0:00:45 > 0:00:46Good morning.
0:00:46 > 0:00:48Welcome to the Daily Politics.
0:00:48 > 0:00:49They've been branded mutineers this morning.
0:00:49 > 0:00:52Tory rebels kept their powder dry in the Commons last night,
0:00:52 > 0:00:53but is this just mutiny postponed?
0:00:53 > 0:00:56Jacob Rees-Mogg doesn't want to stop the Brexit ship sailing
0:00:56 > 0:00:58but does he want to throw the Chancellor overboard?
0:00:58 > 0:01:00We'll talk to him live.
0:01:00 > 0:01:03Tens of thousands of messages were posted by Russian-based Twitter
0:01:03 > 0:01:07accounts during the referendum campaign, mostly backing Brexit.
0:01:07 > 0:01:15So was it Putin wot won it?
0:01:15 > 0:01:17Jeremy Corbyn says he won't punish Labour MP Emma Dent Coad
0:01:17 > 0:01:20after it was revealed she called a black Conservative candidate
0:01:20 > 0:01:21a "token ghetto boy".
0:01:21 > 0:01:29Was the language she used acceptable?
0:01:29 > 0:01:31All that coming up and, of course, Prime Minister's Questions -
0:01:31 > 0:01:34live and uninterrupted at midday.
0:01:34 > 0:01:37And it's Hancock's hour and a half -
0:01:37 > 0:01:40Digital Minister Matt Hancock, that is.
0:01:40 > 0:01:42And to complete the comic duo, the Shadow Brexit Minister,
0:01:42 > 0:01:45Labour's Jenny Chapman.
0:01:45 > 0:01:48So, the Government saw off several attempts to change
0:01:48 > 0:01:54the EU Withdrawal Bill in the Commons last night.
0:01:54 > 0:01:57But it was just the first of eight days of debate in the House
0:01:57 > 0:02:00of Commons and, with discontent palpable among some on all sides
0:02:00 > 0:02:05of the Chamber, and with MPs having tabled more than 470 amendments,
0:02:05 > 0:02:07Theresa May knows there is trouble ahead.
0:02:07 > 0:02:10Emma, talk us through it.
0:02:10 > 0:02:14With the DUP, Theresa May has a working majority
0:02:14 > 0:02:17of 13, but on Brexit, where she should be able to rely
0:02:17 > 0:02:23on pro-Brexit Labour MPs, that rises to almost 25.
0:02:23 > 0:02:25But it's reported up to 15 Tories could defy the Government,
0:02:25 > 0:02:32enough to wipe out that Brexit majority.
0:02:32 > 0:02:34They were pictured on the front page of today's
0:02:34 > 0:02:36Daily Telegraph, which called them "the Brexit mutineers".
0:02:36 > 0:02:40Late in the Commons last night, Anna Soubry,
0:02:40 > 0:02:43one of those named in the paper's splash, said it was a "blatant
0:02:43 > 0:02:46piece of bullying that goes to the very heart of democracy".
0:02:46 > 0:02:48And Heidi Allen said if fighting for the future
0:02:48 > 0:02:51of the country meant mutiny then bring it on.
0:02:51 > 0:02:52The potential rebels are particularly angry about
0:02:52 > 0:02:58the so-called "date amendment".
0:02:58 > 0:03:00It was announced with great fanfare by Theresa May last Friday,
0:03:00 > 0:03:01also in the Daily Telegraph.
0:03:01 > 0:03:03On Monday, another of the potential rebels,
0:03:03 > 0:03:09Nicky Morgan, told us that article was "tin-eared" and "tone-deaf",
0:03:09 > 0:03:13and likely to increase division in the Conservative Party.
0:03:13 > 0:03:16Yesterday, veteran pro-EU Conservative MP
0:03:16 > 0:03:20Ken Clarke said the date amendment was unnecessary.
0:03:20 > 0:03:25There are some very, very serious issues to be settled in this
0:03:25 > 0:03:27Bill and I ask the Government to reconsider silly amendments
0:03:27 > 0:03:30thrown out because they got a good article in the Daily Telegraph,
0:03:30 > 0:03:31which actually might do harm...
0:03:31 > 0:03:34CHEERS AND JEERS
0:03:38 > 0:03:43Tory MP, Ken Clarke. Matt Hancock, what is the logic of putting down
0:03:43 > 0:03:46this amendment fixing the date of Brexit?We have made a decision over
0:03:46 > 0:03:50when we are going to leave, it is a consequence of triggering Article 50
0:03:50 > 0:03:55and the fact that there is two years and it's funny, though - often in
0:03:55 > 0:03:58taking a Bill through the Commons, you get criticised for not putting
0:03:58 > 0:04:03enough on the face of the bill.We knew we were going to leave in March
0:04:03 > 0:04:072019. Why put down an amendment fixing the date of Brexit on this
0:04:07 > 0:04:10bill with a time?Because, as you say, that's what is going to happen.
0:04:10 > 0:04:14You didn't need to put it in the billPeople called for more
0:04:14 > 0:04:17certainty and asked for more to be put on the face of the bill and less
0:04:17 > 0:04:22to be put in regulation and this has changed the way that we are doing
0:04:22 > 0:04:25this from the date being in regulation, to the date being on the
0:04:25 > 0:04:30face of the bill, and that's because that's the decision and ultimately,
0:04:30 > 0:04:33frankly, it was the decision, obviously as a result of a
0:04:33 > 0:04:37referendum and then from the date of triggering Article 50.Right but as
0:04:37 > 0:04:39you say when we triggered Article 50, we knew what the timetable would
0:04:39 > 0:04:46be. It's clear. It is two years' later, March 2019. If it was so
0:04:46 > 0:04:49important, why wasn't the date fixed in the bill in the first place.The
0:04:49 > 0:04:53bill as it was drafted put a lot of things in regulation, actually one
0:04:53 > 0:04:57of the criticisms of the bill was it put too much into regulation, I
0:04:57 > 0:05:01reject that. I think it was reasonable that as much as is
0:05:01 > 0:05:06necessary to go through regulations will. But, one of the things we
0:05:06 > 0:05:09know, for sure now, is the date of leaving, so put it on the face of
0:05:09 > 0:05:13the bill. Perfectly reasonable.We always knew that date, it is as if
0:05:13 > 0:05:19you forgot about it. Dominic Grieve, seemingly fairly accommodating in
0:05:19 > 0:05:28your party, said it was mad. Ken Clarke calls it ridiculous and says
0:05:28 > 0:05:34it could I willeniate people on your side. Is it wise to do that when
0:05:34 > 0:05:39your majority is so small?Ken voted against triggering Article 50, but
0:05:39 > 0:05:47if you voted to trigger Article 50, as I did and as the vast majority of
0:05:47 > 0:05:53MPs did, then that leads to the date being set and since the date is
0:05:53 > 0:05:57agreed, it's perfectly reasonable to legislate for that.Right. Because
0:05:57 > 0:06:01it's been agreed, why was it necessary for the Prime Minister to
0:06:01 > 0:06:04write an article which threatened people who she said would try and
0:06:04 > 0:06:08block this bill going through? Everybody who signed up to Article
0:06:08 > 0:06:1350 knew the date would be March 2019. So I say again - why have you
0:06:13 > 0:06:17unnecessarily alienated so many of your own side?Well, I don't think
0:06:17 > 0:06:22that's right.You don't think they are alienated?If you voted for
0:06:22 > 0:06:26Article 50, it is a consequence of that, that you are in favour of
0:06:26 > 0:06:29leaving the European Union by that date. Now we've said and we have put
0:06:29 > 0:06:33it into the legislation, we will leave on that date. So having taken
0:06:33 > 0:06:39that decision, it's reasonable to put it into legislation. And the
0:06:39 > 0:06:44bigger picture is this - you know, this bill is incredibly important
0:06:44 > 0:06:49for making sure that we leave in a sensible and orderly way, alongside
0:06:49 > 0:06:53getting a good deal.So you've committed an own goal basically
0:06:53 > 0:06:58haven't you? Nicky Morgan called the article tineared and tone deaf on
0:06:58 > 0:07:02this programme. You really have achieved healing the divisions
0:07:02 > 0:07:06within your own party?I think people - if you vote for Article 50,
0:07:06 > 0:07:09most people did that, the vast majority of MPs did that and the
0:07:09 > 0:07:13reason we did that is because we accept the result of the referendum.
0:07:13 > 0:07:16No matter how you voted.But that doesn't answer the question of why
0:07:16 > 0:07:21you then had to fix a date a time, 11pm on 29th March, unless you were
0:07:21 > 0:07:26going to be provocative or was it about apiecing Brexiteers and the
0:07:26 > 0:07:33skrurpt willings. -- and eurosceptics.No we are leaving the
0:07:33 > 0:07:36European Union, it sets out the moment we leave. We were going to
0:07:36 > 0:07:40have to do it at some point. Once you have done it and set it it is
0:07:40 > 0:07:43good practice to put it into the primary legislation, I think it is
0:07:43 > 0:07:46reasonable.Do you think you will have to abandon the amendment in the
0:07:46 > 0:07:50end?No, I think we're going to vote for it.Do you think in the end you
0:07:50 > 0:07:53will have to step down because you won't be able to persuade people
0:07:53 > 0:07:57like Dominic Grieve...I'm not going to step down.Step down the
0:07:57 > 0:08:04amendment? Withdraw it?No, the important thing here is that we are
0:08:04 > 0:08:06leaving the European Union, we have got to do that at a particular
0:08:06 > 0:08:13moment. Whether you do it in - whether you make that into statute
0:08:13 > 0:08:16in secondary legislation or primary...You have made that clear,
0:08:16 > 0:08:20but will this amendment, setting the date, fixing the time and date of
0:08:20 > 0:08:25Brexit make it on to the statute book?I think so, yeah.Even with
0:08:25 > 0:08:29the number of Tory MPs who are saying they will not vote for T
0:08:29 > 0:08:32Dominic Grieve, who I say is a fairly reasonable person in the
0:08:32 > 0:08:36negotiations within the Tory Party, has said he will not vote for it and
0:08:36 > 0:08:40then you will face defeat if enough Tory MPs vote against it.Listened
0:08:40 > 0:08:45to Dominic Grieve's speech yesterday and the fact of the matter is that
0:08:45 > 0:08:50we've got to leave the European Union, and whether it is in
0:08:50 > 0:08:54secondary or primary legislation is less important than the fact that a
0:08:54 > 0:08:58decision has now been taken as to when we're going to leave and...But
0:08:58 > 0:09:03it is about whether you are going to be defeated on 24 amendment which
0:09:03 > 0:09:06was a self-inflicted, if you like, injury and wound to your own side
0:09:06 > 0:09:09which wasn't necessary because as you keep saying - we know when we
0:09:09 > 0:09:13are going to leaveBut if you know when you are going to leave, it is
0:09:13 > 0:09:17perfectly reasonable to legislate on that basis. I don't understand the
0:09:17 > 0:09:21premise of your question, which is - why are you putting into legislation
0:09:21 > 0:09:25that which is going to happen?OK Because we have decided it is going
0:09:25 > 0:09:30to happen, therefore it is perfectly reasonable to legislate for it and
0:09:30 > 0:09:35the broader, the bill as a whole is all about making sure that we can
0:09:35 > 0:09:39have an orderly exit from the EU. That's why it is such an important
0:09:39 > 0:09:43piece of legislation.Jenny Chapman, what's wrong with putting a time and
0:09:43 > 0:09:47date a buffer, if you like, so that people know - we are going to leave?
0:09:47 > 0:09:52I voted to trigger Article 50. My constituents voted to leave. I voted
0:09:52 > 0:09:56for Article 50 in the knowledge that we would be leaving in March 2019. I
0:09:56 > 0:10:01don't need a clause in the bill to make that clear to me. I think most
0:10:01 > 0:10:05people see this for what it is, which is just a political stunt to
0:10:05 > 0:10:11try and make the Prime Minister seem as if she has a backbone and she is
0:10:11 > 0:10:14being clear and leading and she's absolutely definitely in charge of
0:10:14 > 0:10:19this process. When you do this sort of thing, which is so transparently
0:10:19 > 0:10:23a gimmick, it always backfires. Because we - I'm sure when they
0:10:23 > 0:10:27dreamt up this rus he can they thought, brilliant, this is going to
0:10:27 > 0:10:30make the Prime Minister look hard and it'll be a trap for the Labour
0:10:30 > 0:10:34Party. But we are beyond all that with Brexit. We are way beyond
0:10:34 > 0:10:36playing games with it. It is about doing the right thing for the
0:10:36 > 0:10:41country. What this clause does - for a start you don't need it but also,
0:10:41 > 0:10:44as David Davis has said, the negotiations may go to the wire. Now
0:10:44 > 0:10:48that wouldn't be unusual. It is something that many people
0:10:48 > 0:10:53reluctantly accept may happen. If that happens, why do you need to
0:10:53 > 0:10:58have a time to the minute for this - for our exit?Because a lot of
0:10:58 > 0:11:02people will not trust that you will actually do what what you will say
0:11:02 > 0:11:06you are going to do, and that is leave.You may need a if you more
0:11:06 > 0:11:10hours or days to get it right. What everybody sensible seems to agree s
0:11:10 > 0:11:14that a cliff edge and no-deal is a desirable outcome. So putting this
0:11:14 > 0:11:17in the bill is unnecessary, it is a gimmick and actually could be
0:11:17 > 0:11:23damaging.But actually Theresa May will win this amendment if a lot of
0:11:23 > 0:11:26your MPs back the Government come what may?Well they don't seem
0:11:26 > 0:11:30confident at the moment, do they? How many of your MPs will back the
0:11:30 > 0:11:33Government, do you think? How many of the Labour Leave MPs will back
0:11:33 > 0:11:39the Government?You may get five or six. You may get five or six.
0:11:39 > 0:11:44There's 15 Tory MPs, serious, credible people who are leaders in
0:11:44 > 0:11:49the Conservative Party very well-established people, who have,
0:11:49 > 0:11:52you know Parliamentlies listens to these people. If you were in the
0:11:52 > 0:11:55debate yesterday you will have seen Parliament listening carefully to
0:11:55 > 0:12:01what some of those individuals have to say. And take them incredibly
0:12:01 > 0:12:06seriously.Come back to you on that. You aring, potentially defeat in the
0:12:06 > 0:12:10face as a result of an unnecessary clause and amendment. You will have
0:12:10 > 0:12:15to rely own Labour Levers in order to win?Jenny put the point,
0:12:15 > 0:12:19actually explained well, it is perfectly reasonable to put this in
0:12:19 > 0:12:23the bill...It is a game.It is not. Once a decision has been taken to
0:12:23 > 0:12:26make something happen at a particular moment, then it is
0:12:26 > 0:12:30perfectly reasonable to legislate for it.All rightAnd then the
0:12:30 > 0:12:33negotiations, of course, have to deliver by that date. Otherwise, it
0:12:33 > 0:12:38can just go on and on.It is a game. A pathetic one. It is backfiring.
0:12:38 > 0:12:41I'm sure the Government regrets it already.If you are in favour of
0:12:41 > 0:12:45leaving on a certain date, as you are, because you voted for Article
0:12:45 > 0:12:4950. What's wrong with legislating for what you agreed?It is not
0:12:49 > 0:12:53necessary. And unnecessarily damaging our bargaining ability at
0:12:53 > 0:12:57the end of this process. That is a fact, Matthew. What you are doing is
0:12:57 > 0:12:59a political game. You have been found out and the Government is
0:12:59 > 0:13:04going to end up, somehow, having it of save face and back off.It is
0:13:04 > 0:13:07just bizarre that Jenny says she is in favour of something but doesn't
0:13:07 > 0:13:12want toll legislate for it. I don't need a law to tell me about it.Can
0:13:12 > 0:13:16you guarantee the Government will not back down on this amendment?I
0:13:16 > 0:13:21think we're going to win the vote? How?Well, with the help from people
0:13:21 > 0:13:24from across the House including some of your colleagues.You can
0:13:24 > 0:13:28guarantee it'll not be withdrawn?I think we're going to win the vote.
0:13:28 > 0:13:30Let's leave it there.
0:13:30 > 0:13:33Now, The Times newspaper is reporting this morning that
0:13:33 > 0:13:35Russian Twitter accounts blitzed the web with 48,000 Brexit-related
0:13:35 > 0:13:37messages over just two days during the referendum
0:13:37 > 0:13:39campaign last year.
0:13:39 > 0:13:44Earlier this week, it was revealed how Russian agitprop attempted
0:13:44 > 0:13:46to exploit the Westminster terror attack, when the user
0:13:46 > 0:13:49@SouthLoneStar, posing as "proud Texan and American patriot",
0:13:49 > 0:13:51posted this image with the line, "Muslim woman casually
0:13:51 > 0:13:56walks by a dying man.
0:13:56 > 0:14:00#BanIslam".
0:14:00 > 0:14:02On Monday night, the Prime Minister surprised many by openly accusing
0:14:02 > 0:14:05the Russians of mounting "a sustained campaign
0:14:05 > 0:14:08of cyber-espionage and disruption", including "meddling in elections"
0:14:08 > 0:14:13and "deploying its state-run media organisations to plant fake stories
0:14:13 > 0:14:15and Photoshopped images in an attempt to sow
0:14:15 > 0:14:22discord in the West and undermine our institutions."
0:14:22 > 0:14:29Can you give me examples of which elections the Russians have directly
0:14:29 > 0:14:33interfered in?I know this sounds like not answering the question...
0:14:33 > 0:14:38Well, that would be a change!It's hard to go further than the Prime
0:14:38 > 0:14:45Minister went on Monday.Stuart along way, she said espionage,
0:14:45 > 0:14:47meddling in elections and weapon rising information, so which
0:14:47 > 0:14:54elections is the Prime Minister talking about when she says the
0:14:54 > 0:14:57Russians have meddled?She was clear that we know this is happening, we
0:14:57 > 0:15:01are not going to let it succeed, we are working with the tech
0:15:01 > 0:15:05organisations to make sure that it doesn't, and we will say more when
0:15:05 > 0:15:11we are ready to. It's a very serious matter.If it's that serious and you
0:15:11 > 0:15:16say you're going to stop it, which elections has the Kremlin in
0:15:16 > 0:15:18deferred in?I'm not going to go further than what the Prime Minister
0:15:18 > 0:15:26said. -- interfered in.Why not?I think it's important not to go
0:15:26 > 0:15:30further than that because getting this right is vitally important,
0:15:30 > 0:15:33because you've got to have the grounds and the bases for a debate.
0:15:33 > 0:15:37This morning, the head of the national cyber security centre is
0:15:37 > 0:15:44set out more details, and we will, of course, explain what we find as
0:15:44 > 0:15:51and when we are ready to.So you haven't actually found any evidence
0:15:51 > 0:15:59yet, that's why you can't told me. That's not true. Don't put words
0:15:59 > 0:16:02into my mouth. It's important that we get this right. The Prime
0:16:02 > 0:16:07Minister has made clear that we are aware of this issue, we know what
0:16:07 > 0:16:13the Russians are doing and we won't let it stand. As and when we are
0:16:13 > 0:16:18ready to say more and take further action...What are they doing then?
0:16:18 > 0:16:22Can you say what they are doing? If it is as serious as the Prime
0:16:22 > 0:16:27Minister says and as you seem to be implying, did they affect the
0:16:27 > 0:16:33outcome of elections that you won't tell me?If you take the referendum
0:16:33 > 0:16:37and the recent election, the number of votes cast in those elections
0:16:37 > 0:16:41were very, very significant, and so I think that you've got to be
0:16:41 > 0:16:47careful to draw a direct causal link, and anyway, it's impossible to
0:16:47 > 0:16:52know exactly why each person voted as they did. But what we've got to
0:16:52 > 0:16:56make sure is that the political discourse in the run-up to an
0:16:56 > 0:17:02election is of high quality, as high a quality as possible. Elections are
0:17:02 > 0:17:07always robust events, but that the discussion is high quality and,
0:17:07 > 0:17:11crucially, when people are saying something, we know who it is that is
0:17:11 > 0:17:17saying it.So how are you going to combat this Russian meddling in
0:17:17 > 0:17:21elections?The first port of call is to make sure we are conspiracy over
0:17:21 > 0:17:25who is saying what.How are you going to do that? You are the
0:17:25 > 0:17:29digital minister but you will not tell me which elections have been
0:17:29 > 0:17:31affected, although Theresa May says there has been espionage and
0:17:31 > 0:17:40meddling in British elections, and weapon rising information. You say
0:17:40 > 0:17:44more transparency will stop it? Making sure that, when a tweet comes
0:17:44 > 0:17:49from somewhere, you know where it's from. The authentication take, for
0:17:49 > 0:17:54example.But you can't stop them doing it, can you?It's a difficult
0:17:54 > 0:17:59area to get right. By the nature of these platforms, somebody puts up a
0:17:59 > 0:18:03tweet and it's immediately published to everybody that wants. One of the
0:18:03 > 0:18:06reasons I'm being careful in my language, and I am glad you
0:18:06 > 0:18:10understand why I can't go further, is that getting the answers right to
0:18:10 > 0:18:16this in a way that is reasonable, that supports high-quality political
0:18:16 > 0:18:20discussion, is really difficult.I don't know why you can't go further,
0:18:20 > 0:18:23because the Prime Minister has gone further and was very strong in the
0:18:23 > 0:18:28attack on Russia. Let me come to you, Jenny Chapman. How much of a
0:18:28 > 0:18:33threat does Mr Corbyn C from Russia? I support what the government is
0:18:33 > 0:18:38trying to do here, in that they are flagging something that they think
0:18:38 > 0:18:41maybe a Russian influence on our democracy, and obviously we've had
0:18:41 > 0:18:45debates around what's been happening in the state as well.How much
0:18:45 > 0:18:50effect does the Labour leader seen from Russia?Honesty, we don't know
0:18:50 > 0:18:54because we don't know what's been happening. As Matt quite rightly as
0:18:54 > 0:18:57saying, it's wrong for us to say that there's been an outcome that
0:18:57 > 0:19:01has been determined by influences from other countries when we don't
0:19:01 > 0:19:05actually know. I wonder whether the Prime Minister's timing in all of
0:19:05 > 0:19:08this was a rug making the appear tough and that she's going to stand
0:19:08 > 0:19:15up this country against interference from Russia, how genuine the concern
0:19:15 > 0:19:19is and whether it is to the level that seemed to be implied by her
0:19:19 > 0:19:24comments.You think that her concern is confected?I wonder whether, to a
0:19:24 > 0:19:26point, it may be.
0:19:26 > 0:19:28Now she's only been an MP since June -
0:19:28 > 0:19:30the surprise Labour winner in the London constituency
0:19:30 > 0:19:31of Kensington.
0:19:31 > 0:19:34Emma Dent Coad rose to prominence after the Grenfell Tower fire
0:19:34 > 0:19:35in her constituency.
0:19:35 > 0:19:37But now Ms Dent Coad has been accused of racism,
0:19:37 > 0:19:40after the Guido Fawkes blog dug up a blogpost she wrote about black
0:19:40 > 0:19:42Conservative parliamentary candidate Shaun Bailey back in April 2010.
0:19:42 > 0:19:44She wrote:
0:19:44 > 0:19:47"One day he is the 'token ghetto boy' standing behind D Cameron,
0:19:47 > 0:19:50the next 'looking interested' beside G Osborne.
0:19:50 > 0:19:52Ever felt used?"
0:19:52 > 0:19:54Now we did invite Emma Dent Coad
0:19:54 > 0:19:57on the programme today - she didn't respond to our request -
0:19:57 > 0:20:00but talking to BBC London radio last night, she said she was just quoting
0:20:00 > 0:20:02Shaun Bailey's own words and apologised for any offence
0:20:02 > 0:20:05she might have caused him.
0:20:05 > 0:20:08You've just repeated the phrase countless times.
0:20:08 > 0:20:10Am I now going to criticise you for quoting something that I've
0:20:10 > 0:20:12quoted that somebody else said?
0:20:12 > 0:20:13This is getting slightly ridiculous.
0:20:13 > 0:20:14We're talking about...
0:20:14 > 0:20:15I notice you're not apologising.
0:20:15 > 0:20:16Do you want to apologise?
0:20:16 > 0:20:18What, for quoting what somebody else had said?
0:20:18 > 0:20:19Yes.
0:20:19 > 0:20:22If you've offended him, if if he feels it's racist,
0:20:22 > 0:20:25if he says even the BNP have never called him anything so vile
0:20:25 > 0:20:27and he doesn't recognise it as being somebody else's comments
0:20:27 > 0:20:28but your comments.
0:20:28 > 0:20:32If he feels offended by it, of course I apologise, of course, I do.
0:20:32 > 0:20:34If somebody actually read the blog, they would see I was quoting
0:20:34 > 0:20:44other people's sources, what people were saying at the time.
0:20:44 > 0:20:49Well, Emma Dent Coad said she was quoting Shaun Bailey himself, but he
0:20:49 > 0:20:54didn't use the words token ghetto boy. Is it an acceptable phrase to
0:20:54 > 0:20:59use?No, it's unacceptable, and I think that MS sees that and she's
0:20:59 > 0:21:04apologised, and I'm glad that she has. Wedge she was pushing back hard
0:21:04 > 0:21:08saying, if she is offended.I mean, why wouldn't he be offended? Then
0:21:08 > 0:21:15she said she'd apologise. As she behaved properly?You are right and
0:21:15 > 0:21:18she should apologise. My understanding is that she had
0:21:18 > 0:21:22apologised in addition to the clip that you just showed, and I think
0:21:22 > 0:21:26that is right. I don't know the context around why on earth she felt
0:21:26 > 0:21:31that she could say what she did say, but it is clearly unacceptable
0:21:31 > 0:21:36language.I have read the blog post and the context is that it gives the
0:21:36 > 0:21:39impression that black people voting Conservative are traitors to their
0:21:39 > 0:21:47race. Is that acceptable?Of course it's not.Is it racist?I'd need to
0:21:47 > 0:21:54read it.Is token ghetto boy a racist phrase?I think it probably
0:21:54 > 0:21:59is. I think she's right apologise. She has apologise. I don't know
0:21:59 > 0:22:03whether that apology has been accepted, but I think, you know, to
0:22:03 > 0:22:09say you are sorry and that you understand why something, why you
0:22:09 > 0:22:11have caused offence to somebody, that's the right thing to do in this
0:22:11 > 0:22:16situation.Is it right for Jeremy Corbyn, and you have admitted that
0:22:16 > 0:22:22you think it is racist and it wasn't acceptable, so why hasn't Jeremy
0:22:22 > 0:22:25Corbyn suspended her?You'd need to ask Jeremy about that and to speak
0:22:25 > 0:22:33to Emma.Should he suspend her? Should she lose the whip?She's
0:22:33 > 0:22:37apologised and, as far as I'm concerned, that apology is accepted
0:22:37 > 0:22:40and she's shown she understands why this is such a problem, then think
0:22:40 > 0:22:44the right thing to do, rather than punish somebody, is to be pleased
0:22:44 > 0:22:47that they now understand and have been reflected in that language will
0:22:47 > 0:22:52not be used again for thelet's look at something else that she posted,
0:22:52 > 0:22:57Emma Dent Coad, and this was also on a blog post around the same time,
0:22:57 > 0:23:00and it is the Conservative Party logo, the tree, with a doodle in
0:23:00 > 0:23:08front of it of a hangman. Do you think that is acceptable?It's not.
0:23:08 > 0:23:13I've never seen that before. I don't think that is in any way acceptable.
0:23:13 > 0:23:19So should she lose the whip?It's not for me to say first that up to
0:23:19 > 0:23:22Jeremy and he will probably be taking advice on that. I don't want
0:23:22 > 0:23:27to pre-empt what he may or may not do, but it's not acceptable in any
0:23:27 > 0:23:31way, shape or form and I don't understand why she felt the need to
0:23:31 > 0:23:36do that. She'd have to account for herself.Jeremy Corbyn says he will
0:23:36 > 0:23:38make chocolate people discuss the use of language with people and
0:23:38 > 0:23:44he'll remind people that they shouldn't use that language. --
0:23:44 > 0:23:47Jeremy Corbyn says he will make sure that people discuss the use of
0:23:47 > 0:23:52language.He will no doubt be thinking this through and reflecting
0:23:52 > 0:23:56on the information that has come forward. I don't know whether Jeremy
0:23:56 > 0:23:59is seen that sketch, but I think in these circumstances it probably
0:23:59 > 0:24:03isn't helpful for me to sit here and to make a sanction on the spot when
0:24:03 > 0:24:12I had only just shown it.But you yes.Hit me show you this, the Tory
0:24:12 > 0:24:17run council in Kensington and Chelsea have sent out leaflets
0:24:17 > 0:24:23asking them to rate from one to ten how important that how the families
0:24:23 > 0:24:25from Grenfell Tower are treated is to them for what should council have
0:24:25 > 0:24:32sent out such a survey?I think they were trying to understand an opinion
0:24:32 > 0:24:38but to compare Bis completely wrong. What am I comparing it to? I'm just
0:24:38 > 0:24:40talking about Kensington and Chelsea, and that is completely
0:24:40 > 0:24:45different. They have out leaflets to residents asking them to rate how
0:24:45 > 0:24:50important that disaster is. What would be the point of that?They are
0:24:50 > 0:24:55clearly trying to understand and deal with the consequences of this
0:24:55 > 0:25:00terrible tragedy at Grenfell.From zero to ten?It's the standard way
0:25:00 > 0:25:03of doing things, but it's clearly been done in a clumsy way. I haven't
0:25:03 > 0:25:08seen that image of the tree before, and it makes me feel sick to the
0:25:08 > 0:25:12stomach.I have spoken to Jenny Chapman about that and we are now
0:25:12 > 0:25:15going to talk about this leaflet. Is it really credible that people might
0:25:15 > 0:25:20put zero down in terms of their concern or importance of the
0:25:20 > 0:25:26Grenfell Grenfell fire?I don't think it is.So white sent out the
0:25:26 > 0:25:33survey?B zero to ten thing is a standard way of surveying, but I'm
0:25:33 > 0:25:40not looking to quantify it.How would you describe it?I would put
0:25:40 > 0:25:41it at ten.
0:25:41 > 0:25:43Now, are those late night Commons sittings
0:25:43 > 0:25:44taking their toll on MPs?
0:25:44 > 0:25:46In the Chamber yesterday, the Chairman of the Brexit
0:25:46 > 0:25:48Select Committee - Hilary Benn - attempted to compare
0:25:48 > 0:25:51the Brexit negotiations to the process of buying a house.
0:25:51 > 0:25:54But his Labour colleague Frank Field - who campaigned for Brexit -
0:25:54 > 0:25:57suggested that buying a house wasn't something Mr Benn,
0:25:57 > 0:26:00whose father Tony was the second Viscount Stansgate,
0:26:00 > 0:26:04had ever experienced.
0:26:04 > 0:26:08I've always bought my houses and never inherited them.
0:26:08 > 0:26:13LAUGHTER.
0:26:13 > 0:26:15I bought mine, too.
0:26:15 > 0:26:19SPEECH DROWNED OUT BY HUBBUB.
0:26:19 > 0:26:30Mr Chairman, I've been corrected and I withdraw it, of course I do.
0:26:30 > 0:26:37But the idea that we...
0:26:37 > 0:26:40That the biggest decisions in our lives, like buying
0:26:40 > 0:26:44a house, we take the most time over is not borne out by any research
0:26:44 > 0:26:46whatsoever.
0:26:46 > 0:26:49Can I now conclude...
0:26:49 > 0:26:59I seriously apologise to you on that point.
0:27:00 > 0:27:04Harmony on all sides, and David Lammy pars face was a picture.
0:27:04 > 0:27:07Well, if Frank is truly sorry and would like to make it up
0:27:07 > 0:27:10to his Labour colleague Hilary Benn, may we offer some humble advice.
0:27:10 > 0:27:12Nothing helps smooth over tensions like a nice cup of tea.
0:27:12 > 0:27:15And, even better, why not drink it from the original,
0:27:15 > 0:27:16the best, the one and only...
0:27:16 > 0:27:17Daily Politics mug.
0:27:17 > 0:27:20To win one, just tell us when this happened:
0:27:24 > 0:27:28# Oh yes, sir, I can boogie
0:27:28 > 0:27:31# But I need a certain song...#
0:27:31 > 0:27:33There are a lot of Foreign Secretaries in the world
0:27:33 > 0:27:36who are younger than I.
0:27:37 > 0:27:39# I can boogie boogie, all night long...#
0:27:39 > 0:27:44# We are the champions, my friend
0:27:45 > 0:27:51# And we'll keep on fighting till the end...#
0:27:53 > 0:27:56# Knowing me, knowing you, aha
0:27:56 > 0:27:58# There is nothing we can do
0:27:58 > 0:28:03# Knowing me, knowing you, aha
0:28:03 > 0:28:04# We just have to face it
0:28:04 > 0:28:09# This time we're through...#
0:28:10 > 0:28:13# Don't leave me this way
0:28:14 > 0:28:18# I can't survive
0:28:18 > 0:28:20# Can't stay alive
0:28:20 > 0:28:23# Without your love...#
0:28:25 > 0:28:32# Sunny, yesterday my life was filled with rain
0:28:32 > 0:28:39# Sunny, you smiled at me and really eased the pain
0:28:40 > 0:28:45# The dark days are gone, and the bright days are here
0:28:45 > 0:28:49# My sunny one shines so sincere...#
0:28:49 > 0:28:52To be in with a chance of winning a Daily Politics mug,
0:28:52 > 0:28:55send your answer to our special quiz email address -
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0:29:02 > 0:29:08that's bbc.co.uk?dailypolitics.
0:29:08 > 0:29:14It's coming up to midday here - just take a look at Big Ben -
0:29:14 > 0:29:16and that can mean only one thing.
0:29:16 > 0:29:19Yes, Prime Minister's Questions is on its way.
0:29:19 > 0:29:26And that's not all - Laura Kuenssberg is here.
0:29:26 > 0:29:31Welcome back to the programme. What do you think Jeremy Corbyn is going
0:29:31 > 0:29:36to talk about? Surely Brexit is slightly off the agenda for both
0:29:36 > 0:29:41sides.Brexit is difficult for both sides, no question, so I think he
0:29:41 > 0:29:44probably won't go there. But that's what's been dominating the Commons
0:29:44 > 0:29:48this morning, and all the chat is about the front page of the
0:29:48 > 0:29:57Telegraph, which I'm sure you have discussed, but the mutineers or
0:29:57 > 0:30:00scrutineers are cock-a-hoop of the coverage, not least because of the
0:30:00 > 0:30:03happy faces on the front page, and some of them are joking about
0:30:03 > 0:30:06whether they should buy pirate hat and put them on when the key votes
0:30:06 > 0:30:11come up. I don't think it's clear what Jeremy Corbyn will go on. He
0:30:11 > 0:30:14has been talking a lot about education this week. Universal
0:30:14 > 0:30:17Credit is high up on the list of concerns, and we haven't talked
0:30:17 > 0:30:22about it much but it's the budget next week, and we expect movement on
0:30:22 > 0:30:27Universal Credit, so that could be where he goes today.Unemployment
0:30:27 > 0:30:29figures have come out today, and we never get a chance to talk about
0:30:29 > 0:30:36them, but they have come down.They have, but in an usual thing has
0:30:36 > 0:30:39happened, so employment has also fallen, the total number of people
0:30:39 > 0:30:40in work, but unemployed has also gone down.
0:30:49 > 0:31:00I'm sure all members in the house will like to enjoy me in congrate
0:31:00 > 0:31:03lating Her Majesty the Queen and Prince Phillip on their plait yum
0:31:03 > 0:31:07wedding anniversary coming up. I know the whole House would wish to
0:31:07 > 0:31:12offer them our very best wishes on this special occasion. This morning
0:31:12 > 0:31:15I had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others and in
0:31:15 > 0:31:19addition to my duties in this House I shall have further meetings today.
0:31:19 > 0:31:24Thank you, Mr Speaker, my right honourable friend's stewardship of
0:31:24 > 0:31:27the economy and her predecessor's excel epted work in making sure this
0:31:27 > 0:31:33economy grows, has seen confidence in our country grow, despright the
0:31:33 > 0:31:39troubles and tribulations set before -- despite the troubles. Our debt
0:31:39 > 0:31:43has come down. Will she take this opportunity to spref in our economy
0:31:43 > 0:31:46even more than she is already and perhaps even take the chance to
0:31:46 > 0:31:54build more homes?My honourable friend makes a very important point
0:31:54 > 0:31:58about investing in infrastructure. He refers to housing particularly.
0:31:58 > 0:32:04But we are doing exactly that. That is why we have seen over a quarter
0:32:04 > 0:32:11of a trillion pounds in infrastructure spending since 2010
0:32:11 > 0:32:16and putting in another £22 billion from central Government or economic
0:32:16 > 0:32:19infrastructure. We are seeing the rail projects and biggest
0:32:19 > 0:32:23road-building programme ever for a generation that this country, this
0:32:23 > 0:32:28Government building a country fit for the future. THE SPEAKER:Jeremy
0:32:28 > 0:32:33CorbynThank you, Mr Speaker, I join the Prime Minister in wishing Her
0:32:33 > 0:32:38Majesty and Prince I will if I a happy Platinum wedding anniversary
0:32:38 > 0:32:42-- Prince Phillip. The thoughts of the whole house will be to the
0:32:42 > 0:32:46victims of the devastating earthquake that hit Iraq and Iran on
0:32:46 > 0:32:50Monday leaves hundreds dead and thousands without shelter. I hope
0:32:50 > 0:32:53the Government is offering all necessary emergency help and support
0:32:53 > 0:32:58that can be used to save lives. I also hope, Mr speaker and I'm sure
0:32:58 > 0:33:03the House will join me in sending our sympathies to the family and
0:33:03 > 0:33:06friends of the late Karl sergeant, the Labour Assembly Member in Wales
0:33:06 > 0:33:13who tragically died last week. Mr Speaker, crime is up, violent
0:33:13 > 0:33:19crime is up. And police numbers are down by 20,000. Will the Prime
0:33:19 > 0:33:22Minister urge her Chancellor, who I note this week is sitting absolutely
0:33:22 > 0:33:27next to her, so it'll be easier for her to make this demand on him, to
0:33:27 > 0:33:34provide the funding our police need to make communities safe?Well,
0:33:34 > 0:33:37first of all, can I say to the right honourable gentleman, he raised
0:33:37 > 0:33:41three points. First of all on the earthquake that took place in Iraq
0:33:41 > 0:33:44and Iran we are monitoring this closely. It's a devastating
0:33:44 > 0:33:48earthquake. We know. Our thoughts are with those who have been
0:33:48 > 0:33:54affected. We are looking at the situation and stand ready to provide
0:33:54 > 0:33:55assistance for urge epted humanitarian needs if requested. --
0:33:55 > 0:33:59urgent. The Government will do what is necessary and we'll stand ready
0:33:59 > 0:34:06to help people. I join with him in offering condolences to the family
0:34:06 > 0:34:09and friends of Karl Sargeant. I'm sure that goes for everybody across
0:34:09 > 0:34:13this whole House. He raised the issue of crime and policing. Crime
0:34:13 > 0:34:17is traditional measured by the independent crime survey are down by
0:34:17 > 0:34:23well over one-third since 2010. We have been protecting police budgets.
0:34:23 > 0:34:28We have protected police budgets. And we are putting more money into
0:34:28 > 0:34:32counter-terrorism policing but what matters is what the police do and
0:34:32 > 0:34:36how they deliver and as I say, the crime survey shows that crime is
0:34:36 > 0:34:42down by nearly one-third since 2010. Mr Speaker, I have been following
0:34:42 > 0:34:45some of the tweets from some of her friends along the front bench over
0:34:45 > 0:34:51there. And one of them and I quote says "Very disappointed and
0:34:51 > 0:35:01mystified at the closure of Uxbridge police station."
0:35:09 > 0:35:16CHEERS AND JEERSFor the want of any doubt, Mr Speaker, that came from
0:35:16 > 0:35:21the Foreign Secretary, who is also...THE SPEAKER:I want to hear
0:35:21 > 0:35:26about the Uxbridge police station. Jeremy Corbyn?I'm very pleased you
0:35:26 > 0:35:30do, Mr Speaker, the Foreign Secretary is so excited, he won't
0:35:30 > 0:35:35even hear the answer The real reason, Mr Speaker is that it's
0:35:35 > 0:35:39closing because of a £2.3 billion cut to police budgets in the last
0:35:39 > 0:35:45Parliament. And it gets worse. They are going to be cut by another £700
0:35:45 > 0:35:57million by 2020. Mr Speaker. Under this Government, there are, in...
0:35:57 > 0:36:02There are 11,000 fewer firefighters in England since 2010. Last year,
0:36:02 > 0:36:09deaths in fires increased by 20%. In the wake of the terrible Grenfell
0:36:09 > 0:36:13Tower fire, the Prime Minister was actually very clear and she said -
0:36:13 > 0:36:16this could not be allowed to happen again and money would be no object
0:36:16 > 0:36:25to fire safety. Will she, therefore, now, back the campaign to provide £1
0:36:25 > 0:36:29billion to local councils to retro fit sprinklers in all high-rise
0:36:29 > 0:36:35blocks?Well, first of all, on the first question that the right
0:36:35 > 0:36:39honourable gentleman raised the first issue, he might not have
0:36:39 > 0:36:50noticed but the Police and Crime Commissioner in London is the mayor.
0:36:50 > 0:36:56He is one of ours or one of yours? The last time I looked, Sadiq Khan
0:36:56 > 0:37:05was a Labour Mayor of London. Although perhaps, perhaps the Leader
0:37:05 > 0:37:08of the Labour Party thinks he is not Labour enough for him and his brand
0:37:08 > 0:37:17of Labour. But let's be very clear about funding for the Metropolitan
0:37:17 > 0:37:21Police. There is more money and more officers for each Londoner than
0:37:21 > 0:37:26anywhere else in the country. That's the reality about funding for the
0:37:26 > 0:37:35Metropolitan Police. Now, he asks... He has asked about the issue of fire
0:37:35 > 0:37:39and we absolutely take what happened, the appalling tragedy of
0:37:39 > 0:37:43what happened at Grenfell Tower seriously and that's why I set up
0:37:43 > 0:37:47the public inquiry. It's why my right honourable friend the
0:37:47 > 0:37:52communities' secretary has set up already in work taking place on the
0:37:52 > 0:37:55fire regulations and building regulations to ensure that we do
0:37:55 > 0:38:00have those right. It is why we continue to support Kensington and
0:38:00 > 0:38:04Chelsea Council in ensuring that we deliver for those who have been
0:38:04 > 0:38:08victims of this awful tragedy. But he asked about sprinklers? We do
0:38:08 > 0:38:13want to make sure that homes are fit for those who live in them. There is
0:38:13 > 0:38:19a responsibility on building owners in relation to that. And some owners
0:38:19 > 0:38:21do retro fit sprinklers but there are other safety measures that can
0:38:21 > 0:38:27take place. Perhaps he ought to look at what Labour councils have said
0:38:27 > 0:38:40about this. Har ingay rejected it, and Lewisham said they want to weigh
0:38:40 > 0:38:45up the issues because it can cut through fire compartmentalisation,
0:38:45 > 0:38:48another safety measure. Lambeth Council said there were issue retro
0:38:48 > 0:38:52fitting sprinklers and questions about how effective they were. Even
0:38:52 > 0:38:56Ises council say they need to look at how effective spripgleers would
0:38:56 > 0:39:07be. -- sprinklers. Mr Speaker at Latmore House said
0:39:07 > 0:39:11fitting sprinklers would be right thing to do, the Chief Fire Officer
0:39:11 > 0:39:17said it would be the right thing to do, those local authorities that
0:39:17 > 0:39:21have asked central Government for support, to retro fit sprinklers
0:39:21 > 0:39:26have all been refused by her Government. Surely we need to think
0:39:26 > 0:39:32about the safety of the people living in socially rented high-rise
0:39:32 > 0:39:38blocks. Yesterday I was passed a letter from a lettings agency in
0:39:38 > 0:39:42Lincolnshire, where Universal Credit is about to be rolled out. The
0:39:42 > 0:39:48agency, and I have the letter here...
0:39:48 > 0:39:54The agency is issuing all of its tennants with a pre-emptive notice
0:39:54 > 0:39:58of eviction because Universal Credit has driven up arears where it's been
0:39:58 > 0:40:09rolled out. And the letter, and I quote says: "GAP Property cannot
0:40:09 > 0:40:13sustain arears at the potential levels Universal Credit could
0:40:13 > 0:40:18create." Will the Prime Minister pause Universal Credit so it can be
0:40:18 > 0:40:25fixed? Or does she think it is right to put thousands of families through
0:40:25 > 0:40:29Christmas in the trauma of knowing they are about to be evicted because
0:40:29 > 0:40:38they are in rent arears because of Universal Credit?Can I say to the
0:40:38 > 0:40:42right honourable gentleman that there have been concerns raised and
0:40:42 > 0:40:45concerns raised in this House previously over the issue of people
0:40:45 > 0:40:52managing their budgets to pay rent. But what we actually see - what we
0:40:52 > 0:40:56see is that over - we see that after four months the number of people on
0:40:56 > 0:41:00Universal Credit in arears has fallen by one-third. Now, it's
0:41:00 > 0:41:06important that we do look at the issues in this particular case. Now
0:41:06 > 0:41:10the right honourable gentleman might like to send the letter through. I
0:41:10 > 0:41:15know, in an earlier Prime Minister's Questions he raised a specific
0:41:15 > 0:41:18constituent's case, of an individual who had written to him about her
0:41:18 > 0:41:23experience on Universal Credit, I think it was Georgina. As far as I
0:41:23 > 0:41:27am aware he has so far not sent that letter to me, despite the fact I
0:41:27 > 0:41:35have asked for it.Mr Speaker, I am very happy to give the Prime
0:41:35 > 0:41:39Minister a copy of this letter. I suspect it's not the only letting
0:41:39 > 0:41:50agency that is sending out that kind of letter. She might be aware that
0:41:50 > 0:41:55food bank usage has increased by 30% in areas where Universal Credit has
0:41:55 > 0:42:02been rolled out. 3 million families are losing an average of £2,500 a
0:42:02 > 0:42:07year through Universal Credit. The Child Poverty Action Group estimates
0:42:07 > 0:42:11more than 1 million will be in poverty due to cuts imposed by
0:42:11 > 0:42:14Universal Credit. If those aren't reasons enough to pause the
0:42:14 > 0:42:24roll-out, I don't know what there are. And, Mr Speaker, last week the
0:42:24 > 0:42:28Chief Executive...THE SPEAKER: Order, order. Mr Morris. Calm
0:42:28 > 0:42:33yourself. Behave with restraint. You are seating in a prominent position.
0:42:33 > 0:42:40Quiet. It will be good for your well-being. Jeremy Corbyn.Thank
0:42:40 > 0:42:45you, Mr Speaker. Last week the Chief Executive of NHS England, Simon
0:42:45 > 0:42:52Stevens wrote "The budget for the NHS next year is well short of what
0:42:52 > 0:42:57is currently needed A&E waiting time targets hasn't been met for two
0:42:57 > 0:43:01years, the 62-day cancer waiting time target hasn't been met since
0:43:01 > 0:43:052015. So, again, account Prime Minister spend the next week
0:43:05 > 0:43:09ensuring that the Budget does give sufficient funding to our NHS to
0:43:09 > 0:43:15meet our people's needs?First of all on the first issue the right
0:43:15 > 0:43:18honourable gentleman raised, can I remind him, yet again, Universal
0:43:18 > 0:43:24Credit is ensuring that we are seeing more people in work and able
0:43:24 > 0:43:32to keep what they earn. He talks about Simon Stevens says about the
0:43:32 > 0:43:38National Health Service. Let's look at what he says. "The quality of NHS
0:43:38 > 0:43:43care is demonstrably improving. Outcomes of care more most major
0:43:43 > 0:43:47conditions are dramatically better than three or five or ten years ago.
0:43:47 > 0:43:54." He says what has been achieved "More convenient access to primary
0:43:54 > 0:43:57care services, expanding the primary care workforce. Highest cancer
0:43:57 > 0:44:06survival rates ever. Big expansion in cancer check-ups, public
0:44:06 > 0:44:09satisfaction, with hospitals in-patients at its highest more than
0:44:09 > 0:44:17two decades." That's the good news of our National Health Service.
0:44:17 > 0:44:21Well, it's very strange, Mr Speaker. Very strange, Mr Speaker that the
0:44:21 > 0:44:25Chief Executive of NHS providers says "We are in the middle of the
0:44:25 > 0:44:28longest and deepest financial squeeze in history." I've got a
0:44:28 > 0:44:33pretty good idea they know what they are talking about. Let me give the
0:44:33 > 0:44:36Prime Minister another statistic. The number of people waiting more
0:44:36 > 0:44:43than four hours in A&E has gone up by 557% since 2010. Two weeks ago,
0:44:43 > 0:44:47Mr Speaker the Opposition to us, the Tories over there were very noisy
0:44:47 > 0:44:53when I mentioned ... You are the Government, we are the Opposition,
0:44:53 > 0:44:56you are in opposition to us, it is not complicated. It is not
0:44:56 > 0:45:04complicated.
0:45:04 > 0:45:15Two weeks ago, Mr Speaker, I raised the question of cuts in school
0:45:15 > 0:45:19budgets. Teachers and parents telling MPs what the reality of it
0:45:19 > 0:45:23was about. The Prime Minister was in denial. Every Tory MP was in denial.
0:45:23 > 0:45:32This week, 5000 headteachers from 25 counties wrote to the Chancellor
0:45:32 > 0:45:37saying, we are simply asking for the money that is being taken out of the
0:45:37 > 0:45:43system to be returned. Will the Prime Minister listen to
0:45:43 > 0:45:48headteachers and give a commitment that the budget next week will
0:45:48 > 0:45:51return the money to school budgets, so that our schools are properly
0:45:51 > 0:45:57funded?Can I say to the right honourable gentleman, actually, I
0:45:57 > 0:46:02think this is a major moment. He has got something right today. We are
0:46:02 > 0:46:13the government and he is the opposition.
0:46:14 > 0:46:22CHEERING. On the NHS, can we say, there are
0:46:22 > 0:46:271800 more patients seen within the four hour A&E standard every single
0:46:27 > 0:46:33day, compared to 2010. He talks about school funding. We are putting
0:46:33 > 0:46:36more money into our school budget. We are seeing record levels of
0:46:36 > 0:46:41funding going into our schools. And this government is the first
0:46:41 > 0:46:43government in decades that has actually gripped the issue of a
0:46:43 > 0:46:50fairer national funding formula, and we are putting that into practice.
0:46:50 > 0:46:54But you can only put record levels of money into your NHS and your
0:46:54 > 0:47:00schools with a strong economy, and what do we see as the result of
0:47:00 > 0:47:05policies which this Conservative government has put into place?
0:47:05 > 0:47:09Income inequality, down under the Conservatives, up under Labour.
0:47:09 > 0:47:14Unemployment, down under the Conservatives, up under Labour.
0:47:14 > 0:47:19Workless households, down under the Conservatives, up under Labour.
0:47:19 > 0:47:21Deficit, down under the Conservatives, up under Labour. He
0:47:21 > 0:47:25is planning a run on the pound. We are building a Britain fit for the
0:47:25 > 0:47:37future.Mr Speaker, I would have thought that 5000 headteachers would
0:47:37 > 0:47:43have a pretty good idea about the funding problems of their schools,
0:47:43 > 0:47:46and a pretty good idea of the effect of government cuts on school budgets
0:47:46 > 0:47:53on their staff and their students. Indeed, the IFS says that school
0:47:53 > 0:48:00funding will have fallen by 5% in real terms by 2019 as a result of
0:48:00 > 0:48:06government policies. Mr Speaker, public services in crisis, from
0:48:06 > 0:48:09police to the Fire Service, from NHS to children's schools, while a
0:48:09 > 0:48:17super-rich few dodge their taxes. Oh, yes. Big up and sit on its hands
0:48:17 > 0:48:23as billions are lost to vital public services. The Conservatives cut
0:48:23 > 0:48:30taxes for the view and vital services for the many. It's not just
0:48:30 > 0:48:36that there is one rule for the super-rich...Order, order. I
0:48:36 > 0:48:38apologised for interrupting the right honourable gentleman. Both
0:48:38 > 0:48:44sides of this house will be heard, and the idea that, when somebody is
0:48:44 > 0:48:47asking a question, they should be a concerted attempt to shout that
0:48:47 > 0:48:54person down, is totally undemocratic and completely unacceptable, from
0:48:54 > 0:48:57whichever quarter it comes and I would just ask colleagues to give
0:48:57 > 0:49:04some thought to how our behaviour is regarded by the people who put us
0:49:04 > 0:49:11here. Jeremy Corbyn.Mr Speaker, quite simply, isn't the truth that
0:49:11 > 0:49:17this is a government that protects the super-rich, while the rest of us
0:49:17 > 0:49:21pick up the bill through cuts, austerity, poverty, homelessness,
0:49:21 > 0:49:26low wages and slashing of local services all over the country? That
0:49:26 > 0:49:35is the reality of a Tory government. We have taken £160 billion extra in
0:49:35 > 0:49:40as a result of the action we have taken on tax avoidance and evasion.
0:49:40 > 0:49:46The tax gap is now at its lowest level ever. If the tax gap had
0:49:46 > 0:49:50stayed at the level it was under the Labour Party, we would be losing the
0:49:50 > 0:49:58equivalent of the entire police budget for England and Wales. We in
0:49:58 > 0:50:02the Conservatives are building a Britain that is fit for the future,
0:50:02 > 0:50:08the best Brexit deal, more high-paid jobs, better schools the homes that
0:50:08 > 0:50:12our country needs. Labour have backtracked on Brexit. They have
0:50:12 > 0:50:14gone back on their promise on student debt. And they would cause
0:50:14 > 0:50:20and lose control of public finances. I say to the right honourable
0:50:20 > 0:50:24gentleman, he may have given momentum to his party but he'd bring
0:50:24 > 0:50:39stagnation to the country. CHEERING.
0:50:39 > 0:50:46Thank you, Mr Speaker. In April 2015, the residents of browns over
0:50:46 > 0:50:53saw their only GP surgery closed in an area of rock B that once had
0:50:53 > 0:50:57significant challenges but, thanks to the great work of local
0:50:57 > 0:51:03councillors, has been regenerated. -- an area of rugby. My constituents
0:51:03 > 0:51:06had short-term pain for the regrettably, the surgery still has
0:51:06 > 0:51:10not been started on, so I wonder if the Prime Minister might meet on me
0:51:10 > 0:51:16and the local patients' action group to consider the slippage in this
0:51:16 > 0:51:22much-needed facility.My honourable friend is right to important issue
0:51:22 > 0:51:26for his constituents and I had been assured that, in this case, all
0:51:26 > 0:51:29local health organisations remain fully committed to this project.
0:51:29 > 0:51:33They are confident it will bring benefits to the local population in
0:51:33 > 0:51:37the long term, but fully understand the frustration my honourable friend
0:51:37 > 0:51:42has at the delays that has taken place. I understand he will meet
0:51:42 > 0:51:46representatives of NHS England and NHS property services later this
0:51:46 > 0:51:49month, and it is those two organisations that are in the best
0:51:49 > 0:51:53position to insure that this project is progressed as quickly as
0:51:53 > 0:51:57possible, and I hope there will be some positive news coming out of
0:51:57 > 0:52:01that meeting but, as my honourable friend has raised the issue of
0:52:01 > 0:52:04access to local health services, I would like to take this opportunity
0:52:04 > 0:52:12as well to say how important it is... No, this is an important issue
0:52:12 > 0:52:16for people around this house and outside of this house. Health
0:52:16 > 0:52:22services, I want to make sure that everybody who is entitled to a flu
0:52:22 > 0:52:26jab this year goes and gets one. I have had one as a type one diabetic
0:52:26 > 0:52:30and I hope everybody in this house is encouraging their constituents
0:52:30 > 0:52:39who are entitled to those flu jab is to get them.Thank you. Can I join
0:52:39 > 0:52:41with the premise that and the leader of the Labour Party in
0:52:41 > 0:52:46congratulating the Queen and Prince Philip for the impending platinum
0:52:46 > 0:52:49anniversary of their wedding, and I'm sure the house would want to
0:52:49 > 0:52:52join me in welcoming the presiding officer of the Scottish Parliament,
0:52:52 > 0:52:56who is in the gallery today. Does the Prime Minister agree with me
0:52:56 > 0:53:01that we should be incredibly proud of our emergency services, that they
0:53:01 > 0:53:05do a heroic job, often putting themselves in danger to keep us all
0:53:05 > 0:53:11safe?First of all, can I join the right honourable gentleman in
0:53:11 > 0:53:13welcoming the presiding officer of the Scottish Parliament to see our
0:53:13 > 0:53:17proceedings today. As I have said previously in this chamber, I am
0:53:17 > 0:53:22happy to confirm it, our emergency services do an amazing job. I was
0:53:22 > 0:53:28very pleased at the pride of Britain awards to be awarding, posthumously
0:53:28 > 0:53:33awarding an award in the name of PC Keith Palmer, who worked to keep
0:53:33 > 0:53:36this place is safe, but other police officers, the Leader of the
0:53:36 > 0:53:39Opposition and the leader of the Liberal Democrats gave to other
0:53:39 > 0:53:45police officers who had also done what they do and other emergency
0:53:45 > 0:53:48services do, they run towards danger when most of us would run away from
0:53:48 > 0:53:53it.I associate myself with the remarks of the Prime Minister, but
0:53:53 > 0:54:00Scottish fire and police are the only forces in the UK to be charged
0:54:00 > 0:54:08VAT, depriving front line services of £140 million since 2013. The SNP
0:54:08 > 0:54:17has now raised this issue 30 times in this chamber. Will the UK
0:54:17 > 0:54:22Government now gives Scotland's emergency services back £130 million
0:54:22 > 0:54:25and scrap the VAT? This has been a long-standing SNP campaign and we
0:54:25 > 0:54:34will not give up.As the chief secretary has made clear, officials
0:54:34 > 0:54:39in HMRC will look at this and report on it in due course. I am pleased to
0:54:39 > 0:54:42say that constructive representations have been made by my
0:54:42 > 0:54:44Scottish colleagues on the Conservative benches on this
0:54:44 > 0:54:51particular issue. But let's be clear. Because the right honourable
0:54:51 > 0:54:55gentleman knows this, that before the Scottish Government made the
0:54:55 > 0:54:59decision to make Scotland's police and Fire Services national rather
0:54:59 > 0:55:02than regional bodies, they were told that this would mean that they would
0:55:02 > 0:55:05become ineligible for VAT refunds, and they pressed ahead despite
0:55:05 > 0:55:17knowing that.Grandparents have a vital role to play in the upbringing
0:55:17 > 0:55:25of their grandchildren, something that, at a time of rising life
0:55:25 > 0:55:28expectancy, they are better equipped than ever to fulfil. Does the Prime
0:55:28 > 0:55:31Minister agree with me that we should send a strong signal from
0:55:31 > 0:55:34this does, not only that they should be a presumption in their favour
0:55:34 > 0:55:39when it comes to adoption but that they should be intimately involved
0:55:39 > 0:55:41in those decisions, something that has been sadly lacking in my
0:55:41 > 0:55:48constituency.Can I say to my honourable friend that, like him, I
0:55:48 > 0:55:52have seen grandparents in my constituency, through my surgery,
0:55:52 > 0:55:55who have been concerned about decisions that have been taken in
0:55:55 > 0:55:58relation to their grandchildren, when they themselves were willing to
0:55:58 > 0:56:02provide that home and support for them, so he has raised an important
0:56:02 > 0:56:06issue. There is already a duty on local authorities in legislation to
0:56:06 > 0:56:11ensure that, wherever possible, children are raised within their
0:56:11 > 0:56:15family, and the statutory guidance makes particular reference
0:56:15 > 0:56:18grandparents, but adoption agencies must also consider the needs of the
0:56:18 > 0:56:21child first and foremost. Each case will be different but I think the
0:56:21 > 0:56:24message he is giving grandchildren being able to be brought up in their
0:56:24 > 0:56:32family wherever possible is a good one.Had the Prime Minister accepted
0:56:32 > 0:56:36my invitation to the Universal Credit summit in Inverness, she
0:56:36 > 0:56:38would have heard harrowing constituency from and multiple
0:56:38 > 0:56:45agencies, including Macmillan cancer care partnership, who told not only
0:56:45 > 0:56:49of patient dying while awaiting payments but they are now forced to
0:56:49 > 0:56:52self declared that they are dying even if they did not want their
0:56:52 > 0:56:56doctor to tell them their fate. Will she stop this weight and end this
0:56:56 > 0:57:02cruel condition?I made the point earlier about the importance of
0:57:02 > 0:57:06Universal Credit. We have made changes in its implementation and we
0:57:06 > 0:57:09are listening to the concerns that are being raised. We are making more
0:57:09 > 0:57:14advanced payments available. But the honourable gentleman might also like
0:57:14 > 0:57:18to recognise that, thanks to the unprecedented devolution of powers
0:57:18 > 0:57:24to Scotland that we have given, including over welfare, the Scottish
0:57:24 > 0:57:28Government have the ability to take a different path, if they wish, so
0:57:28 > 0:57:39that action in Hollywood might be there.We are leaving the EU and, as
0:57:39 > 0:57:43the EU Withdrawal Bill goes through the House of Commons, does the Prime
0:57:43 > 0:57:46Minister agree with me that it's part of our job as Members of
0:57:46 > 0:57:49Parliament, some might even say that it's our duty, scrutinise that
0:57:49 > 0:57:54legislation, to debate considered amendments which seek to improve the
0:57:54 > 0:57:58bill and which are constructive, and which seek to ensure that a smooth
0:57:58 > 0:58:05transition of our laws and the EU to the UK? Importantly, that we come
0:58:05 > 0:58:10together and deliver Brexit for our country and the British people?My
0:58:10 > 0:58:16honourable friend is right. We will be leaving the European Union on the
0:58:16 > 0:58:2129th of March 2019 and there is a lively debate going on in this
0:58:21 > 0:58:24place, and that is right and proper and important, and there are strong
0:58:24 > 0:58:29views held on different sides of the argument about the European Union,
0:58:29 > 0:58:34on both sides of this house. What we are doing as a government is
0:58:34 > 0:58:37listening to the contributions that are being made. We are listening
0:58:37 > 0:58:41carefully to those who wish to improve the bill. And I hope that we
0:58:41 > 0:58:45can all come together to deliver on the decision that the country took,
0:58:45 > 0:58:51that we should leave the EU.It's been almost a year since I stood in
0:58:51 > 0:58:56this chamber and told my personal story and asked for a children's
0:58:56 > 0:58:59funeral fund to be established. The leader of the house recently
0:58:59 > 0:59:04expressed sympathy for such a fund, and I have written to the Chancellor
0:59:04 > 0:59:09and urged him to include such a fund in next week's budget. Will the
0:59:09 > 0:59:13Prime Minister added her voice to mine and ask her Chancellor to make
0:59:13 > 0:59:19this provision a reality?The honourable lady has been a
0:59:19 > 0:59:24passionate campaign on this issue and has very thoughtfully shared her
0:59:24 > 0:59:29personal experience with this house, and we recognise what an incredibly
0:59:29 > 0:59:35painful experience it is to lose a child, and I know that the whole
0:59:35 > 0:59:39house are in sympathy with those who do experience such a tragedy each
0:59:39 > 0:59:47year, sadly, thousands of families. Now, what has happened is that we
0:59:47 > 0:59:50have put in place a piece of cross government work to look at this
0:59:50 > 0:59:54whole question of how we can improve support for bereaved parents in a
0:59:54 > 0:59:59variety of ways. That piece of work is being led by the state for youth
0:59:59 > 1:00:04justice. We are already supporting the private members bill on parental
1:00:04 > 1:00:08treatment that might honourable friend, the member for Thirsk and
1:00:08 > 1:00:11Malton, is introduced. We are making it easier for parents to apply for
1:00:11 > 1:00:14financial support and we are also ensuring that support from across
1:00:14 > 1:00:19government is brought forward so it is easily accessible for bereaved
1:00:19 > 1:00:23parents at a difficult time.With the premise to join me in craving
1:00:23 > 1:00:28the work of the community transport partnerships like those provided
1:00:28 > 1:00:34across the country, and can she intervene to sort out the threat
1:00:34 > 1:00:38that threatens their services going forward and, in the meantime, can
1:00:38 > 1:00:42she issue guidance that confirms there was no need for local councils
1:00:42 > 1:00:48to take enforcement action until that consultation is complete?
1:00:48 > 1:00:50We strongly believe they provide vital services connecting people and
1:00:50 > 1:00:54communities and reducing isolation. I was very pleased to visit a number
1:00:54 > 1:00:58of weeks ago to actually visit and take a ride on one of the community
1:00:58 > 1:01:01buses provided within the Wokingham borough which services part of my
1:01:01 > 1:01:05constituency. The Department for Transport remains committed to
1:01:05 > 1:01:07supporting community transport operators, has no intention of
1:01:07 > 1:01:12ending the permit system and to support this, we have written to all
1:01:12 > 1:01:19local authorities in Great Britain to explain how they can comply with
1:01:19 > 1:01:22the regulations without neglectively impacting on all operators and
1:01:22 > 1:01:28passengers. THE SPEAKER:Progress is slow. Let's try to speed upThe
1:01:28 > 1:01:33Prime Minister is aware that a supplier to the energy sector, has
1:01:33 > 1:01:38entered administration, this would putm 1,400 jobs in Scotland and
1:01:38 > 1:01:42elsewhere under threat. Can I ask the Prime Minister to work with the
1:01:42 > 1:01:47company, the Scottish Government and the council to do all she can and
1:01:47 > 1:01:50what specific action they can take. I'm happy to gift honourable
1:01:50 > 1:01:52gentleman that assurance, I was able to discuss this matter briefly with
1:01:52 > 1:01:56the First Minister of Scotland yesterday when I met her and I'm
1:01:56 > 1:02:03pleased to say that my honourable friend the member for devises, as a
1:02:03 > 1:02:06minister there, speak to the relevant minister in the Scottish
1:02:06 > 1:02:13Government, yesterday about this issue and we stand ready, Baize, HMT
1:02:13 > 1:02:15and Government stand ready to work with the Scottish Government and
1:02:15 > 1:02:21others to ensure the best result can be achieved.Thank you, Mr speaker.
1:02:21 > 1:02:25Our NHS is a national treasure and we must be bold to protect T each
1:02:25 > 1:02:28week my constituents struggle to get an appointment with the their
1:02:28 > 1:02:32doctors. Whilst our fantastic doctors are stretched to the limit
1:02:32 > 1:02:36and practices are struggling to recruit. To safe guard or NHS, will
1:02:36 > 1:02:40the Prime Minister look at making medical students sign a contract,
1:02:40 > 1:02:45committing them to working within the NHS for the first five years?
1:02:45 > 1:02:51Stopping the brain drain of our newly-qualified doctors overseas?
1:02:51 > 1:02:54Well, this is an important issue and my honourable friend is right, we do
1:02:54 > 1:02:59need more GPs. That's why we are increasing the number of places at
1:02:59 > 1:03:02medical school by 1,500 and the first 500 of those will be available
1:03:02 > 1:03:08next September. On the specific point she raises about committing
1:03:08 > 1:03:12people who've been trained to work in the NHS, this is - the Department
1:03:12 > 1:03:17of Health has been looking at ways on which we can maximise our
1:03:17 > 1:03:21investment in medical education and have asked Health Education to look
1:03:21 > 1:03:25at this point and report back early next yearThe Foreign Secretary told
1:03:25 > 1:03:28this house he has seen no evidence of Russian interference in UK
1:03:28 > 1:03:33elections in the referendum. Yet on Monday the Prime Minister warned
1:03:33 > 1:03:38Russia not to meddle in Western democracies and today the Times'
1:03:38 > 1:03:42reports that fake Russian Twitter accounts turned out thousands of
1:03:42 > 1:03:50messages in an ato influence the EU referendum result. Has the Foreign
1:03:50 > 1:03:54Secretary been kept in dark of the intejerks not read it or willfully
1:03:54 > 1:03:58blind and will she stop dragging her feet and set up the intejobs and
1:03:58 > 1:04:02security committee to look urgently into the Kremlin's attempts to
1:04:02 > 1:04:08undermine our democracy?The honourable lady is right, I spoke on
1:04:08 > 1:04:11Monday about the issue of Russian interference in elections. We have
1:04:11 > 1:04:15seen that in a number of countries, taking place in a number of
1:04:15 > 1:04:18countries in Europe. Well it is all very well Labour members pointing to
1:04:18 > 1:04:21the Foreign Secretary, he made a specific point about what was
1:04:21 > 1:04:24happening in the United Kingdom and if they care to look at the speech I
1:04:24 > 1:04:29gave Monday they will see the examples I gave of Russian
1:04:29 > 1:04:33interference, were not in the United Kingdom. But she raises issues about
1:04:33 > 1:04:35the Intelligence and Security Committee and it is being
1:04:35 > 1:04:42established today.Mr Speaker, the harmful aspects of the internet are
1:04:42 > 1:04:46now causing a series of social policy emergencies, particularly
1:04:46 > 1:04:51amongst young people. While parents across the country will welcome the
1:04:51 > 1:04:54engagement of the Home Secretary with the industry on these issues,
1:04:54 > 1:04:58could the Prime Minister tell us when we can expect legislation with
1:04:58 > 1:05:02real teeth that recognises that our children only have one chance at
1:05:02 > 1:05:07childhood?Well, my honourable friend, I know has taken a
1:05:07 > 1:05:11particular interest in this issue and in ensuring we are giving
1:05:11 > 1:05:15support on security and safety for young people on the internet that as
1:05:15 > 1:05:18he says, is so necessary. We are considering a range on options on
1:05:18 > 1:05:22this issue, later this month - sorry last month we published our internet
1:05:22 > 1:05:28safety strategy. We are consulting on a number of measures like a
1:05:28 > 1:05:30social media code of practice, social media levy and transparency
1:05:30 > 1:05:35reporting but we do need to take action to protect internet users,
1:05:35 > 1:05:38especially young people, and that includes considering a sanctions
1:05:38 > 1:05:43regime to ensure compliance, as we indeed said in our party manifesto.
1:05:43 > 1:05:50Thank you Mr Speaker. Prime Minister, in the past month, Adam
1:05:50 > 1:05:55and Tommy have been fatally stabbed in my constituency. This is part of
1:05:55 > 1:06:02an increase in violent crime of 20% in the last year. Since 2009
1:06:02 > 1:06:07Merseyside Police have lost over 1,7 under flooint staff. That includes
1:06:07 > 1:06:13over 1,000, that's more than one in five, police officers. 82 million
1:06:13 > 1:06:27have been cut up to now, with more for 2020-2022. How can you increase
1:06:27 > 1:06:32the budget for more police on streets. Merry side's Budget has not
1:06:32 > 1:06:37been protected. -- Merseyside.I am esure the sympathies and thoughts of
1:06:37 > 1:06:42the whole House will have been with those injured and stabbed in the way
1:06:42 > 1:06:45the honourable lady has referred to. Of course, we are concerned about
1:06:45 > 1:06:50criminal acts of this sort that take place. The question, as I said
1:06:50 > 1:06:55earlier, in other answers, we have been protecting the police budget.
1:06:55 > 1:06:59We have been protecting police budgets and of course... We do see a
1:06:59 > 1:07:04higher percentage of police officers now actually on the front line.
1:07:04 > 1:07:16Thank you, Mr Speaker. In July 2016 a 20-year-old Mane rived in my area
1:07:16 > 1:07:22from Romania. Three weeks later in broad daylight he held a shard of
1:07:22 > 1:07:28glass to a 14-year-old schoolgirl, forced her into bushes and raped
1:07:28 > 1:07:33her. Efs sentenced to nine years' in prison last week. Can the Prime
1:07:33 > 1:07:38Minister explain what efforts she is making in people like this entering
1:07:38 > 1:07:42the done triand can she ensure that the Brexit situation, will not
1:07:42 > 1:07:47result in the weakening of security operations with the EUHe also
1:07:47 > 1:07:50raises an appalling and horrific crime and thoughts of members across
1:07:50 > 1:07:53the House with the victim and her family. I can assure him in the
1:07:53 > 1:07:56specific case the Home Office will be ensuring deportation action
1:07:56 > 1:08:00against the individual. I understand he met my right honourable friend
1:08:00 > 1:08:03the Home Secretary and she will be writing to him with further details
1:08:03 > 1:08:10shortly. He makes a wider point, though, about the continued work we
1:08:10 > 1:08:12will have and partnership and cooperationship we will have the EU
1:08:12 > 1:08:1627 once we have left the European Union. I'm very clear, as I was in
1:08:16 > 1:08:21my Florence speech, we want to maintain that cooperation in
1:08:21 > 1:08:24security and on criminal justice and law enforcement matters, it is
1:08:24 > 1:08:29important to us allThank you, Mr Speaker. The Child Poverty Action
1:08:29 > 1:08:32Group recently published some figures that showed as a consequence
1:08:32 > 1:08:38of the cuts to Universal Credit and the benefits freeze, single parents
1:08:38 > 1:08:44with children stand to lose, on average, 2,380 pounds per annum from
1:08:44 > 1:08:56the family. I would ask the Prime Minister, when she is sitting down
1:08:56 > 1:08:59with her Government ministers, planning this, whether today she
1:08:59 > 1:09:06feelings a sense of shame?Thank you, Mr Speaker. As I said in answer
1:09:06 > 1:09:09to a number of questions on Universal Credit, I believe that the
1:09:09 > 1:09:14introduction of Universal Credit is very important in helping people get
1:09:14 > 1:09:17into work, helping more people get into work and also in ensuring that
1:09:17 > 1:09:23people can earn more of what they pay. Of course we looked at the
1:09:23 > 1:09:26implementation and the impact the implementation is having and we have
1:09:26 > 1:09:30made a number of changes in that. But Universal Credit itself is the
1:09:30 > 1:09:36right thing to do, because it is enabling more people to get into the
1:09:36 > 1:09:42workplace and helping them when they are in the workplace.With recent
1:09:42 > 1:09:45events in Zimbabwe and total electoral chaos in Kenya will the
1:09:45 > 1:09:49Prime Minister join me in celebrating the hugely successful
1:09:49 > 1:09:53elections this week in Somaliland and with direct help from this
1:09:53 > 1:09:56country, from our Government, the national Election Commission in this
1:09:56 > 1:09:59country has conducted a template election described by the
1:09:59 > 1:10:03international observer mission as "Peaceful, transparent, fair and."
1:10:03 > 1:10:08What's more the winning candidate has announced one of his first acts
1:10:08 > 1:10:15will be to legislate against FGM as a direct consequence of the work of
1:10:15 > 1:10:18a British campaigner who serves... My honourable friend raises an
1:10:18 > 1:10:25important issue. This Government is pleased at the work we have done to
1:10:25 > 1:10:28support the Government in Somalia to ensure that we can see those
1:10:28 > 1:10:30elections taking place in the way that my honourable friend has said
1:10:30 > 1:10:36and we continue to do that. I was pleased myself to Chair the Somalia
1:10:36 > 1:10:40conference that took place here earlier this year. I'm very pleased
1:10:40 > 1:10:44to hear of the intention to deal with the issue of female genital
1:10:44 > 1:10:48mutilation. It is an important issue raised by a number of members across
1:10:48 > 1:10:52this House. We want to see it dealt with, not just in Somalia but here
1:10:52 > 1:10:58in the UK. As well.Thank you, Mr Speaker, a couple in my constituency
1:10:58 > 1:11:01have had their application for Universal Credit delayed because the
1:11:01 > 1:11:05mum doesn't have any photo ID. She can't afford a passport and she
1:11:05 > 1:11:10doesn't drive so. They now have to wait for both her dentist and her
1:11:10 > 1:11:14doctor who provide identification. Now, with all the other chaos of
1:11:14 > 1:11:20Universal Credit, will the Prime Minister step in, show some common
1:11:20 > 1:11:24sense and transfer legacy identification from legacy benefits
1:11:24 > 1:11:28over to Universal Credit, so these unnecessary delays don't give my
1:11:28 > 1:11:35constituents more pain and suffering?Can I say to the
1:11:35 > 1:11:37honourable lady, I'm sure she will appreciate that it is important in
1:11:37 > 1:11:40dealing with the benefits that we ensure it is those who are entitled
1:11:40 > 1:11:46to them who are receiving them and we do look and continue to look at
1:11:46 > 1:11:52how we are implementing Universal Credit. And I'm sure that if she
1:11:52 > 1:11:59would care to invite the point she's making to the Secretary of State for
1:11:59 > 1:12:04Work and Pensions he will look at it.Businesses at the Dover flooint
1:12:04 > 1:12:08are now preparing to leave the European Union. Will the Government
1:12:08 > 1:12:11consider earmarking at least £1 billion in the upcoming Budget to
1:12:11 > 1:12:16make sure we are ready on day 1, deal or no deal, and prepared for
1:12:16 > 1:12:21every single eventuality?I thank my honourable friend for his question.
1:12:21 > 1:12:25Obviously in his constituency, this issue of preparations for the
1:12:25 > 1:12:31position when we leave the European Union is very, very tightly-felt and
1:12:31 > 1:12:35there is a great focus on it and I appreciate why that is the case. We
1:12:35 > 1:12:39have already madep funds available for the preparations and work that
1:12:39 > 1:12:42is necessary across Government, in preparations for Brexit, and, of
1:12:42 > 1:12:46course we will be looking at what further work is necessary to ensure
1:12:46 > 1:12:50that we are ready. We hope we're going to get that good deal and
1:12:50 > 1:12:54we're working to get that good deal but either way there will need to be
1:12:54 > 1:12:57some changes from a Government point of view and we're ensuring the
1:12:57 > 1:13:02resources are there to do that. Yesterday the Brexit secretary gave
1:13:02 > 1:13:06a pledge in the City that freedom of movement would be preserved for
1:13:06 > 1:13:10bankers and other members of the financial services industry. Why
1:13:10 > 1:13:15can't the same pledge be given to other key economic sectors like
1:13:15 > 1:13:20manufacturing and agriculture?As we look towards the immigration rules
1:13:20 > 1:13:22that will be introduced once we leave the European Union, we are
1:13:22 > 1:13:26very clear about the need to ensure we take into account the needs of
1:13:26 > 1:13:32our economy - that's precisely why my right honourable friend the Home
1:13:32 > 1:13:34Secretary has asked the independent migrationly committee to look at
1:13:34 > 1:13:42this issue and make recommendations to the Government. Given the recent
1:13:42 > 1:13:50reportsP of Zimbabwe. What support can Her Majesty's Government give to
1:13:50 > 1:13:53Zimbabweans to help their country, economically but also in terms of
1:13:53 > 1:13:55the democratic systems of Government?My honourable friend
1:13:55 > 1:13:59raises an important point. We have all seen what has been taking place
1:13:59 > 1:14:04there. We are mob tore the developments carefully Dobb
1:14:04 > 1:14:08monitoring the developments carefully. The situation is fluid.
1:14:08 > 1:14:14We urge rep strants on all side. We want to avoid violence. Our primary
1:14:14 > 1:14:23consider is of British nationals in Zimbabwe. We would recommend British
1:14:23 > 1:14:26nationals in Harare to remain safely at home until the situation becomes
1:14:26 > 1:14:31clearer but on the point my honourable friend has specifically
1:14:31 > 1:14:36raise we are providing by lateral support of over £80 million and part
1:14:36 > 1:14:40of it is to support economic reform and development as he says.Next
1:14:40 > 1:14:45week will mark six months since the tragic attack at the Manchester
1:14:45 > 1:14:49Arena, will the Prime Minister join me, once again, paying tribe Bute to
1:14:49 > 1:14:52all of those who responded so brilliantly to the aftermath? The
1:14:52 > 1:14:56Prime Minister will also be aware that the costs associated with this
1:14:56 > 1:15:01attack, now imposed on the city, are well in excess of £17 million. Costs
1:15:01 > 1:15:06which the Government agreed to meet. Yet, as of today, these monies have
1:15:06 > 1:15:11yet to be reimbursed. Would she today give a clear and categoric
1:15:11 > 1:15:14commitment that these monies will be reimbursed at the earliest
1:15:14 > 1:15:19opportunity?
1:15:19 > 1:15:24Our thoughts continue to be with those all of those who were affected
1:15:24 > 1:15:29by this terrible attack that took place in Manchester. I myself, as
1:15:29 > 1:15:33well as meeting some of the victims immediately after the attack, I also
1:15:33 > 1:15:36met some of the victims and those who were involved in a matter of
1:15:36 > 1:15:41weeks ago and talked to them about the long-lasting this has on them,
1:15:41 > 1:15:45and she has raised an important issue, but I can say to her, in
1:15:45 > 1:15:49relation to this funding, we will be responding in full by the end of
1:15:49 > 1:15:52next week, but I would expect that responds to confirm that the
1:15:52 > 1:15:58majority of funds will be made available.The Prime Minister
1:15:58 > 1:16:00represents a constituency in the green belt, so will she issue of the
1:16:00 > 1:16:04house that the government she leaves will never weaken protection for the
1:16:04 > 1:16:09green belt?We have been clear about our position in relation to the
1:16:09 > 1:16:14green belt and, indeed, we have confirmed that in the housing White
1:16:14 > 1:16:18Paper we set out, where we were clear about that. We want to see
1:16:18 > 1:16:22more homes being built in this country and it's important that we
1:16:22 > 1:16:25see more homes being built particularly in London, but there
1:16:25 > 1:16:30are many opportunities to do that which don't affect the green belt.
1:16:30 > 1:16:33Earlier in the year, the Prime Minister told the country she was
1:16:33 > 1:16:39the only person that could offer strong and stable leadership in the
1:16:39 > 1:16:45national interest. With her Cabinet crumbling before her eyes, can she
1:16:45 > 1:16:54tell us how it's going?Let me say to the right honourable lady, what
1:16:54 > 1:17:00we see this government delivering. I spoke about some of the things
1:17:00 > 1:17:05earlier, deficit and unemployment down, we have seen record sums going
1:17:05 > 1:17:09to our health service and schools, and a government determined, with a
1:17:09 > 1:17:13clear plan, as set out in my Florence speech, a clear plan to
1:17:13 > 1:17:17deliver the best Brexit deal for this country. She is a member of a
1:17:17 > 1:17:21party that can't even decide what it wants from Brexit, let alone set a
1:17:21 > 1:17:29plan for it.No serious negotiation would normally allow one side to try
1:17:29 > 1:17:32and dictate financial terms before the wider terms were known. In
1:17:32 > 1:17:38preparing to embrace the world when it comes to trade through WTO rules,
1:17:38 > 1:17:43will she please ignore the siren voices and defeatist voices who got
1:17:43 > 1:17:50project fear one wrong and our need to join the Euro wrong? WAG can I
1:17:50 > 1:17:55say to my honourable friend, what we want to do is to negotiate a good,
1:17:55 > 1:17:59close partnership, a special partnership with the remaining EU
1:17:59 > 1:18:0527, so we can continue to see good trade, as far as possible, tariff
1:18:05 > 1:18:07free and frictionless, between companies here and in the UK and
1:18:07 > 1:18:13those in the EU 27, but we also want to have trade deals around the rest
1:18:13 > 1:18:17of the world, to ensure that we are taking advantage of the
1:18:17 > 1:18:19opportunities those trade deals give, because it means more
1:18:19 > 1:18:26prosperity and jobs in the UK.Being good neighbours, the Prime Minister
1:18:26 > 1:18:30and I, from Maidenhead in Slough, I'd like to place on record my
1:18:30 > 1:18:33immense gratitude the Prime Minister and half of her cabinet for having
1:18:33 > 1:18:39come my aid recently to increase our majority from 7000 to 17,000. I
1:18:39 > 1:18:46couldn't have done it without you. Mr Speaker, constituents, businesses
1:18:46 > 1:18:50and unions in my constituency feel very aggrieved that various
1:18:50 > 1:18:54government announced initiatives have seen little or no progress. The
1:18:54 > 1:18:58electrification of the train line between Slough and Windsor has now
1:18:58 > 1:19:02been deferred...Order. I'm trying to be accommodating to colleagues
1:19:02 > 1:19:06and I want to hear the honourable gentleman, but the rest of the
1:19:06 > 1:19:10question must be just that I'm a one sentence, and a question mark at the
1:19:10 > 1:19:19end.Could the Prime Minister assuage the concerns of my
1:19:19 > 1:19:23constituents and reassure them that the western rail link to Heathrow
1:19:23 > 1:19:26will be treated as a priority matter, so that it is dealt with
1:19:26 > 1:19:32immediately?I'm pleased to say to the honourable gentleman that we are
1:19:32 > 1:19:37putting significant sums of money into transport infrastructure and
1:19:37 > 1:19:40rail infrastructure, crucially, of course, we are electrifying the
1:19:40 > 1:19:42great western mainline, which will be of benefit to Slough and
1:19:42 > 1:19:50Maidenhead.Will the Prime Minister join me in welcoming the decision by
1:19:50 > 1:19:57the people of Australia to vote in favour of same-sex marriage? Does
1:19:57 > 1:20:01she share my hope that the government of Australia will quickly
1:20:01 > 1:20:05legislate to introduce it and follow the lead set by this house?I am
1:20:05 > 1:20:08happy to join my honourable friend in welcoming the green welcoming
1:20:08 > 1:20:14that vote in Australia. I was proud when we passed legislation in this
1:20:14 > 1:20:19house to enable same-sex marriage in the UK, and I hope the Australian
1:20:19 > 1:20:23government will indeed take that vote and act on it very soon.
1:20:31 > 1:20:31I am
1:20:31 > 1:20:35told that was the longest PMQs since the election, and it lasted a long
1:20:35 > 1:20:39time. The questions from Jeremy Corbyn, the Labour leader, bearing
1:20:39 > 1:20:42in mind that the budget is coming up in a week, he talked about police
1:20:42 > 1:20:48funding, because he said that crime figures have gone up. The impending
1:20:48 > 1:20:53-- the independent crime survey says that overall crime is down on 2010
1:20:53 > 1:20:56but violent crimes are up. He talked about the Fire Service and cuts to
1:20:56 > 1:21:01the number of firefighters, in the light of the Grenfell Tower tragedy,
1:21:01 > 1:21:06and he asked the government about the requisite money to retrofit
1:21:06 > 1:21:10sprinklers in high-rise blocks. The Prime Minister said that was the
1:21:10 > 1:21:14responsibility, in terms of funding, of local councils. He moved on to
1:21:14 > 1:21:17Universal Credit, which has been difficult for the government, he
1:21:17 > 1:21:20said, because it's going to be rolled out in Lincolnshire and the
1:21:20 > 1:21:24number of people using food banks is predicted to go up. Again, he'll be
1:21:24 > 1:21:28hoping there is some respite, as he would see it, in the budget, when
1:21:28 > 1:21:32Philip Hammond gets to his feet next week. Jeremy Corbyn went on to talk
1:21:32 > 1:21:36about the NHS and targets, quoting Simon Stevens, but there was a
1:21:36 > 1:21:40battle of statistics on that from the Prime Minister. Finally, school
1:21:40 > 1:21:44budgets and funding. He called on the Prime Minister to return the
1:21:44 > 1:21:50money to the school budgets, to tell her Chancellor to do so. There was a
1:21:50 > 1:21:53question from Michael Tomlinson, because Brexit wasn't mentioned by
1:21:53 > 1:21:56Jeremy Corbyn, which was unsurprising, saying there was a
1:21:56 > 1:21:59duty on members of the house to scrutinise all of the legislation,
1:21:59 > 1:22:03and the Prime Minister said yes, there was a lively debate and strong
1:22:03 > 1:22:08views held on all sides, all in a bid to pull the house together after
1:22:08 > 1:22:1215 Tory MPs were called Brexit mutinies. Laura, your thoughts.I
1:22:12 > 1:22:16think it was a role reversal. Last week, Jeremy Corbyn was really on
1:22:16 > 1:22:21form. It felt the other way round today, perhaps Jeremy Corbyn did
1:22:21 > 1:22:25something that he also has done in the past, which is to go through
1:22:25 > 1:22:29almost every topic under the sun, his greatest hits, and therefore not
1:22:29 > 1:22:32really put Theresa May under pressure. That said, he was
1:22:32 > 1:22:36certainly getting on issues that they're strong feelings inside the
1:22:36 > 1:22:39Tory party that they will have to be some movement in the budget on. It
1:22:39 > 1:22:42will be up to Philip Hammond to decide whether there is, but there
1:22:42 > 1:22:48an expectation on Universal Credit that the Chancellor will find
1:22:48 > 1:22:51something to pull back, at least, this idea of the waiting, that
1:22:51 > 1:22:55people have to wait six weeks for their initial payment, so there is
1:22:55 > 1:22:59an expectation they will be some tweaks in the budget, but I'm not
1:22:59 > 1:23:01sure anything will come about because of Jeremy Corbyn's
1:23:01 > 1:23:07performance today. It didn't feel like a seismic movement.Before we
1:23:07 > 1:23:11talk to our guests, Mary Craig, the Labour MP, raised the issue of
1:23:11 > 1:23:16Russian interference, following what Theresa May had said about it and we
1:23:16 > 1:23:20spoke about it earlier. We had a bit of news from Theresa May on back.
1:23:20 > 1:23:24Yes, for a long time since the election, there have been nerves and
1:23:24 > 1:23:28frustration that the intelligence and security committee, which is a
1:23:28 > 1:23:32vital committee of MPs that is able to see a lot of secret information
1:23:32 > 1:23:36and do a lot of private scrutiny of things that are going on and threats
1:23:36 > 1:23:40to the UK, had not been set up. It takes a while to get things going
1:23:40 > 1:23:43after the election, but we are in November now and the election was in
1:23:43 > 1:23:48June. Theresa May said the committee would be set up also today, and it
1:23:48 > 1:23:52will then be up to the committee itself to decide what it looks at,
1:23:52 > 1:23:56and there is a lot of appetite in the Commons at the moment for them
1:23:56 > 1:24:01to look at what Russia was either doing or not doing in the referendum
1:24:01 > 1:24:06and, of course, the general election.Before I come to the
1:24:06 > 1:24:09guests, while we were listening and watching PMQs, the husband of the
1:24:09 > 1:24:17jailed British mother in Iran have been describing his meeting with
1:24:17 > 1:24:21Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, which he said was positive and
1:24:21 > 1:24:24constructive, but he said Boris Johnson expressed reservations about
1:24:24 > 1:24:27giving her diplomatic protection, which is what he and the lawyers had
1:24:27 > 1:24:31been calling for. Looking ahead to the budget, Nicky Morgan, your Tory
1:24:31 > 1:24:36colleague, early in the week said that this was a time to reset the
1:24:36 > 1:24:40narrative on the economy. Is she right?I think lots of things are
1:24:40 > 1:24:46going well in the economy.But is it time to reset the narrative?We need
1:24:46 > 1:24:50to ensure that we reiterate the positive things that are going on in
1:24:50 > 1:24:57the economy.Which are?Record low unemployment, which we saw again
1:24:57 > 1:25:01today, the deficit continuing to come down and good tax receipts, the
1:25:01 > 1:25:05productivity figures this morning, which were very positive, and it was
1:25:05 > 1:25:13odd, watching PMQs, because the story told by Jeremy Corbyn across a
1:25:13 > 1:25:16whole series of areas, it was demands for more money in every
1:25:16 > 1:25:18single area, as opposed to the high-quality management of the
1:25:18 > 1:25:24economy.We are going to have to leave it there, because we don't
1:25:24 > 1:25:29have much time, and we can talk to Jacob Rees-Mogg, a Tory MP, who is
1:25:29 > 1:25:33in central lobby. Since we are talking about the budget, you've got
1:25:33 > 1:25:37an alternative budget for Brexit. How helpful is that to the
1:25:37 > 1:25:41Chancellor?Let me show you this fabulous red book, produced by
1:25:41 > 1:25:44Patrick Mitford, which has all of the detailed statistical analysis to
1:25:44 > 1:25:51show that there will be an enormous Brexit bonus for the government,
1:25:51 > 1:25:56£135 billion extra from 2020 to 2025, £40 billion a year thereafter,
1:25:56 > 1:26:03if we follow the right policies in respect to Brexit.So your Tory
1:26:03 > 1:26:05colleagues like Anna Soubry and Dominic Grieve have got it all
1:26:05 > 1:26:11wrong? Would you describe them as mutineers?I wouldn't. I voted
1:26:11 > 1:26:13against the government on European issues in the past and I think it
1:26:13 > 1:26:17would be unfair of me to criticise people who have held pro-European
1:26:17 > 1:26:21views for their whole life for the stance they are currently taking.
1:26:21 > 1:26:24They are parliamentarians and they are entitled to follow their
1:26:24 > 1:26:27conscience. What I think is important is the figures out today,
1:26:27 > 1:26:31which show a lower deficit, improving productivity. This is in
1:26:31 > 1:26:39line with what Patrick Mitford has been forecasting.Viewers will not
1:26:39 > 1:26:42necessarily know who Patrick Minford is, important though he is to you
1:26:42 > 1:26:46and that document you are holding. Do you think, on the basis of what
1:26:46 > 1:26:51you have said, the Treasury is too pessimistic, as is Philip Hammond?I
1:26:51 > 1:26:55think they have the wrong forecasting model, it uses gravity
1:26:55 > 1:26:59models that have been shown to fail in the past.Should he be sacked? Is
1:26:59 > 1:27:04he not the right man for the job at the time Brexit?Of course not.
1:27:04 > 1:27:10These medals -- models predate Philip Hammond and they have been
1:27:10 > 1:27:13consistently wrong. They produced a panic forecast before the referendum
1:27:13 > 1:27:18saying that, just by virtue of a vote to leave, there would be a
1:27:18 > 1:27:22recession.They are based on the independent Office for Budget
1:27:22 > 1:27:25Responsibility.Actually, those were Treasury forecasts, and the Obiang
1:27:25 > 1:27:32works on the mandate given to it by the Treasury and the policies that
1:27:32 > 1:27:36the Treasury proposes it will implement. -- the OLB R. It is an
1:27:36 > 1:27:41exceptional body but they work within the constraints of the
1:27:41 > 1:27:46Treasury's guidelines.Should Philip Hammond ignore his own Treasury
1:27:46 > 1:27:49forecasts?Of course he should. Those forecasts are consistently
1:27:49 > 1:27:54wrong. George Osborne and Gordon Brown politicised them and Philip
1:27:54 > 1:27:59Hammond is left with inaccurate forecasts. Week in, week out, we are
1:27:59 > 1:28:02seeing better figures, often reported by the BBC in spite of
1:28:02 > 1:28:10Brexit, than all of these gloomy people were predicting, all of these
1:28:10 > 1:28:13yours. What a thank you for joining us. There is just time to put you
1:28:13 > 1:28:21out of your misery and give you the answer to guess the year. The year
1:28:21 > 1:28:25was 1977 and, Jenny, would you like to press that button?I'd be
1:28:25 > 1:28:31delighted.Well done. You didn't smash it like some of our guests!
1:28:31 > 1:28:37The answer is Philip Biggs in impotent. Congratulations you've got
1:28:37 > 1:28:42ten seconds on a final thought on the budget.Clearly a big debate in
1:28:42 > 1:28:47the cabinet, do they say that austerity is over? But in terms of
1:28:47 > 1:28:50trying to persuade Philip Hammond to change his approach, it's like
1:28:50 > 1:28:54trying to explain the colours of the rainbow to someone who only wants to
1:28:54 > 1:28:59see in black and white.It's goodbye from us. Bye-bye.
1:29:00 > 1:29:03"My dear husband, I should like Miss Schlegel to have Howards End."