07/12/2016 Newsnight

So, the ayes have it, the ayes have it.

MPs overwhelmingly agreed on everything Brexit today.

The MPs voted to support triggering article 50 by March after the

publication of a plan. But the real argument is surely over what kind of

plan it is to be. And that growl has barely got off the ground. -- row.

We want to say in moulding the future of our country

And we have a new relationship with the EU.

Remember those Maastricht wars of the 1990s? Is that troubled about to

return with the Remainers as the new rebels? -- trouble.

75 years ago today, the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbour.

The anniversary coincides with some rethinking

Now we can say, hey, wait a minute, Mr President,

But two years ago we changed our position.

Now we may be able to join you fighting when you are attacked.

We'll ask what's good about scratchy plastic, and what's wrong

MPs were arguing on a lot and agreeing on a lot. On the

publication of a government plan and the timetable for invoking article

went through overwhelmingly. Some say that is a watershed and it is

game over for Remainers. But there is still division on what Brexit

should mean. In reality we know a lot about the government plan, the

basic fine place, and despair to say the single market and the currency

does not seem to be a part of it. And that is not just

a Tory Labour battle - there is a fight within

the Tories too. We're used to that -

it's been going for decades. And yet now, instead

of the eurosceptics being the outsiders,

it is the Remainers Here's our political

editor Nick Watt. It was 25 years ago this week that

the modern European Union was born in a sleepy Dutch town. The

Maastricht summit was, in John Major's words, two days of heart

pounding. In the early 1990s the battle over the Maastricht Treaty

trained authority from John Major as the Eurosceptic Tories defied him

for allowing the European project to move irrevocably towards a political

union. The legacy of that era arguably set in train a series of

events which have taken Britain to Brexit. I was an original support of

the EEC, which was all about free trade and markets, and I still think

that was sensible. It was the transition into a political union,

and it was Maastricht that create the European Union rather than the

European Community. And certainly that is what has been the source of

the trouble. Had that not happened I don't think we would be in the

situation we were today. Today it is the ardent pro-Europeans questioning

a Conservative Prime Minister. This evening a rebellion was all but

snuffed out after some nifty parliamentary footwork by the

government whips. But the Tory remainders are still holding the

government's feet to the fire. -- Remainers. I have no doubt there

will be a plan which will be about two aligned and produced at the

start of March. It'll be absolutely meaningless. The government needs to

get this and understand it. We want a white paper. We want a proper

debate. We want to say in moulding the future of our country as we now

leave the EE and we have a new relationship with the EU. And we are

going to get that. In this evening's Commons vote Kenneth Clarke was the

only Tory MP to vote against Theresa May. But in the countdown to the

start of the Brexit negotiations next year could the Conservative

Party experience a modest reverse Maastricht as pro-Europeans did in?

A quarter of a century on, veterans of that era take different views.

One of the whips at the time of the Maastricht rebellion, whose boss at

the time was David Davis, is still scarred by the experience. I got all

of this grey hair whipping the Conservative Parliamentary party

when we have the Maastricht debates nearly 25 years ago. It all seemed

incredibly important. But they were great parliamentary occasions. With

them a minority of people obsessed by them. This is far more important.

This affects the life chances, the quality of life, the gross national

product. This affects the lives of every person in Britain. We have to

get this right. A junior Maastricht rebel who later became one of the

cabinet ministers to campaign for a Leave vote for the referendum

believes there is a fundamental difference between the two episodes.

During the Maastricht debates we were calling for a referendum. We

felt it was of such important it should be put to the British people.

Of course today we've had a referendum on the British people

have spoken. Therefore whatever your view of the issue we have to accept

the verdict of the people. Anna Soubry, who found herself under fire

from her own side in the Commons today, says she will continue the

fight. I will put my constituents and what is in their interests and

represent them above everything else. I'm not at all like one of

those Maastricht members because I'm not obsessed with this. We are

responsible. I'm afraid those rebels were not, they were driven by

ideology and they put their own very narrow principles over and above the

interests of our country. A generation ago John Major faced a

dangerous challenge on Europe. Today, passions are running high and

a fizzling out of the rebellion means that Theresa May may not need

to curtail her travel plans. In the end the pro-Europeans will not stand

in the way of Brexit. The Commons were very much behind

this labour motion today with the Tory member. The SNP and Lib Dems

voted against. The vast bulk of Labour MPs and vast bulk of Tories

voted for it. Joining me now from

the Conservatives is Bernard Jenkin, Who was a rebel back in the day at

Maastricht. And we also have

Labour's Stephen Kinnock. Stephen, you are pro-Europe in most

regards. Has Labour given up? Will it be invoked by March, blank

cheque, article 50, they can publish a plan but there is no say on what

will be on the plan, is it game over? I think we will have a chance

to have a say as we go into the New Year between the point of the

triggering of article 50 there will be opportunities for more opposition

Day debates. They will not publish a plan. So we will have some substance

to get our teeth into. I think the key position for us here is that we

should be holding the government to account if not to ransom. We're not

holding a gun to the government's head saying we are threatening not

to trigger article 50. But we are saying is that plan does not work

you should go away and come back with a better one which is the

standard process for any parliamentary scrutiny. Do you agree

they have a chance to vote on the plan whenever it is publish before

article 50 is invoked? The House of Commons can vote on anything at any

time. If the opposition party has put down emotion about the

government's plan and want to have a vote on it that is what will happen.

What we've seen today is significant. The Labour Party

intended to try to split the Conservatives with their motion. And

they finish up being split themselves and voting for a motion

that calls for the implication of article 50 by the 31st of March. A

difficult day for people like Stephen. I was doing a double-take

when I saw Stephen in our lobby this evening. Very, very significant that

Parliament has voted with such a big majority for article 50. I got a

feeling he did not think it was such a significant succession. Some say

this is a watershed. For the first time Parliament voted to leave the

EU. I campaigned passionately for the UK to remain. But I am also a

Democrat and I accept the vote and I accept the result. But I'm also keen

to ensure we leave the EU on the best possible terms. And it is my

duty as an opposition MP to hold the government's feet to the fire. And

that is what you should do. You have heard the argument. Stephen Kinnock,

he is for Brexit, the argument is over what kind of Brexit. Do you

accept that is the remaining argument? I think Oliver letter man,

Peter Lilley, several people including myself said that the Prime

Minister has been pretty clear by saying we're not going to be subject

to the European Court of Justice. We will be in control of our own

immigration. You cannot cherry pick, says the EU, but we don't want to

come in my view, we want to leave. It is the people who want to cherry

pick, the remainders, who think we can have a bit office and a bit

this. -- Remainers. Not everybody agrees with the Theresa May plan.

When does Parliament get to vote on that plan and to say, we don't like

that one, we would rather have this one? Parliament can vote at any time

on that. But it doesn't matter, it isn't a proper vote, is it? It is

another question for the Labour Party. We had a responsible comment

from Steve in which is this is not about holding the government to

ransom it is about holding the government to attack. -- from

Stephen. If the House of Commons loses confidence in the government's

plans, you know, well, I think the Labour Party... What happens if the

government... Finish the sentence... The government falls. How can that

be? That won't happen because the Labour Party has enough internal

problems and external challenges. There was a speech by Andy Burnham

today. He was making a speech about the need to address the problem of

immigration because of what is happening... These people are not

racist, he said, they deserve to be heard... Let's put this to Stephen.

It sounds like you can discuss the government plan, you can see the

plan, you can even hold the fun vote on the plan but it won't change

anything. It is the government's plan and that is the plan that will

be in boat. -- vote. If it is a absurd plan. Says they don't want to

do anything about free movement. -- if it says they don't. The vote that

could then take place in Parliament is we won't block article 50 but we

don't like this plan. Come back with a better one. It is not as if there

was one shot at this. I think there is plenty opportunity for us to hold

the government to account. But you have lost your weapon. Your weapon

was to be able to say we will delay article 50 until we have agreed on a

plan. We all have a line. You've lost that weapon, haven't you? We

have to be pragmatic. The SNP are talking about putting in 100

amendments just to be difficult. I wouldn't support that behaviour.

This needs to be practical, pragmatic, obstructive opposition.

There will be Remainers out there thinking Labour have given up and

that this is the end. What is the Supreme Court thinking about now?

Essentially it is irrelevant, isn't it, they've already conceded point

that the Supreme Court are debating it. The fact that millions of pounds

of taxpayers money has been wasted on this. If we had the vote before

all of this action, would the High Court have said we don't care that

Parliament have already had a vote on this, we will go all over it.

This is a new kind of supreme jurisdiction we have in the UK. I'm

not sure when we ever voted for that. In this respect the need to

get the Supreme Court to give a definitive ruling, which we must

respect, of course, because we believe in the rule of law, is about

finding out what kind of judicial oversight we have on our

constitution now and whether that is what we really want. It is a mess.

So much for Parliamentary... Set up by Tony Blair. A much bigger issue.

Sounds like a big concession verdict. Thanks very much.

Well let's look at some Brexit effects now.

Back in 2012, when President Hollande had been elected in France

on a high tax ticket, David Cameron said Britain

would roll out the red carpet and welcome French businesses

Mayor of London Boris Johnson said the similar: "Bienvenue a Londres -

this is the global capital of finance," he said.

Well, it irked the French at the time and maybe Brexit gives

the country a chance to get even by wooing away segments

Paris and other European cities are aiming to get a piece

of London's action and are happy at the readiness of

international companies, to think about emigrating.

Our business editor Adam Parsons has been investigating.

This is the story of a bank rate, maybe the most ambitious bank raid

of all time. It is a tale of conflict, big money and big

characters, secret deals, Lowell makers but no knuckle-dusters, it is

happening now and it starts here. In the City of London were some of the

world's biggest financial giants are wondering how to react to an

uncertain future. Now this isn't about gold bars, this is about the

banks themselves. The finance companies based here in Britain who

have been freely across Europe. They are

worried that Brexit as they understand that means that they will

not have that freedom come 2019. They are pondering contingency

plans. All the banks I spoke to said they would prefer to stay in London

with assurances that if they do not have that, they would have to move

to another European centre. So, the question for this bank heist story

is who gets the swag? Take this financial technology company that

employs wood and 100 people. The bosses worried about his ability to

move across Europe in the coming years and he has applied to move his

company to Dublin. By doing that and going through that process, it takes

six months and some money, but six months from now we will be able to

operate, no matter what happens, with the 27 EU member states.

Another relatively small company, so I can stop a process more easily

than some of the bigger institutions. The likes of the banks

in Canary Wharf, once they set that juggernaut going, they cannot stop

it. Newsnight has heard of at least eight European financial centres

actively trying to press companies to leave London, Frankfurt,

Luxembourg, Dublin, Madrid, Malta, Bratislava, Amsterdam and Paris, all

trying to take business from London. In Paris, they are in full swing. I

am told international banks are being wooed with special deals on

income tax, corporation tax, schooling and even being told that

contracts will be written in English. It is only four years since

President Doron said he was the enemy of finance. So can the French

now welcome something as massive, risky and Anglo-Saxon as big

American banks? Here in Paris they are dwelling on the impact of Brexit

and how they go about Lorraine Ugen business away from London and here

to the French capital. It is hardly new for them. The Stock Exchange was

built more than 200 years ago, but there are some very particular

issues with modern banking. have taken big steps towards moving.

Setting up in a new country could take two years. If they come to

Paris they will probably come here, ladder funds, where new office

buildings are being planned. -- La Defense. We are also aiming at world

companies. Ones that are today established in London or looking

about establishing themselves somewhere in Europe. For instance,

we have a lot of contacts with Chinese companies, who are looking

for a base in Europe and are interested by France and Paris for

many reasons. And they are very interested by the Paris business

district. Are these companies that would otherwise have gone to London?

Probably yes. Now they are saying that is off the table?

Yes. London's threat does not come from one place. I've spoken to

bankers, lobbyists, regulators and politicians all across Europe.

What's clear is that there is not one city, not even Paris, that

things it can take on everything the City of London does. But there are

lots, Luxembourg, Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Dublin and the French

capital that think they can take a big chunk of that business. And if

you put all of those chunks together what you end up with is a very big

problem for one of Britain's biggest and most lucrative industries.

Tonight one major American bank told Newsnight it was making contingency

plans to move operations to mainland Europe but in January I was told the

process would start turning plans into reality. That is it for the

Brexit news tonight. We've been following the situation in Aleppo in

the last week and the advances of the Syrian government's forces.

Let's have a quick look at the changes there.

Here is the situation back in late September -

the rebel held eastern Aleppo is that purple shape.

Then in late November, government forces take a large part

By the 28th, rebels had lost more than a third

of the territory there, to Syrian government forces

Today, the old City of Aleppo fell to government forces.

Leaving rebels with just a quarter of territory they held.

With me is Monzer Akbik, from the Syria's Tomorrow Movement,

one of the main Syrian opposition groups.

Good evening to you. Do you more or less accept that Aleppo has fallen

to government forces? Most likely Aleppo has gone. The siege was

completed around the city. The experience showed that once a place

is completely under siege and with the indiscriminate bomb -- bombing,

there is no hope for the people inside to continue. Why has there

been so much resistance? We have seen the pictures on our screens,

why did you not have surrendered as it was last? The people now, since a

long time, they have strong sentiments towards the Assad regime

with all of the brutality against them, they do not forget that for

the past five or six years, he has been bombing them and destroying

their homes and their lives and killing their loved ones. People

cannot imagine the idea of going back under the umbrella of his

ruling. There have been more bombings and more atrocities and

more murder. Yes. It does not seem that anyone is able to do anything

about it right now and that is why I think for the Syrian opposition, as

well as the countries helping them, they need to learn from their

mistakes because in the past five years, we were not able really to

protect civilians and to reach the end goal, which is Democratic change

in Damascus. Things have to be done differently. Was it a mistake, to

leave that part of the city, rather than have women and children there

suffering so badly? When you could see that the city once it was the

siege was probably lost anyway? Yes, there were mistakes. On the 10th of

September, there was an agreement reached that the cessation of

hostilities, in return that the Americans would work on separation.

This did not happen. I would say that the opposition at that time,

they made a big mistake and they are still continuing with that mistake

and even now, we can learn that lesson. They have to immediately,

completely separate themselves. Maybe the Russians will sit down and

talk as well? At least it will make a political breakthrough because the

Russians are talking about this every day and every night. How does

the war and now? How do you see your side of it coming out? Is it time to

settle and compromise. We know you cannot stand Assad. He is going to

win. We are for a political solution and if there is a political solution

that does not involve a genuine change for human rights and rule of

law, then all the sacrifices the Syrian people have gone through in

the past five or six years will be in vain. I would say they deserve

democracy and human rights. The Lebanese civil war was incessant,

wars can go on for years, you cannot tolerate a war like that in Syria.

It has been going on for five or six years and the people are resilient.

I think the resistance cobble whether we want or not, it will

continue, they have very strong sentiments. If we do not learn from

the mistakes of the past, then things will continue to get worse

and worse. The opposition has to be 100% democratic, separated from the

jihadist and we need to engage politically

with the Russians. In our movement, we visited Moscow and we are

engaging politically and we are trying to reach a deal where we can

reach a ceasefire and political change. That will accomplish the

aspiration of the people, ending the dictatorship and heading towards

democracy. Anything less will not work. Thank you.

The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour was 75 years ago today; it's

an anniversary being marked by the Americansand the Japanese

prime minister this year, but it comes at a funny time.

Out of the second world war, came a rock solid

America was the rock, but suddenly under Donald Trump,

Japan has clocked the potential change in US priorities.

If it's America First now, maybe it needs to be

The BBCs Tokyo correspondent Rupert Wingfield Hayes looks now

at the future of the most important military alliance in Asia.

A pair of US Air Force F-15 fighter jets roaring to the sky over

the southern Japanese island of Okinawa.

For over 70 years this has been America's unsinkable

I'm now standing on the south-west coast of Qingdao.

And this beside me here is the China Sea.

That, off to the West there, is the giant Katina airbase.

The largest US Air Force facility in the Western Pacific.

Japan shelters under the US nuclear umbrella.

If Japan is attacked these US aircraft and their pilots

But now Donald Trump has thrown all that into doubt

The treaty with Japan that if the United States gets attacked,

think of this, if the United States get attacked they don't

have to do anything, they can watch it on television.

Trump's threats to pull troops out of Japan,

or force Tokyo to pay more for them have shaken Japan's

If they get attacked we have to come to their aid,

World War Three, or whatever the hell happens, right?

It's certainly volatile but it up to every partner...

Kazuhiko Togo is a veteran diplomat and grandson of the man who signed

Japan's declaration of war against America 75 years ago.

The election of Trump is the culmination of the finalisation

Because as we all know, Trump's most important

message during the election was America first.

Trump began criticising Japan, that Japan is not doing anything.

But now we can say, hey, wait a minute, Mr President,

the world has changed, you might have not noticed, but two

Now we may be able to join you fighting when you are attacked.

Japan has a very modern, powerful military.

Until two years ago these ships were banned

from fighting abroad, or even defending

But as Professor Togo says that is changing.

Not because of Mr Trump, because of China.

Japan's security position, security situation,

With this I'm saying not that we need to blame China,

Our fundamental difference foreign policy is number one China,

number two China, number three China.

This is a Chinese boat running a Japanese Coast Guard ship

China is aggressively pushing its claim to these Japanese

controlled islands in the East China Sea.

In August, 130 Chinese vessels intruded en masse into waters

The challenge from China makes the US alliance more

But today's Pearl Harbor anniversary is a reminder it is an alliance

And 75 years on there is still little agreement

about what happened on 7th December 1941.

In America, the attack on Pearl Harbor is seen as a clear,

unambiguous crime, but here in Japan it is viewed very differently.

This is the grave of Hideki Tojo, the man who led Japan

through the war and who ordered that attack on Pearl Harbor.

After the war he was hanged by the Americans, but many here have

never accepted the verdict that Hideki Tojo was a criminal.

One of them is Naoki Kyakuta, now a hugely popular

TRANSLATION: Roosevelt wanted to start a war,

used the attack on Pearl Harbor as his chance, he roused Americans

I think the Americans exaggerated the attack

This is a scene from Mr Hyakuta's 2013 film Eternal Zero, the hero

is a young kamikaze pilot who plunges his aircraft

Mr Hyakuta wants Japanese to stand up for themselves again.

TRANSLATION: Japanese never think about defending themselves

but because of Trump all we need to think seriously now.

During the Falklands War, when her ministers opposed

going to war over a small island, Mrs Thatcher said, am

This is when British people realised how important

From Beijing to Pyongyang, and now even Tokyo, military

budgets are growing, nationalist sentiment is rising.

For now, America's military's might continues to keep

rival ambitions in check, but with Mr Trump in the White House

More vinyl records were sold last week than digital music downloads.

?2.4 million worth of physical album, double the amount last year.

And only ?2.1 million worth of downloads.

The real answer is that it isn't: both vinyl and downloads have been

overtaken by streaming services and music video sites,

which see billions of tracks listened to a year.

And vinyl sales are doubling, because its easier for small numbers

But I don't want to kill the story completely,

vinyl IS a business, and anyway it's nice to talk

I'm joined by the DJ and broadcaster Goldirocks, AKA Sam Hall,

And the lead singer and guitarist of Hot Chip, Alexis Taylor.

Good evening. Alexis, are you a vinyl fan? Yes I am. Still buying

lots of second-hand and new vinyl and have been buying it since I was

I guess, 15 or so. It is more appealing to me as a format than any

other one even though I can tell that not the full frequency range is

captured in vinyl. I guess it is partly the fact that I have grown up

listening to music on that format and loved it and also it is

something about the sound quality even if that sound quality is

slightly different. You are listening to the vinyl, you're not

just buying it because you like the covers and the physicality? I don't

have them on the wall, but I have a bit of an addiction to buying a

vinyl. It is a bit out of hand now. It is something, there is a pleasant

sound quality, not in every single record, you can buy records that are

badly pressed and badly mastered, but there is something that is quite

pleasing about a record that is not abrasive in its sound. You don't

think the sound is as good or is it as good? Know. A lot of people talk

about the warmth of the sound on a vinyl records. I suppose, there is a

certain warmth but what it really is, there is a lot of middle in the

sound, you don't get a lot of trouble or base and a lot of the

definition is a bit lost. A lot of the time, if you don't have

particularly good equipment, it is a muffled and dull sound. I have been

buying vinyl records like Alexis, I grew up with vinyl back in the early

Cretaceous period! I remember when CDs came in, resisting for a long

time, just because it was my habit to buy vinyl, but one-sided go over

to CDs... It wasn't the sound, it was the convenience, I have recently

tried to get back into playing vinyl and taking the fluff from the Needle

and putting a little 5p piece on it to make sure it did not stick and

then the clunk, racing to get the shot down before the first note

comes in... Making sure you do not put the needle too far... Sam, do

you listen to vinyl yourself? I do and I do collect it. In a joyous

way. For me, that joy of all the fast is what I love about final. As

a listener, you listen to an album from start to finish, you don't just

buy the singles you like. It is much harder to skip tracks. You sit down

and you listen to a piece of music as it was intended and composed.

Aren't a lot of people buying it like a souvenir? They

love the band, most of the time they will have headphones on and they

will listen on the bus, but they want this thing... I think it's

wonderful. It doesn't matter if they listen to it. I had a figure, 48% of

people who own vinyl do not even have a record player. It is that

coffee table culture. Showing physical support and being a true

fan and I think that is lovely. Especially nowadays in the fast

paced consumer world. It is like cooking on a barbecue. Do you put

much effort into the vinyl versions of your records? Do you think about

the artwork? We think about the format more than

any other format in Hot Chip. We know that is relevant to a large

portion of the audience. About 98%. Chatting about the sleeves, how it

will work on two sides. Even the idea of an album as opposed to

singles or tracks. We are thinking in that outmoded way because it

means something to us. I suspect that the albums are quite expensive,

the vinyls, they are a premium product. Now they are. They are for

the devoted fans to feel they are close to you. I do not want to say

it is a rip-off. You can. I've tried in the past to persuade people we've

been working with to bring the price down on the releases. There was a

period where final was becoming more fashionable and more of an art peace

people wanted to pay more for. If you hadn't made an album that

deserves to be so expensive, if you have made a single record, it

doesn't need to have a poster with it, then let's keep it like that and

keep it affordable for people. Do DJs use final much? Especially the

old DJs. -- vinyl. I am five feet four and I cannot carry around that

much. So it isn't just DJs. The idea it is this elusive club of hipsters

it isn't true, because you can buy it in supermarkets, you can buy it

second hand on eBay. It is just a bit cool. I was looking at the

charts. The vinyl album chart is like the stuff I've got in my album

collection, it is ELO, Pink Floyd, it seems to be playing to my era.

It'll be people rebuying again and again on the different formats,

vinyl, compact disc and cassette. There is an audience who maybe have

a disposable income and are willing to buy the classic record again and

again. And they want the extra experience with all of the

packaging, with the extra notes, and the rest of it. The equivalent of

going to a sporting event and having a lunch with an after-dinner speaker

who is a former player and you can go and get a signed football,

something like that. There is that element to it. But with the

packaging of it, you know, just buy a coffee table book, you know, and

then, because... It's the same thing. It goes on your shelf, it

looks very nice. Why is that a bad thing? That's a good thing. It is a

hassle. It has come up just before Christmas this story, no

coincidence. Is this surge in vinyl going to last two years then people

will go on to something else? I think it'll continue. Vinyl has

never gone away, particularly in the dance music world. One thing that I

think will effect it could be Brexit because a lot of... It's true, a lot

of vinyl is produced in France and the Czech Republic, for instance. If

Brexit happens the way we think it might happen in Britain in March

that means there will be extra tariffs on vinyl. It'll become even

more expensive than it is already. This is the Brexit show. I said it

was the end of the Brexit news earlier but in fact it wasn't. Thank

you all very much. That is all we have time for. Have a very good

night. Across Wales is the warmest December

day since 1972. Another mild night might take us into the morning. Some

heavy