Gavin Grey: Europe Correspondent on the papal conclave beginning tomorrow

The doors of Rome's Sistine Chapel officially lock tomorrow morning as the conclave selects a new pope. 

135 cardinals from around the world will vote on a successor to Pope Francis, who was laid to rest almost two weeks ago. 

There's no timescale for how long it'll take, but the last two papal elections lasted for two days. 

Europe Correspondent Gavin Grey told Ryan Bridge it's set to be most secretive election of all time.  

He says there'll be no televisions, newspapers, or radio, and they can't even open the windows. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Big deal for the UK India signing a free trade deal.
Gevin gray Are UK correspondent Gavin good morning to you
must be celebrations of plenty around number ten. YEP.

Speaker 2 (00:09):
It's taken three years to get this far. It might
be another year before it's actually implemented and comes into force,
but there's no doubt there's a great degree of celebration.
This wasn't just a fixation of this government but the
last government as well, in order to get a trade
deal with India over the line. Why we'll already trade
between the UK and India totals roughly eighty to ninety

(00:33):
billion New Zealand dollars a year, but that is forecast
to grow and with this trade deal, the government says
you can add another fifty percent onto that easily. The
Prime Minister of Indian or Indo Remodi described the agreement
as an historic milestone that's ambitious and mutually beneficial. So
in essence, I mean, gosh, what there are lower tariffs

(00:55):
coming into the UK for Indian manufactured clothing and where
food stuffs including frozen prawns, jewelry and going the other
way from the UK levees will fall on Gin and
Whiskey aerospace, electrical megnical devices, all sorts of things. But
the British government says this is the biggest and most
economically significant bilateral trade agreement that the UK has science

(01:19):
since leaving the European Union in twenty twenty, and are
quick to also highlight that it won't mean more visas
being given out to Indians, which has been a subject
of some debate with the migration levels here in the UK.

Speaker 1 (01:33):
It's interesting what's not well, it's as interesting what's not
included as what is right As you say, no visas
and from a New Zealand perspective, no Lamb yes, but
dearie no, and deary is a big one for us.
We're over there trying to negotiate at the moment. But
that is fantastic news for you guys. Givin now. The
cardinals are all going to be locked up from tomorrow, right, Yeah.

Speaker 2 (01:57):
So I hear that they are all currently in the Vatican.
They've all all arrived safely at Vatican City and the
doors will lock officially tomorrow morning. But I don't think
anyone's in nipping out for a late dinner this evening.
One hundred and thirty three Catholic cardinals in what's probably
going to be the most secretive election again of all time.
I would guess even the dining room staff who feed

(02:20):
the cardinals have had to observe absolute and perpetual secrecy.
Two doctors are on hand. Apparently the chapel and the
two guesthouses being used for accommodation and the actual conclave
are going to be swept for microphones and bugs. Now
all Catholics around the world will say this election is
guided by God and not politics, but it is these

(02:41):
cardinals who are going to be making a very very
big decision. And apparently in the rooms, no televisions, newspapers
or radio for the conclave. They can't even open the
windows because some of the windows open to the external world.
So the start of probably several days process before we
eventually find out who is the next Pope, and plenty

(03:01):
of speculation that could be one cardinal from Asia, and
also some speculation it could even be a new pope
might come from Africa, but we know nothing yet.

Speaker 1 (03:13):
Kevin Gray for more from early edition with Ryan Bridge.
Listen live to news talks.

Speaker 2 (03:18):
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