15/09/2013

:00:25. > :00:50.after the summer recess, and the party conference season is already

:00:50. > :00:55.upon us. First, the Liberal Democrats. Have a great conference.

:00:55. > :01:01.Nick Clegg has some convincing to do, according to our very own Sunday

:01:01. > :01:05.Politics poll, his troops don't like his coalition bedmates. The latest

:01:06. > :01:12.poll of the country also has the Lib Dems languishing behind UKIP in

:01:12. > :01:17.fourth place, with only 9%. Paddy Ashdown! So can the Lib Dems

:01:17. > :01:23.claw their way back, come the election in 2015? We will talking to

:01:23. > :01:26.former leader, now the party's general election commander-in-chief,

:01:26. > :01:28.Paddy Ashdown. George Osborne is a happy bunny

:01:28. > :01:33.Coming up in Northern Ireland: these days,

:01:33. > :01:35.Coming up in Northern Ireland: Sorting flags, parading and the

:01:35. > :01:36.past. Sorting flags, parading and the

:01:36. > :01:39.Can Richard Haas succeed where Sorting flags, parading and the

:01:39. > :01:43.others have failed? We'll hear from Sorting flags, parading and the

:01:43. > :01:44.the DUP and Sinn Fein. Join Sorting flags, parading and the

:01:44. > :01:45.now heading for the exit. We will hear from Nick Clegg

:01:45. > :01:45.now heading for the exit. We will the DUP and Sinn Fein. Join me just

:01:45. > :01:55.now heading for the exit. We will hear from Nick Clegg on what it

:01:55. > :01:58.signifies. And freshly showered from the Great

:01:59. > :02:03.North Run and looking as fresh as daisies, the best and brightest

:02:03. > :02:07.political panel in the business. Janan Ganesh, Helen Lewis and Iain

:02:08. > :02:11.Martin, who will be tweeting throughout the programme.

:02:11. > :02:15.Now, their leader is our Deputy Prime Minister. They are the junior

:02:15. > :02:19.partners of our coalition government. They like the colour

:02:19. > :02:21.yellow and they have not won a general election since dinosaurs

:02:21. > :02:25.walked the earth. Now they are behind UKIP in the polls, so as the

:02:25. > :02:33.party gathers for its annual bash this year in Glasgow, what is on

:02:33. > :02:35.their mind? Who are the people gathering at the Clyde this weekend?

:02:35. > :02:40.their mind? Who are the people Before they started drinking, we

:02:40. > :02:45.surveyed 580 Liberal Democrat councillors in England and Wales,

:02:45. > :02:52.with the help of some pollsters, comrade. The first question we asked

:02:52. > :02:55.was, if the next election results in a hung parliament, which team would

:02:55. > :02:57.you rather go into coalition with, the Reds or the blues? Lib Dem

:02:57. > :03:03.councillors said Labour, two to one. the Reds or the blues? Lib Dem

:03:03. > :03:13.Tories or Labour? It is not for us the Reds or the blues? Lib Dem

:03:13. > :03:21.to say. It is for the voters to say. We will decide depending on

:03:21. > :03:22.what the voters tell us. Your councillors favoured a coalition

:03:22. > :03:35.with Labour. Well, is on the table. Who would you

:03:35. > :03:43.rather play table football against? I would rather play against you,

:03:43. > :03:46.because I am winning. So in the Lib Dems shop, which policies are

:03:46. > :03:50.winning 's which ones are heading for the bargain bin? The most

:03:50. > :03:52.winning 's which ones are heading popular policy was a mansion tax on

:03:52. > :03:57.house is worth more than £2 million, popular policy was a mansion tax on

:03:57. > :04:05.which was supported by 80 -- 86% of councillors. The next most popular

:04:05. > :04:11.policy was scrapping the Trident nuclear deterrent, supported by 72%

:04:11. > :04:16.of councillors. Then there was the reinstatement of the 50p top rate of

:04:16. > :04:20.income tax. 70% of councillors like the look of that. When it came to

:04:20. > :04:24.the idea of banning the burka in public places like schools and

:04:24. > :04:32.airports, 45% of councillors were in favour. Finally, a ban on topless

:04:32. > :04:37.Page three model is won the support of 33% of councillors. Why is it so

:04:37. > :04:44.popular, the idea of a mansion tax? It is a much fairer tax. We know

:04:44. > :04:49.there are people out there with very expensive houses. Which of these is

:04:49. > :04:56.most important to you? Banning Trident. The cold war ended in

:04:56. > :05:01.1989. Another one was the idea of banning the burka in public places.

:05:01. > :05:03.No, I feel people should wear whatever they like. If they want to

:05:03. > :05:09.No, I feel people should wear wear the birth or a kilt or if they

:05:09. > :05:18.want to be naked or not wear anything. We are the party of jobs.

:05:18. > :05:23.Thank you. Last night, a fully clothed Nick Clegg rallied his

:05:23. > :05:28.troops, but if he was not around, who would Lib Dem councillors want

:05:28. > :05:33.instead? Business Secretary Vince Cable was most popular, with a third

:05:33. > :05:40.of the votes. In second place, the party's president, Tim Farron, with

:05:40. > :05:42.27%. 10% went to Danny Alexander, Chief Secretary to the Treasury,

:05:42. > :05:48.while the business minister Joe Swinson received 7%. The Energy

:05:48. > :05:56.Secretary Ed Davey scooped 6%, and in last place, Steve Webb, the

:05:56. > :05:59.pensions minister, who got 5%. If any of these councillors want to

:05:59. > :06:06.talk to me about it, I would be delighted to hear from them. Is that

:06:06. > :06:12.a bid for a leadership campaign? It certainly isn't. What do you think

:06:12. > :06:15.of these? That is quite a collection. These are the

:06:15. > :06:22.contenders. But our survey is not the only one that has got tongues

:06:22. > :06:23.wagging in Glasgow, because the Lib Dem leadership have commissioned

:06:23. > :06:25.their own poll which showed that 75% Dem leadership have commissioned

:06:25. > :06:29.of the country will never vote Dem leadership have commissioned

:06:29. > :06:31.the party, no matter what they do. Also meeting here this weekend, this

:06:31. > :06:37.the party, no matter what they do. group of bikers. But Liberal

:06:37. > :06:44.Democrats like to think they have got just as much va-va-voom, even if

:06:44. > :06:53.a big chunk of the country doesn't. Add, back in his hometown. So, the

:06:53. > :06:58.Lib Dems are on 9% in the polls. Much of their party thinks they are

:06:58. > :07:01.moving in the wrong direction. Earlier, I spoke to former party

:07:01. > :07:05.moving in the wrong direction. leader Paddy Ashdown. He has been

:07:05. > :07:11.put in charge of heading up the 2015 election campaign. I asked him if

:07:11. > :07:17.the mood in Glasgow was grim. No. In many ways, as you know, Tory old

:07:17. > :07:21.commentator that you are just as I am a hoary old member at the other

:07:21. > :07:27.end of the camera, we have been there, done that and got the

:07:27. > :07:30.T-shirt. Where you are in the midterm of a government, especially

:07:30. > :07:35.when you are in government and the country is going for in a deep

:07:35. > :07:40.economic crisis, has almost no relevance to where you might be when

:07:40. > :07:45.the nipple come to consider how they will vote in 600 days time -- when

:07:45. > :07:50.the people come to consider how they will vote. We do not dismiss polls,

:07:50. > :07:53.but they are a snapshot of what is happening now and give little

:07:53. > :07:58.indication of where we will be. My guess is, for what it is worth, that

:07:58. > :08:01.as we come to the election, the public will be in a very serious,

:08:01. > :08:09.probably frightened mood. Their main public will be in a very serious,

:08:09. > :08:12.thoughts will be, who maintains my job, makes sure I don't have to pay

:08:12. > :08:18.thoughts will be, who maintains my to higher mortgage? The coalition

:08:18. > :08:23.has delivered not only the required policies to make Britain's economy

:08:23. > :08:28.prosperous, but also its society fair. That is what people will want

:08:28. > :08:33.to see. I think coalition politics are here to stay and we have a role

:08:33. > :08:37.to play in it. But you are in a grim mood this morning. You tweeted that

:08:37. > :08:41.you were not happy with how the Observer newspaper handled your

:08:41. > :08:46.interview. What was the problem? Is there anything we can do to help?

:08:46. > :08:52.There is probably something they could do to help. I have no

:08:52. > :08:56.arguments with the interview. The headline they chose to put on it

:08:56. > :09:01.late last night was outrageous, misrepresentative and in one case in

:09:01. > :09:03.accurate. What was the headline? Something about Ashdown wants a

:09:03. > :09:09.coalition with the Tories, or at Something about Ashdown wants a

:09:09. > :09:16.least they gave that in for us -- inference. Let me make this point.

:09:16. > :09:22.We are coming up to the next election. I am in charge of the

:09:22. > :09:26.campaign. Any journalist who in these next two years says that any

:09:26. > :09:31.Liberal Democrat prefers anything else in terms of the outcome of a

:09:31. > :09:34.coalition but the result of the ballot box dictating that outcome,

:09:34. > :09:38.that any prefer one side to another over and they want to see a

:09:38. > :09:43.coalition determined by the electors over and they want to see a

:09:43. > :09:49.in the votes, will get a bloody hard time from me, no matter who they

:09:49. > :10:09.are. We take the warning. A survey of Lib Dem councillors shows that in

:10:09. > :10:10.the event of another hung parliament, only 16% of your

:10:10. > :10:11.the event of another hung councillors want to renew the

:10:11. > :10:14.coalition with the Tories. That is a councillors want to renew the

:10:14. > :10:17.clear sign that your activists want a change of direction. I don't think

:10:17. > :10:19.it is news that as a left-wing party, we find it more congenial

:10:19. > :10:22.with those on the left wing, but that is not the issue. You saw it

:10:22. > :10:25.was not the issue at the last election. We are servants of the

:10:25. > :10:27.ballot box. We do watch the British people require us to do to provide a

:10:27. > :10:31.stable government in the interests of our country. I am sure you have

:10:31. > :10:34.got the point by now. I have fought the Tories all my life. But when

:10:34. > :10:37.Labour run away from their the Tories all my life. But when

:10:37. > :10:42.responsibility to amend the economic crisis, was this right for the

:10:42. > :10:46.country? That is what drives me. Let me say again. The people will

:10:46. > :10:53.determine who are going to be in any coalition, should there be one, the

:10:53. > :10:59.voters and nobody else. It is not about what we like. I understand

:10:59. > :11:03.that. But your own internal polls show that Mr Clegg and the

:11:03. > :11:10.leadership are not taking the party with them on that. I don't think

:11:10. > :11:14.that is true. Nick Clegg has done what no other party leader has done.

:11:14. > :11:19.He took the coalition agreement to the party, and they voted for it. So

:11:19. > :11:23.it is not true to say that members of the party are moving in a

:11:23. > :11:26.different direction. I think we are extraordinarily united. I did not

:11:26. > :11:31.expect them to be so under these pressures, but they have surprised

:11:31. > :11:34.me and made me joyful at the same time. The party has done what it

:11:34. > :11:39.needs to do. This is what time. The party has done what it

:11:39. > :11:48.done in local government for a long time. We may have our private likes

:11:48. > :11:52.and dislikes, but the thing that dictates the formation of a

:11:52. > :11:58.coalition is the ballot box. You have said that three times. I can

:11:58. > :12:02.say it again if you like. Please don't! What if your party votes to

:12:02. > :12:12.reinstate tuition fees as party policy afternoon? We will have to

:12:12. > :12:16.listen to that and act accordingly. You must listen to the voice of the

:12:16. > :12:21.party and take it into account in what you do. I am always quite

:12:21. > :12:26.careful, as you know, about answering hypothetical questions. I

:12:26. > :12:31.don't think it is likely to happen, but if it did, we would have to do

:12:31. > :12:34.consider it. I thought what distinguished Lib Dems was that if

:12:34. > :12:40.your party conference voted for something, it was in the manifesto.

:12:40. > :12:45.The manifesto is taken in its final form before the party for decision.

:12:45. > :12:50.The party will express views at this stage in all sorts of ways. It did

:12:50. > :12:53.in my leadership, too. The manifesto is democratically agreed by the

:12:53. > :12:59.party at the time of the election, not before. The Tory conference will

:12:59. > :13:03.be about how they think they have been vindicated, that austerity has

:13:03. > :13:08.worked, the economy is turning a corner. But Nick Clegg's conference

:13:08. > :13:14.announcements will be about plastic bags. Have you got the hang of this

:13:14. > :13:18.coalition think? Andrew, you can always be guaranteed to put things

:13:18. > :13:26.in the most discreditable form! That is part of your charm. That was

:13:26. > :13:33.about to be a minor announcement in the middle of his speech. But it was

:13:33. > :13:37.discovered beforehand. It has not been very popular in terms of how it

:13:37. > :13:41.has been received, but that is not the central message. That leads me

:13:41. > :13:47.to what I think is the biggest danger you face at the next

:13:47. > :13:53.election. Isn't the biggest danger that the Tories, not you, if there

:13:53. > :14:03.is an economic recovery, they will get the credit for it? I don't think

:14:03. > :14:06.that is true. By the way, I don't think the electorate does gratitude.

:14:06. > :14:10.The only time people cast a thank you vote was probably for Mrs

:14:10. > :14:13.Thatcher over the sale of council houses. We could have a different

:14:13. > :14:21.discussion over whether that was a good idea. But what you have done is

:14:21. > :14:22.the underpinning for the promise of what you will do. In this

:14:22. > :14:30.government, we have stayed firm on a what you will do. In this

:14:30. > :14:40.very tough economic policy. But will you get the credit? What we have

:14:40. > :14:44.done by ourselves, which the Tories would never have done, is make sure

:14:44. > :14:49.that when the pain is felt, it is not the poor who feel it. We have

:14:49. > :14:53.seen the biggest shift of taxation, lifting the poorest in the country

:14:53. > :15:00.out of taxation, that has ever happened, including in the previous

:15:00. > :15:04.Labour government. You are presiding over the biggest squeeze on living

:15:04. > :15:13.standards in modern times. Because it is the biggest recession in

:15:13. > :15:16.modern times. When you speak to the 2.5 million people who have been

:15:16. > :15:21.lifted out of taxation altogether because of the Liberal Democrats,

:15:21. > :15:30.speak to those who have had a £400 tax cut. You may be able to make the

:15:30. > :15:34.speak to those who have had a £400 connection, Andrew, you are a sharp

:15:34. > :15:38.observer, between a very deep economic crisis and difficulty for

:15:38. > :15:42.everybody. But it is clear that if the Tories had been by themselves,

:15:42. > :15:46.none of that would have happened. We have sought to shift the burden away

:15:46. > :15:48.from the poorest in this country. I am part of that. So when we go into

:15:48. > :15:52.the next election, the message will am part of that. So when we go into

:15:52. > :15:57.be that if you want to continue to have a prosperous economy and a

:15:57. > :16:07.society, only the Liberal Democrats will deliver that. Tim Farron says

:16:07. > :16:10.he likes Ed Miliband and he does not want to diss him. Can you confirm

:16:11. > :16:16.that there will be no dissing of Ed Miliband? It is not much my style.

:16:16. > :16:21.I've never much liked comments about the other leaders. I do not intend

:16:21. > :16:29.to make it so in the future. Can I'd finish up on Syria? You said after

:16:29. > :16:34.the Syria vote that Britain was a hugely diminished country. Given it

:16:34. > :16:38.was the British Parliament that said both sides on a course which could

:16:38. > :16:42.now see Syria give up chemical weapons without records to military

:16:42. > :16:45.action, would you like to withdraw these remarks and admit that you

:16:45. > :16:53.should be proud and happy with what Britain has done? No. You and I both

:16:53. > :16:58.know, because we are old observers, that that would never have happened

:16:58. > :17:01.unless there had been an underpinning of a threat to use

:17:01. > :17:06.force. The British Parliament resigned from that. We have no part

:17:06. > :17:08.to play in the fact that Assad and Putin have moved towards peace for

:17:08. > :17:09.to play in the fact that Assad and fear of military action. We decided

:17:09. > :17:13.not to be part of that. It is fear of military action. We decided

:17:13. > :17:16.exactly the opposite. Why would have liked to have seen our country join

:17:16. > :17:25.in with those who are serious about upholding an international law which

:17:25. > :17:31.has restrained even than axes and talent, but instead we resigned and

:17:31. > :17:38.left others to make sure that we moved towards peace. -- even the

:17:38. > :17:43.Maxis and Stalin. But if it had not been for the British Parliament, we

:17:43. > :17:49.would not have had the time to allow this to happen. It has avoided war.

:17:49. > :17:56.Job done, British Parliament. That would be true if it was accurate but

:17:56. > :18:01.it is not. The resolution proposed a delay, that we should wait until the

:18:01. > :18:03.inspectors came back. That time frame was absolutely nothing to do

:18:03. > :18:08.inspectors came back. That time with the parliamentary vote. The

:18:08. > :18:10.vote was going to incorporate that. I do not think you can claim what

:18:10. > :18:16.vote was going to incorporate that. you claim. In the Balkans, I

:18:16. > :18:19.remember that diplomacy, which was not reinforced by the threat of

:18:19. > :18:25.military action, does not work. It is when diplomacy runs with a grain

:18:25. > :18:28.of military action that it works. And if you want a fantastic

:18:28. > :18:32.illustration of that, look at what is happening over the last two

:18:32. > :18:36.weeks. By regret to say that our country, which has always been in

:18:36. > :18:43.favour of engagement and not disengagement, had no part to play

:18:43. > :18:46.in that. They give a joining us, Paddy Ashdown. Enjoy my old

:18:46. > :18:55.university city. And you we would get to the Balkans

:18:55. > :18:59.eventually, and we did. His biggest challenge is if the economy is

:19:00. > :19:03.looking reasonably good by 2015, to get some credit for the Lib Dems,

:19:03. > :19:08.when the Tories will want to halt it all. But his position is not to be

:19:08. > :19:12.the necessary axeman. That is George Osborne's role. Their role is to be

:19:12. > :19:16.the chaser party, taking the edge off. They will because of me going

:19:16. > :19:20.on about the pupil premium and racing people out of income tax.

:19:20. > :19:25.That is what you will hear from them, how they have taken the edge

:19:25. > :19:29.of the cuts. Will that work? They are in a pretty good position. Even

:19:29. > :19:33.if they have lost two thirds of the popular support, according to the

:19:33. > :19:37.polls, I do not know anyone in Westminster methinks that will be

:19:37. > :19:40.matched in their parliamentary representation. If they have 56 MPs

:19:40. > :19:47.now, they might lose a dozen but they will not be decimated.

:19:47. > :19:52.Strategically, they are in a better position than the reading of the

:19:52. > :19:55.polls would tell you. I think Nick Clegg's survival has been one of the

:19:55. > :20:01.stories of this Parliament. He is looking good at the comfort -- at

:20:02. > :20:07.the conference. When he was at his lowest after the AV referendum,

:20:07. > :20:10.people were saying he would survive and lead us into 2015 and beyond and

:20:10. > :20:15.I thought that was fanciful. Believe it or not... Paddy Ashdown was

:20:15. > :20:22.wrong, you were wrong and... I wasn't. I'm underestimated how bad

:20:22. > :20:27.his rivals are. If you are Lib Dem member, however aggrieved you are

:20:27. > :20:31.with Nick Clegg, you do not think, wouldn't it be great if Christian

:20:31. > :20:38.was in charge? Nick Clegg is the best they have. -- Chris Huhne was

:20:38. > :20:41.in charge. Of course, the people do not vote for the coalition

:20:41. > :20:44.government and it is a consequence of the way they vote, a different

:20:44. > :20:50.matter. If Janan Ganesh is right, and they lose 15 seats in the next

:20:50. > :20:54.election, they could be still pivotal in the next government. It

:20:54. > :20:58.could be. But there is a danger. Possibly the most amusing outcome

:20:58. > :21:00.would be a Labour or Tory overall majority, which would be hilarious

:21:00. > :21:06.for the look on Paddy Ashdown's face. The danger is they get trapped

:21:06. > :21:11.constantly in talking about the politics of coalition and of a hung

:21:11. > :21:17.parliament. And they are very puffed up and they enjoy Parliament and

:21:17. > :21:20.they will enjoy the next one, up and they enjoy Parliament and

:21:20. > :21:24.there is a possibility they will not be. While they are talking about the

:21:24. > :21:28.Polish and themselves, they are not talking about the issues facing the

:21:28. > :21:35.country. -- talking about the coalition. It was interesting that

:21:35. > :21:39.he said that we are a left-wing party, not a centre-left party or a

:21:39. > :21:46.centre party, but a left-wing party. I'm going to put myself in the

:21:46. > :21:51.firing line and say that there is a big split between the Tim Farron

:21:51. > :21:54.line who say they like Ed Miliband, and another one, Jeremy Browne in

:21:54. > :21:57.the Home Office saying that Labour are intellectually lazy. The risk

:21:58. > :22:05.clearly a clique around Nick Clegg who wants to be a synthetic party,

:22:05. > :22:11.but that is not where the membership who wants to be a synthetic party,

:22:11. > :22:16.and broad base is. The real activists are clearly of the left,

:22:16. > :22:20.not just the centre-left. They are very pro-immigration and they want

:22:20. > :22:23.to get rid of Trident. Mr Clegg's strategy has to be to take the party

:22:23. > :22:26.to the centre. The something not happen at some stage? The poll

:22:26. > :22:30.suggests it is a left-wing party. happen at some stage? The poll

:22:30. > :22:37.Very left-wing. Other think the poll would have yielded -- would have

:22:37. > :22:42.yielded the same results before the 2010 election. This is reflected by

:22:42. > :22:48.the arithmetic. Whichever party is biggest will most likely be the ones

:22:48. > :22:56.in coalition with the Lib Dems. Nick Clegg's on latitude to choose is

:22:56. > :23:01.exaggerated by us. The choice is no tears, it is written into

:23:01. > :23:04.parliamentary arithmetic. But if you remember the structure of the Lib

:23:04. > :23:12.Dems, they can tie themselves up in infighting. -- the choice is not

:23:12. > :23:16.ours. They are fundamentally stable. And Nick Clegg has had a

:23:16. > :23:20.good conference last year, and will have another one this year. The

:23:20. > :23:22.economy is better than it was a year ago. It could still go quite well

:23:22. > :23:27.for him. Yes, it is one of the ago. It could still go quite well

:23:27. > :23:31.stories of this Parliament, his survival and the way in which he has

:23:31. > :23:35.prospered. But there are a lot of people out there, students,

:23:35. > :23:38.campaigners, labour activists who have not forgotten what he has done

:23:38. > :23:42.in government and are determined to get him. It will be a tough year and

:23:42. > :23:47.a half. Tougher than he imagined. Now, not so long ago they were

:23:47. > :23:54.writing George Osborne's political obituary. Be on the Omni shambles

:23:54. > :23:58.budget of 2012 and a lacklustre performance of the British economy

:23:58. > :24:04.meant his reputation work -- was in the dirt. -- the omnishambles. But

:24:04. > :24:08.things have changed. The Chancellor is saying he has been vindicated. If

:24:08. > :24:12.true, we're do that leave his critics? At your stuck on the

:24:12. > :24:15.runway, it looks as though the British economy has taken off,

:24:15. > :24:19.growing by 0.7% in British economy has taken off,

:24:19. > :24:23.quarter. Forecasts for the rest of the year have been revised up words.

:24:23. > :24:28.What's more, the office for National statistics says that the double-dip

:24:28. > :24:32.recession never actually happened. Unemployment is down in the three

:24:32. > :24:36.months to July and the number of people claiming jobseeker's

:24:36. > :24:40.months to July and the number of allowance is falling at its

:24:40. > :24:43.spasticity rate since 1997. On Monday, George Osborne said his

:24:43. > :24:49.policies were bearing fruit. We held our nerve when many told us to

:24:49. > :24:54.abandon our plans. As a result, thanks to the efforts and sacrifices

:24:54. > :25:01.of the British people, Britain is turning a corner. The message for

:25:01. > :25:06.his Labour critics was clear. The Chancellor thinks he was right and

:25:06. > :25:07.they were wrong. And Chuka Umunna joins me now for the Sunday

:25:07. > :25:19.interview. Good afternoon. Good afternoon.Do

:25:19. > :25:23.you accept that the economy has turned a corner? I think it is good

:25:23. > :25:28.that a stalled recovery appears to have come back to life, but let's

:25:28. > :25:31.get this in perspective. We have had three wasted years. We have the

:25:31. > :25:37.worst economic recovery in history. Debt is up and we have record youth

:25:37. > :25:40.unemployment. If you ask your viewers who are watching this

:25:40. > :25:44.programme if they feel better or worse off, compared to 2010, the

:25:44. > :25:50.majority will tell you they feel worse because, on average, wages are

:25:50. > :25:56.down by £1500 compared to May of 2010. That is the situation. The

:25:56. > :26:00.questionnaires, what is the government going to do about it? And

:26:00. > :26:04.one of the things we have seen talked about, Vince Cable has been

:26:04. > :26:08.talking about this as well, is what is happening in the housing market.

:26:08. > :26:14.It seems that much of the solution to powering the recovery in the eyes

:26:14. > :26:19.of George Osborne lies in sorting out the housing market but the

:26:19. > :26:21.problem is, we are at risk of being another housing bubble. Because of

:26:21. > :26:26.problem is, we are at risk of being research that came out this week, we

:26:26. > :26:28.know that housing in the UK is three times more expensive than in the US.

:26:28. > :26:32.know that housing in the UK is three We know that house prices are rising

:26:32. > :26:35.five times faster than wages, but we also know that the government is

:26:35. > :26:40.five times faster than wages, but we building new housing at a slower

:26:40. > :26:46.rate, the slowest rate that we have seen since the 1920s. Labour

:26:46. > :26:52.complaining about a housing bubble, isn't that like Satan complaining

:26:52. > :26:56.about seven? -- seven. We all know that we cannot go back to business

:26:56. > :27:01.as usual. We need to build a new model of growth. But the housing

:27:01. > :27:07.bubble you talk about, it is not a bubble. It might turn into one. I

:27:07. > :27:10.said the risk of a bubble. It is nothing like what happened on the

:27:10. > :27:15.labourer when the prices soared. As I said, in 2009, we had the crash

:27:15. > :27:19.and we knew we needed to reconfigure the way that our economy works.

:27:19. > :27:25.Having an economy based on crisis is not a good thing. We need to

:27:25. > :27:29.rebalance the economy. We saw the unemployment statistics this week,

:27:29. > :27:32.and it is welcomed overall, that climate has come down --

:27:32. > :27:40.unemployment has come down. At half of the UK has seen unemployment go

:27:40. > :27:45.up. And it went down in other parts. We know that we need to rebalance

:27:45. > :27:51.our economy, so that we do not just rely on consumption, but that we

:27:51. > :27:55.grow our productive sectors. And also that we grow our exports as

:27:55. > :28:02.well. We know we have a continuing deficit. We always have a trade

:28:02. > :28:13.deficit. There was never a trade surplus under Labour. Want to come

:28:13. > :28:16.onto what you have mentioned but would you scrap the help to buy

:28:16. > :28:21.scheme? We have not said that we would do that. Why not if it is

:28:21. > :28:27.causing the bubble? If you let me finish, on one hand what that scheme

:28:28. > :28:34.does at the moment, at the moment it is inhalation to a new scheme but

:28:34. > :28:37.tomorrow -- next year it will be in relation to the existing scheme. If

:28:37. > :28:42.you do not sort out the supply of housing, then that is a recipe for

:28:42. > :28:45.the problems we have seen. Our argument is build more houses. Help

:28:45. > :28:48.more people to buy them by all means but if you do not have the supply

:28:48. > :28:54.you will end up with rising prices. That is obvious. Labour said that

:28:54. > :28:58.government austerity would prevent the return of growth. Austerity is

:28:58. > :29:01.still with us but so is growth. You were wrong. We never said that

:29:02. > :29:05.growth would never return. What we said was that if you went for an

:29:05. > :29:08.growth would never return. What we overly extreme deficit reduction

:29:08. > :29:13.package, you would choke the recovery and you would choke growth.

:29:13. > :29:22.That is what we saw for three years. If you say, look at the US economy,

:29:22. > :29:26.it has grown at three times the rate of the UK economy. The German

:29:26. > :29:29.economy has grown at twice the rate. But the British economy is growing

:29:29. > :29:34.quicker than the American or German economy is now. But over time we

:29:34. > :29:40.have not seen that happen. But it is now. That may be the case. But my

:29:40. > :29:45.point is that those three years saw people undergoing huge stress and

:29:45. > :29:49.worry. It is good that we have growth back again but the question

:29:49. > :29:55.is, what kind of growth? What we have said... I'm going to come onto

:29:55. > :29:57.that but your credibility depends on your previous analysis. And there

:29:57. > :30:05.are doubts about it. This is what you said not that long ago. In

:30:05. > :30:17.2012. Our economy has flat lined near the 0% mark...

:30:17. > :30:33.You and the Labour Party said it had choked off growth. You were wrong.

:30:33. > :30:38.We were not wrong, because we had three years where the economy was

:30:38. > :30:42.not moving. Let's remind ourselves. Claude Osborne was predicting that

:30:42. > :30:46.the economy was going to grow by 6.9% between the start of this

:30:46. > :30:55.Parliament and now. It has grown by 1.8%. We did not say we would never

:30:55. > :30:59.have a return to growth. You never said that austerity would only

:30:59. > :31:03.temporarily delay growth. We have looked through your speeches and Ed

:31:03. > :31:09.Balls'. We can't find any reference to say this is simply delaying the

:31:09. > :31:18.recovery. You said austerity would choke off growth. If that is true,

:31:18. > :31:20.why has it returned now? Did we say it would choke off growth for ever?

:31:20. > :31:29.why has it returned now? Did we say We did not. You have changed your

:31:29. > :31:34.tune. I think your package at the top of this programme, to frame this

:31:34. > :31:38.around George Osborne, this is not a Westminster soap opera, it is

:31:38. > :31:44.people's lives, and the people who deserve huge credit for the growth

:31:44. > :31:48.we are seeing are our country's businesses, who despite the tough

:31:48. > :31:52.economic times, have succeeded. They are the ones who have powered this

:31:52. > :31:57.growth. It is not for us in Westminster to take credit. But you

:31:57. > :32:03.blame the government for lack of growth. So therefore, when the

:32:03. > :32:07.growth comes, the government has to take some credit. Look at the

:32:07. > :32:13.situation Britain is in now. We know the recovery still has to reach many

:32:13. > :32:21.parts of the country, but this is the OECD annualised growth in the

:32:21. > :32:25.G-7, the world's guest economies. That is looking pretty healthy. That

:32:25. > :32:33.is a recovery. I am not denying that That is looking pretty healthy. That

:32:33. > :32:39.we are seeing a stalled recovery, but who benefits from the growth? On

:32:39. > :32:48.average, your viewers have sustained a £1500 pay cut. That is the second

:32:48. > :32:55.biggest fall in the G20 since May 2010. Because we had the biggest

:32:55. > :32:58.financial services sector and took the biggest crash. Financial

:32:58. > :33:07.services are still in decline. Financial services are about 10% of

:33:07. > :33:13.the economy. They are not the only contributor to the economy. The

:33:13. > :33:17.point is, who benefits? Unemployment is falling, but we don't just want

:33:17. > :33:21.people to have any job, we want them to have decent jobs that pay a

:33:21. > :33:28.weight you can live off and that are more secure. Let me show you the

:33:28. > :33:33.unemployment figures. Your criticism has been that all the new jobs are

:33:33. > :33:37.part-time. They are not now, they are full-time. Full-time

:33:37. > :33:46.unemployment, up -- full-time employment, up 94,000. This is a

:33:46. > :33:50.short time frame. It is since the recovery began. Half the jobs that

:33:50. > :33:56.have been created since May 2010 have been part-time jobs. Roughly

:33:56. > :34:01.107,000 people are working part-time who would like to work full-time.

:34:01. > :34:04.Over the last 20 years, people now feel more insecure at work than

:34:04. > :34:07.ever. The question is about what feel more insecure at work than

:34:07. > :34:14.kind of growth and employment you are getting. The other point is the

:34:14. > :34:22.uneven spread of this across our economy. In places like the

:34:22. > :34:29.north-east and north-west, the Humber, the east of England, they

:34:29. > :34:33.have seen unemployment increase. I agree that there was a regional

:34:33. > :34:40.imbalance, but the service sector is growing, cheering and construction

:34:40. > :34:45.are growing and financial services are in decline, so the rebalance is

:34:45. > :34:49.happening. It is not happening to the degree we need to transform our

:34:49. > :34:54.economy so that we have a long-term, sustainable model of

:34:54. > :34:55.growth. That is why we need a comprehensive industrial strategy

:34:55. > :35:05.that all of government works towards. Your party conference is

:35:05. > :35:09.coming up. I am sure you are looking forward to it. Why do Ed Miliband's

:35:09. > :35:20.approval ratings get worse the more people see of him? I don't accept

:35:20. > :35:26.that. I have given you the figures. Polls go up and down. I have said

:35:26. > :35:34.that on this programme before. But his approval rating has consistently

:35:34. > :35:35.gone down. What actually matters our votes. Under Ed Miliband's

:35:35. > :35:39.leadership, the Labour Party have votes. Under Ed Miliband's

:35:39. > :35:51.put on almost 2000 extra councillors in places like Canada case, even

:35:51. > :35:57.Whitney. What is wrong with Whitney? We have been putting on votes. Let

:35:57. > :36:01.me show you this. This is the net satisfaction rating. Your leader is

:36:01. > :36:07.now more unpopular than Gordon Brown was when he took Labour to the worst

:36:07. > :36:14.defeat in living memory. Gordon Brown did not put on anything like

:36:14. > :36:21.this number of councillors. Votes are what matter, Andrew. Few people

:36:21. > :36:24.think Ed Miliband is a capable leader. Twice as many people think

:36:24. > :36:29.over Spurs who lives on the moon. leader. Twice as many people think

:36:29. > :36:34.These are polls. If you are talking to me about over Spurs lit, that

:36:34. > :36:43.puts this into context, Europe session with polls! -- Elvis

:36:43. > :36:46.Presley. Since 2010, we have put on thousands of members. Compare that

:36:46. > :36:54.to the Conservative Party, which has not won a general election since

:36:54. > :37:00.1992. They will not disclose their membership figures. Why -- why won't

:37:00. > :37:04.you pledge to renationalise Royal Mail? Because that would be like

:37:04. > :37:06.writing a blank cheque. We don't know at the moment how much the

:37:06. > :37:09.writing a blank cheque. We don't government would receive for the

:37:10. > :37:14.sale of Royal Mail? So how can I judge how much it would cost to buy

:37:14. > :37:17.it back? That would be irresponsible. But the government

:37:17. > :37:23.does not need to do this right now. The entire country is against it.

:37:23. > :37:25.does not need to do this right now. Sources in the City and Whitehall

:37:25. > :37:29.tell me that if Labour pledged to renationalise it, it would kill off

:37:30. > :37:36.the flotation. So if you are against it, why don't you do it? For me to

:37:36. > :37:43.pledge to renationalise Royal Mail would be like writing a blank

:37:43. > :37:47.cheque. But if you put it in the prospectus, people in the City, who

:37:47. > :37:52.know more about these things, say it would not happen, so why not do it?

:37:52. > :37:57.Because that would be irresponsible. It would be like writing a cheque

:37:57. > :38:02.for billions to renationalise Royal Mail. You would not have too right

:38:02. > :38:07.at the check if it did not happen. I have to deal with the facts. I am

:38:07. > :38:11.not good deal with the plot somebody might be speculating about in the

:38:11. > :38:16.City. We have to be careful about this. For me to pledge to

:38:16. > :38:21.renationalise it now would be like writing a bank cheque . We are going

:38:21. > :38:26.to be a fiscally responsible government. That is why I am not

:38:26. > :38:30.prepared to do that. Ed Balls will not be talking to you. You are

:38:30. > :38:38.watching the Sunday Politics. Coming up in 20 minutes,

:38:38. > :38:44.Hello and welcome to a new season Sunday Politics in Northern Ireland

:38:44. > :38:47.Hello and welcome to a new season and after a long hot summer, the

:38:47. > :38:51.Hello and welcome to a new season focus this week will be on the

:38:51. > :38:51.Hello and welcome to a new season arrival of the American diplomat

:38:51. > :38:55.Hello and welcome to a new season Richard Haas. He'll be here to chair

:38:55. > :38:55.Hello and welcome to a new season cross-party talks aimed at getting

:38:55. > :38:56.Hello and welcome to a new season agreement on the outstanding issues

:38:56. > :39:01.Hello and welcome to a new season of flags and emblems, parades

:39:01. > :39:01.Hello and welcome to a new season are his chances of success before

:39:01. > :39:07.the end of the year? I'll are his chances of success before

:39:07. > :39:12.Fein's John O'Dowd for their are his chances of success before

:39:12. > :39:13.assessment. It's also been a summer are his chances of success before

:39:13. > :39:20.two new faces at the Executive table are his chances of success before

:39:20. > :39:21.with the SDLP's Mark H Durkan taking are his chances of success before

:39:21. > :39:30.Sammy Wilson's ledger in are his chances of success before

:39:30. > :39:30.in the programme to outline his are his chances of success before

:39:30. > :39:39.vision for that department. And with are his chances of success before

:39:39. > :39:46.and the writer and commentator Alex Kane.

:39:46. > :39:47.and the writer and commentator Alex So, the all-party Haas talks get

:39:47. > :39:47.and the writer and commentator Alex underway in Belfast on Tuesday. Some

:39:47. > :39:47.and the writer and commentator Alex commentators have rated his chances

:39:47. > :39:48.and the writer and commentator Alex of success as somewhere between slim

:39:48. > :39:54.and the writer and commentator Alex and nonexistent.

:39:54. > :39:55.and the writer and commentator Alex thoughts of Simon Hamilton and John

:39:55. > :39:55.and the writer and commentator Alex O'Dowd in just a moment. And we'll

:39:55. > :40:03.and the writer and commentator Alex also speak to our Political Editor,

:40:03. > :40:04.Mark Devenport, who was with Peter Robinson and Martin McGuinness when

:40:04. > :40:04.Mark Devenport, who was with Peter they met Richard Haass during their

:40:04. > :40:05.Mark Devenport, who was with Peter visit to New York last week. Here's

:40:05. > :40:10.Mark Devenport, who was with Peter a reminder of what they've been

:40:10. > :40:11.Mark Devenport, who was with Peter saying over the past couple of days.

:40:11. > :40:17.backgrounds, there will always be difficulties. There is a resolve on

:40:17. > :40:18.backgrounds, there will always be both of our parts to ensure that we

:40:18. > :40:18.backgrounds, there will always be can get over the obstacles that we

:40:18. > :40:26.backgrounds, there will always be are faced and in short that we get a

:40:26. > :40:30.backgrounds, there will always be prosperity. We have to do everything

:40:30. > :40:30.backgrounds, there will always be in our power to ensure that those

:40:30. > :40:32.backgrounds, there will always be discussions find solutions to these

:40:32. > :40:35.problems. I am always in solution finding mode. That is the only way

:40:35. > :40:38.problems. I am always in solution to move forward. No outsider to

:40:38. > :40:42.manufacture -- consensus, it is up to political leadership to make

:40:42. > :40:44.manufacture -- consensus, it is up tough decisions.

:40:44. > :40:51.You got a chance to make -- see the tough decisions.

:40:51. > :40:55.three main players, what was the tough decisions.

:40:55. > :40:55.mood music like when the cameras tough decisions.

:40:55. > :40:59.were switched off? The ministers did tough decisions.

:40:59. > :41:02.a pretty good job of keeping the act tough decisions.

:41:02. > :41:03.together and demonstrating the tough decisions.

:41:03. > :41:07.reasonably cordial working relationship. That was important for

:41:07. > :41:11.a couple of reasons. Immediately because they were meeting various US

:41:11. > :41:13.a couple of reasons. Immediately financial business figures, it would

:41:13. > :41:16.a couple of reasons. Immediately not have been very seemly to be

:41:16. > :41:19.a couple of reasons. Immediately having a big row in front of them.

:41:19. > :41:19.a couple of reasons. Immediately Instead of not in front of the

:41:19. > :41:22.children, it was not in front of the Instead of not in front of the

:41:22. > :41:25.businessmen. Both parties will be Instead of not in front of the

:41:25. > :41:29.going into the Haass talks process Instead of not in front of the

:41:29. > :41:34.and it will not be a good time to be seen

:41:34. > :41:38.and it will not be a good time to be toys out of the pram. But it did not

:41:38. > :41:38.and it will not be a good time to be have two

:41:38. > :41:42.and it will not be a good time to be with Martin McGuinness to see he was

:41:42. > :41:42.and it will not be a good time to be still seething about the Maze

:41:42. > :41:51.decision. It was the first time they still seething about the Maze

:41:51. > :41:55.had met in person for two months? Yes, I think that is why they were

:41:55. > :42:00.had met in person for two months? out of the tracks quickly to talk

:42:00. > :42:02.about the leadership situation. In terms of their relationship, we saw

:42:02. > :42:04.about the leadership situation. In a temporary truce, getting on with

:42:04. > :42:09.what they had to do. We have not got a temporary truce, getting on with

:42:09. > :42:12.any definitive answers as to whether a temporary truce, getting on with

:42:12. > :42:16.there would be any one of the a temporary truce, getting on with

:42:16. > :42:16.reprisal from Sinn Fein for what a temporary truce, getting on with

:42:16. > :42:20.they still see as a broken a temporary truce, getting on with

:42:20. > :42:20.agreement. We will come back to you a temporary truce, getting on with

:42:20. > :42:24.in a moment. Let's hear from Simon a temporary truce, getting on with

:42:24. > :42:24.Hamilton and John O'Dowd. Your a temporary truce, getting on with

:42:24. > :42:28.thoughts on where we are as far as a temporary truce, getting on with

:42:28. > :42:28.this process is concerned. Do you a temporary truce, getting on with

:42:28. > :42:31.think we should resist the a temporary truce, getting on with

:42:31. > :42:31.temptation of expecting the process a temporary truce, getting on with

:42:31. > :42:33.to deliver too much so that we are a temporary truce, getting on with

:42:33. > :42:36.not disappointed? I do not think we a temporary truce, getting on with

:42:36. > :42:45.should make Richard Haass's job any a temporary truce, getting on with

:42:45. > :42:47.more difficult. There are a temporary truce, getting on with

:42:47. > :42:50.differences between our parties, a temporary truce, getting on with

:42:50. > :42:52.taking something like the definition of a victim, I think is up orange to

:42:52. > :42:55.look at someone who was killed by of a victim, I think is up orange to

:42:55. > :43:02.their own bomb is evict him. -- I of a victim, I think is up orange to

:43:02. > :43:07.think it is up orange. Is the family still suffer in the same way. It

:43:07. > :43:13.think it is up orange. Is the family goes in between DUP and Sinn Fein

:43:13. > :43:16.think it is up orange. Is the family differences. My party will be going

:43:16. > :43:18.think it is up orange. Is the family into the talks fully committed to

:43:18. > :43:21.think it is up orange. Is the family resolve the talks. If we want to

:43:21. > :43:24.think it is up orange. Is the family build a prosperous future, these are

:43:24. > :43:26.think it is up orange. Is the family the kind of issues that we have two

:43:26. > :43:30.resolve. I am sure you will say the kind of issues that we have two

:43:31. > :43:32.party is going in with a same the kind of issues that we have two

:43:32. > :43:36.commitment, but flags and emblems, the kind of issues that we have two

:43:36. > :43:38.parades in the past have proved impossible to resolve. There is no

:43:38. > :43:40.parades in the past have proved evidence that anything has changed.

:43:40. > :43:47.Blooper -- our political system evidence that anything has changed.

:43:47. > :43:59.faces challenges. The letter to America from Peter Robinson has not

:43:59. > :44:03.helped. But if the letter had had been sent, it would have been no

:44:03. > :44:06.helped. But if the letter had had need for the show of unity. There is

:44:06. > :44:09.helped. But if the letter had had going to have to be more than one

:44:09. > :44:09.helped. But if the letter had had meeting to resolve the issues of

:44:09. > :44:15.concern about both the break of the meeting to resolve the issues of

:44:15. > :44:17.agreement of the peace Centre and meeting to resolve the issues of

:44:17. > :44:19.how it was handled and how the government handled the relationships

:44:19. > :44:20.how it was handled and how the between partners within government.

:44:21. > :44:25.All of those things need to be between partners within government.

:44:25. > :44:25.discussed, they need to be brought between partners within government.

:44:25. > :44:28.back together and we have to ensure between partners within government.

:44:28. > :44:31.that politics is being directed by between partners within government.

:44:31. > :44:35.politicians and not by the actions between partners within government.

:44:35. > :44:35.of those on the streets who are between partners within government.

:44:35. > :44:38.determined to bring down the score between partners within government.

:44:38. > :44:38.institutions. The question is, do we between partners within government.

:44:38. > :44:40.need an external solution imposed by between partners within government.

:44:40. > :44:43.a US diplomat and the British and between partners within government.

:44:43. > :44:46.Irish governments, or do we have to between partners within government.

:44:46. > :44:48.rely on local parties to bring between partners within government.

:44:48. > :44:51.forward proposals they will have to between partners within government.

:44:51. > :44:53.compromise on and reach an agreement? If we had not have had

:44:53. > :44:57.the behaviour on the streets of Sinn agreement? If we had not have had

:44:57. > :45:00.Fein where they sought agreement? If we had not have had

:45:00. > :45:01.traumatised victims and glorify agreement? If we had not have had

:45:01. > :45:03.terror in a part of County Tyrone, agreement? If we had not have had

:45:03. > :45:05.we would not be where we were -- agreement? If we had not have had

:45:05. > :45:08.where we are in terms of the agreement? If we had not have had

:45:08. > :45:11.decision about the peace Centre at agreement? If we had not have had

:45:11. > :45:15.the Maze. The idea of a peace Centre agreement? If we had not have had

:45:15. > :45:19.for Northern Ireland, we have a agreement? If we had not have had

:45:19. > :45:19.great story to tell, but they have agreement? If we had not have had

:45:19. > :45:22.in itself become a source of conflict. So we have very difficult

:45:22. > :45:24.in itself become a source of problems to grapple with here, we

:45:24. > :45:27.in itself become a source of have made huge strides forward. What

:45:27. > :45:29.in itself become a source of we have in Northern Ireland is far

:45:29. > :45:32.better than what we had. We need we have in Northern Ireland is far

:45:32. > :45:34.more compromises. Will the DUP come we have in Northern Ireland is far

:45:34. > :45:37.to the table preparing for come we have in Northern Ireland is far

:45:38. > :45:40.mines? We have shown that we are we have in Northern Ireland is far

:45:40. > :45:43.willing to find solutions we can all we have in Northern Ireland is far

:45:43. > :45:47.agree on. That is not easy or we have in Northern Ireland is far

:45:47. > :45:48.straightforward. We have a long history of difficulties and just

:45:48. > :45:51.straightforward. We have a long because we have difficulties on some

:45:51. > :45:56.issues, does not mean we can work on because we have difficulties on some

:45:56. > :45:59.other issues. But is Sinn Fein going because we have difficulties on some

:45:59. > :46:02.to come to the table prepared to because we have difficulties on some

:46:02. > :46:05.make copper mines? Richard Haass because we have difficulties on some

:46:05. > :46:11.said that, we talked to him on Friday and he said, I expect the

:46:11. > :46:14.party to compromise or it will not work. You have to be attached,

:46:14. > :46:21.Myers. So you have to be prepared work. You have to be attached,

:46:21. > :46:28.and you are prepared to compromise? As long as it is based on equality

:46:28. > :46:31.and respect for all. I think we can wreak chick -- reach that,

:46:31. > :46:34.and respect for all. I think we can that be through parades or dealing

:46:34. > :46:39.with flags. But that could be that be through parades or dealing

:46:39. > :46:42.painful for Sinn Fein and your that be through parades or dealing

:46:42. > :46:45.supporters. It might involve difficult decisions being taken and

:46:45. > :46:48.supporters. It might involve uncomfortable compromises.

:46:48. > :46:52.Throughout the 20 years of this political, Myers is, we have had to

:46:52. > :46:56.Throughout the 20 years of this make difficult decisions. He expect

:46:56. > :46:58.an agreement to be adhered to when make difficult decisions. He expect

:46:59. > :47:04.you agree it. And you ensure that make difficult decisions. He expect

:47:04. > :47:07.those people who are trying to make difficult decisions. He expect

:47:07. > :47:10.destroy the process do not lead the make difficult decisions. He expect

:47:10. > :47:13.process. Soap, Myers will happen and will be uncomfortable for the DUP

:47:13. > :47:16.process. Soap, Myers will happen and and you are willing to go on? -- so

:47:16. > :47:23.process. Soap, Myers will happen and compromise will happen? We are in a

:47:23. > :47:29.forced coalition so we have to work together, -- just because we have

:47:29. > :47:32.differences does not mean we cannot together, -- just because we have

:47:32. > :47:35.work together to resolve what we can together, -- just because we have

:47:35. > :47:39.and try and build the sort of together, -- just because we have

:47:39. > :47:41.Northern Ireland which everyone worlds -- everyone wants. It needs

:47:41. > :47:44.Northern Ireland which everyone to be sorted out. We have got to

:47:44. > :47:47.Northern Ireland which everyone grapple with these issues. What

:47:47. > :47:47.Northern Ireland which everyone threatens getting the peaceful and

:47:47. > :47:49.Northern Ireland which everyone prosperous Northern Ireland are

:47:49. > :47:52.Northern Ireland which everyone these very issues. We need to ask

:47:52. > :47:55.Northern Ireland which everyone you about other things. Peter

:47:55. > :47:55.Northern Ireland which everyone Robinson has made it very clear that

:47:56. > :47:59.Northern Ireland which everyone he is staying on as DUP leader, is

:47:59. > :47:59.Northern Ireland which everyone that the right decision for the

:47:59. > :48:02.party? Absolutely. DUP and unionism that the right decision for the

:48:03. > :48:06.is where it is today, and much of that the right decision for the

:48:06. > :48:09.the progress we have made over the that the right decision for the

:48:09. > :48:12.last years is down to the vision and that the right decision for the

:48:12. > :48:16.strategy set out by Peter Robinson. that the right decision for the

:48:16. > :48:16.The difficulty for a leader is that that the right decision for the

:48:16. > :48:18.when he starts going on record that the right decision for the

:48:18. > :48:21.saying he is a leader, it is looking that the right decision for the

:48:21. > :48:22.vulnerable. This is a manufactured that the right decision for the

:48:22. > :48:25.crisis by the media, you will move that the right decision for the

:48:25. > :48:31.onto someone else week. It is also that the right decision for the

:48:31. > :48:34.to do with nuanced statementss by certain members of your party whose

:48:34. > :48:36.to do with nuanced statementss by positions were not clear. Peter is

:48:36. > :48:38.in an exceptionally strong position positions were not clear. Peter is

:48:38. > :48:42.and he will be leader as long as he positions were not clear. Peter is

:48:42. > :48:45.wants to be. You are responsible for positions were not clear. Peter is

:48:45. > :48:53.the education of young people, we have had a worrying story about

:48:53. > :48:55.the education of young people, we widespread child abuse, hell

:48:55. > :48:57.the education of young people, we concerned are you and what can you

:48:57. > :49:00.the education of young people, we do to reassure people watching this

:49:00. > :49:00.the education of young people, we programme? There are investigations

:49:00. > :49:04.the education of young people, we going on, the police and health

:49:04. > :49:07.the education of young people, we service are involved. Some of the

:49:07. > :49:08.the education of young people, we stories are alarming and

:49:08. > :49:08.the education of young people, we disturbing. I will engage with my

:49:08. > :49:11.the education of young people, we executive colleagues to ensure that

:49:11. > :49:14.the education of young people, we everything that is being done can be

:49:14. > :49:14.the education of young people, we done to ensure safety of young

:49:14. > :49:17.people and ensure where victims of done to ensure safety of young

:49:18. > :49:19.young people -- ensure victims of done to ensure safety of young

:49:19. > :49:21.abuse are dealt with. With the done to ensure safety of young

:49:21. > :49:31.required respect. Richard Haass says done to ensure safety of young

:49:31. > :49:38.he wants compromise, but there are issues where there are no agreement.

:49:38. > :49:41.John O'Dowd was more the difference in coming forward, than Martin

:49:41. > :49:43.John O'Dowd was more the difference McGuinness had been, because he was

:49:43. > :49:46.John O'Dowd was more the difference in Deputy first Minister context. It

:49:46. > :49:48.John O'Dowd was more the difference is clear that this is not resolved.

:49:48. > :49:51.John O'Dowd was more the difference What is not quite clear is how this

:49:51. > :49:53.might permeate into the house What is not quite clear is how this

:49:53. > :49:56.process or any other decisions they What is not quite clear is how this

:49:56. > :49:57.have to make around the executive What is not quite clear is how this

:49:57. > :50:01.table. And these outstanding issues What is not quite clear is how this

:50:01. > :50:07.are not outstanding by accident. Exactly, . This could be one of the

:50:07. > :50:11.are not outstanding by accident. easy ones to tackle, the parades,

:50:12. > :50:17.because these parties had a working group which made some progress. With

:50:17. > :50:20.the flags, they are starting at a standing start in the past is a very

:50:20. > :50:22.the flags, they are starting at a difficult thing to grapple with. Are

:50:22. > :50:24.the flags, they are starting at a you optimistic or pessimistic?

:50:24. > :50:27.Always optimistic about these things. Firstly, Haass knows what

:50:27. > :50:30.he's doing, he would not have taken things. Firstly, Haass knows what

:50:30. > :50:33.on this task lightly if he did not things. Firstly, Haass knows what

:50:33. > :50:35.think he could have a positive things. Firstly, Haass knows what

:50:35. > :50:40.influence. Secondly, there has been things. Firstly, Haass knows what

:50:40. > :50:41.progress already made in some of these areas before, the Ashdown

:50:41. > :50:43.progress already made in some of report, other reports, there has

:50:43. > :50:47.progress already made in some of been a lot of work already done.

:50:47. > :50:49.progress already made in some of There have been

:50:49. > :50:53.progress already made in some of they have ultimately been

:50:53. > :50:57.progress already made in some of that could be picked up again by

:50:58. > :50:58.progress already made in some of Haass and the parties as part of

:50:58. > :51:01.this process. I suspect you are Haass and the parties as part of

:51:01. > :51:04.sitting beside a pessimist. I am Haass and the parties as part of

:51:04. > :51:08.pessimistic, the holder bait about -- the whole debate, I am in the

:51:08. > :51:13.pessimistic, the holder bait about Haass not debate. You saw a

:51:13. > :51:15.pessimistic, the holder bait about microcosm of this today. They were

:51:15. > :51:19.both compromise but only under microcosm of this today. They were

:51:19. > :51:23.certain conditions. He will come here and put down a series of

:51:23. > :51:27.certain conditions. He will come questions, and they will spend the

:51:27. > :51:27.certain conditions. He will come whole time discussing what is meant

:51:27. > :51:33.certain conditions. He will come by the questions, and never

:51:33. > :51:33.certain conditions. He will come the copper mines. Will he have two

:51:33. > :51:37.certain conditions. He will come set some kind of template

:51:37. > :51:37.certain conditions. He will come table and persuade them to sign up

:51:37. > :51:42.certain conditions. He will come to it? On the first day, he should

:51:42. > :51:45.certain conditions. He will come sit them down and say, I am going

:51:45. > :51:48.certain conditions. He will come back tomorrow, give me a

:51:48. > :51:48.certain conditions. He will come collectively agreed reason why I

:51:48. > :51:50.certain conditions. He will come should borrow staying -- bother

:51:50. > :51:55.staying. He says the first couple of should borrow staying -- bother

:51:55. > :51:56.months are going to be information should borrow staying -- bother

:51:56. > :51:58.gathering, is merely ideas. And he should borrow staying -- bother

:51:58. > :52:04.would not rule out, although he said should borrow staying -- bother

:52:04. > :52:09.he did not want to come in and set out his ideas, he would not rule out

:52:09. > :52:14.he did not want to come in and set the notion that if some

:52:14. > :52:15.he did not want to come in and set could not get consensus, he will put

:52:15. > :52:19.he did not want to come in and set down his own best guess, maybe late

:52:19. > :52:19.he did not want to come in and set November. Whether he tries to

:52:19. > :52:19.he did not want to come in and set employees something or not, --

:52:19. > :52:23.imposed something or not, the point employees something or not, --

:52:24. > :52:24.is, we will only have an outcome employees something or not, --

:52:24. > :52:28.were talking about if the parties employees something or not, --

:52:28. > :52:31.locally by into it. Absolutely and they will buy into it. And they

:52:31. > :52:36.locally by into it. Absolutely and will, on the Monday before the

:52:36. > :52:36.signing of the Good Friday will, on the Monday before the

:52:36. > :52:40.agreement, 85% of people did not think there would be a agreement on

:52:40. > :52:43.agreement, 85% of people did not the Friday. I think we will be

:52:43. > :52:43.agreement, 85% of people did not celebrating come Christmas. Thank

:52:43. > :52:47.agreement, 85% of people did not you for that. Let's look at the

:52:47. > :52:51.agreement, 85% of people did not political week gone by in 60

:52:51. > :52:56.seconds. Connell McDevitt's resignation left

:52:56. > :52:58.a resignation space in South broadcast, filled by Fergal

:52:58. > :53:06.McKinney. I am overwhelmed, this is broadcast, filled by Fergal

:53:06. > :53:09.a short sharp campaign, we were deeply saddened by the fact that

:53:09. > :53:12.a short sharp campaign, we were Connell McDevitt 's left. I2 in the

:53:12. > :53:15.a short sharp campaign, we were chamber, they were looking back to a

:53:15. > :53:17.a short sharp campaign, we were long, hot summer. Countless attacks

:53:17. > :53:20.a short sharp campaign, we were on police officers, countless, and

:53:20. > :53:22.a short sharp campaign, we were what have we? Deafening silence.

:53:22. > :53:25.a short sharp campaign, we were That is not going to the bottom of

:53:25. > :53:28.a short sharp campaign, we were the barrel. That is going through

:53:28. > :53:31.a short sharp campaign, we were the base of the barrel. And then to

:53:31. > :53:38.a short sharp campaign, we were the sewer. Still who have -- still

:53:38. > :53:41.have not got grips with shopping bags? The planned increase

:53:41. > :53:44.have not got grips with shopping levy has been scrapped. And people

:53:44. > :53:46.have not got grips with shopping were looking ahead to the arrival of

:53:46. > :53:51.talks chairman Richard Haass. My were looking ahead to the arrival of

:53:51. > :53:57.immediate reaction was, why would you bother coming back to Northern

:53:57. > :54:01.Ireland? Simon Hamilton has stayed with me.

:54:01. > :54:04.Ireland? There were big changes for him in

:54:04. > :54:07.Ireland? the summer when he took over the

:54:07. > :54:11.Ireland? most influential portfolio in the

:54:11. > :54:14.executive. It might not be as glamorous as 11 Downing St, but this

:54:14. > :54:18.department is the one with all of glamorous as 11 Downing St, but this

:54:18. > :54:20.the power. The finance minister is storm and's

:54:20. > :54:22.the power. equivalent to the Chancellor of the

:54:22. > :54:25.the power. Exchequer. This is where they manage

:54:25. > :54:28.the power. the budget, for £8 million per year.

:54:28. > :54:33.They decide how much each department the budget, for £8 million per year.

:54:33. > :54:37.will get. If the minister needs more the budget, for £8 million per year.

:54:37. > :54:40.money, they have to ask and if they overspend, they have to explain

:54:40. > :54:42.themselves. This all-powerful department controls the workings of

:54:42. > :54:45.government both here at Stormont and department controls the workings of

:54:45. > :54:50.further afield. He has charge of our department controls the workings of

:54:50. > :54:52.huge civil service. Hands out department controls the workings of

:54:52. > :54:54.millions of pounds in government department controls the workings of

:54:54. > :54:56.contracts each year. Decide how much department controls the workings of

:54:56. > :55:00.we pay inmates and runs the Stormont estate, even deciding who gets

:55:00. > :55:03.parking payments. With the forecast estate, even deciding who gets

:55:04. > :55:05.looking brighter on the economic estate, even deciding who gets

:55:05. > :55:10.horizon, the focus of the department estate, even deciding who gets

:55:10. > :55:11.is shifting. This summer we have seen house prices rise, business

:55:11. > :55:14.is shifting. This summer we have activity rise, an increase in

:55:14. > :55:15.is shifting. This summer we have shopping sales figures and a boost

:55:16. > :55:17.is shifting. This summer we have in business confidence. Here at the

:55:17. > :55:27.la -- the slightly more glamorous in business confidence. Here at the

:55:27. > :55:32.Claire house, the challenge is how to get business growing again, banks

:55:32. > :55:33.Claire house, the challenge is how lending and getting more people back

:55:34. > :55:34.Claire house, the challenge is how into work.

:55:34. > :55:37.Claire house, the challenge is how There are quite a few important

:55:37. > :55:41.Claire house, the challenge is how issues in your intro, reforming the

:55:41. > :55:45.public centre, protecting the block grants, what is top of your agenda?

:55:45. > :55:49.The first priority of any finance grants, what is top of your agenda?

:55:49. > :55:50.minister is ensuring you have the grants, what is top of your agenda?

:55:51. > :55:52.money to do what people expect you grants, what is top of your agenda?

:55:52. > :55:54.to do in terms of delivering grants, what is top of your agenda?

:55:55. > :55:58.first-class services, health, education and housing. I put a

:55:58. > :56:00.first-class services, health, personal focus which is a focus the

:56:00. > :56:03.first-class services, health, whole executive needs to have, on

:56:03. > :56:06.first-class services, health, driving forward and agenda of public

:56:06. > :56:08.first-class services, health, sector reform. We have not maybe had

:56:08. > :56:10.first-class services, health, as bad as the situation as havoc

:56:10. > :56:14.spending, it has been tough. -- as bad as the situation as havoc

:56:14. > :56:16.public spending. It will not get as bad as the situation as havoc

:56:16. > :56:23.better in the next few years, and as bad as the situation as havoc

:56:23. > :56:29.the public 's expectation gets bigger. We have got to work out more

:56:29. > :56:32.the public 's expectation gets to do what's we have got -- we have

:56:32. > :56:36.the public 's expectation gets got to work out how to do

:56:36. > :56:40.the public 's expectation gets what we have got so we can solve

:56:40. > :56:43.the public 's expectation gets some of these issues which are out

:56:43. > :56:49.the public 's expectation gets there on health and education and so

:56:49. > :56:53.the public 's expectation gets you want to innovate in the public

:56:53. > :56:53.the public 's expectation gets centre and deliver services online,

:56:53. > :56:53.the public 's expectation gets that means that people will lose

:56:53. > :56:57.jobs. You would have expected that that means that people will lose

:56:57. > :57:02.the headcount would have gone down that means that people will lose

:57:02. > :57:02.in the civil service in the last few that means that people will lose

:57:02. > :57:06.years because of the shrinking that means that people will lose

:57:06. > :57:07.budget, but the number of people that means that people will lose

:57:07. > :57:10.working in the civil service has not that means that people will lose

:57:10. > :57:13.changed. I do not see that changing. It is about service is getting

:57:13. > :57:14.changed. I do not see that changing. better for people, you mentioned

:57:14. > :57:17.changed. I do not see that changing. digital delivery, we are using our

:57:17. > :57:19.changed. I do not see that changing. phones and online to go shopping and

:57:19. > :57:22.changed. I do not see that changing. go on holiday, I want to see us use

:57:22. > :57:26.that much more for delivering go on holiday, I want to see us use

:57:26. > :57:29.services in the public sector. You want to ensure good services, that

:57:29. > :57:32.services in the public sector. You costs money, from higher taxes, will

:57:32. > :57:35.services in the public sector. You you be setting out a case for why

:57:35. > :57:39.services in the public sector. You people in Northern Ireland have two

:57:39. > :57:39.services in the public sector. You accents they are paying for water?

:57:39. > :57:46.Dashed have to accept? This has been accents they are paying for water?

:57:46. > :57:49.covered, the money we are paying for accents they are paying for water?

:57:49. > :57:52.water charges has to come out of the accents they are paying for water?

:57:52. > :57:52.pocket of Northern Ireland. The accents they are paying for water?

:57:52. > :57:54.economy is heading in the right accents they are paying for water?

:57:54. > :57:56.direction, we do not want to see accents they are paying for water?

:57:56. > :57:58.that sort of money coming out of accents they are paying for water?

:57:59. > :58:01.public pockets. accents they are paying for water?

:58:01. > :58:04.enough in taxes, you think we pay accents they are paying for water?

:58:04. > :58:06.enough in rates for me and the accents they are paying for water?

:58:06. > :58:07.executive is to be more issue accents they are paying for water?

:58:07. > :58:11.shouldn't -- efficient in how we accents they are paying for water?

:58:11. > :58:15.spend those money. It is about using accents they are paying for water?

:58:15. > :58:19.what you have much better. If you accents they are paying for water?

:58:19. > :58:23.think we have got wriggle room, that accents they are paying for water?

:58:23. > :58:26.means that your predecessor by definition was not doing as much as

:58:26. > :58:30.means that your predecessor by he could have done. We all owe him a

:58:30. > :58:34.means that your predecessor by great debt of attitude, he took us

:58:34. > :58:36.through the most challenging public expenditure situation in Northern

:58:36. > :58:40.through the most challenging public Ireland since the 1930s. He did that

:58:40. > :58:43.through the most challenging public with relative ease compared to some

:58:43. > :58:47.through the most challenging public of the doom and gloom merchants who

:58:47. > :58:47.through the most challenging public were predicting 25,000 job losses.

:58:48. > :58:50.The challenge has changed, it is were predicting 25,000 job losses.

:58:50. > :58:53.different less spending then we have were predicting 25,000 job losses.

:58:54. > :58:56.before, and the challenge is now how were predicting 25,000 job losses.

:58:56. > :58:59.to get more and how to reform and were predicting 25,000 job losses.

:58:59. > :59:01.innovate in the public sector were predicting 25,000 job losses.

:59:01. > :59:06.achieve those high expectations were predicting 25,000 job losses.

:59:06. > :59:09.people have on us. Will you take a softer approach to the banks and

:59:09. > :59:11.people have on us. Will you take a Sammy Wilson did? I am prepared to

:59:11. > :59:16.tell the banks where I think they Sammy Wilson did? I am prepared to

:59:16. > :59:20.could do more, where they have done Sammy Wilson did? I am prepared to

:59:20. > :59:24.things they should not have done. It is incumbent on me to work in London

:59:24. > :59:24.things they should not have done. It with our banks because we need them

:59:24. > :59:27.things they should not have done. It to work and lend money to

:59:27. > :59:30.businesses. The one thing which to work and lend money to

:59:30. > :59:31.threatens the recovery is the to work and lend money to

:59:32. > :59:34.inability of those who have good to work and lend money to

:59:34. > :59:36.ideas in the business community it to work and lend money to

:59:36. > :59:39.to get finance to grow. So it is to work and lend money to

:59:39. > :59:41.carrot more than stick from your to work and lend money to

:59:41. > :59:46.point of view? I do not have a lot to work and lend money to

:59:46. > :59:48.of sticks, I don't have that power or authority in Northern Ireland. I

:59:48. > :59:51.of sticks, I don't have that power can work with my counterparts in

:59:51. > :59:53.of sticks, I don't have that power Westminster and I have already

:59:53. > :59:57.of sticks, I don't have that power with them, to get our banks to do

:59:57. > :00:00.of sticks, I don't have that power the job they are able to do. Sammy

:00:00. > :00:04.of sticks, I don't have that power Wilson, he is a populist, are you a

:00:04. > :00:06.of sticks, I don't have that power bit more of the dull technocrat? I

:00:06. > :00:09.of sticks, I don't have that power would never seek to emulate the

:00:09. > :00:13.of sticks, I don't have that power style of Sammy Wilson. There is only

:00:13. > :00:17.of sticks, I don't have that power one Sammy Wilson, the mould was

:00:17. > :00:17.of sticks, I don't have that power broken when they made him. I am my

:00:17. > :00:23.own man. You might not see policy broken when they made him. I am my

:00:23. > :00:25.changes, you might just see a broken when they made him. I am my

:00:25. > :00:36.difference in style in some areas. What do you make of the challenges,

:00:36. > :00:39.Simon Hamilton has a very influential role? I think the most

:00:39. > :00:45.important thing for Simon will be to influential role? I think the most

:00:45. > :00:45.articulated and explain to the board influential role? I think the most

:00:45. > :00:49.of public for the state of the influential role? I think the most

:00:49. > :00:49.public finances are, to have a influential role? I think the most

:00:49. > :00:54.public address on the state of the influential role? I think the most

:00:54. > :00:58.public finances so the public do not influential role? I think the most

:00:58. > :01:01.what can and cannot be achieved influential role? I think the most

:01:01. > :01:06.financially. The other big political story, the SDLP replacing, McDevitt

:01:06. > :01:16.with Fergal McKinney and not Claire Hanna. No one saw that happening. It

:01:16. > :01:22.was a blow for McDevitt, he was high performing. But now Fergal is the

:01:22. > :01:26.was a blow for McDevitt, he was high second UTV guy to come in, and it is

:01:26. > :01:32.probably down to the BBC guy! I do more than pay is going up. Which

:01:33. > :01:45.deserves a programme all to itself. more than pay is going up. Which

:01:45. > :01:52.In a moment, more from our political panel, but first the news.

:01:52. > :01:53.Good afternoon. Nick Clegg says victory for either the Conservatives

:01:53. > :01:56.Good afternoon. Nick Clegg says or labour at the next election would

:01:56. > :02:00.Good afternoon. Nick Clegg says put at risk the economic recovery

:02:00. > :02:01.is. Speaking in Glasgow at the Liberal Democrat annual conference,

:02:01. > :02:05.he said a coalition would allow his Liberal Democrat annual conference,

:02:05. > :02:10.party to balance politics and enable the government to finish the job of

:02:10. > :02:15.repairing the economy fairly. It is my genuine belief that if we go back

:02:15. > :02:17.to the bad old days, not of coalition and Islands politics, but

:02:17. > :02:20.to the bad old days, not of of either the left or right

:02:20. > :02:23.dominating blood on their own, you will get a recovery which is neither

:02:23. > :02:25.dominating blood on their own, you fair nor sustainable. Labour would

:02:25. > :02:27.wreck the recovery, and under the fair nor sustainable. Labour would

:02:27. > :02:29.Conservatives, who don't have the fair nor sustainable. Labour would

:02:29. > :02:35.same commitment to fairness as ours, you would get the wrong kind

:02:35. > :02:38.of recovery. Two 19-year-old woman arrested after

:02:38. > :02:42.a stabbing on Thursday have been released without charge. Police are

:02:42. > :02:46.trying to discover if there is a link between the killing and a fire

:02:46. > :02:48.four hours later in which four members of the same family died.

:02:48. > :02:52.Five people are being questioned in members of the same family died.

:02:52. > :02:54.connection with that blaze. A Syrian government minister has described

:02:54. > :02:59.the agreement drawn up by America and Russia to dispose of his

:02:59. > :03:01.country's chemical weapons as a victory.

:03:01. > :03:04.The minister claims the deals helps the Syrians out of a crisis and

:03:04. > :03:08.others war. The US Secretary of the Syrians out of a crisis and

:03:08. > :03:11.State John Kerry is in Israel to brief the prime minister, Benjamin

:03:11. > :03:15.Netanyahu, on the proposal. China and France have also welcomed the

:03:15. > :03:20.deal, which says Syria has until Friday to submit a competence of

:03:20. > :03:25.list of its chemical stockpile. Britain's Mo Farah has missed out on

:03:25. > :03:27.winning his first half marathon by around one second.

:03:27. > :03:32.He was taking part in the Great North Run between Newcastle and

:03:32. > :03:35.South Shields. Farrar, who was the favourite following his two gold

:03:35. > :03:38.medals at the athletics World Championships, lost out to

:03:38. > :03:43.medals at the athletics World Ethiopian's can mean many Serb --

:03:43. > :03:48.Kenenisa Bekele in a sprint finish. A carnival atmosphere for the start

:03:48. > :03:53.of the 33rd Great North Run. Thousands limbered up. For some, it

:03:53. > :03:56.was about the challenge. For others, simply dressing up for fun. I am

:03:56. > :04:01.was about the challenge. For others, walking it, so I have no time in

:04:01. > :04:03.mind. I just want to enjoy it and appreciate the crowds and have a

:04:03. > :04:09.mind. I just want to enjoy it and fantastic time. For elite athletes,

:04:09. > :04:13.today's race was about who would be first over the line. Despite the

:04:13. > :04:17.wind and rain, large crowds turned out for the world's most popular

:04:17. > :04:26.half marathon, which attracts some of the finest women runners, two,

:04:26. > :04:29.including the Kenyan. There were high hopes for Britain's double

:04:29. > :04:36.Olympic champion Mo Farah, but after a long sprint finish in South

:04:36. > :04:41.Shields, he was narrowly beaten Ethiopian's Kenenisa Bekele. It was

:04:41. > :04:47.a great race and a great finish. I thought the pace was ridiculous. I

:04:47. > :04:51.thought I would come back and close the gap slowly. I managed to close

:04:51. > :04:55.it a little bit, but you can't take away what he has. Wheelchair athlete

:04:55. > :05:00.it a little bit, but you can't take David Weir won his race for a fourth

:05:00. > :05:06.time. More than £200 million has been raised since the Great North

:05:06. > :05:16.Run began in 1981. That is it for now. There will be

:05:16. > :05:19.more news on BBC One at 6:35pm. So, did anything happen while we

:05:20. > :05:26.were away this summer? I thought not. Whereas British politics

:05:26. > :05:29.heading now? Who better to answer than the best political panel we

:05:29. > :05:34.could cobble together for a tenner? Even then, they are overpaid.

:05:34. > :05:38.Putting foreign affairs to one side for a moment, it seems that what

:05:38. > :05:42.happened mystically was that it became more apparent that some sort

:05:42. > :05:49.of recovery was underway at last, and that Mr Miliband still has not

:05:49. > :05:55.yet resonated with the British public. These things are a problem

:05:55. > :05:59.for Labour. Ed Miliband's mistake over the summer holiday was to take

:05:59. > :06:03.a summer holiday. And it looked like the rest of the Labour Party had

:06:03. > :06:05.taken one too. They were not finding issues they could make their own.

:06:05. > :06:09.The only person who made an impact issues they could make their own.

:06:09. > :06:13.was Stella Creasy on online abuse. That is a huge problem, and it is

:06:13. > :06:17.partly down to the fact that there is this intense message discipline.

:06:17. > :06:22.They don't want to say anything out of line until they have got all

:06:22. > :06:27.their ducks in a row. It makes the party do at the moment. The terms of

:06:27. > :06:31.trade have swung in David Cameron's favour, but the political rhetoric

:06:31. > :06:33.is still with Mr Miliband. Let's look at this headline from the

:06:33. > :06:41.is still with Mr Miliband. Let's Sunday Telegraph. That headline

:06:41. > :06:47.might not be right, but the story is Sunday Telegraph. That headline

:06:47. > :06:49.significant in that Mr Cameron is still in danger on his right flank

:06:49. > :06:51.significant in that Mr Cameron is from UKIP, and Mr Miliband still

:06:51. > :06:56.significant in that Mr Cameron is doesn't need an enormous share of

:06:56. > :06:59.the vote to get an overall majority? There is a danger here of

:06:59. > :07:02.the vote to get an overall majority? Westminster group think. Of course

:07:02. > :07:04.Ed Miliband is in trouble. The Tories are reserved and. They are

:07:04. > :07:08.better organised, the economy is Tories are reserved and. They are

:07:09. > :07:15.recovering. That poses difficulties for Labour, but if you look at what

:07:15. > :07:19.is happening on the ground, UKIP still pose a danger to Cameron. They

:07:19. > :07:23.don't need to poll 15% in a lot of those marginal seats, they just need

:07:23. > :07:33.to get five or 6% of the vote, and that could potentially destroy the

:07:33. > :07:39.Tory lead. Lots of commentators like to say, this guy will never be prime

:07:40. > :07:43.minister, but it is possible that by default or by accident, in a very

:07:43. > :07:48.fluid electoral situation, Ed Miliband could end up as prime

:07:48. > :07:53.minister. It is still all to play for on both sides. If UKIP remains a

:07:53. > :07:58.threat to the Tory right flank and the Tories themselves are not really

:07:58. > :08:02.a national party any more, I am told they will only target a few seats in

:08:02. > :08:06.Scotland, they don't get any big seats in the big cities of the north

:08:06. > :08:10.any more, they don't get the Ulster vote they used to get, so it is

:08:10. > :08:13.possible that Labour, which is more nationally based and has seats in

:08:13. > :08:19.the Midlands and the north and in Wales, so they could get in. I

:08:19. > :08:21.agree. The advantage of having a bad summer is that Ed Miliband can go to

:08:21. > :08:25.his conference facing low summer is that Ed Miliband can go to

:08:25. > :08:28.expectations. All he has to do is not dribble on the lectern, and it

:08:28. > :08:33.will be written up as spectacular. not dribble on the lectern, and it

:08:33. > :08:39.He might not even use a lectin. Structurally, he is in a good

:08:39. > :08:44.position. The electoral vagaries of the system work in his favour. He

:08:44. > :08:48.still has a narrow poll lead, he is not out of the game at all. Of the

:08:48. > :08:53.three main party leaders, the only one who can be confident about being

:08:53. > :08:58.three main party leaders, the only in government after 2015 is Nick

:08:58. > :09:01.Clegg. David Cameron faces a difficult structural position

:09:01. > :09:07.electorally. But if it is this bad for Labour at the moment, what will

:09:07. > :09:14.it be like if this recovery turns out to be real? It depends how much

:09:14. > :09:17.they succeed. Chuka Umunna was shifting the debate are living

:09:17. > :09:21.standards. They don't want to keep arguing about who called it right.

:09:21. > :09:28.Do people feel richer than they were in 2010? The data suggests that

:09:28. > :09:33.people don't feel richer than in 2010. Because they are not.That is

:09:33. > :09:39.the basis on which Labour will fight the next election. It is clear that

:09:39. > :09:43.Labour are unclear on what to say or do next. They have just got to hope

:09:43. > :09:46.and pray that the economy is not as soundly based as it appears to be

:09:46. > :09:53.and that George Osborne is Tony Barber, who thought he fixed the

:09:53. > :09:56.economy in the 1970s and hadn't, just before the next crash. There

:09:56. > :10:01.are all sorts of uncertainties - China, the bond market, the housing

:10:01. > :10:06.bubble might be blown up, and Labour just had to hope something goes

:10:06. > :10:10.wrong for Osborne. Chuka Umunna said he would not get rid of help to buy.

:10:10. > :10:14.There are all these criticisms about he would not get rid of help to buy.

:10:14. > :10:20.artificial schemes pumping up house prices, but he would not say that.

:10:20. > :10:28.It is tortuous. You see this again and again. When asked if Labour

:10:28. > :10:36.would repeal the bedroom tax, or the same thing with Royal Mail, it

:10:36. > :10:38.happens again. They will be falling on people who have not had a meal in

:10:38. > :10:42.years because there is so little on people who have not had a meal in

:10:42. > :10:46.coming out of the Labour Party. There is a kind and Gillette in with

:10:47. > :10:50.them to a politician's career. When they are under attack for a long

:10:50. > :10:52.time, the media get bored after a while and switch the story. It

:10:52. > :10:57.happened to Osborne, who had a while and switch the story. It

:10:57. > :11:00.horrific 2012 and has recovered this year. It will probably happen to Ed

:11:00. > :11:06.Miliband. He can't keep getting as bad press as he is getting at the

:11:06. > :11:11.moment, because people find it tedious. Syria has been the big

:11:11. > :11:14.foreign-policy event this summer. It has remarkably led to a Soviet-

:11:14. > :11:20.foreign-policy event this summer. It American initiative to get Syria to

:11:20. > :11:25.give up its chemical weapons. The world will now expect the Assad

:11:25. > :11:27.regime to live up to its public commitments. As I said at the outset

:11:27. > :11:39.of these negotiations, there can be no games, no room for avoidance or

:11:39. > :11:45.anything less than full compliance. John Kerry. Is this too good to be

:11:45. > :11:49.true? Even superficially, it is not very good. The only people who

:11:49. > :11:51.emerge with any sense of triumph are the Russians, who have had their

:11:51. > :11:53.emerge with any sense of triumph are biggest diplomatic coup. They are

:11:53. > :11:56.back on the stage again. B if you biggest diplomatic coup. They are

:11:57. > :12:01.want to know why Putin even has a biggest diplomatic coup. They are

:12:01. > :12:04.constituency in Russia, it is because of moments like this. They

:12:04. > :12:07.were humiliated after the end of the Cold War, and a Nou Camp is a great

:12:07. > :12:11.were humiliated after the end of the power again. Then you have the Obama

:12:11. > :12:14.situation, because he has ended up where he wanted to end up. He has

:12:14. > :12:17.situation, because he has ended up avoided war and extracted a

:12:17. > :12:19.concession from Syria, but the way he got there was so embarrassing. It

:12:19. > :12:21.concession from Syria, but the way made him look weak and erratic as a

:12:21. > :12:25.concession from Syria, but the way leader. There were contradictions

:12:25. > :12:32.between himself and his Secretary of State last week, and it has not done

:12:32. > :12:40.him any good. I was in the States, and it was open season on him. I

:12:40. > :12:44.have never understood the idea of chemical weapons as a red line when

:12:44. > :12:46.you can massacre people in their thousands through other means. But

:12:46. > :12:50.you can massacre people in their everybody seems to agree that

:12:50. > :12:58.chemical weapons are beyond the pale. The rebels are miserable. We

:12:58. > :13:02.have run out of time. I will have to ask you what you think about Syria

:13:02. > :13:09.next week, which gives you time to prepare. Your book on Fred the shred

:13:09. > :13:11.is going well? It is.I am back tomorrow at noon with the Daily

:13:11. > :13:13.is going well? It is.I am back Politics at noon on BBC Two, where

:13:13. > :13:17.we will have more from the Liberal Politics at noon on BBC Two, where

:13:17. > :13:19.Democrat conference in Glasgow. It is the start of our Daily Politics

:13:19. > :13:22.conference coverage. Next week, we is the start of our Daily Politics

:13:22. > :13:27.will be back here at our normal time of 11am, when we will be joined by

:13:27. > :13:31.the Conservative Party chairman, Grant Shapps. Remember, if it is

:13:31. > :13:51.Sunday, it is the Sunday Politics.