back migrants from ireland. we look at what happens next in scotland after the snp leader, humza yousaf quit earlier today, triggering a search for a successor and a new scottish first minister. and after more than 200,000 people signed a petition backed by a terminally ill broadcaster, dame esther rantzen mp , today debated in rantzen mp, today debated in parliament whether dying people should be able to ask for medical assistance to end their lives. we'll discuss all that and more after the news with ray allison . allison. >> thanks, chris. good evening. our top stories tonight. the snp is preparing for a leadership contest after the scottish first minister announced his resignation. humza yousafs admitted that he underestimated the level of upset that he would cause by cutting political ties with the greens. he will now

continue in his post until a replacement can be found . replacement can be found. clearly emotional, mr yousaf said he's quitting to help repair relationships across the political divide . political divide. >> no, ella whelan certainly bear no grudge against anyone. politics can be a brutal business. it takes its toll on your physical and mental health. your family suffer alongside you. i am in absolute debt to my wonderful wife, my beautiful children and my wider family for putting up with me over the years. i'm afraid you will be seeing a lot more of me from how. >> now. >> the race to replace humza yousaf starts now. former deputy first minister john swinney says he's considering it carefully. >> i've got lots of things to think about and there's the whole question of my, my family and i have to make sure that i do the right thing by my family. they're precious to me. i have to do the right thing by my party and by my country. so

there's lots to be thought about and i'll give all of that consideration in the days to come . come. >> dozens of migrants have been rescued from the channel after their small boat got into difficulties off the french coast. it's understood that a number of people were pulled from the water and taken to the port at calais. the latest rescue operation comes after senior border force officials raised concerns that people in small boats are using children as human shields to evade police . last week, over 900 migrants crossed to the uk. well, the northern ireland secretary says the government is surprised by how quickly their rwanda plan appears to be working. speaking at a british—irish conference in london, chris heaton—harris said they hadn't expected the deterrent effect to begin before flights took off. it comes after the irish government said it has seen an 80% increase in asylum seekers entering from northern ireland. they want to return them to the uk, but the

government says that will only be possible if we can send small boat migrants back to the eu . boat migrants back to the eu. >> it was always going to be the case. we believed as a government that our rwanda policy would act as a deterrent for people coming to this country illegally , i think we country illegally, i think we are slightly surprised that it's manifested itself so quickly after the act , became law, and after the act, became law, and we are now in the process of making sure that we are, gathering those individuals who could qualify for the first flight to be on that first flight. >> for the latest stories, sign up to gb news alerts by scanning the qr code on your screen or go to gbnews.com/alerts. now let's go straight back to . chris. go straight back to. chris. >> thank you forjoining me on >> thank you for joining me on farage. now tonight. tensions are escalating between the uk

and ireland as the asylum debate takes centre stage. downing street is standing firm, refusing to take back asylum seekers from ireland until the eu wide asylum rules are revised and france takes migrants who crossed to here to england , crossed to here to england, often by boat across the english channel. the disagreement comes as ireland rushes to implement emergency laws to stem the rising tide of asylum seekers, who are crossing its border with northern ireland. the irish government blames a recent surge in asylum seekers on the uk government's rwanda policy. obe only became law last thursday. remember, though, micheal martin at the time the prime minister of ireland, in march 2022, he said the following. we have an open border with northern ireland. that's not going to change. be that for pandemic reasons or be that for refugee reasons. so what has changed? because something clearly has. well earlier today uk and irish ministers met to discuss their

asylum arrangements. gb news is home and security editor mark white has been following this story across the day . mark good evening. >> good evening to you . >> good evening to you. >> good evening to you. >> what an extraordinary comeuppance may be for, for ireland demanding during the dunng ireland demanding during the during the during the talks on brexit and open border. now they're concerned about that same open border. >> yeah. well not just that for years there has been a loophole as it has been described by dublin, which has worked exactly the other way in that many migrants have taken advantage of open borders in europe to enter ireland and then to come up through that border into the united kingdom , through into united kingdom, through into northern ireland, and across on ferries to the uk mainland. that has been happening for years and has been happening for years and has been happening for years and has been of significant concern ,

has been of significant concern, to ministers here in london. so now we have a situation where, according to dublin, they are saying that 80% of those asylum seekers that they are now seeing in ireland, they believe are coming from the north of ireland. now that is being disputed by some of the human rights charities in ireland at the moment, because the government seems to be basing their assessment on the fact that the vast majority of those who are claiming asylum are doing it through the international protection office international protection office in dublin, rather than at airports and ports, however , for airports and ports, however, for these charities say that just because they're not, actually applying for asylum immediately, they land or arrive at a ferry port, doesn't mean that they've come from northern ireland down. it may just be that they've

delayed their decision to actually claim asylum, so that 80% mark might not be quite as high as the government in ireland are suggesting. regardless, it is quite an unseemly row that is developing here. chris heaton—harris , the here. chris heaton—harris, the northern ireland secretary, with his counterpart micheal martin today in london. we're trying to sound conciliatory , but it's sound conciliatory, but it's clear on listening to chris heaton—harris that they are not going to bend london. that is to this request from ireland to have migrants returned back over the border because of the situation with france refusing to take migrants across the channel. this is what he said, the agreement on returns, i mean, we've been told all the way through since we left the european union that the uk must deal with the european union as a whole entity and so anything on returns has to be dealt or deau on returns has to be dealt or dealt with on that basis. and we are obviously, are working with

our european partners because this is a shared endeavour to try and stop criminal gangs, illegally importing, exporting people, human trafficking people across the continent of europe into the united kingdom, into ireland, from our perspective, and i'm very clear that the common travel area generally , common travel area generally, and that framework has been very beneficial to irish citizens and to united kingdom citizens. >> and it covers a lot, including migration , and both including migration, and both governments are committed to working together in the time ahead, to dealing with issues. many issues, including migration i >> -- >> well, rather inconveniently for the government in dublin, their supreme court ruled last month that the uk wasn't regarded as a safe third country because of the rwanda policy . so because of the rwanda policy. so they are going to try to push through emergency legislation that they say would allow them

to put these migrants back north of the border into the uk . of the border into the uk. however, rishi sunak was quite clear today in saying that that will not happen as long as the uk is not allowed to return migrants to france. >> well, mark white, our home affairs and security editor, thank you for joining affairs and security editor, thank you forjoining us affairs and security editor, thank you for joining us tonight with that update. now, joining us now in the studio in westminster. here is mark francois, tory mp for rally in wickford and chairman of the european research group of tory mps and anti anti—eu group, and a member of the defence select committee. mark, welcome to the studio evening. why are you smiling? well, because the irish government are now hoist by their own petard. >> chopper. the stench of hypocrisy over this is worse than a ten year old pint of guinness that's gone off. i mean , i remember all the way through what i call the battle of brexit in the house of commons being told night after night, week after week, including by people

quoting the irish government and then seeing it in clips from dublin. no hard border on the island of ireland under any circumstances. complete free movement across that border. and you know, as your correspondent rightly pointed out, there was a loophole which was known as the dubun loophole which was known as the dublin convention. and so now, to have the irish government say squealing that these rules are against their national interest when they are the people that argued for them for years, is you couldn't make it up. >> micheal martin, of course, at the time, prime minister yes. now in london with chris heaton—harris, the northern ireland secretary, saying that even with on refugee issue that border must stay open now, it can't stay open. did you? what extent do you think, though , extent do you think, though, that this problem emerged last thursday, the very day that rwanda bill became law and now it is law, and now you've got the guardian in today saying we're going to start rounding up uk asylum seekers, and you

couldn't pay for the advertising if you're the government, i imagine if you're suddenly the pm would be quite happy with that, that headline. but to what extent is it a real issue? or are they just trying to blame the uk for their own asylum problem? well michael martin, as you say at the time of all these arguments, was the taoiseach. >> he was the prime minister of ireland. he's now the foreign minister. and he said last week that 80% of asylum seekers arriving in ireland, in the repubuc arriving in ireland, in the republic have come from northern ireland. because of his words, the rwanda effect . so here's the the rwanda effect. so here's the man who, a few years ago was saying under no circumstances could there be any kind of border between northern ireland and the republic. now complaining bitterly about what he calls the rwanda effect, now , he calls the rwanda effect, now, that would seem to imply that, at least in the republic of ireland, that legislation is now starting to have a material effect. and don't forget the european people's party, the

epp, are sort of underlined . and epp, are sort of underlined. and all of those david cameron took our meps out. i was the project manager for that when i was the shadow europe minister. you know, the history, the epp in their manifesto for the european elections, are now apparently saying, quote, we want to implement the concept of safe third countries. this is the european people's party. so who of course were desperately in favour of theresa may's original deal favour of theresa may's original deal. so you know, the whole world tonight is kind of spinning through 180 degrees and going back towards maybe where the uk government is. >> although what's different, i think, is that rwanda is a deportation scheme, not a not a processing scheme. once you go to the rwanda, you're not going to the rwanda, you're not going to come back. and that's the difference. maybe with what we're looking at. >> well, the government has said repeatedly you should not be able to come into the united kingdom illegally and be able to stay. so the rwanda scheme was always been designed as a deterrent. here's the irony that a government in the republic, who argued for years for no kind

of border control at all, are the people that are now telling us in london that it does have a have a different attack? hang on. it does have a deterrent effect , and oh, they don't like effect, and oh, they don't like it and the scheme is starting to work and are you surprised by that? >> you've been concerned about it. you've been concerned about the way it was all structured weren't you? yes. >> no, it's had the five families in and out of the look. it's absolutely true, chopper, that i and some of my colleagues had concerns about the absolute legal technicalities of the bill and we'll see how that plays through. yes, but it does seem that the overall scheme and now we have the bill has become an act despite the house of lords , act despite the house of lords, that it act despite the house of lords, thatitis act despite the house of lords, that it is beginning to have an effect and don't take it from me, as the chairman of the european research group, take it from the foreign minister of the repubuc from the foreign minister of the republic of ireland . and i say republic of ireland. and i say again, who for years and years these people were arguing we could not have any kind of border restriction on the island of ireland under any circumstances. well guess what?

it you know, history appears to have moved on a bit. very rare. >> we see you so happy in the studio, mark france. normally you're steaming with anger about this government, but there we are. another thing. you reason why you're happy is the 2.5% target to on gdp spending. you've got an idea of how that money should be spent. >> yeah. sorry. to be fair, this government are absolutely right to stand firm on this. and i hope they'll continue to do so. now 2.5. yes, another good decision by the government. i was delighted last week when we announced we were going to increase defence spending to 2.5% of gdp, i'd like to see it get to three. but let's not be churlish. 2.5% is a lot better than two. and that means we can begin to recapitalise our armed forces. we can plug some of the capability gaps that we have and the most important thing that the most important thing that the prime minister said in poland last week was he was putting the defence industry in his words, on a war footing because the history shows us the best way to prevent war. to

deter war is by showing any potential aggressor who may or may not be called vladimir putin, that you're prepared to fight and to win. >> and what project, particularly the money on. we know israel was protected by the iron dome, wasn't it, know israel was protected by the iron dome, wasn't it , from. yes. iron dome, wasn't it, from. yes. >> and that seems to have been 99% successful. we have a very limited air defence system in the united kingdom. we know from ukraine that russia tends to launch massive cruise missile strikes from its bombers. we don't really have an air defence system that's equipped to cope with that. now that we have these extra resources as a priority, we should start to invest in creating an iron dome of our own . of our own. >> well, mark francois, senior figure on the defence select committee and of course, chairman of the european research group of tory mps. thanks for coming to the studio and joining us today on gb news. thank you for having me. thank you . now, as crossings continue, you. now, as crossings continue, border force officials have told gb news of big concerns that channel migrants are using children us children as human shields to stop police puncturing their small boats.

our colleague mark white was given exclusive access to the small boats operational command in dover. here's what he saw . in dover. here's what he saw. >> this is a rare look inside the small boats operational command at dover harbour. the small boats operational command at dover harbour . as we command at dover harbour. as we filmed the border force vessel defender was alongside offloading another 66 channel migrants, the latest of more than 7000 who have arrived here so far this year. and this their mode of transport, large but extreme flimsy inflatable rafts made for the criminal gangs in backstreet factories. >> i mean , these aren't >> i mean, these aren't seaworthy for anything because they are just not made to any standard . standard. >> and trevor taylor has seen increasing numbers packed into these vessels. 70 or 80 migrants on each boat is now common. >> it'sjust on each boat is now common. >> it's just it's just not safe. the way it's constructed . and i

the way it's constructed. and i mean, this is typical where if there was a cut or a punch in one part of this boat, the whole thing would go down. >> makeshift puncture repair kits and cheap pumps are often all the migrants have as they battle to stay afloat. and there are very few, if any, effective life jackets . life jackets. >> just show you an example of that. >> just show you an example of that . and that's probably not that. and that's probably not just for a child. they'll probably give that to an adult as well, saying that's going to save you another example just back here is an inner tube . we back here is an inner tube. we quite often see them or they're handed out in a packet to basically if you panic, inflate one of those yourself and the engines two are completely unsuitable for the english channel unsuitable for the english channel, lacking power and prone to breaking down. >> you look at the engine, you might think, yeah, that's a proper engine. >> some of you might expect. however, the organised crime groups, they put stickers like

this on their c30 to try to trick you into thinking, oh, 30 horsepower. but in reality, it's somewhere between 10 and 15. it's a really not suitable to go on the boat itself, especially at sea. >> the surge in violence along the french coast is of huge concern to authorities on both sides of the channel. staff in dover have seen increasing numbers of migrants arriving with injuries , including stab wounds. >> the violence that is now shown to our french colleagues, trying to prevent the launches, trying to prevent the launches, trying to prevent the launches, trying to save these people from from putting their lives at risk is huge. we've seen them attacked with sticks, metal bars , machetes, using women and children that are there to, you know, to, to, to cross, using them as human shields to prevent law enforcement taking action. and it's growing. it's getting w0 i'se. woi'se. >> worse. >> this key site here at dover harbour is where the channel

migrants first set foot on british soil. of migrants first set foot on british soil . of course, if british soil. of course, if rishi sunaks rwanda plan comes to full fruition, then they won't be here for long. many of them will be on a flight to east africa , but those flights are africa, but those flights are likely still months away and as weather conditions improve in the weeks ahead, many more of these flimsy migrant boats will arrive in uk waters unseaworthy and dangerously overloaded. mark whyte, gb news is at the small boats operational command in dover. doven >> right, it's one moment we'll discuss what next for scotland after humza yousaf resigned as snp leader earlier today. this is farage with me. christopher hope on

gb news. well, it's been a roller coaster week in scottish politics.

tensions have been brewing since humza yousaf spectacularly torpedoed the snp's coalition with the greens. he then ruthlessly or maybe foolhardily, sacked his coalition partners, the green co—leaders for the ministerial post, saying it showed leadership. if you say so, mate. immediately. though he faced accusations he was attempting to save his own skin and jump before he was pushed, he failed to secure enough support to survive an upcoming no confidence vote in himself and his party, and humza. the brief, as he was dubbed by the scottish press , was forced to scottish press, was forced to throw in the towel at a press conference earlier today, acknowledging the events that had led up to this moment, he said they clearly underestimated the level of hurt that ending. his party's power sharing agreement with the greens had caused. well, so what happens next? well, joining us now to answer that question is gb news scotland reporter tony maguire. tony, a long day for you. but briefly , what happens next?

briefly, what happens next? >> aim. good evening. well, certainly this has been a spectacular day at the end of four fs btec spectacular days for humza yousaf, but is also much often happens. seems to be that the conversation immediately moves on to who is next. so lots of names being run around, over the weekend and into today, i think there's a few we could probably not spend too much time on. neil grey , and too much time on. neil grey, and of course, jenny gilruth, but certainly stephen flynn was, the westminster leader of the snp. he was, you know, quite hotly contested to replace humza yousaf . but as we heard earlier yousaf. but as we heard earlier on today, he has a very singular focus about wanting to be re—elected for his westminster seat. so then that leaves us to it leaves kate forbes, who came tantalisingly close around this time last year, only pipped at the post by humza yousaf , and the post by humza yousaf, and then john swinney, the name that's being bandied around everywhere today and i think

kate forbes for one, i think she represents something that the snp has had to come to recognise about itself in the last few years. centrally the formation of the bute house agreement is that the snp now has a left and a right, and kate forbes very much speaks to that right right side of the party. however there it's still questionable as to whether she could get enough votes. of course, this is really all about passing things like budgets and other legislation. she could get alba's vote from ash regan, but that would still only leave her 60 for one short of an overall majority. and that, then, i suppose, takes us to john swinney. john swinney has been with the scottish national party really, since almost the waves were breaking on the shores of devolution. he actually ran as leader of the party back in 2003. in the election , and he ended up losing election, and he ended up losing eight seats that year, going down from 35 to 27, but yet he

could offer a nice stopgap for the snp . in fact, the other the snp. in fact, the other pro—independence parties could see him as a way of keeping the nationalist kind of agenda going, keeping the pro—independence parties at the top of the food chain. here in scottish politics, alba and greens have both said that they would get behind him. but but tony, the question you've got to ask about john swinney is he he was the future once, but is he the future now ? the future now? >> i mean, he wants to win the election in 2026. does he want to serve another five years after that as first minister? well, i think that certainly is an important question because a lot of people have said that, you know, he would, as i say, just provide some kind of stopgap and as a way to almost block the unionist parties from getting in through an early election. >> now , john swinney, as you >> now, john swinney, as you say, he's he's done the rounds. he's already said today that he's taking it under serious

consideration . however, you consideration. however, you know, i think that his answer this time last year when nicola sturgeon hung up her boots , was sturgeon hung up her boots, was that he wanted a new breath of fresh air. well this last 13 months of humza yousaf certainly was that. but it wasn't to everyone's liking now. >> absolutely. well, tony and tony maguire, our scotland reporter. thank you for joining us tonight on gb news. let's turn now to neale hanvey, the westminster leader of alba party. neale, thanks for coming into the studio. i bet you can't believe your luck. i mean, it's a complete implosion here of the snp leadership. >> well, i mean i wouldn't quite go as far as calling it luck. i mean, look, the snp is an incredibly important, party to many of us in alba. a lot of us and many of our members devoted decades of time campaigning for that party. so it gives us absolutely no real pleasure, to see the party in such turmoil , see the party in such turmoil, you know, i don't think anyone, least of all humza yousaf, could

have believed last thursday morning when he decided to stamp his mark on the party that it would unravel so quickly and so decisively against him. and we're now in the preposterous situation where humza, the briefer i think it was alex hammond who coined that phrase of, suggest, well , humza, the of, suggest, well, humza, the brief, has now been replaced by patrick harvie as the de facto first minister of scotland because he's the one who will have a say over which snp msp is palatable to the greens. and thatis palatable to the greens. and that is the reality of where we are. >> and that's why it can't be kate forbes because of her views on religious issues, etc, which are what might might be issues there with the green party. well, i think that that illustrates precisely what the problem is. >> so kate forbes, who came tantalisingly close to winning the leadership election the last time, is being excluded from the

race by patrick harvie and his green party colleagues . and green party colleagues. and that's that's a really a matter of deep concern and should concern every single snp , concern every single snp, member, because that's not how internal party democracy is supposed to function when you can't have another party. interfering with your internal processes and sadly, that's where this whole shambles has led the snp to, has it set back the cause of independence, i don't think i mean, it's not helped . let's just get that out helped. let's just get that out of the way first. it's not helped. and but, you know, the independence movement is setting north of 50% and has been for quite some time. during that time, the numbers for the snp have continued to fall and i anticipate that there will be a lot of anger against both the snp and particularly the green party , because one of the things

party, because one of the things that we've discovered in all of this is that the green party's commitment to independence is a complete mirage . their complete mirage. their commitment to the environment is a complete mirage. the only issue that they are prepared to draw a red line over is gender identity. and resisting the evidence that's contained in the cas report. that's where they draw the line. and that's a very serious issue for everybody in scotland, because those policies, as we've seen from the cash review, are not consistent with medical good medical practice and equalities and human rights legislation that the snp might go back to to, that kind of place in politics under alex salmond. >> of course, your leader now. yes. that's why the party built that amazing coalition of support in the early 2010s. yeah, absolutely. >> alex. first administration had 47 msps. he had to work with all of their parties . he made all of their parties. he made great progress delivering real improvements to the lives of the people of scotland. and then in his only the only administration

to have a real majority from 2011, he continued to build and advance on that and was able to deliver that that important goal of an independence referendum, which no one since has been able to come anywhere close to. but the fundamental difference with alec and those who have come after him is that alec was absolutely focused on delivering tangible outcomes for the people of scotland. everybody knew that life was better. with alec at the helm of the country . vie. the helm of the country. vie. whereas since then and what we've been through with nicola sturgeon is there have been great headlines, but the substance underneath that has been completely absent and the merger of the of the police forces wasn't a great idea or seemed to be that good. well, i think these things can work if you're prepared to put the effort in to work out the detail, to make sure that the structures work, it's when you make big announcements like, we're launching two ferries, but they're not ready, not built

yet. they're not ready to, to, to sail or the fuel that they require is not available on the coast that they're going to be sailing from. then you start getting into real difficulty. >> how will history judge humza yousaf do you get to know him much? when he first became a. >> i've only met humza a few times and he's, you know, he's a he's a pleasant enough, enough man. i think, you know part of me , besides the bucha that we've me, besides the bucha that we've experienced over the last few days and he's, you know, he inherited a whole host of problems that were left behind by his predecessor. and it's, you know, it's really unfortunate for him that he's had to deal with this tumult of catastrophe raining down on him while he's been completely unable to stamp his authority on his administration. and the moment he tried to do it, he got it spectacularly wrong. i guess john swinney, his problem might be that he's he was around for much of the mistakes you're alluding to. >> i mean, yes, absolutely. and

your critics will be saying, well, you're around. you were a deputy to nicola sturgeon through all that period. >> exactly. i mean, it's quite interesting that you raise that because that's a point that we were discussing in my office this afternoon that you know, whilst john does have a good track record, certainly in his years as finance secretary under alex salmond, he was riding shotgun with nicola sturgeon throughout all of those disastrous years. and it's only since he stood down and since nicola stood down that it's really come to the disaster has come to light. >> the one they worry about in the uk, i think is kate forbes. she's the one who the unionists tell me they worry about. >> yes , because she's good. >> yes, because she's good. she's an incredibly capable, bright , and articulate she's an incredibly capable, bright, and articulate woman who would be more than capable of leading an exceptional snp administration. i have absolutely no doubt about that. but it's the green party, the green party who hold the keys to the snp leadership. and ain't that just the tail wagging the dog thing, the tail wagging the dog? >> listen, neale hanvey, thank

you for joining >> listen, neale hanvey, thank you forjoining us >> listen, neale hanvey, thank you for joining us tonight on >> listen, neale hanvey, thank you forjoining us tonight on gb you for joining us tonight on gb news in the studio. i really appreciate you coming in. thank you. in a moment of the protests in the republic of ireland following an influx of asylum seekers crossing the border from northern ireland, rishi sunak has declared he is not interested in taking back migrants from ireland. we'll turn to leading immigration lawyer for reaction shortly

now, prime minister rishi sunak earlier today declared he is not interested in taking back migrants from ireland after an influx of asylum seekers crossing their border from the north. he said the uk would not accept migrants returned from the eu via ireland when the eu, of course, is refusing to take back channel migrants who come to england from france, many by small boats. the row continues to escalate after senior irish ministers said they would draft emergency laws to send back refugees who arrived in the uk to avoid them being deported to

rwanda. well enjoy now here in the gb news studio in westminster by paul turner , one westminster by paul turner, one of the uk's leading immigration barristers with over 20 years experience. paul, thanks for coming to the studio . so, what coming to the studio. so, what do you make of all this tension here? do you do you believe that the issue in dublin is caused by the issue in dublin is caused by the rwanda bill? are people going there to escape being rounded up? >> i think probably, it's true, but i'm not sure whether it's people that are claiming asylum there. arriving in ireland straight away, or they're choosing to go to ireland and they're claiming asylum , i they're claiming asylum, i think, mark francois was saying we have an open border with ireland, and i don't think that's ever going to close . so that's ever going to close. so it wouldn't surprise me if people are making the trip over. but, i think what it all behoves are people that are patting the government on the back and rishi saying, oh, it's having a wonderful effect . my wonderful effect. my understanding was unless i've been reading the news or not, paying been reading the news or not, paying attention was that it was supposed to deter people from crossing the channel. now, i think anybody would know that.

so far we've had 7167 people arrive this year, which is a record up from 2022. and if the weather's good, it looks like there's going to be more. and obviously chris looking at it, the randa bill's been all over the randa bill's been all over the newspapers. it's been heading to being passed and it was passed the guardian today saying the very same thing here. >> i mean i was just reflecting earlier, the government really would like that's a good headline. even even an advert couldn't pay for that. good day. if the government well, i query whether it's a good advert for the government because what it's essentially telling any, asylum seeker or any lawyer that's slightly disreputable, that represents asylum seekers is run away. >> now . and my understanding is >> now. and my understanding is that and from other people that work in this area that lawyers are advising their clients, that if they report, they are likely to be detained or there is a higher risk of them being detained. now given that these individuals have travelled halfway across the world and put their lives in danger with the

small boats, if they're being told, well, if you go to the home office and report, there's a chance you're going to end up in a detention centre and on a plane to rwanda. i would be very surprised if many people go to report so it seems to me it's kind of counterproductive. >> have you seen the letters being sent out to try and find migrants to be sent? >> i have seen some draft letters and sample letters which say you are, you are a candidate for the return to rwanda or not return. you are a candidate for a trip to rwanda. so they're sending these out to people. and i think that if people get them , i think that if people get them, then that's going to be that's going to act as a to dissuade them from reporting. >> where are these people? are they in hotel rooms or are they in the community? >> i think a lot of them. this chris, is one of the real tragedies. a lot of them are in hotel accommodation. and this is because following the previous piece of legislation, all those that arrived on small boats after about the mid last year are claims are inadmissible. so they're not being processed. and i was looking at a report there are about 40,000 people whose

claims are inadmissible. the home office are just not touching them . they can't remove touching them. they can't remove them. and they they have the law says they can't process them. so these 40,000 people are sitting there in limbo, in limbo , being there in limbo, in limbo, being paid for by the taxpayer. >> well that makes that makes little sense. so much this policy does, i just wonder whether you think the pm is too soon to say that the scheme is working, judging by what's happening in, in dublin and ireland . ireland. >> well i think you look for a win anywhere to be honest. and i think that the reality will be if we get a week or a month of good weather, are people going to still cross the channel? and the real tragedy would be, and listening to all the politicians , all trying to pat each other on the back and saying it's splendid, is if we become a transit country for migrants such as italy is where they arrive in italy, they don't want to stay there because it's not very nice or they're not welcome. so they travel to france and then to on england if they're going to travel on to ireland. but transit the united kingdom, the small boats are

still going to carry on arriving . and i believe rishi sunak said that they were stopping the small boats to save lives. if the people are just coming across because they're not going to get on a boat from france to cork, then the numbers are i don't believe will go down. and also the criminal gangs , i mean, also the criminal gangs, i mean, they're selling a product come to the uk . i'm they're selling a product come to the uk. i'm sure they're selling a product come to the uk . i'm sure they're not to the uk. i'm sure they're not saying to people, get on that dangerous small boat. and i saw you had the detail of how dangerous they are. get on the small boat, take your child's rubber ring and by the way, you could be sent to. >> you've been through the rwanda act. now you've seen where the loopholes are, the concerns. maybe robert jenrick has when he resigned as immigration minister, are we heading towards a big battle in july with the european court of human rights? >> yeah, i think you're right there, chris. i think what's going to happen is that pretty much everybody who has a representative is going to make a claim based on their personal circumstances , and unless they circumstances, and unless they have something extenuating or potentially mental health, then it's going to end up with

europe. probably and i would put money on this, issuing a rule 39 injunction saying that the uk cannot remove people. >> and that's the moment for the pm. >> that's the moment where he's going to hope that where he will probably hope that if he steps up and defies europe, the polls will change in his favour. >> on the eve of what could be a long general election campaign going into the autumn. >> well, yes it could. it's all teed up nicely for him, isn't it? >> okay, well, listen, paul turner, an eminent immigration barrister, time coming to the studio today and joining us on gb news. thank you, chris. great to have you here. thank you. in a moment, following a packed out debate in parliament today after more than 200,000 people signed a petition calling for assisted dying to be legalised. we'll speak to campaigners on both sides of this

next. now. campaigners. both for and

against the change in the law. on assisted dying have been gathering outside parliament today as mps took part in a packed out westminster hall debate on the issue. backed by dame esther rantzen, the childline founder and broadcaster who has stage four lung cancer , has said law reform lung cancer, has said law reform in this area would mean she could look forward in confidence to her death, which is pain free, surrounded by people she loves. the petition for a debate , which gained more than 200,000 signatures, stated terminally ill people who are mentally sound and near the end of their lives should not suffer unbearably against their will. however, those who oppose the change in the law have voiced concerns that legalising assisted dying could put pressure on vulnerable people to end their lives for fear being a burden on others, and argue that the disabled, elderly, sick or depressed could be especially at risk from family members. this is tory mp kit malthouse. earlier today.

>> this quote is appalling. >> this quote is appalling. >> we have hundreds of people taking their own lives in this country, thousands dying , country, thousands dying, agonising, horrible deaths who may wish to do something different. >> and of course we've got business class , so it's even business class, so it's even worse if you've got the money, you can have what the law denies to everybody else. it's an outrage and it should change. >> that's that's the former cabinet minister, sir kit malthouse, giving his impassioned reasons why he thinks the law should be changed in parliament today. i'll discuss this. i'm joined by human rights campaigner and director of the peter tatchell foundation, peter tatchell. the peta supports changing the law and attended a demonstration in parliament today. and also joining me for this discussion is doctor george gordon macdonald , the ceo of care not macdonald, the ceo of care not killing. now doctor macdonald opposes assisted dying and attended today's debate in westminster. peter gordon, welcome here to farage. now people want to relieve suffering. why can't they?

>> gordon. >> gordon. >> well, we have very good palliative care in this country, but it's not good enough. 1 in 4 cancer patients don't get all the palliative care that they need. palliative care is not properly funded, only 30% of hospice funding comes from the nhs. so there are huge gaps. and so the question is why are we not addressing the issue of the lack of proper palliative care funding and the lack of provision whilst politicians are debating , essentially what would debating, essentially what would be the cheap option, which is to allow people to end their lives through assisted suicide or euthanasia . euthanasia. >> peter tatchell i mean, gordon's right. you're putting people at risk here who are very vulnerable. >> well, 84% of the public and a majority of doctors support assisted dying. they think that it's right that people should not have prolonged suffering and should have that option or choice. but of course, there are strong safeguards . under strong safeguards. under baroness michie's bill. it would have to be authorised by two independent doctors plus a high court judge . the person would

court judge. the person would have to be aged 18 or over. they'd have to have a diagnosis of a terminal illness and be expected to die within six months. so there are strong safeguards . and i would just say safeguards. and i would just say to everybody, we all want a quality of life. let's also give people the right to a quality of death. let's not prolong suffering. i've had friends who've been very seriously ill with terminal illnesses. they didn't immediately die. they suffered from months and months and months in agony. there was some palliative care , but it some palliative care, but it didn't stop the pain. it didn't give them a quality of life. i was just so upset and distressed to see the suffering they were going through. i wouldn't want to wish that on anyone . varne to wish that on anyone. varne and i would like people to have and i would like people to have a choice, gordon. >> a choice . that's all peter >> a choice. that's all peter tatchell wants for his friends, seriously ill friends who may want to kill themselves. >> yeah, but the problem is choice becomes an illusion. and that's what we've seen in canada, where people are not being given stairlifts or, you know, disabled people are not being given stairlifts, but they're being offered euthanasia. they've been offered

death where that's cheaper, maybe. well, it's because it's not available . that's the point. not available. that's the point. or there was a lady who went to the emergency department. she was suicidal. she tried to commit suicide before she was looking for help, and she was told that she wouldn't be able told that she wouldn't be able to see a psychiatrist for three months. but they said, well, you know, have you been considering medical assistance and dying now, whatever their intention in asking that question , the point asking that question, the point was it was perceived to be suggesting it. and this is the problem, is that once you legalise this, and especially if you put it in the health care, what you do is you create a system that has its own momentum and people who are vulnerable for whatever reason, will feel that they're under pressure to end their lives. >> peter tatchell, lady miach's safeguards there are doctors and how can doctors know what pressure is being put on behind the scenes on people by family members who want to save money and go to dignitas ? and go to dignitas? >> well, as i said they would, person would have to have a diagnosis of a terminal illness and be expected to die within six months. so merely suffering or claiming you're suffering and

claiming you want to die is not sufficient . there are these sufficient. there are these additional safeguards, and i think two independent doctors would not only do a physical assessment, but a psychological and emotional assessment as well . and then that would have to be approved by a high court judge . approved by a high court judge. so i understand people's concerns, but there are safeguards . and the examples safeguards. and the examples we've just heard from george, they are not good examples. they are they are they are not acceptable examples . just look acceptable examples. just look at australia and new zealand where they have had assisted dying for some years. it has worked well. there have been no cases that i'm aware of any abuses because there are also safeguards there. >> it works elsewhere. gordon >> it works elsewhere. gordon >> well, it doesn't work in the countries where it's been there longest the belgium, the netherlands, canada and oregon . netherlands, canada and oregon. even in oregon, you have people with anorexia qualifying because they're they defined as being terminally ill. it all comes down to the detail. you know, the devil is in the detail. and in this case, you know, what is the terminal illness in the scottish bill, which i, you

know, i know about terminal illness is very broadly defined . illness is very broadly defined. it applies to many disabled people, quite simply , you can't people, quite simply, you can't have a safe law and the safeguards get removed over time. >> baroness meacher's bill does not allow for those kind of exceptions. anorexia would not be acceptable. it's only in extreme cases. there's no wriggle room for people to twist and bend things. it's very precise , very limited and does precise, very limited and does protect the vulnerable. >> jacob rees—mogg , do you speak >> jacob rees—mogg, do you speak in today's debate? >> i didn't, i attended a lot of it and listened very carefully. i think the problem is that the safeguards don't remain and that the numbers grow as they have in every country that has adopted it. it goes up and up and up, and you don't know that somebody is going to live for six months or not. doctors may say they do, but they don't. i knew a wonderful old man who was very proud of the fact that he'd gone on for two years after the doctor had said he'd lived for six months, and he was getting some special benefit that he got. he said, for longer than anybody else because he'd kept on going.

>> is it for you? is a faith issue. you're catholic and that's why you preserve the sanctity of life is important. >> the sanctity. absolutely right. the sanctity of life is of fundamental importance to me, but there was a brilliant speech by stephen timms setting out from a labour man's point of view, the risk if the nhs goes from being a health service to being a death service. >> well, you heard from the great man there, jacob rees—mogg, coming up next, state of the nation with jacob rees—mogg. but first though, we're going to the weather with alex deakin . alex deakin. >> looks like things are heating up. boxt boilers sponsors of weather on gb news. >> time for your latest weather update from the met office here on gb news. good evening to you tomorrow more wet weather to come in parts of the west, whereas in the east it'll start to feel fairly warm in the late april sunshine. low pressure is still dominating , but it's kind still dominating, but it's kind of slow moving and it's in these western areas where we've seen

outbreaks of rain today that we will again see them tomorrow . will again see them tomorrow. staying fairly damp overnight across south wales, southwest england, the rain easing a little across parts of scotland, the heavy showers also easing in northern ireland, at least for a time, staying largely clear across east anglia and the south—east. temperature wise, a bit warmer than recent nights, most urban areas at least staying up at 7 to 10 c. on to tuesday . and as i said, it's tuesday. and as i said, it's a bit of an east west split. we'll start with a lot of cloud across northern england, but i'm hopeful it'll brighten up here. there will be further rain for wales and northern ireland. some heavy rain as well, the yellows and the reds in there and also fairly wet for parts of southwest england. pretty gusty in these western areas as well. a few showers in western scotland but a good part of scotland. dry much of northern england, the midlands, east anglia and the southeast having a fine old day and it will feel a fine old day and it will feel a bit warmer as well. look at those temperatures 17, 18, maybe even 19 celsius, but still on the cool side, where we've got the cool side, where we've got the cloud and the breeze and the outbreaks of rain further west from that area of low pressure

that does pull away, allowing some warmer weather to move in over the next few days . but it over the next few days. but it is not going to be dry everywhere. there will still be some heavy rain around. >> a brighter outlook with boxt solar for sponsors of weather on

gb news. >> hello. good evening. it's me. jacob rees—mogg on state of the nation. tonight, the rwanda plan is already working as migrants are flooding into southern ireland. but the irish want to change their laws to deport migrants back to the uk . tonight migrants back to the uk. tonight i'll be revealing a plan to send the uk's illegal migrants to the irish border so they can escape the dangers of the united kingdom. could it be the final nail in the coffin of scottish separatism? humza yousaf has announced his resignation following confidence crisis. but tonight i'll be taking you through his top three greatest

moments in scottish politics the w.h.0. moments in scottish politics the who. pandemic treaties w.h.o. pandemic treaties ratification is fast approaching, but new revelations about the treaty show this will pose a threat to british national sovereignty . plus, national sovereignty. plus, another stain on the bbc's escutcheon after chris packham, besmirches toby young and the daily sceptic falsely claiming affiliations to the fossil fuel industry with no challenge or correction from the supposedly impartial public service broadcaster toby young joins me in the studio for this evening's finale. state of the nation starts now. i'll also be joined by my most malicious panel this evening, the former brexit party mep and nunziata rees—mogg and the author and broadcaster amy nicole turner. as always, as you know, i want to hear from you. it's a crucial part of the programme. email me mailmogg@gbnews.com. but now it's what you've all been waiting for .

it's what you've all been waiting for. the it's what you've all been waiting for . the news bulletin waiting for. the news bulletin with ray addison.