0:00:36 > 0:00:41Hello and welcome to the Daily Politics.
0:00:41 > 0:00:43Parliament's Brexit Committee says it can't see a solution
0:00:43 > 0:00:45to the negotiation sticking point of how the Irish border
0:00:45 > 0:00:48will work after Brexit.
0:00:48 > 0:00:50We'll talk to its chair Hilary Benn.
0:00:50 > 0:00:52Do you know your passporting from your equivalence?
0:00:52 > 0:00:55We'll look at the options for Britain's banking
0:00:55 > 0:00:57industry after Brexit.
0:00:57 > 0:00:59Whatever happened to the boundary review?
0:00:59 > 0:01:02MPs have already voted to decrease the number of constituency
0:01:02 > 0:01:05seats from 650 to 600, but a new bill seeks
0:01:05 > 0:01:07to up the numbers again.
0:01:07 > 0:01:10We'll work out what's going on.
0:01:10 > 0:01:13And it's December 1st and it's beginning to look
0:01:13 > 0:01:18a lot like Christmas.
0:01:18 > 0:01:20So, what should you get the political geek
0:01:20 > 0:01:21in your life this year?
0:01:21 > 0:01:28We'll have the Daily Politics comprehensive guide.
0:01:28 > 0:01:31All that in the next hour and with us for the duration
0:01:31 > 0:01:33Tim Montgomerie, Conservative writer and founder of the website
0:01:33 > 0:01:40UnHerd and Helen Lewis, Deputy Editor of the New Statesman.
0:01:40 > 0:01:41Thank you for coming in.
0:01:41 > 0:01:42Thank you for coming in.
0:01:42 > 0:01:45Now, in a video posted on Twitter last night Jeremy Corbyn
0:01:45 > 0:01:47launched a fresh assault on Britain's bankers.
0:01:47 > 0:01:49When bankers say the Labour Party is a threat, they're
0:01:49 > 0:01:50right, Mr Corbyn said.
0:01:50 > 0:01:51Let's take a look.
0:01:51 > 0:01:53Nurses, teachers, shop workers, builders, well, just about everyone,
0:01:53 > 0:01:57is finding it harder to get by while Morgan Stanley's CEO paid
0:01:57 > 0:02:01himself £21.5 million last year.
0:02:01 > 0:02:07And UK banks paid £15 billion in bonuses.
0:02:07 > 0:02:11Labour is a growing movement with well over half a million
0:02:11 > 0:02:15members and a government in waiting that will work for the many.
0:02:15 > 0:02:19So when they say we are a threat they are right.
0:02:19 > 0:02:22We are a threat to a damaging and failed system that
0:02:22 > 0:02:30is rigged for the few.
0:02:30 > 0:02:33Helen, we all know that Jeremy Corbyn is a socialist and does not
0:02:33 > 0:02:39need to persuade his supporters he is enemy of the banking sector,
0:02:39 > 0:02:45would it not be better for him to reach out to the financial
0:02:45 > 0:02:51community?They have been doing that. But first Labour has no big
0:02:51 > 0:02:55donors any more. They used to have Sainsbury's and people like that and
0:02:55 > 0:02:59they see themselves as a grassroots membership organisation funded by
0:02:59 > 0:03:07small donations.A vast number.They are not in hog with big business to
0:03:07 > 0:03:11that sense. Also the Tory party has thrown away some of its advantage
0:03:11 > 0:03:16with big business by supporting Brexit. People in the business
0:03:16 > 0:03:20community see it as a threat and a big disruption they would rather not
0:03:20 > 0:03:26happen. The Tories always seemed to have that idea that they were sound
0:03:26 > 0:03:29and stable with continuity and labour are reflected that. That has
0:03:29 > 0:03:35been eroded by Brexit.This was a video that Jeremy Corbyn put out on
0:03:35 > 0:03:40Twitter last night and he has been very effective to use social media
0:03:40 > 0:03:44to circumvent journalists. But he is also cover star, on the front cover
0:03:44 > 0:03:50of GQ magazine. Are we beginning to see the emergence of a coherent,
0:03:50 > 0:03:56perhaps convincing, media strategy? Using social media to motivate
0:03:56 > 0:04:03people and there he is on the GQ cover.Looking ministerial.Is this
0:04:03 > 0:04:09an effective strategy?It has been a phenomenon over the last few years,
0:04:09 > 0:04:13one I did not predict, how much Jeremy Corbyn's personality has
0:04:13 > 0:04:19underpinned Labour's success. They have a very radical agenda. If John
0:04:19 > 0:04:24McDonnell had been the leader and the front man for that, he is a much
0:04:24 > 0:04:28more aggressive character, I think it would have frightened people. But
0:04:28 > 0:04:32the guy who makes jam and has an allotment and who does not seem to
0:04:32 > 0:04:38get angry very much is almost the perfect front person for what is a
0:04:38 > 0:04:41radical agenda. The Conservatives need to get the focus much more on
0:04:41 > 0:04:45the policy issues and the dangers of Labour's economic policies and away
0:04:45 > 0:04:51from the personality. It is interesting how much labour is now
0:04:51 > 0:04:57going for a strategy that looks more Blairite than Momentum.And the
0:04:57 > 0:05:02control they exercise. The editor of GQ said he had never seen an
0:05:02 > 0:05:05operation quite like the media operation around Jeremy Corbyn. He
0:05:05 > 0:05:09will be chuffed with that?I think so, but they are also very defensive
0:05:09 > 0:05:17of him. His supporters as well feel very defensive about him. He was
0:05:17 > 0:05:20written off completely by the mainstream media and now they feel
0:05:20 > 0:05:25they have to protect him. This is where the accusations of cult
0:05:25 > 0:05:29personality come from because they feel personally he has come under
0:05:29 > 0:05:36intense attack. But Tim is right in the sense they have built a brand
0:05:36 > 0:05:40that is the brand he has got and the Tory attack that this man is
0:05:40 > 0:05:45dangerous, he will take you back to the 1970s and you think drain covers
0:05:45 > 0:05:49and jam and you can put them together, it did not work at the
0:05:49 > 0:05:53last election.I am struggling to put that together in my head as
0:05:53 > 0:05:53well!
0:05:53 > 0:05:55well!
0:05:55 > 0:05:57Now it is time for our daily quiz.
0:05:57 > 0:06:00Jeremy Corbyn is on the cover of this month's GQ magazine,
0:06:00 > 0:06:03but what make was the suit he was wearing for the photo shoot?
0:06:03 > 0:06:04A) Armani.
0:06:04 > 0:06:05B) Pre-mani, otherwise known as Primark.
0:06:05 > 0:06:07C) Dolce and Gabbana.
0:06:07 > 0:06:12D) Marks & Spencer.
0:06:12 > 0:06:17Do you know the answer?Yes.Do not say so now.
0:06:17 > 0:06:18Do not say so now.
0:06:18 > 0:06:20At the end of the show
0:06:20 > 0:06:21Tim and Helen will give
0:06:21 > 0:06:22us the correct answer.
0:06:22 > 0:06:26So as it's the first day of December we thought we'd take a look
0:06:26 > 0:06:29at our Brexit advent calender to see what festive treats will be in store
0:06:29 > 0:06:30for us in the coming days.
0:06:30 > 0:06:32There's a lot going on.
0:06:32 > 0:06:35This morning the Exiting the EU Committee publishes a report arguing
0:06:35 > 0:06:38they can't see how the problem of the Irish border can be solved,
0:06:38 > 0:06:40something that perhaps European Council President Donald Tusk
0:06:40 > 0:06:43and the Irish Taoiseach Leo Varadkar will talk about when they meet
0:06:43 > 0:06:45later today in Dublin.
0:06:45 > 0:06:48Next Monday Theresa May will meet EU Commission President
0:06:48 > 0:06:50Jean-Claude Juncker, where they will discuss
0:06:50 > 0:06:53the Prime Minister's revised offer on the divorce bill,
0:06:53 > 0:06:55and then on Wednesday the European Council
0:06:55 > 0:06:57and the European Commission will then meet behind closed doors
0:06:57 > 0:06:59to discuss Mrs May's proposal.
0:06:59 > 0:07:02Also on the 6th, Brexit Secretary David Davis will be in front
0:07:02 > 0:07:05of the Exiting the EU committee to face a grilling over his redacted
0:07:05 > 0:07:06impact assessments.
0:07:06 > 0:07:09The moment of truth will come a week later when all EU
0:07:09 > 0:07:11leaders meet in Brussels for the European Council summit.
0:07:11 > 0:07:14The meeting lasts for two days and the Prime Minister will be
0:07:14 > 0:07:17hoping that on the second day they will announce that enough has
0:07:17 > 0:07:20been agreed over money, the Irish border and EU citizens'
0:07:20 > 0:07:22rights so that they can move on to the second
0:07:22 > 0:07:28phase of the negotiations and start talking trade.
0:07:28 > 0:07:30Well, new Irish Deputy Prime Minister and also
0:07:30 > 0:07:33Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney was asked about the Brexit
0:07:33 > 0:07:34negotiations this morning.
0:07:34 > 0:07:37What the British government has been asking of the Irish government is
0:07:37 > 0:07:40just - trust us, we will solve these issues with a broad, bold trade
0:07:40 > 0:07:42agreement, so that may not be possible...
0:07:42 > 0:07:43Can I play you a clip?
0:07:43 > 0:07:45Can I play you a clip...
0:07:45 > 0:07:46Sorry to disrupt you...
0:07:46 > 0:07:47To finish the point, John...
0:07:47 > 0:07:49Yes, carry on?
0:07:49 > 0:07:52Sorry, I mean we cannot be asked here to leap into
0:07:52 > 0:07:55the dark.
0:07:55 > 0:07:58Well, Parliament's Brexit committee has a report out today on how
0:07:58 > 0:08:00the negotiations have been going.
0:08:00 > 0:08:03It says the Committee can't see how it will be possible to resolve
0:08:03 > 0:08:05the issue of having no border between Northern Ireland
0:08:05 > 0:08:07and the Republic with the government's policy of leaving
0:08:07 > 0:08:09the single market and customs union.
0:08:09 > 0:08:11The Chair of that committee, Labour's Hilary Benn,
0:08:11 > 0:08:14is in Central Lobby.
0:08:14 > 0:08:21Thank you very much, good afternoon. You say in your report that the
0:08:21 > 0:08:26proposals for the border are not tested. Is that not the whole point,
0:08:26 > 0:08:31we are in uncharted territory and we will not know how to solve it?We
0:08:31 > 0:08:35certainly are in uncharted territory because of the referendum result.
0:08:35 > 0:08:38But the decision to leave the customs union and the single market
0:08:38 > 0:08:47is not an inevitable conference consequence, it is a choice the
0:08:47 > 0:08:53government made. On the one hand the government has rejected that there
0:08:53 > 0:08:55should be no border, institutional arrangements and no infrastructure
0:08:55 > 0:08:59and we support that and the Irish government and everybody supports
0:08:59 > 0:09:03that. But we do not see how you can reconcile that with the other
0:09:03 > 0:09:05decision the government has made about leaving the customs union and
0:09:05 > 0:09:11the single market. Therefore we have called on the government to set out
0:09:11 > 0:09:14in more detail how it proposes to square that circle. What it
0:09:14 > 0:09:20published in the summer I'm talking about technology and a new customs
0:09:20 > 0:09:25partnership, was itself in the government's own words and tested.
0:09:25 > 0:09:30Clearly it has thus far not been sufficient to provide reassurance to
0:09:30 > 0:09:35the Irish government.What do you propose? What are your solid
0:09:35 > 0:09:39proposals for how to take this very complicated position with the two
0:09:39 > 0:09:45sides seem very far apart? What do you suggest?The Select Committee
0:09:45 > 0:09:49has not proposed a solution, we have identified the continuing nature of
0:09:49 > 0:09:54the problem. What would you suggest? The Select Committee has not reached
0:09:54 > 0:09:59a view on that. Personally as a Labour politician I would stay in
0:09:59 > 0:10:03the customs union, but that is not a solution the customs union has
0:10:03 > 0:10:08reached, the Select Committee has reached. The Select Committee has
0:10:08 > 0:10:12also said today we want to see the negotiations moved on to phase two
0:10:12 > 0:10:16because that may help to provide part of the answer to this question,
0:10:16 > 0:10:20depending on our future trading relationship, and we what the
0:10:20 > 0:10:22government to set out clearly, assuming the European Council gives
0:10:22 > 0:10:28the go-ahead, what seeking a deep and special partnership actually
0:10:28 > 0:10:32means. Michel Barnier will be asking them what they want. Parliament
0:10:32 > 0:10:37needs to know what the government's plan is.There were lots of well
0:10:37 > 0:10:41sourced reporters earlier in the week that the mood in Dublin is a
0:10:41 > 0:10:46lot of progress has been made on this issue. Doesn't your Select
0:10:46 > 0:10:51Committee report 48 hours late, behind the curve?We produced our
0:10:51 > 0:10:54report on the basis of information available to us at the time we
0:10:54 > 0:11:00finalised it. But if progress has been made, I am certain the Select
0:11:00 > 0:11:03Committee would welcome that because we also say we want to move on to
0:11:03 > 0:11:08phase two of the negotiations. Some things will move quite quickly,
0:11:08 > 0:11:12particularly when you have a deadline coming up. But this is
0:11:12 > 0:11:16clearly a fundamental problem which the government has recognised and
0:11:16 > 0:11:19the Irish government has recognised that and what the Irish government
0:11:19 > 0:11:23has been saying in recent weeks have indicated they were not at that
0:11:23 > 0:11:28point satisfied a solution could be found. I hope one can be that gets
0:11:28 > 0:11:32us through to phase two, but we will not see the final answer on the
0:11:32 > 0:11:38border until the negotiations are completed.Has the intervention of
0:11:38 > 0:11:44Leo Varadkar, the Irish Taoiseach, helped progress this argument?
0:11:44 > 0:11:47Critics of his say he is intransigent and has presented a
0:11:47 > 0:11:53problem. As he prevented you with a problem?The Irish government is
0:11:53 > 0:11:57looking after Ireland's interests and everybody wants to solve this
0:11:57 > 0:12:00problem, but it is a problem that has been put on the Republic of
0:12:00 > 0:12:03Ireland by the referendum result and by the government's decision to
0:12:03 > 0:12:09leave the customs union and the single market. That is why there is
0:12:09 > 0:12:12a difficulty. Ireland is particularly affected by Brexit and
0:12:12 > 0:12:16therefore it is appropriate that the Taoiseach should say we need to look
0:12:16 > 0:12:20after the interests of our country and in the end we have to reach an
0:12:20 > 0:12:25agreement not just between the UK and Ireland because Ireland is part
0:12:25 > 0:12:29of the 27 and the issue about the border is when we leave the European
0:12:29 > 0:12:33Union, this will be the external border of the 27 member states as it
0:12:33 > 0:12:37is in all of the other countries. That is why trying to find a
0:12:37 > 0:12:42solution, given the context, given the Good Friday Agreement and the
0:12:42 > 0:12:47fact there are 200 crossings with no border posts or checking at the
0:12:47 > 0:12:50moment, a practical benefit of the Good Friday Agreement, it is
0:12:50 > 0:12:54important we hang onto that, but we have to find a practical way forward
0:12:54 > 0:12:57and that is why we have called on the government to set out in more
0:12:57 > 0:13:02detail how it will solve it. What it has offered so far has not persuaded
0:13:02 > 0:13:05the Irish government or the Select Committee that you could square the
0:13:05 > 0:13:10circle.
0:13:10 > 0:13:16Jacob Rees Mogg reported that today's report Select Committee is
0:13:16 > 0:13:21split between those who voted to remain and those who voted to leave.
0:13:21 > 0:13:27It is a bit of a remain tinge.Well done for coming up with that! The
0:13:27 > 0:13:32vast majority of the report was agreed by consensus. We work very
0:13:32 > 0:13:36hard in the committees, I am sure Jacob will attest to that, to try
0:13:36 > 0:13:40and reach consensus. You look at the back of the report and you can see
0:13:40 > 0:13:44which sections were voted on and each member of the committee as an
0:13:44 > 0:13:48individual decides how they will cast their vote. We have a job of
0:13:48 > 0:13:52work to do as a committee to hold the government to account, to
0:13:52 > 0:13:57scrutinise the process of Brexit. In the past we have said there should
0:13:57 > 0:14:02be a vote for MPs and the government eventually agreed with that. We call
0:14:02 > 0:14:07for a conditional arrangement and the government is seeking those. We
0:14:07 > 0:14:10asked for a white paper on the negotiating objectives and that was
0:14:10 > 0:14:15given. We are seeking to have an influence on the process and we are
0:14:15 > 0:14:18working together as members despite the different views we held during
0:14:18 > 0:14:22the referendum last year.Thank you very much indeed.
0:14:22 > 0:14:23Thank you very much indeed.
0:14:23 > 0:14:26Joining us now is the Conservative MP and member of the Brexit Select
0:14:26 > 0:14:28Committee, Jacob Rees Mogg.
0:14:28 > 0:14:33You are an optimist, what is your solution?Can I agree with the last
0:14:33 > 0:14:37point that Hilary Benn was saying, he is a really good and patient
0:14:37 > 0:14:41chairman and there are areas of agreement and we do our best to
0:14:41 > 0:14:43agree, but the highlight of the report is inevitably the issues
0:14:43 > 0:14:48where we do not agree which is divided straight down the lines of
0:14:48 > 0:14:54how you divided and voted in the referendum. Select Committee report
0:14:54 > 0:14:57are powerful when they are unanimous, when they are not
0:14:57 > 0:15:03unanimous, it is straight party politics.What is your solution?The
0:15:03 > 0:15:09solution was set out very clearly by John Thomson who appeared in front
0:15:09 > 0:15:13of the Brexit Select Committee and he said he could implement the
0:15:13 > 0:15:17government's policy on not having any border, it was manageable, and
0:15:17 > 0:15:21if the border was imposed, that was a matter for the Irish government
0:15:21 > 0:15:27and the European Union. There was no need for any border in terms of UK
0:15:27 > 0:15:30Government policy and it is up to the Republic of Ireland and the
0:15:30 > 0:15:35European Union to decide if they want to impose one.
0:15:35 > 0:15:39Do you have confidence the proposed checks for technical solutions, a
0:15:39 > 0:15:44lot of people say that there is no need, there could be a frictionless
0:15:44 > 0:15:47border, are you confident that they will actually work? There are
0:15:47 > 0:15:52feelings in Dublin they could be a gift to insurgents?I think most of
0:15:52 > 0:15:56it is very straightforward, you can do customs declarations in the same
0:15:56 > 0:16:00way you do a VAT declaration. The transition becomes a tax point
0:16:00 > 0:16:05rather than a checkpoint. People pay their VAT by sending in a quarterly
0:16:05 > 0:16:10return and there is an exemption of £85,000 for VAT when you do not have
0:16:10 > 0:16:15to do this. The government suggested the exemption for customs should be
0:16:15 > 0:16:18£250,000 and then it's a question of whether people pay their taxes or
0:16:18 > 0:16:23not. That solution is very straightforward. At nontariff
0:16:23 > 0:16:27barriers, some things take place on an all Ireland basis already. So,
0:16:27 > 0:16:32animal hygiene is on an Au Ireland basis already. There's no need to
0:16:32 > 0:16:39break it up. The technological solutions are there -- or Ireland.
0:16:39 > 0:16:44We do not want to put tariffs on anybody, free trade is the
0:16:44 > 0:16:48opportunity of Brexit and we should not be looking to collect vast
0:16:48 > 0:16:53customs revenues.The DUP are kingmakers of this Parliament. Was
0:16:53 > 0:16:56it productive for them to say, to threaten, that they would remove
0:16:56 > 0:17:02their confidence in supply agreement?I think the issue that
0:17:02 > 0:17:05they correctly raised was we cannot have a situation when Northern
0:17:05 > 0:17:09Ireland is taken away from the United Kingdom. Northern Ireland is
0:17:09 > 0:17:14as much a part of the UK as Somerset and that is the position of
0:17:14 > 0:17:17conservatives and unionists.Was it damaging to the government and its
0:17:17 > 0:17:20wider agenda that the confidence and supply agreement we have could
0:17:20 > 0:17:28potentially be undermined by the DUP?This party is the main party of
0:17:28 > 0:17:32government, the unionist bid is essential. There is no majority
0:17:32 > 0:17:37within the Conservative Party, let alone in the DUP, to break up the
0:17:37 > 0:17:39United Kingdom, to meet the requirements of the Prime Minister
0:17:39 > 0:17:44of Ireland. I think what the DUP said is pretty standard conservative
0:17:44 > 0:17:50policy.Tim, based on what we have seen so far on Brexit negotiations
0:17:50 > 0:17:56progressing, as Britain got up to the job of finding a solution for
0:17:56 > 0:17:59this vexing issue?These negotiations are very hard, what
0:17:59 > 0:18:02they have revealed more than anything else is how fragile and
0:18:02 > 0:18:07insecure and organisation the EU is. A competent institution would not be
0:18:07 > 0:18:11so difficult in these negotiations. It is so worried about losing other
0:18:11 > 0:18:17members it is having to be so difficult with the UK. And the Irish
0:18:17 > 0:18:22border issue. It is much easier to solve this issue if trade talks are
0:18:22 > 0:18:26happening concurrently with other issues. Because the EU is so
0:18:26 > 0:18:32obsessed with the money issue, because the budget position of the
0:18:32 > 0:18:37EU is so weak, we are in difficult positions where the Irish government
0:18:37 > 0:18:41is playing politics. Sinn Fein tries to run a harder line on this issue
0:18:41 > 0:18:46and the Prime Minister of Ireland feels they have to play the game
0:18:46 > 0:18:52too. It's a principal game we have to take from this. I think this can
0:18:52 > 0:18:57be solved. There is every possibility that towards the end of
0:18:57 > 0:19:02negotiations, one country, remember how the EU Canada agreement was
0:19:02 > 0:19:07almost held to ransom? There a poll Maka cup possibility one country can
0:19:07 > 0:19:12do that again. We had to prepare for no deal -- there is a possibility
0:19:12 > 0:19:16one country can do that again.You are flanked by optimists on all
0:19:16 > 0:19:20sides, it sounds straightforward, do you share their optimism?Not about
0:19:20 > 0:19:24the idea of the deal if you want to stay outside of the customs union.
0:19:24 > 0:19:27The simple solution is to stay in the customs union, I do not believe
0:19:27 > 0:19:31that leave voters in the country believe they voted on the basis that
0:19:31 > 0:19:38they wanted to unlock the wonderful potential of trade deals.95% of
0:19:38 > 0:19:42economic growth is outside of the European Union.And the trading
0:19:42 > 0:19:46block is right next to us, Australia is quite far away. But the point is
0:19:46 > 0:19:49I think it is one of those situations where people in Britain
0:19:49 > 0:19:52would think, why are we having this enormous row about something that is
0:19:52 > 0:19:58an obsession for the Tory party and that nobody cares about?This charge
0:19:58 > 0:20:01has been levelled at you repeatedly over the last few years. Is the
0:20:01 > 0:20:08obsession of a particular wing of the Tory party impeding the finding
0:20:08 > 0:20:12of an easy and pragmatic solution? The customs union is a protectionist
0:20:12 > 0:20:15racket
0:20:15 > 0:20:17The customs union is a protectionist racket, and it puts up the prices of
0:20:17 > 0:20:22food, clothing and footwear. These hit the poorest in our country the
0:20:22 > 0:20:26most because the largest portion of their spending goes on food,
0:20:26 > 0:20:30clothing and footwear, compared to the richer in society.And the
0:20:30 > 0:20:34poorest people in the world, Africa. It discriminates against imports
0:20:34 > 0:20:41from some of the poorest countries in the world. It impoverishes the
0:20:41 > 0:20:45poorest. To get out the customs union will be an advantage for
0:20:45 > 0:20:48Brexit and will be good for the people in this country but also help
0:20:48 > 0:20:52poor countries elsewhere in the world. The customs union is a
0:20:52 > 0:20:55disgrace and a blot on the reputation of the EU. And it has got
0:20:55 > 0:21:00a reputation.I think this is a munificent and charitable
0:21:00 > 0:21:03organisation
0:21:08 > 0:21:12-- I do not think this is in the mind of most leave voters. You will
0:21:12 > 0:21:17hear a lot about respecting the referendum but we need to hear more
0:21:17 > 0:21:21about what drove the referendum. I think it was economics and
0:21:21 > 0:21:31immigration, not free trade.We set our own tariffs, this is really
0:21:31 > 0:21:36important. In the WTO, you register your tariffs with the WTO. We could
0:21:36 > 0:21:40put zero on food, zero on clothing and Sarah and footwear. I tell you
0:21:40 > 0:21:46what, we will get you guys together to talk about it -- zero on
0:21:46 > 0:21:51footwear.Damian Green has been in use a former college at detective
0:21:51 > 0:21:54told the BBC today that he was shocked by the amount of pornography
0:21:54 > 0:21:59viewed on the computer from his office many years ago. Damian Green
0:21:59 > 0:22:05denies the allegations, Evening Standard say that friends of David
0:22:05 > 0:22:10Davis say he may resign over this issue. Can I ask, what explains the
0:22:10 > 0:22:13timing of this investigation into Damian Green?I think the real
0:22:13 > 0:22:17scandal here goes back to what happened when Damian Green's office
0:22:17 > 0:22:24was searched, a political enquiry by the police. It was outrageous and
0:22:24 > 0:22:28unconstitutional that an opposition member of Parliament had his offices
0:22:28 > 0:22:31raided that information stolen from the convenience of the then
0:22:31 > 0:22:37government...That may be the real scandal...It is...But right now...
0:22:37 > 0:22:41Patients, I am coming to your question.It is a scandal from some
0:22:41 > 0:22:47years ago. What explains the timing of it now? Many people say that
0:22:47 > 0:22:51Damian Green has been targeted because of his closeness to a Prime
0:22:51 > 0:22:55Minister that is currently weak.The point of origin is really important
0:22:55 > 0:23:03because as a general principle of law, evidence from illegal searches
0:23:03 > 0:23:05is not permissible. The police behaved disgracefully,
0:23:05 > 0:23:09they raided an opposition minister's offices and the House of Commons.
0:23:09 > 0:23:16It's a real scandal and now police, or ex-police, using information
0:23:16 > 0:23:20obtained improperly to damage a politician. What we should be asking
0:23:20 > 0:23:24about is the politicisation of the police force under the last Labour
0:23:24 > 0:23:27government, not about Damian Green. It's a police force under this
0:23:27 > 0:23:31government revealing confidential information...These are retired
0:23:31 > 0:23:37police officers, so it is not.And Davis Dave -- and David Davies, if
0:23:37 > 0:23:41he leaves, is it a credible threat that he should resign?Why should he
0:23:41 > 0:23:47resign?But if he did... I'm not asking if he showed that if he did,
0:23:47 > 0:23:50would it damage the government?I've heard no rumours about him
0:23:50 > 0:23:54resigning, he said very important member of this government and has
0:23:54 > 0:23:58great support across the country. I could not see any reason for him to
0:23:58 > 0:24:02resign.It's on the front of the Evening Standard... Not for the
0:24:02 > 0:24:07first time in a few months, it will be interesting reading!They are
0:24:07 > 0:24:11very odd views, and likes freezer bags...Jacob Rees-Mogg, thank you
0:24:11 > 0:24:13very much for coming in.
0:24:13 > 0:24:16Now, MPs will today debate an issue which affects all of them -
0:24:16 > 0:24:17parliamentary constituency boundaries.
0:24:17 > 0:24:20You could be forgiven for thinking the matter had been settled.
0:24:20 > 0:24:23Parliament voted in 2011 to reduce the number of MPs and equalise
0:24:23 > 0:24:26the electorates to about 74,000 people per constituency.
0:24:26 > 0:24:29The new system should have been used for the 2015 general election
0:24:29 > 0:24:31but the coalition government couldn't agree.
0:24:31 > 0:24:33Today a private member's Bill sponsored by the Labour backbencher
0:24:33 > 0:24:36Afzal Khan seeks to reverse the government's plans to reduce
0:24:36 > 0:24:38the size of the House from 650 MPs to 600.
0:24:38 > 0:24:40Instead the bill would aim to equalise the size of constituencies
0:24:40 > 0:24:41based on population.
0:24:41 > 0:24:49Emma is in central lobby for us.
0:24:49 > 0:24:52That's right, under the current government plans, it could lead to a
0:24:52 > 0:24:57real scramble for seats, if the number of MPs is reduced by 50. But
0:24:57 > 0:25:02I'm here with a man who says, don't do that. Keep the number of MPs the
0:25:02 > 0:25:06same they change the constituencies so they have roughly the same number
0:25:06 > 0:25:10of voters. Labour's Afzal Khan has the second reading of his Private
0:25:10 > 0:25:13members bill in the Commons today and Mark Harper also joins me, the
0:25:13 > 0:25:18minister in charge of the coalition when these original government plans
0:25:18 > 0:25:22were written up. Let me ask the original intention of the government
0:25:22 > 0:25:25plans was to save money. We cut the number of MPs here, and I'm the
0:25:25 > 0:25:31country will still take over, why not just do that?My feeling is that
0:25:31 > 0:25:34currently the government does not have a majority. There are people
0:25:34 > 0:25:38from all sorts of parties, including their own sites, unhappy with the
0:25:38 > 0:25:42change. The government say they want to save money but what they are
0:25:42 > 0:25:47actually trying to do is reduce MPs in Parliament but keep their own
0:25:47 > 0:25:50executive power at the same level with the number of voters that they
0:25:50 > 0:25:59have. In reality, there are 260 unelected peers in the House of
0:25:59 > 0:26:05Lords. That costs 136 million. Are they going with this? It doesn't add
0:26:05 > 0:26:08up. I'm tried to build consensus where we can bring all the different
0:26:08 > 0:26:14parties together so we can have necessary changes.And Mike Harper,
0:26:14 > 0:26:18that this damage democracy? Why isn't this a sensible suggestion?
0:26:18 > 0:26:22The root cause of why we brought forward these proposals in the first
0:26:22 > 0:26:27place and the present law to reduce the number of MPs is simple. We want
0:26:27 > 0:26:34constituencies to be broadly equal size, plus or so constituents are
0:26:34 > 0:26:38equally represented across the country. We thought it was sensible
0:26:38 > 0:26:42in the wake of the expenses scandal to reduce the number of MPs, the
0:26:42 > 0:26:48House of Commons is one of the largest parliaments. The cost of the
0:26:48 > 0:26:53House of Lords has come down, I was a minister who wanted to bring
0:26:53 > 0:26:57forward proposals to elect the other place but they never went through.
0:26:57 > 0:27:01We have a boundary commission that is going to report next October, and
0:27:01 > 0:27:04Parliament will be able to vote on specific proposals. The problem with
0:27:04 > 0:27:10this bill, we kick it into the long grass again. It's the second or
0:27:10 > 0:27:14third time the Labour Party has tried to push this into the future
0:27:14 > 0:27:19because they don't want to equalise the sizes of those constituencies in
0:27:19 > 0:27:23practice. It is an important principle that voters, wherever they
0:27:23 > 0:27:27are in the country, are equally represented in parliament.It was
0:27:27 > 0:27:31the original plans would benefit Conservatives more.Is this about
0:27:31 > 0:27:37Labour trying to protect it?It's not true, the bottom line is, we
0:27:37 > 0:27:42have people from across, including the Conservative Party, it isn't
0:27:42 > 0:27:48simply about the Labour Party, I think it's much fairer. There's the
0:27:48 > 0:27:54idea, of course, we are against that but the point is there's a real life
0:27:54 > 0:27:58outside that by having this variation which is 7.5%, it allows
0:27:58 > 0:28:02us to adapt and keep communities together. Do not forget that we are
0:28:02 > 0:28:06here to serve the community and if we break it up, that's the people
0:28:06 > 0:28:11who lose out and we want to protect it.Do people outside this house
0:28:11 > 0:28:15really care? Even about what a constituency is or how big it is,
0:28:15 > 0:28:19making sure that the people do the job? Does it matter to voters
0:28:19 > 0:28:25whether we reduce or keep the same number?It's important that voters
0:28:25 > 0:28:28outside feel equally represented. Some constituencies only have 40,000
0:28:28 > 0:28:39in -- 40,000 voters.Why not change the shape?You need to keep them
0:28:39 > 0:28:45broadly equal in size, and Afzal 's bill this morning widens things out
0:28:45 > 0:28:48a bit. But we also thought it was right to reduce numbers of
0:28:48 > 0:28:54Parliament. We thought it was sensible, and it was one of the most
0:28:54 > 0:28:58popular policies that the coalition brought forward and if the answer to
0:28:58 > 0:29:00the question you are asking is, let's have more members of
0:29:00 > 0:29:04Parliament, I do not think it is the right question.How much money would
0:29:04 > 0:29:11be saved?£66 million over Parliament, you can argue it is not
0:29:11 > 0:29:15the largest sum in the wild but it isn't a trivial sum of money. It can
0:29:15 > 0:29:20then be spent on public services. Your plans wouldn't do that?But it
0:29:20 > 0:29:25would make sure we maintain the balance. We need to make sure that
0:29:25 > 0:29:30the member of Parliament is here -- members of Parliament here can hold
0:29:30 > 0:29:34them to account, you can try and reduce MPs to a smaller number and
0:29:34 > 0:29:39this is where the relationship breaks down. This is why they do not
0:29:39 > 0:29:44have it. It isn't just the Labour Party but all parties are saying it
0:29:44 > 0:29:49is not right and MPs onside to say this. What I am saying is sensible.
0:29:49 > 0:29:53It does have support. We can still go ahead. We are quite happy with
0:29:53 > 0:30:00it. When the review went against us, we did not block it. We took it
0:30:00 > 0:30:04through. I do not think it is fair to say that we do not want it
0:30:04 > 0:30:08reviewed. We do. We want to maintain that.Where you will see what
0:30:08 > 0:30:13happens with your plans in the House of Commons today. Thank you to both
0:30:13 > 0:30:16of you. The current government proposals to reduce numbers of MPs
0:30:16 > 0:30:21could take effect if this goes ahead by the next election in 2022 unless
0:30:21 > 0:30:26Labour plans derailed this...Thank you very much indeed.
0:30:26 > 0:30:31The impetus behind boundary changes was partly to do with costs to
0:30:31 > 0:30:35Parliament. It arose after the expenses scandal, MPs were despised
0:30:35 > 0:30:40even more than perhaps they are now. Is the urgency behind this issue,
0:30:40 > 0:30:44has it gone?I think there are bigger issues at the moment. £66
0:30:44 > 0:30:47million is a lot of money but compared to the sums that the
0:30:47 > 0:30:51government had to deal with, it is relatively small. I'm very
0:30:51 > 0:30:55sympathetic to the Labour argument, in some respects, that the real
0:30:55 > 0:31:01Robin is the House of Lords. Outside of the people's Republic of China,
0:31:01 > 0:31:06is the biggest legislative body in the world. Costs are beginning to be
0:31:06 > 0:31:11controlled but it is unelected Lords and people turning up and not
0:31:11 > 0:31:14working particularly hard, many do but many don't, but that is the real
0:31:14 > 0:31:23affront to the
0:31:23 > 0:31:29Isn't the issue with boundary changes?And when MPs potentially
0:31:29 > 0:31:33lose their seats, they will resist any changes that could put them out
0:31:33 > 0:31:42of a job?At the moment when the DUP came in, the boundary changes were
0:31:42 > 0:31:47dead as a dodo because the DUP would be affected by it. The boundary
0:31:47 > 0:31:53changes only create obvious losers. Structurally Labour has got a small
0:31:53 > 0:31:56advantage and the idea of a reduction would not be one that
0:31:56 > 0:32:01finds favour with Labour. Who is left to vote for it? There is a
0:32:01 > 0:32:07problem. It is mad in 2017 were to have hereditary peers and people who
0:32:07 > 0:32:13can clock in once every couple of months and treated as a gentleman's
0:32:13 > 0:32:17club. Lots of peers worked very hard and their influence is useful and we
0:32:17 > 0:32:22could just have them and not the other guys.This bill will not get
0:32:22 > 0:32:26through.It speaks about the big problem which is there really very
0:32:26 > 0:32:29little domestic legislation because people are desperately trying to
0:32:29 > 0:32:32hang bits and pieces where they can and get through private members
0:32:32 > 0:32:39bills because Brexit has crowded everything out.It is a shame
0:32:39 > 0:32:44because after Grenfell in particular there was something of a chat about
0:32:44 > 0:32:48a big impact on housing. There was a possibility for Labour and the
0:32:48 > 0:32:52Tories to get together on building Council houses. The Communities
0:32:52 > 0:32:58Secretary was open to that possibility, Sajiv Javid. My concern
0:32:58 > 0:33:01about Theresa May is she is not a bold thinker and she has not been
0:33:01 > 0:33:06able to see opportunities out of a tragedy like Grenfell to say let's
0:33:06 > 0:33:13fix something so these people did not die in vain.On the issue of
0:33:13 > 0:33:15making Parliament feel more accountable, why is there not more
0:33:15 > 0:33:21of a momentum behind reforming the House of Lords? Clearly it stirs
0:33:21 > 0:33:28passions on both sides of the House and people on both sides of the
0:33:28 > 0:33:31divide say there is a problem, but people are not talking about the
0:33:31 > 0:33:38House of Lords.Weirdly housing is another very good example of this,
0:33:38 > 0:33:42something that creates a lot of specific users, but a disparate
0:33:42 > 0:33:47group of winners and that is very hard to deal with in politics. If
0:33:47 > 0:33:50you build more houses, lots of people would have their back garden
0:33:50 > 0:33:53overlooked by a tower block and there would not like that, but the
0:33:53 > 0:33:57people who would win from that currently do not have a vote through
0:33:57 > 0:34:03the planning system. Actual physical human beings would be rejected out
0:34:03 > 0:34:09of the laws, but the improvement of democracy is harder to quantify.
0:34:09 > 0:34:14Maybe the improvement of democracy is what we talk about but nobody
0:34:14 > 0:34:17else.
0:34:17 > 0:34:20Now, Chief EU Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier says British banks
0:34:20 > 0:34:23will lose their coveted "passporting rights" when Britain leaves the EU.
0:34:23 > 0:34:25These passports allow banks to serve clients across the EU
0:34:25 > 0:34:27without the need for licences in individual countries.
0:34:27 > 0:34:29So, should we be concerned that powerful banks may
0:34:29 > 0:34:30move their headquarters outside London?
0:34:30 > 0:34:32Or is this all a fuss over nothing?
0:34:32 > 0:34:35Emma Vardy has been looking at the options for Britain's
0:34:35 > 0:34:38financial services' industry after Brexit.
0:34:38 > 0:34:42It's a massive money spinner for the UK, the banking industry
0:34:42 > 0:34:46and the City of London has long been the envy of other countries,
0:34:46 > 0:34:49and it's underpinned by passporting.
0:34:49 > 0:34:52It's been particularly important in wholesale and commercial banking,
0:34:52 > 0:34:56in allowing a bank to be registered in one country in the EU
0:34:56 > 0:34:59but to provide its services to corporates, in particular,
0:34:59 > 0:35:03and financial institutions in another country in the EU
0:35:03 > 0:35:05without having to set up permanently and be locally regulated
0:35:05 > 0:35:08in that other country.
0:35:08 > 0:35:12The loss of passporting has been a serious concern for the city.
0:35:12 > 0:35:15More than 5000 British firms rely on these rights to bring in some
0:35:15 > 0:35:19£9 billion of revenue every year.
0:35:19 > 0:35:21And the taxes generated here, say bankers, help to pay
0:35:21 > 0:35:24for our public services.
0:35:24 > 0:35:26Any damage to the sector could have a serious effect
0:35:26 > 0:35:29on the overall British economy.
0:35:29 > 0:35:33But some believe that there are incentives for the UK and the EU
0:35:33 > 0:35:37to find a post Brexit solution that works for both sides.
0:35:37 > 0:35:41European firms will continue to want to access the services that
0:35:41 > 0:35:44London provides and I think, from a political point of view,
0:35:44 > 0:35:47that the EU will actually want to have some form of influence
0:35:47 > 0:35:51and dialogue with the UK about how those services are regulated
0:35:51 > 0:35:54because they will be systemically important to their economies,
0:35:54 > 0:35:58despite the fact we will be outside of the EU.
0:35:58 > 0:36:01Speaking to the Treasury Select Committee last month,
0:36:01 > 0:36:09the Chancellor Philip Hammond said that after we lose the UK's
0:36:09 > 0:36:11passporting rights, some form of what is called enhanced
0:36:11 > 0:36:14equivalence will be sought instead.
0:36:14 > 0:36:16Most people in the sector accept that passporting will not be
0:36:16 > 0:36:20the future route but some form of enhanced equivalence
0:36:20 > 0:36:24within a framework that recognises international standards and that
0:36:24 > 0:36:28gives businesses appropriate levels of certainty is going
0:36:28 > 0:36:31to be the way forward.
0:36:31 > 0:36:35This word "Equivalence" is what some are hoping will save the day.
0:36:35 > 0:36:37The idea that if the UK continues to adopt the same
0:36:37 > 0:36:40standards as the EU, than the European regulator may
0:36:40 > 0:36:44continue to allow UK-based financial firms to keep operating the way
0:36:44 > 0:36:47that they do now.
0:36:47 > 0:36:49The problem is, at the moment there is no certainty
0:36:49 > 0:36:52as to what the EU may agree to.
0:36:52 > 0:36:55Some companies are already hedging their bets.
0:36:55 > 0:36:57There's no question that the large wholesale banks in London
0:36:57 > 0:37:01are making their contingency plans.
0:37:01 > 0:37:04If they don't know what is going to happen in March 2019,
0:37:04 > 0:37:06they will be forced to start relocating their operations
0:37:06 > 0:37:07into continental Europe.
0:37:07 > 0:37:10Many have already taken premises, and are in the process of beginning
0:37:10 > 0:37:14to transfer people and hire locally, that will begin in January 2018
0:37:14 > 0:37:21in order to be certain to be up and running by March 2019.
0:37:21 > 0:37:23Until then, when talks do move on to trade,
0:37:23 > 0:37:28the city will be watching closely...
0:37:28 > 0:37:30Emma Vardy reporting.
0:37:30 > 0:37:33Well to discuss banking after Brexit we're joined by the head
0:37:33 > 0:37:39of Bloomberg Economics, Stephanie Flanders.
0:37:39 > 0:37:43Thank you for coming in. Is it fair to say that the response to Brexit
0:37:43 > 0:37:48so far from the banking sector has not been as apocalyptic as some doom
0:37:48 > 0:37:54mongers fear?There are quite a lot of the big leaders of the banks and
0:37:54 > 0:37:59the big American banks who have based themselves in London. I have
0:37:59 > 0:38:02had conversations with them over the course of this year where the
0:38:02 > 0:38:07initial numbers they had for how many people would end leaving, are
0:38:07 > 0:38:13dialling down in terms of the initial phase. But firstly they are
0:38:13 > 0:38:18not waiting to find out about the transition or fingers crossed for
0:38:18 > 0:38:22the negotiations. They are still making their plans now, particularly
0:38:22 > 0:38:27for the disaster scenario where you do not have a clear path out and a
0:38:27 > 0:38:31transition. They are doing things now, they are moving people now,
0:38:31 > 0:38:34they are not waiting for the negotiations. On the initial day
0:38:34 > 0:38:42after Brexit, assuming it is not a real cliff edge situation, that
0:38:42 > 0:38:47there is a deal, I think you might find that we will still find London
0:38:47 > 0:38:51is the dominant financial centre of Europe for quite some time. Whether
0:38:51 > 0:38:55that is the case in ten or 20 years when regulations have changed and
0:38:55 > 0:39:01when banks have adapted, I am not so sure. The initial day one change may
0:39:01 > 0:39:06not be so dramatic.Is that not what businesses do anyway? The negative
0:39:06 > 0:39:16impact of the UK's vote to leave the EU is materially less. It looks to
0:39:16 > 0:39:20have stabilised activity. That may be sufficient for the GDP to avoid a
0:39:20 > 0:39:25modest contraction.They were talking about the economy and not
0:39:25 > 0:39:28necessarily the financial system. There are fundamental changes for
0:39:28 > 0:39:35the financial systems, especially legal organisation to continue to
0:39:35 > 0:39:38operate. The short-term impact of the referendum was not what
0:39:38 > 0:39:42economists thought. But if you look at the growth rate now and how it
0:39:42 > 0:39:53has slowed, it has had a significant dent.And how seriously do people in
0:39:53 > 0:39:58the financial sector take the possibility of a no deal?The bag of
0:39:58 > 0:40:03England flagged up early this week in a report and there is this legal
0:40:03 > 0:40:09certainty question. Apart from where people are based there are about $26
0:40:09 > 0:40:12trillion worth about outstanding derivative contracts and half of
0:40:12 > 0:40:17which are due to run on past 2019. If we do not know what regulations
0:40:17 > 0:40:23will be there to enforce those contracts, you could find financial
0:40:23 > 0:40:26institutions in impossible situations. Things like that are
0:40:26 > 0:40:32more of a short-term concern than the long-term future.As a Brexit
0:40:32 > 0:40:37supporter you must acknowledge that there will be huge upsets in the
0:40:37 > 0:40:43financial sector and it is bad news for the Chancellor of the extract.
0:40:43 > 0:40:46Businesses dislike uncertainty and this is the moment where uncertainty
0:40:46 > 0:40:51is at the peak because trade talks have not even begun. Overall there
0:40:51 > 0:40:55are so many positive signs. You have Deutsche Bank reconfirming that
0:40:55 > 0:41:00London will be the principal place where they do business. London has
0:41:00 > 0:41:04so many advantages in terms of its cultural richness, its
0:41:04 > 0:41:08infrastructure, as well as the conglomeration of financial,
0:41:08 > 0:41:13accountancy and legal practices. And the language. It is not as if there
0:41:13 > 0:41:20is an obvious alternative Paris, Frankfurt, Amsterdam? The services
0:41:20 > 0:41:24and institutions are so spread across the continent no one can
0:41:24 > 0:41:29watch London. London is the only place Europe has versus Shanghai,
0:41:29 > 0:41:35Hong Kong or New York. It will take something of an earthquake. We
0:41:35 > 0:41:39should not be complacent and we need to ensure our tax and regulatory
0:41:39 > 0:41:43systems keep London competitive. But as the Bank of England Governor has
0:41:43 > 0:41:48warned, not an enthusiast for Brexit, he has warned Europe don't
0:41:48 > 0:41:54damage your's only real chance of having a global, financial centre.
0:41:54 > 0:41:58Tim is right, there is an ecosystem in London that has not been
0:41:58 > 0:42:02replicated anywhere else. You could argue potentially New York, but
0:42:02 > 0:42:05nowhere else in the world has combined all of these industries
0:42:05 > 0:42:09together. It is like this ecosystem or coral reef where everything is
0:42:09 > 0:42:15feeding on each other. But we could gradually over time lose that and it
0:42:15 > 0:42:18will not be replicated in any other single city. It will all go to
0:42:18 > 0:42:24different parts of Europe like Frankfurt, Paris, Dublin, Amsterdam.
0:42:24 > 0:42:29It could disappear, business could not happen because Europe does not
0:42:29 > 0:42:32have a place that ticks all the boxes in a way that London does.
0:42:32 > 0:42:37That is the worry. We will lose something for ever and quite a lot
0:42:37 > 0:42:42of business will not happen that would have happened.What do you
0:42:42 > 0:42:47think the public will make of this idea? Emma's film was about par
0:42:47 > 0:42:51sporting rights and exemptions for people who are quite wealthy. Will
0:42:51 > 0:42:55the public be sympathetic to that on pragmatic grounds? We need to soften
0:42:55 > 0:42:59the transition. But will they say why should there be different rules
0:42:59 > 0:43:05for different folks?That is what Jeremy Corbyn talked about at the
0:43:05 > 0:43:09top of the hour. There is a feeling the mood has changed and there is
0:43:09 > 0:43:15less indulgence. You can see a lot of our politics through the lens of
0:43:15 > 0:43:19post-crash politics and there is still residual anger. Who are the
0:43:19 > 0:43:22politicians making the case to people that are strong, resilient
0:43:22 > 0:43:43financial sector is in the interest of people who do not feel they have
0:43:43 > 0:43:44seen any of the proceeds of that in the last ten or 15 years?Which
0:43:44 > 0:43:51politicians are championing the financial sector at the moment?
0:43:51 > 0:43:53There are none. I would say Philip Hammond is the closest you have had
0:43:53 > 0:43:57to a proponent and a defender of the city. People are trying to keep
0:43:57 > 0:44:02quite a lot of staff here, people want to stay here, except those who
0:44:02 > 0:44:07have been offered tax breaks to go back to Italy and France. But if we
0:44:07 > 0:44:15have a Labour government which is explicit in raising taxes on the
0:44:15 > 0:44:21financial sector, it is a bit harder.How hard are you finding to
0:44:21 > 0:44:28win the argument that the short-term pain in Brexit will be worth it
0:44:28 > 0:44:33because of a game in the medium and long-term? Is that getting for you
0:44:33 > 0:44:38to argue?There was an interesting poll that asked voters what they
0:44:38 > 0:44:55thought the long-term outlook was. They thought it would be OK.
0:45:15 > 0:45:18I think Britain is in a good position in the long run and voters,
0:45:18 > 0:45:25more than people in Westminster that we inhabit, they do not obsessed
0:45:25 > 0:45:30about the twists and turns of these negotiations and ultimately they
0:45:30 > 0:45:39think that slogan, taking control and being in control, is funny.But
0:45:39 > 0:45:43people thinking about the global economy and world finance, we had
0:45:43 > 0:45:47years where people had nothing but bad things to say about the
0:45:47 > 0:45:50Eurozone, the included. It's terribly lethargic, not been able to
0:45:50 > 0:45:57adjust to problems, but this year, the growth forecasts have been
0:45:57 > 0:46:01revised up... We also have the possibility of a stronger Franco
0:46:01 > 0:46:06German partnership which could produce some reform. It seems ironic
0:46:06 > 0:46:09that we seem to be falling away from Europe as we are seeing positive
0:46:09 > 0:46:15changes.We opened the show with Jeremy Corbyn's video last night
0:46:15 > 0:46:19about Morgan Stanley, where he had a tirade against the financial sector.
0:46:19 > 0:46:24In the city, what do they think is the bigger threat, Jeremy Corbyn or
0:46:24 > 0:46:27Brexit?It's a difficult position, he knew that there would be such
0:46:27 > 0:46:32unpalatable options for people in the city to choose from? In the last
0:46:32 > 0:46:39election, most people, certain the last election but one, many people
0:46:39 > 0:46:43in the city would have taken Labour as the least worst option but with
0:46:43 > 0:46:46this kind of rhetoric and it is playing well, were then maybe, that
0:46:46 > 0:46:53could change? By and which is a bigger threat to the city, Corbyn or
0:46:53 > 0:46:58Brexit?Obviously Brexit.Obviously Corbyn! We like a range of views on
0:46:58 > 0:47:02the show!Thank you for coming in.
0:47:02 > 0:47:04Bonjour et bienvenue a la Daily Politics.
0:47:04 > 0:47:07I knew I would get the accent completely wrong!
0:47:07 > 0:47:10No need to adjust your sets - that's how Daily Politics may be
0:47:10 > 0:47:13introduced in the future if President Macron has his way.
0:47:13 > 0:47:15On a trip to Burkina Faso in Africa, the French President called
0:47:15 > 0:47:17for French to become the world's first language.
0:47:17 > 0:47:20Mr Macron said French had a "radiance" and "attractiveness"
0:47:20 > 0:47:21to it and should be more widely used.
0:47:21 > 0:47:24Here's a few famous British faces showing how to do it.
0:47:24 > 0:47:27FRENCH NATIONAL ANTHEM PLAYS.
0:47:32 > 0:47:36Francias o Anglais je croix parce que j'ai appris l'allemamd.
0:47:36 > 0:47:43Il ya maintenant cinquent ans qua la celebration du centenaire y j'ai
0:47:43 > 0:47:50appris les canadiens de continuer l'exemple de valor, d'egalite,
0:47:50 > 0:47:55de liberte y d'inclusion.
0:47:55 > 0:47:58Entante camille et allies.
0:47:58 > 0:48:05Merci beaucoup toute le monde, merci.
0:48:08 > 0:48:10Well to discuss President Macron's ambitions we're joined from Paris
0:48:10 > 0:48:17by the journalist Agnes Poirier.
0:48:17 > 0:48:23Thank you very much indeed for being with us. Is there nothing that
0:48:23 > 0:48:31Emmanuel Macron thinks he cannot do? Is there any chance of this proposal
0:48:31 > 0:48:36actually becoming a reality?I can hear the sarcasm all the way from
0:48:36 > 0:48:40Paris! I sort of share that British irony. But, President Macron's
0:48:40 > 0:48:47optimism knows no limits. It is also based, I must say, on projections by
0:48:47 > 0:48:52demographers. It is in the first time that I've heard this. 2050,
0:48:52 > 0:49:00because of the birth rate in Franco Africa, is very high, the numbers of
0:49:00 > 0:49:03Francophone speakers will be higher than the number of Anglophone
0:49:03 > 0:49:06speakers. Well, I'm not sure we will still be around to discuss that
0:49:06 > 0:49:16then, but if you read or hear a speech in Africa, it wasn't just
0:49:16 > 0:49:20gung ho that France and the French language, rather, would rule the
0:49:20 > 0:49:25waves soon but it was quite inclusive. Talking about how the
0:49:25 > 0:49:30French language does not belong to or in France but it also belongs to
0:49:30 > 0:49:34Africa. And a very young Africa. It's true, the same with the English
0:49:34 > 0:49:40language that French literature, wealth and richness, it comes
0:49:40 > 0:49:44actually, I would say it personally, more from territories outside of
0:49:44 > 0:49:50France because it makes a language richer. Now, is it desirable that
0:49:50 > 0:50:01French regain status? I'm not sure. Your point on demography, tomography
0:50:01 > 0:50:05is very important as we look forward to the rest of the 21st century but
0:50:05 > 0:50:10if it was about demography, shouldn't we all be learning
0:50:10 > 0:50:17Mandarin or Hindi or Urdu? Isn't that the way the world is expanding
0:50:17 > 0:50:21rather than through Francophone Africa?Personally I think you
0:50:21 > 0:50:27should learn as many languages as you can. Talking about Mandarin,
0:50:27 > 0:50:31there are languages that are spoken by a lot of people like Mandarin but
0:50:31 > 0:50:37it is within their borders. The thing is, like Spanish, Arabic,
0:50:37 > 0:50:43English and Portuguese, French is spoken outside of its borders. So,
0:50:43 > 0:50:46making it an international language. It is the fifth most spoken language
0:50:46 > 0:50:56in the world and great writers felt comfortable writing in French is in
0:50:56 > 0:51:00their own language like Tolstoy or Anthony Burgess, actually. He was a
0:51:00 > 0:51:07polyglot. I think the future belongs to polyglots, not people who look
0:51:07 > 0:51:11inwardly but for people and countries who look outwardly and, if
0:51:11 > 0:51:20I could say a word on Brexit, and I know it is not going to please Tim,
0:51:20 > 0:51:24but if Brexit is implemented and if Trump is here to stay, it will have
0:51:24 > 0:51:31an impact on Anglophone coach. -- culture. It has already had an
0:51:31 > 0:51:37impact. Speaking to young Europeans, they are fine. The US, Britain, the
0:51:37 > 0:51:40Anglophone culture, it's less desirable than it was before and it
0:51:40 > 0:51:45is very sad. It saddens me enormously.That's a hell of a
0:51:45 > 0:51:49charge to put at the feet of the Brexiteers! How would you respond?
0:51:49 > 0:51:53By voting to leave the EU, you made English less fashionable and less
0:51:53 > 0:51:56cool and English is on the rise?
0:51:56 > 0:51:59We talked about the bumpy patch that Brexit is going through, that isn't
0:51:59 > 0:52:10a bad point, but also that President Macron's ambitions no no limits,
0:52:10 > 0:52:13neither does his humility. Perhaps you should focus on reforming
0:52:13 > 0:52:20Francis labour laws, and do the basic things first before changing
0:52:20 > 0:52:25how the world speaks. Look at France 24, their news channel. They have a
0:52:25 > 0:52:29French language service and an English service language. The BBC
0:52:29 > 0:52:35doesn't...And Arabic as well.I couldn't possibly speak for the BBC.
0:52:35 > 0:52:39I think English is pretty safe, there is a lot of speculation about
0:52:39 > 0:52:44Brexit.We had to move on. Thank you for joining us from Paris. Much
0:52:44 > 0:52:47appreciated.
0:52:47 > 0:52:49Now, it's been a busy week at Westminster.
0:52:49 > 0:52:52As loyal viewers of the Daily Politics, we know you'll be
0:52:52 > 0:52:55completely up to date on all the political goings
0:52:55 > 0:52:58on, but just in case - here's Ellie with a round-up
0:52:58 > 0:53:00of the week in 60 seconds.
0:53:00 > 0:53:03This week we saw the UK agree to pay a divorce bill which could be worth
0:53:03 > 0:53:05up to 50 billion euros.
0:53:05 > 0:53:09The government handover to MPs it's redacted analysis of what Brexit
0:53:09 > 0:53:11will mean for the economy, and Michel Barnier, the EU's chief
0:53:11 > 0:53:14negotiator, irritates some Brexiteers by suggesting that by
0:53:14 > 0:53:16voting to leave, Britain had chosen not to stand shoulder to shoulder
0:53:16 > 0:53:19with Europe following the terror attacks.
0:53:19 > 0:53:21Elsewhere, the government announced its long-awaited
0:53:21 > 0:53:24industrial strategy which focused on, among other
0:53:24 > 0:53:27things, the development of artificial intelligence
0:53:27 > 0:53:29and clean energy, which was entirely overshadowed by the announcement of
0:53:29 > 0:53:31the biggest royal wedding of the century
0:53:31 > 0:53:33since the last one, and the
0:53:33 > 0:53:40spoilsport PM said no, we won't be getting a bank holiday for it...
0:53:40 > 0:53:42Meanwhile, Theresa May has been in Iraq -
0:53:42 > 0:53:43the first British Prime
0:53:43 > 0:53:46Minister to visit since 2008.
0:53:46 > 0:53:47And...
0:53:47 > 0:53:50# It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...
0:53:50 > 0:53:52# Even in Westminster...# a lot like Christmas...
0:53:52 > 0:54:01Where they've already put up their Christmas tree.
0:54:04 > 0:54:07So, the Parliamentary Christmas tree has arrived and today is of course
0:54:07 > 0:54:09the first of December, and that means we can officially
0:54:09 > 0:54:12start talking about Christmas!
0:54:12 > 0:54:15Here on the Daily Politics we like to give you a helping hand,
0:54:15 > 0:54:18so have come up with a few ideas for presents to give
0:54:18 > 0:54:21to the politico in your life.
0:54:21 > 0:54:27Tim, Helen, what do we think of this? This is a Jeremy Corbyn 2008
0:54:27 > 0:54:31annual...I have flicked through my copy, there are many useful things,
0:54:31 > 0:54:35including cut out and keep Jeremy Corbyn masks! To surprise your loved
0:54:35 > 0:54:44ones...Tim, I thought this would suit you... It is austere, and full
0:54:44 > 0:54:52of financial information... A lot of economic things... You know how much
0:54:52 > 0:55:00it costs? £15? £25? £35 if you want a budget. Do you want that?Of all
0:55:00 > 0:55:07the things on the table... I want that one. Is it signed?It is a rare
0:55:07 > 0:55:19and signed one!Rare and signed! -- and un-signed. Can I have that one?
0:55:19 > 0:55:25Thank you very much. I'm not going to wear that...I hope I'm not going
0:55:25 > 0:55:31to upset Helen with my idea. She is from the new statesman and I think
0:55:31 > 0:55:35we have two fantastic political weeklies. But the world is about
0:55:35 > 0:55:40technology at the moment. What is happening with Facebook, and Google.
0:55:40 > 0:55:44That is where the action is. I would give politicians a subscription to
0:55:44 > 0:55:49the new scientist and Wired. That is where the action is. What is
0:55:49 > 0:55:53happening over there in Westminster? Silicon valley and the laboratories
0:55:53 > 0:55:59and the bedrooms of the whiz kids, that's what we need to focus on.And
0:55:59 > 0:56:07Helen?Any kind of magazine is good, to get people reading!Internet
0:56:07 > 0:56:12websites are quite good.I do quite like the Internet...We have gifts
0:56:12 > 0:56:17for you! This is for you, Helen. It's all worth it!Can we opened
0:56:17 > 0:56:24them now? I haven't got anything for you, I feel guilty!You are on TV so
0:56:24 > 0:56:28therefore you should be impressed!I will practice my happy and surprised
0:56:28 > 0:56:35face.Merry Christmas!Aah... I can put this on our tree... I've just
0:56:35 > 0:56:43put up my true.I have votes for women. Next year it is the 100th
0:56:43 > 0:56:45anniversary of the representation of the People Act. I'm genuinely
0:56:45 > 0:56:52impressed.Yes, very nice. I quite like the Jeremy Corbyn annual as
0:56:52 > 0:56:58well.All right, happy Christmas! It's something you always wanted. I
0:56:58 > 0:57:02really think that red is your colour.Manchester United red, but
0:57:02 > 0:57:09not Labour!There's update you on the David Davis story about... I
0:57:09 > 0:57:12mentioned it earlier. Basically, David Davis has warned Downing
0:57:12 > 0:57:15Street not to sack his Cabinet colleague Damian Green as a result
0:57:15 > 0:57:20of the wrongful attempt by former officers to do him down. That is
0:57:20 > 0:57:24what sources close to whom have told the BBC. He says he feels he has a
0:57:24 > 0:57:28dog in the fight because Damian Green was his subordinate on the
0:57:28 > 0:57:32team at the time. He threw a protective cloak around his
0:57:32 > 0:57:35colleague on a point of principle. I suspect that story will develop
0:57:35 > 0:57:36through the course of the day.
0:57:36 > 0:57:40There's just time before we go to find out the answer to our quiz.
0:57:40 > 0:57:43The question was about Jeremy Corbyn appearance on the cover of this
0:57:43 > 0:57:44month's GQ magazine.
0:57:44 > 0:57:46What make was the suit he was wearing for the photo shoot?
0:57:46 > 0:57:47Was it...
0:57:47 > 0:57:49a) Armani.
0:57:49 > 0:57:50b) Pri-mani, otherwise known as Primark.
0:57:50 > 0:57:52c) Dolce and Gabbana, or d) Marks and Spencer?
0:57:52 > 0:57:56So, Tim and Helen - what's the correct answer?
0:57:56 > 0:58:01I have my Marks & Spencer suit jacket on...We cannot have these
0:58:01 > 0:58:06endorsements!I Marks and Spencers. Did you know that? I did, that their
0:58:06 > 0:58:15Tropi didn't walking on was wearing an incredibly expensive suit.What
0:58:15 > 0:58:21does that GQ cover say?That airbrushing is brilliant and
0:58:21 > 0:58:25everybody should have done!I don't think he confirmed that he was
0:58:25 > 0:58:29airbrushed...Either that or he has a great moisturiser!They are better
0:58:29 > 0:58:33than the pictures in this annual... Should the Labour leader be getting
0:58:33 > 0:58:39airbrushed?I don't think they were worrying in 1984...Guys, I hope you
0:58:39 > 0:58:42enjoy your Christmas presents. Happy Christmas from the BBC.
0:58:42 > 0:58:47That's all for today.
0:58:47 > 0:58:49Thanks to Tim Montgomerie and Helen Lewis.
0:58:49 > 0:58:52The one o'clock news is starting over on BBC One now.
0:58:52 > 0:58:55Sarah Smith will be back on Sunday on BBC One at 11
0:58:55 > 0:58:56with the Sunday Politics.
0:58:56 > 0:58:59And Jo will be back here on BBC Two on Monday at midday