Gavin Grey: UK Correspondent on Benjamin Netanyahu's comments about Kier Starmer, the prison's trialling chemical castration, Denmark's rising retirement age

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said UK Prime Minister Kier Starmer is "on the wrong side of humanity." 

It's after Starmer called for an end to the war in Gaza. 

Meanwhile 20 prisons in England will pilot the chemical castration of sex offenders, and Denmark's set to have the highest retirement age - 70-years-old.

UK Correspondent Gavin Grey talks to Heather du Plessis-Allan. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Kevan Grays, are UK corresponding with us?

Speaker 2 (00:01):
Right now?

Speaker 1 (00:02):
Hey, Gvin, Hi there, Okay, So it's really all on
like in a verbal fights between the Israeli government and
the UK government, isn't it.

Speaker 2 (00:12):
It has become pretty much like that Heather at the moment.

Speaker 1 (00:15):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (00:15):
First of all, Israel's Foreign minister accused European countries of incitement.
This after the killing of two staff members from the
Israeli embassy in Washington, d C. Now why was he
saying incitement? Well because shortly before, about twenty four hours
before the pair were killed, the UK had put out
a joint statement with France and Canada criticizing Israel's approaching

(00:39):
guards And of course what many is saying is going
to be a catastrophic famine there and that Israel's tactics
are completely wrong. Well, then the Israeli Prime Minister Benjaminettnia
who said the British Prime Minister Sakirstanri's on the wrong
side of humanity. He said in a video in English

(01:00):
that when mass murderers, rapists, baby killers, and kidnappers, thank you,
you're on the wrong side of justice, You're on the
wrong side of history. Now, the UK hasn't directly really
responded to that accusation, but in France they've absolutely spat
back saying this is just not true. It is not
the reason these two were killed instead of how dare you?

(01:20):
But there's no doubt relations pretty low. This after the
trade discussions were suddenly halted, and also the ambassadors were
called in in order to discuss what is going on
in Gaza. So this Prime Minister certainly having a big round,
a big spat here with Benyamaguetteoho, Kevin, how's.

Speaker 1 (01:38):
This news gone down of chemical castration?

Speaker 2 (01:41):
Yeah, very interesting this and it has been a debate
for a while, and there's been a pilot project here
in the UK. So first of all, some figures for you.
In different tests, one group of sex offenders who'd been
chemically castrated with comparing it with another group who had not,
found that reoffending rates were sixty percent lower among the

(02:05):
group with being chemically castrated. So in pilot projects this
is found to have been pretty good, not conclusively, but
pretty good at working. In Germany and Denmark, the use
of chemical suppression has been administered on a voluntary basis.
In other words, prisoners have been offered this if they
are there for a sex crime. In Poland, though it's

(02:26):
mandatory for some sex offenders now the UK currently has
a trial going on in Southwest England and they are
now expanding that trial to cover some twenty prisons in England.
What happens is a prisoner from a particular group set
of serious offenses, serious sexual offenses, sometimes repeat offending, is

(02:49):
offered this particular option. It is chemical castration, delivered through
two drugs. A selective serotonin reuptake inhibitory is one of
the of that is thought to limit sexual thoughts. Anti
Androgens are also administered. They reduce the production of testosterone
and limit libido and so far, yeah, these figures are

(03:10):
pretty good. But you know, it is mandatory in a
couple of places, and indeed in California if it's a
second time sex offender. But I think it's going to
be very difficult here in the UK to make it mandatory.
And already many doctors groups saying we would not compulsorily
give somebody these drugs if you know they didn't want them.
Why not. Yeah, well they're saying it's down to sort

(03:34):
of morals on the code of a doctor, etc. Others
are saying, well, hang on a minute. You know, these
people are going out and doing the most horrific crimes,
some of them, so surely this is a sensible way
of doing it. It's painless, so it would seem to
be good, particularly incidentally, of course, when prisons in this
country are so full they're having to release people early.

Speaker 1 (03:52):
Interesting. Kevin, thanks very much, really appreciate that, and have
you so lovely weekend. That's Kevin Gray, our UK corresponding.
For more from hither to Us see Allen Drive.

Speaker 2 (04:01):
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