreaking . shocking. it's heartbreaking. it's devastating. but it's life changing . conservative mp, changing. conservative mp, virginia crosbie, i was in a call the rolled i nearly died and i really really really smashed out my . face looking smashed out my. face looking ahead to this evening's weather and the uk is looking to have a mix of clear spells and showers with breezy condition is here are the details a fair number of

showers are likely to sweep in across the southwest of england. and brisk and gusty winds as a result, clear spells will be short lived. most of the showers across the southeast should die out. so many areas here will go into even into the evening, dner into even into the evening, drier with clear periods developing . a showery setup is developing. a showery setup is expected across much of wales, although the heaviest and most widespread of the showers are likely in the west . the likely in the west. the occasional shower might make inroads into parts of the west midlands, thanks to the southwesterly breeze , although southwesterly breeze, although for many will be a dry start to the night with broken cloud coven the night with broken cloud cover, it will be a similar situation across north eastern england where showers are possible over the pennines whilst further east towards the coast it looks dry and fairly clear . scotland will see a large clear. scotland will see a large control post from west to east with showers in the west and clear with spells towards edinburgh and other eastern parts across northern ireland. it will be a changeable picture . there'll be some clear weather

at times, especially in the east, but with some showers moving in from the west overnight. we'll hold on to clear spells and blustery showers. although most of the showers. although most of the showers are likely in the west and that is how the weather is shaping up into tomorrow morning . he's the king of breakfast tv and he's back and returning to his throne . this is breakfast his throne. this is breakfast and gb news with eamonn holmes and gb news with eamonn holmes and isabel webster. good morning. it's a bit since my favourite wife sets your loves eamonn holmes back on gb news breakfast in ninth january at 6 am.

steve reid, shadow justice secretary, 59 years old, which i was surprised when i read that

you're kind of you shadow . you're kind of you shadow. dominic raab how do you get on with him? on a personal level, of course we, you know, we get on and that's the way it is in parliament generally. people are quite pleasant as human, as human beings. politically, we have pretty significant differences and that mean there's been a bit of a revolving door going on there, hasn't there? you know, rob was in role then in came brandon in the role then in came brandon lewis, was quick out the lewis, then he was quick out the door got rob back door and we've just got rob back again. and you know, i'm afraid i i've done a very i don't think i've done a very good job. let's talk about you. you are an out gay man. good job. let's talk about you. you are an out gay man . you've you are an out gay man. you've had a long term partner. you got married. yes. in the summer. now, the sort of gay thing today is a totally . so what's the is a totally. so what's the question ? but tell me about when question? but tell me about when you came out and what the atmosphere environment was like. i mean, the changes i've seen over my lifetime are quite extraordinary , really, because extraordinary, really, because today, as you say , the will today, as you say, the will really is both. it that's that's how it should be. i should be

judged on how i do my job, not not who i am. and i believe that's the case for everyone else as well. but when i came out, you know, that was in the eighties . and the nineties are eighties. and the nineties are very, very i was in my twenties , very, very i was in my twenties i , very, very i was in my twenties , i was i mid—twenties about then. , i was i mid—twenties about then . and it was the time when then. and it was the time when i don't know if you would remember this, but the thatcher government was passed saying a really offends the piece of legislation section 28. it was it was known as and really it character ized gay relationships characterized gay relationships is pretend relationships and at the time you could still be sacked from your job for being gay, for instance, simply because of who you loved. really? yeah and i was i was absolutely otherwise thought going through the universe . i going through the universe. i didn't english degree and always thought i'd be a teacher. but one the reasons i didn't was one of the reasons i didn't was because of this legislation. i didn't want to hounded out of didn't want to be hounded out of a job in in that kind of way. again, because who i was, again, because of who i was, this a which which this was a law which which explicitly said, you mustn't

promote homosexuality in schools . yes. which basically meant teachers couldn't teach kids about being gay. and if you're a kid growing up gay at a time when there was, you know, aids was was much more rife than it is today, you were effectively not informing children about, you know, sexual education, safety, personal safety, but also how to that their relation ships were valid. and if you do that to a kid, you really damage them emotionally. and that damage can live with you for life. so that's why i say it was a pernicious piece of legislation. but, you know, i campaigned against it, so i was outside parliament when that law was going through campaigning against it. but you know , against it. but then, you know, some some years later i was in parliament elected in the by—election. and in 2012, i'm not december, just a few weeks after i was elected, one of the first things i spoke spoken of, voted for was equal marriage . so voted for was equal marriage. so for me, my journey was to go from protesting for equality outside parliament to being

inside parliament, voting for a significant piece of equality legislation. so that, i think, demonstrates how our country has changed. and really, parliament was catching up. you said that you came out in your twenties. that's right. did you always know you're gay ? yes, i did. know you're gay? yes, i did. i did. i mean, it's a strange thing because at the time i was growing up in, it wasn't really spoken about or accepted . and my spoken about or accepted. and my parents were, you know, very, very liberal and tolerant of that of that, so that the problem didn't come from them. and was a societal pressure and it was a societal pressure that i felt on me. so i kind of it's a strange way to put it, but i knew it and i didn't at the time, i, you know, the same time, i, you know, i had these feelings and they were developing i growing developing as i was growing into, puberty and into, you know, into puberty and beyond . but i kind of suppressed beyond. but i kind of suppressed them . and to suppress something them. and to suppress something that profound about your character , too, is damaging and character, too, is damaging and it damages most gay people who self repress in in that way. so for me, i mean coming out in

your mid—late twenties is quite late and i think the reason was because of that self repression which came from the societal pressures that i felt around me, but also, as i said at the time, a conservative government actually enacting legislation telling you you're a second class citizen and that your relationships and the people you love didn't matter. which is a shocking intrusion into private life of people of any country by their government . you lost your their government. you lost your dad this summer? that's right. but we both didn't. we and you know , that creates a point of know, that creates a point of human connection, doesn't it? you know , i didn't you know, you know, i didn't you know, i always feel sympathy for people when they lose their parents. but until you lose your own parent, you don't know what it quite what it means. and it's shocking. it's heartbreaking. it's devastating . but it's life it's devastating. but it's life changing as well. and, you know , aside from the deep and profound sorrow you feel from from from the loss of someone who you love and has always been there, it reminds you that time

is short . you know, we don't is short. you know, we don't have an infinite time on this on this earth. if you relied on to get through the grief, how have you had any counselling? have you had any counselling? have you have you have you have you felt depressed? well i'll tell you. i'll tell you one of the one of the one of the things that's come from losing my dad is you really realise how important your family is around you because you know, the one thing, that, one thing that binds us all together is our dad, you know, me and my brother and my sister, our, our dad is always been there. and my mum as well. now she's on her own in her in her eighties as well. but we've got all of our nephews don't have any nieces unfortunately , but it so brought unfortunately, but it so brought us all together . and although it us all together. and although it was through sorrow, there's been a real joy in discovering that strength is an in our family. and it's just reminded me, you know, for all that we do in our work lives, families at the heart of who we are, i think in

those emotional relationships , those emotional relationships, us and they get us through the worst experiences in our lives. more from steve reed after this. barely one in a hundred reported rapes ever results in a conviction . i mean, that's conviction. i mean, that's effectively decriminalising rape . i' effectively decriminalising rape. i' on gb news on sunday morning for a politics show with personality on tv, radio and online gb news the people's channel, britain's news

channel something horrible happened to you about 20 years go from from what i've read, you were robbed by two men with a knife. that's

right . well, i was coming back right. well, i was coming back from a barbecue down in brixton, just walking back up to clap if you know , if you know the area. you know, if you know the area. so it was it was later on, on a summer's evening, i walked round the corner towards the house where i lived and two guys jumped out from behind a wall just as i turned the corner , one just as i turned the corner, one of them grabbed me with a knife at my throat and the other one started rifling through my pockets and took away back that i was carrying. and obviously i was frozen stiff because there was frozen stiff because there was a knife on my throat. and afterwards , you know, i looked, afterwards, you know, i looked, i got home, i looked in the mirror. there was a nick where the knife been. so this was a real thing. so you know, given the i've got today, it gave the role i've got today, it gave me a real insight into what it's like to be a victim of a potential very violent crime. nothing nothing more than that happened. they stole my wallet. they that i was carrying . they stole that i was carrying. i was shaken and that fear

lasted a long time . i was very lasted a long time. i was very afraid to walk down darkened streets at night for months after after that incident, much more aware of who was around me. even today, i still went where, you know , earphones because i you know, earphones because i can't hear who's walking alone behind me. so i know how being a victim of crime can affect your perception of the world around you. and it's one of the reasons i've always felt very strongly that we have to tackle crime because it stops people going about, you know, the business, the business leading their life freely in the way that they should do it. it's incredibly intrusive for some people watching this . my listen to that watching this. my listen to that story and think, you know, people who do that, if they are caught, you should lock up and throw away the key . well, throw away the key. well, gloria, i. i fully understand the need for retribution. you know, my first instinct was catch these, and they would have been a term i shouldn't repeat on your show. and punish them

for what they've done . and i for what they've done. and i wanted that to happen because they they'd done something that had left me fearful that physically taking things away from me, you feel invaded, you feel assaulted because you have beeni feel assaulted because you have been i wanted them punished, but i also wanted them caught on. i wanted them locked up. if that were the appropriate thing to do with them. so they couldn't do this to other people because you shouldn't be allowed to wander around injure , around and harm and injure, frighten and steal from other people living in our society. it's just not acceptable. so i, it's just not acceptable. so i, itake it's just not acceptable. so i, i take that learning into the role i've got today and i'm shadow secretary for justice . i shadow secretary for justice. i believe very strongly that prison offenders should be punished if they're caught . but punished if they're caught. but like every other victim, i'd rather not have been a victim in the first place. so i'd like that to be a much stronger emphasis on prevention. prevention of crime, the things that go wrong in young lives, that go wrong in young lives, that lead them to offend later

in life. i think there's a lot more we could. we do that way. i've no idea whether the guys that did this to me had that or they were just you know, they were just out on the road. but generally general view is generally my general view is that are not born bad that children are not born bad circumstances around them make them likely to offend. and them more likely to offend. and if you can intervene and that from happening, if you can intervene and that from happening , then you've done from happening, then you've done a favour that kid because a favour for that kid because you their life the you steer their life on the right done a favour right path. you've done a favour to the potential victims they might have offended because they never victims. i think we never become victims. i think we just don't focus enough on prevention of crime leave alone punishment, which i think the government has also come back backwards on. you know, for me, if these guys caught, if these guys have been caught, i want them punished. i would want them punished. i understand. wanted understand. really wanted them locked i want locked up. yeah, i want i want punishment because. and rehabilitation matters to us as part of them being in prison. if that was what would have happened to them, there should be rehabilitate so they don't offend again . but that i think, offend again. but that i think, is an entirely legitimate human

impulse to want somebody who was offended against you to get punishment because of the offence they committed on. so i fully understand retribution, but rehabilitation matters as well. so they don't do it again. there is a perception from some people that people on the left, some people on the left care more about criminals than victims . more about criminals than victims. it's your job to challenge that perception . isn't challenge that perception. isn't that do you recognise that it is a problem? what is the perception? and i think under labour's previous leader we went too far in that direction . too far in that direction. that's my view. but we've now got different leader. got a very different leader. keir , the former keir starmer, the former director public prosecutions director of public prosecutions who was knighted for his work effectively in helping to cage criminals. so you know, he puts a very strong emphasis on the fight against crime . labour wins fight against crime. labour wins the next election. let's imagine that you are sat at your desk the first day as the country's justice secretary was. the first thing you're going to say? the

first. the first thing i want to do is actually of, you know, of everything that i've seen going wrong in the criminal justice system, the one that i think is the most pernicious is you know, this is epidemic of violence against women and girls. and the fact that when you look at the stats , barely one in a hundred stats, barely one in a hundred reported rapes ever results in a conviction. i mean, that's effectively decriminalising rape in my opinion. and if you're one of those few , it's nearly always of those few, it's nearly always women, one of those few women who is a rape survivor who gets to court . the average wait is to court. the average wait is three years, three years. now you know, that's shocking when you've been victim of an offence like that. so the first thing i would do is order opening of would do is order the opening of specialist rape courts, because that way we can speed up these cases. i'd like to get them down to below six months. wait rather than a three year rape. and i want to cut the backlog in the courts. so if you are the victim of an offence as violent an

aggressor of as rape , you have aggressor of as rape, you have confidence that the criminal justice system is on your side. thatis justice system is on your side. that is my first message. it's to read shadow justice secretary. thank you for talking to me today . coming up, mp, to me today. coming up, mp, virginia crosby, he tried to take his life several times since he had a young family and i was absolutely devastated when he succeeded . i'm michael he succeeded. i'm michael portillo. join me on gb news on a sunday morning for topical discussion. debate arts and culture and sometimes even ethical dilemmas . i don't always ethical dilemmas. i don't always agree with you, michael . michael agree with you, michael. michael portillo sunday's on gb news. the people's channel, britain's news .

channel virginia crosby you were elected as a conservative mp in 2019. you've just turned 56. if somebody said to your 16 year old self, you're going to be a conservative mp, what would you have said? i would have said absolutely. i i would have been shocked if i were a conservative member of parliament. at the age of 16, i was the first person in my family to stay on at school beyond the age of 16. my grandfather was a minor. my mother worked in a jam factory . mother worked in a jam factory. it was thanks to inspiration or teachers that i actually stayed on. i'm in the six one, actually went to university. so i think if you said to me you're now i'm sitting here talking to you and i'm the member of for parliament on a school and this was a constituency where i didn't even speak the language. my nickname in westminster is atomic kitten. i'm trying to get a nuclear power station and i also ended up with four with four young

adults for four teenagers, because i had the daughter of a ukrainian mp for the last six months. so my life has changed dramatically, over the last three years. you've been living with or you've been hosting welcoming into your home the daughter of a ukrainian mp? that's correct , yes. part of that's correct, yes. part of zelenskyy's party. a lovely, lovely young lady . and she was lovely young lady. and she was really embraced by by anglesey. she worked in one of the local cafes and she's yes, she's now studying here in london and having to go to university next yeah having to go to university next year. you seem like a very upbeat person, but reading about you, there's been a lot of tragedy actually in your life . tragedy actually in your life. tell me about the car crash that you're involved in. i have i have had a very, very challenging life. and i think one of the opportunities here today is to talk about my background and the things that make me the person that i am. and before i went to university, i had a really, really terrible, terrible car crash . i was in terrible car crash. i was in a car that rolled. i nearly died. and i really , really, really

and i really, really, really smashed up my face. and i had around ten years of surgery to put my face back together. i had to wear a mask at night. i had to wear a mask at night. i had to wear a mask at night. i had to wear sort of gel and gel patches on my face. but during my maiden speech in the house of commons , i actually stood up and commons, i actually stood up and i think it's i thank the plastic surgeon whose team that supported me not only physically but also emotionally and mentally. he really ensured that i went to university and they really, really gave me the courage to keep going and. unbeknown to me that that amazing plastic surgeon , he and amazing plastic surgeon, he and his wife, they have a cottage on anglesey. so i had the privilege of actually going to meet him and meet his family. and together we helped raise money for his charity, which is called cleft, which funds surgeons to go places like bangladesh and go to places like bangladesh and to actually train other surgeons to actually train other surgeons to treat to treat cleft palate. so it was my opportunity to actually support him give actually support him and give something back to him . gosh, it something back to him. gosh, it must have been an absolutely

terrifying we a passenger in the car. i was a passenger a moment of impact and the rolling . can of impact and the rolling. can you still visualise is that. do you still visualise is that. do you have flashbacks to that moment? is it is it imprinted on your memory, that moment? yes it makes you feel very , very makes you feel very, very mortal. you understand what it's like to nearly use your life. and it really makes you embrace life so much more. i really want to make a difference. and when i wake up every morning. i genuinely want to tomorrow genuinely want to make tomorrow a for as many people a better day for as many people as possible . and being the as possible. and being the member parliament a place member of parliament for a place like on a small town that's been left behind for four decades, it really gives that opportunity really gives me that opportunity and and reach out to as and i try and reach out to as many people as i can and i think of the island, i think of the island like a cake, cutting it into slices. and i want to help the young people, the elderly, the young people, the elderly, the farmers, the tourism sector . want to deliver and . and i want to deliver and trying to deliver for every single person on that island. i aim to have a reputation for

working , for being very working, for being very approachable and really, really roaring like a lion on a small island in westminster. if anybody has his watch and, has been through the sort of near—death experience that you went through and his rebuilt their lives and go on to achieve wonderful things in the way that you have done. do you have any words of advice for ? people words of advice for? people who've had to have the sort of surgery that you went through to reconstruct your face, an amazing job. i'm looking at you and you look fantastic . i mean, and you look fantastic. i mean, it it takes a lot of courage. it takes an awful lot of courage. and what i would say to people is to it's to keep going. one of the reasons i talk about my background, i'm i'm very happy to talk about my background as i want people to think, do you know if virginia can do know what? if virginia can do it, can. if virginia ever it, anyone can. if virginia ever can become a member of parliament background, can become a member of parliamentreally background, can become a member of parliament really proud :kground, can become a member of parliament really proud that und, i'm really, really proud that

i've working class roots and i've got working class roots and a lot of people think that members of parliament, all very privileged and they've got i don't have landed estates and i want people to know that that thatis want people to know that that that is not my background and i want other people to look at me and look at and think , you know and look at and think, you know what, can do to the car what, i can do that to the car crash is not the only tragedy you have suffered , survived your you have suffered, survived your brother simon took his own life in 2018 at the age of 52, just february . in 2018 at the age of 52, just february. isn't tell me about the build up to him taking his own life . well, we were very, own life. well, we were very, very close . we were very close very close. we were very close in age . so a lot of our school, in age. so a lot of our school, our school time, we were in the same class at school or in the same class at school or in the same choir, the same hockey team, we had the same experiences. and he knew everything that i've been through. and he also knew how far i'd come. and it was

somebody where you didn't actually have to explain things . so we used to speak on a on a regular basis and really it was he became ill and very, very depressed and very, very, very suicidal . and it was a really suicidal. and it was a really difficult time . he tried to take difficult time. he tried to take his life several times, his he had a young family. and i was absolutely devastated when he succeed it. and i think one of the saddest the saddest moments i've ever had was , it was trying i've ever had was, it was trying to put a tie on his on his young kids for the funeral. it was really really, really difficult . and i was only one that spoke at his funeral, actually . and at his funeral, actually. and when we were when the coffin was was going, he they actually he had actually asked for them to play had actually asked for them to play in the blue ridge mountains of virginia which even even in his death, they always had the last line . i read that , and this last line. i read that, and this

was an interview a little, little while ago that you still text him sometimes. do you still text him sometimes. do you still text him sometimes. do you still text him now? i do . i do still text him now? i do. i do still text him now? i do. i do still text him. and he has got his mobile number now. love you. wondering what is going on. but now i do. i still feel very close to him. still go through the photos . we had so many the photos. we had so many shared experiences together and in my maiden speech i mentioned you know, there was one person that i wished could have been there, i wished could have been listening that knew how i've come . and he , you know, he come. and he, you know, he wasn't there . but i still feel wasn't there. but i still feel incredibly close to him . and one incredibly close to him. and one of the things that i've i've done as a member of parliament on this morning is i launched a campaign to get 100 people trained in mental health first aid. and i think particularly with my experiences and with the pandemic, we can really see mental health is on the increase. so i think it's important that part of the part of the role, i think of being in pubuc of the role, i think of being in public service is to really show

by example. and i think it's important that we talk about mental health that people mental health so that people know get help and that we know how to get help and that we can help in terms of signposting , how you hear about simon ? , how did you hear about simon? i received a phone call from his wife and i. it was most devastating phone call and it's the time that your life changed forever. and most things that happenedin forever. and most things that happened in your life, you can sort of undo or you can make a difference or you can change or you can do something about it. i'm a doer. i'm quite i'm quite a doer. i'm quite proactive about lot of energy. and this was something simply and this was something i simply could about . could not do anything about. he was and when i went to see was gone and when i went to see when i went to see his his body actually with his wife i was very angry . i actually with his wife i was very angry. i was actually with his wife i was very angry . i was very angry very angry. i was very angry that he you know, he'd left his wife. he'd left his family. he left me. i was very, very angry. but i'm just determined that other people , if i can save one

other people, if i can save one life by by supporting other people, then that's the right thing . and that process is all thing. and that process is all that have helped to deal with something. so awful is heartbreaking to hear about. simon and about your experience learning about funeral, being the body . how have you got the body. how have you got through a very practical person and you've got a lot of lot of energy. i'm used to working very, very hard. so i think of what i've worked through by and deau what i've worked through by and dealt with it. not really with it, but i'm worked through it by really helping other people and think that's a pattern i've seen throughout my life, whether it was my car crash helping with a charity called cleft, helping this mental health campaign and, i my husband, i, we, we lost a baby. i my husband, i, we, we lost a baby . and i got involved with baby. and i got involved with the charity save the baby and working with professor lesley

regan and helping raise money for early pregnancy complications and miscarriages. so i've been able to use my experiences to help other people. and that's that's that's how i with it. and so you go into parliament and the abuse that members of parliament, particularly women , are subject particularly women, are subject to is well documented. he gave an interview early last year. so over a year ago , 19 months ago over a year ago, 19 months ago or so. and you said that you reported around 30 threats, abusive emails and social media posts to the police since being elected as an mp. you said that in march 2021. we are now about to start january 20, 23. how improved since you said those things? absolutely not. if it's even worse and i it's not just myself. it's a lot of other particularly female employees when we're not on twitter and, you know, even before we've had

breakfast, many of us have received one or two threats. i think there's an awful lot more that we can do in terms of this social media, the abuse. and i think there needs to be more accountability. i think the reality is people can turn to so social media with impunity. i think , i believe we on twitter think, i believe we on twitter that accounts should be verified and on facebook there needs to be fines and it needs to be fines to some of these social media companies for allowing this content. and there needs to be much more control of the ability for end users to control what they can what they can actually . have you ever felt actually. have you ever felt threatened in real life , threatened in real life, virtually as horrible ? you know, virtually as horrible? you know, i know i've been there . i've i know i've been there. i've seen emails in life. have you ever thought, gosh, this is getting a little bit intimidating the situation ? i intimidating the situation? i have been i have been in difficult situations . i have difficult situations. i have surgeries. i do face to face surgeries. i do face to face surgeries where i wear a stab jacket. obviously following the murder of david amess . and also murder of david amess. and also ihave

murder of david amess. and also i have i have security protection as well . and i think protection as well. and i think it's important that i have direct contact with my constituents. and unfortunately, this is this is one of the things that i have to do to to in ensure that i that i can actually do the job that i was elected to do. and final question, despite all of that, all of the abuse , the fact that all of the abuse, the fact that you have to step jacket to do a central part of your job, which is to give advice and help to constituents and a woman , constituents and a woman, whatever party who's looking and thinking , whatever party who's looking and thinking, gosh , that's not for thinking, gosh, that's not for me . are they wrong? should they me. are they wrong? should they do it now? please, please step , do it now? please, please step, up and get involved. we need you . this being the member of parliament for honest man it's the best job in the world is the hardest i've ever worked and the happiest i've ever been. it's an opportunity make a huge opportunity to make a huge difference to somebody. in difference to somebody. so in ireland they needed a champion and they've certainly got one. we need more women. around a third of mps are women and. just

over 50% of the electorate. women so we need these women to step up and get involved so that the legislation and the laws that we are passing reflect act reflect the whole of the electorate . and if they need electorate. and if they need help or support just get in touch with me. i'd be delighted touch with me. i'd be delighted to help. very positive note to end on virginia crosbie, thank you.thank end on virginia crosbie, thank you. thank you for talking about and the real the real and sharing the real the real you.thank and sharing the real the real you. thank you about i'll be back next 6 pm. with more of the most revealing political interviews . looking ahead to interviews. looking ahead to this evening's weather nine the uk is looking to have a mix of clear spells and showers with breezy conditions . here are the breezy conditions. here are the details. a fair number of showers are likely to sweep in across the south—west of england . and brisk and gusty winds . as . and brisk and gusty winds. as a result, clear spells will be short lived. most of the showers across the southeast should die out. so many areas here will go into even into the evening,

dner into even into the evening, drier with clear periods developing a showery set up is expected across much of wales, although the heaviest and most widespread of the showers are likely in the west . the likely in the west. the occasional shower might make inroads into parts of the west midlands , thanks to the midlands, thanks to the southwesterly breeze , although southwesterly breeze, although for many will be a dry start to the night with broken cloud coven the night with broken cloud cover, it will be a similar situation across north eastern england where showers are possible over the pennines whilst further east towards the coast it looks dry and fairly clear . scotland will see a large clear. scotland will see a large contrast from west to east with showers the west and clear with spells towards edinburgh and other eastern parts across northern ireland . it will be northern ireland. it will be a changeable picture. there'll be some clear weather at times, especially in the east, but with some showers moving in from the west overnight, we'll hold on to clear spells and blustery showers. although most of showers. although most of showers are likely in the west

and that is how the weather is shaping up into tomorrow morning or on mark dolan tonight. in my big opinion monologue, rishi sunak must stand up to militant trade unions. it's the biggest test of his premiership. it's make or break for the economy. the country and his political future . my most meat's guest is future. my most meat's guest is former brexit party mep annunziata rees—mogg and he might take it ten. it's for britain to tackle its bulging waistline and have the answer. it might just change your life. plus, tomorrow's papers and my all star panel , a big show all star panel, a big show tonight. we're live from .

nine police. the uk spend nine police. the uk spen d £66,000 on police. the uk spend £66,000 on rainbow merchandise. the prime minister wants everyone to be a mathematician and activist it's claimed that the countryside is