channel hello and welcome i'm alastair stewart. and for the next 2 hours i'll be keeping you company here on tv and radio . company here on tv and radio. the stories that matter across country with plenty coming up. can new ministers in new departments focussed on business trade and innovation help kick start the economy .7 we'll also start the economy? we'll also have the latest from with an aid worker and the trouble outside a hostel on mersey side overnight. but first, let's bring you right up to date with of the day's news. here again is radisson .

news. here again is radisson. thanks, alastair. rapidly approaching one minute past midday . approaching one minute past midday. here's the approaching one minute past midday . here's the latest. midday. here's the latest. turkey's president says hundreds of thousands of buildings are now uninhabitable following monday's earthquakes . mr. monday's earthquakes. mr. erdogan says steps will taken within weeks to start rebuilding. his comments come as the death toll in southern turkey and. northern syria passed 24,500. despite the conditions rescuers have continued to find some survivors in the rubble. but say the window is rapidly closing. raymond bazan , a turkish raymond bazan, a turkish journalist. chito us there had been warnings of the impending disaster. i was in so . been warnings of the impending disaster. i was in so. buildings have been collapsed so where are they going to put all these? the railway. and of course like morgues. these are all huge problems right now. turkey was surely wasn't prepared for this

, though. people were warning about this like professors. they warned about upcoming earthquake . well, meanwhile , united . well, meanwhile, united nafions . well, meanwhile, united nations security council is set to hold talks next week delivering aid to rebel held areas in syria. currently helped the northwest of the country can only be delivered by one turkish border crossing. syria's ally russia does not back the aid expansion saying it goes the country's sovereignty . however, country's sovereignty. however, the un secretary says the council has too slow to act . the council has too slow to act. the shadow secretary has described protest outside a migrant hotel it as shameful and appalling. yvette cooper made the comments after three people were arrested on suspicion of violent disorder in knowsley. witnesses described the scene as being like war zone. demonstrators missiles and setting fire to police van. security has been increased following the incident with

reinforced fencing and a greater police presence . local mp sir police presence. local mp sir george howarth says the protest was triggered by misinformation, claiming refugees were further bedded. claiming refugees were further bedded . the education secretary bedded. the education secretary could be set to challenge the home office's plans to migration. speaking to the financial times, gillian keegan described the financial boost from international students to british as hugely. from international students to british as hugely . she wants to british as hugely. she wants to increase the revenue that they bnng increase the revenue that they bring from around increase the revenue that they bring from aroun d £26 billion to bring from around £26 billion to 35 billion by 2030. however, the secretary is currently reviewing the eligibility of students work and their ability to bring dependents to britain . well, as dependents to britain. well, as the search for missing mum nicola bullae enters its 16th day. apart he says he wants to keep all options open about her disappearance . paul arsal was disappearance. paul arsal was speaking to five news lancashire police say they suspect that the

of two fell into the river wyre but no of her has been found. they're now focusing their search further downstream and out towards the coast. despite this , mr. mansell says his gut this, mr. mansell says his gut inside tells him she did not fall into the river. personally i'm, ioo% fall into the river. personally i'm, 100% convinced it's the river. people don't just vanished into thin air. it's absolutely impossible. so something has happened. something has. find what it is i want. every house, every garage, every outbuilding the land scrutinised. i want it all searched. i want it all scrutinise every piece of it . a scrutinise every piece of it. a british drug dealer has been arrested in thailand after a five year hunt by the national crime agency. richard wakeling from essex attempted to import £8 million worth of liquid amphetamine into the united kingdom in 2016. the 55 year old fled in 2018 before his trial

began and was sentenced to 11 years. in his absence, he remains in custody in thailand and extradition are now underway . world war ii bomb has exploded in great yarmouth. the blast, as attempts were being made to , attempts were being made to, disarm the explosives . norfolk disarm the explosives. norfolk police say no one was hurt. emerging sea services declared a major on tuesday after the bomb discovered during dredging work in the riviere . the us military in the riviere. the us military shot down an unidentified object over alaska . president joe biden over alaska. president joe biden made decision to bring down the craft is the size of a small car ufo which was flying at 40,000 feet was considered risk to passenger jets . feet was considered risk to passengerjets . it feet was considered risk to passenger jets . it follows the passenger jets. it follows the downing. last week , a chinese downing. last week, a chinese surveillance balloon which was flying over the united states . flying over the united states. and the coronation emblem for king charles and the queen consort is now been unveiled. it was created by former apple

designer jony was created by former apple designerjony ive. it features an image of st edward's crown, which will used to crown the monarch and was inspired by the king's love of nature . the king's love of nature. the emblem also includes the rose england, the thistle of scott island, the daffodil of wales , island, the daffodil of wales, and the shamrock of . northern and the shamrock of. northern ireland. this is gb news. we'll bnng ireland. this is gb news. we'll bring you more as it happens. now, let's get straight back. alice stewart and friends . alice stewart and friends. ray, thank you very much indeed. and a very good afternoon to you all. prime minister rishi sunak started the week with reshuffle and unveil government departments will focus on science , technology and science, technology and innovation all for growth . the innovation all for growth. the briefing from number 10 downing street was that it was all about the need to harness our capacity

to and nurture new cutting edge technologies . all the next technologies. all the next generation telecoms, innovation, medical stuff as the smoke stack dinosaurs of yesteryear and the metal batteries sink into oblivion. well, the critics said, unfortunately , aren't very said, unfortunately, aren't very good at doing sort of stuff. but others from the nuclear boffins at harwell to the super scientists , the renowned crick scientists, the renowned crick institute were up as were the medical research charities and the health technical industries association , because it's all association, because it's all designed to some growth into a wounded economy. the week ended with the very latest economic data, which was a stark reminder of just how vital it is because by the skin of our teeth, we avoided slipping into a formal recession . but as the duke of recession. but as the duke of wellington said of the battle of

waterloo, it a close run thing merging the trade business departments together shows that government's emphasis science and how it's going to help science tech help us all move forward for growth . for the forward for growth. for the first time in many years , there first time in many years, there will be a member of the cabinet specifically for science . specifically for science. michelle donelan says that he'll have a relentless focus on using research to make people's better. we'll have minister of state george freeman will be joining me live on the program little later on. now they lead a column , the daily telegraph column, the daily telegraph today, which, if you remember rightly said we need to have a profound debate but to know what the economic of this country is says in the wake of the disappointing growth figures . disappointing growth figures. britain deserves better than stagnation . but it does warn in stagnation. but it does warn in asking what is the best way to

pull it off. that the new government departments for business, trade, science , business, trade, science, innovation will have to come up with rather more than just a few whizzes seems to really create growth and wealth . few mentioned growth and wealth. few mentioned the support of governments, though many say ministers can get in the way. now the thoughts of industry leaders in a moment , former director general of the cbi , former president of the cbi cbi, former president of the cbi , who is also the former chairman of b t and also easyjet a innovator of the current generation and a top recruiter of all of the really bright young folk . but these new young folk. but these new opportunities will need should they blossom. we'll also be me. we're very keen as well to hear what you think. do you trust government ministers to kick start the economy in this way? what you like done? do please email me your thoughts gb views

at gb news .uk or feel free to do it via social media. we're . do it via social media. we're. on please a.s.a.p . let's kick on please a.s.a.p. let's kick off with the latest on the political address on agenda with our political correspondent olivia utley, who is here in the studio live with me . very good studio live with me. very good morning to you . looking ahead to morning to you. looking ahead to the budget and that introduction really underlines what the challenge is for jeremy really underlines what the challenge is forjeremy hunt and his boss, the lord of the treasury, the prime minister rishi sunak great plans. treasury, the prime minister rishi sunak great plans . growth, rishi sunak great plans. growth, growth. i mean, there almost a cacophony demanding tax cuts on us as individuals but really importantly on businesses as well . the corporation tax rises well. the corporation tax rises which were very much a rishi sunak thing way back then absolute ali and it's a it's

really a civil war now blaring the heart of the conservative party , those of the rishi sunak party, those of the rishi sunak hunt mindset who feel that the sort of fiscally ones who want to keep inflation low and use as a base to build growth from there. they're also very in sort of the top down growth that we saw in this reshuffle, these new schemes to promote science and innovation in the uk. but it's not about really allowing investment in business, allowing individuals to build up their businesses and. that's what the other side of the conservative party, those that the liz truss of the conservative party, if we can put it that, but the coalition for growth want to do. so the big question is going to be will jeremy hunt stand by the to raise corporation tax from 19% to 25. it's going to be very difficult for him. and what makes it even difficult for him is the news this week very unwelcome news that astrazeneca is going to set up new

is going to set up its new headquarters in ireland rather than than in the northeast of england because course corporation tax in ireland is much lower than in the uk . so much lower than in the uk. so jeremy and rishi sunak's jeremy hunt and rishi sunak's argument that brazen corporation taxes is a simple way to try and put a lid on inflation is being undermined by the idea . it just undermined by the idea. it just will provide investment in britain and that's what we need to see growth through. so the astrazeneca episode, the whole thing was was was gravely embarrassing because it was, as i said in introduction, in the same week that michelle was appointed secretary of state and george freeman in government now as well as the science minister, which he he used to do way back when he was parliamentary under of state for that job and i'm particularly pleased that george coming on the program because way back when he was a venture capitalist in exactly that field, i mean , he is a minister field, i mean, he is a minister who really does know what he's

talking about . who really does know what he's talking about. but if who really does know what he's talking about . but if the talking about. but if the ambition of government is to make the united kingdom a stand out in the life sciences and your tax regime is such that a giant like astrazeneca says, yeah, i think actually ireland looks a bit tastier . yes, looks a bit tastier. yes, absolutely. and there's andrew neil's written a very good piece in the mail this morning, essentially arguing that britain is cutting off its nose is sort of cutting off its nose to spite its face. it's all very well coming up with he dismisses what what the minister what the what the prime minister has this reshuffle has done with this reshuffle sort technocratic wheezes sort of technocratic wheezes create instead create scientific growth instead doing the one thing which would really spawn actual bottom up growth . the uk, which is of growth. the uk, which is of course cutting corporation tax. so it is going to be very, very difficult for. jeremy hunt and rishi sunak in these weeks two weeks before the budget to try and all those conservative and get all those conservative backbenchers who are getting very, very twitchy about very, very twitchy indeed about these tax back on side now, these high tax back on side now, jeremy hunt will argue and has already started to argue that what he and rishi sunak have

achieved since taking office is stay mobilising the economy and, getting us on a level footing. so their argument has always been that we can only lower taxes once we start to get inflation down. they say the best tax cut is cut in best tax tax cut is a cut in inflation and. they would argue that by avoiding recession, if it is by a whisker , they have it is by a whisker, they have managed of stabilise the managed to sort of stabilise the economy hopefully in economy and that hopefully in the not too distant future they there will a stable enough there will be a stable enough platform to allow for tax cuts . platform to allow for tax cuts. obviously there's lot of obviously there's a lot of argument about kerbing inflation and getting more money in our back pockets . it's a tricky back pockets. it's a tricky call, but we shall watch spring budget with great interest here for the time being. thank you very much indeed. olivia utley there gb news political correspondent. and i'm delighted now to broaden out the conversation from my general introduction on what's on in government and various departments with a man who is a former minister and also former director general of the cbi i.

there is my good friend , lord there is my good friend, lord digby jones . always good to have digby jones. always good to have you on the program. big i mean, first of all, as i say you're a been there done it guy and not only running cbi but as the trade minister in government. what was your overview the risk of government departments a view to try and harness innovation signs technical g to help with growth. how then. good morning to you out of morning, everybody. it's a it was a big battle not just when i was trade minister but my predecessors as well to get departments that were not absolutely linked with the trade or business actually to know they're in the selling britain abroad game to education you heard in the news you know overseas students are worth 26 billion a year to women that's an i mean you know overseas

money coming in creating jobs in britain and also all of the science and technology and don't forget that the biggest the biggest manufacturer by by volume food manufacturing . and volume food manufacturing. and if you think that innovation isn't in invent action is actually designing the thing innovation is taking it to market making it in a form . market making it in a form. people will buy a classic example are all these wonderful things that we all have, you know, these things and they only make at any time somebody who invented it isn't the person who really took home the good, the goodies person who did that was the people who innovated it, who took the idea to market. and that's what we must do . because that's what we must do. because if you make commodities, things which sell only on price, somebody in asia will make it more cheaply and beat you. if

you make something where there's value and it doesn't have to be scientists and chemistry sets. it can be it can be aerospace . it can be it can be aerospace. it can be it can be aerospace. it as i said, it can be food. it doesn't have to be in your intro. i thought you put it well, where you said the old smokestack acts of the harry of the past have gone . but that the past have gone. but that doesn't mean manufacturing's . it doesn't mean manufacturing's. it doesn't mean manufacturing's. it doesn't mean manufacturing's. it doesn't mean that very clever people who innovate and idea have gone and that application can in manufacturing. but it's a totally different picture now to try and get round that cabinet table ministers who whilst your in a while has been there seen doneit in a while has been there seen done it risk money and done it andifs done it risk money and done it and it's delightful with george to see him as somebody who who actually is coming to politics having got the business there . having got the business there. but so many of them and labour, liberal tories scott not them on him and these are they have no

understand ing of what it is to create what it is to add value and then get on your bike , get and then get on your bike, get overseas and it but but also of all persuasions have generally speaking a pretty ropey track record on picking backing winners innovators innovate ministers. i completely like you in your time create the environment in which those innovators can either do it and as you said yourself a moment ago, get it to market and find that there's demand for. yeah funnily enough i just when you said the first but those guys interrupt you and then i didn't because you said the second bit which is government's job is not to hand money and to pick winners to whom you hand out the money that . government's job is money that. government's job is to create and embalm. that was your second bit creative

assignment in which business can get on and do the job and then get on and do the job and then get out of the way and stop regulating everything to the point frankly, it's not worth it . part of that create the environment is what you were with your earlier guest . this with your earlier guest. this amazingly thing in politics, which is how did you raise enough money to pay for health care , education and all the care, education and all the other? but without frightening of the people, companies who could go to ireland if you do and you see i'm not worried where the argument is. well, they've got a higher rate of tax in germany or france it's not the point if you've got an engush the point if you've got an english speaking member of the euro sitting across the irish sea come to mama. we've a special problem. and what we have to is be competitive. now astrazeneca if somebody sat down with him, i bet you the fact that they're going to be taxed at a lower rate is the thing that clinched the deal. but you've got to have access to

skilled people you've got to have a political climate that says behind you we're with you and you have to have ministers in all departments who say how we help you and a trade minister , plural, who gets her or his bike, gets out there and champions companies like astrazeneca and more. and it's not one little thing it's loads little things that come together and so important to do it. i'm very pleased when . i was trade very pleased when. i was trade minister. i was 50% in the development of business and 50% in the foreign office. the foreign because of course overseas you start at the embassy and you need to do is get embassy officials on your case and understanding and business. the obvious reasons that you mentioned earlier. i'm delighted that they're going to get more science and innovation into the economy i bet you there are loads of journalists and quite a few politicians who were quite a few politicians who were quite upset that we didn't get into recession because they you

know, they pay sackcloth and ashes, though. my god, we're failing for the british economy. after all it had in 2022, not to go into recession. but as you say just a whisker but we didn't and you know a win is a win i think is a fabulous achievement . but of course media being what it is and schoolteachers and else being what they are, they won't saying way they'll say, oh, my god, the economy going to hell in a handbasket. what are we going to do? well, what we do is get positive and not is you get positive and not negative, you'll be delighted to know, of my know, digby, that one of my other coming up shortly other guests coming up shortly is woman who runs research for is a woman who runs research for a recruitment organisation that specialises in seeking out these incredibly bright men and women for exact those jobs as well. so as always, labour is one of the most important aspects of the supply side. and, you know back on the transport left you came to the weekend, digby so again i said thanks for breaking into

your weekend and love to both you. it's a pleasure . great to you. it's a pleasure. great to talk to you, alistair. all the best. and after the great digby delighted to say that. joining me now is the great sir mike rake. me now is the great sir mike rake . mike is former chair rake. mike is former chair easyjet bt and actually is former president of the cbi . former president of the cbi. there we are another guy who knows his stuff and also knows his way around . white whitehall his way around. white whitehall . mike, what's your overview of this refocusing of government departments sticking trade and industry together ? does it make industry together? does it make sense to you it viable ? look, i sense to you it viable? look, i think it's laudable, but i think we need to put this in. i think we need to put this in. i think we all understand understands the last several years have been really difficult. we've all had face the post financial crisis era. we've all had to face covid. we've had to face the post—covid hangover economically and inflationary. we've seen the problems on energy prices . we've

problems on energy prices. we've had the ukraine event with russia, which undermined confidence and what we have to understand this country, whether we like it or not, we've added two other dimensions. one is, of course, is the economic cost to brexit, is real. and digby brexit, which is real. and digby was and secondly of was alluding to. and secondly of course, i'm afraid in fairness to what the government now the prime minister is trying to do is the trust period undermined confidence of foreign investors in this country completely and saw complete collapse in saw a complete collapse in confidence in our system, our currency going down to nearly par . so to be currency going down to nearly par. so to be fair, the first thing i would say is that clearly the prime minister and chancellor first and their chancellor to be first and their primary is re—establish the primary job is re—establish the credibility country. and we credibility of country. and we must understand because this has been costly . again, to be been really costly. again, to be fair , digby is an old friend and fair, digby is an old friend and i've worked with him at the cbi andindeed i've worked with him at the cbi and indeed before kpmg and i fundamentally with the position he took on, on brexit. but however, what said was completely right, the, the it's just now the point of creating an environment into which

business would feel the confidence to invest that has the right regulatory environment the right regulatory environment the right regulatory environment the right trade agreements, the right skills to it. you know incredibly because we've been suffering now actually for many years, but continuing decline in our productivity , most recently our productivity, most recently decline in our investment in our trade with our biggest trade partner that we have to fix . we partner that we have to fix. we also have a lack of investment on both domestically and foreign, which important, you know, and we are facing a currency that has declined that instead of giving us greater productivity is fact not helping with inflation. so there are huge issues to face and i think we do. we do. we also look do we also tax our people , our also tax our people, our corporations to higher rate . i corporations to higher rate. i look , overall tax burden is very look, overall tax burden is very unfortunately for a period it may be necessary personally and i think most are in this line. we were not looking for personal

income tax reductions. i do think initial the corporation tax , the headline rate of 25% is tax, the headline rate of 25% is too high . but tax, the headline rate of 25% is too high. but you tax, the headline rate of 25% is too high . but you know, as digby too high. but you know, as digby think was fairly saying, it's one of a number of elements to consider when you've got it's productivity skills, it's the regulatory environment , the regulatory environment, the trade agreements, i don't know the detail of astrazeneca, but it won't just be the tax rate. to be fair to the to the prime minister when he was chancellor. we remember that what he was trying to do was to set a headune trying to do was to set a headline rate , 25% between headline rate, 25% between courage investment deductions and allowances that would bring your rate down. i do actually that unfortunately, the 25% headune that unfortunately, the 25% headline rate is something that is a negative. you add that to sort of lack of a sort of proper trade treaty with our european 45% of our trade. you add that to the issues we're facing on skills and recruitment. and, you know , i think it does make that know, i think it does make that a challenge. this 25% rate, actually, to be fair . but when actually, to be fair. but when you also look relatively

straightforward things like infrastructure , i mean, i can infrastructure, i mean, i can remember in the thatcher era which we both remember very well, indeed. and i met you i was an industrial correspondent and geoffrey pattie, i think was the trade minister of the technology minister . and he was technology minister. and he was he was talking about urgent need for a super fast highway universally available across , universally available across, the united kingdom. and we're talking about it. i mean , the talking about it. i mean, the truth of the matter is that either bt and openreach do it or that it doesn't get done it's not a minister sitting in whitehall who does it . yeah, whitehall who does it. yeah, exactly. you've got to create time and it's a classic case of that boring even the detail. i mean we decided in 2008 to go ahead with fibre , you know, we ahead with fibre, you know, we thought we did deal with ofcom on fair back return with a reasonable return over a period and opening up that network. but actually the regulatory environment actually forced us to slow down the rollout of

fibre because we were not allowed the fair bet now beginning to change and we're beginning to change and we're beginning move forward and i think bt and others are pushing very hard but there's no doubt for a combination of reasons that we were a slow you that we were a bit slow you know, got ahead of game know, we got ahead of the game on for example, and it's on on 5g, for example, and it's very disappointing and it's a complex political and economic security question. but obviously huawei out of our networks has set us back. so there are a number things, many things out of stairs . you and i both know of stairs. you and i both know it's never one single thing. the course is the problem solves the problem. a combination of the environment working environment you're working in and availability deal with and your availability deal with it. public companies like it. and public companies like bt, you have to pay attention to their shareholders you their shareholders too, you know. getting that right, you know. so getting that right, you thank you so much for coming on the program i've wanted talk to you for a long time and i'm glad you've been able do it. and today's is utterly perfect. thank very needs to might thank you very needs to might right for my chairman of right that for my chairman of easyjet of bt with many more easyjet and of bt with many more guests still to come on that subject and hopefully we'll be

heanng subject and hopefully we'll be hearing what your thoughts are whether ministers are the right people to be doing this what you think of the tax rate in the united kingdom both yourselves and for the businesses and indeed for the businesses that employ you perhaps, or that you buy stuff from so let's move on now . and gb news national on now. and gb news national reporter paul hawkins will be joining me in the studio with all the very latest following the merseyside asylum hostile protest. but let's bring you right up to date the all important weather . hello there. important weather. hello there. i'm jonathan bawtry here with the latest weather updates from the latest weather updates from the met office. have you been dunng the met office. have you been during weekend so far? it has been a fairly settled and dry one for many of us, and that is thanks to high pressure that is centred across continental europe stretching way into europe and stretching way into the this weather the uk, keeping this weather fronts bay to the there is fronts at bay to the there is a bit more of a squeeze in the ice balls across parts of scotland. so it is breezier here underneath high pressure centre

there fair amount there there is a fair amount cloud and that will with us cloud and that will stay with us into and over night into the evening and over night a few breaks possible think a few breaks are possible think particularly for parts of northeast scotland parts northeast scotland into parts of wales on. so it's here wales later on. so it's here where temperatures will drop down more overnight, down down a bit more overnight, down the single figures a frost the low single figures a frost and some fog are possible but where we hold onto the cloud for , majority, it will , the vast majority, it will stay free around 76 stay frost free around 76 degrees celsius into tomorrow. the cloud is to stay in place, particularly for southeastern areas of england. so it will be of a fairly grey and drab day here. but the breeze picking up some western areas will allow a few more breaks in that cloud for of south west england. wales northern ireland into northern areas of and scotland as well. so when you get those in your breaks and mild temperatures around ten degrees celsius, it will be relatively pleasant into the overnight period. we'll continue to see more that cloud breaking up. so perhaps an increased chance of some frost now across parts of scotland's northern england as we move into the early of monday morning. and again, the risk some fog patches

are possible as well. the cloud , though, going to stay in place for areas the southeast as we start off the new working week, high pressure . keeping things high pressure. keeping things relatively settled though throughout , relatively settled though throughout, monday. we throughout, monday. but as we move throughout the week, that is going to start shifting its way off east and that way off to the east and that will weather fronts to move will some weather fronts to move their the west. so by their way from the west. so by their way from the west. so by the get to wednesday we the time we get to wednesday we could a bit more rain moving could see a bit more rain moving in across the western areas. but temperatures relatively in across the western areas. but tempfortures relatively in across the western areas. but tempfor the; relatively in across the western areas. but tempfor the time relatively in across the western areas. but tempfor the time of. relatively in across the western areas. but tempfor the time of. yeah,vely mild for the time of. yeah, that's it for now enjoy the rest of your weekend .

1232 i'm radisson in the gb newsroom. turkey's president says hundreds of thousands of buildings now uninhabitable following monday's . but following monday's. but rebuilding will begin within weeks. it's come as the death

toll in southern turkey, in northern syria passed , 24,500. northern syria passed, 24,500. despite the conditions. rescuers have continued to find some survivors in the rubble . but survivors in the rubble. but they say the window is closing . they say the window is closing. metallic is a journalist turkey. he told us rescuers still haven't given up . hope. nearly haven't given up. hope. nearly 150,000 people currently are working in the earthquake zones with with doctors with rescue teams , just volunteers . with with doctors with rescue teams , just volunteers. i mean, teams, just volunteers. i mean, all the whole country has mobilised to make sure that at least one life can be saved with each operation that is taking place. currently . and the place. currently. and the security council is set to hold talks next week delivering aid to rebel held areas in syria. currently help the north—west of the country can only be delivered by one turkish border crossing . syria's ally, russia, crossing. syria's ally, russia, does not. the aid expansion saying goes against the

country's sovereignty . however, country's sovereignty. however, the un. secretary—general says the un. secretary—general says the council has been too to act. shadow home secretary has described protests outside a migrant in merseyside as and appalling. yvette cooper made the comments after . three people the comments after. three people were arrested on suspicion of violent disorder in knowsley. witnesses described scene as being like a war zone . being like a war zone. demonstrators throwing missiles and they set fire to a police van . security has been increased van. security has been increased following the incident with reinforced and a police presence . as the search for missing mum nicola bullae enters its second day, her partner , he wants to day, her partner, he wants to keep all options open about her disappearance . paul ansel was disappearance. paul ansel was speaking to news. lancashire police say they suspect the mother of two fell into the river. wyre but no trace of her has been found. they're now focusing their search downstream and out towards the coast . on and out towards the coast. on tv, online , on dab, plus radio.

tv, online, on dab, plus radio. this is gb news. back now to alastair stewart& friends . ray alastair stewart& friends. ray thanks very much. data we're going to pick up on of the stories in your bulletin just there and run little further with the one that if it. cooper was quoted as having condemned the on merseyside last night. three people have been arrested as ray said on suspicion violent disorder after clashes during a protest . a merseyside housing protest. a merseyside housing asylum seekers last night . well, asylum seekers last night. well, gb news national paul hawkins is here in the studio with me now having spent the last hour or so delving into this story and i've said to you earlier on first light there was spectacular action that it was asylum

seekers , it wasn't confirmed. seekers, it wasn't confirmed. have you now been able to confirm that that was the focus of people's disquiet. the confirm that that was the focus of people's disquiet . the best of people's disquiet. the best we can say is that it's widely so it seems to be somewhere where asylum seekers are held by the home office. never confirmed . that's their policy to never confirm that a hotel is housing migrants. but in terms what we do know, this is the suites . do know, this is the suites. suhes do know, this is the suites. suites hotel in, rivers, lane area of knowsley in liverpool. police say they were initially called at 630 yesterday evening to what they describe as a peaceful . there was a counter . peaceful. there was a counter. by peaceful. there was a counter. by organisations that support refugees the police once they arrived, they then started to move the two groups apart and around a according to someone from care for that's one of the refugee advocacy groups . they refugee advocacy groups. they say that then the violence erupted, missiles were thrown , erupted, missiles were thrown, paving stones, rocks and vehicles were set on fire as

well. police van was set on fire. well. three people were arrested on suspicion of violent disorder and police say they're looking into it now in terms of local reaction and local labour mp sir george howarth has said that until the police have investigate the matter, it is too soon to jump to any conclusions and the effort on the part of some to inflame the situation, he says is emphatically wrong. he says those against refugees at this protest do not represent the community and going along with thatis community and going along with that is councillor morgan. ray was quoting yvette cooper for laboun was quoting yvette cooper for labour, the shadow home secretary giving her on what would happen if we got anything from the home office, something from the home office, something from the home office, something from the home office, nothing from the home office, nothing from suella braverman. from suella yet. so the suella braverman yet. so at the moment this they're still trying to establish facts of this to establish the facts of this the police who started it. i mean, they describe the protesters who turned up with concerns going on concerns about what was going on in the hotel. and we should add that these were based on claims about behaviour of some

about the behaviour of some people that hotels wards people within that hotels wards young women. these are claims that haven't been verified, but why these protesters turned up, they described as far right the tavistock for the time being. thanks very much. back to what you brilliantly and that you do so brilliantly and that is talk to the people that you know and either into know who know and either into ray or , come back and bring us ray or, come back and bring us up to date air on alastair stewart& friends. but for the time being, gb news. national reporter paul , thank you very reporter paul, thank you very much indeed for that . and you much indeed for that. and you are indeed watching and listening to alastair stewart& friends tell him all. still to come this afternoon , including come this afternoon, including following president zelenskyy's, visit . there have been debates visit. there have been debates about just how much the united kingdom should be spending on the defence of ukraine and the fight back against the russian invasion . that is our next invasion. that is our next topic. but first, a quick.

tonight at eight pjune into , a

tonight at eight p june into, a gb news investigates documentary as we tell the full story of grooming gang scandal, the gloves are being stolen . we will gloves are being stolen. we will expose the cover ups that kept this national scandal under wraps for decades, not one person is being held . our person is being held. our investigation uncovers the true scale of this outrage . i want to scale of this outrage. i want to see senior officials held legally to account on gb news grooming gangs. britain's shane . welcome back . watching and . welcome back. watching and listening to alastair stewart& friends here on gb news tv and onune friends here on gb news tv and online and you very much indeed for so . as always you've good for so. as always you've good enough to get in touch on our big of the day and. that's the return of government departments and the focus on science and technology and innovation in the prime minister's earlier week and the government's plans for

growth. now can says just tuned in thinking about new ministers a new jobs agree wholeheartedly but these new ministers need to be like some major as and not give in to the civil servant . give in to the civil servant. and sue says sunak going hunt banging on about having to do everything reduce inflation is . everything reduce inflation is. a red herring, she says it'll reduce anyway as supply gets back to normal . instead, they back to normal. instead, they should follow some of truss's policies for growth, especially taxes for businesses . that is taxes for businesses. that is what is best for the country in stead. do get your views coming in. also, if you missed the conversations had earlier on today with lord digby jones and the great sir mike rake . you can the great sir mike rake. you can get that. i'm previous programmes indeed on our youtube

. just subscribe to that. it is of course at gb news at youtube . now this saw yet another development in the war in ukraine. ukraine's president zelenskyy visited the united kingdom for the first time since russia's invasion and expressed his gratitude for all of the equipment that he had received. so far, but has also urged the united kingdom to provide fighter jets. then went on united kingdom to provide fighterjets. then went on a fighter jets. then went on a further tour . europe making the further tour. europe making the request of other leaders in and germany and elsewhere. here the prime minister rishi sunak said that nothing off the table but has warned of the potential escalation and risk that suppuesin escalation and risk that supplies in that supplying warplanes to ukraine might have the united kingdom. there's also been some criticism , also been some criticism, also questions asked about the amount that the united kingdom is spending on helping ukraine.

indeed chief of the defence staff and the head of the army have both made it crystal clear that spending and spreading it too thinly is a grave concern for. british armed forces . so to for. british armed forces. so to discuss of that, i'm delighted to say as a good friend of this programs and one of the top commentators all of these matters, con coughlin who is the defence editor at the telegraph and that he is great to you. thanks very much indeed joining us. so the language is that nothing is the table, but as as fighter jets are concerned, nothing is the table, but as as fighterjets are concerned, no fighter jets are concerned, no talks away yet . and ben wallace, talks away yet. and ben wallace, the secretary of state rather resistant , the secretary of state rather resistant, is that on the basis of concerns? strategic concerns or our defence capacity . well, or our defence capacity. well, there are also concerns that

al—qaeda and, i think i mean, the fact the first one and he alluded to this in your introduction, john, is, you know, we don't have many warplanes. i mean, since the tories changed power in 2010. our our jet fighter fleet as been halved from in excess of 200 to just over 100. and i don't those you know once you dig down deep and service maintenance and repairs and all the rest of it. you know we have many warplanes. so that's first thing. and seen this when we gave the challenger tanks to ukraine immediately says, well, we need replacements it's been pared to down the bone or hollowed out to use the military term . so that's one concern. the term. so that's one concern. the other concern is it does take a long time to train people up, to fly these very sophisticated fighters. of course ukraine is not a nato country . so ukrainian not a nato country. so ukrainian pilots, though they've distinguished themselves . the distinguished themselves. the conflict are not trained to fly

to typhoon draft 35 which is what we've got . and furthermore, what we've got. and furthermore, all our warplanes are used to bnng all our warplanes are used to bring into nato's systems , air bring into nato's systems, air defence systems , satellite defence systems, satellite systems. they don't operate in splendid they're part of an air package. splendid they're part of an air package . so to integrate the package. so to integrate the iranians into this is quite a big step and quite a complicated step when ben wallace says , you step when ben wallace says, you know, were giving warplane like a to ukraine is like we are from giving a bicycle to a formula car. yeah there's some in that comment . the other car. yeah there's some in that comment. the other thing car. yeah there's some in that comment . the other thing that comment. the other thing that struck me , as you well know , struck me, as you well know, being being the son of a former air force officer , there's air force officer, there's another fundamental difference between the royal air force's fleet of tornado fighter jets and.the fleet of tornado fighter jets and. the british army's challenge tanks, and that , thank challenge tanks, and that, thank god, at the moment we're not

engaging raged in a battlefield struggle with anybody. that would mean that we might suddenly need as we did in iraq all of the tanks we had available to us. but in day out , those royal air force fighter jets are all in active duty over the north sea , going out, the north sea, going out, checking on bombers, surveillance . they are very surveillance. they are very busy. but these they they're overstretched out of it. as i said, we have small numbers of runners left, small numbers of available fighter aircraft in a service all. so i mean i've actually flown in a typhoon from raaf currently and they're very, very impressive of kit and what they're doing as you said is intercepting potentially hostile aircraft coming in to uk space making sure that all our underwater communication systems are not being attacked by

russian submarine and we've got a lot of operations going on there. plus we've got deployments of typhoons up in the baltic states to reassure them against any acts of russian aggression. so are very busy and i'm not sure many we've got to spare if . we're ready and rishi spare if. we're ready and rishi sunak immediately asked, you know , for an inventory after know, for an inventory after zelenskyy met him. and i think find, you know , is a fairly find, you know, is a fairly miserable picture which is why again you said in your introduction that's of the armed forces. i'm the head of the army have publicly said you know we've made we need more money for more and you know we're long way from being battle ready to take on you know a major adversary like the russians and i think that was something that sunak said he willing to do and wanted to do and the leadership campaign certain he trusted as well but more money for the defence but . we shall see. can't defence but. we shall see. can't always pleasure to talk to you.

thanks for your knowledge and your analysis as well . take care your analysis as well. take care and you're always welcome on the programme. great to see you. thank you very much indeed. the great kong auckland editor at the telegraph with his . on the the telegraph with his. on the state of play in the british services and ukraine. his request for fighter jets . now it request for fighter jets. now it has been five days since a devastating back to, back earthquakes and aftershocks each large hit large parts of turkey and northern syria . with the and northern syria. with the death toll now reaching over 24,000 and the world health organised nation is warning that many survivors could lose their without urgent supplies . and our without urgent supplies. and our reporter anna riley has visited a yorkshire charity to find out how they have been helping or indeed trying to help. and a warning to you. this report does

contain some graphic footage that you may find upsetting. nevertheless, we think it's important to run it because that's part of our journalism . that's part of our journalism. could you describe where you are right now? where are you ? what's right now? where are you? what's happening ? this baby loss . oh happening? this baby loss. oh okay. this . looks rather urgent okay. this. looks rather urgent . you are ? abdul is one of the . you are? abdul is one of the thousands pulled out of the rubble in syria . he's just 18 rubble in syria. he's just 18 months old and has lost his mom, dad and fall siblings to the deadly earthquake shakes. he's being cared at the katie welfare hospital in al huda for broken bones and, multiple wounds along with scores others to help save lives. staffordshire yorkshire charity are working tirelessly

to raise funds for vital medical suppues. to raise funds for vital medical supplies . we've had so many, so supplies. we've had so many, so children come in, young children , four, five, six year old church children coming in without their parents being brought in, being treated. the hospital and then looked after also. so our team is highly trained in this. we've been in syria for since 2011 for the doctors who have been working around clock and saving lives . around clock and saving lives. it was good to offer . yeah. what it was good to offer. yeah. what cause would you like to know, please? the charities also raising money to provide food, shelter and fuel for earthquake survivors across turkey and syria . the phone's ringing, syria. the phone's ringing, marvin. usual the majority of donations coming through are for the emergency appeal. so it's good to see penny that we get because these 100% donation proceeds go to. so every single we get goes to what goes it goes

to the hospital goes to show the food , the fuel to run the food, the fuel to run the generators everything that we get goes to them. so we have had a good response and hopefully that continues because . we are that continues because. we are in need. it's been distressing for the team to see first hand the level of devastate nation that the earthquakes of . it's that the earthquakes of. it's very heartbreaking because on a daily we're kind of working with the people are there so the teams on the ground we speak to them regularly and getting information them so were information from them so were first of all we're kind of like we were very like worried about their their well—being. on top of that other people that are living there that we're supporting. well and it's just sad to see children going through, you know, being pulled out rubble. especially out from the rubble. especially i've my own. i've got two children of my own. and really sad. like that, and it's really sad. like that, you know, if it could have happened would happened to them, how would i feel earthquake feel as more earthquake casualties emerge. stafford this charity continue to fundraise , charity continue to fundraise, help those in need and the riley

gb news dewsbury and riley are yorkshire water. they're talking the need and the efforts . those the need and the efforts. those lovely people doing their bit to try and help facing far worse prospects than . most of us can prospects than. most of us can imagine. now while turkey and syria welcomed foreign aid after the quake, locals have also come together to , help those affected together to, help those affected by the disaster. together to, help those affected by the disaster . julie saver is by the disaster. julie saver is based in syria and is currently volunteering with a team and delighted to say that she's breaking away from that just for a moment to bring you up to date and there she is and joins me live now. so we said in the headune live now. so we said in the headline about the death toll but what's the situation like on the ground particularly in northern syria ? you are at the northern syria? you are at the moment actually the situation is terrible . lots of buildings are

terrible. lots of buildings are damaged . and especially in . damaged. and especially in. and you know, like . a and they're you know, like. a and they're now with no homes there in the streets cold and hungry . and so streets cold and hungry. and so many people are under the drop of . well, it's perhaps not of. well, it's perhaps not surprising , given what we were surprising, given what we were talking about and where she is that julie that we've got a problem with the link and so we're going to leave it at that. but if we can get back to her with a clearer link, we certainly do that. you're watching and listening to alison stewart, friends with , lots more stewart, friends with, lots more to come on the program. this

afternoon. we'll have more on rishi sunak reshuffle that happened this week and his focus on science, technology and innovation and his plans for growth all of that to come . but growth all of that to come. but first, let's bring you up to date with the weather here . date with the weather here. hello there . i'm jonathan bawtry hello there. i'm jonathan bawtry here with the latest updates from the met office . are you from the met office. are you enjoying the weekend so far? it has been a fairly settled and dry one for many of us and that is thanks to high pressure that is thanks to high pressure that is centred across continental europe its way europe and stretching its way the keeping those weather the uk, keeping those weather fronts to the north. fronts at bay to the north. there a bit more of a squeeze in theice there a bit more of a squeeze in the ice balls of parts of scotland. so it is breezier here underneath that high pressure centre there a fair centre though, there is a fair amount and that will amount of cloud and that will stay the evening stay with us into the evening and nights a breaks and over nights a breaks are possible particularly possible i think particularly parts of northeast scotland into parts of northeast scotland into parts wales later on. so it's here where temperatures will drop more overnight drop down a bit more overnight down the low single of down into the low single of patchy frost and fog are possible. but where we hold to the cloud for the vast majority

will stay frost free around 7 to 6 degrees celsius into tomorrow. the cloud is going to stay in place, particularly for southeastern areas of england. so it will be of a fairly grey and drab day . so it will be of a fairly grey and drab day. but so it will be of a fairly grey and drab day . but the breeze and drab day. but the breeze picking across some western areas will allow a few more breaks in that cloud for parts of south—west england, wales , of south—west england, wales, ireland and into northern areas of england and scotland as well. so you those than your so you get those than your breaks and. mild breaks and. those mild temperatures around ten degrees celsius. will be relatively celsius. it will be relatively pleasant into overnight pleasant into the overnight period. we'll continue to see more of that cloud breaking up, perhaps an increased chance of some now across parts of scotland , northern england, as scotland, northern england, as we move into the early of monday morning. and again, the risk some fog patches are as well. the cloud, though, going to stay in place for. areas in the southeast as we start off the new working week. high pressure keeping things relatively settled throughout monday . but settled throughout monday. but as we move throughout the week that going to start shifting its way to the and that way off to the east and that will allow weather fronts

will allow some weather fronts to move their way in from the west. by the time we get to wednesday, could a bit wednesday, we could see a bit more moving in across the more rain moving in across the western temperatures western areas. but temperatures staying the time staying relatively mild the time of . that's it for now. of year. that's it for now. enjoy the rest of weekend on the nana akua saturday and sunday afternoons on tv news . expect afternoons on tv news. expect fiery debate with passionate discussion of me and my panel. tackle some of the biggest topics hitting headlines. it's a place for opinion no gets cancelled, but no one gets an easy ride . oh, so this is i be easy ride. oh, so this is i be ready for conversation but a fierce frank and of course fun every saturday sunday afternoon from pm on tv news to the people's channel. join me every sunday at 6 pm. for glory meets in exclusive interviews. i'll be finding out who are politicians really are and what they really . it's something that you would never want anyone to suffer. i didn't know what channels they were be. didn't think i'd be

believed. i must have waited about seven stone and i'm 548. my about seven stone and i'm 548. my instincts was to sort of cover this up. i'm in twitter. that was a mistake. join me sunday at 6 pm. on gb news new people's channel, britain's.

channel hello and welcome. if you've just joined us. hello. welcome back. just joined us. hello. welcome back . if you've been with us back. if you've been with us since kick i'm alison stewart . since kick i'm alison stewart. we are into the final hour our program today and be keeping you company here on tv and gb news and we have plenty more still to come in that hour including can the ministers in new departments focussed on business, trade and innovation really help kick start economy and get some growth in there too? make a

little smile, appear all of our faces . so let's bring you little smile, appear all of our faces. so let's bring you up to date with all of the latest news today. and once again is radisson . thanks, alistair . radisson. thanks, alistair. 1:01. here's the latest at knowsley council in merseyside says the home office gave it less 48 hours notice last year of its intention to house asylum seekers at a hotel . violent seekers at a hotel. violent protests broke out friday. witnesses describe the scene at around the suites hotel as being like war zone as demonstrators missiles and set fire to a police . three people were police. three people were arrested suspicion of violent disorder security has been increased following the incident with reinforced fencing and a police presence . shadow home police presence. shadow home secretary described the protests as and appalling, while while

more than 2000 migrants have crossed the english channel so far this year, home office figures suggest 110 people made the dangerous journey in three small boats yesterday . there small boats yesterday. there have now been more crossings in 2023 than in january and february of 2022 combined. home office responsibility for channel crossings in january following eight months in which the royal navy was in charge . the royal navy was in charge. turkey's president says hundreds of thousands of buildings are now uninhabitable following monday's earthquakes . mr. monday's earthquakes. mr. erdogan says steps be taken within weeks to start rebuilding. his comments come the death toll in southern turkey and northern syria passed 24,500. despite the conditions have continued to find some survivors in the rubble . they survivors in the rubble. they say the window is closing . right say the window is closing. right hand basin is a turkish journalist. she told us there had been warnings of the impending disaster i was in of

buildings been collapsed. so where are they going to put all these? the railway and, of course, like graveyards. morgues. these are all huge problems right now. turkey was surely wasn't prepared for this, even though people were warning about this like professors they warned about this upcoming earthquake . well, meanwhile the earthquake. well, meanwhile the united nations secure city council is set to hold talks week on delivering aid . rebel week on delivering aid. rebel held areas in syria currently help to the northwest . the help to the northwest. the country can only be delivered by one turkish border crossing . one turkish border crossing. syria's ally, russia not back the aid expansion . they say it the aid expansion. they say it goes against the country's . goes against the country's. however, the secretary—general says the council has been too slow to act well as the search for missing mum nicola bullae enters 16th day. her partner says he wants to keep all opfions says he wants to keep all options open about her disappearance . paul ansel was

disappearance. paul ansel was speaking to five news lancashire police say they suspect the mother of two fell into the river while no trace of her has been found . they're now focusing been found. they're now focusing their search further downstream and out towards the coast. despite mr. ansel says his , gut despite mr. ansel says his, gut instinct tells him did not fall into the water. personally, i'm 100% convinced it's not the river. people don't just vanish into thin air. it's absolutely impossible. so something has happened something has happened . find out what it. i want every . every every outbuilding . the . every every outbuilding. the land scrutinised. i want it all searched. i want it all scrutinise. every piece of it . scrutinise. every piece of it. the british drug dealer has been arrested in thailand after a five year hunt by the national crime agency. richard wakeling , crime agency. richard wakeling, essex, attempted to import crime agency. richard wakeling, essex, attempted to import £8 million worth of liquid amphetamine into the united

kingdom in 2016. the 55 year old fled in 2018 before his trial began and, was sentenced to 11 years in his absence. he remains in custody in thailand and extradition proceedings are underway by the us. military has shot down an unidentified object flying over alaska. president joe biden made the decision to bnng joe biden made the decision to bring down the craft around the size. a small car. the ufo which was flying at 40,000 feet was considered risk to passenger jets . it follows the downing jets. it follows the downing last week , a chinese last week, a chinese surveillance balloon which was flying over the us and the coronation emblem for king charles and queen consort now been unveiled. it was created by former apple designer sir johnny ive. it features image of st edward's crown , which will be edward's crown, which will be used to crown the monarch and was inspired by king's love of nature. the emblem also includes the rose of england, the thistle

of scotland , the daffodil of of scotland, the daffodil of wales and the shamrock of northern ireland. this is we'll bnng northern ireland. this is we'll bring you more as it happens . bring you more as it happens. let's get straight back to alister stuart stuart . alister stuart stuart. thanks very much indeed. now let's get back to our topic of the day. and that's the government's new focus on science business and innovation to . seek growth in the united to. seek growth in the united kingdom. but the question is who will do what, where and how. the return of a new trade business department bolting those two together. and the creation of a new business innovation science department. they certainly got their work cut out . and we had their work cut out. and we had a fascinating conversation earlier with i hope you agree , digby with i hope you agree, digby jones and mike rake , who are as

jones and mike rake, who are as it were big business people from , the front end . i'm delighted , the front end. i'm delighted now to be joined by the new minister state at that new department for science, innovation and technology . innovation and technology. george freeman member parliament. now george, before entering parliament had a career in biomedical venture capital so is very much a been there done it guy . and you and i have it guy. and you and i have worked together on a couple of occasions not least for the spectator magazine at there health debate where we talk to people like phillips about what they were trying do. what do you think as a former minister in this area , but also a formula in this area, but also a formula in vest in this area that people like you and your fellow ministers can bring to the party, capture innovators and help them become viable businesses that , can monetise businesses that, can monetise their genius and their efforts

and help entire united kingdom economy . yeah thank you. so economy. yeah thank you. so thank you for highlighting this your show. it's a really important topic for the uk. as you say, i was 15 year career in a clean tech, agri tech and biotech capital before coming to parliament 12 years ago. and i've been campaigning constantly with all the prime ministers as they've come and that the only way we will get this country out of the boom and bust of short term economic cycles is to invest more and commercialise better our deep science research technology and innovation and ten years ago we launched i led our first live science industrial strategy and we invested in genomics we will launch the world's first genomics project integrating nhs genomes with patient data. 100,000 nhs volunteers that attracted billions and led to us leading the world in genomic sequencing , which is why we were sequencing, which is why we were able to develop the vaccine. but the truth is we can do this in a

whole raft of other areas fusion, energy and quantum technology. and i in agritech in robotics and so what we've done, i mean, i was minister of state for science , technology and for science, technology and innovation in the former department for business space. what the prime minister has and i'm absolutely delighted i think he's done the right is that if we're really going to deliver vision, you need a dedicated , vision, you need a dedicated, focussed department. so this week he's created for the first time in the uk, a dedicated department for science technology and innovation. and i think to your question, how what are we going to do differently? i think firstly, in order to really take some big bets and back some of our big science and technology, whether it's space or whether it's fusion power you need at the heart of government a body capable of taking the big decisions. that's why we set up the national science and

technology council alongside the national security council . national security council. secondly, you need department thatis secondly, you need department that is really focussed and pays was a huge department. the stood for energy, so it was doing the energy , all the net zero. and as energy, all the net zero. and as minister of state for science and technology , it was about and technology, it was about three quarters of the budget of two thirds, ten times bigger than the culture, media and, sport. but it was a, a sidebar on that department. so we've a dedicated department and i'm absolutely convinced we've got a chance here to really drive the leadership through , the central leadership through, the central government, to make sure that we're not just winning the academic prizes, which what we've done for years , but we're we've done for years, but we're actually commercialising better . so in fusion , so brilliant . so in fusion, so brilliant young men and women come up with a great idea in the next generation of technology , generation of technology, telecoms , artificial telecoms, artificial intelligence , any of those. intelligence, any of those. they, they in touch with you and

michelle and to persuade you that they that they are potentially flavour of the month and hope i'm not misinterpreting what you just said george . but what you just said george. but you stand ready to back them if needs be. yeah, we've just to be clear. we've committed in three year comprehensive spending with the budget for the government for this next three is a very tight budget necessarily because we're trying to control inflation. we've put a 30% increase in our public we're going from 15 billion a year to 20 billion a year. and we've put 50% increase into innovate , 50% increase into innovate, which is the agency that supports emerging science , supports emerging science, technology, businesses . and technology, businesses. and we're doing three other really important things on regulation. this is a brexit dividend. we have an opportunity set the regulatory framework now for new medicines , ai in health care for medicines, ai in health care for autonomous vehicles, for agri for drones. so the uk becomes world leader a test bed in these

technologies where investors around the world come here to the certification stamp of approval . secondly, we're approval. secondly, we're opening procurement so that government can actually lean in and buy of this technology, not least to improve public services and. thirdly, we are changing the rules in the city so that our pension funds you know, london, one of the world's top three in investment hubs, investing very in uk science and technology . why? because after technology. why? because after maxwell pension scandal and after the crash , there's a whole after the crash, there's a whole raft of very , very low risk raft of very, very low risk rules that mean that we about a 10th of what the united states is investing in science and tech. so those three changes together will, i think, a unlock a new era . and you'll see a new era. and you'll see science and technology floating here in london , growing here in here in london, growing here in the uk. so not just discovering. we're also commercialising and doing the d in george in.

addition to that that you've just described that that was in the last . do you also have the the last. do you also have the chancellor there and the prime minister there on corporation tax and perhaps capital gains tax and perhaps capital gains tax because these bright young men and women, if they do get something really clever and one of them's coming up in my next interview and they then monetise is their clever thing which is then helped us all and produced then helped us all and produced the growth that we all desperately want. they then get hammered on taxation as the astrazeneca demonstrated . yeah, astrazeneca demonstrated. yeah, so look, i mean, the chancellor and the prime minister made this and the prime minister made this a very major priority and rishi sunak's only been in office for less than , what, three months less than, what, three months and you know, the first phase is to make sure we reassure the markets. that's done . gilt markets. that's done. gilt yields are falling, interest rates are back under control. now the focus is on making sure that we unlock this growth. and

the chancellor's budget coming up in march will be obviously a key moment. i'm not in the treasury, but he is and the prime minister are actively working flat out this month or two. there's a huge amount of work going on to make sure that the r&d tax credits , the whole the r&d tax credits, the whole fiscal environment for , fiscal environment for, innovation is right. but i would say this, you know, ten years ago when we started out in the life with a life science strategy that i led biotech flat after the crash pharma was warning they were going to leave uk last year we raised in biotech small companies. uk last year we raised in biotech small companies . £4.5 biotech small companies. £4.5 billion raised in the uk in al and deep technologies billion raised in the uk in al and deep technologie s £25 and deep technologies £25 billion raised, invested by private investors in the uk. so we're doing some things right, but we're in a global race. you know, china's to 40 billion a yearin know, china's to 40 billion a year in science america, 300 billion a year. we're now up,

that's nearly 3% of gdp from 1.5. so we've doubled the percentage in the economy . know percentage in the economy. know we're doing well in this. percentage in the economy. know we're doing well in this . but we're doing well in this. but the key now is to make sure that we don't just grow the companies that float on nasdaq or get sold to bigger companies internationally. we grow them here. and the really exciting i was there is, you know , yes, we was there is, you know, yes, we have the oxford, cambridge, london golden triangle. it's golden for a reason. we've got two of the world's top three universities. but when you get into the other technology areas , it goes all around the country. the space is down in cornwall, satellite manufacturing, glasgow agritech is in south wales , norwich is in south wales, norwich compound, semiconductors , wales. compound, semiconductors, wales. so that's why gove and i are working very closely to . make working very closely to. make sure we support these clusters all around the country. that's the best way to deliver really long term levelling. lovely clear, understandable stuff. george great to see. thank you for letting us in. i it's a busy

weekend . i did. for letting us in. i it's a busy weekend. i did. i for letting us in. i it's a busy weekend . i did. i asked you weekend. i did. i asked you personally as well as the team asking you. and i'm really grateful for you coming on the program and i'm having your full part of and hopefully more if it all goes well on how we boost the prospects of these brilliant young men and, women who have got great ideas and i'm delighted to be talking to. next one of them or he had a great idea with his partners a little while ago, and that's david nunes, who's the co—founder of british company trivial investment company, and also the investment company fearless adventures. are you able to hear what george was just saying ? what george was just saying? absolutely. and thank you from the show. stone did that fill you with enthusiasm or ? did you you with enthusiasm or? did you think that that was a conservative minister basically explain how they wanted to be

intervention but still leave you and your colleagues in the driving seat ? well, i think the driving seat? well, i think the question you started the show is the how. and you know what? we today is, rishi, you he's obviously got a penchant for innovation science, which is great and it's fantastic . hear, great and it's fantastic. hear, you the big question is you know, the big question is rishi a manager or he a leader? managers first solution to problems is normally structural. how do i structure my team a way to get this done and you know, although it's great to have that voice on the table, i think the real piece now is the delivery and i think one of the challenges i see is even so quickly, they've outlines their kind of first six priority outcomes of , this new unit and, outcomes of, this new unit and, when you read them, it really helps you with. yeah, i'm really too sure. two of them are around kind of how we become regulators , leaders. i'm never sure of how country can be kind of, you know , global innovation leaders by on regulations of them is you know and to your point the idea

that this unit has to focus 100% in delivering science innovation , how they do that by figuring out how to get gigabit internet across, the uk the same time. across, the uk at the same time. i on an i mean, come on an infrastructure project, the whole needs so whole country needs that so let's set this up for let's let's set this up for success get these people success let's get these people focussed true focussed on delivering true innovation supporting you know start and large companies to invest in the uk and to commercialise their their products and let's not them with huge infrastructure projects and regulatory burdens because the thing the thing that strikes me and i'm not anti at all i'm genuinely deep down very proud. i love the idea but but i've around long enough to know that government doesn't a great track record whether it's a conservative or a labour government in backing winners that that's kind of not what they do that's what people like you do you are winners come up with your own brilliant ideas and create an and then you create an investment company. mean, investment company. i mean, interestingly , george, in interestingly, george, in a previous life did back winners because he was a venture

capitalist in in start on science technology . but but as science technology. but but as an entrepreneur , are you an entrepreneur, are you confident having listened to george , that this is a right, george, that this is a right, proper thing for his majesty's ministers be doing ? well, i ministers be doing? well, i think having the voice on the table know rishi now has somebody to talk to about stuff that he's excited about, which is great. the framework, even the talk about what the language to talk about what innovation we can innovation is and how we can help country to a help the country even to have a conversation, i think is i think some of the challenges are though, you know, even in april this reducing this year, they're reducing tax credits. have the same credits. so we'll have the same economic innovation science leaders they're leaders the next minute they're reducing incentives reducing the tax incentives to small large small companies and large companies on companies to really deliver on innovation so are those innovation. so those are those things diametrically things that diametrically opposed think those are opposed and i think those are the of things he's sorting the sort of things he's sorting out very, very quickly. and what i in suggesting george i write in suggesting to george and mike and digby that and also to mike and digby that that the tax regime , individuals that the tax regime, individuals and for corporates and capital gains tax , you will be very

gains tax, you will be very familiar with, i'm sure it is a potential of it is a potential disincentive to people like you who come up with a great idea sports technology and think yes let's do it here but then maybe have second thoughts like astrazeneca and think, well, maybe gina might make bubble to more if we do it in ireland well , i think for a large company perspective, that's very much on their radar know when they make a big capital investment. clearly tax is an important element they consider those investments. i think for a start—up slightly start—up it's slightly different. think access, different. i think it's access, talent importantly, talent and most importantly, access financial system access to a financial system that to the money to that allows them to the money to go deliver big ideas. go and deliver those big ideas. i think one of the challenges the it was raised the uk has and it was raised again george, this of again with george, this idea of again with george, this idea of a the a pension funds, the co—investment community, the uk, they that they just don't understand that stake in they stake risk. you know in us they have this kind of almost like a winning flywheel, you know investors have into investors have put money into big ideas those big ideas have made they've been sold to made money. they've been sold to large investors large corporates and investors have and they go have made money and they go again. more money and again. they put more money and they risks. and

they take bigger risks. and large basically large companies basically pick these or they large companies basically pick th

digby and mike. the reason for that, if you remember rightly, was that is researched director at the tech recruit and company populus select the in which i mention knew and said i was thrilled to bits that you were coming up in our in our conversation was because digby was who's an old mate of mine and i'm sure you know former trade minister going way when but also boss at the cbi and he said reflecting upon the astrazeneca decision it wasn't about corporation tax , it was about corporation tax, it was also about the available of skilled labour and. george freeman was just saying that that his departure moment needs to be working very closely with the education department as well of the university it is to make sure that we producing the sufficient numbers of folk that that if a company like david's comes alongside you and says hey

we need x, y and z always reminds me of dyson going to government saying i don't have enough engineering graduates available to me at dyson and. and so joe johnson boris's little brother, who was the university's at the time, said, well, build your own university there, make your own . we're a there, make your own. we're a bit ahead of that now, are we? and i think we are the first. thank you for me on the show. i was delighted be on your you're quite right in pointing out that skills and well produced sufficient skills and numerous stem workforce is the key moving forward with the aims of this not insignificant machinery of government change. so in the 30 years i've been doing market research, we've seen that dearth

of engineers and dearth of stem . skilled workforce , . skilled workforce, particularly women who suffer from or we see this leaky pipeline where the number women diminishes each stage of each, each of a career, ten point we are engineers and skilled people coming through not enough. i mean whole workforce in our whole workforce we're seeing a lack of skilled we're seeing skills shortages and that's more more so in the stem workforce workforce . if you look at the workforce. if you look at the house of commons , only 22% of house of commons, only 22% of our employees come from a stem occupational or . stem occupation occupational or. stem occupation or an academic background . so

or an academic background. so the key is to grow more home—grown home—grown engineers technical technical staff at levels the neoprene ships are working . and that's that's a working. and that's that's a good forward we're still we're still those shortages and you know i'm afraid to say that looking at primary schoolchildren and i've a lot of research with secondary schools and students but recently last yeari and students but recently last year i did some research with a primary school children and we've still got a bit of a problem even at that level and you've got a lack of awareness of what an engineer is and a lack of desire to go down that route and it's really quite worrying , especially amongst worrying, especially amongst young girls. they don't like the

idea of engineering. they think it's dirty. so in all we really need to do some in society to encourage people go into stem and well having to having an apprentice girl as secretary of state for education maybe and having george friedman a former venture capital capitalist guy as minister of state. it the department of innovation and skills and science maybe maybe the worm is turning for the better for the. and you stand ready. i know to find the workforce that these start ups will need. don't know great for you to join us thank you very much indeed. i don't think i read out your official at the very beginning for which i apologise . i should have done. apologise. i should have done. donnais apologise. i should have done. donna is the research at populus select and those were her thoughts on what's going on on the innovation in science

technology two great great jobs and wealth of this country of ours. we penny most so to come this afternoon i'll have stuart and friends after the break we will be reporting on a wildlife and sanctuary that says it is struggling due to the cost in a big crisis that's coming next. but first, let's bring right up to date with the weather . hello to date with the weather. hello there. i'm jonathan autry here with the latest weather updates from the office. are you enjoying the weekend far? it has been a fairly settled and dry one for many of us, and that is thanks to high pressure that is centred across europe and stretching its way. the uk, keeping those other fronts at bay to the north. there is a bit more of a squeeze in there i suppose across parts of scotland. it is breezy here scotland. so it is breezy here underneath that high pressure centre fair centre there there is a fair amount that will stay amount of cloud that will stay with into the and over nights with us into the and over nights a few breaks are possible i think particularly for parts of northeast scotland parts think particularly for parts of nowales: scotland parts think particularly for parts of nowales laterland parts think particularly for parts of nowales later on.i parts think particularly for parts of nowales later on. so parts think particularly for parts of nowales later on. so it's)arts think particularly for parts of nowales later on. so it's where of wales later on. so it's where temperatures drop down temperatures will drop down a bit overnight, down the low

bit overnight, down into the low single figures of patchy frost and some are possible but where we hold on to the cloud for the vast majority it will stay frost free around seventh to six degrees celsius into tomorrow. the cloud is going to stay place particularly for southeastern areas of england. so it will be in a fairly grey and drab day here but breeze picking up here. but the breeze picking up across the western areas will allow few more breaks that allow a few more breaks in that cloud for of . south cloud for parts of. south west england, northern ireland england, wales, northern ireland and into northern areas of england and scotland as well. so where get those your breaks where you get those your breaks and those temperatures , ten and those mild temperatures, ten degrees it will be degrees celsius, it will be relatively pleasant into the overnight . we'll continue to see overnight. we'll continue to see more that cloud breaking up. so perhaps an increased chance of some frost now across parts of scotland's northern england as we move into the early hours monday morning. and again, the risk fog are possible risk of fog patches are possible . well, the cloud, though , going . well, the cloud, though, going to stay in place for areas in southeast as we start off the new working week, high pressure keeping things relatively settled, though , monday. but we

settled, though, monday. but we move throughout the week. that is going to start shifting its way off to the east and that will allow weather fronts will allow some weather fronts to their way in from the west. so by the time we get to wednesday, could more wednesday, we could see a more rain moving across the rain moving in across the western but temperatures western areas. but temperatures staying mild for staying relatively mild for the time yeah it for now time of yeah that's it for now enjoy the rest of your weekend .

good afternoon. it's 1:31 good afternoon. it's1:31 on ray good afternoon. it's 1:31 on ray anderson with the latest knowsley council in. merseyside says the home office gave less than 48 hours notice last year of its intention to house asylum at a hotel where violent broke out on friday. witnesses described the scenes around the suhes described the scenes around the suites hotel as being a war zone. this demonstrates is three missiles and set fire to a

police van. three people were arrested on suspicion of violent disorder . more arrested on suspicion of violent disorder. more than arrested on suspicion of violent disorder . more than 2000 disorder. more than 2000 migrants have crossed the engush migrants have crossed the english so far this year. home office figures suggest 110 people made the dangerous journey . three small boats journey. three small boats yesterday . there have now been yesterday. there have now been more crossings 2023 than in january. and february of 2022 combined. the un chief, martin griffiths , has warned that the griffiths, has warned that the death toll in turkey and syria from monday's earthquake could double. his comments come as the number of dead in southern turkey and northern syria passed 24,500, despite conditions, rescuers have continued to find some survivors in the rubble , some survivors in the rubble, but they say the window is rapidly closing as the search for missing mum nicola continues. 16 days since her disappearance . her partner says disappearance. her partner says his gut instinct him she did not fall into the river. paul and saul speaking to five news. lancashire police say they

suspect the mother of two fell into the river. wyre but no trace of her has been found. they're now focusing their search downstream and out towards the coast . and a british towards the coast. and a british drug dealer has been arrested in thailand . a five year manhunt by thailand. a five year manhunt by the national agency. richard wakeling essex attempted to import wakeling essex attempted to import £8 million worth of liquid amphetamine into the uk and 2016. the 55 year old fled in 2018 before his trial began . in 2018 before his trial began. he was sentenced to 11 years in his absence . were on tv, online his absence. were on tv, online and on dab plus radio. this is gb news. now to alistair stuart and friends . and friends. ray, thanks so much. data wildlife hospital and sanctuary says that it is struggling due to the cost of in crisis. the nonh to the cost of in crisis. the north charity says that it

suffered huge losses during the pandemic and with visitor numbers and the cost of food rising , it is now numbers and the cost of food rising, it is now fearful for its future. well, gb news london reporter lisa hartl brings us this report of their plight. reporter lisa hartl brings us this report of their plight . the this report of their plight. the wildlife rescue and ambulance service has been open for 22 years based in trent park north london. wild animals and abandoned pets are nursed back to health. and for those that can't be released back into the wild or rehomed a home is offered where there is room , offered where there is room, since covid are now the cost of living, that's done it again. we've to shut the shop two times a week because i can't afford to pay a week because i can't afford to pay someone to work out there and footfall has gone down anyway. so hosting centres not making any money. the charity on donations. the money brought in from visitors paying to visit animal sanctuary and cafe . but animal sanctuary and cafe. but since the cost of living crisis

, the charity has struggled. not sure how much it cost the moment. but last year it cost us to run this centre. 174,000 with the calls it all day long. they'll get worse as springtime arrives . so there's of a arrives. so there's of a workload we could take so much more. if have the space. but we have to look upon costs. you can only deal with what you need. we've got the for space what you've got the money to deal with. we've noticed a drop in the footfall the moment, but the footfall for the moment, but the footfall for the moment, but the are not spending so the people are not spending so much and people are not using the centre much. so cost and donations have dropped people have cancelled direct debits because they can't afford to do it anymore. so there's been a drop in income around. costs have gone up. so the moment i think a lot of charities from what i see, but looking at other charities we're all concerned about what's going to happen . about what's going to happen. june and barry, who were awarded an mbe for their charity , also

an mbe for their charity, also have dedicated volunteers. you've only got to stand to barry for an hour or two and see how many times the phone rings with people. i've got animals that need help and it's just constant. just constant. so i'm absolutely vital . and else an absolutely vital. and else an awful lot of animals move wouldn't survive. it's hoped that the number of people visiting the sanctuary pick up dunng visiting the sanctuary pick up during the summer so that june and barry can continue their dedication to saving the lives of animals. lisa hartl gb news london . well, we wish them well london. well, we wish them well and the animals that they kindly care for, but goodness me, that's so about the costs and the difficulties people are now facing. our reporter there lisa hanl facing. our reporter there lisa hartl. news london . now you've hartl. news london. now you've getting in touch. more on our big topic of the day. the

cabinet reshuffle and that shift focus to business and innovation and technology. norman joins the conversation saying, i believe that the madness of net zero will destroy our car industry and seriously growth of worthwhile projects , phil says. worthwhile projects, phil says. jeremy hunt was the minister who the national health service into the national health service into the but everyone to think he is the but everyone to think he is the best person for the job of chancellor in reality i think that he has no interest in the working population just finance and banking. michael's just more talk when the modular nuclear is gone. when is the first modular nuclear going to be built with royce? the government have been talking about it for a year. thatisi talking about it for a year. that is i think broadly true anyway , do keep your views

anyway, do keep your views coming in. we always welcome them. and also, if you missed those conversations that we have with the minister , george with the minister, george freeman, the innovator and freeman, or the innovator and the recruitment , they are all the recruitment, they are all available on our youtube channel, which is, of course, surprise, surprise at gb news. so you may want to subscribe to that, and i wish you well . thank that, and i wish you well. thank you. if you do , you're watching you. if you do, you're watching gb news tv radio with more to come here on alastair stewart& friends as we went way through the often moon. a new report suggests that the cost of a crisis could more detrimental to the nightclub industry than covid was . we'll be discussing covid was. we'll be discussing that next. but a quick. break join camilla tominey at 930 on sunday morning when. i'll be speaking to simon mayo , former speaking to simon mayo, former deputy chief of defence, about president zelenskyy's demand for british fighter jets . i'll also

british fighter jets. i'll also be asking tory mp tobias ellwood, chair of the defence select committee, whether the is spending enough on defence. and pr guru joe, former adviser to bofis pr guru joe, former adviser to boris , will be taking me through boris, will be taking me through the newspaper . all that and boris, will be taking me through the newspaper. all that and more at 930 tomorrow. join me every sunday at 6 pm. for glory meets in exclusive interviews , i'll be in exclusive interviews, i'll be finding out who are politicians are and what they really and something that you would never want anyone to suffer. i know what channels there were be. didn't think i'd be believed. i'm mystified about. seven stabbed and i'm five for eight. my stabbed and i'm five for eight. my instincts was to sort of cover this up. i'm in that was a mistake. join every sunday at 6 pm. on gb news. the people's channel. britain's news.

channel hello again. you're watching and listening to alastair stewart& friends here on tv and radio . friends here on tv and radio. and thank you very much indeed . and thank you very much indeed. so doing. now the of living crisis could be more to nightclubs . covid was, according nightclubs. covid was, according to a report by the night time industries association . over 300 industries association. over 300 clubs have already closed their doors since start of the pandemic due to soaring bills and rents. but what can be done to keep people on the dancefloor . joining me to discuss this now , i'm delighted to say, is the chief executive of the night time association, our old on this programme michael . mike, this programme michael. mike, good to see you. thank you very much, indeed. so 300 gone. this is a serious analysis of your members prospects and concerns. how bad could it be? well,

thanks for having us on. i mean , it's hugely challenging for the sector , the late night the sector, the late night sector, nightclub jobs being those sort of pinnacle , end of those sort of pinnacle, end of evening businesses. those sort of pinnacle, end of evening businesses . the cost of evening businesses. the cost of operating is extortionate at the moment . as you can appreciate, moment. as you can appreciate, there is a legacy of issues from there is a legacy of issues from the pandemic. there is a legacy of issues from the pandemic . and we've seen 365 the pandemic. and we've seen 365 nightclubs gone since , the start nightclubs gone since, the start of the pandemic. so we've come down for the first time, almost under 900 nightclubs from almost 1400 several years back . so it's 1400 several years back. so it's hugely concerning for us and the future is still challenging. hence reason why we're calling for support from the government for support from the government for businesses that most at risk . what are you doing ? as it were . what are you doing? as it were , to be innovative and try and attract people in there? because i mean it's not bums on seats quite the that's theatre i mean it it's feet on dance floors and

at bars and stuff like that has the has the offer changed as you face those much higher costs ? i face those much higher costs? i think i think there's a here and i think the worry is not the requirement is lacking. there is . the report that we put out is how things like electronic music are across the uk . challenge are across the uk. challenge that we have is operating conditions through cost inflation are making it very very difficult for operators. we've eight out of ten either barely breaking even or losing and that's not sustaining over long periods of time . so what long periods of time. so what we're after is really some financial headroom from the government within the budget and many are calling for a vat cut to allow people that financial fluidity see particularly the independents we've seen their businesses who are independently owned contract about 13% across

the uk where managed businesses is only 3. so there is a very clear disparity terms of the way that independents are being. the cash fluidity that they have and cost inflation impacting them heavily , which we're going to heavily, which we're going to see as this transpires. but we've already lost businesses, early doors and we're trying to stem or stop the damage by ensuring that government are clear in terms of the businesses that are most at risk. what's your most recent estimate, mike, of the value to the of your sector , i mean, in terms of sector, i mean, in terms of employment and clearly there's you mentioned vat there but but also there's duty on drinks stuff like that. what do you think your sector contributes to the economy ? well, at the the economy? well, at the moment, i mean the estimates from nine which you are report that's due out on monday but last year saw that's due out on monday but last year sa w £112 billion in last year saw £112 billion in total revenue about 50 billion total revenue about 50 billion to the treasure . so for us we're

to the treasure. so for us we're huge void to lose when businesses start closing and when we talk about voids in many say how are we going to pay for this. the reality is by not doing something and sitting dormant, we're going to lose the businesses, which is going to create a void in terms of the return to h.m. create a void in terms of the return to hm. treasury. so our perspective, we're doing possible. we're making sure that government are fully aware on the stats and, the data, hence the stats and, the data, hence the reason why we've come out with the electronic music that shows that each value terms of counter—culture is some 2.63 billion. so we were really really important industry and in many parts we need that front seat to the hospitality's night—time economy is important . and i think the really key thing here take away is they need to understand that we're vitally important for creating traction . a massive part of the traction. a massive part of the recovery process so we to be kicking we need to be moving and we need that cash fluidity ,

we need that cash fluidity, which we didn't gain from the festive because of the challenges industrial action. so many of us are now having to pivot you quite rightly said and trying things in different ways but we starting move but we just need that additional help government. mike to talk to you as always. thank you very much indeed for those facts and figures mike kildare, the ceo of the knight team industries always welcome on the programme now talking about music and entertainment. the brit awards will take place tonight on a saturday night for the first time following the controversy of its lack of nominees in its best artist . of its lack of nominees in its best artist. but of its lack of nominees in its best artist . but who of its lack of nominees in its best artist. but who are of its lack of nominees in its best artist . but who are the best artist. but who are the bookies favourites to win and what can we expect? this evening's ? should we elect to evening's? should we elect to tune in? joining to joining me to tell me more about it all is reporter at the metro , lucy reporter at the metro, lucy norris. and there she . lizzie,

norris. and there she. lizzie, great to see you again. thanks very much indeed . the adele kind very much indeed. the adele kind of put the whole boot into a gender neutral category, didn't she last time ? it clearly hasn't she last time? it clearly hasn't gone away . yes. alastair, well, gone away. yes. alastair, well, thank you so much for having me. i think as you said this year, a lot of controversy was raised again as the nominations for best adele. last year won in the category when the brits for the first time decided to go down gender neutral. but she in her speech herself acknowledged , the speech herself acknowledged, the fact that she was a female artist and wanted to be acknowledged for her work in that capacity . this year, many that capacity. this year, many have criticised the brits for their list of nominees that contained five male artists , contained five male artists, saying that whilst their efforts to be more inclusive was a step the right direction. it kind of

went the other way this year by refusing to acknowledge any females work. refusing to acknowledge any females work . the brits, though, females work. the brits, though, have on the backlash , claiming have on the backlash, claiming that it was just a reflection . that it was just a reflection. the music industry in general the moment saying that all of the moment saying that all of the 70 eligible artists submitted their work to be put for an award. this year, only 12 were female with big players like adele caplan's and anne—marie. meeting the criteria does the industry itself still take the brits as seriously as they did once upon a time and not long ago that that the newspapers including own excellent newspaper were full of coverage of the grammy awards and then with the sad passing of burt bacharach that gets mentioned as how many oscars he was nominated grammys and the

rest of it. did the brit do the brits still battle to industry ? brits still battle to industry? i feel i feel that they do. i think any awards are always quite buzzworthy and people are very excited for them. i it always means more to be handed more of professional recognition for your work rather than watching numbers go up and down on screens. i think this year in particular the lot of excitement around the brit awards. there's around the brit awards. there's a lot of big names and a lot of exciting opportunities are due to happen. and as we saw from the grammys last week a lot of people tuned more than was expected . and i think that expected. and i think that having it on a saturday night tonight is going to make a difference. and also with the inclusion of artists that have made a name for themselves on social media platforms , such as social media platforms, such as mimi webb and pepper ann's, who enjoyed millions of views and downloads from their tracks

onune downloads from their tracks online or bringing in more of a younger audience meaning that in terms of industry recognition and in terms of being able to secure those spots be placed in front of the amount of people that you need to hear your music . i think the significance is going up . who are you hearing is going up. who are you hearing is going up. who are you hearing is going to be performing at the brits? lucy yeah. so this year we have a really exciting line—up of from harry styles of course following his performed at the grammys. he's hoping he won't take a tumble this time . won't take a tumble this time. he did last sunday when his stage malfunctioned , but he will stage malfunctioned, but he will be back to lead the charge, as well as lizzo , who is an well as lizzo, who is an american artist who coming back to perform and is very highly anticipated . did we also have anticipated. did we also have sam smith , kim petrus ? lewis sam smith, kim petrus? lewis capaldi and kat, who i mentioned, who is also nominated as best newcomer for this year? also, we have what? like who is

the indie duo the isle of wight, who are coming off back of winning two grammys last weekend less than two years after they performed a live gig for the first time since beginning their career. wet legs are great now. i live an ambitious cross to the isle of wight. good luck to them. but i think it was only a year ago they they thought they might have a pop at it and what a triumph it has been in such short period of time . we wish short period of time. we wish them well and all of the rest of them. lucy great to see you again. thank you very much indeed. lucy norris there the entertainment correspondent for metro . now taxi charity metro. now taxi charity organisation that helps veterans return to places like . for return to places like. for commemorations is celebrating its 75th anniversary yesterday. london black taxi drivers. black cab drivers joined veterans , a cab drivers joined veterans, a location in central london to

mark the milestone . and gb news mark the milestone. and gb news london reporter lucy hartl . lisa london reporter lucy hartl. lisa hartl i do beg your pardon . i hartl i do beg your pardon. i went to meet one of the veterans, helped by that brilliant shout 40 is a report. this was in 1944, just it is a my parents insisted i go to studio photographic studio have a photograph taken. i think that was in case i didn't come back. for veterans like mervyn taxi, charity provides a link to the past a chance to return to places like normandy for d—day commemorations and pay their respects to fallen comrades . respects to fallen comrades. it's a loss i've seen several times now over a few years , but times now over a few years, but as i've always go in the is being able to come back again with so many comrades still there. it brings it home. what could have been more that at the time actually , and we couldn't time actually, and we couldn't do it without the actors. i don't think i could manage on

the ferry or by a not anyway. i'm not sure, you know mervyn was just 19 years old when he was just 19 years old when he was first deployed during the second world war, serving with the royal army ordnance call. he went into normandy on d—day , a went into normandy on d—day, a treacherous trip having lost the day before when their boat hit by a torpedo heard the big shells going . a huge warship . shells going. a huge warship. sutherland's from the germans back at the warship . nobody back at the warship. nobody bothered with me , thank bothered with me, thank goodness. they thought i was both portsmouth but it was it was very frightening and that we should get frightened. that's the first time i took up arms was read to them the taxi charity military veterans is celebrating 75th year run by london black taxi drivers . it's london black taxi drivers. it's been supporting thousands of veterans since 1948. we look after veterans that need our help . we take them around the uk help. we take them around the uk and now the last ten, 15 years,

we've taking them back to the netherlands and to normandy to, pay netherlands and to normandy to, pay respects to their fallen comrades who are still there. it gives them a chance to get to see their friends again. only veterans understand what think and how veterans feel . we as and how veterans feel. we as taxi drivers and you and me, unless you've walked in their shoes, you have no idea how they feel and how they think. so for them to get back together again with their comrades, it means a lot as the years go by lot them. and as the years go by and they get fewer and, fewer. it's more and more special for them. mervyn now writes poems to reflect on his time during the war. it's so good getting to normandy where i was before, but then i was in uniform in june of 44. the charity be celebrating its anniversary with events raising money to ensure veterans like mervyn can continue to pay their respects to those who never returned home. i'm not a hero. it's the medals that i

wear . they merely hero. it's the medals that i wear. they merely mean that hero. it's the medals that i wear . they merely mean that over wear. they merely mean that over these i have just proved that i was the lisa gb news london . was the lisa gb news london. these are half of their reporting on the taxi charity . a reporting on the taxi charity. a brilliant group of men and women doing , brilliant group of men and women doing, something profoundly for another brilliant group of men , another brilliant group of men, our veterans. so thanks to the taxi charity and thank you also to all of the veterans that i'm afraid is all that we have time for today . i afraid is all that we have time for today. i will, afraid is all that we have time for today . i will, however, be for today. i will, however, be back tomorrow at 1:00. i hope very much indeed that you can join me then for alastair stewart and. until then, enjoy the of your day. a very good afternoon to you. bye bye. hello i'm jonathan bawtry here with the weather updates from the met office . are you enjoying the office. are you enjoying the weekend so far has been a fairly settled and dry one for many of us and that is thanks to high

pressure that is centred across continental europe and stretching uk, stretching its into the uk, keeping those fronts at bay to the north there is a bit more of a squeeze in the ice balls across parts of scotland. so it is breezy here underneath that high pressure there there high pressure centre there there is cloud that is a fair amount of cloud that will stay us into the and will stay with us into the and over nights a few breaks are possible i think particularly for of north—east scotland for parts of north—east scotland into later on. so into parts of wales later on. so it's here temperatures it's here where temperatures will down a bit more will drop down a bit more overnight down into low figures and a patchy frost and some fog are possible . but where we hold are possible. but where we hold on the cloud for the vast on to the cloud for the vast majority, it will frost majority, it will stay frost free around 7 to 6 degrees celsius into tomorrow. the cloud is to stay in place, particularly for southeastern areas of england. so it will be in a fairly grey and drab day here . but breeze picking up here. but the breeze picking up across the western areas will allow few more breaks that allow a few more breaks in that cloud for of . south west cloud for parts of. south west england, northern ireland england, wales, northern ireland and into northern areas of england and scotland well. so england and scotland as well. so when get those your breaks when you get those your breaks and temperatures and those mild temperatures around ten degrees it around ten degrees celsius, it will relatively pleasant into

will be relatively pleasant into the overnight period. we'll continue to see more that cloud breaking up. so perhaps increased chance of some frost now parts of scotland's northern england as we move into the early hours monday morning and again the risk of fog patches are possible as well. the cloud though , going to stay in place though, going to stay in place for areas in southeast as we start off the new working week, high pressure keeping things relatively settled though , relatively settled though, throughout monday. but we move throughout monday. but we move throughout the week. that is going start its way going to start shifting its way off the east. that will allow off to the east. that will allow some weather fronts to their way in from the west. by the time in from the west. so by the time we to wednesday, could we get to wednesday, we could see more rain moving in see a bit more rain moving in across the western but across the western areas, but temperatures staying relatively mild of yeah that's mild for the time of yeah that's it for now enjoy the rest of your weekend .