29/11/2017

0:00:37 > 0:00:41Morning folks - welcome to the Daily Politics.

0:00:41 > 0:00:44Ahead of the latest deadline in the Brexit negotiations,

0:00:44 > 0:00:47there are new signs that the two sides are close to agreement,

0:00:47 > 0:00:51or have even agreed, on how much money we'll pay the EU

0:00:51 > 0:00:54to meet our post-Brexit obligations.

0:00:54 > 0:00:58Does this have the makings of a breakthrough in Brussels?

0:00:59 > 0:01:02With talk of the divorce costin 40 billion euros or more,

0:01:02 > 0:01:06Nigel Farage claims Christmas has come early for the EU.

0:01:06 > 0:01:08He joins us live.

0:01:09 > 0:01:11Theresa May won't be at Prime Minister's Questions to talk about

0:01:11 > 0:01:14it, her deputy Damian Green is standing in from noon - despite

0:01:14 > 0:01:18being under investigation over allegations of sexual impropriety.

0:01:19 > 0:01:21And forget Brexit, we'll be talking about the other big issue facing

0:01:21 > 0:01:25the nation - the biggest - should we get a day off to mark

0:01:25 > 0:01:27the wedding of Harry and Meghan?

0:01:33 > 0:01:35All that in the next 90 minutes.

0:01:35 > 0:01:37And with me for all of it, two

0:01:37 > 0:01:41politicians who know their Article 50 from their Acquis Communautaire,

0:01:41 > 0:01:45as they say in the EU - they're both former MEPs who hopped off

0:01:45 > 0:01:49what the papers used to call the Brussels gravy train

0:01:49 > 0:01:51and arrived here in Westminster.

0:01:51 > 0:01:53Just in time too.

0:01:53 > 0:01:56It's the Brexit Minister and Conservative peer, Martin Callanan,

0:01:56 > 0:02:01and for Labour the Shadow Treasury Minister, Anneliese Dodds.

0:02:01 > 0:02:06First, today, Westminster is agog with speculation this morning that

0:02:06 > 0:02:10Britain and the EU have pretty much agreed how much the UK should pay

0:02:10 > 0:02:15the EU to meet ongoing post-Brexit obligations,

0:02:15 > 0:02:19thereby allowing the Brexit talks to move on to a future trade

0:02:19 > 0:02:22arrangement in the new year.

0:02:22 > 0:02:25The actual sum is still a bit vague, with some reports saying it's

0:02:25 > 0:02:29as high as 60 billion euros - or is that pounds - or as low

0:02:29 > 0:02:38as 45 billion euros or pounds.

0:02:38 > 0:02:40Some newspapers this morning are unclear either way.

0:02:40 > 0:02:44Safe to say, it will be at least double the £20 billion Mrs May

0:02:44 > 0:02:45offered in her Florence speech.

0:02:45 > 0:02:48Here's Lizzie with the details.

0:02:48 > 0:02:52Let's start by talking about our annual contribution to the EU.

0:02:52 > 0:02:59Last year, that was £9.4 billion or £181 million per week.

0:02:59 > 0:03:03Theresa May has long said "the days of Britain making vast contributions

0:03:03 > 0:03:06to the EU every year will end".

0:03:06 > 0:03:09But the British government has said in future it may want to make

0:03:09 > 0:03:13smaller annual payments to participate in EU agencies

0:03:13 > 0:03:15such as EURATOM.

0:03:15 > 0:03:17Aside from our annual contributions, though,

0:03:17 > 0:03:21before Brexit the EU wants to settle the UK's so-called divorce bill.

0:03:21 > 0:03:25What's included in the bill is contested but there'll be the UK's

0:03:25 > 0:03:29share of outstanding commitments from previous EU budgets, pensions

0:03:29 > 0:03:35for EU officials, and what the EU calls contingent liabilities.

0:03:35 > 0:03:38In her Florence speech in September, Theresa May promised no country

0:03:38 > 0:03:42would lose out from Brexit in the current EU budget round

0:03:42 > 0:03:45that runs from 2014-2020.

0:03:45 > 0:03:50That was interpreted as meaning the UK would pay up to 20 billion euros

0:03:50 > 0:03:54- but she also said the UK would "honour commitments" it had made

0:03:54 > 0:03:59during our membership.

0:03:59 > 0:04:01And today, it's been reported that at last week's meeting

0:04:01 > 0:04:04of the inner Brexit cabinet, ministers agreed to boost the UK's

0:04:04 > 0:04:07offer in order to help move talks on to trade.

0:04:07 > 0:04:10The financial framework that's said to have been agreed could lead

0:04:10 > 0:04:15to an eventual bill between 40 and 50 billion euros.

0:04:15 > 0:04:18But on this most sensitive of subjects, Downing Street

0:04:18 > 0:04:23and Brussels are still playing down the idea of a final settlement

0:04:23 > 0:04:26having been agreed with just under three weeks to go

0:04:26 > 0:04:28until the crucial meeting of the European Council.

0:04:28 > 0:04:30Andrew.

0:04:30 > 0:04:37Thanks Lizzie.

0:04:37 > 0:04:43In a minute we'll speak to Nigel Farage in Brussels. Let's go to

0:04:43 > 0:04:46Martin Callan nan, the Government minister on breaks the in the

0:04:46 > 0:04:50Lord's?

0:04:50 > 0:04:55If this sum of 40 billion plus, what's it for?At the moment, no

0:04:55 > 0:05:03sum's been agreed.When the sum is, what's it for?To settle outstanding

0:05:03 > 0:05:08liabilities. Commitments the EU incurred during our membership which

0:05:08 > 0:05:13lasts for years, sometimes decades. There was a detailed argument to be

0:05:13 > 0:05:18had, we've purchase Rioficials in Brussels negotiatingsing thissings

0:05:18 > 0:05:22going through the commitment line by line, what is a legal commitment.

0:05:22 > 0:05:27Whether we are responsible for it it or our share of it. There he is the

0:05:27 > 0:05:32money we've to get back from our share of capital in the EIB. It is a

0:05:32 > 0:05:37detailed negotiation. Nothing has yet been agreed.40 billion plus is

0:05:37 > 0:05:42a lot of money? Bigger than our defence budget?That's not all in

0:05:42 > 0:05:48one lump. It is spread out over decades.What's a big chunk of this

0:05:48 > 0:05:5240 billion? It is the people's money who are watching this programme.

0:05:52 > 0:05:59Give them an idea of where it's going?A lot is to aid for the

0:05:59 > 0:06:05former central and Eastern European countries, decommissioning nuclear

0:06:05 > 0:06:09power stations, structural issues etc, things which have been agreed,

0:06:09 > 0:06:14the spending of which doesn't take place in any one year.We're giving

0:06:14 > 0:06:22aid to Eastern Europe even though we've an age budget separate?That

0:06:22 > 0:06:26is for poorer countries. There's a negotiation going on at the

0:06:26 > 0:06:29moment...You've said that three times already. We understand that.

0:06:29 > 0:06:35The point is, nothing's been agreed yet. We want to move forward

0:06:35 > 0:06:39together to make sure any agreement in December, we'll know in the next

0:06:39 > 0:06:43few weeks, will take us forward to the important stage which is the

0:06:43 > 0:06:46next stage of trade talks.This is separate from the amount of money

0:06:46 > 0:06:53that we continue to pay every year until the end of the current budget

0:06:53 > 0:06:58process which is 2019?Yes.We continue the pay the money we pay

0:06:58 > 0:07:08about £10 billion.It is a cap of yearly...Does it cover the

0:07:08 > 0:07:13transition period?That is the transition period.No, I'm talking

0:07:13 > 0:07:17about the current budget process ends 2019, the same year we are

0:07:17 > 0:07:21coming out.It ends in 2020.There is a transition period the

0:07:21 > 0:07:25Government wants to negotiate as well. Does this sum of money we're

0:07:25 > 0:07:28talking about cover the transition period?That's still to be

0:07:28 > 0:07:33negotiated. That's what we want to get on to talk about. I think it is

0:07:33 > 0:07:36expected we'll meet our budget liabilities during the transition

0:07:36 > 0:07:40period. That was in the first phase of the Florence speech.The 40

0:07:40 > 0:07:44billion or whatever it is that's being talked about is in addition to

0:07:44 > 0:07:49continuing to pay our budget obligations and to paying the budget

0:07:49 > 0:07:54during a transition period?If that is what is agreed in the talks that

0:07:54 > 0:07:58we haven't had yet. We want to talk about transition periods. It is very

0:07:58 > 0:08:03important we get on to talk about that early next year.The transition

0:08:03 > 0:08:08period is not covered by the sums of money talked about today?The Prime

0:08:08 > 0:08:11Minister said we'd meet our on lickations during the transition

0:08:11 > 0:08:17period. If the agreement is we would carry on under current terms.It is

0:08:17 > 0:08:22important we get this right. We carry on paying our membership fee

0:08:22 > 0:08:25up until we leave. We then have a transition period of perhaps a

0:08:25 > 0:08:31couple of years and then we pay our ongoing obligations. The point I'm

0:08:31 > 0:08:36trying to establish, it's 40 billion or whatever plus the transition

0:08:36 > 0:08:40period obligations?Part of our ongoing long-term commitments will,

0:08:40 > 0:08:44of course, transpire during the period of our remaining membership.

0:08:44 > 0:08:50And our transition period. That will be covered under the yearly payments

0:08:50 > 0:08:55agreed as part of the ongoing normal EU budget process. It is a very

0:08:55 > 0:09:01complicated system.It is. We'll have to pay another 20 billion in

0:09:01 > 0:09:07membership fees until it expires, net, 10 billion or so a year.That

0:09:07 > 0:09:13is agreed for the transition period. We've the transition period?If that

0:09:13 > 0:09:18is whats agreed. Some of the commitments take place during the

0:09:18 > 0:09:21remainder of our budget period. If you're building a bridge or

0:09:21 > 0:09:24something and you pay a certain amount per year over the next ten

0:09:24 > 0:09:29years, clearly some of that will fall within our remaining membership

0:09:29 > 0:09:38period and transition period.Let's go to Nigel Farage. It looks like

0:09:38 > 0:09:44it's £40 billion or euros plus over a number of years. Isn't that a

0:09:44 > 0:09:48price worth paying to meet our obligations and get to the end game

0:09:48 > 0:09:58you've always wanted which is out of the EU? Well, I guess he didn't

0:09:58 > 0:10:03hear. That Nigel Farage, can you hear me? It's Andrew Neil here in

0:10:03 > 0:10:09London. Nigel farrage? Clearly not. We often go live to Beijing but not

0:10:09 > 0:10:13to Brussels. Clearly the problem. How much would Labour be prepared to

0:10:13 > 0:10:17pay?The whole point of this debate is the question you posed. What is

0:10:17 > 0:10:22this for? What we should have agreed with the EU is what the principles

0:10:22 > 0:10:27are for generating this sum. We don't know what it's for. When we're

0:10:27 > 0:10:31bandying around these amounts... They have agreed what the

0:10:31 > 0:10:35obligations are. That's why there's such a range of money being put on

0:10:35 > 0:10:40it. They have agreed our ongoing obligations. Would you be prepared

0:10:40 > 0:10:45to pay a sum of at least £40 billion?WeWe don't have

0:10:45 > 0:10:48information about what this is for. They haven't told the public or

0:10:48 > 0:10:54Parliament. How can we make an assessment about whether this is

0:10:54 > 0:11:01right ornot. If it transpires or ongoing obligations the total over

0:11:01 > 0:11:07ten or 20 years, 40 billion or so, would you be prepared to pay that?

0:11:07 > 0:11:10We can't major a judgment until we know what's in those commitments.

0:11:10 > 0:11:14That's the problem with this whole debate. We wanted the Government to

0:11:14 > 0:11:17negotiate openly with the commission about which commitments they would

0:11:17 > 0:11:25want to fund. Around EURATOM the Government said they didn't want to

0:11:25 > 0:11:29be part of that. We want to know what we should be spending on.Do

0:11:29 > 0:11:34you think we should meet our ongoing commitments to regional developments

0:11:34 > 0:11:41in Eastern Europe?We want to be responsible country.So you would do

0:11:41 > 0:11:46that?We don't know what the other. Do you think we should help meet our

0:11:46 > 0:11:50pension onliations to the EU? We don't know what terms we are looking

0:11:50 > 0:11:55at.To be fair, we can talk about raw figures until the cows come

0:11:55 > 0:12:00home. Until we know...You can't give us any idea of figures?The

0:12:00 > 0:12:04Government isn't tell us the basis. You know some of the obligations.

0:12:04 > 0:12:09You can't give us an idea of what you would regard as acceptable?We

0:12:09 > 0:12:15don't know what we're paying for. If we had that in front of us. We don't

0:12:15 > 0:12:19know what the parameters of the pensions is. We want to look at the

0:12:19 > 0:12:26detail. It is taxpayers' money. We want to scrutinise it properly. We

0:12:26 > 0:12:28don't have the methodology being used for this. We said that from the

0:12:28 > 0:12:35very start.You've been consistent in not giving us any idea of what it

0:12:35 > 0:12:42will cost. Can you hear me now?Yes, I can.My question to you was, it

0:12:42 > 0:12:46looks like we're talking about 40 billion plus in pounds or euros. It

0:12:46 > 0:12:51will be over a long period of time. It will meet some of our ongoing

0:12:51 > 0:12:55obligations each after we leave. Isn't that a sum worth paying to

0:12:55 > 0:12:59reach the end game you've always wanted, which is to get out?The

0:12:59 > 0:13:05first thing to say is we voted to leave. We want a clean break, not a

0:13:05 > 0:13:09relationship that can go for decades, certainly in the case of

0:13:09 > 0:13:13pensions. Secondly, even if we've been offered tariff-free access to

0:13:13 > 0:13:18the single market in return which at this stage we haven't. Each if we

0:13:18 > 0:13:23had been offered that, it is not worth nearly £50 billion. No deal is

0:13:23 > 0:13:28better than a bad deal. This is a very bad deal indeed.How do you

0:13:28 > 0:13:32know that. Most businesses are terrified of the idea of no deal. Of

0:13:32 > 0:13:36crashing out. They would rather have a deal?Look, there are lots of

0:13:36 > 0:13:43different voices of business. Yes, I understand the big Corp rats always

0:13:43 > 0:13:47defend the European Union structure. I'm reminded they were the people

0:13:47 > 0:13:51who thought joining the euro was a good idea.They provide most of our

0:13:51 > 0:13:56exports. They are worried if we crash out, this will harm their

0:13:56 > 0:14:02ability to export. That's legitimate, is it not?Do you know

0:14:02 > 0:14:06something, with no deal and with tariffs being put on British

0:14:06 > 0:14:09manufacturers, the movement of sterling against the euro, every

0:14:09 > 0:14:14month, is bigger than the percentage we pay in tariffs. Just look at the

0:14:14 > 0:14:18amount of business America does. China does with the EU on World

0:14:18 > 0:14:22Trade Organisation rules. The other big thing here is we keep obsessing

0:14:22 > 0:14:28about our trade relationship with Europe. Look, 85% of the global

0:14:28 > 0:14:32economy is outside the euro zone. Another reason for a clean quick

0:14:32 > 0:14:37break is to start opening ourselves up to other trade deals.45% of our

0:14:37 > 0:14:42exports go to the EU. How much of America's exports go to the EU?

0:14:42 > 0:14:49These are smaller amounts. These are growing #345shing9s. It is still

0:14:49 > 0:14:57$300 billion worth. Every single year. The American's sell into the

0:14:57 > 0:15:01European single market without having a trade deal of every kind.

0:15:01 > 0:15:06It is about $1 in 10 rather than $1 in 2. It is much more important to

0:15:06 > 0:15:12us?You can look at the other way around. 80% of the entire British

0:15:12 > 0:15:16economy is not involved in overseas trade of any kind at all. Yet, if we

0:15:16 > 0:15:20sign up to a transition deal we'll be bound by the rules of the single

0:15:20 > 0:15:25market. There are lots of advantages to breaking out of this.Finally,

0:15:25 > 0:15:31what's happened? None of your Tory eurosceptic friends are saying

0:15:31 > 0:15:35anything about this. They seem content to go along with it. Why is

0:15:35 > 0:15:40that?They have their big chance. In a few minutes, it is Prime

0:15:40 > 0:15:44Minister's Questions, I hope somebody on the back benches say we

0:15:44 > 0:15:49did not vote to pay more money to the EU. We vetted to stop paying

0:15:49 > 0:15:57money. -- we vote the to stop paying. WeWe have heard from some

0:15:57 > 0:16:02Eurosceptics like Iain Duncan Smith. I'm not one to put people off

0:16:02 > 0:16:12watching PMQs. No doubt our viewers will follow your rallying cry. The

0:16:12 > 0:16:18Prime Minister said we were coming to the end of making vast

0:16:18 > 0:16:21contributions to the ow. When?It is difficult for me to comment in

0:16:21 > 0:16:28detail, when we have an agreement, at the moment officials are there

0:16:28 > 0:16:33negotiating line by line on the details of the period and when we

0:16:33 > 0:16:37have number, a final agreement we can talk about the detail then. It

0:16:37 > 0:16:42depend on what your definition is. It is not the detail it is the

0:16:42 > 0:16:52principle.We pay roughly 10 billion a year, 20 billion gross into the EU

0:16:52 > 0:16:58budget.When does the vast it is likely to be front loaded, so when

0:16:58 > 0:17:03do the vast contributions come to an end?It depend what your definition

0:17:03 > 0:17:09is?At least ten billion a year.It is impossible to say until we have

0:17:09 > 0:17:15Andre Ayew dream on the exact amount.You keep referring to the

0:17:15 > 0:17:19Florence speech, when we asked about that you can't tell us.Depends what

0:17:19 > 0:17:23the definition of vast is S we will be paying less than current

0:17:23 > 0:17:27contribution.When the Prime Minister said vast, what did she

0:17:27 > 0:17:33mean?It means we will agree a deal which will provide certainty into

0:17:33 > 0:17:37the long-term and our payments will taper off to eventually zero.

0:17:37 > 0:17:40That is the first time I have heard vast described like that, but never

0:17:40 > 0:17:44mind. So you don't want to put any figure

0:17:44 > 0:17:50on it at all, you want to talk about what would be right. Can I clarify

0:17:50 > 0:17:54other parts of Labour's position. It is it the position we should remain

0:17:54 > 0:17:58in customs union.On the first bit of the question we do want clarity

0:17:58 > 0:18:03about what this sum is composed and that is what we are not getting

0:18:03 > 0:18:07unfortunately from Government. Round the customs union, so we have said

0:18:07 > 0:18:11clearly we want all options to be open to the Government, we think

0:18:11 > 0:18:15they have wrongly, they have wrongly said they don't want to stay in a

0:18:15 > 0:18:19customs union, they don't want to stay in the single market.If you

0:18:19 > 0:18:23had the option of staying would you take it?If that was the best thing

0:18:23 > 0:18:26for the British economy, along with the other elms of any negotiation we

0:18:26 > 0:18:31would be open to looking at it. We have remained open minded, it is to

0:18:31 > 0:18:36be fair, what we have had from the Government is months and months of

0:18:36 > 0:18:41failing to deal with what are basic issues...February or March, I am

0:18:41 > 0:18:44trying to ask you what the position is, do you still want to be members

0:18:44 > 0:18:48of the singlet market?If we were in a position where we could a good

0:18:48 > 0:18:55deal with tariff free access, where we could keep a frictionless trading

0:18:55 > 0:18:58arrange. . We would try to get it. Do you want to be a member of the

0:18:58 > 0:19:03single market?We can't assess that at the moment, because to be fair,

0:19:03 > 0:19:09to be fair... Hang on a minute. We are not all over the place, let us

0:19:09 > 0:19:14be clear about where we are, we have been talking about the exit bill,

0:19:14 > 0:19:18the Government still hasn't sorted out arrangement for EU citizens.I

0:19:18 > 0:19:23am trying to quiz Labour. It is only fair both sides should be quizzed.

0:19:23 > 0:19:27Diane Abbott has called for a referendum, on whatever deal is in

0:19:27 > 0:19:33the end done, do you agree with that?Think there needs to be more

0:19:33 > 0:19:38democracy. A simple question, do you agree? At the moment it would be

0:19:38 > 0:19:42difficult to envisage how that would fit in with the he dual.So that is

0:19:42 > 0:19:48a no.We have to have a meaningful alternative.Would you argue with

0:19:48 > 0:19:53that or not?Think until we know how it would work I can't argue for it,

0:19:53 > 0:19:57I wouldn't know what the other options would be, what the

0:19:57 > 0:20:04alternative would be if people voted no.This issue, briefly, if there

0:20:04 > 0:20:09are no great trade talks, if trade talks don't prodouse a good deal, is

0:20:09 > 0:20:14this money off the table?Nothing is agreed until everything is a agreed.

0:20:14 > 0:20:20So it is. That was a shrug for people not watching the screen.

0:20:20 > 0:20:24Nothing is agreed until everything is agreed is a basic principle of

0:20:24 > 0:20:30negotiations we will stick by that. As close as I can expect to an

0:20:30 > 0:20:32answer from anyone this morning.

0:20:32 > 0:20:35As close as I can expect to an answer from anyone this morning.

0:20:35 > 0:20:37News that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are engaged -

0:20:37 > 0:20:41well, it's the first I've heard of it but if you say so -

0:20:41 > 0:20:44has led to calls for the government to give the nation a day off.

0:20:44 > 0:20:46Downing Street says there's no precedent for an extra public

0:20:46 > 0:20:49holiday, and the Prime Minister said last night that she thought simply

0:20:49 > 0:20:52seeing two young people in love would sufficiently please

0:20:52 > 0:20:53the nation.

0:20:53 > 0:20:56The Conservative MP Andrew Rosindell joins us now from College Green.

0:20:56 > 0:21:02You think there should be a bank holiday, why?Well, I think we do

0:21:02 > 0:21:07this better than any other country, our Royal Family is a great advert

0:21:07 > 0:21:11for Britain. To miss this opportunity, of having a great

0:21:11 > 0:21:15national celebration, I think would be a great shame. We had a bank

0:21:15 > 0:21:20holiday when William and Kate were married, of course when Charles and

0:21:20 > 0:21:24Diana and of course when Princess Anne was parried so there is a

0:21:24 > 0:21:27precedence, let us have a great celebration next year and make it

0:21:27 > 0:21:30something that the whole country can unite behind.But the Prime

0:21:30 > 0:21:33Minister, your Prime Minister says that just seeing them in love is

0:21:33 > 0:21:39enough. Not enough for you?Of course it is. It is fantastic, it is

0:21:39 > 0:21:43great new, brightened even's week. Let us make it a huge national

0:21:43 > 0:21:50celebration. There a lot...Why? Harry is sixth in line to the

0:21:50 > 0:21:55throne. He is about to become seventh. He is marrying an American,

0:21:55 > 0:22:01a talented American star let, why is that...No country does this better

0:22:01 > 0:22:07than Britain. Princess Anne and Prince Charles had bank holidays for

0:22:07 > 0:22:10their wed, there are only two children of Prince Charles, so,

0:22:10 > 0:22:15there is a precedent for this. I think that the British public would

0:22:15 > 0:22:20rise to the occasion its shows the rest of the world what Britain is,

0:22:20 > 0:22:24which a constitutional monarchy where the country queue nighted

0:22:24 > 0:22:27above party politics. It is a great opportunity for Britain. Let us take

0:22:27 > 0:22:31it, make it a national celebration, let everybody get involved and make

0:22:31 > 0:22:36it something very special.But win son is going to be packed. It will

0:22:36 > 0:22:41be packed anywhere whether it is a public holiday north. It costs 2.3

0:22:41 > 0:22:44billion to have a public holiday, where is the national celebration in

0:22:44 > 0:22:49that? I think you need to look at it from a different angle. It is it is

0:22:49 > 0:22:54great for the economy, it is great for tourism. I won't be great for

0:22:54 > 0:22:58the economy it it costs 2.3 billion. I don't think it does. You are not

0:22:58 > 0:23:02looking at the overall gain for the country in having a huge national

0:23:02 > 0:23:06celebration of the that kind. Whenever we have had a jubilee it

0:23:06 > 0:23:10has been fantastic for the country. Let us seize the opportunity. Let us

0:23:10 > 0:23:13celebrate a Royal Wedding but let the country take part in it.All

0:23:13 > 0:23:18right. Thank you for that. What do you think?Labour said we

0:23:18 > 0:23:23wanted to have four more bank holiday, we feel it is important to

0:23:23 > 0:23:25bring people together round national celebration, as I understand there

0:23:25 > 0:23:28is a process though that needs to be gone through to consider any

0:23:28 > 0:23:31applications, but I think that is something that should be looked at.

0:23:31 > 0:23:36We need to have more moment of national celebration.What about

0:23:36 > 0:23:44you? You can speak individually? These matters of state are way above

0:23:44 > 0:23:50my pay grade. I am sure the Prime Minister will want to look at it.

0:23:50 > 0:23:53There hasn't always been a bank holiday for a Royal Wedding. People

0:23:53 > 0:23:57will celebrate in their own way, I am not sure we need a day's holiday

0:23:57 > 0:23:58to celebrate it.

0:23:58 > 0:24:01am not sure we need a day's holiday to celebrate it.

0:24:01 > 0:24:04The news that Harry and Meghan will marry next May could be a shot

0:24:04 > 0:24:06in the arm for several important British industries.

0:24:06 > 0:24:09Shops selling DVD copies of the legal drama Suits, for instance.

0:24:09 > 0:24:12And the British pottery industry, which is gearing up for a new range

0:24:12 > 0:24:13of commemorative crockery.

0:24:13 > 0:24:15So much so that new Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson

0:24:15 > 0:24:17is probably regretting giving up running his own pottery

0:24:17 > 0:24:25firm in Staffordshire.

0:24:25 > 0:24:27There he is.

0:24:27 > 0:24:30He looks much happier doing that than running the Ministry

0:24:30 > 0:24:32of Defence, doesn't he.

0:24:32 > 0:24:35Well, the Daily Politics has never seen a bandwagon it didn't

0:24:35 > 0:24:37want to climb aboard, so for this week only

0:24:37 > 0:24:43we've commissioned this.

0:24:43 > 0:24:46There's Harry, Meghan, and I'm on there too for some reason.

0:24:46 > 0:24:52And joyful monarchists and sulking republicans alike can win one -

0:24:52 > 0:24:55all you have to do to be in with a chance is tell us

0:24:55 > 0:25:01when this happened - and a warning, this film

0:25:01 > 0:25:07contains flashing images.

0:25:09 > 0:25:10# Stop right now

0:25:10 > 0:25:13# Thank you very much

0:25:13 > 0:25:16# I need somebody with the human touch

0:25:16 > 0:25:18# Hey you...

0:25:18 > 0:25:22For the first time in his life he's got to face questions for the abuses

0:25:22 > 0:25:24of human rights that he committed.

0:25:24 > 0:25:28A bill will be introduced to remove the right of hereditary peers to sit

0:25:28 > 0:25:30and vote in the House of Lords.

0:25:30 > 0:25:33# Never ever have I ever felt so low

0:25:33 > 0:25:37# When you gonna take me out of this black hole...

0:25:37 > 0:25:41# So come on, let me entertain you

0:25:41 > 0:25:50# Let me entertain you.

0:25:50 > 0:25:53It's not a day for sound bites.

0:25:53 > 0:25:59I feel the hand of history upon our shoulders.

0:25:59 > 0:26:00# We are gonna be

0:26:00 > 0:26:01# Forever, you and me

0:26:01 > 0:26:10# I'm a Barbie girl...

0:26:10 > 0:26:13Come on!

0:26:13 > 0:26:16# Life in plastic, it's fantastic.

0:26:16 > 0:26:19It's sold.

0:26:19 > 0:26:22# Imagination, life is your creation

0:26:22 > 0:26:24# Come on Barbie, let's go party

0:26:24 > 0:26:34# I'm a Barbie girl, in a Barbie world. #

0:26:34 > 0:26:38You get really quality music on this show. To be in with a chance of

0:26:38 > 0:26:45winning send your answer to our special quiz e-mail. Entries must

0:26:45 > 0:26:49arrive by 12.30 today. You can see the full terms and conditions for

0:26:49 > 0:26:54Guess the Year on the website.

0:26:54 > 0:26:58Guess the Year on the website.

0:26:58 > 0:27:01Not long to go until midday - there's Big Ben, and that means not

0:27:01 > 0:27:02long until Prime Minister's Questions.

0:27:02 > 0:27:07As the Prime Minister is in the Middle East,

0:27:07 > 0:27:10her number two, Damian Green, will be at the despatch box,

0:27:10 > 0:27:16despite being investigated over allegations of sexual impropriety,

0:27:16 > 0:27:17which he denies.

0:27:17 > 0:27:21Laura Kuenssber is here as always.

0:27:21 > 0:27:24Emily Thornberry will appear for Labour, that is how it works. . She

0:27:24 > 0:27:29will. She has also done this before, so neither are strangers to the

0:27:29 > 0:27:33despatch box, but it will have a very different tone, and of course a

0:27:33 > 0:27:35different political import, because of course, they are not trading

0:27:35 > 0:27:41blows in the same way, because they don't have the same status. There is

0:27:41 > 0:27:43another awkwardness about Damian Green the First Secretary of State

0:27:43 > 0:27:48doing this today, because of course, he as you suggested under

0:27:48 > 0:27:54investigation after allegations of him making inappropriate advances to

0:27:54 > 0:27:59a young journalist and an allegation of pawn being found on his computer

0:27:59 > 0:28:03some years ago. To decide he hasn't done it would have been telling from

0:28:03 > 0:28:06Downing Street but still for him to do it when the results of that

0:28:06 > 0:28:11investigation are still unknown, it is a bit of an awkward... He has

0:28:11 > 0:28:15been out of the public eye since the allegations broke.He hasn't been

0:28:15 > 0:28:20hiding away, he was next to the Prime Minister at last week's Prime

0:28:20 > 0:28:23Minister's Questions if I recall correctly. During the budget he was

0:28:23 > 0:28:29round. He mid a tread to the DUP conference in Belfast as well. Over

0:28:29 > 0:28:33the weekend, which is a key political event for the Tories now,

0:28:33 > 0:28:36so he hasn't been hiding away, whether we can read anything into

0:28:36 > 0:28:40that about whether Number Ten thinks that he is going to be cleared,

0:28:40 > 0:28:44frankly who knows? For them to hide him away would suggest they knew

0:28:44 > 0:28:50exactly what was going to happen. PMQs takes place today when

0:28:50 > 0:28:53Westminster, the media in Westminster would seem pretty sure

0:28:53 > 0:28:58that although the sum of money is still within a range, that some kind

0:28:58 > 0:29:05of agreement is going to be done for the December EU summit on our

0:29:05 > 0:29:10divorce bill?I am sure that is what I understand, and as the sequence of

0:29:10 > 0:29:17events here is quite important to understand, so, last Monday, the UK

0:29:17 > 0:29:20cabinet Brexit committee gave Theresa May the green light to go to

0:29:20 > 0:29:27Brussels with a hypothetically much more generous offer thought to be

0:29:27 > 0:29:31around the 40 billion euroish mark. The Cabinet gave her that

0:29:31 > 0:29:36permission, Olly ribbons her top EU official, her sherpa took that offer

0:29:36 > 0:29:40to Brussels at the back end of last week, that suggestion was given a

0:29:40 > 0:29:45broad welcome in Brussels, yes, that is something we can work with, and a

0:29:45 > 0:29:50broad range and a broad framework of a bill of somewhere between 40 and

0:29:50 > 0:29:5550 billion euros has in theory been signed off. Now there is a lot of

0:29:55 > 0:29:58hard haggling to come. No question about that, nobody will go anywhere

0:29:58 > 0:30:04near it officially, but one of the important things politically is the

0:30:04 > 0:30:07mood among Brexiteers mainly, including those round the Cabinet

0:30:07 > 0:30:11table has changed in recent months so we have not seen and I don't

0:30:11 > 0:30:16think we will see really a huge up surge of sort of euro kept sticks

0:30:16 > 0:30:20saying this is not acceptable. The public view of course may be

0:30:20 > 0:30:25different, but in terms of the Brexit bill being a complete

0:30:25 > 0:30:28political nightmare for Theresa May, there has been a change in mood in

0:30:28 > 0:30:31the last couple of months and I don't think we will see it have huge

0:30:31 > 0:30:35immediate consequences for her, there is an urgent question on

0:30:35 > 0:30:38justice issues straight after Prime Minister's Questions today.

0:30:38 > 0:30:44Who will take that?Liz Truss. I will expect she will say no

0:30:44 > 0:30:48agreement until anything is a agreed. I won't get into figures but

0:30:48 > 0:30:58she might let something slip.

0:30:59 > 0:31:03There has been an astonishing level of discipline after last week's

0:31:03 > 0:31:09Brexit cabinet committee. Whatever they agreed in there it held. It

0:31:09 > 0:31:14really really head.The significance is that it opens the door, there are

0:31:14 > 0:31:18still a little matter of the Northern Ireland...That is not

0:31:18 > 0:31:23settled either. Absolutely.If that can be, you think of the money is

0:31:23 > 0:31:27done, other things will fall into place. If that happens, we move on

0:31:27 > 0:31:31then to discuss the future relationship between the EU and the

0:31:31 > 0:31:36UK.

0:31:36 > 0:31:42As one minister described, it a divorcing couple fighting over who

0:31:42 > 0:31:45gets the vinyl collection and pot plants then on to the long-term

0:31:45 > 0:31:48custody of the children. It is an over used met foretalking about

0:31:48 > 0:31:51divorce and the future. That is it in terms of understanding what it

0:31:51 > 0:31:56is. I wouldn't be too confident that there is definitely going to be

0:31:56 > 0:32:04agreement at this summit. The money being broadly settled is a vital

0:32:04 > 0:32:09part to unlocking this decision of whether they move on or not. But, it

0:32:09 > 0:32:14does not mean we're definitely going to move on. Ireland is still an

0:32:14 > 0:32:19enormous issue. There are stumbling blocks over the European Court of

0:32:19 > 0:32:25Justice. To child benefit. That was an issue in renotionaways.Let's see

0:32:25 > 0:32:27what happens in PMQS

0:32:32 > 0:32:38I have been asked to reply on behalf of my Right Honourable friend the

0:32:38 > 0:32:40Prime Minister who is abroad in the Middle East furtherering our

0:32:40 > 0:32:45interests in a region that is fundamental to national security and

0:32:45 > 0:33:00prosperity. We wish Prince Harry and making an market happiness in their

0:33:00 > 0:33:07future. Today is the 150 #9th anniversary of the RAF. The whole

0:33:07 > 0:33:11house will want to express our great today to their service to this

0:33:11 > 0:33:18country.The First Secretary's congratulations to Prince Harry on

0:33:18 > 0:33:21his engagement. Thanks to the outstanding efforts by the Labour

0:33:21 > 0:33:25council in North East Lincolnshire, the Government has included the

0:33:25 > 0:33:29Greater Grimsby project in its industrial strategy document. But we

0:33:29 > 0:33:34need more than a by line in a glossy magazine to make its potential a

0:33:34 > 0:33:38reality. Can the First Secretary said when the Government will put

0:33:38 > 0:33:42its money where its mouth is so we can get going.Beneath this, I can

0:33:42 > 0:33:45welcome the fact the honourable lady is welcoming the industrial

0:33:45 > 0:33:51strategy. As she should do. It will be good for Grimsby. It will be good

0:33:51 > 0:33:56for many communities around this country. Particularly those who may

0:33:56 > 0:34:02feel in the past, they have been left behind. I'm happy to assure her

0:34:02 > 0:34:06that the industrial strategy will come with Monet thatched as she will

0:34:06 > 0:34:11have heard in my Right Honourable Friend the Chancellor's budget.

0:34:14 > 0:34:18Making a success of the South Tees mayoral development corporation is

0:34:18 > 0:34:22vital for Teesside. He was die lighted toing with Welcome the Prime

0:34:22 > 0:34:25Minister to my constituency this summer. Will he join me in

0:34:25 > 0:34:30recognising the scale of opportunity the MDC makes and redefine Teesside

0:34:30 > 0:34:34to the world. And the new money awarded in the budget is only the

0:34:34 > 0:34:40start of the process on delivering its huge potential to change?I can

0:34:40 > 0:34:44see my honourable friend is getting the hang of questions already. I'm

0:34:44 > 0:34:50happy to assure him that we are committed to working with him and

0:34:50 > 0:34:55indeed, the Tees valley mayor, Ben Houcham who's doing so much to

0:34:55 > 0:35:03develop the area. We want to support him and the South Tees develop

0:35:03 > 0:35:08corporation. As he says, the Chancellor announce £123 million of

0:35:08 > 0:35:12new funding in the budget. We recognise the significant economic

0:35:12 > 0:35:21opportunities in that area.Let me join the Secretary of State in

0:35:21 > 0:35:28congratulating the RAF on its anniversary and congratulating

0:35:28 > 0:35:32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle on their engagement. That's one

0:35:32 > 0:35:37American couple we'll be delighted to see holding hands. I'm sure

0:35:37 > 0:35:40Prince Harry, the patron of Rugby Football League will be joining all

0:35:40 > 0:35:44of us in supporting the England team in the World Cup Final on Saturday.

0:35:44 > 0:35:52I will be waving my St George's flag. On a much sadder note, I'm

0:35:52 > 0:35:55sure the whole House will join me in sending our thoughts to all those

0:35:55 > 0:35:59killed and injured in Friday's horrific attack on the mosque in

0:35:59 > 0:36:03north Sinai. It is a bitter reminder that the vast majority of the

0:36:03 > 0:36:08victims of Jihadi terror are Muslims. Before I get on with my

0:36:08 > 0:36:14questions, can I ask First Secretary a point of principle. Is he happy to

0:36:14 > 0:36:18be held to the same standards in Government as he has to others in

0:36:18 > 0:36:25opposition?Yes, I am. All ministers should respect and debate the

0:36:25 > 0:36:29ministerial code and I absolutely think that that's a very important

0:36:29 > 0:36:34part of confidence in public life. Can I also echo her thoughts about

0:36:34 > 0:36:40the terrible events in Sinai and, also say that she may find it

0:36:40 > 0:36:46difficult to wave the St George's flag but I will be doing so for the

0:36:46 > 0:36:50English rugby league team... As a Welsh rugby fan, I may find it even

0:36:50 > 0:37:00more difficult than her. But I will be doing so as well.The First

0:37:00 > 0:37:03Secretary looked rather perturbed at my line of questioning. He doesn't

0:37:03 > 0:37:07need to worry. I really am not going there. I merely wondered if he

0:37:07 > 0:37:11remembered the question he asked at Prime Minister's Questions almost 17

0:37:11 > 0:37:14years ago when John Prescott stood in forefootball and whether he could

0:37:14 > 0:37:17answer the same question today. So, what's the question? The question

0:37:17 > 0:37:22was this. What percentage of new nurses recruited in the past 12

0:37:22 > 0:37:33months are now working full-time?I can't remember! LAUGHTER I can't

0:37:33 > 0:37:36remember asking the question then. I'd love to know what the then

0:37:36 > 0:37:41Deputy Prime Minister answered. What I'm happy to assure the right

0:37:41 > 0:37:45honourable lady, is that we have more nurses, more midwives, more

0:37:45 > 0:37:52doctors... Working in the Health Service now. The Health Service is

0:37:52 > 0:37:57performing more operations now certainly than it was 17 years ago.

0:37:57 > 0:38:00And, in particular, in the budget last week, my right hop rabbling

0:38:00 > 0:38:06friend the Chancellor was able to announce more than £6 billion extra

0:38:06 > 0:38:09on health spending which will make the Health Service even stronger in

0:38:09 > 0:38:14the future than it is now.I thank him for that response. Since he

0:38:14 > 0:38:18failed to answer my original question oo ail dough it for him.

0:38:18 > 0:38:22According to the Government's latest figures. More than 40% of newly

0:38:22 > 0:38:25recruited nurses are leaving full-time employment within their

0:38:25 > 0:38:30first year. It is not just the new recruits that are quitting, the

0:38:30 > 0:38:35overall number of NHS nurses and health visitors is down by 1,500

0:38:35 > 0:38:40this year. And the numbers are now lower than when this Government came

0:38:40 > 0:38:46into office. So, why does the First Secretary think so many nurses are

0:38:46 > 0:38:56leaving?There are, as I say, more operations being done, more nurses,

0:38:56 > 0:39:04more doctors, more midwives. The Health Service is expanding. We have

0:39:04 > 0:39:10got 14,900 more doctors, 1500 more medical school places each year and

0:39:10 > 0:39:16we've 10,000 more nurses on our wards and we've announced an

0:39:16 > 0:39:22increase of more than 5,000 extra nurse training places every year. We

0:39:22 > 0:39:29are, of course, we have said in addition, the Chancellor said in his

0:39:29 > 0:39:38budget, that we would commit to make sure that the nurse's pay increase,

0:39:38 > 0:39:42the action for change, agenda for change staffing covered would not

0:39:42 > 0:39:47comout of other health spending. So, nurses can be reassured that this

0:39:47 > 0:39:50Government will continue to support them both in pay and in terms of

0:39:50 > 0:39:54numbers and that is why our health service in England is getting

0:39:54 > 0:39:59better. If she wants to look at a health service where things are

0:39:59 > 0:40:09getting worse... She can look to the Labour Government in Wales. And she

0:40:09 > 0:40:14doesn't need to take it from me, she can take it from the public. Because

0:40:14 > 0:40:18public satisfaction with the NHS in Wales is lower than it is in

0:40:18 > 0:40:25England. That's the effect of Labour Government on health care.I hate to

0:40:25 > 0:40:30brake it to him, there are more nurses in the NHS than those working

0:40:30 > 0:40:32in emergency and acute wards. Including, district nurses. They've

0:40:32 > 0:40:38halved under the Tories. Guess who picks up the slack in nurses are not

0:40:38 > 0:40:42there? Nurses in acute care. Why are so many nurses leaving the vocation

0:40:42 > 0:40:49they love? According to the RCN, the top four reasons are excess

0:40:49 > 0:40:52workload, staff shortages, low pay and worries about patient care.

0:40:52 > 0:40:55According to the Government's own figures, the number of nurses

0:40:55 > 0:40:59quitting because of worries about their finances or their health has

0:40:59 > 0:41:04doubled since the Tories first froze their pay. Let's get on to the

0:41:04 > 0:41:09question that was asked by John Prescott 17 years ago, he said,

0:41:09 > 0:41:17nurses at his local hospital were warning "staff shortages are putting

0:41:17 > 0:41:21patients' lives at risk" so can he tell me, what are those same nurses

0:41:21 > 0:41:26telling the First Secretary today? What I can tell you is that since 17

0:41:26 > 0:41:33years ago, it is interesting that 17 years ago there were still

0:41:33 > 0:41:38significant numbers of Labour Government ahead with all these

0:41:38 > 0:41:44pressures exposed to us, since 17 years ago, there are significantly

0:41:44 > 0:41:48more nurses in post. I didn't quite understand her point about wards.

0:41:48 > 0:41:53She seemed to go on and off the wards. But we know we've 10,000

0:41:53 > 0:41:59morse nurses on our wards where people want to see them. Also, if

0:41:59 > 0:42:04she's interested in nurse's pay, of course, I hope she'll find it in

0:42:04 > 0:42:09herself to welcome the tax cuts that were announced in the budget, the

0:42:09 > 0:42:13increase in the personal allowances, that will help nurses just as they

0:42:13 > 0:42:16will help workers across both the public and private sector. This is

0:42:16 > 0:42:24good news for nurses. It was a budget in the just good for the

0:42:24 > 0:42:27Health Service but specifically good for the nurses profession. I hope

0:42:27 > 0:42:31she can bring herself to welcome that.Well, I notice he didn't want

0:42:31 > 0:42:36to talk about patient care at his local hospital. Could the reason be

0:42:36 > 0:42:42that his local A&E according to the board's most recent minutes "have

0:42:42 > 0:42:46severe staff shortages in medical and nursing care, which means

0:42:46 > 0:42:51patient safety is being put at risk. The only option to tackle those

0:42:51 > 0:42:56shortages is to cancel out patient clinics" it gets worse. And it gets

0:42:56 > 0:43:02worse. At a public meeting tomorrow, there is going to be a public

0:43:02 > 0:43:08meeting tomorrow to consider closing his local A&E for good. In other

0:43:08 > 0:43:11words, all of things the First Secretary has been denying what are

0:43:11 > 0:43:15you doing to our NHS? It is happening on your own doorstep.

0:43:15 > 0:43:22Isn't it about time the First Secretary got a grip?

0:43:22 > 0:43:25THE SPEAKER: THE SPEAKER:I'm entirely innocent

0:43:25 > 0:43:32in this matter. First Secretary.The right honourable lady's grasps at

0:43:32 > 0:43:39the facts is shaky. The meeting tomorrow in my constituency is about

0:43:39 > 0:43:49the strategic transformation plan. I am happy to assure her that I am

0:43:49 > 0:43:53entirely in favour of option one of that strategic transformation plan

0:43:53 > 0:43:59which suggests not just leaving A&E services in the hospital in my

0:43:59 > 0:44:07constituency but expanding specialist services there. I would

0:44:07 > 0:44:11strongly suggest she doesn't think she knows more about what's going on

0:44:11 > 0:44:16in my constituency than I do.I suspect that neither the nation or

0:44:16 > 0:44:22his own constituents will have taken any reassurances from that answer.

0:44:22 > 0:44:27But really, we have an NHS in the grip of a choppic funding and

0:44:27 > 0:44:34staffing crisis. GPs are quitting in record numbers. Junior doctors are

0:44:34 > 0:44:38running A&Es without supervision. Our nurses are at breaking point at

0:44:38 > 0:44:42before the winter crisis is coming. So, let me finally ask the First

0:44:42 > 0:44:46Secretary, what does it say about the Government's priorities that

0:44:46 > 0:44:52last week's budget could only find £350 million to help the

0:44:52 > 0:44:57cash-strapped stretched to the limit NHS cope with the winter fuel

0:44:57 > 0:45:05crisis?

0:45:10 > 0:45:16Only £350 million to cope with the winter crisis, and was able to find

0:45:16 > 0:45:2211 times that amount, to spend on a no deal Brexit. Isn't that the very

0:45:22 > 0:45:25definition of a government fiddling away while the rest of the country

0:45:25 > 0:45:33burns? The Right Honourable lady is

0:45:33 > 0:45:38determined to talk the NHS down. It is a Conservative Government which

0:45:38 > 0:45:43is increasing funding, on the NHS, so it remains the best Health

0:45:43 > 0:45:47Service in the world, as the independent Commonwealth fund has

0:45:47 > 0:45:51repeated, for the second year in a row. It is this party which promised

0:45:51 > 0:45:58and delivered more money for the NHS in 2010, 2015, and in last week's

0:45:58 > 0:46:04budget where my Right Honourable friend the Chancellor promised 6.3

0:46:04 > 0:46:09billion extra for the NHS. More patients treated, more operations

0:46:09 > 0:46:14carried are out by more doctors and nurse, when she says at the end,

0:46:14 > 0:46:19that the Government is wasting £3 billion on preparing for Brexit, we

0:46:19 > 0:46:24know that, we now know that the Labour Party doesn't think it is

0:46:24 > 0:46:29worth preparing for Brexit, they do, though, they do, though, think it is

0:46:29 > 0:46:33worth preparing for a run on the pound. That is all you need to know

0:46:33 > 0:46:41about Labour. This week, one of Labour's last two

0:46:41 > 0:46:45remaining councillors in Boston crossed the floor to join the

0:46:45 > 0:46:53Conservatives. And he said he didn't want to see this country go back to

0:46:53 > 0:46:581973. Will the first secretary join me in welcoming this new member to

0:46:58 > 0:47:04the Conservative Party, and will he agree with me, that an open

0:47:04 > 0:47:09optimistic Britain deserved better than reheated Marxism and Labour's

0:47:09 > 0:47:19bankrupt economy.I am very happy to agree with my honourable friend and

0:47:19 > 0:47:24indeed, with the wisdom of the Labour councillor who has joined the

0:47:24 > 0:47:27Conservative Party, quite right that what we see from the party opposite,

0:47:27 > 0:47:34is they would lose control of public finances, hike taxes to their

0:47:34 > 0:47:45highest ever peacetime level and cause business, the new... I would

0:47:45 > 0:47:49point out to the local councillor he may have moved in anticipation

0:47:49 > 0:47:53because I understand that moderate councillors are being deselected by

0:47:53 > 0:48:07the hard left. Thank you Mr Speaker I can join the first secretary in

0:48:07 > 0:48:13congratulating Prince Harry on his engagement. Can I welcome the

0:48:13 > 0:48:18moderator of the church of Scotland. Can the First Secretary of State

0:48:18 > 0:48:23tell the House how much money the UK Government has received for arms

0:48:23 > 0:48:27sales from Saudi Arabia since the war with Yemen began. I don't have

0:48:27 > 0:48:33the figure to hand, I do urge the honourable gentleman, to recognise

0:48:33 > 0:48:39the fact first of all, that our defence industry is an extremely

0:48:39 > 0:48:42important creator of jobs and prosperity, in Scotland as well as

0:48:42 > 0:48:48in other parts of the country and that we have, because I am obviously

0:48:48 > 0:48:53aware of the very terrible situation in Yemen at the emno, but this

0:48:53 > 0:48:58country has one of the most rigorous and robust defence sales regimes in

0:48:58 > 0:49:03the world, it was recognised in a court case last July, and we are

0:49:03 > 0:49:06absolutely determined to continue the most rigorous robust system in

0:49:06 > 0:49:11place because that is the right thing to do, both for prosperity and

0:49:11 > 0:49:16to ensure we keep a proper control on arms.

0:49:16 > 0:49:27That is a long time to be able no to not answer the question. The UK

0:49:27 > 0:49:31Government has received 4.billion, from arms to Saudi Arabia since the

0:49:31 > 0:49:36war in Yemen he garntion which has created a humanitarian crisis. Yemen

0:49:36 > 0:49:42is now on the brink of famine. Unicef said 150,000 children will

0:49:42 > 0:49:46die by the end of the year. Doesn't the first secretary agree the best

0:49:46 > 0:49:50thing the Prime Minister can do with her meetings today is follow the

0:49:50 > 0:49:56example of the Netherlands and suspend licenses for arms sales to

0:49:56 > 0:50:04Saudi Arabia.I should correct something the right honourable said

0:50:04 > 0:50:07that the Government received money. It will be the companies that

0:50:07 > 0:50:11receive the money and therefore, their worker, so, he can take that

0:50:11 > 0:50:16position if he wan, I I know the Labour Party's position is that as

0:50:16 > 0:50:20well. But that would entail significant job loss, what is very

0:50:20 > 0:50:25important is is not only that we have the robust regime which I

0:50:25 > 0:50:29talked about, but that absolutely we continue the humanitarian efforts

0:50:29 > 0:50:35that we make, to try and alleviate the terrible conditions in Yemen, we

0:50:35 > 0:50:38are the fourth largest humanitarian donor to Yemen, and the second

0:50:38 > 0:50:44largest to the UN appeal. I would also remind him that the involvement

0:50:44 > 0:50:50of the Saudis in this conflict came at a request of the legitimate

0:50:50 > 0:50:53Government of Yemen and has United Nations Security Council backing,

0:50:53 > 0:50:59that is why we support it. This is a conflict supported by the UN

0:50:59 > 0:51:03Security Council, and I would hope that the right honourable gentleman

0:51:03 > 0:51:15will have some respect for the Security Council.

0:51:15 > 0:51:19Thank you Mr Speaker. This Government's ambition to build more

0:51:19 > 0:51:23homes is welcome, especially among those struggling to get on the

0:51:23 > 0:51:29housing ladder. Taub on the dene is playing its part. With its garden

0:51:29 > 0:51:34town status we must have houses that are good places to live. Mr Speaker,

0:51:34 > 0:51:38maybe even where we have showers where people don't use microbeads in

0:51:38 > 0:51:45the shower. But we must have the right roads on these development,

0:51:45 > 0:51:48would he agree the housing infrastructure fund is key to

0:51:48 > 0:51:56unlocking funds for vital roads like the spine road through Taunton,My

0:51:56 > 0:52:01honourable friend is absolutely right. I know what a stout champion

0:52:01 > 0:52:06she is of the people of Taunton Deane, she is quite right about the

0:52:06 > 0:52:09housing infrastructure's fund as well, we need more homes but

0:52:09 > 0:52:12absolutely, we need the infrastructure to back them up, that

0:52:12 > 0:52:15is why the Chancellor doubled the housing infrastructure fund in the

0:52:15 > 0:52:22budget. Thank you Mr Speaker. As the First

0:52:22 > 0:52:29Secretary of State will know being my Nair noon in Kent. As a result of

0:52:29 > 0:52:33underfunding the County Council is running out of cash and is cutting

0:52:33 > 0:52:39the funding to buses by 70%. Four hospital buses, 14 school buses and

0:52:39 > 0:52:42over 100 other routes are to be cut. Thousands of pensioner, especially

0:52:42 > 0:52:48those in rural areas are to be trapped at hope. Does the right

0:52:48 > 0:52:54honourable member for Ashford support such cuts.I do not

0:52:54 > 0:52:59recognise the characterisation of Kent County Council's position,

0:52:59 > 0:53:04which my constituency neighbour has expressed. All Local Authorities as

0:53:04 > 0:53:09all parts of the public sector have to live within their means because

0:53:09 > 0:53:14we have to continue paying down the deficit that was run up by the

0:53:14 > 0:53:20previous Labour Government. Kent County Council is a very good County

0:53:20 > 0:53:23Council which does many good things for the people in Kent and will

0:53:23 > 0:53:33continue to do so. IsWould my right honourable friend

0:53:33 > 0:53:36agree that for decades the itch itch member states in the European Union

0:53:36 > 0:53:42have made large contributions to the budget of the EU, because the

0:53:42 > 0:53:46macroeconomic benefits of belonging to the large free trade areas of the

0:53:46 > 0:53:50single market make it a bargain to pay that share of the cost. Should

0:53:50 > 0:53:57we not therefore welcome the rumours we have today, in the press, of a

0:53:57 > 0:54:01possible imminent settlement of the method of calculating future

0:54:01 > 0:54:05contributions so it may enable us to get on the serious negotiations

0:54:05 > 0:54:10about how we retain the maximum future access to all those benefits

0:54:10 > 0:54:17of that free trade? Well, my right honourable friend has

0:54:17 > 0:54:22been round long enough to not know not believe everything he readses in

0:54:22 > 0:54:26the newspapers and it would be wrong for me to go into figures now, he is

0:54:26 > 0:54:31absolutely right that what we are about, and what my right honourable

0:54:31 > 0:54:36friend the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union is about

0:54:36 > 0:54:39is making sure we get the best possible deal at this stage so we

0:54:39 > 0:54:45can move on to the trade talks and Britain, as a country that meets its

0:54:45 > 0:54:51international obligations of course we, will, as it exits the European

0:54:51 > 0:54:54Union, meet the obligations and have all the rights we have in that

0:54:54 > 0:54:59process, so we can maintain a deep and special partnership with the

0:54:59 > 0:55:04other 27 members of the European Union, as we move forward in

0:55:04 > 0:55:15friendship and cooperation after we have left. Fear of publicity, some

0:55:15 > 0:55:20of the reasons why very many women are reluctant to report rape,

0:55:20 > 0:55:25assault and sexual harassment. Does he agree with me, that Government,

0:55:25 > 0:55:29particle need to lead by example. Will he, on behalf of Government

0:55:29 > 0:55:32apologise to the victims who Parliament and Government have been

0:55:32 > 0:55:46letting down? I All of the political parties, need to improve complaints

0:55:46 > 0:55:51procedures and other aspects of the culture of politics, to make sure

0:55:51 > 0:55:56that young men or young women who are interested in politics do not in

0:55:56 > 0:56:00any way feel deed from playing an active role in it. There is a place

0:56:00 > 0:56:06for everyone in this House on all sides and in all parties and indeed

0:56:06 > 0:56:09the House authorities of making sure this is the best possible working

0:56:09 > 0:56:15environment for young people to come into.Mr Speaker, many mothers in

0:56:15 > 0:56:19this chamber know how hard childbirth can be, but we would

0:56:19 > 0:56:23never use that knowledge in a veiled threat against a journalist when

0:56:23 > 0:56:26being questioned in the way the honourable member for Hampstead and

0:56:26 > 0:56:31Kilburn did when questioned by a Channel 4 journalist recently. As I

0:56:31 > 0:56:34assume the first secretary is not pregnant would he complete the work

0:56:34 > 0:56:38that the journalist tried and ask the honourable member for Hampstead

0:56:38 > 0:56:43to use her influence with her aunt who is the Prime Minister of

0:56:43 > 0:56:49Bangladesh whose regime is responsible for the kidnap of... And

0:56:49 > 0:56:57ask for his release.I am sure honourable ladyOrder I am sure she

0:56:57 > 0:57:01notified the honourable lady of an intention to refer to her in this

0:57:01 > 0:57:08question. She didn't? Well, that was disorderly.

0:57:08 > 0:57:16Sorry. Order, order. Order. Nevertheless, the question has been

0:57:16 > 0:57:19asked, nevertheless, perfectly proper for the first secretary,

0:57:19 > 0:57:26briefly, to reply.You and the House should be aware, I can only speak on

0:57:26 > 0:57:32behalf of the Government, and I can assure my honourable friend that

0:57:32 > 0:57:36Bangladesh remains an important human rights priority area for the

0:57:36 > 0:57:40Foreign Office, and that we continue to raise allegations of enforced

0:57:40 > 0:57:44disappear at all levels of the Government of Bangladesh I think I

0:57:44 > 0:57:51should stop there. Mr Speaker, at the present rate of

0:57:51 > 0:57:56progress, it will take the three officials at the first secretary's

0:57:56 > 0:58:03old department more than 70 years to investigate the claims of round

0:58:03 > 0:58:07four-and-a-half thousand waspy women deprived of their state pension. I

0:58:07 > 0:58:15know this Government is slow but isn't that adding insult to injury?

0:58:15 > 0:58:20The honourable gentleman will be aware that the Government committed

0:58:20 > 0:58:24a sum of more than 1 billion £ to make sure that no-one's pension

0:58:24 > 0:58:29would be delayed more than 18 months from the original period and he

0:58:29 > 0:58:34also, I am sure, as a reasonable man recognises that with increasing

0:58:34 > 0:58:38longevity it is inevitable that the pension age will rise. That is what

0:58:38 > 0:58:42this Government is doing, and by next year, pension inequality will

0:58:42 > 0:58:49have been removed. We will hit 65 for both sexes, in next year, and

0:58:49 > 0:58:56that means that we will then have an equal pensions system. James Gray.

0:58:56 > 0:59:00The Royal Air Force is unique having been established by an act of

0:59:00 > 0:59:04parablement which received Royal Assent 100 years ago today. Will he

0:59:04 > 0:59:09find time to Joan me and members of both Houses and staff throughout the

0:59:09 > 0:59:14Palace in celebrating the service the RAF have given over the last 100

0:59:14 > 0:59:24years in a unique parade this evening at 7.30?I have already

0:59:24 > 0:59:26mentioned the sentry today and my honourable friend is right not just

0:59:26 > 0:59:31to bring it up again, we cannot pay high enough tribute to the men and

0:59:31 > 0:59:35women of the RAF for a century of service that will go on for a long

0:59:35 > 0:59:40time, into the future as well, and I am glad he has managed to get an

0:59:40 > 0:59:43advert in for the parade at Portcullis House.

0:59:43 > 0:59:47Thank you. The United Kingdom has lost its seat on the international

0:59:47 > 0:59:51Court of Justice. EU agencies are pulling out of London, and there

0:59:51 > 0:59:56will be no more European capitals of culture in the United Kingdom. Is

0:59:56 > 1:00:06the sun setting on empire 2.0 before it has even begun?I think the

1:00:06 > 1:00:10honourable gentleman has, is not, it is not surprising that EU

1:00:10 > 1:00:13institutions are not going to be in a state that is not a member of the

1:00:13 > 1:00:19EU, that can't come as a surprise. On the capitals of culture, I rather

1:00:19 > 1:00:24agree, I think it is very disappointing that after they had

1:00:24 > 1:00:29let British cities asking, I know some in Scotland, asking to apply to

1:00:29 > 1:00:31be part of the process, the Commission decided that they

1:00:31 > 1:00:35couldn't. We are iner George Entwistle gent talks with the

1:00:35 > 1:00:39Commission about that and in particular, we are making sure that

1:00:39 > 1:00:42all those cities who applied can continue with their cultural

1:00:42 > 1:00:46development because cultural development has been shown to be an

1:00:46 > 1:00:49extremely good basis for the regeneration of cities and towns

1:00:49 > 1:00:55across the United Kingdom.

1:00:55 > 1:00:59This Saturday, I will be announcing the winners of Mayanual local shop

1:00:59 > 1:01:05Kempeities as part of small business Saturday. Will my Right Honourable

1:01:05 > 1:01:10Friend wish all retailers the best of luck and also wish those winners

1:01:10 > 1:01:16congratulations?I'm very happy to share my honourable friend's

1:01:16 > 1:01:23congratulations for her retailers. I like I suspect many members will be

1:01:23 > 1:01:27celebrating small business Saturday this weekend. It has become an

1:01:27 > 1:01:30extremely important part of the calendar. Supporting small business

1:01:30 > 1:01:33is at the heart of this Government's economic strategy. We should all

1:01:33 > 1:01:39take every opportunity to celebrate the hugely important work they do in

1:01:39 > 1:01:46innovation, entrepreneurship and in serving the people.Today we see

1:01:46 > 1:01:50shocking new figures that child knife deaths are nearing a 40-year

1:01:50 > 1:01:54high. Five months ago, the Prime Minister in this place promised

1:01:54 > 1:01:59action. But she has failed to deliver. Nothing in the budget on

1:01:59 > 1:02:02policing and nothing meaningful to tackle the causes as well as the

1:02:02 > 1:02:06crime. It's clear we need intervention now and not just from

1:02:06 > 1:02:10the Home Office. Funding youth workers in major trauma centres is

1:02:10 > 1:02:14proven to get young people out of the psych violence it would cost £6

1:02:14 > 1:02:18million a year to fund. Will the First Secretary in his role

1:02:18 > 1:02:21establish a cross-Government programme of action to come good on

1:02:21 > 1:02:26the Prime Minister's promise?I'm sure the honourable lady is aware

1:02:26 > 1:02:29the stance on knife crime this Government is taking is tougher than

1:02:29 > 1:02:34ever. We've made punishment against repeat offenders stronger. We've

1:02:34 > 1:02:38banned cautions for the most serious offences. There is now a very clear

1:02:38 > 1:02:41message, if you carry knives in public you are more likely than ever

1:02:41 > 1:02:48to go to price on. Price on. The latest figures show 42% of adult

1:02:48 > 1:02:52offenders were given an immediate custodial sentence, the highest rate

1:02:52 > 1:02:58in nearly a decade. I hope she can be reassured this Government's being

1:02:58 > 1:03:02tougher on knife crime than any previous Government.Does the First

1:03:02 > 1:03:08Secretary agree with me we don't need to break into the computer or

1:03:08 > 1:03:14iPad to work out the half a trillion he wants to borrow will attract £7.5

1:03:14 > 1:03:21billion of interest payments over a year.The one difficult

1:03:21 > 1:03:25THE SPEAKER:This relates to no Government policy the gentleman is

1:03:25 > 1:03:35responsible or rather the Shadow Chancellor for which he isn't.Mr

1:03:35 > 1:03:40Speaker, Sharon Jones is a constituent who had a malignant

1:03:40 > 1:03:44brain tumour removed 20 years ago. This left her with excruciating

1:03:44 > 1:03:47headaches and severe pain in her neck and shoulders. Sharon has been

1:03:47 > 1:03:52in receipt of ESA and the Department for Work and Pensions accepts that

1:03:52 > 1:03:57Sharon is not fit for work. Yet, she has now been placed in the work

1:03:57 > 1:04:02related activity group and her benefit has been reduced. Will the

1:04:02 > 1:04:08First Secretary justify this to Sharon?Obviously there will be

1:04:08 > 1:04:12clearly be individual issues in this case which I can't be aware of. I'm

1:04:12 > 1:04:16sure my Right Honourable Friend the Secretary of State for Work and

1:04:16 > 1:04:18Pensions will be very happy to look at this individual case to see if

1:04:18 > 1:04:27something needs to be done for Sharon.I very much welcome the

1:04:27 > 1:04:30announcement of a border lands growth deal. This is positive news

1:04:30 > 1:04:36for the border aya. But can the First Secretary assure me this

1:04:36 > 1:04:42initiative will receive sufficient resource to ensure its success?I

1:04:42 > 1:04:45share my honourable friend's enthusiasm for the borderlands

1:04:45 > 1:04:50growth initiative. I've seen the many benefits of city deals and

1:04:50 > 1:04:56growth deals around all parts-of-UK since I became First Secretary. I

1:04:56 > 1:04:58think the borderlands growth innish five is particularly important

1:04:58 > 1:05:03because it will show the mutual prosperity between his part of the

1:05:03 > 1:05:07north of England and the southern part of Scotland. All I can say is

1:05:07 > 1:05:13since my Right Honourable Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland is

1:05:13 > 1:05:16actually a constituency MP in the southern part of the Scotland, I

1:05:16 > 1:05:24know this deal will get particularly strict attention inside the Cabinet.

1:05:24 > 1:05:29Does the First Secretary agree with the Lord speaker's committee that

1:05:29 > 1:05:32the House of Lords should be reduced to 600 and the term should be

1:05:32 > 1:05:36limited to 15 years? Does he not feel the slightest sense of

1:05:36 > 1:05:41embarrassment that the crisis of credibility of the undemocratic

1:05:41 > 1:05:45upper chamber's become so acute its members are themselves begging for

1:05:45 > 1:05:52reform whilst the elect the Government refuses to act?I think

1:05:52 > 1:05:56when the honourable gentleman speaks on behalf of all members of the

1:05:56 > 1:06:01House of Lords in terms of begging for reform, he may not necessarily

1:06:01 > 1:06:05absolutely be representing the entire range of views in another

1:06:05 > 1:06:11place. But I'm happy to assure him the Government's looking very

1:06:11 > 1:06:17carefully at the proposal and we will respond in due course.Can my

1:06:17 > 1:06:20Right Honourable Friend and neighbour say what action the

1:06:20 > 1:06:25Government's proposing to take guest Russian-backed agenciesies spreading

1:06:25 > 1:06:31fakes news? They have been doing it in our political Tam wanes but

1:06:31 > 1:06:35disinformation may be spread about important issues about vaccines and

1:06:35 > 1:06:41the flu jab.My honourable friend is right to raise this. Cybersecurity

1:06:41 > 1:06:47is an extremely important issue. Fake news and the dissemination of

1:06:47 > 1:06:51potentially dangerous information is one part of that. The National Cyber

1:06:51 > 1:06:55Security Centre is looking very hard at this. It takes a number of

1:06:55 > 1:07:00measures to combat it. Some of which, obviously, have to remain

1:07:00 > 1:07:07private. I can assure him it is very high on the agenda of the national

1:07:07 > 1:07:11cybersecurity service which is underover a year old. It is doing

1:07:11 > 1:07:15good work in making sure the area of cybersecurity is doing much better

1:07:15 > 1:07:21than a used to.An 11-year-old primary school pupil approached me

1:07:21 > 1:07:27to say he, his mother and two brothers live in a one bedroom flat.

1:07:27 > 1:07:33Can he find me a council flat like I grew up in. It is very unlikely he

1:07:33 > 1:07:38will ever have one. Can I ask simply, given the measures announce

1:07:38 > 1:07:41in the last week's housing budget will not solve the scale of the

1:07:41 > 1:07:44problem which sees over 100,000 children living in temporary

1:07:44 > 1:07:49accommodation. What is he going to do to make sure that boy, his family

1:07:49 > 1:07:53and others living in temporary accommodation gets the decent home

1:07:53 > 1:07:57they need that they can call their own?I agree this is a serious

1:07:57 > 1:08:03problem. And that's one of the reasons why housing was at the

1:08:03 > 1:08:08centre of my Right Honourable Friend, the Chancellor's budget. I

1:08:08 > 1:08:14hear from the opposition front bench that is asking what we're doing

1:08:14 > 1:08:18about it. I'll tell her. Last year, we delivered more homes than we've

1:08:18 > 1:08:25seen in all but one of the last 30 years. 217,000, taking us to 1.1

1:08:25 > 1:08:32million since 2010. Over the next five years, we'll invest £44 billion

1:08:32 > 1:08:36in home building boosting the funding for council, social and

1:08:36 > 1:08:42low-cost housing to over £9 billion. We are building more social housing

1:08:42 > 1:08:45than the Labour Government did in its 13 years in office. We'll build

1:08:45 > 1:08:51even more in the future. This is a Government that's addressing his

1:08:51 > 1:09:02constituent's problems. Previous Labour Governments failed to do so.

1:09:02 > 1:09:07At the recent extremely successful Cheltenham and Literature Festival

1:09:07 > 1:09:13Hilary clin tan came and talked about the importance of ensuring the

1:09:13 > 1:09:16Russians cant inter veer with British or American elections.

1:09:16 > 1:09:21Should we be building an offensive cyber capability so our opponents

1:09:21 > 1:09:25know we have the will and where with all to strike back?My honourable

1:09:25 > 1:09:31friend is right as you would expect from the member of Parliament who

1:09:31 > 1:09:37represents GCHQ. He is absolutely right about the offensive capacity

1:09:37 > 1:09:44that we may well need in the cyber area and I'm happy to assure him and

1:09:44 > 1:09:52the House we are indeed developing that.I would like to ask the

1:09:52 > 1:09:56minister if, without Mensing the new state pension, apprenticeships or

1:09:56 > 1:10:00stating the false hood that the Scottish Government can somehow fix

1:10:00 > 1:10:04the problem and begin the Prime Minister is a WASPI woman herself,

1:10:04 > 1:10:11how he can justify a rise of 413% in the number of women over the age of

1:10:11 > 1:10:1660 in receipt of ESA because of this Government's refusal to give them

1:10:16 > 1:10:23their pensions?As I applied to a previous question on this subject, I

1:10:23 > 1:10:27hope she would recognise the principle that is right, that we

1:10:27 > 1:10:32need, as we live longer, to move up the pension age. And she knows as

1:10:32 > 1:10:38well as I do, that actually, the Scottish Government does have the

1:10:38 > 1:10:43capacity to top up welfare payments. They like to sit here and deny this.

1:10:43 > 1:10:48In Holyrood, they know they could do this. As ever with the SNP, they

1:10:48 > 1:10:54should stop simply moaning in this chamber. They should go back to

1:10:54 > 1:10:56their own Government in Scotland and say if they want to do something,

1:10:56 > 1:11:08they should do it. Get on with the day job of running Scotland.I very

1:11:08 > 1:11:10# Welcome the Government's modern industrial strategy that was

1:11:10 > 1:11:14launched this week. Does my Right Honourable Friend agree that it's

1:11:14 > 1:11:19really going to be important as this country moves forward. We seek a

1:11:19 > 1:11:25global Britain in in creating more and better quality jobs? The point

1:11:25 > 1:11:29about the industrial strategy, which is a hugely important moment, is to

1:11:29 > 1:11:33create not just a stronger economy, but a fairer economy for decades to

1:11:33 > 1:11:37come. That's why it's looking forward to 2030. It is a long-term

1:11:37 > 1:11:42attempt to make sure that we have not just a global outward looking

1:11:42 > 1:11:47economy but a modern economy where we can capitalise on our huge

1:11:47 > 1:11:55research strengths and our huge intellectual strength to make sure

1:11:55 > 1:11:59we actually benefit commercially from that for decades to come.

1:11:59 > 1:12:05That's the route for rising prosperity.This Sunday, the 3rd

1:12:05 > 1:12:09December, is the year when international day of persons with a

1:12:09 > 1:12:15disability. So far, in Government has refused to carry out a

1:12:15 > 1:12:19cumulative impact assessment of its social security policies of people

1:12:19 > 1:12:23living with a disability. Will the First Secretary now mark this day by

1:12:23 > 1:12:27doing the right thing for disabled people and carry out a full,

1:12:27 > 1:12:34cumulative impact assessment?I'm sure the honourable lady, who has

1:12:34 > 1:12:39great expertise in this field will know that this Government is

1:12:39 > 1:12:43spending £90 billion on disability benefits. But, more to the point, we

1:12:43 > 1:12:48are being more successful than ever before in giving disabled people a

1:12:48 > 1:12:52degree of independence. Hundreds of thousands more disabled people are

1:12:52 > 1:12:59in work than have ever been before. We have a plan to have an extra

1:12:59 > 1:13:02million in work over the next ten years. That is an extremely

1:13:02 > 1:13:06important and practical way to improve the lives of hundreds of

1:13:06 > 1:13:09thousands of disabled people. That's what this Government is doing.

1:13:09 > 1:13:19That's what we'll continue to do. Given the President of Iran said

1:13:19 > 1:13:23they will not be the first country to breach the joint plan of action,

1:13:23 > 1:13:27can the First Secretary assure US-British diplomats are working

1:13:27 > 1:13:30hard in Washington DC to persuade our American friends it is in the

1:13:30 > 1:13:36interests of the West and Iran to uphold the JCPOA as a prelude to

1:13:36 > 1:13:42solving other regional problems?My honourable friend is right. We think

1:13:42 > 1:13:49the JCPOA is a very important part of attempting to improve conditions,

1:13:49 > 1:13:53not just between Iran and its neighbours but across the wider

1:13:53 > 1:13:57Middle East and we will continue to argue that case in all parts of the

1:13:57 > 1:14:07world.I too join in offering congratulations to Prince Harry and

1:14:07 > 1:14:11Meghan Markle on their engagements. One of the issues Prince Harry

1:14:11 > 1:14:15highlightnd and campaigned on is the issue of mental health. The invest

1:14:15 > 1:14:18for livecam pain in Northern Ireland is doing a fantastic job and

1:14:18 > 1:14:22highlighting the need for extra resources on that issue ewe. We join

1:14:22 > 1:14:27in that campaign and have secured extra resources. At a time when

1:14:27 > 1:14:30issues like that, mental health, education and all 9 rest need tor

1:14:30 > 1:14:34prioritised in Northern Ireland by a locally devolved Government working

1:14:34 > 1:14:38on these issues and representing the people of Northern Ireland, does the

1:14:38 > 1:14:42First Secretary of State agree it is a gross dereliction of

1:14:42 > 1:14:45responsibility for Sinn Fein to announce this week they are not

1:14:45 > 1:14:48going to engage in further discussions on the restoration of

1:14:48 > 1:14:53devolution? If that's the case, we now need to move quickly to restore

1:14:53 > 1:14:57accountability and ministers to the Northern Ireland Office to get on

1:14:57 > 1:14:59with the people's business of responsible Government in Northern

1:14:59 > 1:15:06Ireland?The right honourable gentleman will know that my Right

1:15:06 > 1:15:11Honourable Friend the Northern Ireland Secretary is working as hard

1:15:11 > 1:15:15as possible to restore democratic control to restore the Northern

1:15:15 > 1:15:21Ireland Executive. We all want to see proper he devolved Government

1:15:21 > 1:15:24restored in Northern Ireland. I think that will be by far the best

1:15:24 > 1:15:28thing for the people of Northern Ireland and this Government will

1:15:28 > 1:15:32continue to work tirelessly to that end.

1:15:32 > 1:15:42THE SPEAKER:Order.

1:16:21 > 1:16:27Is called Britain first. Many people regard Britain first as a fascist

1:16:27 > 1:16:34organisation. Certainly on the far, far right. These tweets purport to

1:16:34 > 1:16:42show Muslims committing crime. President Trump retweeted three

1:16:42 > 1:16:50posts by a Jada Fransom when he woke up this morning Washington time. The

1:16:50 > 1:16:55post includes unverified videos of Muslims destroy a statue of Virgin

1:16:55 > 1:17:00Mary. Muslims beat up boy on crutches. You get the sense of the

1:17:00 > 1:17:06kind of things. She's the Deputy Leader of Britain first. She's

1:17:06 > 1:17:11facing four charges, current Le out of bail facing four charges of

1:17:11 > 1:17:16causing religiously argue vated harassment as part of a Kent Police

1:17:16 > 1:17:20investigation into the distribution of leaflets and posting of online

1:17:20 > 1:17:24videos during a trial at Canterbury Crown Court in May. She's due to

1:17:24 > 1:17:29appear in court in Northern Ireland charged with using threatening and

1:17:29 > 1:17:36abusive language. In a speech she made in Belfast in August. Mr Trump

1:17:36 > 1:17:41has 43.6 million Twitter followers who have now by him been sent these

1:17:41 > 1:17:46videos from Britain first.

1:17:46 > 1:17:51What's your reaction to that?You're giving us the latest new. Britain

1:17:51 > 1:17:56first is an appalling organisation. I only hope he's made a mistake in

1:17:56 > 1:18:00retweeting some of this stuff. Very hard to comment without knowing the

1:18:00 > 1:18:05background of this contention.Mr Trump is due to visit this country

1:18:05 > 1:18:10in 2018? What does this do to that visit?Let's establish the full

1:18:10 > 1:18:14facts. At the end of the day...I've given you the full facts.He is

1:18:14 > 1:18:19still the President of the United States. If he choses to visit the

1:18:19 > 1:18:22country, he should be accorded the full respect of his office which is

1:18:22 > 1:18:27an important office. The US is a valuable ally. Nobody will defend

1:18:27 > 1:18:31that if the facts are as you set it out.This country spent six years

1:18:31 > 1:18:41fighting the Nazis. Do we really want to welcome to our shores a man

1:18:41 > 1:18:44who retweets fascist anti-Muslim propaganda?Well, I think we need to

1:18:44 > 1:18:49ascertain the full circumstances. I said I totally agree with you,

1:18:49 > 1:18:53Britain first is an appalling organisation. No-one would want to

1:18:53 > 1:18:58defend any of their actions or tweets. The information in the video

1:18:58 > 1:19:03is probably false anyway. Yeah, nobody wants to defend what they do

1:19:03 > 1:19:09and what they stand for. I agree with you, we celebrated Remembrance

1:19:09 > 1:19:13Day recently. We have a proud history of fighting Nazis and

1:19:13 > 1:19:18fascism in this country. We should stand by that.I think I'm right in

1:19:18 > 1:19:26saying, you may remember better, the man who murdered Jo Cox, who struck

1:19:26 > 1:19:32her down in cold blood, wasn't he shouting Britain First?I think he

1:19:32 > 1:19:36was. I don't want to say it for sure. But it is ringing bells. This

1:19:36 > 1:19:41is very concerning to hear. I think unfortunately this horrible racist

1:19:41 > 1:19:45material does circulate on the internet. It is extremely worrying

1:19:45 > 1:19:49to hear that response from Donald Trump. I must say, I felt, I don't

1:19:49 > 1:19:53know if others agree with this, his response to London attacks and the

1:19:53 > 1:19:58way he dealt with the London Mayor, a British elected politician, was

1:19:58 > 1:20:04absolutely appalling. We need to see strenuous comments now coming from

1:20:04 > 1:20:09the highest level in British Government. We cannot have another

1:20:09 > 1:20:15head of state closely involved with someone who is apparently, it seems,

1:20:15 > 1:20:18you've said now, supporting criminal material. That is potentially what

1:20:18 > 1:20:27this is. I hope the British Government will make clear

1:20:27 > 1:20:32representations. Just ignoring it is not good enough if what you said is

1:20:32 > 1:20:39the case.What is your view on Mr Trump visiting intoes shores?Labour

1:20:39 > 1:20:42was very concerned when there was a suggestion there would be a state

1:20:42 > 1:20:46visit for a whole variety of reasons, actually. I think we need

1:20:46 > 1:20:52to look at what kind of awrongmentes there will be made for his visit in

1:20:52 > 1:20:56light of these tweets.It was planned to be a scaled-down visit.

1:20:56 > 1:21:01Not a full state visit.Should that still go ahead?We need to look at

1:21:01 > 1:21:05this very carefully. He is the elect the President of the United States.

1:21:05 > 1:21:11Let's think about the impact this kind of material has. How an

1:21:11 > 1:21:14ordinary Muslim person will be feeling in the US seeing this kind

1:21:14 > 1:21:19of material being put out about them. I talked to my constituents. I

1:21:19 > 1:21:25know how hurtful they find it when they're misrepresented.The killer

1:21:25 > 1:21:31of Jo Cox was shouting Britain First. I've had that confirmed.

1:21:31 > 1:21:36Brendan Cox, the widow, he has Tweeted Mr Trump has legitimised far

1:21:36 > 1:21:43right in his own country. Now he's trying to do it in ours, spreading

1:21:43 > 1:21:47hatred has Conservativens kenss. -- consequences. The President should

1:21:47 > 1:21:52be ashamed of himself. In addition to the bizarre nature of the

1:21:52 > 1:21:56president of the greatest democracy in the world doing this sort of

1:21:56 > 1:22:01thing, it is a real problem for the British Government now, is it not?

1:22:01 > 1:22:07It really is. Many members of the British public would find this kind

1:22:07 > 1:22:12of thing utterly rePent. Certainly people in Government would find this

1:22:12 > 1:22:16completely and utterly rePent. He is the most important politician in the

1:22:16 > 1:22:24world. Perhaps the Chinese leader only has more power than him. It is

1:22:24 > 1:22:28a massive, massive dilemma. Britain is not in a position to suddenly

1:22:28 > 1:22:33say, we're not going to deal with this man, with his administration,

1:22:33 > 1:22:36somehow pull up the shutters and have nothing to do with the United

1:22:36 > 1:22:41States. Yet, they will want to, I would imagine, express a disapproval

1:22:41 > 1:22:50in the strongest possible terms.We saw tree a may struggling to find a

1:22:50 > 1:22:56balance of being a critical friend. If your friend you have tried to

1:22:56 > 1:22:59diplomatically criticise becomes over time more and more

1:22:59 > 1:23:03objectionable in the kind of things they're circulating, how do you

1:23:03 > 1:23:07calibrate that relationship? It is a very serious problem. Theresa May

1:23:07 > 1:23:11will be asked about this on her trip to the Middle East and until she

1:23:11 > 1:23:22gives some answer. It is very difficult.

1:23:28 > 1:23:32The American media is going to pore over this.I couldn't be bigger

1:23:32 > 1:23:41publicity. As you said 44 million followers on Twitter. I think that

1:23:41 > 1:23:45the deputy leader has responded saying, look the American President

1:23:45 > 1:23:50is circulating our stuff. So for those people in that political

1:23:50 > 1:23:57position, right out there, past the spectrum of what people find

1:23:57 > 1:24:02acceptable. This is manna for heaven for them. I fear this will become,

1:24:02 > 1:24:06it is clearly a big story and the British Government will be under

1:24:06 > 1:24:12pressure to respond in some way.I have been told that Britain First

1:24:12 > 1:24:20are retweeting the President's tweets to sew that they will say is

1:24:20 > 1:24:26the imprateur of the President.And give oxygen...What is the defence

1:24:26 > 1:24:33that it is called Britain First, which sounds nice, Britain First is

1:24:33 > 1:24:39good in a way, and he had no idea, what it was. Seeing as most people

1:24:39 > 1:24:45in the UK have probably never heard of it...He must have moan the

1:24:45 > 1:24:51nature of what was being tweeted. If didn't look at it. It has to be

1:24:51 > 1:24:56aware of the...Ignorance will be the only defence but it may be

1:24:56 > 1:25:01unconvincing.Exactly. I think sadly this is part of a pattern, we have

1:25:01 > 1:25:06heard what he said before about our country, that he has made incredibly

1:25:06 > 1:25:10offensive remarks about how he believes there have been terrorist

1:25:10 > 1:25:16attacks on our soil. And I don't think they are because of ignorance,

1:25:16 > 1:25:20he perhaps believes something that will lead to more popularity for him

1:25:20 > 1:25:25but he is increasing hatred to people in our society, in our

1:25:25 > 1:25:28country, ultimately it is our Government's role to defend our

1:25:28 > 1:25:31people, all British people, that has to be at the root of their response

1:25:31 > 1:25:36to this.London is the greatest multicultural city in the world, it

1:25:36 > 1:25:40is overtaking New York and Los Angeles, which were huge examples of

1:25:40 > 1:25:45multicultural...A house history. Kind of hard to welcome someone who

1:25:45 > 1:25:49tweets something like this to a city like this.It is, as Laura says we

1:25:49 > 1:25:53should look at the office and not the person occupying it. As you say

1:25:53 > 1:25:58America is the...It is a difficult one.We have to have, we welcome

1:25:58 > 1:26:04lots of people to this country whose policies...We have had ciao chess

1:26:04 > 1:26:09can in the past. Any more?I am not putting this in the same category,

1:26:09 > 1:26:14it is appall bug we have to have relations with the US.While Damian

1:26:14 > 1:26:20Green was standing in for the Prime Minister at PMQs, a story broke in

1:26:20 > 1:26:25the Standard, taking on the allegations in some way, I would

1:26:25 > 1:26:30suggest the timing is not a coincidence.One might imagine the

1:26:30 > 1:26:33editor is someone with a very advanced political brain of course.

1:26:33 > 1:26:38Just as he was getting to his feet and taking questions on that issue,

1:26:38 > 1:26:43particularly awkwardly from John Mann who has made such a record of

1:26:43 > 1:26:45fighting sexual harassment, particularly in Parliament, a

1:26:45 > 1:26:51standard journalist published a story including texts to her from

1:26:51 > 1:26:57Kate mall by the young journalist who says Damian Green made

1:26:57 > 1:27:02inappropriate advances to her, they appear to show Kate malt by is

1:27:02 > 1:27:07expressing concern last year back in 2016, pressing concern about what

1:27:07 > 1:27:11had happened suggesting he had hit on her to use the phrase while

1:27:11 > 1:27:16offering her a job.That is offering a job.That is the new bit of that

1:27:16 > 1:27:23seems to be alleged in these message, now Damian Green has never

1:27:23 > 1:27:29denied discussing Kate malt by's career, but there is new evidence in

1:27:29 > 1:27:33these connects -- tentings, these messages have already been passed to

1:27:33 > 1:27:38the Cabinet Office investigation into all of this.Into Mr Green.The

1:27:38 > 1:27:42Whitehall supremo ho is looking at this, does have this material, I

1:27:42 > 1:27:49also once that Kate Malby asked the standard not to publish in evidence

1:27:49 > 1:27:54at the moment. And in terms of the sensitivity round this

1:27:54 > 1:27:57investigation, it obviously does change the dynamic that some the

1:27:57 > 1:28:01evidence has bust into the public domain in this way, but as I

1:28:01 > 1:28:04understand it, she asked the Standard not to go ahead...But they

1:28:04 > 1:28:08went ahead.They went ahead. It is an important story they would see it

1:28:08 > 1:28:14in the context.It is not a text from Mr Green offering a jobs, it is

1:28:14 > 1:28:19a third party mentioning it. What they have published are texts from

1:28:19 > 1:28:23Kate to a friend of hers who happened to be a journalist,

1:28:23 > 1:28:28recounting what happened, a year ago, an of course, her backers and

1:28:28 > 1:28:31people like Helena Kennedy say she didn't just come up with this all of

1:28:31 > 1:28:37a sudden. We need to stop there. It is going to be a busy day for you.

1:28:37 > 1:28:47Whack that red butt top and we will find out who won guess the year

1:28:47 > 1:28:55No buttons were harmed in the making of this. 1998. That is it for today.

1:28:55 > 1:29:01A busy news day now, the One O'Clock News starting on BBC One. Jo will be

1:29:01 > 1:29:05back here tomorrow. I will be back Thursday night BBC One. Bye.