07/12/2016

:00:38. > :00:44.MPs vote on a Brexit timetable for the first time as Theresa May

:00:45. > :00:49.But with a small majority, how hard will it be for her

:00:50. > :00:55.Nicola Sturgeon has said a second referendum on Scottish Independence

:00:56. > :00:59.Will the Government do a deal with the SNP

:01:00. > :01:09.The Liberal Democrats have been handed down the maximum fine

:01:10. > :01:13.for failing to report election spending totalling almost

:01:14. > :01:17.?200,000 during the 2015 General Election campaign.

:01:18. > :01:21.Are greater powers needed to enforce electoral law?

:01:22. > :01:23.And what pleasure can be derived from the spelling

:01:24. > :01:43.How do you spell howler? Don't ask me tricky questions.

:01:44. > :01:47.All that in the next 90 minutes and with with us for the duration,

:01:48. > :01:50.we've played safe with two MPs whose names are easy to spell.

:01:51. > :01:52.Home Office Minister, Brandon Lewis and Shadow Brexit Minister,

:01:53. > :01:54.Jenny Chapman - that's Jenny with a "Y".

:01:55. > :02:02.Now the Government appear to have seen off a rebellion by its own MPs,

:02:03. > :02:07.who had threatened to vote with Labour on a motion calling

:02:08. > :02:09.for the Government to publish an outline of the plan for Brexit

:02:10. > :02:15.before negotiations with the EU begin.

:02:16. > :02:17.Number 10 now accept the motion, having amended it

:02:18. > :02:20.to call for Article 50 - which begins those negotiations -

:02:21. > :02:22.to be triggered by the end of March next year.

:02:23. > :02:28.So, Theresa May hasn't fallen at the first fence

:02:29. > :02:31.but there will be more parliamentary tests ahead and the parliamentary

:02:32. > :02:39.has a majority of just nine and a working majority

:02:40. > :02:41.of 13 once Sinn Fein MPs, who don't vote, are

:02:42. > :02:45.The next hurdle is the Supreme Court where the Government's appealing

:02:46. > :02:49.against a ruling that Parliament should be consulted before

:02:50. > :02:56.If this is defeated there will be a vote in Parliament,

:02:57. > :02:59.possibly a tightly worded bill that's difficult to amend.

:03:00. > :03:02.Labour say they will vote in favour - so it should pass -

:03:03. > :03:06.but it's likely they and others will attempt to amend it.

:03:07. > :03:09.And then of course the bill will have to go through the Lords,

:03:10. > :03:12.where there is a big Remain majority.

:03:13. > :03:15.Once these hurdles have been jumped it's the Great Repeal Bill,

:03:16. > :03:23.The idea is it will incorporate all existing EU regulations

:03:24. > :03:28.into British law and the eventual repeal on the 1972

:03:29. > :03:37.However, there's plenty for mischief making MPs to get their teeth

:03:38. > :03:39.into with endless amendments that could slow the Bill's

:03:40. > :03:52.Then once on the final straight, Mrs May could fall at the final

:03:53. > :03:54.furlong right at the end of the negotiation process,

:03:55. > :03:57.where there could be pressure for yet another vote on the final

:03:58. > :03:59.Brexit deal, and if the Liberal Democrats get their way,

:04:00. > :04:01.maybe even another referendum on the deal.

:04:02. > :04:08.Thank you. Brandon Lewis. Can you give us any idea what it is you are

:04:09. > :04:13.going to publish? Well, the Prime Minister's been very clear and the

:04:14. > :04:16.motion is clear. We are outline... I don't want to interrupt you right

:04:17. > :04:20.away. Any time people sit on these chairs and say the Prime Minister or

:04:21. > :04:23.the Leader of the Opposition has been very clear, it means we are

:04:24. > :04:27.about to be splattered with mud that we can't see through. No mud just

:04:28. > :04:32.very simple in that first part next year, when we trigger article #50,

:04:33. > :04:37.as the motion says today -- Article 50. Will there be a white paper? We

:04:38. > :04:41.will look at that and the Government will outline that in due course. A

:04:42. > :04:44.green paper? As I say we'll work through what will be published. I

:04:45. > :04:48.thought you told me it was very clear. As the motion that Labour put

:04:49. > :04:52.down today says, we will outline that plan before we trigger Article

:04:53. > :04:55.50. I'm trying to work out what the format, the vehicle for the plan,

:04:56. > :05:00.because that will give us an idea of how much substance there will be in

:05:01. > :05:05.it. So it is very clear but not clear enough that it is a white

:05:06. > :05:10.paper or a Greene paper or a leaflet or maybe back of a fag packet.

:05:11. > :05:16.Obviously there is a plan put forward Parliament. But what will be

:05:17. > :05:19.the formula? What will be put before Parliament? Well we have not

:05:20. > :05:23.outlined that. We will do that in due course. We are not ready to do

:05:24. > :05:29.that. We will do that when we get into next year. Clear as mud. It is

:05:30. > :05:38.what the motion has said. The Government will outline its plans.

:05:39. > :05:42.We have down in broad terms, the principles for exiting the European

:05:43. > :05:48.Union. So will you not publish anything that we don't know already?

:05:49. > :05:52.We have been clear, about our laws, free trade negotiation, and

:05:53. > :05:58.immigration in place. And we will publish that plan, as we publish...

:05:59. > :06:02.You will publish what we already know? The Prime Minister has said

:06:03. > :06:05.and outlined at the party conference speech the broad principles. One of

:06:06. > :06:08.the key tests will be for Labour and the Liberal Democrats to stand up

:06:09. > :06:11.and vote for what British people voted for and be clear about that.

:06:12. > :06:16.We have outlined what the principles are. Today's vote will be a good

:06:17. > :06:21.chance for Labour to be clear about whether they are for exiting the

:06:22. > :06:32.European Union or whether they want a second referendum. We had a front

:06:33. > :06:35.bench person asking that. Jo asked if you will expand on what we know

:06:36. > :06:39.already. For example, free trade. If you want to be able to do free trade

:06:40. > :06:42.deals, it requires you to be outside the customs union, but the

:06:43. > :06:48.Government has not yet told us whether we will or not be outside

:06:49. > :06:51.the customs union. I'm not asking you to answer that but will whatever

:06:52. > :06:55.is published clarify matters? Well you are right. Part is we are at the

:06:56. > :07:00.start of the negotiations, that will come through the negotiations. Not

:07:01. > :07:08.what we want, we have to get agreement with the 27 countries. But

:07:09. > :07:12.I ask, will the green, white paper, back of a fag packet paper, clarify

:07:13. > :07:17.issues like that? We'll outline what we will publish when we publish it

:07:18. > :07:21.to trigger Article 50. The broad principles we want to go for have

:07:22. > :07:23.been outlined by the Prime Minister and discussed in Parliament. You

:07:24. > :07:29.have listened to the minister. He hasn't told us anything we didn't

:07:30. > :07:32.know already. I'm in the quite sure, what has Labour achieved with this

:07:33. > :07:36.motion? We have a victory, we are pleased about that. What is the

:07:37. > :07:39.victory? What we have now is a commitment to publishing a plan and

:07:40. > :07:44.we would like to see this in good time, to the end of March, so we

:07:45. > :07:48.want it in January. We would like a white paper. But you haven't got

:07:49. > :07:52.that commitment. We haven't got a commitment to a white paper.

:07:53. > :07:56.Honestly we are not hung up on what format it takes. You want some

:07:57. > :08:02.details. We need more than we have, that's clear. The trouble with the

:08:03. > :08:07.principles that have been outlined so far, is that ministers have

:08:08. > :08:13.contradicted one another on them. So, last Thursday, you had David

:08:14. > :08:17.Davis de-Despatch Box saying - we could be could be contributing to

:08:18. > :08:21.the EU budget even after we left and Boris at the weekend or Mr Johnson

:08:22. > :08:25.as we are now supposed to call him, saying that is hae just speculation

:08:26. > :08:29.and we don't think that's glpg He said they may make contributions but

:08:30. > :08:34.they would be small. I'm trying to work out what is it... There is no

:08:35. > :08:38.clarity. Exactly. So what is it you have got the Government to concede

:08:39. > :08:43.Well, we want a plan. Well, are you happy with what the minister said

:08:44. > :08:46.there? No, I was not happy. So what have you achieved? If when they

:08:47. > :08:49.publish something that they call a plan, it is insufficient, then we

:08:50. > :08:53.are going to have to go through this all again, aren't we? We had to

:08:54. > :08:58.force the Government to agree what we asked it to do today. They have

:08:59. > :09:01.had to back down to do this and we will come back and do this again,

:09:02. > :09:06.should we need to, should they publish something. So were you

:09:07. > :09:11.trying tie mend a plan? Were you trying to amend the plan We may need

:09:12. > :09:17.to. We may need to see it first. All right. How do you think the Labour

:09:18. > :09:22.Lords are going to react to this? We know, by in large, the Labour MPs

:09:23. > :09:25.are going to trigger Article 50. There will be caveats, complaints

:09:26. > :09:31.and so on, but in the end they are going to vote for it. What about the

:09:32. > :09:34.Labour Lords? I think the Labour Lords are quite respectful of the

:09:35. > :09:38.fact that there has been a referendum. I think they have

:09:39. > :09:43.concerns, as do many people, about the form of Brexit and Labour

:09:44. > :09:47.doesn't want to see a hard Brexit. But I think ultimately, the Lords

:09:48. > :09:51.may use the opportunities to challenge, to amend, to probe, but I

:09:52. > :09:57.don't see the Lords blocking Article 50. But in the end, just to clarify

:09:58. > :10:03.this, the Government puts something to Parliament - as yet unspecified -

:10:04. > :10:07.but it puts something to Parliament about its negotiating strategy, if I

:10:08. > :10:12.can put it no higher than that. And you may try to amend it or you may

:10:13. > :10:17.not like t but in the end, even if you fail to amend it, you still vote

:10:18. > :10:20.for Article 50? We have two opportunities - we will vote for

:10:21. > :10:22.Article 50. We have been saying that for months, which is why the

:10:23. > :10:27.Government's amendment today, you know really, we are quite relaxed

:10:28. > :10:31.about agreeing to that. Not all members are. Well not all of your

:10:32. > :10:36.members. What is the answer to my question. This is the usual politics

:10:37. > :10:39.in this. You know, it is a different kind of debate. Because we have got

:10:40. > :10:45.here by a referendum, it is different. And I accept that. But we

:10:46. > :10:48.will have to two opportunities. We will have the opportunity once we

:10:49. > :10:52.see the outline of the strategy to talk more widely across the country

:10:53. > :10:56.about it, to challenge the Government on it and to illicit

:10:57. > :11:00.change through that. There's also the Article 50 legislation. Now, I

:11:01. > :11:05.don't think there is such a thing as a bill which can be put forward

:11:06. > :11:09.which is unamendable. So, when we see that, bearing in mind what we

:11:10. > :11:14.have seen in the plan, there is an opportunity to then have further

:11:15. > :11:18.votes on what form of Brexit... But if there is legislation and you do

:11:19. > :11:22.fail to amend that, you will still, in the end, go with Article 50? That

:11:23. > :11:29.has been our commitment. I understand that. Will the Government

:11:30. > :11:35.- when it is all done and dusted, and we have a deal on the terms on

:11:36. > :11:40.which we are leaving the European Union. It may even be interim, it

:11:41. > :11:44.may not cover everything, but it is a clear - this is what we have

:11:45. > :11:48.agreed with the other 27 members. Will that go before Parliament?

:11:49. > :11:54.Well, it depends on the format that takes. That is a long way off yet.

:11:55. > :11:57.That could be a year, as we saw yesterday potentially later than,

:11:58. > :12:02.two 18. Until we know what the format is, it is too early to answer

:12:03. > :12:06.the question. Hold on. What would be the case for not putting that to

:12:07. > :12:10.Parliament? It depends on what goes through Parliament with the great

:12:11. > :12:13.repeal bill and everything over the next year or so. It is too early to

:12:14. > :12:16.say. The great repeal bill has nothing to do with our terms of

:12:17. > :12:22.leaving. That's a mechanism by which you don't have to repeal every piece

:12:23. > :12:26.of European legislation on day 1. That's a process business there

:12:27. > :12:30.which gives you more time. What I'm asking is, when we come to the deal

:12:31. > :12:35.to be done, and the British people look at t the Lib Dems want another

:12:36. > :12:40.referendum. -- look at it. I take it you don't and Labour don't want

:12:41. > :12:43.another referendum. I don't see how you can have another referendum, at

:12:44. > :12:50.what point you can have it and what question you can put, before we have

:12:51. > :12:55.left But Labour front bedges in the last two weeks have been inferring

:12:56. > :12:59.to a second referendum. That may be the problems but the problem I'm

:13:00. > :13:04.grappling with, is what would be the case against Parliament. In essence

:13:05. > :13:07.this would be a treaty. Leaving the European Union would be an

:13:08. > :13:11.international treaty with 27 other countries, with the EU as an

:13:12. > :13:17.institution, to leave and my understanding is that treaties now

:13:18. > :13:22.have to go through Parliament? Well, this comes to, actually partially

:13:23. > :13:26.expects the report that Jenny was making around Boris Johnson and

:13:27. > :13:30.David Davis' comments, they were outlining what happens. This has

:13:31. > :13:34.never been done, nobody has left the European Union. So to outline what

:13:35. > :13:37.the process will be at the end of this in a year or two years' time

:13:38. > :13:41.whenever it comes, so too early to say. I'm not saying it wouldn't be

:13:42. > :13:45.but it is too early to outline that now, tie the Government to something

:13:46. > :13:50.now, when it is two years' ago. Surely it has to be approved by

:13:51. > :13:53.Parliament? If it is a treaty that requires parliamentary approval for

:13:54. > :13:56.that process that would be the case, we are not at that pointed, we are

:13:57. > :13:58.still some way away from that. All right. Are you clear about the plan?

:13:59. > :14:01.No. Now, with the House of Commons

:14:02. > :14:04.so finely balanced, key players in any potential Brexit votes

:14:05. > :14:07.will be the 54 MPs from Nicola Sturgeon's party

:14:08. > :14:10.campaigned strongly to Remain, so what could Theresa May possibly

:14:11. > :14:13.offer to help get the SNP on side? Might the promise of

:14:14. > :14:15.a second vote on Scottish That's what The Times

:14:16. > :14:20.suggests today. They report that ministers

:14:21. > :14:22.are considering allowing the Scottish Government to hold

:14:23. > :14:25.a second independence referendum after the UK has

:14:26. > :14:29.left the European Union. Let's ask the SNP's Europe

:14:30. > :14:43.spokesman, Stephen Gethins. Before we move on to that, Stephen,

:14:44. > :14:49.are you happy with the plan the government is now going to publish

:14:50. > :14:55.and linking it to the triggering of Article 50? We haven't seen any

:14:56. > :14:59.details yet, we are 167 days from the referendum, another 113 days

:15:00. > :15:03.until the end of March and we are no closer so I'm not happy because we

:15:04. > :15:06.haven't seen any more details yet again. What are you going to do in

:15:07. > :15:27.the debate then? We're not going to accept the government's

:15:28. > :15:30.Amendment. Frankly I think we are letting them off the hook. This has

:15:31. > :15:32.a huge impact on jobs, the economy and our livelihoods and we need much

:15:33. > :15:35.more detail... What will you do? Vote against. What do you think of

:15:36. > :15:37.Labour's position on this? I'm disappointed, we need to join

:15:38. > :15:39.together and hold the government's feature the fire on this. We are not

:15:40. > :15:42.getting the details. We will work with Labour when we can but if we

:15:43. > :15:47.are in different voting comes today that is just where we have to end

:15:48. > :15:51.up. Jenny? We have to think about why the government has chosen to

:15:52. > :15:57.amend the motion in the way it has. For months we have said we will not

:15:58. > :16:04.accept Article 50 and the government says, yes you will so they have done

:16:05. > :16:07.this to call our bluff. We will not fall for that, we'll be consistent

:16:08. > :16:11.and clear and say that we will not block Article 50 and we will vote

:16:12. > :16:17.accordingly -- we have said that we will not block Article 50. Stephen,

:16:18. > :16:21.had they been discussions between Westminster and the Scottish

:16:22. > :16:25.Government on a possible second referendum? I'm not sure if the

:16:26. > :16:31.Times has been hanging around outside No 10 looking for more

:16:32. > :16:48.scribbled notes! Maybe they found some? It seems extraordinary when

:16:49. > :16:52.we have no details of the government 's plans for leaving the EU they

:16:53. > :16:54.suddenly want to blog about independence. It is deflection from

:16:55. > :16:56.the problems they are having now. Is that a No, no discussions between

:16:57. > :16:59.Westminster and the Scottish Government on a second referendum?

:17:00. > :17:00.Nothing I'm aware of, it sounds like more scribbled notes, more

:17:01. > :17:03.deflection, we need plans, what their plans are on the single

:17:04. > :17:06.market, the freedom of movement, the customs union, guys you had six

:17:07. > :17:11.months, let's not deflect any more, give us something. Let's talk about

:17:12. > :17:15.something you want to talk about, a second referendum on independence,

:17:16. > :17:17.where do you want it? We're looking at a range of options. It depends on

:17:18. > :17:32.what the government comes up with. I think it's sensible to look at a

:17:33. > :17:35.range of options with the UK Government has to be open to taking

:17:36. > :17:37.the concerns of all the devolved administrations seriously, something

:17:38. > :17:39.else not covered today. The SNP and Plaid Cymru have put down an

:17:40. > :17:42.amendment stating that they must have a say on a final deal. Don't

:17:43. > :17:47.forget this has a huge impact on the responsibilities... It could be that

:17:48. > :17:51.all MPs have the final say on the final deal, Brandon says, we don't

:17:52. > :17:55.know quite what it will be at the end, whether it is a treaty that

:17:56. > :18:00.parliament votes on. On the issue of timing would you only want a second

:18:01. > :18:05.independence referendum before Brexit happens? What we want is to

:18:06. > :18:10.see some more detail. I think it is fair that we see more detail. For

:18:11. > :18:12.the UK Government to go off, they want to talk about independence

:18:13. > :18:18.suddenly when they still haven't dealt with the problems... I haven't

:18:19. > :18:21.had the government myself talking about a referendum. Let me put it

:18:22. > :18:26.another way. Let me give you one scenario. Let's say the government

:18:27. > :18:33.confirms leaving the supermarket and customs union. Would you want in

:18:34. > :18:38.that case a second independence referendum before Brexit happens? It

:18:39. > :18:42.would be highly likely of the deal was not in the interests of Scotland

:18:43. > :18:47.and did not respect the will of the Scottish people, that must be

:18:48. > :18:54.foremost in our minds. Would it be harder for you to win? We are not

:18:55. > :18:59.there yet. Remember we overturned a 30 point deficit last time. We are

:19:00. > :19:02.trying to get answers from the government over its Europe strategy.

:19:03. > :19:06.They are still in a mess and it is having an impact on jobs and

:19:07. > :19:09.everyone in the UK. This is why we are trying to hold them to account

:19:10. > :19:14.adequately and that is what I will be doing this afternoon. You say you

:19:15. > :19:22.are not they get. Is it diversionary tactics by the SNP -- you say you

:19:23. > :19:25.are not there yet. I cannot pin you down on when you want a second

:19:26. > :19:33.independence referendum. You certainly want one. Hold on. At a

:19:34. > :19:38.time when the UK Government is telling us nothing the First

:19:39. > :19:41.Minister was telling us about the rights of UK national silk or

:19:42. > :19:46.Scotland home that should be allowed to say, about freedom of movement

:19:47. > :19:50.and the single market. So we've set out areas that are a priority for us

:19:51. > :19:55.and time in the UK Government has set up nothing. Is it a red line?

:19:56. > :19:59.Single market membership is incredibly important especially

:20:00. > :20:04.given the impact on the food and drink university and don't forget

:20:05. > :20:07.the university sector, so important... The SNP has national

:20:08. > :20:18.referendum on Scottish independence which closed last week after

:20:19. > :20:21.receiving 2 million responses, when will you publish the results? It's a

:20:22. > :20:23.lot of responses so I'm pleased... When can be see the responses? It

:20:24. > :20:27.will take time to go through 2 million responses. It's a pretty

:20:28. > :20:33.good response rate. When will it be? It only takes weeks. Will we have it

:20:34. > :20:38.before Christmas? Let's get a bit of time, let's try and assess those

:20:39. > :20:44.responses. 2 million is a lot, Jo, it is good going. It is, thank you

:20:45. > :20:49.very much, Stephen. Anything in this report about a possible deal? If I

:20:50. > :20:53.remember correctly the source of that story was a source in the

:20:54. > :20:58.Scottish Government! We are very clear. We think the SNP should

:20:59. > :21:01.respect the referendum, not just of this year but also the independence

:21:02. > :21:06.referendum. We have had one, they should respect that and get on with

:21:07. > :21:10.governing... Why should they not have one, they will be a change in

:21:11. > :21:15.circumstances when the UK leaves the EU. A big enough material change, I

:21:16. > :21:21.suggest, to have a second referendum. The first referendum

:21:22. > :21:25.should Scotland wanted to stay part of the UK. And Great Britain voted

:21:26. > :21:30.this year to leave the EU. Our job is to focus on what the British

:21:31. > :21:34.people want. What they ask for and negotiate in years to come is out of

:21:35. > :21:38.the SNP. I would suggest they focus on getting things right in Scotland,

:21:39. > :21:42.education and other matters that are devolved and they are not even using

:21:43. > :21:46.the powers they have properly. What is the position of Labour because

:21:47. > :21:50.the deputy leader of Scottish Labour has said that Labour is neither

:21:51. > :21:55.Unionist non-Russian list and says, I have never considered myself a

:21:56. > :22:00.unionist. That sounds a big departure. What Kezia Dugdale has

:22:01. > :22:07.done is interesting in that she says that we need to rethink the way we

:22:08. > :22:11.organise our country. Let's take one constitutional crisis at a time!

:22:12. > :22:15.She's putting down markers, things she is important that we need to

:22:16. > :22:20.think about in the years to come. A perfectly good thing for her to

:22:21. > :22:26.do... Scottish Labour is moving away from this unionist position? It is

:22:27. > :22:30.developing its own identity and the leadership of Kezia, after what

:22:31. > :22:40.happened in the general election last year... Are you in favour of

:22:41. > :22:46.the union or not? I am. Is Scottish Labour still in favour? It is but

:22:47. > :22:51.you can't say that we will be the same way we were before June 20 15.

:22:52. > :22:55.She is asking questions, raising a debate and I think that is the right

:22:56. > :23:03.approach. An interesting move. It is not like we've never had this debate

:23:04. > :23:11.before! Goodbye to all my old notes. The good ones are worth keeping.

:23:12. > :23:13.How would you like your cuppa of English Brexit blend

:23:14. > :23:16.White, black or perhaps a shade of Earl Grey instead?

:23:17. > :23:20.Does it matter if Brexit tea is made with water that is soft or hard?

:23:21. > :23:22.Will a hard Brexit tea leave a bitter aftertaste?

:23:23. > :23:25.Perhaps it will taste better if you serve it up

:23:26. > :23:27.in some patriotic china - stamped with Lizzie's mug and draped

:23:28. > :23:32.Or perhaps you'd prefer your builders' in a crisp white,

:23:33. > :23:45.politically neutral and altogther more classy Daily Politics' mug.

:23:46. > :23:48.But Mrs May - if you're watching and you probably are -

:23:49. > :23:49.there's only one way to have

:23:50. > :23:51.one of these waiting for you when you get

:23:52. > :24:16.We've been on the brink of it, I think, once or twice,

:24:17. > :24:19.during the last week, but we've stepped back from it.

:24:20. > :24:28.Few boats expected such a ferocious storm and the fleet of over 300 that

:24:29. > :24:32.set out from Cowes in calm weather took the full force.

:24:33. > :24:52.The verdict of the jury, after a prolonged and careful

:24:53. > :24:54.investigation by them, I regard as totally fair,

:24:55. > :25:11.To be in with a chance of winning a Daily Politics mug,

:25:12. > :25:14.send your answer to our special quiz e-mail address - that's

:25:15. > :25:20.Entries must arrive by 12.30 today, and you can see the full terms

:25:21. > :25:25.and conditions for Guess The Year on our website - that's

:25:26. > :25:37.It's coming up to midday here - just take a look at Big Ben -

:25:38. > :25:44.It has gone very dark and there! And somebody put a shilling in the

:25:45. > :25:45.meter? That's what we used to do as students although that was a long

:25:46. > :25:47.while ago! And fresh from yet more success -

:25:48. > :25:50.this time the Press Gazette awards, Journalist of the Year no less,

:25:51. > :26:00.Laura Kuenssberg is here. Congratulations again! Under

:26:01. > :26:02.pressure now, every week. When you don't get one we will point it out

:26:03. > :26:03.every week. But with Theresa May

:26:04. > :26:06.in the Gulf, David Lidington, who's Leader of the House,

:26:07. > :26:08.will be deputising for the PM. Facing him will be Shadow Foreign

:26:09. > :26:11.Secretary, Emily Thornberry. What, I hear you say,

:26:12. > :26:14.you've never heard of them? Fear not, here's Adam

:26:15. > :26:27.with the Daily Politics guide. As the longest-serving

:26:28. > :26:32.Europe Minister ever, David Lidington chomped croissants

:26:33. > :26:34.with David Cameron as they renegotiated our

:26:35. > :26:36.membership of the EU. Now, as Leader of the House,

:26:37. > :26:39.he shepherds government THE SPEAKER: Order,

:26:40. > :26:44.the Leader of the House is a renowned intellectual,

:26:45. > :26:50.noted not merely for carrying books around the place, but even

:26:51. > :26:53.for being seen reading them. "Lidders" has been the MP

:26:54. > :26:56.for Aylesbury since 1992 and he won Don't mention quizzes

:26:57. > :27:02.to Shadow Foreign Secretary He is the French Foreign Minister,

:27:03. > :27:09.do you know his name? For more than a decade she's

:27:10. > :27:13.represented Islington South, She's been loyal to him, but quit

:27:14. > :27:20.the Shadow Cabinet under Ed Miliband after tweeting this picture

:27:21. > :27:22.from a by-election, which was Talking of judges,

:27:23. > :27:26.she's married to one. So actually it's Lady Emily,

:27:27. > :27:43.thank you very much. We got there in the end! The editor

:27:44. > :27:48.kicked the projector! 16 millimetre film, it's very high-tech, you know!

:27:49. > :27:57.She normally just takes a sledgehammer to it. If it works! Not

:27:58. > :28:04.exactly the A team, not even the brother Mac team. Some people

:28:05. > :28:08.suggested they were more the C team. David Lidington is very well

:28:09. > :28:11.respected in the House of Commons or the little-known outside it, Emily

:28:12. > :28:14.Thornberry is known for sometimes saying controversial things that

:28:15. > :28:21.have landed her in trouble so it will be interesting. There's not now

:28:22. > :28:26.Deputy Prime Minister and Minister. And that is why there isn't an

:28:27. > :28:29.automatic, I understand that if the Prime Minister is there, by

:28:30. > :28:33.convention, the Leader of the Opposition does not do it. It used

:28:34. > :28:40.to be like the number two on both sides. Or who ever was in the role

:28:41. > :28:43.of first secretary of State. David Cameron and latterly gave that

:28:44. > :28:47.position to George Osborne so he did it and did it well, and plainly

:28:48. > :28:52.loved every minute of it. Who knows, he might have been imagining he was

:28:53. > :29:00.practising! At that point! How the world turns. But Theresa May has

:29:01. > :29:03.taken a decision not to have a Deputy Prime Minister officially

:29:04. > :29:06.entitled and not to have anyone in the first Secretary of State role

:29:07. > :29:09.although we understand that Emily Thornberry was given a shadow first

:29:10. > :29:16.Secretary of State role just yesterday. Shadowing a position that

:29:17. > :29:20.is not there! The choices is under way in which Jeremy Corbyn has come

:29:21. > :29:24.up with titles and managed his top team in the last 18 months have not

:29:25. > :29:29.always be conventional, shall I put it like that. Am I right in thinking

:29:30. > :29:34.that what is said by either of them today will not matter at all? I

:29:35. > :29:38.think most people will focus on what happens afterwards when David Davis

:29:39. > :29:42.is responding in the debate that I know you have already discussed

:29:43. > :29:56.about the government's plan or lack of a planned on Brexit. What happens

:29:57. > :29:58.after PMQs? The debate on the Labour motion... Begins. So Labour has put

:29:59. > :30:03.a motion, the government is putting this amendment which Labour accepts,

:30:04. > :30:11.so when, the House will then vote on the amended Labour motion. Indeed.

:30:12. > :30:16.With the two biggest parties lining up overwhelmingly, maybe not 100%.

:30:17. > :30:20.Some Labour MPs like David Lambie have said they will not approve this

:30:21. > :30:23.amendment because they don't think it's worth the paper is to his

:30:24. > :30:28.written on but it will get through and there may not even be division.

:30:29. > :30:36.It may go to on the nod because it will be the assembly - SNP and the

:30:37. > :30:40.Lib Dems combined... Whether the Speaker of the House of Commons

:30:41. > :30:43.calls the division on this is not clear. Whether this may be

:30:44. > :30:48.insubstantial part thanks to the Labour position on this, some people

:30:49. > :30:53.not wondering why we bothering with this rigmarole of the Supreme Court?

:30:54. > :30:58.Why doesn't the government just put Article 50 before the House? Some

:30:59. > :31:02.senior Conservatives think that the government should have got on with

:31:03. > :31:06.it some time ago, put something before the House and a lot of people

:31:07. > :31:10.I've spoken to in the last couple of weeks think the smart politics would

:31:11. > :31:15.be on the day of the High Court division, just a short ill with the

:31:16. > :31:21.phrases that Theresa May has used repeatedly, operate with and trade

:31:22. > :31:25.within this single market, take back control of our borders, that is just

:31:26. > :31:29.four lines. It would have been backed overwhelmingly. She's chosen

:31:30. > :31:34.to dig their heels in and they are pursuing this Supreme Court case.

:31:35. > :31:38.What is vital, and some Tory rebels believe is implicit in the

:31:39. > :31:42.government amendment yesterday, the government doesn't agree, is whether

:31:43. > :31:46.or not there will be a vote. So the government is committed to putting

:31:47. > :31:51.something in front of the House but absolutely has not committed to

:31:52. > :31:55.giving MPs vote before Article 50. That is why the Supreme Court still

:31:56. > :31:58.matters because if it says yes there must be legislation, then there

:31:59. > :32:02.would have to be a vote and Dem MPs would have the chance to amend...

:32:03. > :32:06.And I think the important thing about yesterday was that the fight

:32:07. > :32:10.was deferred but it absolutely has not gone away. There is a sense

:32:11. > :32:14.around the place. People know this is a huge bust up looming over all

:32:15. > :32:21.of this. Today will probably not be the day. Lord Pannick, the QC for

:32:22. > :32:25.the plaintiff, said today that a motion is not an act of Parliament,

:32:26. > :32:30.it requires an act of Parliament, in his view to trigger that. That is

:32:31. > :32:34.his view. That is what they are arguing and the vital thing will be

:32:35. > :32:42.in January. Let's go over to the House and see what happens.

:32:43. > :32:49.My right honourable friend the Prime Minister is in Bahrain. Mr Speaker,

:32:50. > :32:51.this morning I had meeting with ministerial colleagues and others

:32:52. > :32:56.and in addition to my duties in this House, I shall have further such

:32:57. > :33:03.meetings in this House later today. Yesterday's signing of a memorandum

:33:04. > :33:07.of understanding with Houston Space Court and the Rise Space Ince staut

:33:08. > :33:13.brings the reality of a Prestwick Space Court closer. With the huge

:33:14. > :33:16.boost that could give to the airspace injury, will the UK

:33:17. > :33:20.Government support the Scottish Government to get this off the

:33:21. > :33:28.ground? I can certainly assure the honourable lady that the Government

:33:29. > :33:32.is looking very keenly at the opportunities to Scotland, indeed

:33:33. > :33:36.the whole of the UK, arising from the future development of commercial

:33:37. > :33:40.space operations. The Ayrshire operation that she has described I'm

:33:41. > :33:42.sure will be examined by closely by most both my ministerial colleagues

:33:43. > :33:48.who are particularly concerned with this area of policy but we want to

:33:49. > :33:52.see the UK as a pioneer in seizing these new commercial opportunities.

:33:53. > :34:01.Perhaps thinking of rail passengers trying to get their their jobs, the

:34:02. > :34:05.secretary has spoke about abandoned workers and the Unite's Ken

:34:06. > :34:10.McCluskey is doing a Ukip move, resigning and trying to return. Will

:34:11. > :34:17.my honourable friend tell the RMT that 250 people will guaranteed

:34:18. > :34:21.employment should not put the lives and safety of southern rail

:34:22. > :34:26.passengers at risk? Hype' sure my honourable friend will be speaking

:34:27. > :34:29.on behalf of many thousands of rail passengers in his constituency, and

:34:30. > :34:33.many others -- I'm sure, in the south of England. It is deeply

:34:34. > :34:37.disappointing that some unions are threatening to strike over the

:34:38. > :34:40.Christmas period. The Government is now investing record amounts in

:34:41. > :34:44.improving our railways, up to ?40 billion over the next five years and

:34:45. > :34:47.we need everyone in industry, both management and unions to work

:34:48. > :34:54.together to secure the best deal for passengers. I have to say that the

:34:55. > :34:58.RMT's action shows co-ordinated contempt for the travelling public.

:34:59. > :35:04.And it seems designed to do nothing except bring about the maximum

:35:05. > :35:11.damage to people's lives. Mr Speaker there is heckling from the bedges

:35:12. > :35:16.opposite. -- benches opposite. This party, Mr Speaker s on the side of

:35:17. > :35:20.rail passengers. -- is on the side. I hope that the party opposite will

:35:21. > :35:24.join me in saying to the rail union leaders - sort it out, put the

:35:25. > :35:29.travelling public first. Stop the squabbling and tell your members to

:35:30. > :35:36.get back to work. THE SPEAKER: Emily Thornbury.

:35:37. > :35:41.CHEERS Nchtsds thank you, Mr Speaker. Thank

:35:42. > :35:47.you Mr Speaker. I'm sure the whole house will want to join with me in

:35:48. > :35:52.commemorating the 71st anniversary of the Pearl Harbour attack where

:35:53. > :35:55.thousands of American service personnel and civilians survived.

:35:56. > :36:00.Winston Churchill summoned Parliament to debate the British

:36:01. > :36:03.response. When he z he said this "It is indispensable to aer our system

:36:04. > :36:09.of Government that Parliament should play its full part in all important

:36:10. > :36:13.acts of the state." These quords are a vital reminder that even at a time

:36:14. > :36:17.of crisis, in fact especially at a time of national crisis, the role of

:36:18. > :36:20.Parliament is central A in that same spirit, we welcome the Government's

:36:21. > :36:24.decision to accept our motion today, that they will show Parliament their

:36:25. > :36:29.plan for Brexit, before Article 50 is triggered. So, can I ask the

:36:30. > :36:33.Leader of the House one central question about this plan? Does the

:36:34. > :36:43.Government want the UK to remain part of the customs union?

:36:44. > :36:49.Mr Speaker, can I first of all join the honourable lady opposite in

:36:50. > :36:59.marking the anniversary of Pearl Harbour, in remembering all of those

:37:00. > :37:05.who lost their lives at that time, but, also, marking with a sense of

:37:06. > :37:09.some celebration, even, the fact that Prime Minister Abe is joining

:37:10. > :37:15.President Obama in going to Pearl Harbour, the first Japanese Prime

:37:16. > :37:22.Minister so to do, and that sign of reconciliation, putting ancient

:37:23. > :37:26.conflicts behind is a welcome one. The point about Europe. The

:37:27. > :37:30.Government has made it clear we would seek to give additional

:37:31. > :37:33.clarity about our position at the earliest opportunity but it has been

:37:34. > :37:36.the case as my right honourable friend the Prime Minister said many

:37:37. > :37:39.times, that one of our core objectives is going to be to secure

:37:40. > :37:42.the maximum freedom for British companies, both to have access to

:37:43. > :37:47.and operate within the single European market.

:37:48. > :37:50.I thank the Leader of the House for that answer but I would respectfully

:37:51. > :37:54.say to him that surely on this issue, the answer should be

:37:55. > :37:58.straightforward. We all know that it would be a disaster to British

:37:59. > :38:03.business if we do not remain part of the customs union.

:38:04. > :38:06.As the Leader of the House himself said in February, "Everything we

:38:07. > :38:11.take for granted, trade without customs checks or paper work at

:38:12. > :38:18.National Front years, would all be up in the air, it is massive what is

:38:19. > :38:22.at risk." On this side of the House we couldn't agree with him more. Can

:38:23. > :38:26.he put it beyond doubt, right now, today, tell us - does the Government

:38:27. > :38:34.want the UK to stay in the customs union?

:38:35. > :38:37.The honourable lady and I - she's right Mr Speaker, the honourable

:38:38. > :38:41.lady and I both argued passionately for the Remain cause during the

:38:42. > :38:47.referendum. What separates us now is that I am part of a Conservative

:38:48. > :38:52.Government, which is working together to respect the democratic

:38:53. > :38:56.verdict... CHEERS And to secure the best-possible

:38:57. > :39:02.outcome for the prosperity and security of the entire United

:39:03. > :39:06.Kingdom, from those into,s. Whereas the honourable lady, even just two

:39:07. > :39:10.months ago was telling us that she wanted to go back to the British

:39:11. > :39:16.people in some way. She needs to decide whether she accepts the

:39:17. > :39:20.democratic verdict or not. Of course we accept the democratic decision of

:39:21. > :39:25.the British public. Of course we do, but the difference

:39:26. > :39:30.between our side of the House and that side, is that we want to leave

:39:31. > :39:34.the European Union on behalf of 100%, on behalf of the whole of this

:39:35. > :39:37.nation. Now, we really need to have a straightforward answer to a

:39:38. > :39:41.straightforward question. Because leaving the customs union would mean

:39:42. > :39:48.having to check every container coming in at Dover. It would mean UK

:39:49. > :39:52.firms having to prove their origin tests, whenever they export to

:39:53. > :39:56.Europe T would mean chaos and it would mean grud lock for

:39:57. > :40:01.cross-border supply chains and as the Leader of the House -- gridlock.

:40:02. > :40:05.And as the Leader of the House said in lamb and beef exports, they go

:40:06. > :40:09.Taif-free, they go without any extra checks, you cannot guarantee any of

:40:10. > :40:14.that if we are outside. Now, again, on this side, we agree with what he

:40:15. > :40:28.said six months ago. The question is - does he still agree with himself?

:40:29. > :40:31.I thought it hadn't escaped the honourable lady's attention that

:40:32. > :40:36.there has been a significant referendum since February and that

:40:37. > :40:41.changes the context in which we are now having to operate. We face

:40:42. > :40:44.achallenging, yes, very wide-ranging negotiation and it would be harmful

:40:45. > :40:49.to the national interest for me or another ministers to engage in the

:40:50. > :40:53.sort of detailed expedition of our negotiating position that she is now

:40:54. > :40:58.pressing upon me. None of the other 27 governments is doing that, nor

:40:59. > :41:06.should we. Dear oh dear, we are not asking for

:41:07. > :41:10.details. We are asking about a central plank of the negotiation. If

:41:11. > :41:14.he can not give us an answer on the customs union as a whole... THE

:41:15. > :41:19.SPEAKER: Order, order. Both the questions and the answers will be

:41:20. > :41:25.heard. So, if the juvenile behaviour can stop, that would be really

:41:26. > :41:29.#4e7ful to the scrutiny process. Emily Thornbury -- really helpful.

:41:30. > :41:34.We don't get an answer on the whole of the customs union. Can I ask him

:41:35. > :41:38.about one specificp point. Since 1993 there have been no customs

:41:39. > :41:41.checks between the land border between Northern Ireland and the

:41:42. > :41:43.Irish Republic. In May when visiting Northern Ireland, the right

:41:44. > :41:49.honourable gentleman said - if the UK was in the part of the customs

:41:50. > :42:00.union, then there would have to be custom checks at the border and he

:42:01. > :42:03.said, for anyone to pretend otherwise would be "flying in the

:42:04. > :42:07.face of reality" can he confirm that is the position and if he is right,

:42:08. > :42:10.he must make it clear this is something that the Government is

:42:11. > :42:15.determined to avoid? The Prime Minister and the Northern Ireland

:42:16. > :42:20.Secretary have repeatedly made it clear that we, as indeed has the

:42:21. > :42:24.Irish Government, want to see the very long-standing common travel

:42:25. > :42:27.arguments and the free trade arrangementings across the Irish

:42:28. > :42:31.border continue. We are actively engaged in talking both to the

:42:32. > :42:35.Northern Ireland Executive and to the Government of the Republic of

:42:36. > :42:39.Ireland, about those matters. There is goodwill on all those sides to

:42:40. > :42:42.try and reach a solution that works for the people, north and south of

:42:43. > :42:46.the border. The Leader of the House has made the

:42:47. > :42:51.familiar argument that he can't give answers, that it is all to be

:42:52. > :42:54.resolved through a negotiation. Brexit means Brexit, Brexit means

:42:55. > :42:57.breakfast, but that is not what the Secretary of State for Brexit

:42:58. > :43:02.himself said when he was asked about the customs union in September,

:43:03. > :43:07.because he said "We have looked at this matter carefully and that is

:43:08. > :43:11.exactly the sort of decision that we will resolve before we trigger

:43:12. > :43:15.Article 50." So, if the Government is going to decide the position on

:43:16. > :43:19.this issue before March 31st, account Leader of the House confirm

:43:20. > :43:22.-- can the Leader of the House confirm that the British people and

:43:23. > :43:29.the British Parliament will be told some answers to my questions before

:43:30. > :43:33.they tell the rest of Europe? Mr Speaker if the answers sound

:43:34. > :43:39.familiar t maybe that we need constant repetition before the

:43:40. > :43:45.honourable lady will understand and appreciate it. The Government is, at

:43:46. > :43:51.the moment, engaged in a consultation with more than 50

:43:52. > :43:54.sectors of United Kingdom business, to ascertain precisely which aspects

:43:55. > :44:00.of European Union membership work well for them, which they see as

:44:01. > :44:05.harmful, where the opportunities beyond EU membership lie. We will

:44:06. > :44:10.come to a decision and we will go into negotiations on behalf of the

:44:11. > :44:13.full 100% of the United Kingdom population and all four nations of

:44:14. > :44:20.the United Kingdom. The fact is and he knows t we all

:44:21. > :44:24.know it. He can -- he knows it. He can consult as much as he likes the

:44:25. > :44:27.answer will come back, we should be part of a customs union. It is

:44:28. > :44:32.hugely disappointed that on a day when the Government is committing to

:44:33. > :44:36.its greater transparency on plans for Brexit we get the usual stone

:44:37. > :44:39.walling. We have a Government promising to tell us the plan, while

:44:40. > :44:42.refusing to give us the answers to the most basic of questions. We have

:44:43. > :44:46.a Government promising to give Parliament a spend when they are

:44:47. > :44:49.spending we don't know how much of tax payers' money across the road in

:44:50. > :44:52.the Supreme Court trying to stop Parliament having a say on this. In

:44:53. > :44:57.short, we have a Government that cannot tell us the plan, because

:44:58. > :45:05.they do not have a plan. They do not have a plan. In February, the Leader

:45:06. > :45:11.of the House said when he was hearing about the Leave campaign,

:45:12. > :45:15.was "confusing, contradictory nonsense" my final question is this

:45:16. > :45:24.- are we hearing anything different from this Government today? Mr

:45:25. > :45:29.Speaker, we will publish, before Article 50 is triggered, a statement

:45:30. > :45:34.about our negotiating strategy and objectives, as the Prime Minister

:45:35. > :45:39.has said yesterday. But the honourable lady seems, again, to be

:45:40. > :45:45.in a state of utter denial about the consequences that flow from the

:45:46. > :45:49.referendum decision. No other EU Government is seeking to reverse or

:45:50. > :45:54.question the legitimacy of that vote in the way that she and a number of

:45:55. > :45:59.her colleagues are still trying to do but I'm afraid that just

:46:00. > :46:05.indicates how distant the Labour Party now is from any aspiration to

:46:06. > :46:18.be back in Government again. We watched them in action - it's like,

:46:19. > :46:22.quarterlying like Mutiny on the Bounty reshotly the Carry On team.

:46:23. > :46:33.THE SPEAKER: Order, I want to hear the words flowing.

:46:34. > :46:41.There is no reason why the chair should be denied these words. They

:46:42. > :46:46.are rudderless, drifting on Europe as on so many other aspects of

:46:47. > :46:51.policy. No wonder that decent working people who for generations

:46:52. > :46:53.have looked to Labour as their champions have given up in despair

:46:54. > :47:05.and looked to this party as the authentic voice of working families.

:47:06. > :47:10.Mr Speaker, in 1943, a 16-year-old girl was forcibly taken to

:47:11. > :47:14.Auschwitz, where she witnessed the horrors of the death camps. On

:47:15. > :47:18.liberation she came to this country with her mother, where she raised a

:47:19. > :47:24.family and became a nurse. She dedicated her life to making sure

:47:25. > :47:29.that the people of this country and beyond know the horrors of the

:47:30. > :47:42.Holocaust. Last week, that lady turned 90. And Kitty Hart-Moxon is

:47:43. > :47:42.with us today at Prime Minister's Questions.

:47:43. > :48:03.APPLAUSE Will my right honourable friend join

:48:04. > :48:08.with me, and I think the whole house in wishing her a very happy belated

:48:09. > :48:13.birthday and thanking her for her lifetime of dedication to raising

:48:14. > :48:18.this important issue and also pay tribute to the Holocaust educational

:48:19. > :48:23.trust, who do everything possible so that we all remember and witness the

:48:24. > :48:31.horrors of the worst part of the 20th century? First of all, Mr

:48:32. > :48:34.Speaker, I am grateful to my right honourable friend for raising this

:48:35. > :48:40.important issue and I would like to join him in marking the achievements

:48:41. > :48:44.of Kitty Hart-Moxon and of the Holocaust Educational Trust. I can

:48:45. > :48:49.never forget the impact of discovering as a schoolboy that two

:48:50. > :48:53.of the boys in my class had fathers who had survived Auschwitz. It's

:48:54. > :48:57.only a couple of generations ago that Europe was plunged into this

:48:58. > :49:08.unspeakable horror and it is important that not just the

:49:09. > :49:11.educational trust but all of us play our part to ensure that the memory

:49:12. > :49:13.of the Holocaust lives on and that the wider lessons of this dark

:49:14. > :49:16.period in our history are learned and I think I would be grateful to

:49:17. > :49:21.all members right across the House and all political parties for their

:49:22. > :49:30.support in working together to ensure this vital work continues. Mr

:49:31. > :49:33.Angus Robertson. Some of the most deprived communities in the country

:49:34. > :49:38.are in Glasgow and today we learn apparently that the government plans

:49:39. > :49:49.to close job centres in those very communities, in Parkhead,

:49:50. > :49:51.Easterhouse, Castlemilk, Anniesland and Maryhill. Is it true that the

:49:52. > :49:56.government are planning to close these offices and add misery to the

:49:57. > :50:02.lives of thousands of people in Glasgow who currently use these

:50:03. > :50:05.centres? Clearly the Department for Work and Pensions like every

:50:06. > :50:10.government department does like from time to time at the number of

:50:11. > :50:14.offices it has but the right honourable gentleman makes a

:50:15. > :50:17.perfectly reasonable point on behalf of people in Glasgow. I will ask my

:50:18. > :50:25.right honourable friend the Work and Pensions Secretary to contact him

:50:26. > :50:26.with the details he is seeking. I'm sorry, Mr Speaker, that is not good

:50:27. > :50:42.enough. Absolutely! Being tackled when dealing with

:50:43. > :50:47.communities that are deprived does not behove Tory members well in

:50:48. > :50:55.Scotland. -- being tackled. The leader of the house is correct to

:50:56. > :51:07.say that the Department of work and pension has plans to cut the state

:51:08. > :51:12.by 20%. The DWP is planning to cut Glasgow by 50%. Why is this

:51:13. > :51:16.government planning to disproportionately cut vital job

:51:17. > :51:23.centres in some of the most deprived communities in our country, why? The

:51:24. > :51:29.key element in any such decision that a government department has to

:51:30. > :51:34.make is not the raw number of offices that there should be but

:51:35. > :51:36.about how accessible the offices and the services that they provide

:51:37. > :51:43.continued to be to the people who need to use them. And I am

:51:44. > :51:48.absolutely confident that it is that criterion that is at the heart of my

:51:49. > :51:51.right honourable friend's thinking. Planning for the future of offices

:51:52. > :51:58.in Scotland and everywhere else in the UK. Thank you, Mr Speaker.

:51:59. > :52:01.Passengers of the chaser of mine face chaos and misery in the autumn

:52:02. > :52:08.and this year it's been worse than ever. Delayed and overcrowded trains

:52:09. > :52:12.leave passengers stranded at stations and being late for work and

:52:13. > :52:15.school. Well my right honourable friend outline what measures the

:52:16. > :52:22.government is taking too penalised poor performing train operators?

:52:23. > :52:27.First of all can I express my sympathy to my right honourable

:52:28. > :52:30.friend -- tonight honourable friend and all passengers who have come

:52:31. > :52:35.across these problems on the Chase Line. It is clearly not acceptable

:52:36. > :52:38.and it is important that the operator works hard to secure rapid

:52:39. > :52:42.and sustained improvement, the government has introduced new rules

:52:43. > :52:46.to make sure that rail passengers will soon be able to claim

:52:47. > :52:50.compensation if their train is more than 15 minutes late but as the

:52:51. > :52:56.Transport Secretary said yesterday more needs to be done and we want to

:52:57. > :53:03.see closer work across the industry so that this problem can be resolved

:53:04. > :53:07.more swiftly than in the past. Thank you, Mr Speaker, does the leader of

:53:08. > :53:11.the house agree with the north-east member for Somerset that Brexit

:53:12. > :53:15.offers an opportunity to remove pesky emissions standards? In the

:53:16. > :53:21.red, white and blue Brexit will he still commit to tackle this will

:53:22. > :53:29.tackling global warming just become a of hot air? The government remains

:53:30. > :53:36.utterly committed to both national and global ambitions and targets

:53:37. > :53:41.when it comes to climate change. Indeed my right honourable friend,

:53:42. > :53:45.the current Home Secretary, in her previous job, played a key role in

:53:46. > :53:51.brokering the Paris agreement last year, the first ever global

:53:52. > :53:55.agreement on climate change. The honourable lady, I hope, would

:53:56. > :53:59.welcome the fact that we will now be ahead of our targets and ambitions

:54:00. > :54:04.in delivering on the proportion of electricity provided by renewables

:54:05. > :54:09.in this country and in continuing to work to get our carbon emissions

:54:10. > :54:14.down. Thank you, Mr Speaker. There has been much talk recently about

:54:15. > :54:22.paying for access to a tariff- free single market. I think that is a

:54:23. > :54:28.very good idea. Given that the United Kingdom is the fifth biggest

:54:29. > :54:35.economy in the world, and we have a ?70 billion trade deficit with the

:54:36. > :54:45.EU, would be excellent acting Prime Minister... Tell the House how much

:54:46. > :54:53.the European Union should pay for tariff - free access to the UK

:54:54. > :54:59.single market? I suppose I should say, thank you to my honourable

:55:00. > :55:07.friend for the upgrade! Although I hope that is limiting the

:55:08. > :55:11.compliment. He makes a good point in that a settlement at the end of our

:55:12. > :55:17.negotiation which maintains maximum access to and freedom to operate

:55:18. > :55:21.within the European market for UK companies elsewhere in Europe and

:55:22. > :55:27.for European companies here is an our mutual interest about that will

:55:28. > :55:31.inspire negotiators on both side. Mr Speaker, how does closing miracle

:55:32. > :55:36.job centre, one of the most deprived parts of the country, help my

:55:37. > :55:39.constituents find a job? Does he accept that travelling to other

:55:40. > :55:44.centres will mean higher costs for those on low incomes and increasing

:55:45. > :55:49.sanctions, why does this government continued to target the poorest and

:55:50. > :55:53.most vulnerable? If the government has been targeting the poorest it is

:55:54. > :56:02.in getting them back to work in record numbers. And it has been in

:56:03. > :56:05.providing a boost to the pay of people on low pay through the

:56:06. > :56:10.introduction and increase in the national living wage. I wish that

:56:11. > :56:14.the honourable gentleman was prepared to celebrate this

:56:15. > :56:18.achievements. Thank you Mr Speaker, as we are about to commence the most

:56:19. > :56:22.important negotiation for decades does my right honourable friend

:56:23. > :56:25.agree that the government being forced to disclose its negotiation

:56:26. > :56:31.strategy at this stage is rather like showing your hand at cards to

:56:32. > :56:36.your opponent before a game of poker, and can I urge him to take no

:56:37. > :56:44.advice from the party opposite? They only have one card to play on this

:56:45. > :56:48.and it is always the Joker! Mr Speaker, we have said we will come

:56:49. > :56:50.forward with more details about our strategic aims going into the

:56:51. > :56:53.negotiation but it would harm the national interest if we were to go

:56:54. > :56:58.into the kind of detailed explanation of our negotiating

:56:59. > :57:02.position that the opposition urges upon us. That is not how any of the

:57:03. > :57:09.other 27 governments acting of thinking and we should learn from

:57:10. > :57:14.bad example. Does the leader of the house agree that tonight's vote on

:57:15. > :57:18.the Prime Minister's Amendment, which we fully support, is a vote of

:57:19. > :57:22.the highest significance and great importance because for the first

:57:23. > :57:25.time honourable and right Honourable members of this House will have the

:57:26. > :57:29.opportunity to vote on whether they respect the will of the people of

:57:30. > :57:34.the United Kingdom, and whether they will get on with implementing it,

:57:35. > :57:37.people will be able to read in Hansard tomorrow who stands by

:57:38. > :57:45.respecting the will of the people of the UK? And will he also agree...

:57:46. > :57:52.And I am sure that he will... The more red white and blue he makes it

:57:53. > :57:58.the better the us and the Unionist benches! The right honourable

:57:59. > :58:04.gentleman as so often makes a powerful and important point. The

:58:05. > :58:09.vote tonight will be the first opportunity for members of this

:58:10. > :58:13.house to decide whether or not they support the government's timetable

:58:14. > :58:20.of triggering Article 50 by the end of March 20 17. And any Right

:58:21. > :58:25.Honourable member who votes against that motion will, in my view, be

:58:26. > :58:31.seeking to thwart the outcome of the referendum in most undemocratic

:58:32. > :58:35.fashion. Mr Speaker, this country's nuclear deterrent is our ultimate

:58:36. > :58:39.defence and must be maintained at all costs, yet hundreds of my

:58:40. > :58:44.constituents who could at the atomic weapons Establishment are currently

:58:45. > :58:47.on strike or work to rule over pensions. These are people who more

:58:48. > :58:53.often than not have devoted their working lives to tending our nuclear

:58:54. > :58:57.defence and to whom promises were made during privatisation. Can I ask

:58:58. > :59:00.that the leader of the house commits to sit down with the promised and

:59:01. > :59:07.review the situation to ensure that those promises are being kept? I

:59:08. > :59:11.will certainly ensure that the Prime Minister is informed about this

:59:12. > :59:15.matter and my honourable friend is right to raise these concerns on

:59:16. > :59:19.behalf of his constituents. My understanding is that the proposed

:59:20. > :59:22.changes to the atomic weapons Establishment pensions scheme are a

:59:23. > :59:26.matter for the company as the employer but I can assure my right

:59:27. > :59:32.honourable friend that the Defence Secretary has been in close contact

:59:33. > :59:35.with AWE throughout the process and has also met the trade unions and is

:59:36. > :59:41.carefully considering recent developments to see what can be

:59:42. > :59:45.done. Thank you, Mr Speaker, I know the House will join me in sending

:59:46. > :59:50.their sympathies to the family of David Brown who aged 18 took his own

:59:51. > :59:53.life. The inquest into his death has heard that he did so on the day he

:59:54. > :59:58.was due to sign on at the job centre after saying that he felt belittled

:59:59. > :00:01.by staff despite actively looking for work and seeking an

:00:02. > :00:05.apprenticeship. Shortly before taking his own life he told his mum,

:00:06. > :00:10.the way that the job centre treat people, it's no surprise that people

:00:11. > :00:13.commit suicide. Will the leader of the house and take a review into

:00:14. > :00:18.this case and also undertake to take stock of six years of brutal welfare

:00:19. > :00:27.reform and look at the way that the DWP treats it most vulnerable... Mr

:00:28. > :00:33.Speaker, can I first also express and reserved sympathy for the family

:00:34. > :00:41.of David Brown. No parent, no family, should have to go through

:00:42. > :00:47.that kind of shocking experience. Clearly human beings in any

:00:48. > :00:54.organisation sometimes take decisions that get things wrong and

:00:55. > :00:58.I will ask the work and pensions department to look at the case she

:00:59. > :01:01.has described. But I do have to say that I think the principle remains

:01:02. > :01:05.right that while staff should always behave with courtesy towards people

:01:06. > :01:11.seeking to claim benefits, it is also right that we should expect

:01:12. > :01:16.people who are receiving benefits to be subject to the kind of

:01:17. > :01:20.disciplines that apply to people in work, even if they are on low pay,

:01:21. > :01:25.there is a principle of fairness here that lies behind the approach

:01:26. > :01:28.that DWP takes. Thank you, Mr Speaker. I applaud the Prime

:01:29. > :01:34.Minister 's vision for a government for all. As chair of the all-party

:01:35. > :01:39.committee on community engagement, the FTSE 150 has less than 4% of

:01:40. > :01:42.individuals from an ethnic minority on its board. Will the government

:01:43. > :01:49.support the vision to help to increase that to 10% by 2021? It is

:01:50. > :01:53.very clear that boardrooms need to do more to reflect the reality of

:01:54. > :02:03.modern Britain and the government supports the principle of increasing

:02:04. > :02:06.the diversity of boards. That is why we should support the initiative

:02:07. > :02:11.chaired by Sir John Parker and we encourage businesses to act on his

:02:12. > :02:19.recommendations. Thank you, Mr Speaker. A recent FOI showed that

:02:20. > :02:24.Pinderfields Hospital placed ambulances and divert to do is

:02:25. > :02:30.prehospital 61 times in the past 12 months. One hospital scheduled for

:02:31. > :02:35.downgrade next year. In light of evidence showing that this hospital

:02:36. > :02:38.currently can't cope will the leader of the house pledge urgent support

:02:39. > :02:45.from the government to keep Dewsbury A E open? The NHS is certainly

:02:46. > :02:52.busier than it ever has been in its history, which is why it should be a

:02:53. > :02:58.matter of thanks and tribute to hard-working NHS staff that 90% of

:02:59. > :03:04.people going to A E are still being seen within the four our

:03:05. > :03:07.target. The point about the Confederation of local services in

:03:08. > :03:17.any part of the country is that these need to be driven by local

:03:18. > :03:21.clinicians working together with the CCGs who are the people who actually

:03:22. > :03:24.manage what is needed in each locality. The local authority to its

:03:25. > :03:29.health committee has the right to call in proposed changes to services

:03:30. > :03:34.and refer them to the secretary of State if they are uncomfortable with

:03:35. > :03:40.them. Messi thank you, Mr Speaker. I know my right honourable friend will

:03:41. > :03:45.share with me the importance of the creative sector and that in

:03:46. > :03:48.conjunction with the Welsh language makes S4 see in my constituency

:03:49. > :03:56.hugely important to Welsh and British culture and economy. Will he

:03:57. > :04:00.confirm this government 's commitment to protect S4C why we

:04:01. > :04:05.review its future? We fully committed to the future of Welsh

:04:06. > :04:10.language broadcasting and to S4C. I'm pleased to see the licence fee

:04:11. > :04:13.settlement we have agreed has given financial certainty protecting its

:04:14. > :04:18.funding at more than ?74 million a year for the next five years and we

:04:19. > :04:21.are committed to ensuring that the channel continues to make

:04:22. > :04:26.first-class programmes and serve Welsh audiences in the constituency

:04:27. > :04:30.of my honourable friend and right across the UK. Is the leader of the

:04:31. > :04:35.House aware of reports of children being massacred and thrown into

:04:36. > :04:39.fires, women being raped and houses razed to the ground and what

:04:40. > :04:44.representations have this government made to the Burmese authorities or

:04:45. > :04:50.the militaries in this regard? Yes, those reports are extremely

:04:51. > :04:55.concerning as the honourable lady knows, there is a long history of

:04:56. > :05:02.discrimination against these people in Burma, both British ministers and

:05:03. > :05:11.the British Embassy and officials in London make our concerned very clear

:05:12. > :05:14.to the Burmese authorities. Following the revelations in the

:05:15. > :05:17.panorama programme Clinton has in my constituency is closed and three

:05:18. > :05:22.other care homes run by the same group have been rated inadequate and

:05:23. > :05:26.is CQC and two others are currently under inspection. Concerns have been

:05:27. > :05:30.raised about these homes figures and cannot be acceptable that it took

:05:31. > :05:33.the BBC to provoke the action desperately needed. Does the leader

:05:34. > :05:39.of the has agreed that it is now time to urgently review the role of

:05:40. > :05:42.the CQC to ensure that in future concerns raised by residents, family

:05:43. > :05:49.and staff are properly and promptly addressed? I think that old and

:05:50. > :05:52.vulnerable people deserve the highest quality care possible, no

:05:53. > :05:57.excuse for services that fall short of expectations in the way that my

:05:58. > :06:02.honourable friend has described. This CQC does have extensive powers

:06:03. > :06:06.in law to ensure that no one in the chain of responsibility is immune

:06:07. > :06:11.against legal accountability. And I would expect this CQC to exercise

:06:12. > :06:16.those powers in full, in this case but he's made some criticisms of the

:06:17. > :06:20.CQC and the government has been looking into ways to improve its

:06:21. > :06:23.processes and increase its efficiency and my right honourable

:06:24. > :06:30.friend the Minister for community health and get discussed this issue

:06:31. > :06:36.with the CQC today. 6% of methane from fracking is leaked from

:06:37. > :06:40.fugitive emissions. Given that methane is 86 times worse than

:06:41. > :06:45.carbon dioxide for global warming over 20 years will he support the

:06:46. > :06:54.Council for Europe's call for banning fracking or at least a

:06:55. > :07:00.maximum of 0.1% fugitive emissions at the well head? No, Mr Speaker,

:07:01. > :07:05.the government took its decision to give the go-ahead to fracking after

:07:06. > :07:09.extensive consideration of both the economic and environmental risks and

:07:10. > :07:14.opportunities involved. We are confident that it can be carried out

:07:15. > :07:19.in a way that is saved, that does not harm the environment but which

:07:20. > :07:25.also provides job opportunities for this country and makes this country

:07:26. > :07:30.less dependent on imported energy. Mr Speaker, I expect my right

:07:31. > :07:37.honourable friend will be astonished if not aghast to learn that a

:07:38. > :07:41.succession of journalists from the BBC have contacted me seeking to

:07:42. > :07:58.manufacture stories of backbench rebellion! On the issue of the EU. I

:07:59. > :08:01.want to hear about these activities! Will he agree with me that on this

:08:02. > :08:07.controversial issues the BBC should stick to its charter obligation for

:08:08. > :08:15.accuracy and impartiality instead of seeking to create problems with the

:08:16. > :08:22.government! Mr Speaker, I am sure that my honourable friend is shocked

:08:23. > :08:28.at the thought that anybody could look to him as a source of

:08:29. > :08:31.information about rebellion against the government! I hope that he will

:08:32. > :08:38.be able to find some comfort in the fact that the new Royal Charter

:08:39. > :08:41.agreement requires the BBC to deliver impartial news, the first

:08:42. > :08:49.time impartiality has been enshrined in the BBC's mission. Having

:08:50. > :08:52.received a response from the Prime Minister to my request for a

:08:53. > :09:01.children's funeral fund I was disturbed to be told that the fund

:09:02. > :09:07.can provide, and simple respectable funeral, this response totally lacks

:09:08. > :09:09.any understanding of my request. As the leader of the House any

:09:10. > :09:13.authority to facilitate a meeting between myself and other bereaved

:09:14. > :09:17.mothers so we can explain to the Prime Minister exactly what we are

:09:18. > :09:23.asking for? This request is important to us as parents. Too many

:09:24. > :09:31.in this house and from my postbag very many people and organisations

:09:32. > :09:38.throughout this country. Burying a child must be an incredibly painful

:09:39. > :09:46.experience for any family, and I think all of us would want to pay

:09:47. > :09:51.our respects to and have enormous sympathy with the honourable member

:09:52. > :09:55.for Swansea Is. And she speaks on behalf of, she says, thousands of

:09:56. > :09:59.parents who go through that anguish. As the Prime Minister said, there

:10:00. > :10:03.are mechanisms in place for financial support from central

:10:04. > :10:07.government to be available and local authorities are of course free and

:10:08. > :10:14.many of them to waive funeral fees for child burials. -- many of them

:10:15. > :10:18.do. I will speak to my ministerial colleagues about the request from

:10:19. > :10:25.the honourable lady for meeting and I am sure she will receive a

:10:26. > :10:30.response. Good train links are vital for constituents to get to work so

:10:31. > :10:33.it's incredible frustrating that cross-country operates 63 services a

:10:34. > :10:37.day between Birmingham and Bristol yet only three stop at Gloucester.

:10:38. > :10:41.Would my right honourable friend ensure that ministers, in extending

:10:42. > :10:44.the franchise of the train operators, do not allow cross

:10:45. > :10:49.country to go on treating Gloucester like a letter to be avoided at all

:10:50. > :11:01.cost and oblige them to deliver a service that every city deserves.

:11:02. > :11:05.Any of us who have been to Gloucester know that it's a place

:11:06. > :11:07.that you want to be able to visit frequently and easily. The

:11:08. > :11:12.government is investing record amounts in improving railways and as

:11:13. > :11:15.regards his case, transport ministers are working with

:11:16. > :11:26.cross-country and great Western to see how the service can be improved.

:11:27. > :11:35.Prime Minister's Questions comes to be a end without the Prime Minister

:11:36. > :11:39.or the Leader of the Opposition. David Lidington and Emily Thornbury,

:11:40. > :11:42.probably showing her legal background and franing, concentrated

:11:43. > :11:47.on one specific question, to which she didn't get an answer, even

:11:48. > :11:50.though she pushed hard at it and held Mr Lidington's feet to the

:11:51. > :11:54.fire. She wanted to know whether or not we would remain inside the

:11:55. > :11:58.customs union, if and when we leave the European Union. There was no

:11:59. > :12:03.disstipt or clear answer came to that. Miss Thornbury generally

:12:04. > :12:07.thought to have done a pretty good job in that, in bearing down on one

:12:08. > :12:20.particular area, which the Government finds hard to answer. I

:12:21. > :12:24.think she'll, on both sides of the aisle get good reviews. As Prime

:12:25. > :12:31.Minister's Questions come to an end, I understand that Donald J Trump is

:12:32. > :12:40.about to go live on the Today programme on NBC in the United

:12:41. > :12:45.States, where sad for Nigel Farage, that Mr Trump has been named the

:12:46. > :12:56.Time Magazine's Man of the Year. Well, back to the Commons. Like you,

:12:57. > :13:00.Ian whitly from Altrincham said that it was entertaining, Emily Thornbury

:13:01. > :13:04.gave Jeremy Corbyn a lesson. And another says "What a diabolical

:13:05. > :13:08.mess, it is difficult to see any gross regarding questions about the

:13:09. > :13:12.EU." And Martin says "It is clear from Thornbury's questions about the

:13:13. > :13:16.custom union that Labour want a soft Brexit and effectively remaining in

:13:17. > :13:21.the EU, which goes against the 52% that voted to leave." And this from

:13:22. > :13:26.Terence "It is idiotic pretending there can be anything other than a

:13:27. > :13:33.hard border between the two Irelands, neither the UKpm or the

:13:34. > :13:38.Irish premier will decide, the EU will decide." I said that Emily

:13:39. > :13:42.Thornbury focussed on one issue and going at it again and again but we

:13:43. > :13:49.should say David Lidington performed well, too. I think they both did

:13:50. > :13:53.rather W I think Emily Thornbury she probably used legal background,

:13:54. > :13:57.pressing him on one point she was effective, so was David Lidington.

:13:58. > :14:00.Not somebody well-known by the audience but somebody who is hugely

:14:01. > :14:05.experienced and broadly respected. I think we saw Y he appears to be

:14:06. > :14:09.across all of the issues. He managed to do what is difficult for

:14:10. > :14:12.Mintosters to do at the moment. Dance around the fact they are not

:14:13. > :14:17.giving any answers on the European Union, if they can possibly get away

:14:18. > :14:20.with T the one thing that Emily Thornbury didn't mention, though, is

:14:21. > :14:23.last week the Chancellor, the Foreign Secretary and indeed the

:14:24. > :14:27.Brexit secretary, David Davis, did actually give us some answers on

:14:28. > :14:31.where we might possibly be and some elements of the European

:14:32. > :14:37.negotiations. And there was an outbreak of applause during Prime

:14:38. > :14:39.Minister's Questions, for someone in the Public Gallery, which breaks two

:14:40. > :14:43.conventions of the House of Commons, one that there shouldn't be applause

:14:44. > :14:52.and secondly, that there should be no reference to anybody in the

:14:53. > :14:58.Public Gallery. However, since this involved a 90-year-old Holocaust

:14:59. > :15:02.survivor, a survivor of the Auschwitz concentration camp, a

:15:03. > :15:07.90-year-old named Kitty, I don't think anyone will complain about the

:15:08. > :15:12.conventions being breached. Many will think that that's the poupt of

:15:13. > :15:17.breaching conventions. Jenny Chapman would would it, in Emily's words be

:15:18. > :15:22.a disaster if we were to leave the dues Toms union? It would affect

:15:23. > :15:26.jobs and trade and our businesses so catastrophically T enables us to

:15:27. > :15:30.trade freely, the big issue that doesn't get debated very much, we

:15:31. > :15:34.talk about tariffs but it is the certificates of origin, so if you

:15:35. > :15:39.are trying to export a train made in County Durham to the EU, you would

:15:40. > :15:43.then have to prove where every single component of that train had

:15:44. > :15:47.come from T would be a huge burden. Why would it be catastrophic, your

:15:48. > :15:51.words? Because, the administration of it. They would have to be able to

:15:52. > :15:55.demonstrate where all the bits have come from T would be too much of a

:15:56. > :15:59.burden and too -- it would be too much of a burden and too easy for a

:16:00. > :16:06.big manufacture, like hit Aceh to take their factory somewhere else.

:16:07. > :16:10.So, if that's true -- Hitachi. If that's twru, why would

:16:11. > :16:14.Switzerland and nor way, who are not in the customs union, trade

:16:15. > :16:17.massively with the EU? They are not manufacturers in the way we are?

:16:18. > :16:20.Switzerland is. They are not assemblers in the way we are.

:16:21. > :16:24.Switzerland and Norway are saying to us - you don't want that as a deal,

:16:25. > :16:29.it wouldn't work for you, it works for them. Where have they said that?

:16:30. > :16:32.Norway has said to us. Where? I can't remember where, but they were

:16:33. > :16:38.clear, saying it is a good deal for them but actually not the right deal

:16:39. > :16:44.for us in the UK. But 70%. We need it be trade without these barriers.

:16:45. > :16:48.Norway is not in the customs union and 7 o 0% of Norway's strayed is

:16:49. > :16:52.with the European Union. -- 70%. Verses only 44% of our trade with

:16:53. > :16:56.the European Union. So I don't understand. It is what kind of

:16:57. > :17:00.trade. You were just making something in the north of England

:17:01. > :17:03.and you made it and sourced all the components for it locally that would

:17:04. > :17:07.be one thing. We don't do that. The trains' example I was use, we have a

:17:08. > :17:10.shell of a train from Japan, the engines are made in Germany, there

:17:11. > :17:16.are pieces of that structure that come from all over the world. And

:17:17. > :17:24.that would all need to be evidenced. S. That he true for Swiss watches.

:17:25. > :17:28.It is a situation that is already... It is very different. It is made of

:17:29. > :17:31.thousands of parts all of which sourced from all over the world. It

:17:32. > :17:35.is very difficult. I can understand it would cause problems. I mean the

:17:36. > :17:40.rules of origins issue causes problems. I'm not arguing that, but

:17:41. > :17:44.you are using the words disaster and catastrophic and people will look,

:17:45. > :17:48.for example, Switzerland is a huge exporter of pharmaceutical drugs

:17:49. > :17:54.into the EU. They are made up of all sorts of components from all over

:17:55. > :17:59.the world and yet they, their percentage of the GDP export at

:18:00. > :18:02.least aes much as we do to the EU. Norway exports almost one-third

:18:03. > :18:07.mother than we do. I don't understand -- more than we do. I

:18:08. > :18:12.don't understand where the word disaster and catastrophic will come

:18:13. > :18:17.from? We're clear, we think a hard Brexit will be a disaster for the

:18:18. > :18:22.UK. The customs union is part of what would differentiate a hard exit

:18:23. > :18:26.from a soft Brexit. There has been a study done by Open Europe, a

:18:27. > :18:32.pro-Remain organisation, and it worked out if there was a negative

:18:33. > :18:39.impact it would be around 0.8% of GDP until the rules of origin issues

:18:40. > :18:42.were fully handled so 0.8% of GDP is something you would not want to

:18:43. > :18:46.lose. I would suggest it doesn't fall into the category of disaster

:18:47. > :18:49.or catastrophic. I'm talking to businesses in the regions, this is

:18:50. > :18:54.what they are telling us and we take that very, very seriously. If you -

:18:55. > :18:59.the Government today can't answer the question of whether or not we

:19:00. > :19:05.would remain in the customs union. But it does follow, as night follow

:19:06. > :19:08.day, that if we are in the customs union, we can't do our own free

:19:09. > :19:13.trade deals. Do you accept that? No I don't accept that. Really? This is

:19:14. > :19:17.one of the - the points around the whole situation we have got. We are

:19:18. > :19:20.in a unique position, to any other country that has worked out a deal

:19:21. > :19:24.with Europe in the past. We are the first country to lee. Therefore, we

:19:25. > :19:28.have an opportunity to do something not trying to focus too much on

:19:29. > :19:32.trying to copy what somebody else has done but do something that is

:19:33. > :19:37.bespoke for our country. Can you give me an example Let me just

:19:38. > :19:41.finish... No I want to ask you this - can you give me an example of a

:19:42. > :19:44.country that's in the customs union and does it its own comprehensive

:19:45. > :19:48.free trade deals? No, I can't but there is no other country I can give

:19:49. > :19:53.you an example of that has been a member of the European Union and

:19:54. > :19:57.done a deal as it is exiting as a known partner, a knownentity that we

:19:58. > :20:01.are. As a constituency MP, particularly in the energy industry,

:20:02. > :20:06.I'm talking to businesses all the time, and I spoke to people who have

:20:07. > :20:09.voted Remain and campaign. I have spoken to businesses large and small

:20:10. > :20:12.that they are excited by the potential opportunities to do things

:20:13. > :20:15.differently. Explain to me, if we do things differently how it would

:20:16. > :20:21.work? The main purpose of the customs union is to set up external

:20:22. > :20:29.tariffs for those who are members of it. So if you are in the customs

:20:30. > :20:33.union, we all pay the same tariffs on goods coming in. If we are inside

:20:34. > :20:37.the customs union and therefore, subject to these tariffs and do a

:20:38. > :20:49.free trade deal with Canada, how would it not be be subject to these

:20:50. > :20:53.tariffs? You can't have both? That's what the negotiations are That's

:20:54. > :20:58.something the be Government will be going with, with our European

:20:59. > :21:03.partners. How would you say we would be subject to a 10% tariff as

:21:04. > :21:08.members fted customs union and do a free trade deal with Canada and say

:21:09. > :21:13.- you won't be subject of 10% tariffs how would that work? That's

:21:14. > :21:16.is subject to pre-agreement with our European partners that allows this

:21:17. > :21:22.country to do the deals. That's what the negotiations are about. Can you

:21:23. > :21:26.do a free trade deal with Canada or any other country and be inside the

:21:27. > :21:29.customs union which has external tariffs against Canada? This is the

:21:30. > :21:33.whole point of negotiations with your European partners about finding

:21:34. > :21:37.the right deal. You have no idea how to resolve that Both inside the EU

:21:38. > :21:41.and outside the EU. It is what our businesses want and it is why as

:21:42. > :21:44.David Lidington said, we are talking about businesses. The truth is you

:21:45. > :21:49.have no idea. The truth is we are at the start of the negotiations. And

:21:50. > :21:54.you have no idea. . . We can't predict on where we will end up

:21:55. > :22:00.getting the best deal for the country. They must have magicians.

:22:01. > :22:03.Before we let you go, a letter in the Evening Standard by Chris

:22:04. > :22:08.Grayling, the Transport Secretary at the time. From 2013, written to

:22:09. > :22:12.Boris Johnson, the then Conservative mayor for London responding to his

:22:13. > :22:15.request for Transport for London to take on responsibility for a number

:22:16. > :22:19.of rail services in the London area to which he reply quoeps I wouldn't

:22:20. > :22:24.be in favour of changing the current arrangement not because I have fears

:22:25. > :22:28.under the immediate future but because I would like to keep

:22:29. > :22:31.suburban rail services out of the clutches of any future Labour

:22:32. > :22:35.mayor." And there has been a foe sieve Russ response from a Tory

:22:36. > :22:38.colleague This is awkward and embarrassing and gives rise to

:22:39. > :22:42.immediate allegations that he is not putting the interests of passengers,

:22:43. > :22:45.the rail industry or London and the south-east first, instead he is

:22:46. > :22:48.putting partisan, narrow interests of the Conservative Party, rather

:22:49. > :22:56.than his constituents fist. That's what the letter suggests. We are yet

:22:57. > :22:59.hear from him but now he is in the job of Transport Secretary,

:23:00. > :23:02.immediately it would be within the grounds of his responsibility and

:23:03. > :23:05.there will be a fierce row now between him and the Mayor of London,

:23:06. > :23:11.Sadiq Khan, this is tricky for him to answer. It is, and there are now

:23:12. > :23:15.calls from Bob Neil, the Tory MP who has raised this issue and said how

:23:16. > :23:17.you have explained it, in terms of putting his own partisan views

:23:18. > :23:25.before the interests of his constituents. Let's hear what he had

:23:26. > :23:34.to say. (No sound.

:23:35. > :23:38.)... Of rail Fran can chiess in London to Labour mayor. In other

:23:39. > :23:42.words he was doing it for a party political reason, despite the fact

:23:43. > :23:45.that at the last mayoral election, I and other Conservatives campaigned

:23:46. > :23:49.in favour of rail devolution. He was not honest with us then, and it's

:23:50. > :23:53.quite clear that when he calm to the House of Commons and said he was

:23:54. > :23:56.doing so for financial reasons, that was not the truth. I think a

:23:57. > :24:00.minister who has done that is not fit to hold office. Well, that is a

:24:01. > :24:06.dramatic indictment there of Chris Grayling. Not honest, he should go.

:24:07. > :24:10.You know complete conflict here It is quite some escalation from a good

:24:11. > :24:14.scoop frat Evening Standard finding this letter by lunch time, a

:24:15. > :24:16.Conservative MP, someone widely respected in this particular area,

:24:17. > :24:20.actually saying he should go. This is not going to be a good day for

:24:21. > :24:22.Chris Grayling. I think at the moment it seems unlikely he would

:24:23. > :24:28.resign over something lick this, but, you know... Who knows. Things

:24:29. > :24:30.moves fast these days. I'm going to ask you go to but very politely. OK.

:24:31. > :24:35.Thank you. Now, the Liberal Democrats have been

:24:36. > :24:37.fined by the Electoral Commission after an investigation

:24:38. > :24:39.into the party's spending return The ?20,000 penalty is the largest

:24:40. > :24:43.that can be imposed for a single offence and the Commission is now

:24:44. > :24:46.repeating its call for an increase to the maximum fine,

:24:47. > :24:48.so it's more proportionate to the levels of spending

:24:49. > :24:50.and donations being handled In the case of the ?20,000 fine,

:24:51. > :24:54.the Commission concluded that the Lib Dems' 2015 election

:24:55. > :25:07.spending return was not complete The investigation found that

:25:08. > :25:09.307 payments totalling ?184,676 were missing

:25:10. > :25:11.from the Liberal Democrats' spending return -

:25:12. > :25:15.without a reasonable excuse. Some invoices for payments

:25:16. > :25:20.were also absent. The Commission has now notified

:25:21. > :25:22.the Metropolitan Police of a possible criminal offence,

:25:23. > :25:24.after seeing evidence that suggested some people in the party knew

:25:25. > :25:27.the spending return wasn't complete We asked the Lib Dems

:25:28. > :25:31.for an interview but were told In a statement a party spokesperson

:25:32. > :25:35.said: "These mistakes, caused by issues with a small number

:25:36. > :25:38.of local accounting units, were a result of human error

:25:39. > :25:40.and failures of process." We can now speak to

:25:41. > :25:45.the Chief Executive of the Electoral Commission,

:25:46. > :25:53.Claire Bassett. Do you accept that from the Liberal

:25:54. > :25:58.Democrats, as an explanation? I think what we have to be clear about

:25:59. > :26:02.is the law sets out very clearly what is needed, what should be in

:26:03. > :26:05.the spending returns, which are a really important part of giving

:26:06. > :26:09.voters confidence in our democratic processes. These laws have been

:26:10. > :26:12.around for sometime, 15 years, and the Liberal Democrats are an

:26:13. > :26:15.established party. So they did know what they needed to do. We were

:26:16. > :26:18.pleased they cooperated with us, during the course of the

:26:19. > :26:22.investigation and they have offered that explanation, but we are clear

:26:23. > :26:25.that the spending returns should be complete and should coincide with

:26:26. > :26:29.the law, setting out all of the spend that should be in them. It is

:26:30. > :26:32.not just the Liberal Democrats who have seen the maximum fine imposed

:26:33. > :26:36.on they. Labour were fined ?20,000 for a similar offence in oak. The

:26:37. > :26:40.Electoral Commission's investigation into the Conservative spend at the

:26:41. > :26:45.2015 general election are still ongoing, so, do you see a systemic

:26:46. > :26:49.problem here? What we are seeing is what we have seen in the two

:26:50. > :26:52.investigations we have concluded, where there were short-comings in

:26:53. > :26:56.those spending returns, those spending returns are an important

:26:57. > :26:59.part of being clear about what happens at elections. What we are

:27:00. > :27:04.calling for today is an increase in our ability to fine people who break

:27:05. > :27:06.those rules, because we feel that the ?20,000 fine is just

:27:07. > :27:10.disproportionately small to the amount of spend that we are talking

:27:11. > :27:15.about at general lings. Indeed t could be seen as a cost of business

:27:16. > :27:19.and we think it should be higher and bigger, so it acts as a proper

:27:20. > :27:22.deterrent and ensures people do return those complete... As you say,

:27:23. > :27:26.people might or the parties might feel it is a price worth paying.

:27:27. > :27:30.What sort of level of sanction would you suggest as a proper deterrent We

:27:31. > :27:34.are seeking today to really open the debate to have a look at how much

:27:35. > :27:37.that should be increased by. If you look at other regulators, the

:27:38. > :27:40.Information Commissioner, for example, can issue fines in the

:27:41. > :27:44.hundreds of thousands. So, we loo like Parliament to revisited and

:27:45. > :27:47.have a look at this and increase it significantly, but we haven't set a

:27:48. > :27:52.top level for that because we don't feel it is for us to do. Thank you

:27:53. > :27:56.very much. It sounds like all the parties are at this. The viewers

:27:57. > :27:58.will think how disgraceful I make thep poupt is the Conservative

:27:59. > :28:02.Party's position is we have followed the rules. You are being

:28:03. > :28:06.investigated. The investigation is ongoing but we have to look at this

:28:07. > :28:08.in the context of not just the report but people have looked at

:28:09. > :28:12.this issue and the Government will respond. Right, we need to leave it

:28:13. > :28:16.there, the guests will be happy to hear, floss time for the spelling

:28:17. > :28:20.item today. Which is a pity. Just time to put you out of your misery

:28:21. > :28:25.gaven you the answer to Guest the Year. The year was 1979 of the

:28:26. > :28:31.election and the Winter of Discontent. Press that red button,

:28:32. > :28:36.please. There we go, very gently. Nothing malign happens.

:28:37. > :28:42.And Andrew Miller from Lancashire. I can spell that, too. Has won. Well

:28:43. > :28:47.done, Andrew Miller from Lancashire. You get a daily Politics' mug. The

:28:48. > :28:51.1.00 news is starting on BBC One. We will be back tomorrow at noon with

:28:52. > :28:54.another edition of the Daily Politics, here on BBC Two. I hope

:28:55. > :29:01.you can join us. Until then, goodbye.

:29:02. > :29:05.I'm starting this new job, I'm taking over a really tough school.