02/11/2016

:00:37. > :00:43.In September, scandal-hit Labour MP Keith Vaz judged himself "not fit"

:00:44. > :00:48.But now he's been appointed to another Commons

:00:49. > :00:53.How will Ireland - on both sides of the border -

:00:54. > :00:57.The Irish government is hosting all-Ireland talks today

:00:58. > :01:04.Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn will be facing each other over

:01:05. > :01:06.the despatch box at Prime Minister's Questions.

:01:07. > :01:10.We'll bring you all the action live at midday.

:01:11. > :01:15.Should the England, Scotland and Wales football teams defy Fifa

:01:16. > :01:24.and wear poppies during next week's World Cup qualifiers?

:01:25. > :01:27.All that in the next hour and a half of the very finest public

:01:28. > :01:34.And with us for the whole of the programme today are two

:01:35. > :01:36.politicians who as far as we know have never wrestled

:01:37. > :01:46.The Northern Ireland Secretary, James Brokenshire, and the Shadow

:01:47. > :01:52.First today though, let's talk about Keith Vaz.

:01:53. > :01:54.The Labour MP has seen off an attempt by Tory MPs

:01:55. > :01:57.to prevent him getting a seat on a Commons committee.

:01:58. > :01:59.Conservative Andrew Bridgen tried to block his appointment

:02:00. > :02:02.to the Justice Committee following newspaper claims that

:02:03. > :02:07.Mr Vaz paid for the services of two male sex workers.

:02:08. > :02:11.But his attempt was rejected in a Commons vote by 203 to 7.

:02:12. > :02:14.Mr Vaz quit as chairman of the influential Home Affairs

:02:15. > :02:24.Andrew Bridgen joins us now from Central Lobby.

:02:25. > :02:32.Why did you tried to block Keith Vaz's appointment to do justice

:02:33. > :02:36.select committee? Lacen 's month he resigned from the home affairs

:02:37. > :02:40.select committee. He didn't think he was a fit and proper person to

:02:41. > :02:45.remain on back committee. There are issues around this investigation and

:02:46. > :02:51.those matters are not resolved. Yet this month, Keith Vaz wings he a

:02:52. > :02:54.person who is fit and proper to be on the justice select committee.

:02:55. > :03:02.This actually brings the whole of our into disrepute. The Metropolitan

:03:03. > :03:06.Police are still assessing if any criminal offences were committed by

:03:07. > :03:10.Keith Vaz, so there isn't an investigation as such, going on. Why

:03:11. > :03:15.is this the appropriate forum for you to raise these matters? It is

:03:16. > :03:21.not the arena for bringing up grievances you may have? The

:03:22. > :03:26.procedure was, although it is a Labour nomination for the committee,

:03:27. > :03:29.it has to be approved by the whole house, it is a committee of the

:03:30. > :03:34.whole house. I had the opportunity to raise my concerns and I am

:03:35. > :03:39.disappointed with the results. But it has my concerns and the concerns

:03:40. > :03:44.of many members on the record and if it hadn't been for government

:03:45. > :03:52.whipping, it would have been a better result. Many felt it was

:03:53. > :03:55.anti-Parliamentary that you are trying to subvert parliamentary

:03:56. > :04:01.traditions instead of airing your concerns in an appropriate manner.

:04:02. > :04:05.Not at all, these parliamentary traditions, the voting on the

:04:06. > :04:09.chairman of a select committee, this has only been a convention for the

:04:10. > :04:13.last few years. At the end of the day we are talking about the

:04:14. > :04:17.reputation of Parliament. I think people in the country will be

:04:18. > :04:23.bemused that anyone would the dark cloud hanging over them, that Keith

:04:24. > :04:26.Vaz has, but possibly, with a police investigation possibly pending, a

:04:27. > :04:31.full Parliamentary standards investigation going to be carried

:04:32. > :04:35.out if the police don't investigate criminally, but someone could be

:04:36. > :04:39.nominated and get onto the justice committee at this time. But you

:04:40. > :04:44.wouldn't have a problem if Labour MPs tried to block nominations to

:04:45. > :04:47.select committee, even if there was a dark cloud, although no

:04:48. > :04:54.allegations have been proven at this point? If someone has genuine

:04:55. > :04:59.concerns about the suitability of someone to be in a position of much

:05:00. > :05:04.influence, of great influence in this Parliament, it is quite right,

:05:05. > :05:09.it is the duty of other members to raise these concerns. That was the

:05:10. > :05:12.format I had to do it. Raising concerns is one thing, but you

:05:13. > :05:22.wouldn't have a problem with Labour MPs blocking conservative MPs

:05:23. > :05:29.applying for the same appointments? As long as they were legitimate

:05:30. > :05:36.concerns. The ones who voted him on soon the select committee where your

:05:37. > :05:44.fellow Conservative MPs. They could be a victim of fortune of Keith

:05:45. > :05:48.Vaz's future activities. I worry whether colleagues may live to

:05:49. > :05:54.regret that. Andrew Bridgen, thank you.

:05:55. > :06:02.Why did you vote for Keith Vaz to be on the justice committee of all

:06:03. > :06:04.committees? It comes down to the principle on the independence of

:06:05. > :06:09.select committees and individual parties selecting who they should

:06:10. > :06:15.have. The Labour Party put forward Kate Green and Keith Vaz to serve on

:06:16. > :06:20.the justice committee. In the sense of the proprieties of Parliament of

:06:21. > :06:28.the robustness of select committees, it is the Labour Party to do that.

:06:29. > :06:33.There is the sense of resident, if other parties then somehow are able

:06:34. > :06:39.to undo that, then it can cut across the whole scrutiny process. That is

:06:40. > :06:43.the Parliamentary situation. Please explain to our viewers why it was

:06:44. > :06:50.writer of Keith Vaz to resign from the home affairs select committee,

:06:51. > :06:56.but now be appointed to the justice select committee? Ultimately, it is

:06:57. > :07:02.a decision for the Labour Party. Did you vote with a heavy heart for Mr

:07:03. > :07:06.Vaz? I voted in support of the process we have on individual

:07:07. > :07:11.parties being able to nominate to serve on select committees. It is a

:07:12. > :07:17.matter who the other side nominates, you would sheep like go through the

:07:18. > :07:21.lobby in favour? It is rather, we do have a principle of select

:07:22. > :07:27.committees being robust, being able to hold people like myself to

:07:28. > :07:37.account and Keith Vaz did that on a number of occasions in some of my

:07:38. > :07:39.previous roles. If we believe in the ability for parties to nominate, to

:07:40. > :07:45.nominate their own people and each party has its own process to do so.

:07:46. > :07:50.Why did Labour nominate him? We had two vacancies on the committee and

:07:51. > :07:54.two MPs put themselves forward. There was no election and they went

:07:55. > :08:00.on to the committee. Couldn't you have chosen somebody else? Why is it

:08:01. > :08:04.appropriate for Keith Vaz to be on the justice committee, of all

:08:05. > :08:09.committees, when it was inappropriate for him to stay on the

:08:10. > :08:13.home affairs committee? It is a decision for Keith. He was chair of

:08:14. > :08:19.the home affairs select committee and he stood down as chair. It is a

:08:20. > :08:23.nicety, but he is a member of the justice select committee, he is not

:08:24. > :08:28.sharing it. It is a decision for Keith to make himself as to whether

:08:29. > :08:32.he thought he should be. It is like Pontius Pilate act from both of you,

:08:33. > :08:38.washing your hands, down to Keith Vaz, it is just process. People

:08:39. > :08:44.watching will wonder how a man, with a chequered history on many matters,

:08:45. > :08:47.under a possible police investigation and standards

:08:48. > :08:54.investigation is sitting on the justice committee! I have some

:08:55. > :08:58.sympathy with that view. Had I been Keith, I don't think I would have

:08:59. > :09:04.put myself forward for that position. But the fact is, you can't

:09:05. > :09:08.pick and choose. He is an elected MP, there to represent his

:09:09. > :09:11.constituents and needs to play a role in Parliament. Unless there are

:09:12. > :09:16.findings against him which means he shouldn't be in this position, we

:09:17. > :09:23.should let him make the decision. Did you vote for him? I didn't take

:09:24. > :09:28.part in the vote, I was trying to stop a constituent being deported.

:09:29. > :09:33.Most of the people who voted for Keith Vaz were Tories. Only 38

:09:34. > :09:40.Labour MPs voted for Keith Vaz. Why? You have to ask them. They couldn't

:09:41. > :09:45.all have been looking after their constituents at the same time. They

:09:46. > :09:52.could have been. I can only give you my view cannot speak for my

:09:53. > :09:56.colleagues. As a minister has said, the system operates, the opposition

:09:57. > :10:01.party gets to nominate who will sit on these select committees, which

:10:02. > :10:06.are meant to be operated in a way, independent from government and

:10:07. > :10:12.opposition. They meant to be inquisitorial and so on. Yet only 38

:10:13. > :10:19.Labour MPs could vote for Keith Vaz. It tells us something. I am not sure

:10:20. > :10:24.what, but it says something? You can impute into what that may mean. I

:10:25. > :10:28.haven't spoken to the 38 people who did support it and you would have to

:10:29. > :10:34.ask them why they did and others why they didn't. How come he got in with

:10:35. > :10:42.the Tory vote. They all turned up, including 11 ministers. Most of the

:10:43. > :10:48.203 who voted were Tories and Labour couldn't be bothered. Ultimately,

:10:49. > :10:54.there was a division that was called. I voted as others did, in

:10:55. > :10:58.support of the independence of committees, the independence of

:10:59. > :11:02.individual parties being able to do that. Seven voted against. It was a

:11:03. > :11:07.cross-section from across Parliament who voted in support of that

:11:08. > :11:10.principle. We will leave that there, I think we have got as far as we can

:11:11. > :11:12.combat for the moment. Brexit is one of the biggest

:11:13. > :11:15.challenges facing the Irish government with implications

:11:16. > :11:18.for Ireland north and south. Today, the Irish government

:11:19. > :11:20.is hosting cross-border talks with politicians, business

:11:21. > :11:21.representatives and interest groups. The issue of the Irish border

:11:22. > :11:24.will top the agenda, along with discussions about trade

:11:25. > :11:26.and the peace process. The border is the only land

:11:27. > :11:28.boundary between the UK In 1922, the Irish Free State

:11:29. > :11:37.was established, and with it, a Common Travel Area

:11:38. > :11:42.between the UK and Ireland. This meant nationals of both

:11:43. > :11:47.countries could travel freely In 1973, both the UK and Ireland

:11:48. > :11:52.became members of the EU. Since both countries

:11:53. > :11:55.joined on the same day, the border has never been one

:11:56. > :11:59.between a member and a non-member. Now June's Brexit vote

:12:00. > :12:02.has put the future of Both the UK and Irish governments

:12:03. > :12:08.say they want to keep But after Brexit the border

:12:09. > :12:13.between north and south will become The EU's Brexit Taskforce said

:12:14. > :12:20.the whole EU might need to sign off on how the UK and Ireland plan

:12:21. > :12:25.to police it. A harder border is likely to cause

:12:26. > :12:30.significant disruption and could recall the difficult

:12:31. > :12:33.decades of the Troubles. An alternative could be

:12:34. > :12:37.a border between Ireland and mainland Britain -

:12:38. > :12:40.but that would mean checks on people travelling between different parts

:12:41. > :12:42.of the UK. And I'm joined now from Dublin

:12:43. > :12:53.by Ireland correspondent Chris Page. Welcome to the daily politics. What

:12:54. > :13:01.has been happening at the conference? The Irish government

:13:02. > :13:06.regard this as a very important day. At this hospital, grand setting for

:13:07. > :13:10.what they are calling an all island 's civil dialogue. Note that the EU

:13:11. > :13:16.state will be affected more by Brexit than the Republic of Ireland.

:13:17. > :13:19.End Kenny has said it is the biggest social and economic challenge facing

:13:20. > :13:28.island in the last 50 years. The government says they have the widest

:13:29. > :13:35.conversation about Brexit with North and South. 300 people are attending

:13:36. > :13:37.this conference, trade unionists, business representatives and other

:13:38. > :13:43.groups and they are focusing on cross-border trade, ?1 billion worth

:13:44. > :13:48.of goods cross the Irish Sea every week. Also, the peace process and

:13:49. > :13:53.the implications for the border are very high on the government's list

:13:54. > :13:57.of priorities. Notable absentees are the Unionist parties from Northern

:13:58. > :14:04.Ireland. They decided not to come to this event. That undermines the idea

:14:05. > :14:10.of it being the broadest conversation with as many parties,

:14:11. > :14:14.or interested parties as possible. The DUP leader, Arlene Foster has

:14:15. > :14:17.discussed it as a grandstanding exercise, making her case very

:14:18. > :14:24.clear. But what has been the reaction to that? People have said

:14:25. > :14:30.they are disappointed unionists have not come. Whenever the Democratic

:14:31. > :14:34.Unionist party had their conference, Arlene Foster hardened her rhetoric

:14:35. > :14:37.on this and said it was an exercise in grandstanding. The Unionists have

:14:38. > :14:42.said they have enough ways to engage with Dublin and people here,

:14:43. > :14:44.including ministers in the Irish government are putting the emphasis

:14:45. > :14:52.on another meeting taking place later this month, the meeting of the

:14:53. > :14:56.North, South ministerial. That would allow ministers from storm onto sand

:14:57. > :15:01.Dublin to confer regularly on matters which are important to them.

:15:02. > :15:05.There will be one of those Summit in Northern Ireland later this month

:15:06. > :15:10.and it will very much focus on Brexit. That is being pointed to by

:15:11. > :15:14.many here as being the next key meeting in this process. Everyone is

:15:15. > :15:17.trying to put a very positive accents of what is happening, saying

:15:18. > :15:24.it will be an important and useful exercise in forming the Irish

:15:25. > :15:31.government's progression in the Brexit talks.

:15:32. > :15:41.You are the Secretary of State 's four Northern Ireland. Why are you

:15:42. > :15:45.not at these talks? It is about forming preparations for discussions

:15:46. > :15:48.around Brexit. We do meet bilaterally with the Irish

:15:49. > :15:54.government on a regular basis. There are other things which are put into

:15:55. > :15:57.place. We have the British- Irish Council which brings together

:15:58. > :16:02.ourselves with the Irish government, with the Executive and other

:16:03. > :16:08.devolved Administration 's. The Irish government have called this a

:16:09. > :16:13.meeting of all Ireland. They say there is real concern in Dublin

:16:14. > :16:17.about the implications of Brexit for the whole island and the

:16:18. > :16:26.relationship of Ireland, the South with the Norse and with the UK. --

:16:27. > :16:31.north. Reassurances have been given in a number of ways. I have had

:16:32. > :16:37.meetings with the Irish Foreign Minister and we have had some good

:16:38. > :16:43.and positive exchanges. It is unique relationship we have. The Irish

:16:44. > :16:47.government has arranged today's event to form their approach to this

:16:48. > :16:51.full stop that does not mean there are not other discussions that will

:16:52. > :16:56.take place. The Northern Irish Council are very keen. There are

:16:57. > :16:57.always discussions. The Irish government regards this as

:16:58. > :17:07.important. Charles Flanagan joins us now from

:17:08. > :17:11.the talks in Dublin. Thank you for joining us. There are a number of

:17:12. > :17:15.concerns. We have four minutes. Perhaps we could go through some of

:17:16. > :17:20.the most important concerns you have about Britain's departure from the

:17:21. > :17:25.EU. What is your worry with the border? This is a very important

:17:26. > :17:29.engagement when we have an opportunity of listening, not only

:17:30. > :17:34.to political leaders, but also to business leaders and

:17:35. > :17:43.representatives, civic society. There are 6 million people on the

:17:44. > :17:49.island of Ireland, 4.5 million in southern Ireland. The issue of the

:17:50. > :17:53.future relationship between the UK and the European Union is of course

:17:54. > :17:58.of vital importance to us strategically in terms of our

:17:59. > :18:05.economy. We do not have much time. Forgive me. What I am trying to get

:18:06. > :18:08.at, since we have the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland here,

:18:09. > :18:15.what are your concerns? What is your main concern about what happens to

:18:16. > :18:20.the border? The main concern is that our priorities will not be taken

:18:21. > :18:26.into consideration. Our priorities are clear. The preservation of the

:18:27. > :18:33.Common travel arrangement which has been in place since 1926. Secondly,

:18:34. > :18:36.that the letter and spirit of the Good Friday Agreement remains intact

:18:37. > :18:40.and fully honoured. That is where the issue of the border is one of

:18:41. > :18:45.immense importance. Having regard to the fact we now have an invisible

:18:46. > :18:51.border between North and South where in excess of 30,000 people across

:18:52. > :18:56.the border every day to work, to school, to college, to farm. Any

:18:57. > :19:02.attempt to reintroduce what might be described as a heavily fortified

:19:03. > :19:07.border or a hard border is certainly going to meditate against what has

:19:08. > :19:11.been a hugely positive and constructive relationship North and

:19:12. > :19:16.South since the signing of the Good Friday Agreement in 1998. Hitting

:19:17. > :19:21.aside a military 's border, which may or may not happen, if the United

:19:22. > :19:26.Kingdom leaves and we are no longer in the single market and we are no

:19:27. > :19:31.longer in the customs union, does it follow in your view that there would

:19:32. > :19:36.have to be customs on the border between North and South? What

:19:37. > :19:43.follows if that is the case, and it is not clear that with either case,

:19:44. > :19:46.but what would follow would be a very serious situation which would

:19:47. > :19:53.require a special arrangement on the matter of the island of Ireland. We

:19:54. > :19:58.don't really know at this stage what the ask of the UK Government will

:19:59. > :20:03.be. Our priorities are clear. We are listening to colleagues on the

:20:04. > :20:06.island of Ireland today. We welcome those who have joined us from

:20:07. > :20:10.Northern Ireland. We want to know what the priorities of the British

:20:11. > :20:14.government will be and of course the priorities of the Northern

:20:15. > :20:19.Executive. We welcome the fact that Theresa May has indicated that

:20:20. > :20:26.Article 15 Otis will be served at the latest at the end of next March.

:20:27. > :20:30.-- the Article 50 notice. What will follow a BAC arrears round of

:20:31. > :20:35.negotiations. In order to prepare fully, I would be obliged to hear

:20:36. > :20:40.from my colleagues across the water as to what exactly the ask would be.

:20:41. > :20:45.We are preparing this morning and over the next few months a range of

:20:46. > :20:52.contingencies from the softest of soft Brexit to the hardest. This is

:20:53. > :20:58.really going to be impacting not only on our economy but also on

:20:59. > :21:04.society. Thank you for joining us this morning from the all Ireland

:21:05. > :21:09.talks taking place. James, let me come to you. The Common travel area

:21:10. > :21:14.which since the 1920s, has allowed British citizens to go to Ireland

:21:15. > :21:20.and Irish citizens to come here into work, travel, holiday in an

:21:21. > :21:25.untroubled way, are you in a position to guarantee that

:21:26. > :21:31.continuation after Brexit? We have the negotiations still to come. We

:21:32. > :21:41.know that is the case. What I can say clearly and, as Charlie has

:21:42. > :21:43.indicated, there is a strong will between the Irish government and

:21:44. > :21:49.ourselves to see the Common travel area will be respected. Its

:21:50. > :21:54.existence has been recognised in treaties. There needs to be a clear

:21:55. > :21:58.understanding among EU states of the significance of the Common travel

:21:59. > :22:01.area and the significance of border issues in connection with the

:22:02. > :22:06.politics of Northern Ireland and the issues. If Dublin wants it and you

:22:07. > :22:11.would want it to continue, what would stop it? Ultimately, because

:22:12. > :22:18.it is part of the overall negotiation. It existed before we

:22:19. > :22:22.joined the EU. You are right in making that clear point. It did

:22:23. > :22:25.exist before we joined be you and therefore that shares will that the

:22:26. > :22:31.Irish government and ourselves would have going into that negotiation,

:22:32. > :22:35.recognising that Ireland would remain in the European Union but it

:22:36. > :22:45.will not be part of the Schengen zone. The Irish government has no

:22:46. > :22:49.intent... They did not join partly because of the common travel area in

:22:50. > :22:54.the first place. They are not wanting to do that. As of this

:22:55. > :22:57.morning right you cannot guarantee the continuation of the common

:22:58. > :23:03.travel arrangement between Britain and Ireland. It is part of the

:23:04. > :23:07.negotiations, you tell us? It is part of what we need to secure from

:23:08. > :23:13.the outcome of the negotiations. That is the key thing. It is an

:23:14. > :23:19.essential point. Let me ask you something out. If we are outside the

:23:20. > :23:24.single market and the customs union, and there may be tariffs on some

:23:25. > :23:29.things between us and be you, you would have to put customs posts up

:23:30. > :23:36.on the border, wouldn't you? It is important that I do not hypothesise.

:23:37. > :23:39.We, as the Government, are in the process of analysing all of these

:23:40. > :23:47.issues. Analysing and considering whether we should remain in the

:23:48. > :23:50.customs union or not. So, there could be customs posts. What I do

:23:51. > :23:53.need to be clear on this is that we are looking at the evidence, looking

:23:54. > :23:58.at ways in which you can approach this. There are no binary issues.

:23:59. > :24:03.The Prime Minister has said it this in relation to the customs union. It

:24:04. > :24:11.is how we are working with the Irish government on how we can achieve

:24:12. > :24:17.that outcome, which is not seeing a return to the borders of the past. A

:24:18. > :24:20.brief thought from you on this. There is a lot of uncertainty in

:24:21. > :24:24.Northern Ireland and the Republic about what Brexit means. I am not

:24:25. > :24:30.sure people will be reassured in any way by what they have just heard. We

:24:31. > :24:35.haven't heard anything. We do not know what the plan is. Not in

:24:36. > :24:37.Northern Ireland and Ireland and we do not know what the plan is for the

:24:38. > :24:43.UK. OK. Let's move on. Now, a certain Canadian banker

:24:44. > :24:46.is reported to have been a bit upset by Theresa May's criticism

:24:47. > :24:48.in her conference speech of the "international elites" -

:24:49. > :24:51.a group she said she was According to The Times newspaper,

:24:52. > :24:55.the Governor of the Bank of England, Mark Carney, took these

:24:56. > :24:58.comments rather personally. In fact, the paper suggests it may

:24:59. > :25:01.even have had something to do with his decision to quit his post

:25:02. > :25:05.two years early, in 2019, and return A bit of an over-reaction you might

:25:06. > :25:18.think, or as one member of the Cameron Government apparently

:25:19. > :25:21.put it "for a supposed Master of the Universe,

:25:22. > :25:23.he has a very thin skin". Well, nobody could accuse us

:25:24. > :25:25.here at the Daily Politics of being either part

:25:26. > :25:28.of an international elite or thin skinned but we do control something

:25:29. > :25:31.even the Masters of the Universe can't influence - the supply

:25:32. > :25:45.of Daily Politics mugs. Diminishing though, the supply. It

:25:46. > :25:48.is. That is because the pound is slumped.

:25:49. > :25:51.To be in with a chance of getting your hands on a member

:25:52. > :25:55.of the crockery elite, just tell us when this happened.

:25:56. > :26:00.MUSIC: "There Must Be An Angel" by Eurythmics

:26:01. > :26:02.I went into this agreement because I was not prepared

:26:03. > :26:12.to tolerate a situation of continuing violence.

:26:13. > :26:29.# Boy, you've got to prove your love to me

:26:30. > :26:49.Handsworth riots is already expected to run into several million pounds.

:26:50. > :26:56.When the cameras first went in this afternoon,

:26:57. > :27:03.the place was absolutely jam-packed with peers.

:27:04. > :27:21.To be in with a chance of winning a Daily Politics mug,

:27:22. > :27:23.send your answer to our special quiz e-mail address - that's

:27:24. > :27:28.Entries must arrive by 12:30pm today, and you can

:27:29. > :27:30.see the full terms and conditions for Guess The Year

:27:31. > :27:45.And no, I don't know why they have to be in by 12:30 p.m..

:27:46. > :27:51.And that can mean only one thing, yes, Prime Minister's

:27:52. > :28:08.What is likely to come up today? As we see that crisp and beautiful

:28:09. > :28:12.autumn morning, it is not long before the Autumn Statement. We are

:28:13. > :28:17.starting to see noises off we traditionally see at this time of

:28:18. > :28:21.year. Ministers behind-the-scenes trying to persuade Philip Hammond to

:28:22. > :28:25.crank open his cheque book. Briefings about the kind of Autumn

:28:26. > :28:30.Statement we might expect. Have a brand-new Chancellor, are very

:28:31. > :28:35.different character to the previous one. A lot of expectation that the

:28:36. > :28:41.Autumn Statement will be more muted, not so politically grand as an

:28:42. > :28:47.event. Mr Brown and Mr Osborne used that. Mr Brown was always making an

:28:48. > :28:53.announcement about schools in his budget. That backfired. The forced

:28:54. > :29:00.academies age and was chucked over the side last week. There are a list

:29:01. > :29:03.of things George Osborne propose which have hit the dustcart. If he

:29:04. > :29:07.is watching whenever the year is quite sure what he is doing with all

:29:08. > :29:11.of his time that he might want to suggest things he dreamt up that

:29:12. > :29:15.have disappeared. In a sense, the Autumn Statement and the budget used

:29:16. > :29:19.to be a proxy for demonstrations that the Chancellor has had huge

:29:20. > :29:23.influence over domestic policy, a massive influence over domestic

:29:24. > :29:31.policy. That is not the case. But it Hammond is a different kind of

:29:32. > :29:34.Chancellor. He has already indicated the big headline will be using

:29:35. > :29:37.different kinds of targets to bring down the deficit in a more for

:29:38. > :29:42.giving way, if you like, to create giant airbags. Depending on economic

:29:43. > :29:48.circumstances. Precisely. He outlined some of his thoughts to the

:29:49. > :29:51.Cabinet. It is almost likely have Cabinet government. It is almost

:29:52. > :30:03.like we have political ministers sitting here. What about the word

:30:04. > :30:08.resit? He did use that word. It will be much more downbeat, if you like.

:30:09. > :30:15.Much more mooted. There is no question this is the first big shop

:30:16. > :30:21.window for him as Chancellor. The Government is very well aware of the

:30:22. > :30:24.economic dangers and how to pace ourselves from the European Union

:30:25. > :30:28.for the bid is also clear he has made a break with what went before.

:30:29. > :30:31.Probably George Osborne would have done the same thing, ditch his own

:30:32. > :30:39.fiscal rules because of uncertainty around the economy. He was going to

:30:40. > :30:43.give us a punishment budget, raise taxes and cut spending. The macro

:30:44. > :30:49.economic justification for which has always eluded me if you're going

:30:50. > :30:51.into recession. Hard to believe a Chancellor would do such a thing

:30:52. > :30:58.rather than looking at the numbers, as they are. The key thing for the

:30:59. > :31:02.Autumn Statement, Mr Hammond would have the latest OBR forecast for

:31:03. > :31:09.2017. My understanding is privately Mr Hammond is Leumi about 2017. Even

:31:10. > :31:15.on the record, he has said we are looking at a roller-coaster. --

:31:16. > :31:21.Leumi. The Chancellor has basically put up a big red warning light

:31:22. > :31:26.saying things might get grim and tough. The difference for him in

:31:27. > :31:29.terms of judgments he has two made is we will have new forecasts but

:31:30. > :31:36.very limited amounts of real reaction, if you like, real data. He

:31:37. > :31:40.will try to make judgments about several years ahead based on only

:31:41. > :31:45.three months since the world was turned upside down by the referendum

:31:46. > :31:49.result. Westminster is moving to that focus now and Labour MPs, of

:31:50. > :31:53.course no different MPs on the back bench, are starting to campaign on

:31:54. > :31:58.things they would like to see for that we have seen MPs talking about

:31:59. > :32:00.universal credit cuts. Some Tory MPs have considered joining forces with

:32:01. > :32:20.SNP members on that. Foreign steel is being used in our

:32:21. > :32:23.key defence projects. We know the Prime Minister likes to channel the

:32:24. > :32:31.iron Lady, but when will she show some metal in standing up for some

:32:32. > :32:36.British made steel? This government has stood up for British made steel

:32:37. > :32:39.and we have made a number of measures for the steel industry. But

:32:40. > :32:43.the honourable gentleman says there is no clarity in relation to Brexit.

:32:44. > :32:48.I am clear that what we want to achieve is the best possible deal

:32:49. > :32:53.for businesses in the United Kingdom to be able to trade and operate

:32:54. > :32:59.within the single European market. Prime Minister, I applaud the

:33:00. > :33:04.government's continued commitment to infrastructure development with 6000

:33:05. > :33:08.projects in the pipeline worth 480 billion. Can the government is

:33:09. > :33:12.quickly take forward the lower Thames crossing, and extra

:33:13. > :33:15.investment in roads that will help to build more homes, jobs and

:33:16. > :33:21.businesses in the Thames Gateway area? I am grateful to my honourable

:33:22. > :33:26.friend I'm grateful to him for recognising the contribution the

:33:27. > :33:30.government has made. The importance of that investment, we have

:33:31. > :33:37.consulted on proposals around the lower Thames crossing. There were

:33:38. > :33:39.more than 47,000 responses and those are being considered and the

:33:40. > :33:50.Secretary of State for Transport will make his response in due

:33:51. > :33:56.course. Jeremy Corbyn. Could I take this opportunity of welcoming Mesa

:33:57. > :34:01.Constance McGinn and hope the evidently effective crash course in

:34:02. > :34:05.midwifery undertaken by my honourable friend, the member for

:34:06. > :34:17.Saint Helens Norton isn't assigned to the government we believe in

:34:18. > :34:21.midwifery training. -- downgrading midwifery training. Mr Speaker, a

:34:22. > :34:30.few months ago on the steps of Downing Street, the Prime Minister

:34:31. > :34:37.promised to stand up for families who are just managing to get by.

:34:38. > :34:41.However, however, we now know these were just empty words as this

:34:42. > :34:46.government plans to cut work allowances for exactly those

:34:47. > :34:49.families who are just getting by. Isn't it the case her cuts to

:34:50. > :34:56.universal credit will leave millions worse off? First of all can I

:34:57. > :35:01.congratulate the right honourable gentleman on the birth of I

:35:02. > :35:13.understand, his granddaughter. No? Then, I completely missed the point.

:35:14. > :35:33.In that case... Wait for it. In that case, can I

:35:34. > :35:48.just say perhaps one should never trust a former Chief Whip!

:35:49. > :36:02.LAUGHTER. And on the point the right

:36:03. > :36:05.honourable gentleman has raised in relation to universal credit, the

:36:06. > :36:08.introduction of universal credit was an important reform brought about in

:36:09. > :36:14.the welfare system. It is more simple so people can see much more

:36:15. > :36:19.easily where they stand in relation to benefits. Crucially, the point

:36:20. > :36:24.about universal credit is making short work always pays. As people

:36:25. > :36:30.work more, they earn more. It is right we don't want to see people

:36:31. > :36:35.just written off to a life on benefits, but we are encouraging

:36:36. > :36:40.people to get into the workplace. It is unfair to blame a former Chief

:36:41. > :36:46.Whip for some confusion. Not a very gallant. Can we not just Admir the

:36:47. > :37:04.member for Saint Helen 's North for his work? Mr Speaker, Mr Speaker, it

:37:05. > :37:07.is extremely rude to point! Mr Speaker, her predecessor abandoned

:37:08. > :37:12.these same cuts to working people through the tax credit system. Now

:37:13. > :37:17.she is enacting them through universal credit. The Centre for

:37:18. > :37:25.Social Justice says these cuts will leave 3 million families ?1000 a

:37:26. > :37:31.year worse off. Why is the Prime Minister slipping the same cuts in

:37:32. > :37:42.through the back door? I have to say to the right honourable gentleman,

:37:43. > :37:46.at least my Chief Whip has a job. On the serious point he raises about

:37:47. > :37:51.universal credit, I repeat what I have just said. It is important to

:37:52. > :37:55.look at why universal credit was introduced. Under the benefits

:37:56. > :37:59.system under the Labour government, what we saw was too many people

:38:00. > :38:05.finding they were better off on benefits than they were in work.

:38:06. > :38:10.What is important is the value work, we value getting people into work,

:38:11. > :38:19.where they are able to work. But we want a system that is fair and it is

:38:20. > :38:22.a system that is fair both to those who need the benefits, but also fair

:38:23. > :38:25.to those who pay for the benefits through their taxes. There are many

:38:26. > :38:31.families struggling to make ends meet who are paying for the benefits

:38:32. > :38:38.of others. I want a system that is fair to them as well. This week, Mr

:38:39. > :38:42.Speaker, Oxford University studies found that there is a direct link

:38:43. > :38:46.between rising benefit sanctions and rising demand for food banks. A

:38:47. > :38:55.million people accessed a foodbank last year to receive parcel. Only

:38:56. > :38:59.40,000 did so in 2010. I welcome the government's promised to review the

:39:00. > :39:07.workplace assessment for disabled people, but will she reassess the

:39:08. > :39:11.whole punitive sanctions regime? It is absolutely right that in our

:39:12. > :39:15.welfare system, we have a system that make sure those people who

:39:16. > :39:21.receive benefits, are those who it is right to receive benefits. That's

:39:22. > :39:26.why we have assessments in our welfare system. It is also important

:39:27. > :39:31.in our welfare system, we ensure those who are able to get into the

:39:32. > :39:37.workplace, are making every effort to get into the workplace. That's

:39:38. > :39:41.why we have sanctions. What the right honourable gentleman wants is

:39:42. > :39:47.no assessments, no sanctions and unlimited welfare. That's not fair

:39:48. > :39:52.to the people accessing the welfare system and it's not fair to the tax

:39:53. > :39:56.payers who are paying for it. According to Sheffield Hallam

:39:57. > :40:00.University study, one in five claimants who have been sanctioned

:40:01. > :40:06.became homeless as a result. Many of those included families with

:40:07. > :40:08.children. Could I recommend the Prime Minister supports British

:40:09. > :40:17.cinema and takes herself along to the cinema to see a film called I,

:40:18. > :40:22.Daniel Blaikie. And perhaps she could take the Work and Pensions

:40:23. > :40:26.Secretary with her because he described the film as unfair and

:40:27. > :40:33.then went on to admit he had never seen it. He has a very fair sense of

:40:34. > :40:38.judgment. But I will tell her what is unfair, Annex servicemen dying

:40:39. > :40:41.without food in his own due to the government's sanction regime. It is

:40:42. > :40:51.time we ended this institutionalised barbarity against often, very

:40:52. > :40:54.vulnerable people. I have to say to the right honourable gentleman, of

:40:55. > :40:58.course it is important that in our welfare system we ensure those who

:40:59. > :41:04.need the support the state is giving them to the benefit system are able

:41:05. > :41:07.to access the bat. But it is important in our system, those who

:41:08. > :41:13.are paying for it feels the system is fair to them as well. That is

:41:14. > :41:18.right, that is why we need to have work capability assessments, it is

:41:19. > :41:25.why we need to have sanctions in our system. The right honourable

:41:26. > :41:28.gentleman has a view there should be no sanctions and unlimited welfare.

:41:29. > :41:34.I have to say to him, the Labour Party is drifting away from the

:41:35. > :41:39.views of Labour voters. It is this party that understands working-class

:41:40. > :41:43.people. Mr Speaker, the housing benefit bill has gone up by more

:41:44. > :41:48.than ?4 billion because of high levels of friends and the necessity

:41:49. > :41:53.of supporting people in that. Is that a sensible use of public money?

:41:54. > :41:59.I think not. In response to the March budget, I asked the Chancellor

:42:00. > :42:06.to abandon... I asked the Chancellor, Mr Speaker, to abandon

:42:07. > :42:09.the ?30 cut for disabled people on Employment and Support Allowance,

:42:10. > :42:14.unable to work. But with support may be able to work in the future. They

:42:15. > :42:18.want to be able to get into work. What evidence does the Prime

:42:19. > :42:23.Minister have that imposing poverty on people with disabilities actually

:42:24. > :42:28.helps them into work? I am pleased to say, what we have seen under this

:42:29. > :42:34.government is nearly half a million disabled people now in the

:42:35. > :42:36.workplace. The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions has launched a

:42:37. > :42:41.Green paper on work which is looking at how we can continue to provide

:42:42. > :42:44.and increase support for those who regard the tables and want to get

:42:45. > :42:50.into the workplace. But he started by asking me about the increased in

:42:51. > :42:57.housing benefit. If he thinks the amount of money spent on housing

:42:58. > :43:01.benefit, is so important, why did he opposed the changes we proposed the

:43:02. > :43:06.housing benefit is to introduce the housing benefit bill? As the Prime

:43:07. > :43:10.Minister knows, my concern and those of my party is the incredible amount

:43:11. > :43:15.of money being paid into the private rented sector by excessive rent and

:43:16. > :43:21.that could be brought under control and handled much better. Mr Speaker,

:43:22. > :43:27.many people in this House will have been deeply moved by my honourable

:43:28. > :43:31.friend, the member of the Swansea East's article about the tragic

:43:32. > :43:35.death of her son and having to take out a bank loan for the cost of the

:43:36. > :43:39.funeral. The Sunday Mirror with the support of the Labour Party are

:43:40. > :43:45.calling for an end to cancel charges the parent is laying a child to

:43:46. > :43:47.rest. It would cost ?10 million a year, a small proportion of

:43:48. > :43:57.government expenditure to ensure every Council could ensure those

:43:58. > :44:01.laying a child to rest could not have a bill imposed on them by the

:44:02. > :44:09.local authority. I hope the Prime Minister can act on this? I

:44:10. > :44:15.recognise those issues, there are facilities available through the

:44:16. > :44:19.social fund social scheme the payments for people who meet those

:44:20. > :44:22.eligibility conditions. It is difficult for anybody when they have

:44:23. > :44:27.to go through the tragedy of losing a child and then facing the

:44:28. > :44:31.consequences of the sorts the right honourable gentleman makes. We are

:44:32. > :44:34.making sure, in relation to local authorities, they now have the extra

:44:35. > :44:40.revenue available to them to business rates under the local

:44:41. > :44:44.revenues. It is up to councils to consider what they wish to do in

:44:45. > :44:47.this. But I say there are facilities available through the social fund

:44:48. > :44:55.funeral expenses to deal with the issue he raises. David McIntosh.

:44:56. > :44:58.Northamptonshire has, for a long time, been affected by a growing

:44:59. > :45:03.population without the right level of funding for public services. Can

:45:04. > :45:07.my right honourable friend assure meet the current reviews into the

:45:08. > :45:11.funding formulas for school, policing and health will reflect the

:45:12. > :45:13.population growth in Northampton and the rest of the county so services

:45:14. > :45:23.get the funding they need? I can say we have protected the

:45:24. > :45:26.schools budget in relation to funding per pupil and we have

:45:27. > :45:31.protected the police budget. As we look at various ways we are funding

:45:32. > :45:36.public services in the constituency and County of Northampton, we will

:45:37. > :45:41.look at the very issue of what is right in terms of the need of the

:45:42. > :45:52.local area and the numbers. Angus Robertson. It is with sadness we

:45:53. > :45:54.learn of the death... No doubt the Prime Minister and right honourable

:45:55. > :46:00.colleagues will extend their condolences to the family, friends

:46:01. > :46:05.and colleagues of a serviceman who has died so tragically. The Prime

:46:06. > :46:08.Minister says she wants to tackle international and domestic tax

:46:09. > :46:14.avoidance and serious criminality. On these benches we support this. If

:46:15. > :46:18.she were told that specific UK financial vehicles are being used

:46:19. > :46:27.for tax avoidance and other serious commonality, what would you do about

:46:28. > :46:32.it? -- criminality. Can I first of all say, I'm sure the whole House

:46:33. > :46:38.would wish to pass on condolences of the friends and family of the

:46:39. > :46:43.service man who died. We have done a significant amount in terms of tax

:46:44. > :46:47.avoidance. What should anybody do if they have evidence of people

:46:48. > :46:54.avoiding tax? I suggest he speaks to HMRC. Scottish limited partnerships

:46:55. > :46:59.were established by this House in 1907 are now being aggressively

:47:00. > :47:04.marketed internationally, especially in Eastern Europe. The International

:47:05. > :47:07.Monetary Fund has warned on the risk imposed and the fight against global

:47:08. > :47:15.money laundering and against organised crime. It is a matter of

:47:16. > :47:24.public record that SLP 's affected as France for child abuse and have

:47:25. > :47:29.been part of corruption in Ukraine, Uzbekistan and Moldova and include

:47:30. > :47:33.the arms industry. Given the seriousness of this industry and the

:47:34. > :47:36.Prime Minister's and to deal with criminality but the lack of

:47:37. > :47:43.progress, will she agreed to meet with me to discuss a joint way

:47:44. > :47:46.forward? The right honourable gentleman raises issues around

:47:47. > :47:51.criminality and investigations into criminal activity that is taking

:47:52. > :47:55.place and he talks about the issue of websites peddling child abuse and

:47:56. > :47:59.child sexual exploitation. It is in order to increase our ability to

:48:00. > :48:03.deal with this criminal activity that we created the National Crime

:48:04. > :48:07.Agency, we have been ensuring we have been working on other issues

:48:08. > :48:13.with the city like money-laundering, and we are looking at the whole

:48:14. > :48:23.question of how we can ensure we are taking effective action on criminal

:48:24. > :48:26.activity. I am pleased to say, he keeps saying, well I meet with him?

:48:27. > :48:29.As he knows, I do meet with him on occasions. I am always happy to meet

:48:30. > :48:32.the right honourable gentleman. If he wants to talk to me about dealing

:48:33. > :48:36.with criminal activity, I will be a good tell him about the work that

:48:37. > :48:39.has been done under this government working with the city on

:48:40. > :48:44.money-laundering and enhancing our ability to deal with the sort of

:48:45. > :48:47.criminal activity he is talking about. Does the Prime Minister agree

:48:48. > :48:53.it is disappointed with it. Here from the Leader of the Opposition

:48:54. > :49:00.any welcome for the huge boost to manufacturing and employment that

:49:01. > :49:02.have come from the Nissan decision? Does she agree that demonstrates

:49:03. > :49:11.great confidence in the UK with benefits throughout the supply

:49:12. > :49:15.change, including companies like Automotive Installations, in my

:49:16. > :49:21.constituency. It is extremely disappointing that the leader of the

:49:22. > :49:26.position has not actually welcomed, unlike his colleague, the honourable

:49:27. > :49:30.member for Sunderland West and Washington, who has welcomed the

:49:31. > :49:34.fact that these jobs have been saved in her constituency and in the

:49:35. > :49:42.supply chain around the country. It is that supply chain which is every

:49:43. > :49:47.bit as important. I know that Automotive Installations are

:49:48. > :49:54.receiving money and I wish them all the best for the future. What

:49:55. > :49:59.assurances can the Prime Minister give to the agri- food sector right

:50:00. > :50:02.across the United Kingdom that it would be given the important status

:50:03. > :50:10.that is required when it comes to any Brexit negotiations? I can

:50:11. > :50:14.absolutely assure the honourable gentleman that we are determined,

:50:15. > :50:17.first of all, to get the best possible deal on exiting the

:50:18. > :50:22.European Union for the British people. We're looking at the various

:50:23. > :50:26.sectors. We are very conscious of the importance of food in the

:50:27. > :50:29.agricultural sector across the United Kingdom and particularly of

:50:30. > :50:33.the importance to that sector to Northern Ireland. We will be doing

:50:34. > :50:37.all we can to listen to the representations made by the Northern

:50:38. > :50:43.Ireland Executive and make sure we have the best deal possible for

:50:44. > :50:46.agri- food sector. Last week's announcement on accelerated access

:50:47. > :50:49.to medicines report will make a positive impact to the lives of

:50:50. > :50:53.children and adults with a rare genetic and un-diagnosed condition.

:50:54. > :50:57.Decades patients have struggled to get access to this medicine. The

:50:58. > :51:01.progress made but I honourable friend from Mid Norfolk will make

:51:02. > :51:05.massive progress on that. Will the Prime Minister confirmed that if the

:51:06. > :51:11.programme is successful to the first five to ten drugs in the first year

:51:12. > :51:14.it will be extended further drugs in the following years? You are right

:51:15. > :51:21.to welcome the accelerated access you and to pay tribute for our

:51:22. > :51:25.honourable member for Mid Norfolk who has placed life sciences in the

:51:26. > :51:29.UK on the agenda and ensure we are able to sue the UK developing at

:51:30. > :51:34.best possible place to develop new drugs. That is what we want to see.

:51:35. > :51:36.With regard to the recommendations from the review, the Department of

:51:37. > :51:41.Health will be responding to those shortly. I think this is an

:51:42. > :51:45.important element in terms of our ability to accelerate that access to

:51:46. > :51:50.drugs, which is to the benefit of patients. Recent weeks have seen

:51:51. > :51:54.three government ministers express three different views on what will

:51:55. > :51:59.happen while industry cries out for clarity. Not Brexit, surprisingly

:52:00. > :52:03.enough but the oil and gas industry. Can I asked the Prime Minister will

:52:04. > :52:06.she bring forward additional support for this industry in the Autumn

:52:07. > :52:12.Statement or is she happy to sit back and see more jobs lost? I say

:52:13. > :52:17.to the honourable gentleman, of course we understand the challenges

:52:18. > :52:21.the UK oil and gas industry are facing and we take those very

:52:22. > :52:25.seriously. I also say to him that is why we have established the oil and

:52:26. > :52:30.gas authority and why we have taken action. The 2.3 billion package of

:52:31. > :52:34.measures in the last two budgets to make sure the North Sea continues to

:52:35. > :52:39.attract investment and safeguard the future of this vital national asset.

:52:40. > :52:43.We have taken a range of measures. We understand the concerns about the

:52:44. > :52:51.oil and gas industry and assess what the Government has taken action. --

:52:52. > :52:57.and that is why. Watch as the airport and the Medway industrial

:52:58. > :53:04.estate are home to a number of science SMEs which are doing wonders

:53:05. > :53:08.to our economy. I would like to congratulate the decision to take a

:53:09. > :53:13.cohort of SMEs to help increase trading relationships with emerging

:53:14. > :53:17.economies. Can I ask if her dedication will continue in ensuring

:53:18. > :53:25.all parts of our economy are able to seize the opportunities that present

:53:26. > :53:29.themselves as we leave be you? You are right about the importance of

:53:30. > :53:33.small and medium-sized businesses and obviously as she has referenced

:53:34. > :53:39.in the technology industry. That is why I am pleased in my trip to India

:53:40. > :53:42.I will be taking leading small and medium-sized businesses in life

:53:43. > :53:49.sciences and technology sectors. It is important to get them to forge

:53:50. > :53:52.trading links with India. As we look at the races for leaving the

:53:53. > :54:00.European Union we will be taking the interests of all sectors into

:54:01. > :54:05.account. -- the arrangements. Tartar speciality is a big employer in my

:54:06. > :54:12.constituency. It's workforce is worried by the period of uncertainty

:54:13. > :54:17.and acted by Tata Steel. With the Prime Minister use her trade visit

:54:18. > :54:23.to India to secure the future production of steel in Britain and

:54:24. > :54:31.convey the importance of Tata Steel acting as a responsible owner and

:54:32. > :54:33.seller of its UK assets? I can assure the honourable lady we

:54:34. > :54:41.recognise the importance of steel and the importance of temper macro

:54:42. > :54:47.in the United Kingdom. That is why we have had discussions with Tata in

:54:48. > :54:55.the United Kingdom and we will continue to sow do. -- the

:54:56. > :55:06.importance of Tata. My constituency apparently contains more powers than

:55:07. > :55:11.any other. This means world class cheese. Can the Prime Minister

:55:12. > :55:16.ensure West Country farmers that in best deal for Britain the interests

:55:17. > :55:19.of the agricultural industry and farming community will be foremost

:55:20. > :55:23.in her mind question that will she popped down to Somerset soon for

:55:24. > :55:28.perhaps a chunk of cheddar and drop of cider? We are grateful to the

:55:29. > :55:35.honourable gentleman. The Prime Minister. His invitation for West

:55:36. > :55:39.Country cheese and cider is an invitation which is difficult to

:55:40. > :55:43.refuse. I look forward at some stage of coming down into Somerset and

:55:44. > :55:48.being able to sample those products. He is absolutely right about the

:55:49. > :55:54.importance of our agricultural sector to economies across the UK,

:55:55. > :55:59.but particular parts of the UK rely heavily on the agricultural sector.

:56:00. > :56:02.We will be taking their needs and considerations into account as we

:56:03. > :56:09.negotiate the best possible deal for this country leaving the EU. This

:56:10. > :56:13.morning, the High Court ruled that the Government has comprehensively

:56:14. > :56:17.failed to properly tackle air pollution. Which does the Prime

:56:18. > :56:21.Minister feel is worse? The Government losing in the High Court

:56:22. > :56:27.for a second time or the 40,000 early deaths that may result from

:56:28. > :56:34.air pollution every year in the UK? I have been asked about equity in

:56:35. > :56:38.this chamber previously at PMQs. -- air quality. We always recognise

:56:39. > :56:43.there is more for the Government to do. We have been doing a lot in this

:56:44. > :56:48.area. We have been putting extra money into actions that will relieve

:56:49. > :56:51.the issues around are quality. We recognise that Defra needs to look

:56:52. > :56:56.at the judgment made by the courts and we had to look again at the

:56:57. > :57:00.proposals we will bring forward. Nobly in this Has doubts the

:57:01. > :57:12.importance of the issue of air quality. There is more to do and we

:57:13. > :57:15.will do it. Thank you, Mr Speaker. The Prime Minister will remember

:57:16. > :57:20.visiting the Witney constituency recently. Chipping Norton has been

:57:21. > :57:24.short listed for the great British high street awards. Does she join me

:57:25. > :57:27.in congratulating the small businesses on Chipping Norton and

:57:28. > :57:34.Tammy what support the Government offers to the small businesses in

:57:35. > :57:39.our market towns? -- and tell me. Can I take this opportunity, my

:57:40. > :57:43.first opportunity in this chamber, to welcome my honourable friend to

:57:44. > :57:47.this chamber and for his excellent result in the by-election? Can I

:57:48. > :57:55.just say, his question brings back many happy memories for me. As a

:57:56. > :57:58.child, Chipping Norton was our local town and I use together and spend my

:57:59. > :58:01.pocket money assiduously in the shops in Chipping Norton, so I have

:58:02. > :58:07.done my bit for his high-street and we are clear, as the Government,

:58:08. > :58:12.that business rates and issues regarding that will support local

:58:13. > :58:18.businesses. We are always grateful for extra information and we have

:58:19. > :58:26.now had it. This government's record on immigration detention is

:58:27. > :58:33.disgraceful. Amid concern over plans to get a short-term detention centre

:58:34. > :58:43.near Glasgow airport, will she use this as an bush unity to rethink her

:58:44. > :58:47.detention policy? -- and opportunity. A lot of work has been

:58:48. > :58:51.done by the Government on the issue of immigration detention and the

:58:52. > :58:58.number of changes have taken place. An Independent review took place the

:58:59. > :59:02.year or so ago on the question of detention of people. I would say, it

:59:03. > :59:07.is important that where there are people who are due to be removed

:59:08. > :59:12.from this country, and the prospect is that actually they could be lost

:59:13. > :59:17.in the system if they are not being detained, there are circumstances in

:59:18. > :59:20.which it is right to detain people in the immigration estate. We need

:59:21. > :59:24.to make sure we have got that right and that is why a lot of work has

:59:25. > :59:30.been bananas. The fundamental point, I suspect he does not think we

:59:31. > :59:34.should detain anybody in relation to immigration enforcement but we

:59:35. > :59:39.believe they should rightfully be detained before they are removed

:59:40. > :59:45.from this country. When people make fun of Christianity in this country,

:59:46. > :59:50.it rightly turns the other cheek. When a young gymnast, Louis Smith,

:59:51. > :59:53.makes fun of another religion widely practised in this country, he is

:59:54. > :00:01.hounded on Twitter by the media and suspended by his association. For

:00:02. > :00:04.goodness sake, this man received death threats and we have all looked

:00:05. > :00:09.the other way. My question to the Prime Minister is, what is going on

:00:10. > :00:16.in this country? I no longer understand the rules. I understand

:00:17. > :00:21.the level of concern my honourable friend has raised in relation to

:00:22. > :00:27.this matter. This is a balance that we need to find. We value freedom of

:00:28. > :00:31.expression and freedom of its buses like a speech in this country. That

:00:32. > :00:36.is essential in underpinning our democracy. We also value tolerance

:00:37. > :00:41.to others, tolerance in relation to religion. This is one of the issues

:00:42. > :00:45.we have looked at in the counter extremism strategy the Government

:00:46. > :00:50.has produced. I think we need to ensure it is right that people can

:00:51. > :00:56.have that freedom of expression but in so doing that right has a

:00:57. > :01:01.responsibility as well. That is a responsibility recognise the

:01:02. > :01:07.importance of tolerance to others. Mr Speaker, today's daily record

:01:08. > :01:09.leads on DWP issues. Is the Prime Minister aware Telephone call to the

:01:10. > :01:16.Department for Work and Pensions by a severely disabled person of a

:01:17. > :01:21.carer can cost up to 45p a minute. This is a considerable sum from the

:01:22. > :01:24.Social Security entitlement. Should a disabled citizen pay this price or

:01:25. > :01:30.does the Prime Minister agree with me that we should end this telephone

:01:31. > :01:34.tax on the most honourable in our society? The honourable gentleman

:01:35. > :01:38.raises an issue that has been raised on a number of occasions in this

:01:39. > :01:41.House. The Government is in promoting new guidelines in relation

:01:42. > :01:47.to the operation of these telephone lines and a number of lines are

:01:48. > :01:54.being reduced. The Government has recognised this issue and is taking

:01:55. > :01:58.action. The last 18 months have been hell for commuters in my

:01:59. > :02:02.constituency in Lewis at using the southern row network. Last night a

:02:03. > :02:06.journey which should have taken an hour took over four hours. And I

:02:07. > :02:10.begged the Prime Minister to intervene on the southern network?

:02:11. > :02:15.Why we have a country that works for everyone we have a railway that

:02:16. > :02:19.works for no one. I feel for my honourable friend in relation to the

:02:20. > :02:24.journey she had to go through last night and the extended time that

:02:25. > :02:27.tip. We have my right honourable friend, the Secretary of State

:02:28. > :02:32.transport, who has taken action in recent weeks in relation to the

:02:33. > :02:37.improvements are necessary. We have stepped in to invest ?20 million to

:02:38. > :02:42.tackle the breakdown on the southern row network that has proven so

:02:43. > :02:47.difficult to passengers. -- southern rail. I recognise the degree of

:02:48. > :02:54.concern. The Secretary of State transport is working on this to

:02:55. > :02:59.ensure those improvements. Has the Prime Minister spotted the ludicrous

:03:00. > :03:04.refusal by Fifa, the footballing federation, to let our players wear

:03:05. > :03:08.poppies at the forthcoming Scotland - England game? Will he tell the

:03:09. > :03:13.respective associations that in this country we decide when to wear

:03:14. > :03:21.poppies? And they will be wearing them at Wembley. I think the stance

:03:22. > :03:25.that has been taken by Fifa is utterly outrageous. Our football

:03:26. > :03:31.players want to recognise and respect those who have given their

:03:32. > :03:36.lives for our safety and security. I think it is absolutely right they

:03:37. > :03:39.should be able to do so. It is for our football associations but a

:03:40. > :03:43.clear message is going from this House. We want our players to be

:03:44. > :03:49.able to wear those poppies. I have to say two feet, before they start

:03:50. > :04:00.telling us what to do, they ought to sort their own house out. -- I have

:04:01. > :04:03.to say to Fifa. Could I congratulate my right honourable friend on her

:04:04. > :04:13.recent announcement of a task force to stamp out the file business of

:04:14. > :04:16.modern slavery? Would she join me in congratulating my constituents, Mike

:04:17. > :04:20.Emberson, and the men I trust on their ten years of work with the

:04:21. > :04:32.victims and the 70 places they now provide across their homes for these

:04:33. > :04:36.most unfortunate women? -- Menai. I have met with representatives from

:04:37. > :04:45.the Menai Trust. It is right we continue our momentum in the fight

:04:46. > :04:48.against modern slavery. Too much slavery is taking place on the

:04:49. > :04:53.streets and in the towns and villages of this country. That is

:04:54. > :04:57.why the task force I have setup will continue that momentum. We will be

:04:58. > :05:04.relentless in our pursuit of ensuring we eradicate modern

:05:05. > :05:07.slavery. Thank you, Mr Speaker. In July, the Armed Forces charity

:05:08. > :05:12.published an in-depth survey of nearly 1000 working age veterans.

:05:13. > :05:17.85% thought the UK did not give them enough support. Only 16% thought the

:05:18. > :05:21.Armed Forces covenant was being implemented effectively. What is the

:05:22. > :05:28.Prime Minister doing personally to change this? We absolutely recognise

:05:29. > :05:38.the debt we owe to our veterans. That is why we have the Armed Forces

:05:39. > :05:41.covenant. We recognise the support necessary for veterans. He talks

:05:42. > :05:45.about what we can do. One thing we can do is to help people coming out

:05:46. > :05:48.of the Armed Forces actually find their way into the world of work.

:05:49. > :05:52.That is quite is important that we have a system which helps them to

:05:53. > :05:56.find a support necessary to get into the world of work and we have an

:05:57. > :06:04.economy providing jobs that people need. This week it is wind energy

:06:05. > :06:12.week. The devell at the offshore wind sector is vital to my

:06:13. > :06:14.Cleethorpes constituency. Can you ensure the governor will continue to

:06:15. > :06:22.work with the industry to develop future jobs for young people with

:06:23. > :06:25.emphasis on training? I am happy to reassure my honourable friend that

:06:26. > :06:30.the Government will continue to work with this industry. It has been an

:06:31. > :06:34.important development for the United Kingdom and an important part of the

:06:35. > :06:38.amount of energy we are now generating from renewables. As he

:06:39. > :06:42.said it does provide jobs and we need to ensure we look at training

:06:43. > :06:49.for people to be able to take up those jobs. That is why skills is

:06:50. > :06:53.part of the work we are doing on our future industrial strategy. Will the

:06:54. > :06:58.Prime Minister agree with me that it is highly irresponsible and

:06:59. > :07:01.dangerous for people to talk up the prospects of increased violence in

:07:02. > :07:08.Northern Ireland as a result of us are leaving the U? People should

:07:09. > :07:13.used the agreed institutions set up under various agreements, not stand

:07:14. > :07:18.outside them or create new ones. Can she assure me it will not result in

:07:19. > :07:24.an impeding of the way that people in countries within the UK connect

:07:25. > :07:27.with each other? I am very happy to get the right honourable gentleman

:07:28. > :07:33.that assurance in relation to movement around the United Kingdom.

:07:34. > :07:38.No change will take place. It is right that what we will do in Brexit

:07:39. > :07:41.is ensure it is a good deal for the whole of the United Kingdom. Those

:07:42. > :07:45.who wish to encourage violence off the back of that frankly should be

:07:46. > :07:48.ashamed of themselves. It is absolutely essential that we all

:07:49. > :07:52.work together to make a success of this and get the best possible

:07:53. > :08:00.opportunities for people across the whole of the United Kingdom. Will

:08:01. > :08:02.she join me in praising Henley-on-Thames for receiving its

:08:03. > :08:08.first tranche of community infrastructure money at the higher

:08:09. > :08:13.rate because it has a neighbourhood plan? Will she join me in saying

:08:14. > :08:19.this is the best means of giving communities a say over planning

:08:20. > :08:22.issues? I am very happy to congratulate both my neighbouring MP

:08:23. > :08:28.and congratulate Henley-on-Thames for achieving that. He is right.

:08:29. > :08:31.Neighbourhood plans are a crucial part of the planning system. That is

:08:32. > :08:45.the way in which a local people can have a real say over what is

:08:46. > :08:49.happening in their local area. Thank you, Mr Speaker. Can I add my

:08:50. > :08:54.congratulations to my honourable friend and member for St Helens?

:08:55. > :09:00.Moving swiftly from midwives to doctors, is the Prime Minister aware

:09:01. > :09:04.that doctors in Doncaster are facing a crisis in primary care? As GPs

:09:05. > :09:10.retire, it is proving almost impossible to get new ones to take

:09:11. > :09:15.over their practices. Because of restrictions in the health and

:09:16. > :09:19.social care act, NHS bodies cannot take necessary action, for example

:09:20. > :09:22.to put in salaried GPs. Will she do something about this quickly because

:09:23. > :09:32.otherwise many of my constituents will be left without a doctor? Mr

:09:33. > :09:36.Speaker, can I say, because I did not after my unfortunate mistake I

:09:37. > :09:39.made earlier about the right honourable gentleman, I failed to

:09:40. > :09:46.add my congratulations to her honourable friend, the member for St

:09:47. > :09:52.Helens. I am happy now to do. On the point of GPs, it is important that

:09:53. > :09:57.we see the number of GPs coming through so that we can replace those

:09:58. > :10:02.who are retiring. Over the last six years we have seen thousands more

:10:03. > :10:06.GPs in our NHS that is why my right honourable friend, the Secretary of

:10:07. > :10:10.State for Health, is ensuring we have a programme to bring forward

:10:11. > :10:16.more GPs, more doctors into training, so we can ensure places

:10:17. > :10:17.like her constituency and others around this House actually have GPs

:10:18. > :10:33.in the numbers they need. Prime Minister's Questions come to

:10:34. > :10:38.an end a little earlier by the standards of the current speaker.

:10:39. > :10:44.Jeremy Corbyn asked about the cut in work allowances on universal credit.

:10:45. > :10:49.Those of you who watched the Sunday Politics last weekend will know what

:10:50. > :10:52.is involved. He said it leaves people worse off. He also talks

:10:53. > :10:54.about than the rising number of people being sanctions on benefits

:10:55. > :11:10.and it led to people becoming homeless. That was the gist of the

:11:11. > :11:16.main exchanges. It all started after, the Prime Minister seemed to

:11:17. > :11:22.think Jeremy Corbyn had just had a granddaughter. What I understand is,

:11:23. > :11:31.there is a background to this. As a Labour MP, former whip called,

:11:32. > :11:38.McGinn. He hacked to deliver his own baby. Mr Corbyn began PMQs by

:11:39. > :11:45.congratulating him on the happy news. Theresa May for some reason.

:11:46. > :11:49.Jeremy Corbyn was talking about the birth of his own granddaughter. When

:11:50. > :11:54.she discovered that was not the case, immediately blamed her former

:11:55. > :11:59.Chief Whip and I think current Transport Secretary, Patrick

:12:00. > :12:05.McLaughlin for giving her duff news. So there we go. I am sure you all

:12:06. > :12:11.wanted to know that. Made it clear. Jeremy Corbyn looked surprised. We

:12:12. > :12:19.all looked surprised. The big story to come out of this was nothing to

:12:20. > :12:27.do with that. It was when asked about Fifa's ban on teams wearing

:12:28. > :12:39.poppies this weekend that it is outrageous that players should not

:12:40. > :12:42.wear poppies this weekend, and before anything else and worrying

:12:43. > :12:48.about poppies, it should sort its own house out.

:12:49. > :12:54.Just a little bit on the common McGinn scenario. Someone said

:12:55. > :13:02.politicians really shouldn't do jokes or witty observations. Ian

:13:03. > :13:06.White lycees, Theresa May was able to whack Jeremy Corbyn with the

:13:07. > :13:10.welfare party tag as David Cameron used to. She seemed to be

:13:11. > :13:16.uncomfortable under questioning from Angus Robertson from the SNP.

:13:17. > :13:20.Christopher says, one of Jeremy Corbyn's failure is his inability to

:13:21. > :13:26.follow up on the answer the Prime Minister gives him, he just moves on

:13:27. > :13:30.to the next question. Bill Taylor says, why didn't Jeremy Corbyn bring

:13:31. > :13:34.up the Orgreave enquiry. People thought it was going to be announced

:13:35. > :13:39.by the government, but Amber Rudd, the Home Secretary, decided not to

:13:40. > :13:48.give it the go-ahead because Labour did nothing about it. And someone

:13:49. > :13:53.else says, do these people trawl through the obituaries to express

:13:54. > :14:06.condolences. It is mostly people we have never heard about. It is morbid

:14:07. > :14:13.and gruesome. Strange week with as oceans and

:14:14. > :14:18.babies being delivered. The question about poppies and F came from a

:14:19. > :14:26.Labour backbencher. It may be the Prime Minister wasn't aware that was

:14:27. > :14:31.coming. But I would suggest for her to say it is utterly outrageous that

:14:32. > :14:36.if it did come up, she knew what she would say about it? It seems she was

:14:37. > :14:42.ready with an answer and an attack on Fifa, not the most difficult

:14:43. > :14:46.people to attack, given what has happened at Fifa and she felt very

:14:47. > :14:53.strongly about it and she was ready with the answer. And after a scrappy

:14:54. > :14:59.session of PMQs, that was the standout answer. Something that will

:15:00. > :15:03.be picked up on across-the-board. Whether what the British Prime

:15:04. > :15:12.Minister says about Fifa's own rules and if they should apply is not

:15:13. > :15:17.clear. Most voters in this country think it is ridiculous that Fifa can

:15:18. > :15:21.set out a ruling that the English, Scottish and Welsh football teams

:15:22. > :15:29.cannot wear poppies this weekend. Jeremy Corbyn concentrated on what

:15:30. > :15:33.would be the cuts to some of the help on universal credit as it is

:15:34. > :15:41.introduced. Which has the effect of making, for the working poor who are

:15:42. > :15:47.dependent on benefits to top up their pay, the marginal rate of tax,

:15:48. > :15:51.the loss of benefits, becomes a much higher than was originally

:15:52. > :15:54.envisaged. Mr Corbyn didn't quote any Tory backbenchers and this, that

:15:55. > :16:01.the Prime Minister is under pressure. He could have quoted Iain

:16:02. > :16:05.Duncan Smith, who has said he believes these cuts should be

:16:06. > :16:09.stopped. And forgive the brief history lesson, lasted the

:16:10. > :16:15.government was pressured into dropping the planned cuts, but they

:16:16. > :16:19.kept up with the planned cuts for universal credit. That will replace

:16:20. > :16:24.the tax credit system. So the immediate cuts to families, which

:16:25. > :16:29.would have been significant to people on tax credits, was deferred.

:16:30. > :16:34.It didn't disappear and it will take place, if as scheduled, under

:16:35. > :16:38.universal credit. People receiving tax credits will move onto the

:16:39. > :16:42.universal credit system and the amount of support they will get will

:16:43. > :16:49.be less than had been planned. But there isn't at the stage, any signed

:16:50. > :16:51.the government will back down on this the Autumn Statement. The

:16:52. > :16:55.campaign around it may gather momentum, but at this stage it

:16:56. > :17:02.doesn't feel like the amount of pressure built up on George Osborne.

:17:03. > :17:05.I will not ask you to pre-empt what is in the Autumn Statement, but the

:17:06. > :17:16.Prime Minister has made a big deal of the just managing classes from

:17:17. > :17:20.which, is the working poor. So therefore, we can judge her on this,

:17:21. > :17:25.we can now look at what she does compared with the rhetoric on the

:17:26. > :17:30.steps of Downing Street. In two ways, the working poor are about to

:17:31. > :17:33.take a hit. One is the way Laura has been talking about, less of a top up

:17:34. > :17:40.because of the cuts being made to their pretty low pay. The second, as

:17:41. > :17:45.inflation rises, their benefits are not indexed linked, so they get hit

:17:46. > :17:50.in that way and it could be a real terms cut for them. I don't quite

:17:51. > :17:54.understand at the moment how she lives up to that working pro

:17:55. > :17:59.rhetoric. What you are not taking into account is the national living

:18:00. > :18:06.wage, the work going on to see that people are going into work. The

:18:07. > :18:11.record levels of employment. As she said during PMQs, work should always

:18:12. > :18:15.pay and the balance supporting those on welfare, but also those paying

:18:16. > :18:21.for it as well. She made a clear point for those who aren't on high

:18:22. > :18:27.wages but are equally contributing to the welfare system. It is that

:18:28. > :18:31.overall balance she is articulating, the pathway to employment and the

:18:32. > :18:38.life opportunity it brings. There are more working poor, but when 1.2

:18:39. > :18:46.million get the rise in the national minimum wage, what marginal rate of

:18:47. > :18:50.tax will they pay on it? We have the ?7 20 at the moment in relation to

:18:51. > :18:57.the national living wage and that will increase steadily. But what

:18:58. > :19:02.marginal rate of tax will they pay? I will not pre-empt the Autumn

:19:03. > :19:08.Statement. For some people it could be as high as 75%, when you take

:19:09. > :19:16.into account the tax they pay and the benefits they will lose. Another

:19:17. > :19:22.?100, which could be a lot of money for the working poor, they lose ?75

:19:23. > :19:30.of it. Would you do extra work for ?100 knowing he would lose ?70? It

:19:31. > :19:34.is giving the sense of opportunity for people to yes, move into

:19:35. > :19:40.employment. The welfare system is there as a hand up, to help people

:19:41. > :19:44.through difficult opportunities. But as the Prime Minister also

:19:45. > :19:49.indicated, we have this issue of sanctions, which the Leader of the

:19:50. > :19:52.Opposition highlighted. There are a relatively small number of people

:19:53. > :19:57.who are sanctions, but it is right we have the sense of helping people

:19:58. > :20:05.into employment and if they don't play by those rules, then obviously

:20:06. > :20:07.there are sanctions that can operate. I didn't ask about

:20:08. > :20:13.sanctions, if the idea is to make work pay and encourage people to get

:20:14. > :20:19.into work and to keep more of what they own, I don't understand how

:20:20. > :20:26.taking away 75% of the extra effort they make is encouraging work to

:20:27. > :20:31.pay. The point is, you have a welfare system where work should

:20:32. > :20:37.always pay, the basic sense of employment and the wages you

:20:38. > :20:43.receive. The richest people in this land don't face a marginal rate of

:20:44. > :20:48.75%. If they did, there would be rushed to the Borders. But we expect

:20:49. > :20:53.the working poor to marginal rates of tax up to that level. It used to

:20:54. > :21:00.be higher, one stage it was over 90%. But 75, with seeing too many

:21:01. > :21:05.people, to discourage trying to do a bit more, particularly if you are

:21:06. > :21:10.already in a job that is hard work, minimum wage, long hours and no huge

:21:11. > :21:17.remuneration. Then you are told you will get a pay rise. You think,

:21:18. > :21:21.good, I deserve it. But then you are told, by the way he will only get

:21:22. > :21:29.25% of that pay rise. It is not fair, is it? We are taking steps to

:21:30. > :21:42.ensure work will always pay, in relation to where the welfare cap is

:21:43. > :21:46.in relation to employment. We are only judging Theresa May, the Prime

:21:47. > :21:53.Minister, by the yardstick she has set herself. We will see what the

:21:54. > :21:59.Autumn Statement is, we will come back to you in a minute. What do you

:22:00. > :22:02.make of the Prime Minister saying to Jeremy Corbyn, you don't agree in

:22:03. > :22:10.assessments, you don't agree in sanctions or any limits to welfare,

:22:11. > :22:15.is it true? It is not true at all and Jeremy Corbyn hasn't said that.

:22:16. > :22:20.We said if you have a system, it needs to operate fairly. So you do

:22:21. > :22:22.believe in sanctions? If people consistently break the rules in

:22:23. > :22:27.relation to benefits and entitlements, then of course. But

:22:28. > :22:30.they should be a last resort. What we have seen is a plethora of

:22:31. > :22:35.sanctions to people who shouldn't have been sanctioned and that is why

:22:36. > :22:40.they end up in situations where they rely on food banks or homeless.

:22:41. > :22:47.Final thought, Laura? You saw this row between David Cameron and Ed

:22:48. > :22:51.Miliband, we will see this row over the next years between Theresa May

:22:52. > :22:55.and Jeremy Corbyn. Partly because the way the Tories took about this,

:22:56. > :23:02.you have people on welfare and people who are in work. Most people

:23:03. > :23:04.on benefits have jobs, so there is a slight either intentional

:23:05. > :23:12.misunderstanding or a fundamental different worldview. Because they

:23:13. > :23:16.are the just managing? This may trip Theresa May. She said this is the

:23:17. > :23:20.party that understands working class people. It is her ambition to place

:23:21. > :23:25.herself in that sense, but it will have to go a long way to match up

:23:26. > :23:30.the rhetoric she is hoping to make the centre of her mission, if you

:23:31. > :23:35.like. We will continue to monitor the rhetoric and the policy.

:23:36. > :23:40.Penny Mordaunt on the programme said there were no plans to reverse those

:23:41. > :23:43.cuts, but no plans is not quite the same.

:23:44. > :23:49.Michael Heseltine said he had no plans to stand against Margaret

:23:50. > :24:02.Thatcher. What about the Alsatian? That wasn't consulted. Coming back

:24:03. > :24:12.to Theresa May's comment about Fifa banning the home countries wearing

:24:13. > :24:16.poppies. Wales face Serbia. The further forbids what it calls

:24:17. > :24:22.political imagery. Answering a question from the Labour MP Steve

:24:23. > :24:26.McCabe during PMQs, Theresa May said the flesh should think again. I

:24:27. > :24:31.think the stand is being taken by Fifa is outrageous. Our football

:24:32. > :24:38.players have won to recognise and respect those who have given their

:24:39. > :24:43.lives for our safety and security. It is absolutely right they should

:24:44. > :24:46.be able to do so and it is for our football associations, but a clear

:24:47. > :24:51.message is going from this house. We want our players to wear those

:24:52. > :24:56.poppies. I have to say to Fifa, before they tell us what to do, they

:24:57. > :25:02.jolly well should sort their own house out. We are joined by the

:25:03. > :25:08.associate editor of the Daily Mirror, Kevin Maguire. She is right,

:25:09. > :25:12.isn't she? This is a rerun of an argument five years ago when a

:25:13. > :25:17.compromise was reached that England players will wear a black armband

:25:18. > :25:27.with poppies on it. But the reason it has breached the rules, the

:25:28. > :25:32.commercial symbols, we see the poppy as a symbol of remembrance, others

:25:33. > :25:35.will see it differently. If you allow something, let's remember they

:25:36. > :25:41.raise money for serving soldiers, not just of those from previous

:25:42. > :25:44.wars. But what about the red Army benevolent fund wants to be on the

:25:45. > :25:52.Russian shirt or the People's Army of China in North Korea or they want

:25:53. > :25:55.an anti-Israeli slogan of the Revolutionary guards in Iran want to

:25:56. > :25:58.have a go at Iraq. You open the door and lots of people will be calling

:25:59. > :26:05.for symbols that we would find offensive. But remembering the war

:26:06. > :26:09.dead, is it the same as a political statement? It is a political side to

:26:10. > :26:19.any war and the money is raised for serving troops now, including those

:26:20. > :26:23.who fought in Iraq, Afghanistan, two hugely controversial conflicts

:26:24. > :26:28.around the world. It is ridiculous we have a clear symbol where we

:26:29. > :26:32.remember our war dead, remembering those who have given their lives in

:26:33. > :26:36.service of their country and we have a situation where there is

:26:37. > :26:40.precedent, other sports are allow this and Fifa are standing in the

:26:41. > :26:47.way of this. I don't understand why they are taking this stance and it

:26:48. > :26:50.is so ridiculous. If Fifa said yes to everybody would be adorned in all

:26:51. > :26:58.sorts of political symbols that would be more controversial? I think

:26:59. > :27:05.Fifa should keep out of it, and I agree with Theresa May. Fifa should

:27:06. > :27:09.look at their corruption and people dying building stadiums for the next

:27:10. > :27:18.World Cup. I have been watching football the decades, I have got the

:27:19. > :27:22.grey hair. But the truth is, in England, clubs never used to put the

:27:23. > :27:27.poppy on their shirts. This only started a few years ago. You would

:27:28. > :27:33.have great anniversaries for the First World War, Second World War,

:27:34. > :27:37.they didn't have Fifa. Then all of a sudden, a football game, awash with

:27:38. > :27:43.money and a terrible image, has latched onto the poppy to show it

:27:44. > :27:48.cares. Should they were the poppy? Absolutely I think they should. Do

:27:49. > :27:56.you advise them to wear it and get the fine? I suppose then they can

:27:57. > :28:00.give somebody else another bong. They are not going to kick the

:28:01. > :28:07.country out of a competition or deduct points, so I presume it is a

:28:08. > :28:10.fine. Would it open the floodgates to other countries? All of a sudden

:28:11. > :28:14.we would find ourselves are objecting to symbols on other

:28:15. > :28:16.country's shirts. Thank you for joining us today on the subject of

:28:17. > :28:19.poppies. There's just time to put you out

:28:20. > :28:45.of your misery and give You press the button, Jo.

:28:46. > :28:50.Congratulations, Roger. He writes great songs. No, that is his

:28:51. > :28:55.brother. BBC One news coming up. Jo and I

:28:56. > :28:57.will be here tomorrow with more of the Daily Politics. Love to see you

:28:58. > :29:02.then. Goodbye. He's a scientist,

:29:03. > :29:04.brilliant apparently. But you may be bringing people over

:29:05. > :29:13.here who did things during the war. I will not work for you. I will not

:29:14. > :29:18.work for the British Government. Let us not let the past haunt

:29:19. > :29:22.all of our actions. You've got to do something!

:29:23. > :29:26.It's only you that can!