where the system been designed where the big companies can effectively, through the commission, write the rules for their own industry. this is the monstrosity that we're up against. anyone that tells you that the european union is about free trade, forget it . it's free trade, forget it. it's actually a protectionist bloc that looks after a few big corporate companies . why else corporate companies. why else would the farcical high representative for foreign affairs , european commission affairs, european commission vice president joseph borelli , vice president joseph borelli, why else would he, following . why else would he, following. 350 rock its cruise missiles and drones that were fired at the state of israel beyond the phone the next morning to the iranian foreign minister saying there, there, there . that was really there, there. that was really naughty of you , but we'll take

naughty of you, but we'll take no action whatsoever because we want to maintain the best possible diplomatic relations with iran . why on earth was with iran. why on earth was that? because he and this project are in hock to big business, and many of the components in those drones . and components in those drones. and by the way, the drones that also the russians are using in ukraine, many of those components are manufactured by firms in. yes, you've guessed it, the european union. the whole thing is in hock to big business. now, i know there are many on this platform who will argue that that it can be reformed from within. and i know that those parties that are charged forwards to these, i think, very exciting european elections that will take place between june the sixth and june the 9th this year. and funny ,

the 9th this year. and funny, it's the first european election for 30 years in which i will not be a candidate . i mean, not that be a candidate. i mean, not that i miss the european parliament, but i did enjoy upsetting them on the very, very big days. but i did enjoy upsetting them on the very, very big days . and on the very, very big days. and there are lots of you going to do very, very well and you'll do it. i know on a reformist agenda and you will, i hope, form a very big bloc in the next european parliament. i hope you'll be able to form a legal blocking minority, and i hope you cause lots of noise and cause lots of problems and make life as difficult as you possibly can. it's got to be no more mr nice guy, folks, because you see, i learned something nearly 20 years ago that shaped my philosophy about the eu,

about globalism. and i think in the end will change your political agendas too. and it was this just over 20 years ago, we had a constitutional convention in led by the very grand giscard d'estaing and the constitution met the convention met, and it led to an eu constitution . and giscard stood constitution. and giscard stood up in a press conference up the road at the berlaymont that day with the constitution and said with the constitution and said with this document we become a global superpower power. but there was a problem with the word constitution. it led to referendums . you know, those referendums. you know, those dreadful things were the great unwashed get to make decisions , unwashed get to make decisions, and not the great and the good or the unelected european

commission yes. that very same process, that, of course, to led us leaving the european union, something that would never have happened if we'd had to trust our own parliament. there had to be referendums and the french had a referendum and they said, no . and a few days later the no. and a few days later the dutch had a referendum on the european constitution . and they european constitution. and they said no, by a really quite big margin. and the night of that result , i was margin. and the night of that result, i was in the european parliament in the press bar , and parliament in the press bar, and there were 50 or 60 of us having quite a jolly party. well, you know, you've got to celebrate victories in life, folks. i mean, otherwise what's the point of being here? and walking down the corridor? past me was a german socialist, a humourless german socialist, a humourless german socialist. they generally are, believe me . but the name of

are, believe me. but the name of jo leinen, he'd been in the parliament for a couple of decades. he had been on the constitutional convention with giscard, and he was full on for an eu foreign policy without veto, etc, etc. and as he made his way down the corridor and saw what he must have thought were a gang of barbarians celebrating , i said, look, jo, celebrating, i said, look, jo, i said, come on, would you join us for a drink? i tried to do it as modestly as i possibly could. i'm not sure that went very well . and he looked me in the eye. he said, you may celebrate your little victory , but we have 50 little victory, but we have 50 different ways to win . and that different ways to win. and that moment of elation that i felt that european democracy was beginning to send a message to

the centre that we needed to stop this and reverse this process, made me realise then , process, made me realise then, if i hadn't before, that actually, this is of itself an unstoppable force . it is not unstoppable force. it is not capable of reform or change. you can't turn the train around. you have to decide whether you stay on the train or whether you leave the train and that moment. and then of course, they within a couple of weeks, they scrapped the constitution . then they the constitution. then they rebranded it as the lisbon treaty. they boasted that by calling it a treaty, it wouldn't need referendums , apart from one need referendums, apart from one which took place in ireland. and guess what they said no, but were forced to vote again. and it was that whole process of the lisbon treaty that changed my

politics. i came here in 1999 as a young , fresh faced businessman a young, fresh faced businessman with a view that the united kingdom was a square peg in a round hole. we didn't fit our history, our culture, our language, our relationships around the rest of the world, not least of which are very close relationship with our cousins in the united states of america. so i thought, if the rest of europe wants this, that's fine, but we should leave . after lisbon, my view changed after lisbon. i now want the countries of europe to leave this european union to re—establish their own self—governing nation democracies, and to cooperate with each other to trade with each other, to be good neighbours with each other , if neighbours with each other, if that's ever possible with the french. but you must try. that's ever possible with the french. but you must try . you french. but you must try. you

must try . and so i became an must try. and so i became an opponent of the entire project, and that was the moment at which i started to be cancelled. from the restaurants, from the bars, from the pubs. and i will say this to you, you know , i've this to you, you know, i've heard speeches this morning already about democratising the european union, the opportunity for that came in the constitutional convention because one of the biggest debates in that convention was about the community method . now, about the community method. now, listen, in mainstream media at the back , because you've the back, because you've probably never covered this before, and you probably don't care. but here's the point of why this is not an undemocratic set of structures. it is an anti—democratic set of anti —democratic set of structures anti—democratic set of structures because the fact is , structures because the fact is, it is the unelected, appointed europe commission that has the

sole right right to propose legislation under eu law. the parliament can amend it. the parliament can amend it. the parliament can amend it. the parliament can work out in practical terms how it should be implemented. here's the bizarre thing. it's the civil service that proposed law. it's the civil service that have the power to change law, to repeal law . it's the elected bit in the law. it's the elected bit in the parliament that does the job in most countries that the civil service does of working out in practical terms how this can be implemented. it is called the community method. and i challenged jessica. i challenged jessica during that convention. i said, look, if you get rid of the community method, if you make the european parliament and within that parliament that to be the government of the new european union, i won't agree with it because it will still

destroy national sovereignty . destroy national sovereignty. but you would at least have a legitimate set of institutions provided the peoples of europe accepted that and adopted that in their own free and fair referendum , and they didn't do referendum, and they didn't do it, and they will never , ever do it, and they will never, ever do it. they will never give away that power and big business and big banks and all the others who now, as i've said, already, control all the rules for their own industry to stamp out competition to their own prominent positions will never allow it to happen. and that , allow it to happen. and that, folks, is why this is unreformable that vote ultimately is why people have to leave . and it's got worse leave. and it's got worse because it's now backed up by a court that once again was set up with all of the best motives , with all of the best motives, you know, a european convention on human rights, a court in

strasbourg, an early warning bell to try and stop the kinds of things that progressively were happening to the jewish people in germany and austria in the 30s. but perhaps not being noficed the 30s. but perhaps not being noticed around the rest of the world, set up with the best of intentions , but now utterly and intentions, but now utterly and completely politicised , completely politicised, difficult for any of us to change our immigration policies, difficult for any of us to deport people who come illegally, whether it's over the engush illegally, whether it's over the english channel or the mediterranean sea. and now, after the ruling in favour of this group of women from switzerland last week, now telling us that we have no opfion telling us that we have no option but to implement net zero policies, even if we do it at the same time that mr modi, who's up for re—election in india, is boasting that indian coal production will break 1

billion tonnes this year for the first ever time , an unreformable first ever time, an unreformable system backed up by a court that has now become, frankly illegitimate and gone way beyond its means. now, folks, i don't expect you to go to the electorate in june this year saying it's time to leave. but what you have to do, believe me , what you have to do, believe me, if you ultimately want to win, if you ultimately want to win, if what you really believe in is the nation state, that it is the nafion the nation state, that it is the nation state to whom we pay our allegiance, it is the nation state to whom we pay our taxes. it is the nation state who we are prepared aid in times of great crisis to make sacrifice on behalf of. and if you believe the best way for that nation to state run is through directly accountable democracy. and by the way, you'd be right . and the way, you'd be right. and i'll go back to the beginning. the project of peace. there is

no example in the world, no example in the world of two mature, functioning democracies ever going to war with each other. and that was the mistake we made after 1945. we should have fostered democracy in the nafion have fostered democracy in the nation state and cooperation, not a project that has led to central assimilation . come back central assimilation. come back to brussels. lots and lots of you . i'll to brussels. lots and lots of you. i'll come and visit. to brussels. lots and lots of you. i'll come and visit . i'm you. i'll come and visit. i'm sure mr verhofstadt will welcome me back into the building and stand up and fight for your rights. but ultimately you must at least privately, to begin with, and then publicly when the time is right. recognise there is no compromise with this ideology. there is no compromise with this new religion. and if you need a reminding of that, just think of the monstrous events of the last 48 hours and of that brave tunisian man and his family , who in the end

his family, who in the end hosted us here at this conference, who are now being threatened by the thugs and bully boys who are part of this whole monstrous ideology . thank whole monstrous ideology. thank you very much indeed. and good luck, all of you . luck, all of you. >> sir peter coming. keep going. take questions if you can. >> right now. look, i, we've got some roving mics. i understand the police are very, very keen to close this down, so if they're going to close it down, they're going to close it down, they can close it down with me on stage, can't they? whether it happens or not, i don't know. but i've been told this time for questions. do we? organisers have a roving mic .7 no. well, have a roving mic? no. well, we'll do it another way. who would like to ask a question, gentlemen. there. shout it out . gentlemen. there. shout it out. >> sir nigel, do you think in

the british referendum , maybe the british referendum, maybe what would be called the predominant testament's in that referendum? in fact, in the future , independence is to be future, independence is to be much more exclusive than eu is not democracy. there is no competition. >> well, the referendum question that we had was was quite a simple one. do you wish to stay or do you wish to leave? and in many ways what might have been better do you better would have been. do you wish to regain the supremacy of law? because then we wouldn't just have left the european union, would have left the union, we would have left the european court of human rights, which believe to be which i now believe to be totally outdated, utterly politicised, frankly , not. politicised, and frankly, not. >> good afternoon britain. we're watching live scenes in brussels now as the police enter a venue hosting a conference where nigel farage is speaking. this is the national conservative conference held in belgium. the mayor of belgium has issued an order to shut down this venue , it says shut down this venue, it says this order has been issued from

the mayor to ban the national conservatism conference event to guarantee public safety . vie, guarantee public safety. vie, the mayor went on to say that the mayor went on to say that the far right are not welcome in brussels. >> this is quite, extraordinary scenes that we're watching here. nigel farage did address this on stage just a couple of minutes ago. he says, i understand the police are very keen to shut this down. well, in that case, they can do it while i'm still on stage. it would quite on stage. it would be quite remarkable if the police were to burst that where nigel burst into that room where nigel is still speaking. he's taking questions the audience as questions from the audience as we speak. he's still up on the stage. wouldn't it incredible stage. wouldn't it be incredible if police storm in? if the police were to storm in? >> and nigel said just a few moments ago that the police moments ago that if the police are to storm into this venue , to are to storm into this venue, to shut this peaceful shut down this peaceful political gathering , they can do political gathering, they can do it while he's still on stage. it doesn't look like nigel will be going anywhere. >> no, it does not look , the >> no, it does not look, the show must go on in nigel farage's eyes it seems. but yes, they gave an order 15 minutes to

they gave an order 15 minutes to the belgian police to shut down this national conservative conference and it's not just nigel farage who's going to be speaking leaders nigel farage who's going to be speaiacross leaders nigel farage who's going to be speaiacross europe. leaders nigel farage who's going to be speaiacross europe. leade we've from across europe. also, we've got suella braverman due to speak indeed, which is quite interesting . interesting. >> and the prime minister of hungary, viktor orban, so very, very big, substantial figures here. now it must we must say that we are now past the 15 minute warning that was issued by the belgian police . that was by the belgian police. that was meant to be 12:15. let's listen in to what nigel has to say. >> other arab states. so look, i mean, i'm a i'm an unapologetic friend and supporter of trump . friend and supporter of trump. but i think for all the movements that are represented here today , they will find here today, they will find a friend in what i believe is going to be the 47th president of the united states of america when he wins on november the 5th. yes donelan, just i'd like

to ask you, if you know me personally, will. >> the leader of the dutch freedom party won the election in november. would became about 46. and he's been a fierce next year for 20 plus years on the one that planted the firebomb, which shows you banning things and overtaxing things never, ever has the result that you would like it to have. >> yes . >> yes. >> yes. >> peter qatar brussels signal. >> peter qatar brussels signal. >> what kind of impact do you think donald trump's possible re—election will have on europe, the united kingdom, the eu? re—election will have on europe, the it'sted kingdom, the eu? re—election will have on europe, the it'sted ki|toiom, the eu? re—election will have on europe, the it'sted ki|to be|, the eu? re—election will have on europe, the it'sted ki|to be|, tigreat. no >> it's going to be so great. no look, i think you know all things being equal, trump is going to get re—elected. i do worry about 1 or 2 of the decisions taken by supreme courts in places like arizona, that does concern me slightly, but i think i mean, trump trump is as big a believer in the nafion is as big a believer in the nation state as i am. he believes in the democratic ,

believes in the democratic, self—governing nation state. he believes in cooperation . he's believes in cooperation. he's opposed to globalism. and when it comes to the european union, well, i never really repeat what trump and i say in private, but i do think there are times when trump makes me look like a europhile. in terms of what he thinks about brussels and its structures . he believes in structures. he believes in a nafion structures. he believes in a nation state. and i'll tell you what he was right about china. absolutely right about china at a time when very few of us recognise the threat that was being posed. he was absolutely right about or, as he would say , right about or, as he would say, changed their views. this is a very intoxi , kating place in very intoxi, kating place in every way. you know, you're made to feel powerful . i mean, the to feel powerful. i mean, the guys will tell you chauffeur dnven guys will tell you chauffeur driven cars, champagne receptions. i mean, it really is a multimillionaire lifestyle. if you're an mep, maybe not in terms of income, but in terms of lifestyle it is, and people go soft . also, it's difficult. soft. also, it's difficult. human beings normally want to be

popular. they want to be liked . popular. they want to be liked. you've got to be a bit odd to stand up in the european parliament and be booed every week by 500 people. maybe i'm a bit odd. i don't know. so. yeah, i can see what villars is doing. he's trying to use that softening of position. >> well, we've looking here >> well, we've been looking here at pictures in brussels. at live pictures in brussels. nigel farage on stage the nigel farage on stage at the national conservatism conference, a conference that the mayor of brussels is currently trying to shut down. he's issued an order to belgian police to shut down this venue. >> and this is the third time he's attempted to shut down this conference. this is the third venue that the conference is taking place in. and nigel farage has acknowledged that the police are outside and if they come in, he will continue, back to nigel. sorry >> what's your opinion on the w.h.0. >> what's your opinion on the who. treaty, which is another w.h.o. treaty, which is another global attack on the national state? >> oh, i think the world health organisation was a monstrosity

dunng organisation was a monstrosity during the whole pandemic, refusing to call out its friends in china and without whom mr tedros would not even be in his position, and the idea that we're going to have a global treaty signed on 27th of may, although i think that's going to be delayed, that give the be delayed, that will give the w.h.0. be delayed, that will give the who. ability to tell us we w.h.o. the ability to tell us we should lock down, forget it, forget it. absolutely not. we must urge our governments not to sign up to it. i think a who. pandemic treaty is, frankly, in some ways as big a loss of sovereignty as being a member of the european union. so i'm completely and utterly opposed to it . okay. i'm done. they're to it. okay. i'm done. they're throwing me off. good bye, everybody. thank you, nigel, very much indeed . very much indeed. >> it's my great pleasure to introduce to you one of the bravest politicians in british politics, former home secretary of the united kingdom general.

>> well as suella braverman is ianed >> well as suella braverman is invited onto the stage now at the national conservatism conference in brussels. we can still see, a rather chaotic scene at the back of the room. it appears as if police have entered the building. and that issue to shut down. this event was, of course, issued by the mayor of brussels. the event, however, is continuing to go on. >> they're continuing to go on. nigel farage left the stage, he'd finished his segment and now it's to on suella braverman. so there you go. two key british politicians speaking just at the moment the police gather and seem to be inside the building as well, from what we know. but yes, that 15 minute warning has very much been and gone. so will the show go on? will the show go on? >> it's a big question because this is the third venue that the national conservatism conference has had to go to in order to take place today . the first two take place today. the first two

were were cancelled at last minute . the event opened at minute. the event opened at 9 am. brussels time this morning a.m. brussels time this morning in the claridge venue in brussels. but shortly after opening, the mayor of brussels, a member of the socialist party, the socialist mayor of brussels, said that the national conservative conference event must be shut down in the event venue, must close it in order to guarantee public safety. >> brussels the home of the european parliament, the home of the european commission, the home of european democracy . vie home of european democracy. vie trying to shut down an event while the mayor of brussels is anyway trying to shut down an organised event, expressing difference of opinion that he may not hold himself as a socialist, trying to shut it down and freedom of speech is a key topic for this event. >> it certainly is. perhaps you should have a listen to what suella braverman, the former home secretary, is having to say because this is a very important moment for perhaps freedom of speech across europe .

speech across europe. >> he's not going to take this wimereux isla bryson . wimereux isla bryson. >> and i tell you, it is an urgent task because whether it's securing our right. >> well, we're just watching suella braverman there in the corner of your screen and on the right , essentially the chaos, right, essentially the chaos, the press, presumably people who are attending the event, the police are outside currently . it police are outside currently. it really is chaos. just because a conference is taking place in brussels, just because national conservative conference has dared to take place, it should be said that this is a conference that is hosting some eminent names around europe, some controversial names from nigel farage, viktor orban, the prime minister of hungary, suella braverman, the former home secretary of the united kingdom. >> there are speakers from america, speakers from israel and of course, this is a

conference that was held not so long ago in westminster, in london the of last london towards the end of last yeah london towards the end of last year. this same conference, national conservatism , these national conservatism, these banners, these similar speakers were held in a central london venue. of course, it must be said that the mayor of london, sadiq khan, didn't try to shut it down when it was held in london, being held london, but now it's being held in brussels and the mayor of brussels has sent in the police. >> it is quite incredible, actually, that the mayor of brussels, brussels, the centre of the european union, would wish to shut down a conference on the basis that he essentially doesn't like what they're going to say or what they represent , to say or what they represent, or conservatism. he himself is a socialist, ergo , we must shut socialist, ergo, we must shut down nachshon. >> the interesting point here, perhaps, is that brussels and indeed belgium , is a country indeed belgium, is a country governed by the echr now one of the fundamental human rights laid down in the in the

convention is, of course, the freedom of speech, although perhaps it seems to some of these eu institutions that freedom of speech is a is a less, important right than , i less, important right than, i don't know, the rights to a family life or but clearly , tom, family life or but clearly, tom, some things are far more important than freedom of expression and freedom of speech. >> i think this is all about the safety of citizens, of course, guarantee public safety . guarantee public safety. >> that was the excuse to shut down this event, this venue. it is extraordinary. we can see on the right of our screens now just the sort of chaos the throng of people that are, that are moving backwards and forwards at the back of the venue, we saw at least two, members of the police walk in, although it has to be said, we can't see many now, but we can see nigel farage addressing the crowd . i wonder if we can listen crowd. i wonder if we can listen in to what nigel farage is saying there. he appears to have stopped speaking, but i wonder if we can turn the volume here. >> tell me where you want them done. >> and we're going to flow

through through this venue. do you want to have a quick chat? we do the one one over we can do the one by one over here. we can try our best anyway. going be anyway. we're going to be listening to what? listening in to what? >> next? >> who's next? >> who's next? >> this is a fairly unprecedented event . event here unprecedented event. event here with the shutting with regards to the shutting down of a peaceful political gathering. you know , early on gathering. you know, early on that i mean, he's used to de—man. >> oh, i mean, this is this is a modern, updated form of communism that no alternative opinion is allowed. there is not a single public order interest here at all. have a look who's in the room. these are very eminently respectable people. have a look outside the building . there's about half a dozen people. there isn't a serious violent protest , people. there isn't a serious violent protest, and nor should they be. we've got the prime minister of a country coming. we've got a roman catholic bishop coming. we've got representatives of parties who will top the polls all around europe in elections . this is europe in elections. this is this is this is the of

this is this is the sort of complete old communist style thing. if you don't agree with me, to be banned . me, you ought to be banned. you're mad and to be shut down. it's monstrous. but i tell you what. it's done me a favour. because i think , oh, i because at times i think, oh, i wish the government had done brexit better than they have. and tightened and why haven't they tightened the if the borders up? but if anything's convinced me that leaving the european union ideology was the right thing to do the events of today. do, it's the events of today. and i understand we speak and i understand as we speak that police come in that the police did come in dunng that the police did come in during but saw the during my speech, but saw the cameras withdrew. have cameras and withdrew. they have in an order to close in their hand an order to close this meeting down. but there are only three police at the moment. goodness knows how many people here, going to gather here, so they're going to gather their come and their strength and come in and clear out. their strength and come in and cle.you've out. their strength and come in and cle.you've seen. their strength and come in and cle.you've seen a lot of stuff in >> you've seen a lot of stuff in your well, you know, your time, well, you know, dunng your time, well, you know, during your time in brussels, have you seen anything quite like are shocked on an like this? are you shocked on an individual scale? >> was banned individual scale? >> restaurants, was banned individual scale? >> restaurants, irvas banned individual scale? >> restaurants, irvas lbanned from restaurants, i was banned from restaurants, i was banned from even banned from pubs. i was even banned from pubs. i was even banned from coffee bars, refusing to serve me. so used to this serve me. so i'm used to this deep anybody deep intolerance of anybody with a point view. i've a different point of view. i've never never seen it never seen i've never seen it acted that on a private

acted out. that was on a private stage. that was just they stage. that was just me they hated. enough, but hated. i mean, fair enough, but but on a public stage. but this is on a public stage. i mean, how do you think this looks the rest of world? looks to the rest of the world? >> yeah, just just one more >> yeah, just just just one more on your future. on your on your future. >> nigel, decided yet? on your on your future. >> youel, decided yet? on your on your future. >> youel, to. decided yet? on your on your future. >> youel, to. you're ded yet? on your on your future. >> youel, to. you're going t? are you going to. you're going to stand in the election. >> you going are you >> are you going to are you going come back to the front going to come back to the front line reform? what? line for reform? what? everyone wants you're going wants to know what you're going to do. >> a very lucky chap just had his birthday. i got lots his 60th birthday. i got lots of choices. quite choices. things are going quite well life. you know, i may well in my life. you know, i may i may do it, i may not. i haven't decided before. haven't decided i will before. >> dave. >> thanks very much, dave. nigel. two questions for me. yes, and a photo. yes, of course. and a photo. yes. course. okay. on yes. of course. okay. hold on mate. two questions, two minutes. you. minutes. go. thank you. >> yes, it was brexit, but >> yes, it was the, brexit, but actually , in the fact this is a actually, in the fact this is a true brexit or not. yeah. >> well it constitutionally it's a true brexit. >> you know constitutionally we're out i mean as eu law when it's made anyways. >> so at that level it is as in you sound so european right now. >> we've just been listening there to nigel farage. he's described the attempts to shut

down this conference as something old communist something of the old communist style of europe. he described it as a monstrosity . as a monstrosity. >> yeah, it's hard to argue with that, isn't it? he spoke about how no alternative opinions are allowed. he there no allowed. he said there is no pubuc allowed. he said there is no public order issue in this room. there are intellectuals there, former prime ministers, roman catholic bishop, a roman catholic bishop, a roman catholic bishop, a roman catholic bishop , even. catholic bishop, even. >> and of course, it was a peaceful gathering. now we will be speaking to nigel farage very shortly on this program to get precisely the details. i think he said there were three police officers who walked into the venue, realised it was rather a lot of people against rather a few police officers. so they appear to have gone out now to gather strength. we will be continuing to look at what is going on here, because it could well case that quite a well be the case that quite a few brussels officers walk into that building and start manhandling people out. >> if you walked in dramatic thought, we're going to need

some backup. and now there's a little bit of a stalemate there. gathering strength. gathering some strength. and they a of they could, in a matter of moments , be turfed out of there, moments, be turfed out of there, be turfed out of the building. nigel farage says this is monstrous, but europe has always seen itself as place, as a seen itself as a place, as a beacon of liberal ideas and ideology. >> and yet what are we seeing here? precisely the opposite of those values, precisely the opposite of what the council of europe tried to establish. it tried to establish in the wake of the second world war, the idea that people can meet , can idea that people can meet, can peaceably discuss, can have freedom speech. well freedom of speech. well apparently not to. philippe close, the mayor of brussels, who has ordered this peaceful event to shut down. >> and you know what was interesting? nigel farage, he said in my private life, this has happened to me a lot. i've been banned from restaurants in brussels, from pubs, from even coffee said. but this coffee shops, he said. but this is on the public stage. he asked the question what will this look like around the world? like to people around the world? and i think what it will look

like. you don't need to agree with what's being said in that room. you can be a socialist, you can be left wing, you can have absolutely nothing to do with you with conservatives. indeed, you can the ideology. can can detest the ideology. you can detest but to want detest nigel farage. but to want to down a conference just to shut down a conference just because are speaking at because people are speaking at it, when what i can see and what nigel farage said, at least no pubuc nigel farage said, at least no public order issue and no violent protest, no nothing. >> this is a conference that took place in london last year. and to his credit, sadiq khan, the mayor of london, didn't attempt to shut it down. in fact, there were there was a plurality of media there , a lot plurality of media there, a lot of media there actually mocking it, asking questions. the british way you allow people to speak. british way you allow people to speak . it's often said actually speak. it's often said actually that nazism would never that that nazism would never take off in the united kingdom, with their silly goose stepping and their and their ridiculous uniforms. we laugh them uniforms. we just laugh at them because that's how you engage with speech with which you disagree. you laugh at it, you mock challenge it. you. >> i hope you're right that

we'll stick with that mentality because it has been tested quite a lot. but yes, the very fact that natcon was able to take place this country, we're place in this country, we're going to nigel farage going to go to nigel farage very shortly. here he is. nigel, shortly. oh, here he is. nigel, what on earth has been going on in .7 in brussels? >> well, they don't like alternative points of view. i mean, you know , i'm used to mean, you know, i'm used to this. i mean, when i was an mep here in my last few years , i was here in my last few years, i was banned from restaurants, banned from pubs, even banned from coffee because coffee shops because i had a different of to that. different point of view to that. that was prevailing and backed up big money and big business up by big money and big business here, but this that was me on here, but this is that was me on a private level. is very a private level. this is very much public stage. i mean, much on a public stage. i mean, here we've con conference, here we've got a con conference, we've got a prime minister of hungary coming. we've got members of european royal families we've got , families coming. we've got, leaders of political parties who are top the polls in are likely to top the polls in at least nine countries in the european elections in june of this year, an audience of eminent business people, academics . i eminent business people, academics. i mean, this is the most respectable crowd of people

you ever possibly come you could ever possibly come across. their their across. but their sin, their terrible sin, is to question ever closer union and so they're being chased and harassed by the local mayor this is now the third venue after two venues cancelled, and the owner of this venueis cancelled, and the owner of this venue is right now, right now, being threatened by the police. the police are outside the door as i speak. they will not let anybody else in. there are three police there. they have an order to close down this event. and when more police gather, that's exactly they'll do. no exactly what they'll do. no alternative opinion allowed. this the updated new form of this is the updated new form of communism. and you know what? if anything , ever, ever made communism. and you know what? if anything, ever, ever made me think that brexit was the right thing to do. it's the events here in brussels today . here in brussels today. >> it's the most extraordinary situation. nigel as far as you understand, three police officers outside right now , do officers outside right now, do you have any indication how this event will develop, whether police will open these doors .7

police will open these doors? and frankly, how will you respond if the belgian police try to manhandle you out of this conference? >> well, you know, tom, i'm not given to violence , so i won't given to violence, so i won't i won't avail myself of it. but no, it's pretty clear this will be closed down. they're using pubuc be closed down. they're using public order, but that actually is no excuse at all. there is no pubuc is no excuse at all. there is no public order threat in here whatsoever. from what i can see, looking now, outside on the street, are half a dozen street, there are half a dozen people no people gathered. but there is no pubuc people gathered. but there is no public of any kind public order threat of any kind at is about closing at all. this is about closing down opinions. this down alternative opinions. this is how dangerous, how dangerous the ever closer union ideology of the eu is, and how dangerous globalism itself is. why globalism itself is. it's why the democratic nation state is what we have to fight for. it's the only way forward if we want to live in liberty. >> and nigel, do you imagine this is about more? this is coming from more than just the mayor do you think

coming from more than just the mayis do you think coming from more than just the mayis a do you think coming from more than just the mayis a concerted do you think coming from more than just the mayis a concerted jointou think coming from more than just the mayis a concerted joint effort1k this is a concerted joint effort to try and stop this conference? >> well, it's the mayor of brussels. it's the police , the brussels. it's the police, the pressures, by the way, the catering for this lunch today, because they're going to be a break, you know, the people supplying the plates, supplying the food, supplying the drinks were all directly threatened. the owner of this business, who's a tunisian man, has been told if this conference goes ahead, they'll make sure they close his business down. this is concerted. nasty. concerted. it's big. it's nasty. actually. do know what? it's evil. >> this is cancel culture in action, isn't it .7 action, isn't it? >> oh, yeah. oh, yeah. this is cancel culture in a very, very big way. but i mean, often cancel culture kicks in when somebody pushes the boundaries of what might be seen to be legitimate debate. all these people are saying is they think the process of ever closer union in brussels is damaging democracy in their countries and not the right way forward. and it's that that's being closed down. it really is worth

thinking about. >> extraordinary that all >> it's extraordinary that all of this started very late in the day . this conference had of this started very late in the day. this conference had a venue booked. it wasn't until the last possible moment that the authorities in brussels decided to pounce. this seems targeted. this seems particular. they wanted to make it pinch at the last possible moment . last possible moment. >> yeah, they wanted to make it hurt at a time when no alternative venue could be found. so? so another hotel was found. so? so another hotel was found yesterday morning, and then by 9:00 last night there was literally nothing the organisers did . well, the organisers did. well, the tunisian owner of this establishment said, look, provided doing is provided what you're doing is legal i haven't legal and democratic, i haven't got problem with it. and as got a problem with it. and as i say, he has come under intense pressure. he is a hero, what i will be doing after this is all over , is publicising as much as over, is publicising as much as i can. over, is publicising as much as ican.the over, is publicising as much as i can. the name of this venue, what has to offer, and what it has to offer, and encouraging every tourist that comes to brussels to come here and spend as much money as they possibly can. >> and nigel, just very quickly,

while you, while we've got you, your message mayor brussels i >> -- >> no, i'm 5mm hum >> no, i'm sorry, it's before the watershed . i really can't the watershed. i really can't tell you what i think he must be. he. tell you what i think he must be.he.he tell you what i think he must be. he. he must be the most ghastly little person, as i say, i'm not prone to violence, but my goodness me, what a ghastly little human being he is. >> well, there you go . ghastly >> well, there you go. ghastly little human being. thank you so much, nigel, for taking the time to speak to us this afternoon. and good luck with the event. thank very much indeed. thank you very much indeed. nigel there. well, nigel farage there. well, doesn't does he .7 doesn't mince words, does he? >> he certainly doesn't. and what an extraordinary way to open the programme. a threat of closure of closure by the mayor of brussels. outside the brussels. police outside the venue and reportedly calls for back up now will be across this story throughout this afternoon because my goodness, could nigel farage face the heavy hand is the craziness. >> most people go to these events just to hear ideas. they travel, they buy a ticket, they're excited to hear, you know what different leaders think, what different academics

think, what different academics think, each other. it's think, talk to each other. it's hardly a threat to the european. well, it could be. they obviously see it as it as a threat to the european union don't they. any difference of opinion. >> well shall we get some more analysis now with our political correspondent olivia utley joining live from joining us live from westminster, , this is not westminster, olivia, this is not what we were expecting to talk to you about. let's be candid. we were expecting to talk about many issues. my many other issues. but my goodness, is a concerted goodness, there is a concerted effort shut down free effort to shut down free association and free speech in brussels this afternoon . brussels this afternoon. >> well, there absolutely is . >> well, there absolutely is. and it is truly astonishing. >> as you were saying there, this was the third venue that natcon had gone to. >> the previous two were told not to host it. this venue as well, was told that they shouldn't host it, but the owner of the venue against the of the venue went against the wishes of the mayor. the mayor at one point was threatening to turn off the electricity in the building unless the organisers closed event closed down the event immediately, now , as we've

immediately, and now, as we've been discussing, there are the police are gathering backup and it's thought that they will come into that venue very soon and close down the event altogether . close down the event altogether. now i was at natcon in london last year and as you mentioned, tom, i mean, there were plenty of media there who didn't like natcon who laughing natcon at all, who were laughing at it, who were mocking it. there were a few protesters outside, and actually most of most of the write ups of the event were were pretty critical. but at no point was there any suggestion that it might be closed down. this is a this is something which, as you say, probably would not happen the probably would not happen in the uk . it's fascinating to what uk. it's fascinating to see what nigel makes of it all. as nigel farage makes of it all. as someone who has been well, we know he was debunked very recently personally in his personal he has been personal life he has been cancelled many times. so watching him react to the cancellation of this whole event is , is really fascinating. and is, is really fascinating. and having him on the scene saying as he did that there is no pubuc as he did that there is no public order threat at all. and

from what we can see on our screens, that seems to be absolutely true. we'll just have to wait and watch and see how this situation develops. well, nigel won't want to take nigel farage won't want to take this lying down if he is forced to leave the venue, he'll be talking. well, he absolutely will. and at least in britain, nigel farage is very good at sort of sensing has his finger on the pulse of the public mood when he was debunked by natwest, it was the ceo of natwest, alison rose, who who came off worst from it. and even people who firmly disagree with nigel farage's political opinions thought it was completely unacceptable that he had been, that he wasn't allowed to bank with coutts. so i think if nigel farage is pulled off the stage, either literally or sort of metaphorically at this conference in brussels, then people in britain at least will be up in arms about it. and i

think possibly over in brussels too, at this conference, there are people gathered from across the world. we have plenty of european accents asking questions when nigel farage was speaking, and there will be uproar if this event is cancelled by police, who we're seeing now , gathering outside seeing now, gathering outside now, olivia, i think many people will be able to think of examples in this country where venues have been through pressure from activists forced to move events on camille simmons and speakers will have been will have been forced out and moved on through social media pressure. >> but i can't think of a single instance in the uk where a government official has used the power of the state to shut down a meeting that was already in progress. i mean, that might be right. they're really hard pressed to find an example there of this. oh, shall we just listen in? i think we've got nigel farage walking out of the venue now. i wonder if you can

hear what's going on live in brussels door. brussels at the door. >> yeah, not to believe in ever closer. >> union is clearly a great sin. and do you have any idea that you've been given any reason why they're not letting people in now, though there are now, even though there are people in, they have people moving in, they have a nofice people moving in, they have a notice they will be notice to close. they will be closing down. i decided to closing it down. i decided to make a discreet. >> what now, mr farage? what happens now .7 happens now? >> hold on please. >> hold on please. >> nigel saying he's >> nigel farage saying he's decided an exit before decided to make an exit before the police closed the venue down. >> they are not going to fight, but they will be closing us down this afternoon. >> they have called the police, have it already , and you know, have it already, and you know, i've this before. i've experienced this before. i've experienced this before. i've had, you know, restaurants wouldn't serve beer glasses. >> well, olivia utley is still with and olivia nigel here with us. and olivia nigel here choosing to leave the venue here is now on the stage with the global media. >> we can see that that that legally held opinions will win national elections. >> olivia nigel farage is choosing to leave the venue

here. >> nigel farage leaving the venue here? yes saying that the event. i think what he's saying there is that the event is going to be shut down. as you say, this happening is unprecedented in the uk. we have had events where, for example, trans activists have protested outside activists have protested outside a venue where a gender critical speaker was speaking, particularly in universities and those universities have come under pressure to close to cancel the event. and actually in some cases they have cancelled the event . but cancelled the event. but actually seeing this socialist mayor of brussels close down this event because he disagrees with it. and at first it seemed as though the reason he was closing down the event because was because of sort of public order problems, potentially protests about the event. but actually, just turns out that actually, it just turns out that what saying is he, as he what he's saying is he, as he puts hard right and is puts it, the hard right and is not welcome in brussels, let's see what happens as the afternoon goes on. will the organisers of this event push

back? will they try and set up a in another venue? how far is the mayor of brussels willing to push this? and what about other politicians in brussels? what will they make of all of this? well, that's a very, very good question indeed. thank you very much, olivia. we'll leave you for now . our political for now. our political correspondent, olivia utley. there. of you have there. now, lots of you have been in touch what been getting in touch on what you've now , paul ryder you've seen just now, paul ryder paul says the mayor of brussels, the best advert for a rise in anti—eu sentiment in europe. rosie says nigel was bang on. what a sad sight being closed down. what have they got to fear? >> and steve says this is exactly why i voted to leave the european union. but it was interesting looking at the street there, there weren't protests there was no public disorder. there were some people rather bemused about what was going on, trying to have a cup of tea on the street . i mean, my of tea on the street. i mean, my goodness, this was not a big order. and yet, looking at those police standing there order. and yet, looking at those polictheir standing there order. and yet, looking at those polictheir sort standing there order. and yet, looking at those

polictheir sort of|nding there order. and yet, looking at those polictheir sort of leather1ere order. and yet, looking at those polictheir sort of leather boots with their sort of leather boots and peculiar little jaunty hats, as if they were sort of jumped up, little library monitors trying to. well, they have to do order the way. i mean, mike, it does smack of some pathetic form of authoritarianism . of authoritarianism. >> well, it does indeed, absolutely. and alan says the reason they want to shut it down is because these people are becoming more popular in europe in upcoming elections. they don't them to be heard. don't want them to be heard. i think there's a lot of truth to that. seen right wing that. we've seen right wing parties europe huge that. we've seen right wing parties oerope huge that. we've seen right wing parties of support huge that. we've seen right wing parties of support. huge amounts of support. >> and andrew says, what an advert, what an advertisement out to all the eu countries for leaving really spat the dummy out. >> yes. and andrew says is brussels beginning to be like china? who would want to be part of that? glad we're out. seems like lots of people are, seeing this as an example of why they left the european. why they voted to leave the european union, gina says. >> so proud of nigel. i could cry. good for suella to, of course, sticking with it.

speaking venue. but speaking at that venue. but let's to the member of let's now speak to the member of the european parliament, charlie weimers , charlie, this is weimers, charlie, this is a fairly unusual event. have you seen anything like this in brussels in your time as a member of parliament? >> well, there is a strong, fraction of the european parliament that tries to cancel any event they don't like, while they invite , convicted they invite, convicted terrorists from different, middle eastern , countries, so middle eastern, countries, so this kind of socially based, abuse of power is not unprecedented. but what is unprecedented. but what is unprecedented is such a big conference being cancelled live , conference being cancelled live, as we see now, it's a very dangerous , moment because, it dangerous, moment because, it really sends the signal that, if the conservatives aren't in power, the left will do anything to stop them . to stop them. >> and, charlie, what do we know about the mayor of brussels .7

about the mayor of brussels? does he have form on this kind of thing? does he do this sort of thing? does he do this sort of thing? does he do this sort of thing quite a lot .7 of thing quite a lot? >> well, one thing we do know about the mayor of this brussels, municipality, which is called saint—josse—ten—noode, his name is emir kir, he has been sacked, by the socialist party for involvement with the grey wolves. the fascist , grey wolves. the fascist, organisation in turkey, which is ironic because he, he, feels free to tweet that so—called far right events shouldn't take place in his municipality . well, place in his municipality. well, he he he's the best friend of turkey's far right. >> well, he's not here to defend himself, so i'm sure he would probably deny that claim. i just need to say that, make sure that we get both sides there, but. but, charlie , this is a very, but, charlie, this is a very, very unusual situation . fashion. very unusual situation. fashion. do you think there will be any consequence from what is

happening today, from these images that we're looking at, at the police outside a venue, speakers, including a prime minister of a european country, senior politicians , party senior politicians, party leaders, a roman catholic bishop, all being forced out today. >> yeah . i mean, this today. >> yeah. i mean, this is a great event. the natcon conference. i've been speaking there myself in the past , i've been speaking there myself in the past, and i honestly, i feel sorry for those police officers because they have to legally speaking, obey the orders from this socialist mayor who's acting against the law, as far as i can see, because the council of states in belgium, which is, the administrative court, has, several times acted against these kind of cancel culture abuses by government officials . so, so those police officials. so, so those police officers, i hope they can go home soon and, and do something better than to block this event,

i think this sets a dangerous precedent, i think this is exactly what the eu accuses certain member states of doing . certain member states of doing. we're seeing it in socialist run brussels , qed , qed. brussels, qed, qed. >> well, well, charlie, we spoke to nigel farage just now, and he spoke about how this doesn't just impact the people speaking at the event or the people attending the event, but all the different businesses that are used to take part in one of these events. it's the venues themselves . it's the caterers. themselves. it's the caterers. it's the people who have helped in any which way or another, and they'll feel that they can't help with these kind of events. in the future, it will become more and more difficult for conservative events like like natcon place in natcon to take place in brussels, the heart of the brussels, at the heart of the european union . european union. >> well, i do hope the organisers press charges against the mayor of this municipality. i think it's extremely important

to put him in his place, but i do have some good news. this is exactly what they did against my party in sweden. they cancelled events . they had organisers events. they had organisers block us from renting a venue , block us from renting a venue, shoes and so on and so forth. but when the population started supporting us, more and more and more, it became impossible to stem the tide. so, just hang in there, keep on the good fight and, the, the, abusers of power will lose ultimately. >> charlie, do you think one of the reasons behind the sweden democrats success in your country is because there was this attempt to shut down your meetings and to sort of suppress your freedoms .7 your freedoms? >> i think it definitely alienated a certain part of the centre right electorate who felt that, the sweden democrats were being discriminated against. i

was one of them, reacting quite strongly when then centre right prime minister fredrik reinfeldt said that, well, the sweden democrats can blame themselves for, you know, having people antifa with, you know, axes going at their , homes and, going at their, homes and, molotov cocktails thrown into the windows and so on and so forth , i do think that, forth, i do think that, supporting free speech is a very , very wise option for those in power. no matter the colour red or blue. >> and, charlie, do you think this perhaps could be seen as a bit of a desperate move on the part of the brussels mayor? you don't feel the need to shut something down unless you're worried about it . worried about it. >> it is desperate because, we're going to win on june the 9th, in the european elections , 9th, in the european elections, you see, for the first time even you see, for the first time ever, we can, actually foresee

a, a parliament that is, you know, has a conservative majority. of course, they they are afraid because this is going to change the dynamics in brussels. they know it. >> well. charlie weimers, member of the european parliament for the sweden democrats. really appreciate your thoughts and your time with us today. what an extraordinary moment in brussels. quite natcon a brussels. well quite natcon a conference that, as you reminded us, took place safely with no real protest. >> no, in london, in our in our country. yet in brussels you have the mayor. so worried about this just taking place that he has to try and shut it down three times. >> now there's an effect that has been written about much onune has been written about much online ever since the early 2000, known as the streisand effect, it's known as the streisand because barbra streisand effect because barbra streisand effect because barbra streisand tried to cover up the fact that she'd bought a shiny new house on the coast, and she tried to wipe these images from the internet. the very fact of

trying to wipe these images from the internet meant that they then became spread far and wide, and people than would and far more people than would ever have seen them initially ended seeing it's this ended up seeing them. it's this effect whereby if you try and shut something down very often, that a that can have a counterproductive effect and in factit counterproductive effect and in fact it can blow the issue much more widely. >> absolutely. and that's the irony, isn't it? most people in brussels and indeed europe, going about their daily business, have idea that business, have no idea that natcon was taking place in the heart brussels . they had no heart of brussels. they had no idea, no intention of attending, probably wouldn't even have looked it up necessarily. and now a hell of a lot more people will know about this conference. >> i have to say, emily, i was not expecting to do an hour of this program on this conference. and frankly, i think that we will this in the will see a lot of this in the newspapers tomorrow, right across will across europe. this will be reported , on tomorrow a way reported, on tomorrow in a way that wouldn't have been that it wouldn't have been if the of didn't try the mayor of brussels didn't try to in fact, this to shut it down. in fact, this is probably the biggest advert for conference. and for this conference. and the politicians spoke at it,

politicians who spoke at it, than anything that they could have done in and of themselves. >> and do you reckon at home that nigel farage is going to take lying of course take this lying down? of course he's not. he's going to talk about this. he's going to use it as an example of why we were right leave the european right to leave the european union. his mind. right to leave the european union. his mind . and he will union. in his mind. and he will keep banging the drum. >> charlie was >> and as charlie weimers was telling us the 9th, telling us on june the 9th, europe to vote. many of the europe goes to vote. many of the parties represented at this conference are polling in first place in their respective countries. we could see a populist wave across europe, across many different countries in those european elections. the european parliament could look very, very different. and this event today , what we're seeing event today, what we're seeing on the streets of brussels now, could have a huge impact on swaying those votes and motivating that electorate. it could indeed stick with us. >> we'll be covering this and much more that's going on domestically and across the world. indeed, we've spoken to nigel at the conference. we've

spoken to an mep, charlie weimers, who's clearly very concerned about this direction that's going in brussels in the european union. we've heard from you. we've heard from you. sarah says this will not look good across europe. unbelievable behaviour in brussels. pamela says, i cannot believe what i'm watching live from brussels. i'd never thought i'd see this in a civilised country. >> but of course, now we must turn to the united kingdom. how does affect us at does this affect us here at home? are our free speech rights under threat to . and frankly, under threat to. and frankly, what sort of political backlash might we see as a result of all of this? do not go anywhere. there

gb news. >> well. good afternoon. britain. what a first hour. that was . it's britain. what a first hour. that was. it's 1:00 britain. what a first hour. that was. it's1:00 on britain. what a first hour. that was . it's1:00 on tuesday, the was. it's 1:00 on tuesday, the 16th of april. dramatic scenes in brussels. these are live pictures .

pictures. >> yes. police attempting to shut down an event where nigel farage, suella braverman and many others have been speaking . many others have been speaking. nigel was described. he described the action as a form of modern day communism. much more details and reaction to come. >> high court ruling britain's strictest headteacher claims victory after her prayer ban is upheld by a judge. her school rules were being challenged by a muslim pupil, a win for common sense . sense. >> up in smoke. up to 100 tory mps could vote against rishi sunak's proposed smoking ban this afternoon. his policy has been dubbed as unrwa conservative. could today's vote destabilise the prime minister's position? now we've been watching these staggering scenes in brussels. the police sent in nigel farage slipping out of the venue, but much more going on. besides, we

of course want your views throughout it gbnews.com/yoursay what do you think of that order from the mayor of brussels to shut down this event? >> and it looks like as what we can see on our screen is a number of police officers blocking the entrance to this event. i believe no one is now allowed in whether they've shut down the conference entirely. we know that nigel farage left of his own accord as he did after he was. >> he wasn't the only speaker there. there were. the prime minister of hungary was due to speak viktor orban, there were leaders of political parties across europe, some that are topping the polls at the moment in some of these countries. indeed, a roman catholic bishop was due to come. politicians from america, from israel , many, from america, from israel, many, many people speaking at this event. but isn't that the point? speaking. yeah, it was an event for discussion. discussion that has been ruled. must be shut down. yes. >> what on earth could the

pubuc >> what on earth could the public order issue really have been? no signs of protest. certainly no violent protest . certainly no violent protest. but, what does this say about the mayor of brussels? what does this say about the state of freedom of speech in europe .7 let freedom of speech in europe? let us know your views. gbnews.com/yoursay. lots of you are getting in touch already, so keep them coming. we'll read some out very shortly indeed. but get headlines. but let's get your headlines. >> emily, thank you and good afternoon. first, a recap of the breaking news from brussels this afternoon where police have ordered the closure of the national conservative am conference. this was the moment nigel farage heard the news while he was in the middle of delivering his speech. >> i understand the are >> i understand the police are very, keen to close this very, very keen to close this down, so if they're going to close down, they can close it close it down, they can close it down me stage, can't down with me on stage, can't they .7 they? >> the had already changed >> the event had already changed venue three times after public pressure and previous attempts to close it down. if you're watching on tv, footage here

shows police officers entering the venue. it's understood the order came from local brussels mayor amir keir in a move he said was to guarantee public safety. it followed a post he made on social media saying the far right is not welcome. well, we've also heard in the last few minutes that the event will continue for as long as it can, but delegates have been encouraged not to leave because police won't let back in. police won't let them back in. here's what nigel farage told gb news as he left the venue. >> venue. >> the police are outside the door as i speak. >> the police are outside the door as i speak . they will not door as i speak. they will not let anybody else in. there are three police there. they have an order close down this event order to close down this event and when more police gather, that's exactly what they'll do. no alternative opinion allowed. this is the updated new form of communism. and what? if communism. and you know what? if anything , ever, ever made communism. and you know what? if anything, ever, ever made me think that brexit was the right thing to do. it's the events here in brussels today . here in brussels today. >> in other news, the muslim students challenge at the high court against a london school's ban on prayer rituals has been

rejected. the student argued the ban at michaela community school was discriminatory and breached her right to religious freedom. however, the school said allowing prayers risked security threats and could undermine social cohesion among pupils. the judge upheld the school's position, highlighting safety concerns. the school's head teacher has said schools should not be forced by one child and her mother to change its approach. simply because they've decided they don't like something at the school. the education secretary says today's ruling should give all school leaders confidence to make the right decisions for their pupils . the prime minister is urging mps to vote with their conscience on his smoking ban proposals . rishi sunak is facing proposals. rishi sunak is facing the prospect of a rebellion as his plan to stop young people smoking is brought before the house of commons for the first time today. if the tobacco and vapes bill becomes law, it would be an offence to sell tobacco products to anyone born after

the 1st of january 2009. it means children aged 15 or younger today will never legally be able to buy a cigarette. however, the bill would only make the sale of tobacco products illegal, not the act of smoking . the liberal democrat smoking. the liberal democrat leader, sir ed davey, backed the ban . ban. >> i've been convinced by the health arguments. tobacco smoking is the largest preventable cause of death in our country, and having lost both my parents to cancer as a child, my father was for my otherwise 15. i know how, awful cancer can be for families. >> and so i think this is a good step forward within the liberal democrats. >> it's a free vote as it should be. >> but i as the leader, i'm really clear this should ban this face ban should go ahead . this face ban should go ahead. >> downing street has denied the uk is being, quote, taken for granted by israel as times still not been found for a call between rishi sunak and benjamin netanyahu, the prime minister and his israeli counterpart are

due to talk about a de—escalation of hostilities with iran , amid concerns the with iran, amid concerns the crisis could spiral out of control , despite continued calls control, despite continued calls for restraint from across the world. israel has vowed to retaliate against iran's missile and drone attack over the weekend, israel have confirmed their war cabinet will meet today to discuss their response today to discuss their response to the attack. iran's president says even the smallest action against iran will be met with severe, widespread and painful response . it will soon be an response. it will soon be an offence to create a sexually explicit, deep fake image without consent, with those convicted facing a criminal record or an unlimited fine. under the new legislation , under the new legislation, people in england and wales could even face jail time if the image is shared more widely, creating a deep fake will be an offence irrespective of whether the person who made it intended to share it or not. the new law will be introduced through an amendment to the controversial

criminal justice bill, which is still making its way through parliament. and finally, a portrait of sir winston churchill could, fed up to could fetch up to £800,000 at auction. the houses of parliament had commissioned the british artist to paint a portrait of the wartime prime minister for his 80th birthday in 1954. it will go on view to the public from april the 16th for five days, displayed in the room where sir winston was born 150 years ago. the oil on canvas painting will then travel to sotheby's in new york for a period of time, and in june it'll go on auction with a guide price of 500 to £800,000. for the latest stories , you can sign up to gb news alerts by scanning the qr code on your screen, or go to gb news .com/ alerts. now it's over to tom and . emily.

tom and. emily. >> good afternoon britain. it's 1:08 and we start this hour with those dramatic scenes in brussels where police have been sent to shut down an event where nigel farage suella braverman and many other political leading lights had been speaking. >> well, here's the moment farage realised the event was under pressure to shut down. >> i understand the police are very, very keen to close this down, so if they're going to close it down they can close it down with me on stage, can't they? >> not really. >> not really. >> indeed. here are pictures outside the venue now where belgian police are standing restricting people from coming into the venue. but we understand there is still an association going on inside. but once people leave, they can't return . return. >> yes, quite industry. and of

course the brussels mayor has issued an order for the police to shut down this event. essentially to turf everyone out and close the whole event down. we don't believe it has actually been officially closed down yet. could the brussels mayor be having second thoughts? it doesn't seem like it. >> i think this is just the way in which they're weeding people out with as little force and resistance as possible, but of course, this is a massive political decision , a huge political decision, a huge imposition upon the freedom of association and freedom of speech, but this was done , with speech, but this was done, with abandon, by by the mayor of brussels. and this was not the first time, of course, two previous venues didn't remove the, the natcon event, out of pubuc the, the natcon event, out of public pressure, didn't remove out of second thoughts that they had they removed the natcon event out of political pressure from local government.

>> and make no mistake, this is a political decision. this is a socialist mayor nigel farage, we spoke to a little bit earlier. he came on our show to speak to us both, and he said when he had just finished his speech and had made his way through all the gatherings of people, and he told this old style told us this is old style communism , didn't he ban what communism, didn't he ban what you don't want to hear? ban dissent, ban alternative opinion. >> he said it was a monstrous decision and the new form of communism . of course, many communism. of course, many people will be able to think back to the old regimes beyond the other side of the iron curtain, how the german democratic republic was democratic in all but name, or rather vice versa. but let's speak now to christopher hope, our political editor, for more reaction to this. chris, we were saying in the last hour that we can think of events that have been shut down in the united kingdom. we can think of sort of pubuc kingdom. we can think of sort of public pressure and venue cancellations. but hard cancellations. but i'm hard pressed to think of an example

of an elected politician , ian, of an elected politician, ian, forcing a venue to close down using the power of the state to shut down free association. ian >> yeah, it's quite alarming. >> yeah, it's quite alarming. >> i think . and we're viewing it >> i think. and we're viewing it all here agog in westminster , i all here agog in westminster, i think it kind of it kind of serves maybe the view that the, the eu is getting more authoritarian , we think suella authoritarian, we think suella braverman is still speaking on stage , labour looking at that stage, labour looking at that and thinking, well, stage, labour looking at that and thinking, well , this helps and thinking, well, this helps labour say this is the future of the tory party they're going to have their leading contenders for leadership after the, rishi sunak maybe lose the election. if you look at the polls and they're on stage with viktor orban , the hungarian leader, orban, the hungarian leader, later, later in the day. so it kind of helps labour think that the tories are getting more extreme if they're being shut down or senior figures. they're trying to shut down by, riot police belgium . but equally,

police in belgium. but equally, it kind of supports the kind of the farage east view of politics may be that aren't we lucky we're not in a european union. we can fend our own way. i mean, this would never happen in the uk. this event happened last year a stone's throw from the home office, didn't it? no problem. there it was freedom of speech. it was. it was criticised the of criticised by the left. of course, but the right loved it. but behaviour is but this behaviour is extraordinary . vie. extraordinary. vie. >> i mean, christopher, you say this might bolster the labour party because right wingers are being be shut down and being seen to be shut down and they could be, say, to be extremists. but i genuinely believe that most british people, the vast majority of british people, would see this as complete overreach from the brussels mayor >> almost certainly many , many >> almost certainly many, many will see that. but i think that the labour frontbench, i'll be talking to one one member of the senior member of front bench senior member of the front bench just about these very just now about these very images. do think that just now about these very in does. do think that just now about these very in does does do think that just now about these very indoes does play do think that just now about these very in does does play well. ink that just now about these very in does does play well. they1at just now about these very in does does play well. they can it does does play well. they can try and prevent they can try and

prevent the tory party as being a party gets is getting a party that gets is getting more as it tries to find more extreme as it tries to find what it believes in. and that's why braverman is there. why i suella braverman is there. there trying there are police outside trying to that's how they to shut down. that's how they see view doing see their world view by doing it. agree you, i it. i agree with you, emily. i think lots right minded think lots of right minded britons look at this britons will look at this behaviour and think, what on earth going why can't earth is going on? and why can't why hear ideas and why can't you hear ideas and debate without, frankly, debate ideas without, frankly, riot outside trying to riot police outside trying to prevent people getting into into the hotels we're seeing our the hotels we're seeing on our screen right now. it is extraordinary, i think. >> it's not just >> and chris, it's not just politics as what we've just been watching the last or watching in the last minute or so pushing back the so is police pushing back the media the other side of media now to the other side of the street. it looks like the media are now penned in behind a barrier and can't get up close to the door anymore. this is this is a really quite extreme imposition on all sorts of freedoms that we're seeing here. >> that's right. as our colleague olivia utley was saying earlier today, this is their attempt at finding a their third attempt at finding a venue week , clearly in venue in the week, clearly in brussels, it's an election year.

they are worried about the rise as they, as they see it, of right wing populist politics in the upcoming european parliament elections. maybe that's what's shaping this reaction , you know, shaping this reaction, you know, we'll wait to hear more from the mayor of brussels, shortly, i am sure, to explain what on earth is happening. but sure, to explain what on earth is happening . but with looking is happening. but with looking looking from the outside of that trading bloc outside the eu, it looks extraordinary and a complete , yeah, as you say, complete, yeah, as you say, overreach from the authorities . overreach from the authorities. a discussion of ideas in a in a hotel is now being shut down by the police. and whether you have, you know, gb news presenter nigel farage there or the former home secretary suella braverman. i mean, these are not, radical, far right people. they are part of the democratic conversation in the uk. and see this happening is a shock. i mean , you know, i think as i mean, you know, i think as i say, labour think, well , they say, labour think, well, they can now present the future of the tory party as one of trussonomics, jonathan ashworth, a labour shadow cabinet

minister. he's pushing around a document today, it's 14 years, to ruin a nation . and he's to ruin a nation. and he's trying to indicate that what trust is pushing out in her book today. liz truss book launched today. liz truss book launched today is the shape of tory politics to come. and the centre ground is where labour is. and these images will help labour, suggest that idea. but you've got to say many , right? right. got to say many, right? right. right minded brits will say, why can't , you know, normal, normal, can't, you know, normal, normal, right of centre politicians have a debate without the police shutting it down? it is strange and alarming. well, quite. >> and i don't believe all labour supporters would support that either. but thank you so much, christopher. hope our political editor. i mean, tom, it seem like the police are it does seem like the police are taking a bit of a gentle approach to closing down this event. or perhaps it's the only real approach can real approach that they can take. just people come out, take. just let people come out, but any people in. but don't let any new people in. so as the day goes on, everyone will suffocate naturally, leave

the venue and then you can shut it down. but crazy. >> but the idea that this is to guarantee public safety, that that was a street where the biggest threat to public safety was the wind. as someone struggled with their umbrella, then just i mean, this is a this is a public street with tourists nonchalantly walking past. there is no threat to public safety. what a farce . what a farce. >> well, it makes me very angry indeed. let us know what you make of it. gb news. com forward slash your say. but from one extraordinary story to another, closer muslim pupil closer to home, a muslim pupil has lost a high court challenge against a ban on prayer rituals at a high achieving north london school. previous dubbed britain's strictest. >> yes, the student , who can't >> yes, the student, who can't be named for legal reasons, took this action against michaela community school in brent, claiming the policy was discriminatory and uniquely affected her faith due to its ritualised nature. >> yes , the head teacher, >> yes, the head teacher, katharine birbalsingh, you may know her, said that rather than

being discriminatory, the ban on prayer rituals was necessary to treat everyone the same and not divide the school. she spoke to gb news earlier this year. here's what she had to say. >> we all need to recognise that all of us need to make sacrifices for the betterment of the whole, so that we can all get on and that schools play such an important part of this. now, obviously , if your school now, obviously, if your school is where the roam is one where the children roam the corridors and the children do whatever they like during lunch, then i suppose you might choose to have a prayer room and that's fine. you know, i'm not suggesting that all schools shouldn't room, shouldn't have a prayer room, but think that if but i do think that if a school's ethos is such and building is such that they cannot room, then cannot have a prayer room, then they should be, well, we they should be, well, there we 90, they should be, well, there we go, went on to say that go, she also went on to say that the school decided to stop prayer rituals when some pupils started them, against a backdrop of events including violence, intimidation and appalling racial harassment of teachers.

well, gb news spoke to her further about that decision . further about that decision. >> support staff, right now, they come and see me very frightened, they're really scared . and gosh, last year, my scared. and gosh, last year, my goodness, i mean, that that was the worst, it was, i mean, they're they're it's not right that, a headteacher or a teachers should be put under that kind of stress because they're just trying to do their jobs. >> well, we can now speak to social policy analyst rakib hasan, who's been following this case and what's been going on at this school for many months now, rikki neave, thank you very much this school for many months now, rikjoining e, thank you very much this school for many months now, rikjoining us.�*|ank you very much this school for many months now, rikjoining us. link you very much this school for many months now, rikjoining us. i thoughtlery much this school for many months now, rikjoining us. i thought ity much this school for many months now, rikjoining us. i thought it wasuch forjoining us. i thought it was very interesting what katharine birbalsingh the head teacher there, about pupils are there, said about how pupils are expected to make sacrifices for the betterment of the whole. i think that's very, very important in this case. >> oh, no. absolutely. emily, i've said, many times before that a spirit of self sacrifices

is needed in order to maintain social cohesion in a society as diverse as ours. >> i certainly welcome the high court's ruling. i've always made the point that britain has a rich history of religious accommodation . it's a land of accommodation. it's a land of considerable religious freedoms. we have robust anti—discrimination protections on grounds faith , but on the grounds of faith, but that shouldn't be exploited in a way where people are potentially coercing co religious peers into acts of religious observance . acts of religious observance. prayer should ultimately be a voluntary act, a prayer room should be an arena of spiritual togetherness and voluntary religious participation. and that was the issue here. we have to combat various forms of religious intimidation and harassment in our schools. and if we have schools which have a specific, islamic religious instruction, they're rooted in that ethos. then they can perfectly co—exist along schools such as michaela, which have a clearly defined secular ethos.

>> and that's the important point here, isn't it? raqib. this wasn't an anti—muslim , this wasn't an anti—muslim, diktat. this was a secular school. doesn't matter what your faith is, you weren't taking time out of the school day in order to pray. it was a universalist rule that one muslim people decide to sort of invent as some sort of, specialised prosecution against herself. no, absolutely. >> and it would make the point that this school is based in wembley, tom, which, you know, is multiracial, is very multiracial, multi—ethnic, multi—faith environment . and the reality is, environment. and the reality is, is that katharine birbalsingh she's not everyone's cup of tea, but the results speak for themselves. and under her leadership, this particular institution has achieved some fantastic academic results. and a big part of that is that she has cultivated an environment which is ultimately rooted in fairness, hard work and order, and certainly not preferential treatment. so i think this ruling, more than anything, is a victory for headteacher. autonomy freedom .

autonomy and freedom. >> many will hope that this is the end of this , and that this the end of this, and that this is a clear won victory for the headteacher . what would you have headteacher. what would you have said if this hadn't gone the way it has? if katharine birbalsingh had lost this case? >> well, i think, emily, i think when it comes to that, how do you say that balance between headteacher autonomy and religious accommodation then? it would have certainly gone the other way. but too far the other way in the latter's favour . and way in the latter's favour. and i think we'd had some fundamental ramifications in terms of to what extent do headteachers have the right to, ultimately implement their own policy of integration and cohesion within their own established sites? now, i've made this point before that religious belief is a protected characteristic under existing equalities legislation. but i'll make this point very clearly that it cannot be exploited by those who have the potential to undermine social cohesion , undermine social cohesion, especially within multi—faith

and multi—ethnic establishments in our english school system. >> and yet what this was potential to be an example of was someone trying to use the sort of protections that we have built in society and the natural compassion and acceptance and tolerance that society has almost trying to weaponize that against figures of authority, trying to weaponize that against orders and structures. whilst this individual , this frankly this individual, this frankly naughty pupil, failed in this case, there will be others who will try this sort of stuff in all walks of life. >> they may well try to do so, tom, but i think that this ruling is a very significant one. i make the point that these protected characteristics are enshrined in the 2010 equality act. only designed to act. they're only designed to protect people from very real forms of discrimination on the grounds of those characteristics. that legislation as legislation shouldn't be used as a sword to ultimately dictate how public institutions should

be run, and ultimately instruct headteachers , including very headteachers, including very successful headteachers, in terms of how they run their own schools as well. >> thank you very much indeed for giving us reaction. for giving us your reaction. raqeeb ehsan, social policy analyst speak to analyst always good to speak to you. you very much. i you. thank you very much. i mean, what said what mean, what she said about what was at the school, she was happening at the school, she says, year watched says, last year we watched our muslim under pressure muslim pupils put under pressure by of others to by a tiny number of others to fast, to pray, to drop out of the choir, wear hijab. the choir, to wear a hijab. there abuse there was racial abuse of a black teacher . it was crowd black teacher. it was crowd control at that stage. >> extraordinary story. there but coming up, we're going to be turning our eyes to the house of commons. rishi sunak faces a rebellion of up to 100 conservative members of parliament opposed to his proposed smoking ban, a prohibition on graduated over time coming in on cigarettes as well. could today's vote destabilise the prime minister further

? good 7 good afternoon. britain. it's 1:27, and the prime minister faces the prospect of a major rebellion over his plans to ban smoking for all those born after january. the first, 2009. meaning that rishi sunak may need to rely on votes from the labour party to pass on his flagship policies. >> however, whilst many conservative mps oppose the proposed ban for what they regard as an attack on personal liberties, it does have quite a bit of support outside the house of commons, with england's chief medical officer, sir chris whitty and britain's four chief nursing officers all urging mps to back the ban. >> government urges mps to back government plan shock chris

whitty said . whitty said. >> he said don't listen to the tobacco lobbyists, don't listen tobacco lobbyists, don't listen to them. vote for this generational ban. just don't think it's particularly surprising that, given the government's proposing this, a lot of people who work for the government are saying you should do government says. do what the government says. >> now >> well, let's get the views now of chief executive on of the deputy chief executive on action on smoking and health, hazel cheeseman. hazel thank you for joining us. there will be forjoining us. there will be lots of people who say smoking is indefatigably bad for you. there's no good thing about smoking, apart from the fact that some people might enjoy it and sort of know the risk, but there is a personal freedom argument here. shouldn't people be allowed to do things that are bad for them .7 bad for them? >> people should be allowed to do things that are bad for them. but whether we should have a country where you can sell a product that is highly addictive , and where the people who use this product for the first time, half of them will go on to use

the product daily and long term. and of those , two out of three and of those, two out of three will die early from smoking related illness . i mean, we're related illness. i mean, we're not talking about a normal consumer product here. we're talking about a uniquely lethal product, which, you know, if it was to come to market today, there was absolutely no way that we would say, yeah, it's fine. sell it to anybody . this we would say, yeah, it's fine. sell it to anybody. this is a phased out sale of tobacco, which is the leading cause of preventable death , drives health preventable death, drives health inequalities. it is absolutely, desirable to have a country in which no one smokes. and this is a step on that journey . a step on that journey. >> one conservative mp has spoken out and he argued that this ban will actually make smoking cooler and that it could actually foster a black market for smokers. that's not a good thing, is it? have you thought about that? >> would it be a good thing if it were true? but it is the riposte to pretty every riposte to pretty much every single tobacco regulation, that has brought forward over

has been brought forward over the last 20 years. someone says, oh, it will cause an increase in the illicit market. and it hasn't. i mean, when the age of sale went from 16 to 18, there was a fall in the illegal sale of tobacco. so the notion that this bake sale, which will be gradual, it's like, you gradual, it's not like, you know, a big change know, it's a big change overnight, gradually. >> sorry to interrupt, but hasn't the increase in the taxes on tobacco products. it's now costs about up to £16 for a packet of cigarettes. hasn't that already fuelled the black market? when you look at tobacco , tobacco that's, you know, found on the floor littered a lot of these cigarettes aren't being bought in the united kingdom . kingdom. >> well, the illegal market by the government's own measures is in decline. it's not it's not in the ascendancy . you know, this the ascendancy. you know, this is a declining market because we've put really good measures in place to drive the illegal market down. and what we see across the entire world is that you can put regulations on tobacco, and they do not cause

an increase in the illicit market. as long as you have good policies in place to make sure that your illicit market doesn't go up. and we have those in this country, we have a very well controlled illegal market. there's obviously, would there's more obviously, we would like to do to like the government to do to bnng like the government to do to bring down, but it bring that market down, but it is control declining , is under control and declining, hazel, you said if the if, if cigarettes were introduced today, there's no way the government would allow them as a new product. and i rather believe that you're right in that. but but my worry there is how many products could you apply how many products could you apply that to? would the government approve alcohol if it was discovered today? and we looked at the number of people who had problems with that or died early from that, and sort of ignored people who who get pleasure from it, how many different products and, and things that we can buy on that measure would really be made illegal from the off. probably the motor car as well. >> well, we are talking about something that has almost no

utility whatsoever . i mean, this utility whatsoever. i mean, this is a really unique product. there is no safe level of consumption of tobacco and your consumption of tobacco and your consumption of tobacco is almost certainly hurting the people around you . the exposure to around you. the exposure to second hand smoke, you know, is very harmful, particularly to children. so tobacco is a unique product in the market. yes there are other products out there that cause harm. yes, there are other products that probably should have additional regulations them. but i think regulations to them. but i think there isn't really another product analogous the product that's analogous to the harms that we see from smoking. >> well, leave it there. >> well, we'll leave it there. thank very much putting thank you very much for putting up the this ban, hazel up the case for this ban, hazel cheeseman , who is from who is cheeseman, who is from who is the deputy chief executive of action on smoking and health. there's so many different arguments, are arguments, aren't there? are we're back brussels. we're looking back in brussels. we're brussels. tom absolutely. >> because this is where the national conservatism event, a conference that was held without issue in london last year, it's being held today in brussels. except it isn't, because the

brussels mayor has shut it down, sent in the cops and the police have multiplied by the looks of things. >> there are only a handful before and now the numbers are increasing, we'll bring you the very latest as we get it from brussels. but shall we get your headunes brussels. but shall we get your headlines with tatiana? >> emily, thank you and good afternoon . the top stories this afternoon. the top stories this houn afternoon. the top stories this hour. police in brussels have ordered the closure of the national conservative am conference. this was the moment nigel farage heard the news. while he was in the middle of delivering his speech. >> i understand the police are very , very keen to close this very, very keen to close this down, they're going to down, so if they're going to close they can close it close it down, they can close it down on stage, can't down with me on stage, can't they .7 they? >> it was the third venue organisers had booked, with two others cancelling in recent days following public pressure. if you're watching on tv footage here shows police officers arriving outside just two hours into the event. it's understood

the order came from local brussels mayor amir keir in a move he said was to guarantee pubuc move he said was to guarantee public safety. it followed a post he made on social media saying the far right is not welcome. the event will continue for as long as it can, but delegates have been encouraged not to leave because police won't let them back in. nigel farage told gb news the brussels authorities were simply monstrous for attempting to cancel the event. the police are outside my door as i speak. >> they will not let anybody else in. there are three police there. they have an order to close down this event and when more police gather , that's more police gather, that's exactly what they'll do. no alternative opinion allowed . alternative opinion allowed. this is the updated new form of communism. and you know what? if anything, ever, ever made me think that brexit was the right thing to do. it's the events here in brussels today . here in brussels today. >> a muslim student has lost a legal challenge against her school over a prayer ban. the

pupil argued the policy at michaela community school in north london was discriminatory and breached her right to religious freedom. however the school said allowing prayers risked security threats and could undermine social cohesion among pupils . its head teacher among pupils. its head teacher says parents who don't like it do not need to send their children there. the judge upheld the school's position . mps are the school's position. mps are debating whether to bring in new smoking laws that would stop young people in england from ever smoking . if you're watching ever smoking. if you're watching on television, look on television, here's a look inside the house of commons, currently, where the tobacco and vapes bill being brought vapes bill is being brought before for the very first before mps for the very first time. it becomes law, it time. if it becomes law, it would be an offence to sell tobacco products to anyone born after the 1st of january 2009. it means children aged 15 or younger today will never legally be able to buy a cigarette. the bill is expected to pass with labour saying it will back the legislation . for the latest

legislation. for the latest stories, you can sign up to gb news alerts by scanning the qr code on your screen. or you can go to gb news .com/ alerts. >> for a valuable legacy your family can own, gold coins will always shine bright. rosalind gold proudly sponsors the gb news financial report . news financial report. >> here's a quick snapshot of today's markets. the pound will buy you $1.2455 and ,1.1703. the price of gold is £1,903.39 per ounce, and the ftse 100 is at 7868 points. >> rosalind gold proudly sponsors the gb news financial report. it

>> well, should we return to our lead story today? over in brussels, the national conservative conference where nigel was speaking. the brussels mayor is trying to shut it down. and as you can see, the number of police officers outside the venue there in brussels, in the centre of brussels, really has multiplied. and now a bus has dnven multiplied. and now a bus has driven , you could see in front driven, you could see in front of it until we saw that. >> but it doesn't. this show what a farce this all is. you see, over a dozen police officers, perhaps two dozen outside the venue on a street thatis outside the venue on a street that is completely becalmed. there is no, disruption. there's no raucous, there's no public disorder. in fact, public transport, as we rather vividly just saw, is driving in front of the press pen. this is a calm street . and yet the police street. and yet the police presence has been growing and growing. and over the last 40 minutes we've been seeing this blockade grow form and stabilise outside of the hotel where this

conference is taking place. >> yes. and if you were hoping to attend today, you may as well have just stayed at home because we're hearing one we're hearing that no one is allowed they're allowed to now enter. they're hoping the police that as people leave venue , they will not leave the venue, they will not then be allowed to re—enter, and thusitis then be allowed to re—enter, and thus it is closed. >> it's called kettling. they've affected kettled this conference. >> yes. effectively kettled it. that's a good way of putting it, which is a fairly extraordinary , which is a fairly extraordinary, really, because this is just a group of people who were engaging in political discussion, listening to speeches , asking questions. speeches, asking questions. >> that's that. but of course, we spoke to nigel farage in the midst of the chaos. frankly, police were in and out. we didn't know if nigel himself was going to be manhandled out of the venue, out . but we spoke to the venue, out. but we spoke to him and this is what he had to say . say. >> nigel, what on earth has been going on in brussels .7 going on in brussels? >> well, they don't like

alternative points of view. i mean, you know, i'm used to this. i mean, when i was an mep here in my last few years, i was banned from restaurants, banned from pubs, even banned from coffee because had coffee shops because i had a different of view that different point of view to that that prevailing backed that was prevailing and backed up money and big business up by big money and big business here, but is was me on here, but this is that was me on a private level. this is very much a public i mean, much on a public stage. i mean, here got a natcon here we've got a natcon conference, got prime conference, we've got prime minister of hungary coming. we've got members of european royal families coming. we've got, political got, leaders of political parties who are likely to top the polls in at least nine countries in the european elections in june of this year , elections in june of this year, an audience of eminent business people, academics . i mean, this people, academics. i mean, this is the most respectable crowd of people you could ever possibly come across. but their sin, their sin, is to their terrible sin, is to question ever closer union. and so chased so they're being chased and harassed mayor. harassed by the local mayor. this is now the third venue after two venues cancelled, and the this venue is right

the owner of this venue is right now. right now , being threatened now. right now, being threatened by the police. the police are outside the door as i speak . outside the door as i speak. they will not let anybody else in. are three police in. there are three police there. have an to there. they have an order to close down this event. and when more police gather, that's exactly what they'll do. no alternative opinion allowed. this is the updated new form of communism. and you know what? if anything , ever, ever made communism. and you know what? if anything, ever, ever made me think that brexit was the right thing to do. it's the events here in brussels today . here in brussels today. >> it's the most extraordinary situation. nigel as far as you understand, three police officers outside right now , do officers outside right now, do you have any indication how this event will develop, whether police will open these doors and frankly, how will you respond if the belgian police try to manhandle you out of this conference? >> well, you know, tom, i'm not given to violence , so i won't given to violence, so i won't i won't avail myself of it. but

no, it's pretty clear this will be closed down. they're using pubuc be closed down. they're using public order, but that actually is no excuse at all. there is no pubuc is no excuse at all. there is no public order threat in here whatsoever. what i can see, whatsoever. from what i can see, looking now, outside on the street, there are half a dozen people gathered. but there is no pubuc people gathered. but there is no public order threat of any kind at all. this is about closing down alternative opinions. this is how dangerous, how dangerous the ever closer union ideology of the eu is, and how dangerous globalism itself is. it's why the democratic nation state is what we have to fight for. it's the only way forward if we want to live in liberty. >> and nigel, do you imagine this is about more? this is coming from more than just the mayor of brussels. do you think this is a concerted joint effort to try and stop this conference? >> well, it's the mayor of brussels. it's the police , the brussels. it's the police, the pressures, by the way, the catering for this lunch today, because they're going to be a break, you know, the people supplying the plates, supplying the food, supplying the drinks

were all directly threatened. the this business, the owner of this business, who's a tunisian man, has been told if this conference goes ahead, they'll make sure they close his business down. this is concerted. it's big. it's nasty. actually. do you know what? it's evil. >> this is cancel culture in action, isn't it .7 action, isn't it? >> yeah, yeah. oh, yeah. this is cancel culture in a very, very big way. but i mean, often cancel culture kicks in when somebody pushes the boundaries of what might be seen to be legitimate debate. all these people are saying is they think the process of ever closer union in brussels is damaging democracy in their countries and not the right way forward, and it's that that's being closed down. it really is worth thinking about. >> it's extraordinary that all of this started very late in the day. this conference had a venue booked. it wasn't until the last possible moment that the authorities in brussels decided to pounce. this seems targeted. this seems particular to they

wanted to make it pinch at the last possible moment . last possible moment. >> yeah, they wanted to make it hurt at a time when no alternative venue could be found. so. so another hotel was found. so. so another hotel was found yesterday morning, and then by 9:00 last night there was literally nothing the organisers did well, the tunisian of this tunisian owner of this establishment said, look, provided what you're doing is legal and democratic, i haven't got a problem with it. and i got a problem with it. and as i say, come under intense say, he has come under intense pressure. he is a hero, what i will be doing after this is all over publicising as much as i over is publicising as much as i can.the over is publicising as much as i can. the name of this venue, what it has to offer, and encouraging every tourist that comes to brussels to come here and spend as much money as they possibly can. >> and nigel, just very quickly, while your message while we've got you your message to mayor of brussels . to the mayor of brussels. >> no, i'm sorry, it's before the watershed. i really can't tell you what i think he must be. he. tell you what i think he must be.he.he tell you what i think he must be. he. he must be the most ghastly little person, as i say, i'm not prone to violence, but my goodness me, what a ghastly little human being he is .

little human being he is. >> well, there you go. nigel farage from the centre of the chaos, with some choice words for the mayor of brussels. >> a ghastly little human being . yes. >> and that was him holding back. because it's a pre—watershed on this show. good afternoon, britain, very much your afternoon. don't want to end anyone at home. but we also want to know if you think it's the right that mayor the right thing, that the mayor of brussels decided to get this thing shut down. he says it's a collection of far right people that he doesn't want brussels to be associated with. presumably >> and that group, of course, includes the former prime minister. oh, no . the current minister. oh, no. the current prime minister of hungary. party leaders from across the eu, the former home secretary of the united kingdom, the former leader of the brexit party of the united kingdom, politicians from the united states, from israel, academics , a catholic israel, academics, a catholic bishop, even, but they this this

has been seen fit by the socialist mayor of brussels to be an event that should be shut down. what do you think? do you think it should be shut down? please get in touch. gb views. com gbnews.com/yoursay >> hey, always happy to have the debate, but shall we move on for a little bit? because, senior defence figures here in britain have said we need an iron dome , have said we need an iron dome, an israel style iron dome to boost defences against missile and drone attacks. this comes, of course, after iran's attack on israel. they say this has acted as a wake up call to the we st. west. >> there is concern that although britain has a comprehensive air defence strategy, the country lacks land based systems to defend london orindeed based systems to defend london or indeed our nuclear power stations. >> so question is should the uk have an iron dome system like israel? joining us now is robert fox, defence editor of the evening standard, robert, lots of prominent figures cited in

the telegraph this morning . they the telegraph this morning. they say we do not have enough defences. would a israel style iron dome work in the united kingdom , we are sadly lacking in kingdom, we are sadly lacking in air defences . and i think that, air defences. and i think that, the events over israel at the weekend have shown how vulnerable we could be. probably we don't want iron dome because iron dome is very particular. it's quite expensive . live. not it's quite expensive. live. not as expensive as the patriot system . we want something system. we want something probably in advance of iron dome, because iron dome may be out of date within 5 or 5. certainly with it ten years. we do need that and that should be part of, a defence and security plan , not just a review that any plan, not just a review that any new government would bring in. and they should start working on it. now, i'm quoting that very well known authority myself in my 0p well known authority myself in my op ed piece in the standard. a lot of what you're saying is i've actually dealt with that and yes, those in charge, i'm

afraid, people who've afraid, including people who've just left office like mr wallace and mr heappey, have been rather laggard in addressing this problem. it's a here and now problem. it's a here and now problem. and but it's very difficult to get it across to the public. >> and yet robert fox, as far as i understand it, it cost the best part of $1 billion for the iron dome. and associated air defence to stop the missile attack on israel over the weekend. it's an incredibly expensive system of defence at a time when we've got demands for spending more on the navy on our conventional ground troops, for spending so much on so many different elements of the defence of the realm. is it really the best bang for our buck to be investing in something that is very unlikely, in need of use? >> really , i think that's open >> really, i think that's open to question because because of

the new dimensions of warfare, warfare is the same in its essence, but in its face it is very different. we're going into new dimensions, particularly cyberspace, satellites , cyberspace, satellites, communications infrastructure, and we're now getting into the electromagnetic spectrum where you can have things like , you can have things like, magnetic pulse , which can take magnetic pulse, which can take down a whole electricity , down a whole electricity, communications, cyber optic, systems that is much nearer, particularly when you get states going rogue. this is the problem with both iran and russia . you with both iran and russia. you can say you can have all the rules in the world. russia, a member of the permanent five of the security council, but doesn't follow the rules , is doesn't follow the rules, is part organisation for part of the, organisation for security in security and cooperation in europe. the helsinki final act , europe. the helsinki final act, which says you should not try and alter borders by force. we're all signed up to that, including russia. nonsense. look look what they're doing. the problem is that i think the big

weakness here, we're focused on iran. and, israel, quite rightly, because that's an obugafion. rightly, because that's an obligation . we're almost obligation. we're almost treating what's going on in ukraine as optional. if ukraine goes down and these are terms which have been put to me by people within the defence apparatus of the uk, then we have big and more trouble because the encroaching . but because the encroaching. but this is what we're being warned by our allies, like the poles and the nordics will go on. russia intends to go on because the enemy isn't ukraine. that's the enemy isn't ukraine. that's the symptom. the cause is the west, as putin sees it. and we're in a different game. what i think you're reflecting is still some of the thinking from the peace dividend with the end of the war. that is over. of the cold war. that is over. we've a complex picture, we've got a complex picture, complex threat, which one is actually going to pop out and really hit very difficult to work out. >> is the threat imminent , do >> is the threat imminent, do you believe? >> well, it's very difficult to get the timing because of that. that's the thing in attack. what is the strongest element?

surprise. and i think we should i was, referring to countries like poland and norway, sweden and finland, the dutch and the danes as well, really upping their defence posture, their defence contributions and their defence contributions and their defence isn't here. >> the point? would it not make more sense for nato acting as one to invest in border security along that nato border? because if there's any sort of rocket fired towards the united kingdom, it's got to go through poland, perhaps latvia , poland, perhaps latvia, lithuania, estonia, germany. it's got to go across past denmark, it's going to go through past the netherlands before it hits us. >> there won't be last chance would be a fine thing. what happens if it's going at five times speed of sound? you're times the speed of sound? you're not stop it with a not going to stop it with a border force sitting on the borders germany poland, borders of germany and poland, no , we've got to face the new no, we've got to face the new reality. and that's what's got to be done. and i'm afraid it's

not optional extra, as you not an optional extra, as you seem to be implying in your questions. it's something that's really properly really got to be properly addressed. another addressed. not yet. another drawn out defence review, which all new governments do of whatever stripe coming in, because that takes months and sometimes years . they've got to sometimes years. they've got to have a plan which operate have a plan which can operate within months . within months. >> well, thank you very much indeed. fox, a warning indeed. robert fox, a warning there, of the there, defence editor of the evening standard. now we've got so much more on the so much more to come on the show, including that debate. these pictures of the these are live pictures of the house commons. on the house of commons. this is on the government's smoking we'll government's smoking ban. we'll be debate government's smoking ban. we'll be a debate government's smoking ban. we'll be a few debate government's smoking ban. we'll be a few minutes. debate government's smoking ban. we'll be a few minutes. stay bate government's smoking ban. we'll be a few minutes. stay with us. >> us. >> a brighter outlook with boxt solar sponsors of weather on . gb news. >> hello and welcome to the latest update from the met office . it's a bright day out office. it's a bright day out there. some sunny spells, even , there. some sunny spells, even, but it's still blustery. there are still showers coming through , high pressure, tantalisingly close, but we're going to have

to wait a few more days for that to wait a few more days for that to arrive for the time being. we've got low pressure to the north and to the east, bringing this cool northerly airflow and bringing showers in the bringing further showers in the airflow. the showers airflow. now the showers overnight more confined overnight become more confined to the north of scotland, where they'll be frequent and prolonged. eastern england as well, a few toppling into well, and a few toppling into northern wales northern ireland. parts of wales and western england. in between. plenty spells and with plenty of clear spells and with lighter winds, it's going to be a chillier as we begin a bit chillier as we begin wednesday. certainly a fresh start there, but a bright start out there, but a bright start. some long spells of sunshine for western scotland, southern scotland, parts of england wales, well . now england and wales, as well. now we're going to see further showers coming into the north and of scotland, well as and east of scotland, as well as parts of eastern england. there will i think, compared will be fewer, i think, compared with we're to with tuesday, and we're going to see thicken for see the cloud thicken for northern ireland, with outbreaks of quite cool here. of rain feeling quite cool here. seven celsius otherwise, where we get lengthy , clear and we do get lengthy, clear and dner we do get lengthy, clear and drier weather across central parts, 12 or 13 celsius. so a cool day, but feeling pleasant

where we've got the dry and bright weather and a bright start to thursday again. a chilly start to the day for many, but we're going to see cloud and rain spread into northern parts of the country that south during that will spread south during friday, clearing to sunny skies at the weekend. >> that warm feeling inside from boxt boilers sponsors of weather on

gb news. >> good afternoon. britain it's 2:00 on tuesday, the 16th of april. dramatic scenes in brussels. >> these are live pictures you're viewing right now outside the third venue that the national conservatism conference was trying to hold. police are attempting to shut down an event. the event is where nigel farage and suella braverman and many others were speaking. farage has described the action as form of modern day as a form of modern day communism. are police. communism. those are the police. they're multiplying by the

minute. have more details minute. we'll have more details and come . and reaction to come. >> and these are live pictures of the house of commons up to 100 conservative mps could vote against sunak proposed against rishi sunak proposed smoking ban this very afternoon . smoking ban this very afternoon. his policy has been dubbed unconservative, but we'll be debating that very question later this hour. >> and high court ruling. britain's strictest head teacher claims victory after her prayer ban is upheld by a judge, her school rules were being challenged by a muslim pupil. is this a win for common sense? goodness me. it does seem that quite a lot of the people who were at this knac.com conference are hunkering down. they're not leaving. they're not planning to leave because they see it as such an injustice. >> they're being kettled by the police. police kettling police. the police are kettling a building. >> once you're out, you're not

allowed back in. so you've got two options. you either leave forever or you stay in, hunker in and eat and drink the rest of your supplies . your supplies. >> but this is the most extraordinary cramp . crackdown. extraordinary cramp. crackdown. attack, sort of order against free speech here in brussels. we're looking at a very peaceful street. nothing, going on that could have been possibly described as remotely disturbing the peace. and yet the mayor of brussels demand this be shut down. of course. we've spoken to nigel farage live in this program. we're going to get much more reaction on this very peculiar state of affairs, this live siege in brussels. but over here in the united kingdom , a here in the united kingdom, a debate in parliament to outlaw, to prohibit , debate in parliament to outlaw, to prohibit, quit smoking, a new, prohibit, a new form of prohibition. yeah. well it is. >> yeah. yes. and it's ageist. perhaps if you view it such a way because it means that people

born after a certain date will never be allowed to purchase cigarettes . cigarettes. >> imagine it. the year is 2045. someone who i don't know is sort of 40 is begging their 41 year old brother to go and purchase them a pack of 20, because the law that rishi sunak introduced doesn't allow compos mentis adults to make decisions about what they can or cannot consume. >> i've seen polling on this issue and it does have a lot of pubuc issue and it does have a lot of public support. a lot of people want to see smoking banned completely. where are you on this at home? this debate at home? gbnews.com/yoursay let us know. we've got two great guests coming up. it's going to be brilliant. it's going to be the best debate you've ever seen. brilliant. it's going to be the bestfirst,|te you've ever seen. brilliant. it's going to be the bestfirst,|te yyourz ever seen. brilliant. it's going to be the bestfirst,|te yyour headlinesl. but first, it's your headlines with . with tatiana. >> emily. thank you. the top stories this hour. news from brussels this afternoon where police have ordered the closure of the national conservative am

conference. this was the moment nigel farage heard the news. while he was in the middle of delivering his speech. >> i understand the police are very, keen close this very, very keen to close this down, so if they're going to close it down they can it close it down they can close it down with on stage, can't down with me on stage, can't they .7 they? >> the event had already changed venue three times after public pressure and previous attempts to close it down. if you're watching on television , footage watching on television, footage here shows police officers entering the venue earlier this afternoon. it's understood the order came from local brussels mayor amir akua, in a move he said was to guarantee public safety. it followed a post he made on social media saying the far right is not welcome. organisers say the event will continue for as long as it can, but delegates have been encouraged not to leave because police will not let them back in. nigel farage described the action as modern day communism. >> the police are outside my door as i speak. they will not let anybody else in. there are three police there. they have an

order to close down this event and when more police gather, that's exactly what they'll do. no alternative opinion allowed. this is the updated new form of communism. and you know what? if anything , ever, ever made communism. and you know what? if anything, ever, ever made me think that brexit was the right thing to do. it's the events here in brussels today . here in brussels today. >> in other news, today, a high court ruling dismissing a muslim student's challenge against her school's prayer ban has been described as a victory for all schools . the student argued the schools. the student argued the policy at michaela community school was discriminatory and breached her right to religious freedom . however, headteacher, freedom. however, headteacher, the headteacher of the school said schools should not be forced to change their approach. simply because the child or parent decide they don't like something . the judge upheld the something. the judge upheld the school's position, highlighting safety concerns. despite the ruling, the student's legal team expressed their disappointment, saying it's important to promote religious freedoms in educational settings . well, mps educational settings. well, mps

are debating whether to bring in new smoking laws that would stop young people in england from ever smoking. if you're watching on television , here's a look on television, here's a look inside the house of commons, currently, where the tobacco and vapes bill is being brought before for the very first before mps for the very first time. if it becomes law, it would be an offence to sell tobacco products to anyone born after the 1st of january 2009. it means children aged 15 or younger today will never legally be able to buy a cigarette. the bill is expected to pass , with bill is expected to pass, with labour saying it will back the legislation. liberal democrat leader sir ed davey also backed the bill. >> i've been convinced by the health arguments. tobacco smoking is the largest preventable cause of death in our country and having lost both my parents to cancer as a child, my parents to cancer as a child, my father was for mother wise, 15. i know how, awful cancer can be for families. and so i think this is a good step forward within the liberal democrats.

it's a free vote as it should be. but i as the leader, i'm really clear this should ban this face ban should go ahead . this face ban should go ahead. >> downing street has denied the uk is being taken for granted by israel as times still not been found for a call between rishi sunak and benjamin netanyahu, the prime minister and his israeli counterpart are due to talk about de—escalation of hostilities with iran, amid concerns the crisis could spiral out of control. israel have confirmed their war cabinet will meet today to discuss their response to iran's missile and drone attack. over the weekend, iran's president says even the smallest action against iran will be met with severe, widespread and a painful response . labour's promised to response. labour's promised to protect family finances after a reported spike in repossessed homes after the mini—budget, the party's new analysis shows. the number of families at risk of losing their home jumped 46% as

a result of liz truss's mini—budget and soaring mortgages. more than 16,500 repossession claims were made last year. that's up from just over 11,300 in the previous yeah over 11,300 in the previous year. shadow chancellor rachel reeves says families have been let down under the conservatives, whilst liz truss is on her twisted victory lap for her time as prime minister. >> the reality is for so many families who are coming to the end of a fixed rate mortgage deal are finding that they're paying deal are finding that they're paying hundreds of pounds every single month to pay for the same house and same mortgage that they had before because of the damage that she caused. and at the same time, the number of people facing repossession notices last year increased by 25. that is the reality of the legacy of liz truss and this conservative government >> and a portrait of sir winston churchill , >> and a portrait of sir winston churchill, painted by graham sutherland in preparation for a work that was later destroyed,

could fetch up to £800,000 at auction. the houses of parliament had commissioned the british artist to paint a portrait of the wartime prime minister for his 80th birthday in 1954. it will go on view to the public from today to the 21st, displayed in the room where sir winston was born 150 years ago, the oil on canvas painting will then travel to sotheby's in new york for a penod sotheby's in new york for a period of time , and in june it period of time, and in june it will go on auction with a guide price of 500 to £800,000. for the latest stories, you can sign up to gb news alerts by scanning the qr code on your screen. or you can go to gbnews.com slash alerts. now it's back to . tom. alerts. now it's back to. tom. >> good afternoon britain. it's 2:09. and let's quickly go back to those dramatic scenes in brussels, where a local mayor

has ordered police to shut down an event where nigel farage and suella braverman have been speaking. >> right. well, here in brussels , there remains a strong police presence. as you can see, it looks like there's a group of people. perhaps they want to go in, perhaps they're interested in, perhaps they're interested in what's going on. some women there i what there and a man. i wonder what they're asking. they they're asking. perhaps they were entering this were intending on entering this conference that is now being shut down, but it seems as though the police have decided that if you're in there already, you stay the being. you can stay for the time being. but soon you leave that but as soon as you leave that building, soon as leave building, as soon as you leave that conference, can't get that conference, you can't get back in. >> and from civil disorder >> and far from civil disorder or risks to public safety, as the mayor has been bleating about , people generally look about, people generally look quite bemused as they're walking past, just just fairly surprised that a peaceful gathering of political speakers and those that want to listen to such speakers has been prohibited by a socialist mayor. >> i wonder if the police know what they're doing, really, why

they've been given this order. i always feel sorry for the police in this situation, because they've given , frankly they've been given, frankly bonkers orders. they've been given, frankly bororders ders. they've been given, frankly bor orders by s. they've been given, frankly bororders by a political figure, >> orders by a political figure, which is which is actually rather extraordinary. in this country, we have operational independence of the police. but a political order has been given here and they have to go along with it. yeah, it must be. it must be. i'm sure some of them will be feeling very, very silly indeed. will be feeling very, very silly indeed . yeah, and you can see indeed. yeah, and as you can see there, farage, he says there, nigel farage, he says this is a modern form of communism trying to shut down alternative opinions. let us know what you think. but shall we to our political we speak to our political correspondent keeping we speak to our political coreye ondent keeping we speak to our political coreye onient keeping we speak to our political coreye on what's keeping we speak to our political coreye on what's goingeping we speak to our political coreye on what's going on?] an eye on what's been going on? olivia the latest olivia utley, olivia, the latest . it seems as though there are a lot of people still in the building who probably don't know whether to leave or stay . whether to leave or stay. >> well, exactly. the brussels police have said that it's not their intention to forcibly remove people from the building. >> there are plenty of people there who say that they would not leave unless the police

dragged them. so what the brussels police have done instead is close venue to instead is to close the venue to any new entrance, and anyone who is already inside can choose whether to stay or go. >> but if they go, they can't be readmitted . now, there has been readmitted. now, there has been uproar from delegates at the conference. we heard from nigel farage at length earlier. he said that if anything , proved to said that if anything, proved to him that brexit was a good idea, it's what's been happening today in brussels. he eventually left the stage. he made a discreet exit , as he called it. the stage. he made a discreet exit, as he called it. he said that he didn't want to get into a fight with the brussels police. suella braverman the speaker who came after nigel farage. obviously our former home secretary, has said that she she she called them the thought police and she was very disappointed that the event has essentially been closed down. as you can see on your screens now, there are a whole line of police officers stopping people from from entering the building. it's

not quite clear what's going to happen next, whether the conference will move to a different venue. it was supposed to be going on into tomorrow. will the organisers find somewhere else to go, or would that to be closed down by police? the socialist mayor of brussels seems to be on a real mission to stop this conference taking place . he said earlier taking place. he said earlier that he would be prepared to shut off the lights, shut off the electricity quite literally in the building, unless the organisers closed it down. so we're still waiting and watching to see what happens. but for now, the police are outside . no now, the police are outside. no one can get in. people can leave. but if they do, they can't come back. >> it is the most extraordinary story where a political leader is saying, shut this down, close this off, shut off their water and electricity, the most awful dictatorial powers. olivia i've had conversations on this channel before about an organisation that was set up in the wake of the second world war to stop figures in positions of power wielding state power

against their people. in fact, the brits mainly drew up a list of rights that that would prevent the overreach of state power. winston churchill, i think, was somewhat behind it. we called it the echr. there we go and there we go to yet and yet the echr far from stopping the overreach of state power in recent weeks , it's compelled recent weeks, it's compelled a national government to pursue state power with regard to climate change policies. and then it comes to actually seeing an overreach of state power, as we've seen here. and it's done nothing. it's done nothing to prevent the stopping, the silencing of a lawful gathering . silencing of a lawful gathering. >> well, exactly. and it'll be interesting to see if the echr does step in at any point. it does step in at any point. it does seem quite unlikely. nigel farage was making a similar point to you, actually, tom, a bit earlier about the eu, which was set up to stop, a country's going to war with each other, didn't want to repeat of the

second world war set up. it's quite second quite soon after the second world but actually, he says world war, but actually, he says that, you know, having a strong, strong democracies don't go to war with each other. and he believes that what the european union, which is obviously based in is doing is eroding in brussels is doing is eroding those sovereign those strong sovereign democracies . wonder if that sort democracies. wonder if that sort of argument is going to gather steam . he was asking the steam. he was asking the attendance of nato, who were, mainly european, that he was saying to them that it was time for the european union to be disbanded altogether. i think any latent critics of the eu within those european countries will be pretty horrified by what they've seen in brussels today, and might be minded to agree with him. >> well, indeed. thank very >> well, indeed. thank you very much us. olivia much for talking to us. olivia utley gb news, political correspondent. great speak to correspondent. great to speak to you always , it's yes, the you as always, it's yes, the swedish, the swedish mep, he said that he hoped legal action would be taken , from the would be taken, from the organisers of national conservatives to were to the brussels mayor. so could there be legal action? could they go

to the echr? >> to the echr.7 >> it to the echr? >> it would be very funny if suella braverman of all people brought a case to be heard at the echr in strasbourg , against, the echr in strasbourg, against, emmy akua, the socialist mayor of brussels. that would be a very, very funny case indeed. i wouldn't know which way to stand on it, but but but 9th of june, the 9th of june is a very important date. it's not that long away. it's the european elections . so right across the elections. so right across the european union, lots of people will go to vote to send people to brussels and in lots of these countries you have the sort of parties that were represented at this conference here in brussels today , they're leading now in today, they're leading now in the polls . what sort of populist the polls. what sort of populist wave might we be expecting in just a couple of months time? >> and is that what this is all about? is that why this socialist brussels mayor so socialist brussels mayor is so keen to get this natcon conference shut down? because he's fearing this, wave of what

he's fearing this, wave of what he would consider far right populism in europe sees that as a threat, sees just the meeting of academic politicians and prominent individuals and just members of the public who want to listen to ideas . members of the public who want to listen to ideas. is members of the public who want to listen to ideas . is that what to listen to ideas. is that what he's so afraid of, that he's so willing to shut it down? >> i think the most remarkable comparison that same comparison is that this same event with many of the same speakers this last speakers took place this last yearin speakers took place this last year in london. now it took place, under our liberal non—codified constitution. it was allowed to go ahead. politicians didn't try and shut it down. you didn't have the london mayor saying, we're going to cut off your water and electricity supplies , you had electricity supplies, you had actually the ability of people to come together to speak. some people turned up and protested . people turned up and protested. other people mocked the event. but that was our that's what happensin but that was our that's what happens in a free society. people say what they will. others combat it with their own

speech and no one treads on each other's toes. >> they go no one minds a little bit of protest within the law , bit of protest within the law, no one worries too much about some gentle mocking . what's some gentle mocking. what's wrong with that? what's wrong with that? but actually trying to shut down the event altogether because don't altogether because you don't like because don't, like it? because you don't, approve of the speakers and what they to say. that's quite they have to say. that's quite another thing, tom? another thing, isn't it, tom? >> extraordinary, indeed. well, let's now to westminster let's cross now to westminster and speak shadow paymaster and speak to shadow paymaster general jonathan ashworth, someone who is, on the right hand of sir keir starmer and jonathan, before we get to why we've invited you here, because i know you want us to show your new pamphlet, but i do want a word on what's gone on in brussels today. what do you make of this mayor of brussels shutting down this conference, which nigel farage and suella braverman were speaking .7 braverman were speaking? >> well, look, i'm always a champion of free speech, and i hope you can get somebody from the brussels authorities to come

on and, explain what's going on there . i'm on and, explain what's going on there. i'm not. i'm not up to date with the latest ins and outs of it. what i do know is, and which i'm slightly surprised at, is that suella braverman is one of the guest speakers there. and the speakers and i think some of the speakers , what understand, who , from what i understand, who have on the have been advertised on the website for this conference, have very unsavoury views. i'm rather surprised that suella braverman been allowed to braverman has been allowed to go and this event. braverman has been allowed to go and this event . why is and speak at this event. why is rishi sunak not getting a grip of situation .7 why is he not of this situation? why is he not asking suella braverman to pull out of this event? because some asking suella braverman to pull outhe this event? because some asking suella braverman to pull outhe characters? because some asking suella braverman to pull outhe characters involved, some asking suella braverman to pull outhe characters involved, at me of the characters involved, at least their website least according to their website , have made all kinds of comments, don't think comments, which i don't think the rishi sunak tory party would want associate themselves with. >> well hang on, jonathan, this conference was able to take place in london. yes, there may have a couple of protests have been a couple of protests and may have a lot of and there may have been a lot of mocking the press and from mocking in the press and from people yourself. possibly. people like yourself. possibly. but earth because but why on earth just because there is one unsafe character, perhaps in list that you or perhaps in a list that you or someone else might believe are unsavoury? should someone not be

free to go and speak at such an event .7 event? >> well, i'm just looking at it now. i mean, the wife, i've not got the wi—fi in here, so. but from what i can been able to quickly have a look at, we've got a character on, apparently, scheduled speak who has been scheduled to speak who has been unden scheduled to speak who has been under, investigation , for under, investigation, for suspected right wing extremism , suspected right wing extremism, another character who apparently argued that the christchurch mosque shooter did have quotes legitimate, realistic, concerns burns, another character who has argued that gay marriage is, quote, an unnecessary, destructive , experiment. and destructive, experiment. and there's a whole parade of very eccentric extremist characters associated with this conference. so i'm rather surprised that rishi sunak hasn't blocked suella braverman from going to speak at this conference. and, well, i say i'm surprised. reality is we you know as well as i do that he's weak and

desperate, which is why he's not stepped in to block suella braverman going to this event of course, another unsavoury character this character amidst all of this is the mayor of brussels himself, who expelled briefly who himself was expelled briefly from the socialist party in belgium with mayors belgium after he met with mayors from a turkish far right party. >> but i suppose we can go into the backgrounds of everyone and find things about find some unsavoury things about about all sorts of people. but of course, john ashworth, you're here to talk about a new pamphlet from your party, which you're calling, 14 years to ruin the way to ruin a nation, why have you merged together .7 rishi have you merged together? rishi sunak and liz truss faces .7 sunak and liz truss faces? >> well, as you know, liz truss has published her book today. i think she's, she's certainly given a lot of interviews to other news channels. i'm sure she's given one to gb news as well. apologies if i've missed that particular one, but we've put out this booklet today , put out this booklet today, highlighting if you want to read around economy was around how the economy was pushed off a cliff and we saw

turmoil on the money markets , turmoil on the money markets, which put pension funds in peril, and bank of england peril, and the bank of england stepping in to stabilise the money markets, which of course, has also led to them responding with putting up interest rates and paying more on with putting up interest rates and mortgage paying more on with putting up interest rates and mortgage as ying more on with putting up interest rates and mortgage as ang more on with putting up interest rates and mortgage as a consequence. their mortgage as a consequence. we've warning that actually we've been warning that actually what with rishi what you're seeing with rishi sunak truss 2.0, sunak is potentially truss 2.0, because if you look at, i think it's i've not got the i think it's i've not got the i think it's page 246. in liz truss's book, she talks about wanting to aboush book, she talks about wanting to abolish national insurance, how she made a speech at the tory conference in 1997 where, in front of an admiring margaret thatcher wanting to abolish national insurance. and this is exactly the unfunded commitment that has been forced that rishi sunak has been forced into adopting, where liz truss leads , rishi sunak follows and leads, rishi sunak follows and rishi sunak are now not know. any senior conservative can explain how they're going to fund their £46 billion commitment. jonathan. >> there will be more borrowing, not going to put in pressure until they can fund that's until they can fund it. that's sort of opposite of what we

sort of the opposite of what we saw the mini—budget years saw in the mini—budget two years ago, hunt , someone ago, when jeremy hunt, someone who i'm not sure anyone has ever said is a particularly radical individual, he wanted individual, said that he wanted to national insurance. to abolish national insurance. he do it until he said he wouldn't do it until he afford it . he could afford it. >> it's incumbent upon the government if they've set out an ambition which costs £46 billion, it's incumbent upon them to set out how they think they're going to meet that. is it borrowing your party pressure on military policies, defence spending to 2.5% and you haven't said how you'll fund it if resources allow. >> i believe the words every spending, every spending commitment that we will make in our manifesto will be costed. >> they've not said how they're going to fund this £46 billion bombshell. is it borrowing things .7 is it tax rises? things? is it tax rises? >> isn't saying it's going to aboush >> isn't saying it's going to abolish national insurance in its manifesto. it's saying yes, its manifesto. it's saying yes, it when resources allow, it it is. when resources allow, it will, precisely will, which is precisely the phrasing you have phrasing that is you have used with ambition to raise with your ambition to raise defence saying defence spending. not saying you'll you'll you'll do it, but saying you'll do it when resources allow .

do it when resources allow. >> now, when they've made a £46 billion commitment, they have to explain where the money is coming from. is it borrowing, is it rises, it cuts to it tax rises, is it cuts to pubuc it tax rises, is it cuts to public services. and they have to explain if they abolish national insurance contributions, is that severing the link between your national insurance contributions and the bafic insurance contributions and the basic state pension you get in retirement? because as your viewers know , you build up viewers know, you build up a state pension entitlement based on 30 years or so of national insurance contributions. if national insurance contributions are abolished , what is your are abolished, what is your entitlement to the state pension in the future? and does this mean a silver voices were warning in the sunday express a few weeks ago that in the long term, we're moving to a plan under tories to test under the tories to means test means basic state means test the basic state pension. these are legitimate questions which no conservative minister . minister has answered. >> so, jonathan, can we look forward to receiving this pamphlet home up pamphlet in every home up and down country .7 down the country? >> i have handed it out, chris, here at, in your studio here in

westminster, and i will continue to make the case that the conservatives need to explain how they're going to fund their £46 billion commitment. is it higher mortgages and borrowing forward to your is it tax rises? >> aukus tel and what happens >> aukus el tel and what happens to the green next time? >> next speak we'll have >> next time we speak we'll have a we'll have a look at a look. we'll have a look at those defence costings. but thank forjoining thank you very much for joining us forward case us and putting forward your case there. appreciate there. really appreciate it. >> well come ayda >> yes. well still to come ayda bate government's bate on the government's proposed it's being proposed smoking ban. it's being discussed of discussed in the house of commons speak. not commons as we speak. do not go anywhere. very anywhere. we've got two very strong voices on that one.

>> good afternoon. britain. it is just coming up to 2:28. and my goodness , what a feisty back my goodness, what a feisty back and forth that was with john jonathan ashworth , the shadow jonathan ashworth, the shadow cabinet minister. >> yes, he said that , rishi >> yes, he said that, rishi sunak should have blocked suella

braverman from going to the national conservative conference in brussels. he didn't really address whether it should have been shut down. >> it's quite a clever answer. >> it's quite a clever answer. >> he went for rishi sunak, >> he went for a rishi sunak, which is his job, but it which i guess is his job, but it also position . also position. >> he didn't have to get into the of the free speech the weeds of the free speech issue. he avoided saying that. actually, he would thought actually, he would have thought that i think because that because i think because he's a sensible he he's quite a sensible guy, he knows it's wrong. he knows it's he knows that it's bizarre to see a political leader, a mayor trying to shut down an event and threatening to cut off the water and electricity supplies that has taken place in this country in our capital only last year, but also on the costing issue. >> yes. he talked about how the conservatives aren't very good at costing their policies, but as tom pointed out, at costing their policies, but as tom pointed out , there's a as tom pointed out, there's a failure to do so on the labour side, isn't there .7 yes. with side, isn't there? yes. with many a policy. >> well, it's just it just came into my head because covered into my head because we covered this week on the programme. this last week on the programme. the had its big the labour party had its big day. it was rather overshadowed

by rayner's, by angela rayner's, police investigation . the thing investigation. but the big thing that wanted say that that labour wanted to say that day they've ambition, day is they've got an ambition, an to raise defence an ambition to raise defence spending to 2.5% of gdp, not a costed manifesto pledge, but an ambition which is direct, parallel, directly. the same idea as the conservatives ambition to get rid of national insurance contributions and do that as a tax cut. they haven't said they're going to do it. they haven't said that they'll do unfunded, they'll do it. if it's unfunded, they'll say they'll it when the say they'll do it when the conditions allow. >> goes into the pot >> it all goes into the pot anyway. just moving things anyway. it's just moving things around, renaming around, isn't it? yeah. renaming things , although is things, although it is a particular peculiarity that on income we have two income taxes. >> what other country does that? it's very inefficient and wrong. >> i don't it. >> i don't know it. >> i don't know it. >> also, pretends that you >> also, it pretends that you pay >> also, it pretends that you pay less tax than you do. that's the fundamental conceit of it all well keep your views coming >> well keep your views coming in gbnews.com/yoursay, because coming up, going to be coming up, we're going to be having debate on whether coming up, we're going to be hav smokingiebate on whether coming up, we're going to be hav smoking bante on whether coming up, we're going to be hav smoking bante the vhether coming up, we're going to be hav smoking bante the righter the smoking ban is the right move. you it? do you move. do you back it? do you think should be banned think everyone should be banned from seems little from smoking? it seems a little

ageist. this particular policy, but we're going to get to the nub of it. we've got two great speakers, so stay with we'll speakers, so stay with us. we'll be after your headlines. be back after your headlines. >> emily. thank you. the top stories this hour. police have ordered the closure of the national conservative am conference in brussels . and this conference in brussels. and this was the moment nigel farage heard the news. while he was in the middle of delivering his speech. >> i understand the police are very, very keen to close this down. so if they're going to close it down, they can close it down with me on stage, can't they? >> the event had already changed venue three times after public pressure and previous attempts to close it down. if you're watching on television footage here shows police officers entering the venue earlier this afternoon . it's understood the afternoon. it's understood the order came from local brussels mayor amir keir, in a move he said was to guarantee public safety . it followed a post he

safety. it followed a post he made on social media saying the far right is not welcome. organisers say the event will continue for as long as it can, but delegates have been encouraged not to leave because police will let them back police will not let them back in. nigel farage described the action as modern day communism. >> the police are outside my door as i speak. they will not let anybody else in. there are three police there. they have an order to close down this event and when more police gather, that's exactly what they'll do. no alternative opinion allowed this is the updated new form of communism. and you know what? if anything, ever, ever made me think that brexit was the right thing to do. it's the events here in brussels today . here in brussels today. >> muslim students has lost a legal challenge against her school over a prayer ban. the pupil argued the policy at michaela community school in north london was discriminatory and breached her right to religious freedom . however, the religious freedom. however, the school said allowing prayers risked security threats and

could undermine school cohesion among pupils. its headteacher says parents who don't like it do not need to send their children there. the judge upheld the school's position . and the school's position. and social media platform x is planning to start charging all new users. a small fee to interact with posts. the site's owner, elon musk, says charging new users to like and reply to tweets is the only way to stop what he described as the relentless onslaught of bots and fake accounts. last year, a pilot scheme was launched in new zealand and in the philippines, which charged a $1 a year subscription. it's reported the trial will now be rolled out more widely. for the latest stories, sign up to gb news alerts by scanning the qr code on your screen, or go to gb news .com/ alerts

i >> -- >> good afternoon. britain. it's 2:36. now. rishi sunak faces a potential backbench rebellion over his plans to ban smoking for all those born after the 1st of january 2009, meaning that by the time they're adults , they the time they're adults, they won't be able to buy cigarettes. >> yes. so for our big debate, we're asking, is this the right move , because joining us now to move, because joining us now to discuss this is former conservative health minister edwina currie, who backs the ban. and we have the head of lifestyle economics at the institute economic affairs, institute of economic affairs, christopher snowden, who absolutely a go absolutely does not a winner go on, make the case for this ban. then >> well, the main case for it is that cigarettes kill people and they kill people in a particularly nasty way . we have particularly nasty way. we have about 50,000 cases every year of

lung cancer , and most of those lung cancer, and most of those people will die from it. the long tum survival rate is not good, and the amount of suffering involved when people get it is awful. my own late husband had it and we were treating him for different kinds of cancer for about nine years before. eventually he decided to stop smoking at the age of 76. it was a bit late by then, and then eventually we lost him in 2020 and i've seen many other people die in the same way. and the cigarettes also cause heart disease and strokes, emphysema, a whole range of real serious problems, often quite early in life. in other words, they're lethal. they're lethal. we didn't know that when they first became available, but they are lethal and i hear people talk as if trying to help people make good choices and have good health is a mistake. and it's not. conservative governments have always tried to do the best thing for the health and welfare of the people, particularly of

our young people. we don't suggest, for example, in the cause freedom , that heroin cause of freedom, that heroin should be readily available, and it's very similar. it's addictive, and it causes deaths in very unpleasant ways. and actually, cigarettes and tobacco are really so dangerous that i think we should take this step forward. i applaud rishi sunak forward. i applaud rishi sunak for put to for what he has put to parliament today. >> okay , let's throw that to >> okay, let's throw that to chris snowdon. chris, it's like you're trying to it's like you're trying to it's like you're arguing to legalise heroin. >> yeah. i mean , the debate here >> yeah. i mean, the debate here isn't about whether smoking cigarettes your cigarettes is bad for your health. obviously it is. and everybody that. the everybody knows that. the question this almost question is whether this almost surreal prohibition question is whether this almost surr right prohibition question is whether this almost surrright way prohibition question is whether this almost surr right way to 3rohibition question is whether this almost surr right way to address)n the right way to address something that is already £16 a pack in plain packaging, no advertising for 20 years. everybody is more than aware of the health risks. >> the question is, should our adults be prevented from doing so? >> now, obviously, me and edwina have a fundamental difference of opinion that, but do opinion on on that, but i do think should bear in mind think people should bear in mind that prohibition, that

that this is prohibition, that prohibition does not work so long as products remain popular. and tobacco products and i imagine tobacco products are going to remain popular for quite some time. i've written a book many ago about book many years ago about hundreds years of various hundreds of years of various tyrants tobacco, tyrants trying to ban tobacco, andifs tyrants trying to ban tobacco, and it's worked, no matter and it's never worked, no matter how the punishments. so how brutal the punishments. so what going obviously what you're going to obviously see a very slowly but see here is a very slowly but steadily growing black market. the government is also clamping down on vaping at the same time, which is almost insane, given that that vaping is the that we know that vaping is the one thing that really has got people cigarettes in the people off cigarettes in the last and look, i'm last ten years. and look, i'm against i believe against prohibition. i believe adults should be able what adults should be able to do what they want. most of they want. obviously, most of they want. obviously, most of the class doesn't the political class doesn't believe that anymore. >> you are you >> edwina, do you are you convinced that this ban will actually have the desired effect, or do you have any concerns that perhaps there may be a black market as a result? >> well, there's already a bit of a black market and a bit of smuggling on, particularly smuggling going on, particularly with tobacco and roll with packet tobacco and roll ups. that tends to happen anyway, the fact is that most people in this country don't

smoke. the proportion of people smoking has dropped steadily ever since i was campaigning about in the 1980s. nobody is about it in the 1980s. nobody is stopping adults from smoking if they choose to do it , it's still they choose to do it, it's still going to be possible. the idea is not quite true, is it? young people? we should try. quite true, because eventually the today's young people be today's young people will be adults be banned as adults and they'll be banned as well. they won't have smoke, will they? and they won't ever have got that addiction. i mean, i'd they'd be i'd much rather they'd be addicted politics addicted i'd much rather they'd be ad(|cted politics addicted i'd much rather they'd be ad(| don't politics addicted i'd much rather they'd be ad(| don't know,ics addicted i'd much rather they'd be ad(| don't know, watching icted i'd much rather they'd be ad(| don't know, watching good to, i don't know, watching good tv or something like that, but smoking is something that will kill them. it will badly affect their health and the health of people near them. it will affect the of their children . the health of their children. you know, we worry about the health service and finding the money to run all of that. a heck of that money. billions of a lot of that money. billions every year treating the every year goes on treating the effects smoking. so we ought effects of smoking. so we ought to consider everything that we can avoid that. and can do to avoid that. and i would now add vaping to it. i was i'm quite neutral about

vaping, but it's beginning to look as if it's addictive as well, because it's nicotine in their nicotine is thoroughly bad stuff. you wouldn't want to be doing that to chris. >> there's a product called snus, which is much used in sweden. it's smokeless tobacco product , sweden. it's smokeless tobacco product, sweden has a smoking rate much, much lower than any european country, 5% now, vastly lower than the european average and much lower even than britain's. that was banned in the late 80s by edwina currie as health . minister and now she's health. minister and now she's talking about banning vaping. this is really irresponsible, stupid and reckless talk. it's one thing talking about banning smoking, because it clearly is unusually dangerous as a consumer i don't think unusually dangerous as a coshould' i don't think unusually dangerous as a coshould be i don't think unusually dangerous as a coshould be banned.don't think unusually dangerous as a coshould be banned. lyn't think unusually dangerous as a coshould be banned. i think ink it should be banned. i think adults should have the right, but there is at least an argument for that. the argument for banning vaping as we snooze is absolutely ridiculous. for banning vaping as we snooze is aedwina.y ridiculous. for banning vaping as we snooze is aedwina.y ri(going|s. have >> edwina. it's going to have unintended consequences, isn't it? to other it? people will move to other products and there'll be less tax coming in. >> the main thing. the

>> that's the main thing. the government's going to have to find something else to, to tax. the reason that we took a firm stand against the introduction of these of mouth tobacco, these pouches that your cheek in this that go in your cheek in this country was that sweden warned us it would cause a lot of us that it would cause a lot of mouth cancer, and they sent us some gruesome pictures of young people whose jaws had been eaten away by cancer. and i was able to share those with lots of people who with me that people who agreed with me that we and stop that at we could try and stop that at the start. you. it's much harder to get rid of something once it's well rooted and has become a habit. if you can stop people starting it in the first place, then you're handing them good health for a far longer period and then of course, they can have good jobs. we can tax them on. >> on. >> that is that true, though, chris does. does snus cause mouth cancer? >> no. it was thought at the time it by some people time it did by some people suggested it would do forms suggested it would do some forms of tobacco indeed cause of oral tobacco do indeed cause mouth turns out that mouth cancer. turns out that snus but by that stage snus didn't. but by that stage the european economic community, as already banned it as it was, had already banned it . look, i the popularity of this

policy enormously how you policy varies enormously how you ask the question and i really do think and edwina's kind of, made me think this a bit more. a lot of simply don't of people simply don't understand the policy, and they seem to have a mental block about imagining people who are 14 being grown men and 14 or 15 now being grown men and women in a very short space of time. and so you're going to have big, know, six have a great big, you know, six foot tall rugby players and someone's around to someone's going around going to go telling they go around telling them that they can't or a cigarette can't buy a cigar or a cigarette paper. can't buy a cigar or a cigarette paper . this is much more can't buy a cigar or a cigarette paper. this is much more even than than cigarettes included in this . the whole thing this ridiculous. the whole thing is difficult to know where to start with it, because do you go on the fact that it's ridiculously authoritarian or incredibly idea incredibly absurd? but the idea to we're to be to me that we're going to be stopping in years to come stopping people in years to come who are 35, 40 years old from buying a cigar or buying a pack of hasn't been of rizla, this hasn't been thought out . i don't understand thought out. i don't understand why is doing this. why rishi sunak is doing this. really. understand why really. i don't understand why the only got few the tories have only got a few months office. are months left in office. are wasting time introducing wasting the time introducing labour policies. wasting the time introducing labwell,)licies. wasting the time introducing labwell, that s. wasting the time introducing labwell, that is a very, very >> well, that is a very, very cunous

>> well, that is a very, very curious idea. of course, there is the idea that that rishi sunak himself has young girls whom he might not want smoking. maybe he's treating the whole country like his daughters, but, i don't know. perhaps that's a that's a good thing in some people's eyes and a terrible thing in other people's eyes. i'm afraid we have run to the end of this debate. but edwina and chris really appreciate your thoughts and your on this thoughts and your views on this contentious thoughts and your views on this contentio i; thoughts and your views on this contentio i can both thoughts and your views on this contentioi can both sides, >> yeah, i can see both sides, but just the but i think just the practicality of this particular policy know why they look policy are we know why they look absurd, don't they? they look absurd. >> why they're introducing it. they'll have for five they'll have it for about five years then say, oh, we might years and then say, oh, we might as ban for everyone and as well ban it for everyone and then it'll be banned for everyone. >> stepping stone. that's what, christopher snowden argues, but coming council has coming up, a london council has been slammed for been absolutely slammed for offering citizens the option offering new citizens the option to avoid handshakes with women at citizenship ceremonies should we be making cultural allowances like this? more

it's -- it's 248. you're watching and listening to good afternoon, britain. now, westminster city council has been slammed for offering new citizens an option to not shake hands with the opposite sex at their citizenship ceremony. >> the central london council offers an option for new british citizens to say whether they'd like to shake hands with a dignitary, and it seems they can change their answer depending on whether that dignitary is a man or a woman. >> quite incredible. well, to tell us more about this story, we're joined by gb news reporter charlie peters. this may come as a shock to quite a lot of people. yes i think so as well, emily, because the option that they're putting forward on this onune they're putting forward on this online form is i would prefer not to shake hands with the opposite sex, and that is for this citizenship ceremony , a this citizenship ceremony, a ceremony you have to take within three months of being offered

the opportunity to become a british citizen. >> as you can see on your screens now, they ask, do you want to shake hands with the dignitary at the ceremony? and this option on westminster city council's website, saying that i prefer not to if they're from the opposite sex? now, when i went to the home office for a question about this process, they told me last night that they'd gone to that local authority, westminster, and told them to amend the option, but then this morning i heard an a statement from westminster city council who told me that this is a standard part of their form and that as part of their citizenship ceremony, service , citizenship ceremony, service, we offer a range of options to ensure we cater to everyone, including faith and cultural groups and people with health conditions and disabilities. liz. now we understand that this opfion liz. now we understand that this option was previously not present when the council was under conservative control, but

the option to reject a handshake based on your gender preferences was reintroduced when labour took power last may. as you can imagine, this has sparked quite a big debate online. people are asking , should a big debate online. people are asking, should a handshake be a mandatory part of acquiring your citizenship? should you be able to say no to shaking the hands of a woman and still become a british citizen? well, in 2018, in denmark, they did actually make it mandatory in order to become a danish citizen. the integration minister at the time said that she made the move to prevent members of a group called hizb ut tahrir, an islamist group, from becoming danish citizens, because she knew that they would not want to shake hands. and i think it's worth noting in the last few months, the british government has actually proscribed that group . so should britain do the group. so should britain do the same? should we have an obugafion same? should we have an obligation and a mandatory obugafion obligation and a mandatory obligation to shake hands with the opposite to sex become british? what do you think, charlie? >> is extraordinary. can we get

that statement up again that you've got in from you've just got in today from westminster there's westminster council? there's a line i find line in it that i find absolutely extraordinary saying we offer a range of options to ensure we cater to everyone. now, presumably by everyone they mean misogynists. yeah >> well, yeah, i could mean there are certain orthodox members or traditionalists from certain faiths, say those from jewish or muslim backgrounds who don't agree with the prospect of shaking hands with a woman. >> correct me if i'm wrong, but in order to become a british citizen, you need to sign up to a certain set of british values . a certain set of british values. there's an oath. they include tolerance, respect and frankly, i don't think that either of those values is commensurate with refusing to shake a woman's hand. and that is very much the criticism that we've seen across this story . this story. >> this morning, sirjohn hayes, a senior tory backbencher ,

a senior tory backbencher, saying to me that if you are going to become a british citizen, it's a poor way to start by almost rejecting half of the population right from the start. >> and we're offering it and we're offering it . we're saying, we're offering it. we're saying, or at least this council is we're saying, oh , yes, you don't we're saying, oh, yes, you don't need to have to shake the hands of someone from the opposite sex, or you don't have to touch a to british citizen . a woman to be a british citizen. i mean, i find it thoroughly offensive that we would allow this to even be an option. does it look like this is going to change then? >> well, the home office, the home office have that order home office have made that order to council to to westminster city council to make amendment to their web make an amendment to their web page. looking at page. looking behind at the other options available to other local authorities. it does appear that you can say no to a handshake, but potentially the mistake or the overstep that's been made by westminster city council in this particular case is that they are explicitly saying that you can reject that handshake on the basis of

someone's gender. as one person told me this morning, a gb news viewer said, they're saying the quiet bit out loud. yes, exactly i >> -- >> vie. hm >> vie. exactly. >> vie. exactly. >> charlie, here's a policy for any party that wants it. exactly one for me, from me, for free. any party that wants to take this up, don't give it an option of man or woman. don't give them the option of handshake or not. you have shake the hand of you have to shake the hand of a woman if you want become woman if you want to become a british citizenship. how about that? you're off that? but, charlie, you're off to why is that? >> $- $— that? >> to brussels tonight. >> i'm off to brussels tonight. because national because the national conservatism conference going on. we today, though , on. we saw today, though, shocking scenes with the police shutting down that event where nigel farage was speaking. i'll be attending tomorrow to see the latest episode of natcon versus the belgian authorities. will free speech prevail in brussels? >> well, there we go. thank you very much, charlie, i will be following your, what you're up to, but, that's it from us today, thank you very much at home for contributing to the show, watching us, listening us, and sending in your emails , but

and sending in your emails, but don't because it is don't worry, because it is martin who is up next, martin daubney who is up next, and he joins us now from westminster . and, martin, tell westminster. and, martin, tell us, what are you going at at going at on your show? >> bedlam in brussels, >> well, bedlam in brussels, that national conservatism conference, of course , i'll be conference, of course, i'll be talking to a flemish mep who was there when the police clampdown took place. >> and we'll also look into the morals of the brussels mayor, who previously hosted the mayor of tehran, who's so radical. the european union placed sanctions on him. you couldn't make it up. plus, it's called a victory for all schools. the banning of the muslim prayer. but i'll speak to a muslim scholar who it a muslim scholar who thinks it was wrong decision. that's was the wrong decision. that's all on my 3 6. all on my show. 3 to 6. >> first, it's time for your latest weather forecast. >> a brighter outlook with boxt solar but sponsors of weather on gb news. >> hello and welcome to the latest update from the met

office. it's a bright day out there. some sunny spells even, but it's still blustery. there are still showers coming through, high pressure, tantalisingly close, but we're going to have to wait a few more days for that to arrive. for the time being. we've got low pressure to the north and to the east, bringing cool east, bringing this cool northerly and bringing northerly airflow and bringing further showers in the airflow. now the showers overnight become more confined to the north of scotland, where they'll be frequent eastern frequent and prolonged eastern england few england as well, and a few toppling into northern ireland, parts western parts of wales and western england . in between. plenty of england. in between. plenty of clear spells and with lighter winds , it's going to be a bit winds, it's going to be a bit chillier as we begin wednesday . chillier as we begin wednesday. certainly a fresh start out there, but a bright start. some long spells of sunshine for western scotland, southern scotland, parts of england and wales as well. now we're going to showers coming to see further showers coming into the north and east of scotland, well parts scotland, as well as parts of eastern england . it will be eastern england. it will be fewer, i think, compared with tuesday and we're going to see the thicken for northern

the cloud thicken for northern ireland, outbreaks ireland, with outbreaks of rain feeling seven feeling quite cool here. seven celsius where do celsius otherwise, where we do get lengthy, clear and drier weather across central parts 12 or 13 celsius. so a cool day, but feeling pleasant where we've got the dry and bright weather and a bright start to thursday again. a chilly start to the day for many, but we're going to see cloud and rain spread into northern parts of the country that will spread south during friday, clearing to sunny skies at weekend that warm feeling at the weekend that warm feeling inside from boxt boilers spot . inside from boxt boilers spot. >> hours of weather on

gb news. >> hey. very good afternoon to you. >> it's 3 pm. >> welcome to the martin daubney show on gb news. broadcasting live the heart of westminster. >> all across the uk. coming up on show, police in on today's show, police in brussels are attempting to shut down national conservatism

down the national conservatism conference by gagging nigel farage, braverman and farage, suella braverman and viktor orban will be live from the venue for a frontline account . speaking to flemish mep account. speaking to flemish mep that who saw the clampdown and a london headmistress who has won the right to ban a muslim pupil from praying , the right to ban a muslim pupil from praying, has the right to ban a muslim pupil from praying , has called the from praying, has called the high court's ruling a victory for all schools. will we finally see an end to religious extremists meddling with british schools and today the government faces yet another revolt over its plan to ban teenagers from smoking for life . is this latest smoking for life. is this latest clampdown sensible, or a slippery slope to puritanism? and that's all coming up in your next hour. welcome to the show. always a pleasure to have your company. so it's bedlam in brussels , as the mayor of the brussels, as the mayor of the city of brussels sends in the police to clamp down on the national conservatism

conference. i