Latest news with #TheBeeb
Spectator
02-07-2025
- Business
- Spectator
Watch: McFadden refuses to rule out tax rises after welfare U-turn
Uh oh. After Sir Keir Starmer's embarrassing U-turn on his government's welfare bill last night – where changes to Personal Insurance Payments were pushed back until after disability minister Stephen Timms's review on it all next year – cabinet minister Pat McFadden has been out on the airwaves this morning defending his leader. But when the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster appeared on BBC Breakfast, Mr S noted that he didn't quite manage to reassure viewers that there would be no tax rises in the autumn as a result of this £5bn volte face… When quizzed on whether economists at the Institute for Fiscal Studies were correct in thinking that tax rises are on the horizon, McFadden remarked: Well, this was one moving part of the budgetary picture. It does have a financial consequence yesterday. I'm not going to speculate on where the budget lands because there are so many other different moving parts, and it wouldn't make sense for me to do that. The Beeb tried again: 'Can you rule out tax rises?' McFadden, once again, obfuscated: Look, I'm not going to speculate on the budget. We will keep to the tax promises that we made in our manifesto when we fought the election last year. But it doesn't make sense for me to speculate on something where, as I say, there are so many moving parts of which this is only one element. Clear as mud, eh? And Steerpike isn't sure that Brits will believe Labour figures who insist the party of government will keep their word. As YouGov polling revealed on Tuesday, the number one reason voters are deserting Starmer's army is, er, broken promises! Watch the clip here:
Spectator
18-06-2025
- Politics
- Spectator
Of course France won't stop the small boats
The BBC have visited the French coast to see for themselves that Nigel Farage (and Coffee House) aren't making it up: there is indeed a migrant crisis on the beaches close to Calais and has been for years. Britain certainly won't receive much in the way of help from the pro-migrant Emmanuel Macron, despite what Keir Starmer may claim The Beeb paid their call last Friday and encountered around 80 people waist deep in water. These weren't locals having a dip to escape the June heatwave but migrants from Eritrea, Afghanistan and elsewhere. They were waiting for what the BBC described as a 'taxi-boat', one of the myriad vessels that cruise the coastline picking up passengers and transporting them across the Channel to England. 'The taxi boat system appears to give the smugglers a little more control over what has often been a chaotic and dangerous process,' explained the BBC. More control means more efficiency which results in larger numbers of 'passengers' being taxied to England. So far this year over 16,000 have made the voyage north (an increase of 42 per cent on the same period in 2024). Given that the weather is set to be fair for the foreseeable future, the numbers will only increase in the coming months. Even Downing Street admitted on Tuesday that the situation is 'deteriorating'. There is another certainty to the Channel migrant crisis and that is that the French will do little to stem the human tide. Why should they? It's in the interest of the government to offload migrants onto Britain. At the start of the year Bruno Retailleau, the Interior Minister, bullishly declared that he wanted to change the rules of engagement so that the French police could intercept migrant boats in shallow water; that has yet to happen. Retailleau gave a lengthy radio interview on Wednesday morning, talking for 25 minutes and immigration and insecurity. Not once did he mention small boats on the Channel. What he did talk about was tightening France's borders within the Schengen area: in other words reducing the number of illegal immigrants crossing into France from Italy, Spain, Germany and elsewhere. But not a word about Britain. Retailleau doesn't care about Britain, and why should he? Like all French conservatives he believes Britain's migrant crisis is to large extent a mess of their own making. In 2015 one of Retailleau's centre-right colleagues, Xavier Bertrand, said migrants regarded Britain as a utopia 'because there's work there, and above all, you can work there without identity papers.' England, declared Bertrand, 'needs to change its rules on working with illegals'. Retailleau is expected to run as the centre-right candidate in the 2027 presidential election and a recent opinion poll indicated he is likely to be a serious contender. He's in favour of a referendum on immigration and he's also a fierce critic of what he regards as the left-leaning judiciary. For the moment, however, there is little he can do to tackle the small boat crisis so why get involved? It could undermine his tough-talking image. Better to turn a blind eye and let the British suffer. Britain certainly won't receive much in the way of help from the pro-migrant Emmanuel Macron, despite what Keir Starmer may claim. The PM and the French president apparently discussed the migrant crisis at this week's G7 Summit in Canada and agreed to 'work closely' together to stem the small boats. As closely as Macron promised Rishi Sunak in 2023? On that occasion the PM wrote the president a cheque for £500 million in return for a promise to clamp down on small boat crossings. It was, proclaimed Macron a 'moment of reconnection' between the two countries. As Donald Trump remarked earlier this week, 'whether purposely or not, Emmanuel always gets it wrong.' The same goes for all the British PMs who have boasted they were going to crack the migrant crisis.
Scotsman
10-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
The Gold series 2: how many episodes are left? Schedule
The Gold's second series will continue on the BBC - but how many episodes are left? 👀 Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... The Gold is back after a two year break. Viewers can expect a new episode in a matter of hours. But how many are left in the series? The tale of the Brink's-Mat robbery and its aftermath will continue with the latest episode of The Gold. After a two-year wait the acclaimed show has returned and viewers are being treated to multiple episodes a week. Hugh Bonneville leads the cast of the historical drama - while plenty other familiar faces also appear in the series. The Beeb was forced into moving the show around on the schedule due to live sports. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad But how many episodes are left in the second series? Here's all you need to know: When is The Gold next on TV? Tom Cullen (John Palmer) and Joshua Samuels (Jerren) in The Gold series 2 | BBC Viewers have been forced to wait an extra 24 hours for the second episode of the new season. The Gold will continue on BBC One tonight (June 10) after being pushed back due to Wales' world cup qualifier against Belgium taking its normal slot last night (June 9). The latest episode is due to start at 9pm this evening and it will run for an hour once again. The preview, via Radio Times , reads: 'The police investigation into the Brink's-Mat robbery spreads overseas, as evidence comes in that the proceeds from the bullion heist are being laundered through growing international criminal networks.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad How many episodes of The Gold are left in series 2? First making its debut back in early 2023, fans of the historical drama have faced a lengthy wait for the show to return. It took more than two years for the second series to arrive but it is finally here. The first season of The Gold had six episodes - which is often the length of a BBC (or ITV) drama. For series two, it will also have six episodes and will be broadcast over the course of three weeks. However if you can't wait for the next episode, the full boxset became available on BBC iPlayer on Sunday (June 8). Both seasons can be binged right now. Have you enjoyed The Gold series two so far? Let me know your thoughts by email: . Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Have you got a story you want to share with our readers? You can now send it to us online via YourWorld at . It's free to use and, once checked, your story will appear on our website and, space allowing, in our newspapers.
Scotsman
10-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
The Gold series 2: how many episodes are left? Schedule
The Gold's second series will continue on the BBC - but how many episodes are left? 👀 Sign up to our Arts and Culture newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... The Gold is back after a two year break. Viewers can expect a new episode in a matter of hours. But how many are left in the series? The tale of the Brink's-Mat robbery and its aftermath will continue with the latest episode of The Gold. After a two-year wait the acclaimed show has returned and viewers are being treated to multiple episodes a week. Hugh Bonneville leads the cast of the historical drama - while plenty other familiar faces also appear in the series. The Beeb was forced into moving the show around on the schedule due to live sports. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad But how many episodes are left in the second series? Here's all you need to know: When is The Gold next on TV? Tom Cullen (John Palmer) and Joshua Samuels (Jerren) in The Gold series 2 | BBC Viewers have been forced to wait an extra 24 hours for the second episode of the new season. The Gold will continue on BBC One tonight (June 10) after being pushed back due to Wales' world cup qualifier against Belgium taking its normal slot last night (June 9). The latest episode is due to start at 9pm this evening and it will run for an hour once again. The preview, via Radio Times , reads: 'The police investigation into the Brink's-Mat robbery spreads overseas, as evidence comes in that the proceeds from the bullion heist are being laundered through growing international criminal networks.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad How many episodes of The Gold are left in series 2? First making its debut back in early 2023, fans of the historical drama have faced a lengthy wait for the show to return. It took more than two years for the second series to arrive but it is finally here. The first season of The Gold had six episodes - which is often the length of a BBC (or ITV) drama. For series two, it will also have six episodes and will be broadcast over the course of three weeks. However if you can't wait for the next episode, the full boxset became available on BBC iPlayer on Sunday (June 8). Both seasons can be binged right now. Have you enjoyed The Gold series two so far? Let me know your thoughts by email: . Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad
The Irish Sun
30-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Radio 1 fans threaten to switch off as they slam ‘gross' decision and insist it's ‘not right'
RADIO 1 fans have threatened to switch off as they slammed the latest 'gross' decision by bosses and insist it's 'not right'. The BBC station has announced the newest presenter to join the line-up. 6 Vick Hope's replacement has been revealed as she goes on maternity leave Credit: Getty 6 Sophie Habboo will join her husband Jamie Laing to co-host the Going Home show Credit: Instagram/@bbcradio1 6 Longtime fans of the station flooded social media with their thoughts as they slammed the latest hiring Credit: The Mega Agency Greg James is the flagship presenter of the breakfast show and fans constantly praise his skill behind the mic. He was supported by the likes of former Strictly Come Dancing star Vick Hope who presents the Going Home show. She usually takes to the airwaves alongside Chelsea star Jamie Laing in the traditional drivetime slot. However, she will be taking a break from her presenting duties as she READ MORE ON JAMIE LAING The station announced that her replacement will be none other than Jamie's wife Loose Women presenter, influencer and former I'm A Celebrity campmate GK Barry will also join the presenting roster as she takes over the weekend afternoon show. Longtime fans have slammed the latest hiring by bosses after they announced the news . On the official social media account of BBC Radio 1, fans flocked to the comments section as they claimed the station has 'fallen' in standards. Most read in News TV One disgruntled listener fumed: "How far we've fallen from Vick and Jordan…" A second exclaimed: "There is something really gross, about two such privileged and independently wealthy (the Laings)given access to prime time national radio shows over people who have trained and studied for years in media." Vick Hope finally reveals pregnancy - and date she's going on maternity leave from BBC Radio One "Please get some good DJs back in the drive time slot. It's getting embarrassing," stated a third user. While someone else raged: "Wealthy Reality stars just being handed roles for nothing now. They're sooo unrelatable." And a fifth added: "Im a big radio 1 fan but shouldve been jerry .....jamie and sophie is a bad move be a switch off for me sorry." Many longtime fans of the station directly blamed bosses for a decline as they hired 'influencers'. BBC News' Biggest Blunders The Beeb has suffered a number of gaffes recently, here we take a look at the biggest, and funniest, mishaps to date: Maryam Moshiri Tongued-tied sports presenter BBC Look North's Newsreader BBC Breakfast's The news correspondent is Azadeh Moshiri They slammed the decision not to look for upcoming talent or give the role to an existing cover presenter who has trained for the job 'for years'. Another fan noted: "Where is the dislike button? There are so many hard working and capable presenters covering gigs on R1 atm, how undermining that they weren't given the chance to show the listeners what they're capable of!!" Someone else agreed" "Really glad I'm not the only one who was disappointed by this update. It really doesn't sit right with me when there's people trying so hard to get a break. It's a no from me I'm afraid." As a seventh fan stated: "Radio 1 turning into a constant influencer podcast.. what happened to actually knowing music to being a radio DJ! Many years of listening, only holding on for Greg! Time to switch!" Please get some good DJs back in the drive time slot. It's getting embarrassing Radio 1 fan While another added: "I think I'll be finding a different radio station to listen to for my 'going home' slot in the week now. "Something just doesn't sit right with me, that his wife has got the job… when there must be some amazing local talent & those that have worked really hard in the industry that will have been overlooked for celebrity privilege…" 6 GK Barry will also join the lineup to take over a primetime slot Credit: Instagram/@bbcradio1 6 Fans were left enraged as they slammed bosses for simply hiring wealthy 'celebrities' and 'influencers' Credit: Instagram 6 They claimed bosses should look for upcoming talent and those who have worked hard in the industry from the ground up Credit: PA
