20/10/2016 Outside Source

As I talk to you, Theresa May and the other 27 leaders of the EU are

having dinner. This is what the Prime Minister said she arrived. The

UK is leading the EU and we will continue to play a full role until

we leave. We will also discuss the number of elections coming up within

the EU and how that will affect Brexit negotiations. Plus, a report

from Australia on the Australian enthusiasm to cut a new trade deal

once Brexit is done. We will look at whether we will see more Australian

goods in our shops. And we are getting lots and lots of questions.

Keep them coming. You will see that on the screen throughout the

programme. I am talking to you from where

hundreds and hundreds of journalists across the European Union and the

world gather on days like this, the first day of the major EU summit. We

are able to mingle around the building as the leaders go about

their business, sometimes leaders or their assistance. And give you a

briefing, but one of the main time to get to speak directly to the

leaders is when they arrive. So we recorded this in order to explain

how it works. Theresa May has already arrived at this summit but

other leaders from across the EU are still coming in in black cast. This

is where they are greeted by the press. Got to be quite careful

because there is an awful lot of television equipment, wires

everywhere, journalists everywhere. Some people waiting for the leaders

here. But if you come out here, there is an even bigger group of

journalists waiting to shout out their questions, and you can see the

clusters of journalists around the different leaders who are arriving.

As you can see, Angela Merkel is now taking her turn to answer questions

from the huge press front that is gathered. If there is only one

person who would decide how the EU response to Brexit on trade and

foreign policy challenges, it will be the German Chancellor. There she

goes, walking into the EU Council building. There will be a dinner

later on where Theresa May will bring her and the other EU leaders

about Brexit. Let me play you a little of what Angela Merkel said to

the German press on the subject of Brexit. This will be the first time

that we will officially welcomed the British Prime Minister, Theresa May,

to a European Council meeting. We will have Brexit on the agenda and

we will make it clear once again that we are waiting for the

application of article 50 by Britain. It is now down to Britain

to say how they want to make this application. Let us look at some of

the question you are sending me. Jones says, are the possibilities of

the UK becoming an EQ associate? Everything is possible but

everything the UK Government has been saying suggests that once a

bespoke deal, it will not copy one country or another, it will get a

deal which the Prime Minister would say is in Britain's best interests.

While one relationship may provide inspiration, this will be specific

to the UK. Richard says, how come since we announced the referendum,

we have not heard much about the problems in Greece or the problems

in the Eurozone? Two summers ago, the Greeks did cut a deal with their

creditors and that triggered a feather bailout which gave the Greek

economy some stability but earlier this month, the EU commission said

it wanted Eurozone governments to agree fresh details on debt relief

for Greece by the end of the year. That issue has not gone away. I can

see lots more of your questions coming in and I will come back to

those in a couple of minutes. Next I want to talk about trade. After

Brexit, the UK will look to cut deals with the EU and lots of

individual countries, and Australia has already signalled it is very

keen to do that. That could mean many more Australian products coming

to the UK. Raised on the green grass of New South Wales, could Brexit

mean these cattle one day find a way into the British market? Australia

sold 80% of its beef to the UK once. That all changed when Britain joined

the EU. Brexit brings a welcome opportunity. There will be a great

boon for Australia because it brings up a lot of competition. We know in

Australia, the quality is very good. Some Australian products are already

big in Britain, wine and beer. Brexit could bring even more

opportunities but so far, it has been a bit of a headache. This

winery usually sells 100,000 bottles a year to the UK but the price

depends on the exchange rate. After the referendum, the pound slumped,

the Australian dollar rose. Now trade is harder. The currency has

gone down by 20%. So our winds will get more expensive now. As they

start having to pay for them at the new rate. What dwarfs the trading

goods is financial investment. The UK and Australia will already have a

very big stake in each of the's economies as Britain chews over

exactly what the terms of Brexit will be, there are plenty of

Australians hoping it is a path that brings new business their way. There

is one factor to do with the Brexit negotiations, that it is impossible

to overstate. It is to do with a number of significant votes coming

up in the next 12 months within the EU. Let me run you through them. In

December, Italy is holding a referendum on constitutional changes

and its Prime Minister has already suggested you may stand down if that

vote goes against him. The polling is very tight so he may yet win but

there is a possibility of a No vote and a possibility he will be

replaced by an interim government. He is one of the most vocal leaders

within the EU. Fast forward to March, you have a general election

and the Netherlands. The government there under major pressure from the

Freedom party, which has an anti-immigration stance. It is not

hard to imagine a scenario in which the government has the change in the

Netherlands. In April and May, the French elections. Francois Hollande

is incredibly unpopular if you read the polls. He has got to represent

the Socialist party let alone winning it said there is a

possibility the French President may change. And then you go on to

August, September and October and the most important of the more, the

German elections. Angela Merkel is yet to say whether she will stand

even if she does, she would be favourite to win but she is also

under pressure from the issue of immigration. The alternative for

Germany party has made electoral progress. Let's talk with Heidi,

journalist, and Peter, also a journalist. Talk to me about the

German election. I presume Angela Merkel will stand. She is under

pressure like she has never been before. She is much more under

pressure compared to the last elections where she just sailed in

and won by a huge margin. This will not be the case this time. It will

be a tough campaign and will be totally unclear as to who she will

govern all through her coalition partner may be. This also has an

impact on European politics. Brexit will be complicated enough that if

we have major leaders and players changing during negotiations, it

becomes more complicated. I would say yes to that, that is a very

clear statement. I think the UK will see this is much more difficult than

has been anticipated, it will drag on for years, and there will be

changes in government repeatedly over the years. The interest might

change. Has Brexit been an inspiration to some politicians and

political parties? The Danish People's' party would like to have a

referendum but the word base that on whatever the UK gets, so that means

the rest of the Danish parties would be very careful. An alternative for

Germany, they are not a serious challenge. If they are in

Parliament, and it will be as looks, everything will be more complicated,

more muddling through, more difficult to form a government. They

will not be part of a government so will have nothing to say in the way

of how politics regarding Brexit is conducted but they would still make

the process more difficult. Alex wants to ask, is there possibility

another country could hold a referendum on leaving the soon? I

would say no. Most other countries are not big enough to go it alone

like the UK. If the French party was to win, they have promised to do

that. Someone wants to ask, are people in your country supportive of

the strong position that you cannot have the single market without the

freedom of movement? Actually, yes. It is a fairness rule. If you want

to be part of the club, you have to apply all the rules, and if you are

out, you are out. This is no cherry picking. People are in favour of

that. Some people who like changes, what access you have the different

benefits, but the free movement, everybody likes that. Peter, you

have got to go, so very good of you to stay with us, so Heidi, you will

stay with us. We will also be joined with a Polish journalist so keep

those questions coming. When there are developments here, you will hear

a live on the BBC. In the UK, MPs have backed a proposal to strip the

former owner of VHS, Philip Green, of his knighthood. Their decision is

non-binding. He is accused in Parliament of asset stripping and

failing to do with a company's pensions deficit. Sir Philip insists

he's working on a deal that will resolve the issue. This night of the

realm has been described by many as an emperor. And today, they get to

bury him. I see... A spiv who should never have received a knighthood,

who has shaped British capitalism. BHS is one of the biggest corporate

scandals of many times. The whole house of sympathy for the thousands

of workers were blessed their jobs and see their benefits reduced as a

result of greed, incompetence. Strip of his knighthood, taking to task

and get him to sell a few of his super yachts. This was not much a

debate on some MPs were uneasy. The call for another committee to strip

somebody of the non-, the one is only taken away if someone has

committed a criminal offence, is the abuse of the House of Commons. But

let's not forget about people losing their jobs. He should be stripped of

his knighthood, 100%. He does not realise what he has done to

everybody. And he is swanning around with the knighthood, it is not fair

for what everybody else is going through. This does not mean he will

lose his knighthood. Any decision on that will be made here in Whitehall.

It is also very rare for people not found guilty of doing anything

illegal to lose honours. Fred Goodwin of RBS was the last and most

possible famous example but Philip Green has become the new poster to

both the popular and political mistrust and business. During her

party conference, Theresa May made a thinly disguised attack on him. A

director who takes up massive dividend is one knowing the company

pension is about to go bust. I am putting you on warning, this cannot

go on any more. Philip Green was watching the events in Parliament

today. Whatever happens to his knighthood, his only redemption may

be insulting the pension out. Since before the referendum on the

UK's place in the EU, we have been travelling around the UK and Europe,

covering the story. Our latest stop is in Brussels because the EU is

holding its late summer hit an all 28 leaders from the European Union

are having dinner. When we get details about what they have been

saying to each other, we will bring that to you. Coming up, if you're

watching outside the UK, we will bring you American news. And in the

UK, it is the news at ten next stop there is a report on the British

government's part in thousands of gay and bisexual men who are

convicted under sexual offences under now abolished laws. Russia is

one of the main issues on the agenda here at the European Union and the

relationship between the EU and Russia has been tense for a while

now. We have the annexation of Crimea, the support of separatists

in the east of Ukraine but significant though those events, the

real focus at the is Aleppo and the Russian and Syrian government

bombing Eastern Aleppo which is under the control of anti-government

rebels. A number of the most senior players of the EU have been talking

about what Russia is doing in Aleppo. Let me play some of those

clips. Robust and united European stance in the face of Russian

aggression. The UK has put Russian actions in Syria on the agenda for

the summit. We must continue to work together and it is vital we work

together to continue to put pressure on Russia to stop its appalling

atrocities in Syria. It would be important to send a signal to Russia

that what they do by killing civilians in Syria is unacceptable

to the international community. The problem is there is no agreement to

send such a signal. It would mean sanctions. We will put pressure on

that amid Putin to do his duty, to make the truce, stop the bombing and

to stop supporting the Syrian government. Today is not about

decisions but I want to underline that the EU should keep all options

open, including sanctions. If the crimes continue. There would be some

people who would argue however hard the EU tries, it is failing to

influence what Russia does. Let's talked to a couple of guest said. We

still have Heidi here and we are joined by Thomas from Poland. Do you

get frustrated by the inability of the EU to stop Russia? I come from

Poland with the frustration is very deep-rooted. At least we have some

leaders calling for stronger engagement of Russia in Syria and

hoping it will help. At least you now have the knowledge and

conviction of most of the leaders here that Russia and Syria have bad

intentions. Most people understand is the one of the reasons we have

these problems are because we do not use power like Russia. And the

reason is because we want to engage diplomatically but there is only so

much you can do. We will carry on talking about immigration in a

moment because that is the issue that has been talked this Thursday

afternoon in Brussels among EU leaders and the migrant crisis has

been a huge issue for the EU for a couple of years now. The Italians in

particular are upset about the EU response. Let me try and explain

why. Over 300,000 people have come into the EU just this year and that

number goes up every day. If we break that down a little, we can say

half of those people go to Italy and half go to Greece. The reason the

Italians are upset if it is they feel the whole EU is not sharing the

load of processing those people and when necessary looking after them as

well. Look at this quote from the Italian Prime Minister. This was a

BBC interview recently in which he said, enough, we've been focusing on

Brexit for more than two years now. It holds up key EU business. Let's

get Brexit over and move on. The point he is making there is he is

concerned the need or desire to put on a unified front during the Brexit

negotiations is undermining the ability to push through tough

decisions on immigration. Let's see if Thomas and Heidi agree. It's

Brexit stopping the EU taking tough decisions? There has been a tendency

to wait before taking decisions. We are in a waiting position. But when

we get into Brexit again, everyone will be afraid to take decisions

that might open up something the Brits want. Brexit negotiations are

not the main reasons for the EU, not to take tough and strong decisions

on immigration. The main problem is many leaders in countries are

convinced that the crisis is over because of the way, Turkey to Greece

and Germany is closed, and the pace of immigration to Italy is the same

as one year in two years ago. So business as usual. I would agree on

the fact that migration, it is not Brexit that is stopping us taking

decisions, it is just because it is difficult. It is a poisonous

subject. Some would say countries like yours are stopping a solution.

They are saying, we will not take these people in. Why will they not

share the responsibility of what is happening? I will not defend the

Polish government. The reasons are popular stick and xenophobic. These

countries started to spread their opposition loudly a year ago. In

fact you have many other countries, including France and the

Netherlands, which were very moderate in their language here in

Brussels, but they were not accepting refugees as well. We are

out of time. After the dinner is finished, are you hoping your

leaders will come out and speak to you? I am sure they will. I am going

to stay here. Both of you, thank you very much indeed. We are expecting

significant briefing from EU leaders once they finish their dinner and

come out. No one is sure the timing of that but whenever it happens, you

will get coverage on the BBC. Lots of you are asking this question,

Nigel says, why does everyone want the Prime Minister to disclose our

negotiating stance? That would put us at a huge disadvantage. There are

some, and the government as part of this group, who says we cannot do

everything in the public domain because these are negotiations and

there are others, particularly some MPs, who say it is not appropriate

for the country in Parliament to have no idea what approach is going

to be taken. We shall have to see how Theresa May chooses to play