:00:09. > :01:36.says we've misunderstood the problem of human trafficking and that men
:01:36. > :01:41.pundits who we try to shuffle out of a job but failed miserably, Mick
:01:41. > :01:50.watt, Miranda Green Andijan an Ganesh. They'll Tweet like mad as if
:01:50. > :01:59.Is Ed Miliband's Labour Party moving chid owe Cabinet reshuffle was seen
:01:59. > :02:07.a a shift to the lot of. Two have announced policy changes which could
:02:07. > :02:13.Pensions Secretary Rachel Reeves says Labour will be tougher on the
:02:13. > :02:16.Tories. While Tristram Hunt says Labour loves Tory-style free schools
:02:16. > :02:25.after all. Here he is on the BBC viewers. If you are a group of
:02:25. > :02:29.parents, social entrepreneurs, teachers, interested in setting
:02:29. > :02:32.parents, social entrepreneurs, school in areas where you need new
:02:32. > :02:34.school place, the Labour Government will be on your side. That's free
:02:34. > :02:40.enterprise and innovation. It will will be on your side. That's free
:02:40. > :02:46.be in areas of need. We have a school places crisis going on. It
:02:46. > :03:00.teachers in these schools. And accountability. What is going on
:03:00. > :03:07.with the Al Madina school is because of terrible mistakes with Michael
:03:07. > :03:11.changed, the change of tone is I'm not sure if the policies have
:03:11. > :03:13.changed, the change of tone is remarkable, both on welfare and
:03:13. > :03:16.changed, the change of tone is schools. A significant change of
:03:16. > :03:24.reshuffle on the Labour frontbench last week was init wered as a purge
:03:24. > :03:31.of Blair rights. It seemed to be a purge of anti-reform thinking.
:03:31. > :03:35.Rachel Reeves was not saying anythi different on substance but saying
:03:35. > :03:42.Labour will be tough than the Tories on welfare. You've seen that clip
:03:42. > :03:47.from Tristram, free schools will be allowed to be set up in areas of
:03:47. > :03:52.need. Greater oversight. But a completely different change of tone,
:03:52. > :03:58.we are on the side of parents and social entrepreneurs who want to set
:03:58. > :04:06.these up. A different change. Why are they doing this? On education,
:04:06. > :04:12.polarised. You've had the Michael department. This weekend, we've
:04:12. > :04:14.polarised. You've had the Michael leaked memos from one of Michael
:04:14. > :04:19.Gove's advisers which are extreme views about the state of education.
:04:19. > :04:25.And on the other side teaching unions. It hasn't led to a healthy
:04:25. > :04:30.debate which represents what parents want out of schools or employers.
:04:30. > :04:33.This is a huge move from the Labour Party to sound more reasonable.
:04:33. > :04:38.This is a huge move from the Labour have been silent on education which
:04:38. > :04:46.is a huge policy area on the left. Is this a focus group-driven change?
:04:46. > :04:52.They've seen the polls. Welfare reforms are hugery popular and free
:04:52. > :04:57.only apiece the focus groups by changing the policy substantially. I
:04:58. > :05:02.always thought a test for this Labour reshuffle was not whether Ed
:05:02. > :05:06.Miliband would promote Blair rights, it is clear he did, it is whether
:05:06. > :05:12.they would be allowed to be Blair rights. When Stephen Twigg carried
:05:12. > :05:16.the education portfolio it was clear his own views were closer to the
:05:16. > :05:21.Government than he was allowed to let on. He was constrained. There is
:05:21. > :05:25.no point of giving Tristram Hunt this job if he is not allowed to say
:05:25. > :05:29.what he thinks. I wouldn't mind betting privately he thinks free
:05:29. > :05:35.schools should be available beyond just areas of need. He hasn't yet
:05:35. > :05:44.defined need. It could be, we've run schools are so bad we need schools.
:05:44. > :05:56.If that is it, it is the same Asics itsing Government policy. In they
:05:56. > :06:00.unsatisfactory that's no different. He wanted to say he was in favour of
:06:00. > :06:06.higher educational standards and rigour, he had to tell the audience
:06:06. > :06:09.he has a Cambridge PhD to attack Michael Gove. That was difficult for
:06:09. > :06:18.Tristram Hunt he had to mention that. Is that worth something, a PhD
:06:18. > :06:24.from Cambridge? Obviously to him it is. He said they would demand proper
:06:24. > :06:34.teaching qualifications. That could teaching? Independent schools do not
:06:34. > :06:39.have to have teachers with formal teaching qualifications. I've never
:06:39. > :06:48.been to one? What about you? That decision by Michael Gove to allow
:06:48. > :06:53.free schools to employ nonunionised and non-trained people, so he has to
:06:53. > :06:58.Watch this space. The dust settled after the party resufficients. Do
:06:58. > :07:11.the Tories look a bit more like Britain. Do the Tories look more
:07:11. > :07:16.#4 With reshuffles, you're never really certain. There's whispers,
:07:16. > :07:22.rumours, guesses. But the only way to know it is underway is keeping
:07:22. > :07:27.beady eyes on a front door. Up until now, the only way we knew who was in
:07:27. > :07:31.and who was out was who came walking down this bit of Downing Street
:07:31. > :07:34.and who was out was who came walking a smile on their face after going to
:07:34. > :07:39.see the boss. The once who are to be sacked, they usually go round the
:07:39. > :07:47.back. Not this time. No, something new alerted us all. The-PM started
:07:47. > :07:51.can't remember a triple decker reshuffle where you've three parties
:07:51. > :07:57.changing ministerial teams at the resufficient happened on Twitter.
:07:57. > :08:05.Not that the press stopped watching the door as well. News was a bit
:08:05. > :08:10.Charmichael replaced Michael Moore, the first to be pounced on. I'm
:08:10. > :08:15.disappointed to be leaving office now but pleased at what I've been
:08:15. > :08:18.able to achieve in the last couple of years. Not as pleased as one
:08:18. > :08:35.imagines as the man receiving the welcome that went on, and on and
:08:35. > :08:42.simultaneously having Jeremy Browne, in a sense seen off the premises of
:08:42. > :08:58.the Home Office in conspiracy to let # Blowing hi Jude through a traffic
:08:58. > :09:02.Democrats. We tend to think they are herbivorous. Sacking a Cabinet
:09:02. > :09:05.Minister, another minister, Jeremy Browne. By lunch time, the Tory
:09:05. > :09:09.ranks were shifting too. The PM Browne. By lunch time, the Tory
:09:09. > :09:12.to boost the numbers of telegenic women walking into Government and
:09:12. > :09:20.turning perceptions around. He tipped a so-called flatcap to men
:09:20. > :09:23.backgrounds with room for some which fitted neither label but are friends
:09:24. > :09:30.of George Osborne. And, all the while, those new Tory ministers
:09:30. > :09:33.of George Osborne. And, all the learning of Labour's changes. Labour
:09:33. > :09:37.too knows the value of new young blood striding into the limelight.
:09:37. > :09:43.Again some with TV experience of that. Tristram Hunt and Gloria de
:09:43. > :09:47.peer row would be hard to describe as hard left. But Blairbrushing
:09:47. > :09:52.peer row would be hard to describe past out of the picture seemed to be
:09:52. > :09:58.the name of the day. Liam Byrne With Diane Abbott also gone, was
:09:58. > :10:00.this really a Blair right cull? It depends what you mean. Blair right
:10:00. > :10:04.used to mean someone who wanted depends what you mean. Blair right
:10:04. > :10:07.Blair to be leader of the Labour Party. Somebody who worked closely
:10:07. > :10:11.with him. Now it means sometimes people who believe in a certain
:10:11. > :10:14.with him. Now it means sometimes of ideologyies or ideas. There are
:10:14. > :10:18.still very much those kind of Blair rights within the party. But we
:10:18. > :10:20.still very much those kind of Blair seeing the group around Tony Blair
:10:20. > :10:27.are not long assassin flew enjoys as they once were. By evening, it was
:10:27. > :10:32.over. New bees were sharing the ministers quietly thanked commits
:10:32. > :10:46.raters. Or -- commiserators. Or ministers quietly thanked commits
:10:46. > :10:51.disified. How much much someone standing here might want it to be
:10:51. > :10:59.the case, you are unlikely to get someone coming out of that do going
:10:59. > :11:04."how could." And running off crying! And the brand, spanking new Scottish
:11:04. > :11:12.Secretary Alastair Charmichael joins us from Orkney on a line that hasn't
:11:12. > :11:17.been used since the fleet was used in the outbreak of World War I! I
:11:17. > :11:21.wasn't around at the time. I'm hearing you loud and clear. Why
:11:21. > :11:26.wasn't around at the time. I'm you agreed to run a department?
:11:26. > :11:30.wasn't around at the time. I'm you wanted to abolish six years
:11:30. > :11:31.wasn't around at the time. I'm Hello? Maybe our connections are not
:11:31. > :11:37.Charmichael. Can you hear me? I Hello? Maybe our connections are not
:11:37. > :11:42.hear you now. There was a nasty second there where you disappeared.
:11:42. > :11:44.Let me try the question again. Why have you agreed to run a department
:11:44. > :11:50.you wanted to abolish six years have you agreed to run a department
:11:50. > :11:54.Because this is the, probably one of the most important jobs in British
:11:54. > :12:00.politics at the moment. To ensure that Scotland remains part of the
:12:00. > :12:06.UK. Even when I was talking about the reconfiguration of rep sen Taigs
:12:06. > :12:10.of Scotland -- representation of Scotland within Whitehall, there was
:12:10. > :12:14.always a job to be done. That is true in spades now. I will focus on
:12:14. > :12:18.making sure the UK Government has a real voice in that debate. What
:12:18. > :12:19.making sure the UK Government has a you that Michael Moore didn't have?
:12:19. > :12:24.Look, I think Michael Moore did you that Michael Moore didn't have?
:12:24. > :12:32.excellent job. The work he did delivering the Edinburgh agreement
:12:32. > :12:40.clear legal and decisive referendum, the work delivering extra powers to
:12:40. > :12:47.substantial piece of work. I'm not friend of mine. I will say that
:12:47. > :12:48.substantial piece of work. I'm not we go forward into this, this is now
:12:48. > :12:52.about the actual debate itself. we go forward into this, this is now
:12:52. > :13:02.will be putting the case, with some passion, I hope, for Scotland to
:13:02. > :13:08.just some abstract debate about nationhood, sovereignty, this is a
:13:08. > :13:16.their livelihoods, the cost of their mortgage. That and an awful lot
:13:16. > :13:25.challenge. I understand that. But if you're being put in there to save
:13:25. > :13:30.the union, every pole has the no -- poll has the no campaign margin
:13:30. > :13:34.alley ahead. Mr Moore was doing pretty well to save the union. I
:13:34. > :13:42.suspect you've been given the job to Scotland? And lieu, you misread
:13:42. > :13:45.suspect you've been given the job to situation if you -- Andrew, you
:13:45. > :13:48.misread the situation new think anybody is going to be the person
:13:48. > :13:50.who will save the union. The people who will save the union are the
:13:50. > :13:54.people of Scotland if they turn who will save the union are the
:13:54. > :13:59.next year and vote to save the union. We have to put the case for
:13:59. > :14:04.that. That is what I will be doing. Look at the position of your own
:14:05. > :14:12.party. You came fourth in the last Scottish parentry elections. You
:14:12. > :14:18.were even behind the Conservatives. The latest poll has you still in
:14:18. > :14:22.fourth. Are you there because you're a bruiser and you will pep up the
:14:22. > :14:25.Liberal Democrats opportunity in Scotland. If I had a pound for
:14:25. > :14:29.everybody to referred to me as being Scotland. If I had a pound for
:14:30. > :14:34.a bruiser, I wouldn't need to be sitting here this morning. I could
:14:34. > :14:39.have retired by now. The truth of this, if I can address it once and
:14:39. > :14:45.for all, I have done probably one of the most complex and subtle jobs in
:14:45. > :14:51.three-and-a-half years, Liberal Democrat Chief Whip in a Coalition
:14:51. > :14:54.survived in that job a week, let alone three-and-a-half years, if I
:14:54. > :14:59.was the sort of person who went around picking unnecessary fights.
:14:59. > :15:04.So, can we just please forget about this business about being a bruiser.
:15:04. > :15:08.As far as the position of the party in the polls, this is true also
:15:08. > :15:11.As far as the position of the party the referendum vote, opinion polls
:15:11. > :15:14.are a snapshot. They are not a prediction of what will happen in
:15:14. > :15:20.the future. I will be out there putting the case. Neither the next
:15:20. > :15:25.election nor the referendum is one or lost yet. One of the things I
:15:25. > :15:32.really want to be guarding against because we are a good margin ahead
:15:32. > :15:40.today, 12 months out from the actual polling day, that it is in the bag.
:15:40. > :15:43.Believe me, Andrew, it is not. As you know, wasn't for the Liberal
:15:43. > :15:52.Democrats. Not just talking about the polls. You came fourth in the
:15:52. > :16:03.You said you were happy to facial ex-Salmond in a TV debade. Should
:16:03. > :16:15.David Cameron face him? I am happy debate. Should David Cameron face
:16:15. > :16:18.him? No, because that allows Alex Nationalists to portray this as
:16:18. > :16:22.him? No, because that allows Alex sort of contest or choice between a
:16:22. > :16:25.vision of Scottish social democracy and English conservativism, which it
:16:25. > :16:30.is not. This is a debate that has to is not. This is a debate that has to
:16:30. > :16:38.be held in Scotland about the future of Scotland amongst Scots. David
:16:38. > :16:43.Cameron has a very important part in Scotland's public life, but he is
:16:43. > :16:47.not Scottish and I think he will accept Commies edit himself in fact,
:16:47. > :16:57.the person who should be debating Darling. He has got a Scottish name
:16:57. > :17:04.wealthiest of Scotland at some stage in the past. Anyway, you described
:17:04. > :17:10.the campaign to keep the union together as lacking passion, were
:17:10. > :17:17.you referring to the campaign or referring to Alistair Darling. I
:17:17. > :17:23.think what I was saying is that referring to Alistair Darling. I
:17:23. > :17:30.we move into this new stage, and Alistair Darling said it himself, we
:17:30. > :17:35.are now campaigning for people Alistair Darling said it himself, we
:17:35. > :17:41.hearts because if you look at the range of papers the Government has
:17:41. > :17:50.published, it is pretty clear the arguments lie in relation to the
:17:50. > :17:55.head. I am not giving up the battle for the hearts and Scotland because
:17:55. > :17:57.there is a good strong case, as somebody who is proud to be Scottish
:17:57. > :18:03.and to be British, for Scotland somebody who is proud to be Scottish
:18:03. > :18:09.remain part of the UK. You come somebody who is proud to be Scottish
:18:09. > :18:14.distilleries and I understand you celebratory drink for your new post.
:18:14. > :18:21.Not a drop has touched my lips. celebratory drink for your new post.
:18:21. > :18:26.supporting local business! I will be making up for lost time on the
:18:26. > :18:28.supporting local business! I will be of November, I will be doing it
:18:28. > :18:34.supporting local business! I will be aid of Macmillan Cancer care and if
:18:34. > :18:39.website, they can donate. It is worthwhile. I cannot think of a
:18:39. > :18:50.better cause. One Cabinet minister who many thought might get Reef
:18:50. > :18:53.better cause. One Cabinet minister Clarke. Welcome to Sunday Politics.
:18:54. > :19:03.minorities, where did you fit in? I minorities, where did you fit in? I
:19:03. > :19:08.would describe myself as the elder statesman, to be polite, but it
:19:08. > :19:11.would describe myself as the elder difficult to replace them. I enjoy
:19:11. > :19:13.it. It is a great privilege to have a role in Cabinet and I will carry
:19:13. > :19:19.on as long as David wants me to a role in Cabinet and I will carry
:19:19. > :19:24.I have seen many reshuffles, they are dreadful and I seem to have
:19:24. > :19:30.survived them so far. Did David Cameron talk to you before this
:19:30. > :19:37.reshuffle? No, he didn't. I would have had expected a phone call,
:19:37. > :19:47.asking, how do you think about stepping down, but he didn't and my
:19:47. > :19:51.role is one of giving my wit and wisdom to the Cabinet and meetings
:19:51. > :19:56.of the Security Council so he has got to put up with me a bit longer.
:19:56. > :20:02.You said you are going to stand again at the next election, why
:20:02. > :20:05.You said you are going to stand you keep going? What do you hope to
:20:05. > :20:11.achieve in politics? I am mostly a political anorak, I have been since
:20:11. > :20:17.I was very small, by the process of politics but the older I get I get
:20:17. > :20:20.governance of the country and at the moment the combination of problems
:20:20. > :20:25.is quite appalling. The difficulty of tackling the modern world is
:20:25. > :20:28.is quite appalling. The difficulty difficult and I find it fascinating.
:20:28. > :20:30.The old argument that attracts every decent person into politics, you
:20:30. > :20:34.might be able sometimes to make decent person into politics, you
:20:34. > :20:38.bit of difference, and I try to decent person into politics, you
:20:38. > :20:40.that. I try not to hark back on decent person into politics, you
:20:40. > :20:43.experience but we will have a lot of tough problems which I think the
:20:43. > :20:50.Conservative Government will have to tackle. You opposed referenda on
:20:50. > :20:56.Maastricht, the Lisbon Treaty, you were even against one on Britain
:20:56. > :21:03.adopting the euro. It must follow that you are against the referenda
:21:04. > :21:13.on Britain's membership to the EU? I accountable to the long-term and
:21:13. > :21:19.representatives, but this is a minority now and my colleagues have
:21:19. > :21:23.firmly decided a referendum needs to be held to settle the question of
:21:23. > :21:27.Britain's relationship with the European Union which I think is
:21:28. > :21:32.Britain's relationship with the of the most important things in
:21:32. > :21:38.Britain's place in the modern world politicians are able to look after
:21:38. > :21:44.the living standards, the economy, the safety against terrorism. Last
:21:45. > :21:49.the living standards, the economy, summer you said that only extreme
:21:49. > :21:54.nationalists wanted a silly EU referendum. It follows your party
:21:54. > :22:00.must be full of extremely silly nationalists. The people who are
:22:00. > :22:07.desperate to have a referendum are all the people who actually want to
:22:07. > :22:12.referendum will involve the public and people like me have got to get
:22:12. > :22:15.across to the public, don't just feel angry about the last thing
:22:15. > :22:17.across to the public, don't just read in the newspaper about what the
:22:17. > :22:21.commission is or is not doing, do commission is or is not doing, do
:22:21. > :22:29.bear in mind this is our base in the modern world. We happen to be a
:22:29. > :22:35.leading member, almost as valuable and rich as the Americans, from
:22:35. > :22:40.influence in events. That is not just how the politicians get on
:22:40. > :22:48.influence in events. That is not politicians look after us when we
:22:48. > :22:52.spilling over from the Middle East, or we face public services being
:22:52. > :23:00.threatened. You didn't even turn up to vote for the bill which will
:23:00. > :23:04.threatened. You didn't even turn up engagements on the Friday concerned.
:23:04. > :23:07.It seemed to get through without my participation. You didn't want to be
:23:07. > :23:16.seen voting for something your heart Look, many of your colleagues I
:23:16. > :23:24.seen voting for something your heart interviewed say that if the choice
:23:24. > :23:29.was between the state -- the status quo with the European Union and
:23:29. > :23:33.leaving, they would leave. The truth is that you would vote to stay in
:23:33. > :23:41.even on the status quo, wouldn't supporting the EU to leave now if I
:23:41. > :23:45.got chance. I think our economy supporting the EU to leave now if I
:23:45. > :23:54.investment, as in Washington last been if we were outside the EU.
:23:54. > :24:01.investment, as in Washington last week. We are trying to roll forward
:24:01. > :24:05.the prospect of free trade and I have to reassure Americans that
:24:05. > :24:09.the prospect of free trade and I are not likely to leave the EU to
:24:09. > :24:15.That is true but it also needs reform. The cry for reform, which is
:24:15. > :24:22.particularly Germany, is a good reform. The cry for reform, which is
:24:22. > :24:24.Even if David Cameron came back reform. The cry for reform, which is
:24:25. > :24:34.nothing from Brussels, you would still vote to stay in, correct?
:24:34. > :24:39.one which is dwindling in comparison with others, in the modern world it
:24:39. > :24:43.would be dangerous. I also think the dangers of the Middle East and the
:24:43. > :24:54.dangers of some of the countries disengage. I will take that as a
:24:54. > :25:00.strengthen the case, and of some members of the public don't agree
:25:00. > :25:06.persuaded when David delivers his reforms. The latest poll gives
:25:06. > :25:10.Labour a ten point lead over the Tories and the reason why it has a
:25:10. > :25:15.ten point lead is because UKIP are up there with 18% of the vote and
:25:15. > :25:19.ten point lead is because UKIP are the Tory vote has slumped in the
:25:19. > :25:25.Paul to 27%. How would you see off UKIP? By saying you need a strong
:25:26. > :25:30.Paul to 27%. How would you see off and effective Government. We faced
:25:30. > :25:36.terrible problems. Every Government I have been in has been behind in
:25:36. > :25:40.the polls. This Government is not as popular as the previous Government I
:25:40. > :25:42.have served in under the three previous prime ministers. When you
:25:42. > :25:46.get an election, people have to previous prime ministers. When you
:25:46. > :25:53.themselves who do we want to decide the issues of war and peace in this
:25:53. > :25:59.country? Who do we want to get us out of our economic problems. I
:25:59. > :26:03.don't think Ed Miliband is up to it. That generalised stuff will not
:26:03. > :26:08.don't think Ed Miliband is up to it. off UKIP. People will not listen to
:26:08. > :26:11.that. When people answer an opinion poll, they tell you how annoyed
:26:11. > :26:16.that. When people answer an opinion are by something that has recently
:26:16. > :26:20.upset them, but people are more sensible than this. Every Government
:26:20. > :26:27.I have served in has been behind in the polls. At a general election you
:26:27. > :26:36.have to mobilise the public to start thinking, who do we want to govern
:26:36. > :26:45.us? They did take over a calamitous important problems to be decided
:26:45. > :26:49.going forward. UKIP represents anti-immigration, anti-foreigners,
:26:49. > :26:51.anti-Europe, anti-politics but I don't think it will get 18% of the
:26:51. > :27:25.Thank you. Once upon a time, a politician whose career ended in
:27:25. > :27:29.disgrace might choose to lie low for a while, perhaps to spend a bit
:27:29. > :27:31.disgrace might choose to lie low for time tending the tulips and doing
:27:31. > :27:32.the odd bit of charity work. Not Chris Huhne. He walked free from
:27:32. > :27:35.prison only five months ago but Chris Huhne. He walked free from
:27:35. > :27:39.former Energy Secretary is already back in the public eye - a column in
:27:39. > :27:43.the Guardian, a job with a renewable interview. So is he working on a
:27:43. > :27:47.political rehabilitation? Chris Politics. The answer to that is
:27:47. > :27:50.clearly know, and thank you for inviting me back. You have set your
:27:50. > :27:54.career in politics is over so what does the future hold for you? I
:27:55. > :27:57.career in politics is over so what happy doing what I am doing, I am
:27:57. > :28:03.passionate about green energy and climate change, so I am doing things
:28:03. > :28:09.on that front in terms of business non-governmental organisations,
:28:09. > :28:09.on that front in terms of business I am doing a column for the Guardian
:28:09. > :28:14.on Mondays. You obviously get a I am doing a column for the Guardian
:28:14. > :28:20.of material from the Sunday Politics to write about. Have you embarked on
:28:20. > :28:24.political rehabilitation? It was clear from the point of view of
:28:24. > :28:29.political rehabilitation? It was George when I was sentenced, he
:28:29. > :28:33.rehabilitating you, because I had not offended for ten years, it was
:28:33. > :28:38.actually about stopping people like you, Andrew, Ron doing the same
:28:38. > :28:44.thing. It was a deterrent effect for the public. That is I think why
:28:44. > :28:47.thing. It was a deterrent effect for prosecution was brought. I had not
:28:47. > :29:17.offended for ten years on this, rehabilitate yourself in the public?
:29:17. > :29:23.coalition to the bitter end? Or should they re-establish their own
:29:23. > :29:30.Coalition agreement is for the whole Parliament, and the Lib Dems are
:29:30. > :29:33.going to stay, and should stay. What would be a good result for the Lib
:29:33. > :29:40.Dems in 2015? The loss of ten, would be a good result for the Lib
:29:40. > :29:46.interesting election because I think you will have essentially three
:29:46. > :29:54.party leaders, all of whom are negative ratings so it will be a
:29:54. > :30:01.battle between the walking wounded. In those circumstances, in my view,
:30:01. > :30:12.the Lib Dems can come out very well. But you will lose seats, won't
:30:12. > :30:17.the Liberal Democrats do badly in next year's European elections,
:30:17. > :30:17.the Liberal Democrats do badly in could come fourth on fifth behind
:30:17. > :30:25.leadership be in jeopardy? I've could come fourth on fifth behind
:30:25. > :30:30.in countless cycles where we've could come fourth on fifth behind
:30:31. > :30:35.very low poll ratings. The normal pickup to the subsequent general
:30:35. > :30:40.election on average has been 10 percentage points. So he's not in
:30:40. > :30:41.jeopardy? I think Nick will be there at the next general election. I
:30:41. > :30:45.think he'll lead the party into at the next general election. I
:30:45. > :30:48.next general election. I expect we'll do much better than most
:30:48. > :30:52.people think. If we are heading we'll do much better than most
:30:52. > :30:57.another hung Parliament, which is Let's be honest, you'd rather be in
:30:57. > :31:01.coalition with the Labour Party Let's be honest, you'd rather be in
:31:01. > :31:06.have a repeat of the Conservatives? One of the key things I sawed to
:31:06. > :31:10.colleagues, whatever your personal preference, I used to be a Labour
:31:10. > :31:15.Party member, you can derive from that I'm on the left of centre of
:31:15. > :31:21.the party. I always said to my colleagues in the party, it is
:31:21. > :31:24.the we are in politics because we are Liberal Democrats, not because
:31:24. > :31:29.we are either Conservatives or second best Labour. If you don't
:31:29. > :31:33.take that view, you don't have any bargaining position when it comes to
:31:33. > :31:37.coalition. You have to be able, genuinely, to do a coalition with
:31:37. > :31:42.either of the other parties. I understand that, but you'd prefer
:31:42. > :31:46.Labour? Your personal preference really should not come into this. It
:31:46. > :31:53.is about making sure you get the best possible deal for the things
:31:53. > :31:56.you get that with one party rather than another, that's fine. You stand
:31:56. > :31:59.up for Liberal Democrat values, than another, that's fine. You stand
:32:00. > :32:04.for Conservative or Labour second best values. You said you're keeping
:32:04. > :32:10.up your interest in energy matters. Is Ed Miliband right to promise
:32:10. > :32:13.up your interest in energy matters. temporary price freeze? There's
:32:13. > :32:18.up your interest in energy matters. pop ewe louse posturing. It is not a
:32:18. > :32:23.sensible policy. It was tried in California in 2,000 and 2001 which
:32:23. > :32:27.led to blackouts. We had the Prime Minister promising we should sift
:32:27. > :32:35.everybody automatically to the unfortunately we're at the stage in
:32:35. > :32:41.the political cycle where we are getting clap trap. You're against
:32:41. > :32:45.the freeze? It is a bad idea when we are trying to encourage investment.
:32:45. > :32:50.When the market can give us some of the lowest gas and electricity
:32:50. > :32:54.son-in-law of the lowest? Not our base price? The other European Ian
:32:54. > :32:57.prices are only higher because they put a lot more taxes on to it? Our
:32:57. > :35:26.hello and welcome to the part of the show finally tailored for north—east
:35:26. > :35:29.and Cumbria. We are in rural Northumberland fading out what
:35:29. > :35:44.people think of the sell—off of Royal mail. My guests this week, to
:35:44. > :35:50.MPs. There has been a reshuffle in government. There did not seem to be
:35:50. > :35:59.many MPs from the north—east and Cumbria who benefited from it.
:35:59. > :36:07.Out of 116 ministerial role, only one other MP to job in the transport
:36:07. > :36:13.Department. Ed Miliband was in the north—east on Friday. 13 of the
:36:13. > :36:25.North MPs have shadow ministerial roles. None were promoted into the
:36:25. > :36:35.shadow cabinet. It is all a far cry from the days of Tony Blair's
:36:35. > :36:43.so—called Geordie Mafia. There is Nick Clegg and George Osborne, but
:36:43. > :36:50.Cheshire and... What happened to your job offer? I still work in the
:36:50. > :36:54.home office. It is an important job in immigration and running the
:36:54. > :37:01.police. You are not in the ministry. I have only been there
:37:01. > :37:07.three years and William Hague is doing a great job in the foreign
:37:07. > :37:11.office. You have a lady from Carlisle who is running sport. You
:37:11. > :37:21.have a man from Middlesborough who is sitting in government and you
:37:21. > :37:30.have others who have roles including some of the most important in the
:37:30. > :37:35.country. Some of them may have jumped ship? There are plenty of
:37:35. > :37:42.people in the North who are representing this government. Why
:37:42. > :37:50.have none of the junior officers appeared in the shadow government?
:37:50. > :37:57.We have a lot of talent in the north—east. Julie Elliott got a job
:37:57. > :38:01.in the shadow ministerial team for energy and climate change. I think
:38:01. > :38:15.we have a strong level, the next level below cabinet. The likes of
:38:15. > :38:21.Jenny Chapman, Kevin Jones. The question is, does it matter that
:38:21. > :38:25.there are not north—east and Cumbria and ministers and shadow ministers?
:38:25. > :38:29.It is important that around the Cabinet table there is a strong
:38:29. > :38:42.voice for the north—east. I think that will come given time. I think I
:38:42. > :38:49.should have been promoted giving a voice for the north—east. But they
:38:49. > :38:57.have very little to choose from. —— Guy. Official trading and Royal Mail
:38:57. > :39:05.starts on Tuesday. But for many it is not about stock market profits.
:39:05. > :39:12.It is all about day—to—day life. Is that more the case in rural areas
:39:12. > :39:17.where it is vital lifeline? We find out what people there think of the
:39:17. > :39:20.government's sell—off since the railways.
:39:20. > :39:28.Eight miles from Berwick, a small isolated community. Local landmarks,
:39:28. > :39:35.12th century castle and a local green. After the post office closed
:39:35. > :39:40.a few years ago, the village got that, a mobile post office.
:39:40. > :39:46.Something else is happening, something that has not happened in
:39:46. > :39:48.500 years. The Royal Mail, the organisation that collection
:39:48. > :39:53.delivers mail for the same price with you give an city or country
:39:53. > :39:58.village, has been privatised. The government says a six—day week
:39:58. > :40:09.delivery is still guaranteed. But the local butcher is worried. Our
:40:09. > :40:14.prices will increase. People in the towns and cities, they are all for
:40:14. > :40:19.the takeover. They are not on —— relying on this as a fairly major
:40:20. > :40:25.service to your village and to your community. Back at the polls than,
:40:25. > :40:35.have villagers snapped up the chance to buy shares in Royal Mail? I wish
:40:35. > :40:43.I had 750 homes to buy shares. —— £750. I do not think is a bad thing.
:40:43. > :40:50.Have you bought shares? No. Why not? I could not afford it. Not on the
:40:50. > :40:55.senior citizens's pension. Not all local politicians here are convinced
:40:55. > :40:59.about Royal mail privatisation. It has been terribly undervalued which
:40:59. > :41:05.is a good thing for people buying the shares initially. It is not a
:41:05. > :41:11.good thing for the nation. We have already seen that things go wrong
:41:11. > :41:16.with the big institutions, what it costs every man, woman and child in
:41:16. > :41:21.the country. The one thing we have to hope is that the mail servers
:41:21. > :41:25.cannot go the same way as the banks did. And high in the hills, this
:41:25. > :41:31.farmer cannot see any benefits either. He is nine miles from the
:41:31. > :41:36.nearest road. He still gets a daily visits from the post man. It would
:41:36. > :41:43.be a great shame if we did not get the mail as regular as it is at the
:41:43. > :41:51.moment. We need it for the business, as the male stands at the moment, we
:41:51. > :41:59.get at most days of the week. —— post. Within a bit of time, it will
:41:59. > :42:05.become less cost—effective. Delivery and collection under —— guaranteed
:42:05. > :42:08.for the same price. It is a promise from the government. Some General
:42:08. > :42:24.Motors smarts are far from convinced. —— some residents who
:42:24. > :42:28.are. What my local people want is they
:42:28. > :42:34.want a secure delivery service and they want post office at the end of
:42:34. > :42:42.the day. We have managed to continue the expansion restarted in 2010,
:42:42. > :42:45.which 700 post office is closed under the previous government. We
:42:45. > :42:50.are looking for a secure investment for the Royal Mail in the future.
:42:50. > :42:54.Giving staff and local investors a chance to own this business is a
:42:54. > :42:59.good thing. What happens if the new management come back and say, I
:42:59. > :43:04.cannot deliver to these an economic areas at the current price? I take
:43:04. > :43:11.the view that the continuation of the 16 service is sacrosanct and
:43:11. > :43:20.will be maintained. —— six days service. It has been written into
:43:20. > :43:28.the agreement, and it will continue. Labour is trying to make capital out
:43:28. > :43:34.of this. I disagree. I think the government sold off Royal Mail on
:43:34. > :43:40.the cheap. People owned it anyway so this idea of mass ownership is not
:43:40. > :43:45.true. 70% of shares of gone into institutional owners. I think there
:43:45. > :43:51.is no casque irony guarantee that we will have a six—day delivery. This
:43:51. > :43:56.allows the Royal Mail to invest money to improve services. There was
:43:56. > :44:01.the money there to allow it to invest for the modern business model
:44:01. > :44:08.needed. I would be concerned that we do not have a six—day week
:44:08. > :44:18.guaranteed and definitely. There is no guarantee that it will be
:44:18. > :44:25.unchanged so Royal Mail can go to a minister and say we need to cherry
:44:25. > :44:30.pick. Ian is railing against this proposal. His own government, about
:44:30. > :44:36.five years ago, was proposing the same thing. My question would be,
:44:36. > :44:41.are you going to buy it back? We cannot afford to. We do not know
:44:41. > :44:50.what the value will be. It was massively undervalued. If you are
:44:50. > :44:55.not prepared to say that it is important, we will be nationalised,
:44:55. > :45:01.what will use a? Shares went on open sale in the stock market. That means
:45:01. > :45:05.there would be an extra £700 million for a future government to find if
:45:05. > :45:08.it was to BB nationalised. The present Labour Party is right in
:45:08. > :45:16.saying, we should not have privatise Royal mail. This is a sacred,
:45:16. > :45:23.national institution. The real against these things and they will
:45:23. > :45:29.not re—nationalise. I find that odd. That is because we are in debt
:45:29. > :45:34.because we ran out of all the money. Thank you for the moment. There was
:45:34. > :45:41.a day when lighting up a fight was a leisure activity. Now it is very
:45:41. > :45:46.political. —— cigarette. This week one of councils identified new
:45:46. > :45:51.target, parents who smoke and children's way grants. The European
:45:51. > :45:55.government has decided not to restrict sales of electronic
:45:55. > :46:00.cigarettes. This is the latest target in the
:46:00. > :46:03.battle against tobacco. Many try their first cigarette at just 13
:46:03. > :46:07.years old, so councillors and Cumbria want to remove temptation by
:46:07. > :46:12.banning smoking in children's playgrounds. There is a reduction in
:46:12. > :46:18.the amount of people smoking in the older age. But younger children are
:46:18. > :46:21.taking up smoking in a greater number in this counting. It is
:46:21. > :46:27.trying to make sure that we do not give the youngsters any sense that
:46:27. > :46:37.it is all right to smoke. I am a nonsmoker myself, I think it is a
:46:37. > :46:43.great idea. I am happy for it to be banned in the park. It is a bad
:46:43. > :46:52.habit to be given to kids. It is a good idea. The last thing you want
:46:52. > :47:00.to see is children smoking. It hasn't the focus of politicians in
:47:00. > :47:05.Europe this week. —— has been. They rejected proposals to increase
:47:05. > :47:09.regulation of electronic cigarettes. Since the smoking ban, they have
:47:09. > :47:12.become steadily more popular and more widely available. Retailers are
:47:12. > :47:18.pleased they are not being restricted yet. Over the past 18
:47:18. > :47:25.months, the electronic cigarette has become more popular. There are now
:47:25. > :47:28.quite a lot of brands. A lot of people are purchasing these. The
:47:28. > :47:34.legislation has a number of hurdles to overcome and lobbying on the
:47:34. > :47:42.issue has been intense. Electronic cigarettes of —— offers a fantastic
:47:42. > :47:48.virginity for people to give up smoking. —— opportunity. We should
:47:48. > :47:54.make them or unavailable for smokers wanting to give up cigarettes. But
:47:54. > :47:59.anti—campaigners are opposed to this.
:47:59. > :48:08.The number of people in the north—east has fallen from 29% to
:48:08. > :48:15.around 20.1% now. With me is Andy Lloyd. Electronic cigarettes, I'll
:48:15. > :48:21.be helping people to quit or encouraging some? They are
:48:21. > :48:29.encouraging some people to quit. We know around 1.3 million people in
:48:29. > :48:33.the UK use them. There is no guarantee about safety of the
:48:33. > :48:40.product, most are imported from China were product control is pure.
:48:40. > :48:45.The second is the proliferation of marketing and advertising. We see
:48:45. > :48:50.linkups with celebrities. This is something that is a concern because
:48:50. > :48:58.it glamorise smoking to young people. We need the products to be
:48:58. > :49:02.promoted as cutting aids to smoking. Was it the right decision
:49:02. > :49:06.not to make these medicines or do we need to fight more restrictions?
:49:07. > :49:13.There is still discussions between the commissions of Parliament and
:49:13. > :49:21.Council of ministers. It is wrong to say there is going to be no of
:49:21. > :49:26.electronic cigarettes. They need to make sure the product is as safe as
:49:26. > :49:31.it can be to make sure that any issues around long—term Health and
:49:31. > :49:38.Safety Executive. Let's start with parents and playgrounds. How much do
:49:38. > :49:45.we hound smokers? This is a sensible step. This is not demonising or
:49:45. > :49:52.penalising smokers. This is about a smoke—free area for children to play
:49:52. > :49:57.in. It is an issue of role modelling and an issue of making sure that you
:49:57. > :50:03.are not raising a generation of children that see smoking as a
:50:03. > :50:09.normal family pastime. We looked at some figures for Hartlepool, 40%
:50:09. > :50:13.smoke there. Do we need to start getting tougher to cut those
:50:13. > :50:17.figures? There has been a lot of people who smoke and Hartlepool
:50:17. > :50:28.traditionally. But in recent years as the station rate has been greater
:50:28. > :50:31.in years. —— cessation. This is a question about role models and I do
:50:31. > :50:38.not think it would be a good and positive thing to see parents.
:50:38. > :50:43.Should councils say there will be no play —— smoking and our playgrounds?
:50:43. > :50:48.That should be up to local councils. We should be trying to
:50:48. > :50:53.stop role models and the idea of having parents smoking in the play
:50:53. > :51:00.yard is something I would like to discourage. Do you think it is a
:51:00. > :51:05.good idea? Yes, I do. I think it will be a very good idea. I will be
:51:05. > :51:12.campaigning to support my local authority to do that. Is there a
:51:12. > :51:16.danger... How much do we need to punish people for smoking? Smoking
:51:16. > :51:25.kills you, that is the bottom line. Role models should be discouraged.
:51:25. > :51:29.We should just try and eradicate it as much as possible. If we do it in
:51:29. > :51:39.other places and we except there is some passive smoking, we should be
:51:39. > :51:44.going down this route. —— accept. With electronic cigarettes you need
:51:44. > :51:48.a common—sense approach that is grounded. On the plus side if it
:51:48. > :51:53.encourages people to stop smoking, that is a good thing and should be
:51:53. > :51:57.encouraged. We often do not know what is in these electronic
:51:57. > :52:00.cigarettes. It is possible for an eight—year—old child to go out and
:52:00. > :52:04.buy it. There should be some restriction and further worked than
:52:04. > :52:12.to know we know what is in them and the long—term health effects on
:52:12. > :52:19.people by these laconic cigarettes. Should people be lauded for their
:52:19. > :52:26.being able to quit cigarettes? You need to help people stop smoking by
:52:26. > :52:31.alternative needs. Electronic cigarettes are one way to do it. If
:52:31. > :52:36.that is the best way to do it, then we should support them. The Prime
:52:36. > :52:42.Minister came under fire from an MP this week in proposals to stop the
:52:42. > :52:49.way money from the NHS is the readout. Here is the rest of the
:52:49. > :53:00.week's news. —— is handed out. One of the north—east's biggest
:53:00. > :53:07.employers, Nissan, has nailed a flag to the European Union mast. You kept
:53:07. > :53:13.did not select Richard Elvin as their top candidate in the
:53:14. > :53:19.north—east. A proposal to change the funding formula for the NHS has been
:53:19. > :53:26.criticised by Nick Brown. It has the effect of taking some £230 million
:53:26. > :53:32.out of the health care budget for the region. Who in this government
:53:32. > :53:35.stands up to the North of England? The whole government stands up for
:53:35. > :53:38.the north—east of England. The Prime Minister pointed out that this
:53:39. > :53:45.year's health funding was up by 2.3%. Julie Paxson has been chosen
:53:45. > :53:56.as their candidate at the general election.
:53:56. > :54:08.Note of planning, the word of Eric Pickles as low as far as I'm
:54:08. > :54:14.concerned. —— and now two. Why is it that in Northumberland and
:54:14. > :54:20.Co Durham, some find themselves locked in plans to build on the
:54:20. > :54:24.green belts? Do you need to accept that what the government says is
:54:24. > :54:30.that we need a lot of homes in the area or communities in your area
:54:30. > :54:35.will age and diet? I am very proud to be a champion of the green belt.
:54:35. > :54:42.What we are doing is putting in protections. My local authority
:54:42. > :54:49.excepted that this government was putting in sections for the green
:54:49. > :54:57.belt. —— accept it. I back locks of housing project, all of these are
:54:57. > :55:03.big housing project through my quit we have got behind. I opened a
:55:03. > :55:14.housing project in Friday. You do not want to build in areas that
:55:14. > :55:20.could encourage young people to move on. The important thing is that
:55:20. > :55:24.local people should be in charge. They are, they are elected into the
:55:24. > :55:30.council! We want to persuade the council to allow protection of the
:55:30. > :55:37.green belt. You talk about hunting, —— one area, there are many houses
:55:37. > :55:42.being built there already, there is no need for development of the green
:55:42. > :55:49.belt. These are our green lungs, we need to keep them. The government
:55:49. > :55:58.wants more houses built. Since the 1940s, we have had effective
:55:58. > :56:01.protection with green belt areas. Only 56% of development was on
:56:01. > :56:07.Brownfield site when we started. I am a big champion of green belt
:56:07. > :56:14.legislation, I think it should be concern you. Why are Labour
:56:14. > :56:23.councillors not? The national assumption should not be against
:56:23. > :56:28.green belt development. Have you seen the house—building record of
:56:28. > :56:35.the current government? The lowest since the 1920s. Ed Miliband has
:56:35. > :56:39.promised 200,000 houses being built. It is what we need to ensure
:56:39. > :56:46.a good viable supply of house—building. If you're going to
:56:46. > :56:52.build the houses, you are going to build them on the green belt? No,
:56:52. > :56:56.that is wrong. Brown belt sites. Councils tell us that they cannot
:56:56. > :57:01.build on these because the government has withdrawn all the
:57:01. > :57:05.grants to allow them to do that. That is wrong. I have two
:57:05. > :57:15.ex—hospital sites that are being developed. I have over 1000 homes
:57:15. > :57:21.been built as we speak. I have opened a project on Friday, I can
:57:21. > :57:30.assure you those over there. I prefer our policy of putting local
:57:30. > :57:36.government and starred —— in charge. Northumberland county council want
:57:36. > :57:39.to build those funds. Those are local people being influenced by
:57:39. > :57:49.local campaign groups. Not something dreamt up by this monster. Thank you
:57:49. > :57:52.very much. —— Westminster. Teaching unions take strike action
:57:52. > :57:59.this week. Next weekend we will be talking to a teacher who is stopping
:57:59. > :58:04.work. And another who is dead against the action and will stay in
:58:05. > :58:09.the classroom. Please remember to check out my tweets. And
:58:10. > :58:12.and these tactics were plain wrong. That is all we have time for. Back
:58:12. > :58:26.ministerial team this week with That is all we have time for. Back
:58:26. > :58:31.commentators calling it the purge of the Blairites, but one poor lamb who
:58:31. > :58:36.fell victim to this perch was Diane Abbott, not somebody who worshipped
:58:36. > :58:41.at the altar of Tony Blair. Life on the backbenches means she can pursue
:58:41. > :58:48.other interests such as attending the Cheltenham literary Festival,
:58:48. > :58:51.and where she joins us now. Welcome. Why did Ed Miliband fire you? He
:58:52. > :58:59.think the thing that did it for Why did Ed Miliband fire you? He
:58:59. > :59:05.was me coming out on Syria. This was Why did Ed Miliband fire you? He
:59:05. > :59:10.a purge of the Blairites, how did you become collateral damage? I
:59:10. > :59:12.a purge of the Blairites, how did no idea but the fact that I was
:59:12. > :59:14.a purge of the Blairites, how did one member of the front bench to go
:59:14. > :59:21.public about my concerns on Syria probably tipped my enemies in the
:59:21. > :59:25.party machinery over the edge. But he went your way on Syria, in the
:59:26. > :59:33.end he agreed with your line on Syria so why would that be for
:59:33. > :59:37.dismissal? I agree with you - you're fired. Because I actually spoke
:59:37. > :59:39.dismissal? I agree with you - you're and it was the fact that I spoke up,
:59:39. > :59:48.which was like a pebble falling and it was the fact that I spoke up,
:59:48. > :59:55.forest or something. I am glad I spoke up on Syria. He doesn't like
:59:55. > :00:12.people around them than who are outspoken, who speak their minds? I
:00:12. > :00:14.think he's convinced he needs people who read from the scripts. People
:00:14. > :00:21.increasingly upset that even though who read from the scripts. People
:00:21. > :00:27.I was speaking party policy, I was reading from the script. Since Mr
:00:27. > :00:34.Miliband bid you farewell, you've said he's doing his best. Is his
:00:34. > :00:38.best good enough? I am sure it will be. I've always said the Labour
:00:38. > :00:43.Party chose the right Miliband. be. I've always said the Labour
:00:44. > :00:50.will remain loyal to him on the backbenches. You're going to be
:00:50. > :00:55.loyal? However, I want to join in the debate. You're going to be
:00:55. > :00:59.loyal? Absolutely. I was loyal both in public and private when others
:00:59. > :01:05.were bitching about him behind the from the backbenches, I hope to
:01:05. > :01:07.were bitching about him behind the involved in the debate particularly
:01:07. > :01:12.around nick policy. Et's see how loyal you are. You must be happy
:01:12. > :01:20.with all this new tough talk on welfare and free schools? Well,
:01:20. > :01:24.with all this new tough talk on think both Rachel and Tristram are
:01:24. > :01:28.very talented. We're going to have to see how this all plays out. The
:01:28. > :01:32.issue of free schools, they are to see how this all plays out. The
:01:32. > :01:34.thing. But diminishing the role to see how this all plays out. The
:01:34. > :01:42.local authorities is another. There need strong local authorities. I'm
:01:42. > :01:45.local authorities is another. There sure Tristram will be aware of that.
:01:45. > :01:50.As for welfare, I'm sure Rachel knows some of the cuts the Tories
:01:50. > :01:56.have made have been counter prod ublingtive in -- productive in terms
:01:56. > :01:57.of spending. You wouldn't call that your full-hearted endorsement, would
:01:57. > :02:05.you? What are you on, and lieu? your full-hearted endorsement, would
:02:05. > :02:10.haven't seen the detail of Rachel's new position. You have to wait and
:02:10. > :02:15.see the detail. It is in the papers. You haven't stopped reading the
:02:15. > :02:21.papers. It was the Observer. When will you announce you're running for
:02:21. > :02:25.Mayor of London? I have no plans to announce that I'm running for Mayor
:02:25. > :02:26.Mayor of London? I have no plans to of London. No plans. That's what
:02:26. > :02:30.Michael his I will Tyne used to of London. No plans. That's what
:02:30. > :02:35.me. He had no plans to run against Margaret Thatcher. Are these the
:02:35. > :02:42.same kind of plans you have? I know. No, no. I have no plans. You know
:02:42. > :02:52.going for it. Everybody knows you're going for it. Just fess up to your
:02:52. > :02:58.old mate! ! I have no plans to run. If you did run, who would be, what
:02:58. > :03:07.would be your biggest threat other than yourself? I think there's a lot
:03:07. > :03:16.of very talented candidates, David They are all talented. I would have
:03:16. > :03:20.to weigh up the field. What do you think your chances would be of
:03:20. > :03:28.getting the taxi drivers' vote? Well, you know, Andrew, some of
:03:28. > :03:32.getting the taxi drivers' vote? most loyal viewers of This Week
:03:32. > :03:34.getting the taxi drivers' vote? were taxi drivers and their wives.
:03:34. > :03:39.I'm not frightened of reaching out to middle England. You will find if
:03:39. > :03:45.you walk around London sub usual ya, they all know me and they all love
:03:45. > :03:50.This Week. Love This Week. I thought you were going to say they all love
:03:50. > :03:55.you. One person who loves you, is Michael Portillo. He wasn't a happy
:03:55. > :04:00.chappie on Thursday night. You can't see it but you can hear. This is
:04:00. > :04:07.what he said. I was disappointed for her. She had decided to leave this
:04:07. > :04:11.something else in politics. She wanted to do something serious.
:04:11. > :04:14.something else in politics. She had taken what appeared to be a
:04:14. > :04:15.something else in politics. She position but taken it extremely
:04:15. > :04:23.serious and was committed to the issues. I'm quite disappointed for
:04:23. > :04:29.her. Why would Ed Miliband do such a thing. You just mentioned about
:04:29. > :04:37.London mayor, did Diane not ask thing. You just mentioned about
:04:37. > :04:40.Someone who's an eminent person thing. You just mentioned about
:04:40. > :04:44.this programme, I don't know how he could do that. I think Michael's
:04:44. > :04:50.missing you. Are you free this Thursday night? Make him a happy
:04:50. > :04:55.man, come back to the fold. I think I may be free this Thursday night.
:04:55. > :04:59.So, if he'll have me, I'll be there. My people will speak to your people.
:04:59. > :05:04.We'll get it sorted out. Diane, watch that big vase behind you,
:05:04. > :05:11.you're not insured for. That thanks Does she have a chance of being
:05:11. > :05:13.Mayor of London? She's very well known as Michael pointed out. That
:05:13. > :05:19.is important. People who are outside known as Michael pointed out. That
:05:19. > :05:21.the party fold have traditionally done well in the mayoral election.
:05:21. > :05:26.The job of being a London mayor done well in the mayoral election.
:05:26. > :05:31.running an economy the size of a nation. It is a very serious job.
:05:31. > :05:38.There may be problems with her running? That was a transparent
:05:38. > :05:43.There may be problems with her for it. She's potentially a very
:05:43. > :05:52.compelling Coll ticks. People have left-winger but she's quite tough
:05:52. > :05:59.and conservative. Michael Gove said he had fallen in love with Diane
:05:59. > :06:06.which That's one vote he has. What do you think? I thing about Diane
:06:06. > :06:10.Abbott is she has a fantastic way of connecting. She has a really good
:06:10. > :06:17.way of connecting wi people. She would be a very strong candidate in
:06:17. > :06:23.candidate. It will probably be a Labour win next time. Depends, if
:06:23. > :06:29.Labour wins the 2015 election it may be more difficult. There's a danger
:06:29. > :06:31.for Labour that Diane is the big personality liked by the party
:06:31. > :06:37.primary but isn't necessarily a personality liked by the party
:06:37. > :06:43.in come the London general election? That's true. London is traditionally
:06:43. > :06:48.a Labour city. But Boris managed to win as an outsider. There are big
:06:48. > :06:52.dangers for Labour with that. I think, as I said before, somebody
:06:53. > :07:00.who seems a bit independent from their own party machinery tend to do
:07:00. > :07:06.We've only had mayors so far that were independent? Indeed. And how
:07:06. > :07:09.Not that far behind bar Is Johnson. well Ken Livingstone did last time.
:07:09. > :07:11.Not that far behind bar Is Johnson. He was and is much more left-wing
:07:11. > :07:21.than Diane Abbott. Diane didn't He was and is much more left-wing
:07:21. > :07:29.stray on Syria, it was immigration. Why was Jeremy brown replaced by
:07:29. > :07:34.This is very much to do with Clegg deciding he has to go back to those
:07:34. > :07:37.people who abandoned the Liberal Democrats the day they went into
:07:37. > :07:42.coalition with the Conservatives really, and convince them there
:07:43. > :07:46.coalition with the Conservatives some holy areas of policy, sacred
:07:46. > :07:49.areas which they will defend. That includes civil liberties. In the
:07:49. > :07:52.Home Office, that incident with includes civil liberties. In the
:07:52. > :07:58.immigration vans went down very badly across the whole nation. Went
:07:58. > :08:02.down particularly badly with Liberal Democrats and voters. In the Home
:08:02. > :08:13.somebody there to put a shield on purpose behind it. And Nick Clegg
:08:13. > :08:18.has won the argument against the left, Vince Cable on the economy,
:08:18. > :08:22.away day in July, briefings say DrCable's been put in his box. He's
:08:22. > :08:26.won the argument on economic policy against the left. When it comes
:08:26. > :08:28.won the argument on economic policy the touchstone issue in the Home
:08:28. > :08:32.Office, he wants to shore up that vote on the left. And please The
:08:32. > :08:39.Guardian. This is important for something else going on which is
:08:39. > :08:43.that Nick Clegg has to keep his parliamentary party happy. That
:08:43. > :08:48.involves giving them ministerial jobs. A lot of Liberal Democrats
:08:48. > :08:59.losing their jobs, Michael Moore, because vacancies have to be created
:08:59. > :09:07.for number people to come in. By Liberal Democrat MPs will have been
:09:07. > :09:12.on the payroll. It is effective party management. I want to move on
:09:12. > :09:14.to press regulation. Brian Leveson's famous report, appeared before the
:09:15. > :09:20.parliamentary select committee. famous report, appeared before the
:09:20. > :09:31.will run you a clip from Connor politicians got involved in this. We
:09:31. > :09:36.moved away from the press 300 years ago. The centr commitment is Lord
:09:37. > :09:45.Leveson wanted a system the press self-regulation. This is state
:09:45. > :09:51.involvement which I worry about profoundly. He sits on the media
:09:51. > :09:56.interviews and investigations into the media. Chris Huhne said earlier
:09:56. > :10:00.he thought all the newspapers would sign up to the Government-backed
:10:00. > :10:07.Royal Charter. I think he's totally should. But he did say they would. I
:10:07. > :10:12.think he's wrong. They won't sign up. All the mood music when that
:10:12. > :10:19.Royal Charter was agreed on Friday was they would not sign up. It is
:10:19. > :10:21.Maria Miller, is essentially saying to the press industry, if you don't
:10:21. > :10:25.sign up, the Royal charter will to the press industry, if you don't
:10:25. > :10:30.ahead. I cannot control the Labour to the press industry, if you don't
:10:30. > :10:32.industry is wind the clock back to the press industry, if you don't
:10:32. > :10:40.what they are calling the Puttnam stage. That was earlier this year,
:10:40. > :10:45.Lord Puttnam was tack amendments which would introduce statutory
:10:45. > :10:54.regulation. Maria Miller says you statutory legislation but if you
:10:54. > :11:02.don't sign up to this, it will be a lot worse. Will that work? Playing
:11:02. > :11:05.the good cop, bad cop routine? Will that pressurise everyone to sign up.
:11:06. > :11:11.Lots of people are saying this will be a club with no members. It won't
:11:11. > :11:16.work. As Nick and I broke the story last week that the Government was
:11:16. > :11:21.going to reject the newspaper-backed one, I'm certain that the newspapers
:11:21. > :11:28.now, most of them maybe, not all, but most, will go the legal route
:11:28. > :11:33.and to judicial review on what the Government's proposing and will
:11:33. > :11:33.and to judicial review on what the it to strains Bowring where freedom
:11:33. > :11:41.of the press is enshrined. They it to strains Bowring where freedom
:11:41. > :11:45.fight this? There is enough fury amongst Fleet Street to result in
:11:45. > :11:49.that. The big political question going forward is which of the party
:11:49. > :11:53.leaders does the press blame the most for the emergence of press
:11:53. > :11:59.regulation? The Tories are very confident they'll blame Ed Miliband
:11:59. > :12:03.the most. They'll target him before 2015. David Cameron gave us Brian
:12:03. > :12:11.Leveson. You appoint a judge who shouldn't be surprised with what you
:12:11. > :12:15.got in the Leveson report? I big chunk of press will look at David
:12:15. > :12:29.Cameron saying, you were the guy who intended what will happen. If he had
:12:29. > :12:32.have appointed Brian Leveson. If they face more punitive fines over
:12:32. > :12:37.Labour ale cases they take that they face more punitive fines over
:12:37. > :12:45.Europe. The Daily Mail and the tallest presumably will have to
:12:45. > :12:51.suspend their campaign of Britain to leave the European Convention of
:12:51. > :12:59.suspend that. We must never come out Churchill was behind it. He was
:12:59. > :13:01.indeed. But it is actually a major constitutional issue whether you
:13:01. > :13:06.regulate the press or not. There was constitutional issue whether you
:13:06. > :13:11.a lot of ill feeling that this Marie ya miller statement was snubbing out
:13:11. > :13:16.on Friday afternoon. Somebody said freedom of the press too important
:13:16. > :13:21.to sneak out on afully afternoon. The whole subject should be treated
:13:21. > :13:27.with respect. We've run out of time. I'll be back next Sunday with the
:13:27. > :13:37.Communities Secretary Eric Pickles at our usual time of 11.00am. If