:00:37. > :00:46.Morning, welcome to the veritable pot pourri that is this morning's
:00:46. > :00:52.Sunday Politics. We have Alastair Charmichael. We'll ask him what he
:00:52. > :00:56.has that his predecessor Michael Moore hadn't. Ken Clarke just keeps
:00:56. > :01:04.going on and on and on. He'll bang his drum for Europe.
:01:04. > :01:08.going on and on and on. He'll bang will be with us. We'll ask him for
:01:08. > :01:19.Stay with us for Yorkshire's show, Diane Abbott
:01:19. > :01:22.Stay with us for Yorkshire's show, why tougher restrictions on the sale
:01:23. > :01:24.of cigarettes have left Euro MPs at loggerheads.
:01:24. > :01:35.of cigarettes have left Euro MPs at of human trafficking and that men
:01:35. > :01:40.pundits who we try to shuffle out of a job but failed miserably, Mick
:01:40. > :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. > :02:24.after all. Here he is on the BBC viewers. If you are a group of
:02:24. > :02:28.parents, social entrepreneurs, teachers, interested in setting
:02:28. > :02:31.parents, social entrepreneurs, school in areas where you need new
:02:31. > :02:39.school place, the Labour Government enterprise and innovation. It will
:02:39. > :02:42.school place, the Labour Government be in areas of need. We have a
:02:42. > :02:52.school places crisis going on. It teachers in these schools. And
:02:52. > :03:02.accountability. What is going on with the Al Madina school is because
:03:02. > :03:07.of terrible mistakes with Michael I'm not sure if the policies have
:03:07. > :03:10.changed, the change of tone is I'm not sure if the policies have
:03:10. > :03:12.changed, the change of tone is remarkable, both on welfare and
:03:12. > :03:16.changed, the change of tone is schools. A significant change of
:03:16. > :03:23.reshuffle on the Labour frontbench last week was init wered as a purge
:03:23. > :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. > :03:41.Labour will be tough than the Tories on welfare. You've seen that clip
:03:41. > :03:47.from Tristram, free schools will be allowed to be set up in areas of
:03:47. > :03:51.need. Greater oversight. But a completely different change of tone,
:03:51. > :03:57.we are on the side of parents and social entrepreneurs who want to set
:03:57. > :04:06.these up. A different change. Why are they doing this? On education,
:04:06. > :04:16.polarised. You've had the Michael Gove's advisers which are extreme
:04:16. > :04:21.views about the state of education. And on the other side teaching
:04:21. > :04:26.unions. It hasn't led to a healthy debate which represents what parents
:04:26. > :04:29.want out of schools or employers. This is a huge move from the Labour
:04:29. > :04:34.Party to sound more reasonable. This is a huge move from the Labour
:04:34. > :04:41.have been silent on education which is a huge policy area on the left.
:04:41. > :04:47.Is this a focus group-driven change? They've seen the polls. Welfare
:04:47. > :04:55.reforms are hugery popular and free only apiece the focus groups by
:04:55. > :05:00.changing the policy substantially. I always thought a test for this
:05:00. > :05:04.Labour reshuffle was not whether Ed Miliband would promote Blair rights,
:05:04. > :05:09.it is clear he did, it is whether they would be allowed to be Blair
:05:09. > :05:14.rights. When Stephen Twigg carried the education portfolio it was clear
:05:14. > :05:18.his own views were closer to the Government than he was allowed to
:05:18. > :05:22.let on. He was constrained. There is no point of giving Tristram Hunt
:05:22. > :05:26.this job if he is not allowed to say what he thinks. I wouldn't mind
:05:26. > :05:32.betting privately he thinks free schools should be available beyond
:05:32. > :05:40.just areas of need. He hasn't yet defined need. It could be, we've run
:05:40. > :05:55.schools are so bad we need schools. itsing Government policy. In they
:05:55. > :05:59.unsatisfactory that's no different. He wanted to say he was in favour of
:05:59. > :06:05.higher educational standards and rigour, he had to tell the audience
:06:05. > :06:09.he has a Cambridge PhD to attack Michael Gove. That was difficult for
:06:09. > :06:17.Tristram Hunt he had to mention that. Is that worth something, a PhD
:06:17. > :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. > :06:38.have to have teachers with formal teaching qualifications. I've never
:06:38. > :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. > :06:57.Watch this space. The dust settled after the party resufficients. Do
:06:57. > :07:10.the Tories look a bit more like Britain. Do the Tories look more
:07:10. > :07:15.#4 With reshuffles, you're never really certain. There's whispers,
:07:15. > :07:27.rumours, guesses. But the only way now, the only way we knew who was in
:07:27. > :07:30.and who was out was who came walking down this bit of Downing Street
:07:30. > :07:34.and who was out was who came walking a smile on their face after going to
:07:34. > :07:38.see the boss. The once who are to be sacked, they usually go round the
:07:38. > :07:46.back. Not this time. No, something new alerted us all. The-PM started
:07:47. > :07:50.can't remember a triple decker reshuffle where you've three parties
:07:50. > :07:56.changing ministerial teams at the resufficient happened on Twitter.
:07:57. > :08:04.Not that the press stopped watching the door as well. News was a bit
:08:04. > :08:09.Charmichael replaced Michael Moore, the first to be pounced on. I'm
:08:09. > :08:14.disappointed to be leaving office now but pleased at what I've been
:08:14. > :08:18.able to achieve in the last couple of years. Not as pleased as one
:08:18. > :08:34.imagines as the man receiving the welcome that went on, and on and
:08:34. > :08:42.simultaneously having Jeremy Browne, in a sense seen off the premises of
:08:42. > :08:57.the Home Office in conspiracy to let # Blowing hi Jude through a traffic
:08:57. > :09:02.Democrats. We tend to think they are herbivorous. Sacking a Cabinet
:09:02. > :09:04.Minister, another minister, Jeremy Browne. By lunch time, the Tory
:09:04. > :09:09.ranks were shifting too. The PM Browne. By lunch time, the Tory
:09:09. > :09:11.to boost the numbers of telegenic women walking into Government and
:09:11. > :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
:09:23. > :09:29.of George Osborne. And, all the while, those new Tory ministers
:09:29. > :09:33.of George Osborne. And, all the learning of Labour's changes. Labour
:09:33. > :09:36.too knows the value of new young blood striding into the limelight.
:09:36. > :09:42.Again some with TV experience of that. Tristram Hunt and Gloria de
:09:42. > :09:46.peer row would be hard to describe as hard left. But Blairbrushing
:09:46. > :09:51.peer row would be hard to describe past out of the picture seemed to be
:09:51. > :09:57.the name of the day. Liam Byrne With Diane Abbott also gone, was
:09:57. > :09:59.this really a Blair right cull? It depends what you mean. Blair right
:09:59. > :10:03.used to mean someone who wanted depends what you mean. Blair right
:10:03. > :10:07.Blair to be leader of the Labour Party. Somebody who worked closely
:10:07. > :10:10.with him. Now it means sometimes people who believe in a certain
:10:10. > :10:14.with him. Now it means sometimes of ideologyies or ideas. There are
:10:14. > :10:17.still very much those kind of Blair rights within the party. But we
:10:17. > :10:20.still very much those kind of Blair seeing the group around Tony Blair
:10:20. > :10:24.are not long assassin flew enjoys as they once were. By evening, it was
:10:24. > :10:36.over. New bees were sharing the they once were. By evening, it was
:10:36. > :10:45.raters. Or -- commiserators. Or they once were. By evening, it was
:10:45. > :10:50.disified. How much much someone standing here might want it to be
:10:50. > :10:58.the case, you are unlikely to get someone coming out of that do going
:10:58. > :11:04."how could." And running off crying! And the brand, spanking new Scottish
:11:04. > :11:11.Secretary Alastair Charmichael joins us from Orkney on a line that hasn't
:11:11. > :11:17.been used since the fleet was used in the outbreak of World War I! I
:11:17. > :11:20.wasn't around at the time. I'm hearing you loud and clear. Why
:11:20. > :11:25.wasn't around at the time. I'm you agreed to run a department?
:11:25. > :11:29.wasn't around at the time. I'm you wanted to abolish six years
:11:29. > :11:30.wasn't around at the time. I'm Hello? Maybe our connections are not
:11:30. > :11:37.Charmichael. Can you hear me? I Hello? Maybe our connections are not
:11:37. > :11:41.hear you now. There was a nasty second there where you disappeared.
:11:41. > :11:43.Let me try the question again. Why have you agreed to run a department
:11:43. > :11:49.you wanted to abolish six years have you agreed to run a department
:11:49. > :11:53.Because this is the, probably one of the most important jobs in British
:11:53. > :12:00.politics at the moment. To ensure that Scotland remains part of the
:12:00. > :12:10.UK. Even when I was talking about 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. > :12:17.making sure the UK Government has a real voice in that debate. What
:12:17. > :12:18.making sure the UK Government has a you that Michael Moore didn't have?
:12:18. > :12:24.Look, I think Michael Moore did you that Michael Moore didn't have?
:12:24. > :12:31.excellent job. The work he did delivering the Edinburgh agreement
:12:31. > :12:39.clear legal and decisive referendum, the work delivering extra powers to
:12:39. > :12:47.substantial piece of work. I'm not friend of mine. I will say that
:12:47. > :12:47.substantial piece of work. I'm not we go forward into this, this is now
:12:47. > :12:52.about the actual debate itself. we go forward into this, this is now
:12:52. > :13:01.will be putting the case, with some passion, I hope, for Scotland to
:13:01. > :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. > :13:24.challenge. I understand that. But if you're being put in there to save
:13:24. > :13:29.the union, every pole has the no -- poll has the no campaign margin
:13:29. > :13:34.alley ahead. Mr Moore was doing pretty well to save the union. I
:13:34. > :13:41.suspect you've been given the job to Scotland? And lieu, you misread
:13:41. > :13:44.suspect you've been given the job to situation if you -- Andrew, you
:13:44. > :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. > :13:53.people of Scotland if they turn who will save the union are the
:13:53. > :13:58.next year and vote to save the union. We have to put the case for
:13:58. > :14:04.that. That is what I will be doing. Look at the position of your own
:14:04. > :14:11.party. You came fourth in the last Scottish parentry elections. You
:14:11. > :14:17.were even behind the Conservatives. The latest poll has you still in
:14:17. > :14:22.fourth. Are you there because you're a bruiser and you will pep up the
:14:22. > :14:24.Liberal Democrats opportunity in Scotland. If I had a pound for
:14:24. > :14:29.everybody to referred to me as being Scotland. If I had a pound for
:14:29. > :14:33.a bruiser, I wouldn't need to be sitting here this morning. I could
:14:33. > :14:38.have retired by now. The truth of this, if I can address it once and
:14:38. > :14:44.for all, I have done probably one of the most complex and subtle jobs in
:14:44. > :14:50.three-and-a-half years, Liberal Democrat Chief Whip in a Coalition
:14:50. > :14:53.survived in that job a week, let alone three-and-a-half years, if I
:14:53. > :14:59.was the sort of person who went around picking unnecessary fights.
:14:59. > :15:03.So, can we just please forget about this business about being a bruiser.
:15:03. > :15:07.As far as the position of the party in the polls, this is true also
:15:07. > :15:08.As far as the position of the party the referendum vote, opinion polls
:15:08. > :15:16.the future. I will be out there the referendum vote, opinion polls
:15:17. > :15:19.the future. I will be out there putting the case. Neither the next
:15:19. > :15:24.election nor the referendum is one or lost yet. One of the things I
:15:24. > :15:31.really want to be guarding against because we are a good margin ahead
:15:31. > :15:39.today, 12 months out from the actual polling day, that it is in the bag.
:15:39. > :15:42.Believe me, Andrew, it is not. As you know, wasn't for the Liberal
:15:42. > :15:52.Democrats. Not just talking about the polls. You came fourth in the
:15:52. > :16:02.You said you were happy to facial ex-Salmond in a TV debade. Should
:16:02. > :16:14.David Cameron face him? I am happy debate. Should David Cameron face
:16:14. > :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. > :16:24.vision of Scottish social democracy and English conservativism, which it
:16:24. > :16:29.is not. This is a debate that has to is not. This is a debate that has to
:16:29. > :16:37.be held in Scotland about the future of Scotland amongst Scots. David
:16:37. > :16:42.Cameron has a very important part in Scotland's public life, but he is
:16:42. > :16:56.not Scottish and I think he will Darling. He has got a Scottish name
:16:56. > :17:03.wealthiest of Scotland at some stage in the past. Anyway, you described
:17:03. > :17:09.the campaign to keep the union together as lacking passion, were
:17:09. > :17:16.you referring to the campaign or referring to Alistair Darling. I
:17:16. > :17:23.think what I was saying is that referring to Alistair Darling. I
:17:23. > :17:29.we move into this new stage, and Alistair Darling said it himself, we
:17:29. > :17:35.are now campaigning for people Alistair Darling said it himself, we
:17:35. > :17:40.hearts because if you look at the range of papers the Government has
:17:40. > :17:49.published, it is pretty clear the arguments lie in relation to the
:17:49. > :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. > :18:02.and to be British, for Scotland somebody who is proud to be Scottish
:18:02. > :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. > :18:26.Not a drop has touched my lips. celebratory drink for your new post.
:18:26. > :18:28.of November, I will be doing it celebratory drink for your new post.
:18:28. > :18:35.aid of Macmillan Cancer care and if website, they can donate. It is
:18:35. > :18:38.worthwhile. I cannot think of a better cause. One Cabinet minister
:18:38. > :18:50.who many thought might get Reef better cause. One Cabinet minister
:18:50. > :18:53.Clarke. Welcome to Sunday Politics. This reshuffle was about new blood,
:18:53. > :19:02.minorities, where did you fit in? I minorities, where did you fit in? I
:19:02. > :19:08.would describe myself as the elder statesman, to be polite, but it
:19:08. > :19:10.would describe myself as the elder difficult to replace them. I enjoy
:19:10. > :19:13.it. It is a great privilege to have a role in Cabinet and I will carry
:19:13. > :19:18.on as long as David wants me to a role in Cabinet and I will carry
:19:18. > :19:23.I have seen many reshuffles, they are dreadful and I seem to have
:19:24. > :19:29.survived them so far. Did David Cameron talk to you before this
:19:29. > :19:36.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. > :20:05.of the Security Council so he has you keep going? What do you hope to
:20:05. > :20:10.achieve in politics? I am mostly a political anorak, I have been since
:20:10. > :20:16.I was very small, by the process of politics but the older I get I get
:20:16. > :20:20.governance of the country and at the moment the combination of problems
:20:20. > :20:24.is quite appalling. The difficulty of tackling the modern world is
:20:24. > :20:28.is quite appalling. The difficulty difficult and I find it fascinating.
:20:28. > :20:29.The old argument that attracts every decent person into politics, you
:20:29. > :20:34.might be able sometimes to make decent person into politics, you
:20:34. > :20:37.bit of difference, and I try to decent person into politics, you
:20:37. > :20:39.that. I try not to hark back on decent person into politics, you
:20:39. > :20:42.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
:21:03. > :21:12.on Britain's membership to the EU? I accountable to the long-term and
:21:12. > :21:18.representatives, but this is a minority now and my colleagues have
:21:18. > :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
:21:27. > :21:35.Britain's relationship with the of the most important things in
:21:35. > :21:37.politicians are able to look after the living standards, the economy,
:21:37. > :21:44.the safety against terrorism. Last the living standards, the economy,
:21:44. > :21:52.summer you said that only extreme nationalists wanted a silly EU
:21:52. > :21:57.referendum. It follows your party must be full of extremely silly
:21:57. > :22:02.nationalists. The people who are desperate to have a referendum are
:22:02. > :22:08.all the people who actually want to referendum will involve the public
:22:08. > :22:11.and people like me have got to get across to the public, don't just
:22:11. > :22:16.feel angry about the last thing across to the public, don't just
:22:16. > :22:21.commission is or is not doing, do commission is or is not doing, do
:22:21. > :22:28.bear in mind this is our base in the modern world. We happen to be a
:22:28. > :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. > :22:47.influence in events. That is not politicians look after us when we
:22:47. > :22:51.spilling over from the Middle East, or we face public services being
:22:51. > :22:59.threatened. You didn't even turn up to vote for the bill which will
:22:59. > :23:05.threatened. You didn't even turn up engagements on the Friday concerned.
:23:05. > :23:16.participation. You didn't want to be Look, many of your colleagues I
:23:16. > :23:23.participation. You didn't want to be interviewed say that if the choice
:23:23. > :23:28.was between the state -- the status quo with the European Union and
:23:28. > :23:32.leaving, they would leave. The truth is that you would vote to stay in
:23:32. > :23:40.even on the status quo, wouldn't supporting the EU to leave now if I
:23:40. > :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. > :24:04.the prospect of free trade and I have to reassure Americans that
:24:04. > :24:09.the prospect of free trade and I are not likely to leave the EU to
:24:09. > :24:14.That is true but it also needs reform. The cry for reform, which is
:24:14. > :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
:24:24. > :24:33.nothing from Brussels, you would still vote to stay in, correct?
:24:33. > :24:48.one which is dwindling in comparison dangers of some of the countries
:24:48. > :24:55.disengage. I will take that as a strengthen the case, and of some
:24:55. > :25:02.members of the public don't agree persuaded when David delivers his
:25:02. > :25:07.reforms. The latest poll gives Labour a ten point lead over the
:25:07. > :25:10.Tories and the reason why it has a ten point lead is because UKIP are
:25:10. > :25:15.up there with 18% of the vote and ten point lead is because UKIP are
:25:15. > :25:19.the Tory vote has slumped in the Paul to 27%. How would you see off
:25:19. > :25:25.UKIP? By saying you need a strong Paul to 27%. How would you see off
:25:25. > :25:33.and effective Government. We faced terrible problems. Every Government
:25:33. > :25:37.I have been in has been behind in the polls. This Government is not as
:25:37. > :25:42.popular as the previous Government I have served in under the three
:25:42. > :25:45.previous prime ministers. When you get an election, people have to
:25:45. > :25:48.previous prime ministers. When you themselves who do we want to decide
:25:48. > :25:54.the issues of war and peace in this country? Who do we want to get us
:25:54. > :25:58.out of our economic problems. I don't think Ed Miliband is up to it.
:25:58. > :26:03.That generalised stuff will not don't think Ed Miliband is up to it.
:26:03. > :26:07.off UKIP. People will not listen to that. When people answer an opinion
:26:07. > :26:16.poll, they tell you how annoyed that. When people answer an opinion
: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. > :26:44.us? They did take over a calamitous important problems to be decided
:26:44. > :26:48.going forward. UKIP represents anti-immigration, anti-foreigners,
:26:48. > :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. > :27:28.disgrace might choose to lie low for a while, perhaps to spend a bit
:27:28. > :27:30.disgrace might choose to lie low for time tending the tulips and doing
:27:30. > :27:31.the odd bit of charity work. Not Chris Huhne. He walked free from
:27:31. > :27:34.prison only five months ago but Chris Huhne. He walked free from
:27:34. > :27:38.former Energy Secretary is already back in the public eye - a column in
:27:38. > :27:42.the Guardian, a job with a renewable interview. So is he working on a
:27:42. > :27:45.political rehabilitation? Chris Politics. The answer to that is
:27:45. > :27:49.inviting me back. You have set your Politics. The answer to that is
:27:49. > :27:55.inviting me back. You have set your career in politics is over so what
:27:55. > :27:58.happy doing what I am doing, I am passionate about green energy and
:27:58. > :28:02.climate change, so I am doing things on that front in terms of business
:28:02. > :28:08.non-governmental organisations, on that front in terms of business
:28:08. > :28:13.I am doing a column for the Guardian on Mondays. You obviously get a
:28:13. > :28:18.I am doing a column for the Guardian of material from the Sunday Politics
:28:18. > :28:20.to write about. Have you embarked on political rehabilitation? It was
:28:20. > :28:24.clear from the point of view of political rehabilitation? It was
:28:24. > :28:31.George when I was sentenced, he rehabilitating you, because I had
:28:31. > :28:35.not offended for ten years, it was actually about stopping people like
:28:35. > :28:38.you, Andrew, Ron doing the same thing. It was a deterrent effect for
:28:38. > :28:45.the public. That is I think why thing. It was a deterrent effect for
:28:45. > :28:54.prosecution was brought. I had not offended for ten years on this,
:28:54. > :29:19.rehabilitate yourself in the public? coalition to the bitter end? Or
:29:19. > :29:25.should they re-establish their own Coalition agreement is for the whole
:29:25. > :29:29.should they re-establish their own Parliament, and the Lib Dems are
:29:29. > :29:32.going to stay, and should stay. What would be a good result for the Lib
:29:32. > :29:40.Dems in 2015? The loss of ten, would be a good result for the Lib
:29:40. > :29:45.interesting election because I think you will have essentially three
:29:45. > :29:54.party leaders, all of whom are negative ratings so it will be a
:29:54. > :30:00.battle between the walking wounded. In those circumstances, in my view,
:30:00. > :30:11.the Lib Dems can come out very well. But you will lose seats, won't
:30:11. > :30:16.the Liberal Democrats do badly in next year's European elections,
:30:16. > :30:16.the Liberal Democrats do badly in could come fourth on fifth behind
:30:16. > :30:24.leadership be in jeopardy? I've could come fourth on fifth behind
:30:24. > :30:30.in countless cycles where we've could come fourth on fifth behind
:30:30. > :30:34.very low poll ratings. The normal pickup to the subsequent general
:30:34. > :30:39.election on average has been 10 percentage points. So he's not in
:30:39. > :30:41.jeopardy? I think Nick will be there at the next general election. I
:30:41. > :30:44.think he'll lead the party into at the next general election. I
:30:44. > :30:47.next general election. I expect we'll do much better than most
:30:47. > :30:52.people think. If we are heading we'll do much better than most
:30:52. > :31:02.another hung Parliament, which is have a repeat of the Conservatives?
:31:02. > :31:07.One of the key things I sawed to colleagues, whatever your personal
:31:07. > :31:11.preference, I used to be a Labour Party member, you can derive from
:31:12. > :31:18.that I'm on the left of centre of the party. I always said to my
:31:18. > :31:21.colleagues in the party, it is the we are in politics because we
:31:22. > :31:25.are Liberal Democrats, not because we are either Conservatives or
:31:25. > :31:31.second best Labour. If you don't take that view, you don't have any
:31:31. > :31:34.bargaining position when it comes to coalition. You have to be able,
:31:34. > :31:38.genuinely, to do a coalition with either of the other parties. I
:31:38. > :31:43.understand that, but you'd prefer Labour? Your personal preference
:31:43. > :31:47.really should not come into this. It is about making sure you get the
:31:47. > :31:55.best possible deal for the things you get that with one party rather
:31:55. > :31:58.than another, that's fine. You stand up for Liberal Democrat values,
:31:58. > :32:01.than another, that's fine. You stand for Conservative or Labour second
:32:01. > :32:03.best values. You said you're keeping up your interest in energy matters.
:32:03. > :32:10.Is Ed Miliband right to promise up your interest in energy matters.
:32:10. > :32:14.temporary price freeze? There's up your interest in energy matters.
:32:14. > :32:20.pop ewe louse posturing. It is not a sensible policy. It was tried in
:32:20. > :32:25.California in 2,000 and 2001 which led to blackouts. We had the Prime
:32:25. > :32:30.Minister promising we should sift everybody automatically to the
:32:30. > :32:37.lowest possible tariff. So unfortunately we're at
:32:37. > :32:41.lowest possible tariff. So getting clap trap. You're against
:32:41. > :32:44.the freeze? It is a bad idea when we are trying to encourage investment.
:32:44. > :32:48.When the market can give us some of the lowest gas and electricity
:32:48. > :32:52.prices in Europe. Britain has son-in-law of the lowest? Not our
:32:52. > :32:56.base price? The other European Ian prices are only higher because they
:32:56. > :33:01.put a lot more taxes on to it? Our base energy prices are among the
:33:01. > :33:05.highest in Europe? No, if you look at EU comparisons in what goes out
:33:05. > :33:09.to people's households. That's after all the taxes have been put on them?
:33:09. > :33:10.to people's households. That's after . The Conservatives are claiming
:33:10. > :35:22.there are You are watching the Sunday Politics
:35:22. > :35:28.for Yorkshire and Lincolnshire. Coming up. We find out why Euro MPs
:35:28. > :35:33.are at loggerheads over tougher restrictions on the sale of
:35:33. > :35:36.cigarettes. In particular these so called Slims cigarettes which some
:35:36. > :35:44.claim or entity —— specifically at young women.
:35:44. > :35:45.And we will discover why the government has criticised many
:35:45. > :35:51.Yorkshire and Lincolnshire Council 's which refused to allow voters to
:35:51. > :35:54.film their meetings. Let's say hello to our guests, Nigel Adams is a
:35:54. > :36:02.Conservative MP for Selby, and Kevin Barron is the Labour MP for Rather
:36:02. > :36:05.Valley. Hello. Nigel Adams, it was called the flat cap reshuffle, David
:36:05. > :36:17.Cameron said he wanted to make the government less posh and Southern,
:36:17. > :36:22.has he achieved that? I think so, . I am probably the only Conservative
:36:22. > :36:25.MP to have a flat cap! I am delighted to see my colleague Chris
:36:25. > :36:30.Hopkins get promoted, I think you will be a fantastic addition, he is
:36:30. > :36:34.a straight talker. You had him on your programme a couple of weeks
:36:34. > :36:38.ago. He is highly respected. In the community 's brief he will bring a
:36:38. > :36:45.lot of experience. He used to reap —— he used to run Bradford Council.
:36:45. > :36:51.Esther McVey is another great communicator. It is good news. He is
:36:51. > :36:57.joining a fellow Bradford bruiser in Eric pickles. What did you make of
:36:57. > :37:01.the Labour shake—up? We are less than 20 months away from the general
:37:01. > :37:05.election, it was the right thing to do, he has brought some people in
:37:05. > :37:11.terms of the Shadow Cabinet who are good people. They make me feel a
:37:12. > :37:19.very old man looking at them but they are very capable.
:37:19. > :37:22.and people like that will shape the future of education. Interesting to
:37:22. > :37:25.see whether those who return to the backbenches will behave themselves,
:37:25. > :37:29.we would have nothing to talk about if they do! We will talk smoking
:37:29. > :37:33.now. A war of words has broken out over the latest European proposals
:37:33. > :37:38.to regulate the tobacco industry. This week Euro MPs voted to ban the
:37:38. > :37:42.sale of menthol cigarettes and increase the size of health warnings
:37:42. > :37:45.on packaging. However one Yorkshire MEP who led the European
:37:45. > :37:49.Parliament's work on the tobacco directive claims that some of her
:37:50. > :38:00.opponents supported measures to outlaw product is aimed specifically
:38:00. > :38:03.at young people. Attitudes toward smoking were
:38:03. > :38:08.completely different when this advert was made in 1978. The imagery
:38:08. > :38:14.was straight out of a Bond movie. The goals packaging all part of the
:38:14. > :38:21.marketing of smoking. —— the gold packaging. Following the advertising
:38:21. > :38:27.ban the only tool to affect marketing with packaging. It is that
:38:27. > :38:30.which Linda had in her sights. These are important laws which are
:38:30. > :38:36.designed to stop young people smoking. 570 people start smoking
:38:36. > :38:40.every day in Britain. So we had a big push against proposals from
:38:40. > :38:45.lobbyists and unfortunately on one or two issues the Conservative MEPs
:38:45. > :38:51.did not make the difference. Smokers almost always start the habit in
:38:51. > :38:55.childhood. So Linda had slim coloured cigarette in her sights.
:38:55. > :38:59.But on cheese day, MEPs said no to a ban on cigarettes which some say are
:38:59. > :39:04.affected at teenagers. However with menthol and other flavoured
:39:04. > :39:10.cigarettes they agreed to a ban, and they said yes to bigger health
:39:10. > :39:16.warnings on cigarette packets, but only covering 65% of the box, as
:39:16. > :39:22.opposed to 75% which EU officials wanted. There has been a massive
:39:22. > :39:33.being by the tobacco industry. —— there has been massive lobbying.
:39:33. > :39:37.This actually packets 25% of all cigarettes smoked in Britain. Two we
:39:37. > :39:42.believe it is positive for the packaging sector. We have been able
:39:42. > :39:48.to put forward smoking concerns into the Bill and regulation, but from a
:39:48. > :39:55.packaging sector point of view, we are still able to produce complex
:39:55. > :40:00.packaging which we believe is a deterrent for the counterfeit
:40:00. > :40:04.market. The watered—down proposals also saw Slimline cigarettes escaped
:40:04. > :40:08.a ban. So how seductive are they? This packet got a mixed reaction on
:40:08. > :40:13.the streets of Leeds. The packet looks quite sophisticated, so maybe.
:40:13. > :40:20.They look a little bit cooler. I do not have smoke is —— I don't smoke
:40:20. > :40:27.so it has no effect on me. I think it looks more stylish if
:40:27. > :40:29.smoke, but I don't. What happened in Strasbourg this week is significant.
:40:29. > :40:33.National covenant have the choice to tighten legislation further. ——
:40:33. > :40:40.national governments. The government here shelved packaging tightening
:40:40. > :40:44.this summer so this could be a headache for Cameron.
:40:44. > :40:51.Did the proposals announced in Strasbourg this week go far enough?
:40:51. > :40:55.I do not think they did. Public health recommendation said they did
:40:56. > :40:59.not. The ban on things like menthol and strawberry favoured cigarettes,
:40:59. > :41:06.I am pleased to say that is coming along. It is over an eight—year
:41:06. > :41:12.period of time. Standardised, I am very sorry that that did not happen,
:41:12. > :41:17.standardised packaging. I do not know why we don't have it. It is a
:41:18. > :41:21.nonsense not to have it. It is up to this government, if they want to do
:41:21. > :41:25.it. Any UK government can do it, notwithstanding the decision on
:41:25. > :41:29.Tuesday. Some anti—smoking campaigners have accused Tory MEPs
:41:29. > :41:33.of watering down the proposals and putting the health of young people
:41:33. > :41:38.at risk, is that fair? I do not think it is. I can tell you that I
:41:38. > :41:43.think it was a bit of a model, what came out of Brussels. Slightly
:41:43. > :41:46.concerning is why they want five years to bring a ban on menthol
:41:46. > :41:50.cigarettes, why would you wait five years? The other wearily worrying
:41:50. > :41:54.things is the recommendation that they are —— the other worrying thing
:41:54. > :42:02.is that they are going to effectively
:42:02. > :42:06.have done, I will be horrified if my children do, we do all we can to
:42:06. > :42:11.educate them and make sure they don't. But by banning the ten pack
:42:11. > :42:17.of cigarettes, we are effectively bringing the entry barrier in at £8
:42:17. > :42:20.for cigarettes. We could see a problem with the black market in
:42:20. > :42:26.cigarettes. I would be concerned about that. The ban on packet of ten
:42:26. > :42:30.cigarettes, that will hurt the poor. Labour always talk about the cost of
:42:30. > :42:37.living, poor people will be effective. —— effected. Lets get
:42:37. > :42:42.this in perspective, UK and Italy are the only countries that have
:42:42. > :42:47.cigarettes in a packet of ten. A lot of the delay is the tobacco
:42:47. > :42:52.companies. Philip Morris International has spent one point ——
:42:52. > :43:00.1.5 million euros in the last two years lobbying MEPs. Over 25% of
:43:00. > :43:05.MEPs have been wined and dined by Philip Morris. All of the time I
:43:05. > :43:11.have been campaigned against tobacco, for nearly 20 years now, it
:43:11. > :43:17.has been slow this down, so that down. We have got to recognise that
:43:17. > :43:22.in this region alone, between 11 years old and 15 years old, 14,000
:43:22. > :43:27.young people smoke regularly. 100,000 people per year die
:43:27. > :43:30.prematurely from smoking in the UK, and it is about time we took as much
:43:30. > :43:37.firm action against this as we These cigarettes, I have seen them
:43:37. > :43:41.dressed up in all sorts of ways, they attract young people, that is
:43:41. > :43:46.what they are therefore. The packaging attracts them, the colour
:43:46. > :43:51.and shape, that is why they do. This looks like a glossy perfume box.
:43:52. > :43:56.That is clearly aimed at teenage girls. I have no idea what the
:43:56. > :44:00.marketing strategy is. I have not seen packets like that before
:44:00. > :44:05.personally. I think the reason people are buying packet of ten, it
:44:05. > :44:11.is like Great Britain is highly taxed in terms of cigarettes, which
:44:11. > :44:16.is a good thing. My concern is if this goes through, I know there is
:44:16. > :44:24.more talking to be done, our own government has to have its two
:44:24. > :44:29.pennies on this, people will have an entry level of 20 cigarettes so they
:44:29. > :44:34.could smoke more than they did previously. The government has said
:44:34. > :44:40.on packaging, it wants to look at the new law that has been brought in
:44:40. > :44:46.in Australia. Last December, Australia brought in standardised
:44:46. > :44:52.plain packaging. I have concerns whether that will work. Lynton
:44:52. > :45:10.Crosby, your election bureau, said he should not bring that in. I think
:45:10. > :45:16.we should look at this and see how it works and react to that. There is
:45:16. > :45:21.a lot of lobbying going on in this industry. I have been speaking to
:45:21. > :45:30.the tobacco industry but I also talked to cancer charities and the
:45:30. > :45:40.packaging industry. Smokers have been thrown out of pubs and seeing
:45:40. > :45:43.the price of cigarettes go up, most smokers know it is bad and
:45:43. > :45:50.expensive, is it time to give them a break and enter the stigmatisation
:45:50. > :46:00.of smokers? It is not stigmatisation, it is killing
:46:00. > :46:04.100,000 people per year. That is it, it is the plain packaging, it is not
:46:04. > :46:10.going to hurt the print industry. This is what it would look like.
:46:10. > :46:17.This is what we need to be aware of. This is about public health. The ban
:46:17. > :46:22.on public faces smoking, we will just have a ban in a pub that serve
:46:22. > :46:30.strength but not food, these are public health measures. That was a
:46:30. > :46:34.nonsense analysis. If there was anything in this country that was
:46:34. > :46:37.shortening the lives of people by 100,000 per year, we would be in
:46:37. > :46:48.Westminster finding the laws con us into how they market these
:46:48. > :46:53.products and we have to stop it. I do not think we will have too much
:46:53. > :46:58.longer to wait. Let's see what happens in Australia. I remember
:46:58. > :47:03.when programmes like this the film in smoke—filled Studios! It is a
:47:03. > :47:11.little correctness gone mad. That was a joke!
:47:11. > :47:17.The local government secretary Eric Because once to create a new brand
:47:17. > :47:21.of citizen journalists covering exciting events in the local horse.
:47:21. > :47:26.But many councils to not allow filming during the meetings and some
:47:26. > :47:28.summit people —— forbid people from using mobile phones for tweeting and
:47:28. > :47:46.plucking. —— blogging. Caught on camera, councillors in the
:47:46. > :47:49.East Riding arrived for a vote on whether to allow social media into
:47:49. > :47:54.County Hall. Andrew Allison of the taxpayers Alliance turned up the
:47:54. > :48:02.heat. We will see how the discussion goes. Excuse me, counsellor, will
:48:02. > :48:07.you be voting in favour of allowing recording of council meetings? I'm
:48:07. > :48:14.going to listen to all the arguments. East Riding and Yorkshire
:48:14. > :48:22.pounce all has a complete ban on members of the public filming or any
:48:22. > :48:26.form of social media during its council meeting. In the last few
:48:26. > :48:31.minutes it has voted against proposals to relax those rules. We
:48:31. > :48:34.live in the last few minutes it has voted against proposals to relax
:48:34. > :48:37.those rules. Relive the 21st century, we have modern means of
:48:37. > :48:40.communication. Not everyone can attend a council meeting,
:48:40. > :48:44.particularly at 2pm on Wednesday. It is important that local people can
:48:44. > :48:55.record what is going on and get the Quebec going. —— gets the debate
:48:55. > :49:00.going. The local leader denies there is an appetite for this. It is only
:49:00. > :49:03.activists, people out there aren't bothered about filming council
:49:03. > :49:11.meetings. We have an election in 18 months, it has started a pet early.
:49:11. > :49:20.Eric Pickles has said that members of the public should be allowed to
:49:20. > :49:25.sell meetings. But many councils are not offering this as an automatic
:49:25. > :49:28.right. —— to film meetings. According to figures for the
:49:28. > :49:32.taxpayers allowance, just five councils in Yorkshire and
:49:32. > :49:39.Lincolnshire have policies granting the right to film meetings. Four
:49:39. > :49:44.said no, 18 others said they would consider a request. Many more allow
:49:44. > :49:54.blogging and tweeting but in some cases, permission is still required.
:49:54. > :49:57.The government says it wants to avoid scenes like this. Footage
:49:57. > :50:06.taken by a member of the public attending a meeting at Keighley town
:50:06. > :50:10.Hall in July. Police were called to clear the public gallery after
:50:10. > :50:18.residents try to film proceedings. We are in the digital age, we need
:50:18. > :50:23.to allow people to film meetings and blocking the public to doing that is
:50:23. > :50:27.crazy. We are a democracy, these meeting should be transparent.
:50:27. > :50:32.Allowing the public to see what is going on from their own home or
:50:32. > :50:38.their mobile phone is the way to go, it is fit for the modern
:50:38. > :50:42.century. Some councils like West Lindsey in Lincolnshire film its own
:50:42. > :50:46.meetings for its website. This council leader believes that is
:50:46. > :50:49.enough. My main concern is whatever happens in the chamber during
:50:49. > :50:56.business meetings, they are not disrupted. Everything that goes on
:50:56. > :51:01.here is open and transparent and communicated via our video system
:51:01. > :51:09.onto our website. I think that is sufficient for anyone. Then they can
:51:09. > :51:14.do it and view it whenever they want. The government however is
:51:14. > :51:18.losing patients with those councils are catching up the social media
:51:18. > :51:21.juggernaut. Do you think there is an appetite to
:51:21. > :51:30.film local council week there was an important tanning
:51:30. > :51:41.meeting in Selby to do with the travellers site, a lot of interest
:51:41. > :51:45.from a local village. There was a limited number of seats. I was in
:51:45. > :51:51.London, it would have been interesting for me to see it. So you
:51:51. > :51:57.are criticising your own conservative run authority? I am, as
:51:57. > :52:03.sure —— I am sure it would not cost that much money, you can get filming
:52:03. > :52:07.cheaply online. It would have been useful for those people out of the
:52:07. > :52:12.room to be able to see those meetings. The idea of treating all
:52:12. > :52:18.the time, it leaves a little bit to be desired, I do not do it myself.
:52:18. > :52:21.Transparency is important. Everywhere we say in Parliament is
:52:21. > :52:27.filmed and I do not think it is a good thing for —— I don't think it
:52:27. > :52:32.is bad for councils to film their meetings. Do you think that we have
:52:32. > :52:37.been left behind by the digital age? It moves on quicker than we can
:52:37. > :52:45.legislate in lots of areas. I think it is simple, congratulations to
:52:45. > :52:53.that counsel who film that. They are opening up their meetings to people
:52:53. > :52:57.who may want to meet —— see them, it might be about a planning matter or
:52:57. > :53:03.just general expenditure inside the council area where you live. It
:53:03. > :53:09.seems like that is a sensible thing to do. If you look at the cost of
:53:09. > :53:14.these things, for a council to board cost these days, it is not a great
:53:15. > :53:21.deal of money. People can't get to council meetings during the week.
:53:21. > :53:24.That is why it is a good idea, the intellect connectivity is there a
:53:24. > :53:27.council building. The idea that someone will be trawling the
:53:27. > :53:31.Internet watching everything that is said at Rotherham district Council,
:53:31. > :53:36.perhaps they should get out a bit more! But when it is an important
:53:36. > :53:42.meeting, it is important they should have access. When you look at your
:53:42. > :53:49.place, the House of Commons, it is not very friendly to the public. You
:53:49. > :53:53.have got a big Perspex screen up. If you get your mobile phone out to get
:53:53. > :53:57.arrested. Shouldn't the House of Commons take the lead here? We are
:53:57. > :54:05.televised, everything that we do, I have spoken a couple of times this
:54:05. > :54:10.week, and that is televised. The screen is because of the donations
:54:10. > :54:16.that people have made into the chamber, like the purple powder on
:54:16. > :54:22.Tony Blair, and some horse muck. This is about using the new media
:54:22. > :54:28.and showing people how their tax money is being spent, there is
:54:28. > :54:33.nothing wrong with that at all. The chamber has moved on, the Speaker
:54:33. > :54:40.has allowed people to use electronic devices
:54:40. > :54:41.have seen it. I am still suspicious on what they are looking at
:54:41. > :54:56.sometimes! David Cameron visited York and
:54:56. > :55:00.Halifax to tell us the Yorkshire economy has turned a corner. The
:55:00. > :55:03.Prime Minister said more private—sector jobs have been
:55:03. > :55:07.created here than anywhere else outside of London. Labour said
:55:07. > :55:12.families still face a cost of living crisis. There are 110,000 more
:55:12. > :55:17.private—sector jobs today than there were in 2010. That is good news, we
:55:17. > :55:21.are heading in the right direction. I think families shaking a cost of
:55:22. > :55:28.living crisis will be shaking their heads at the trimester saying
:55:28. > :55:35.everything is OK. Labour MPs held a protest outside Parliament, claiming
:55:35. > :55:41.Hull is getting less money than other parts of the country. And a
:55:41. > :55:45.great tale this week in the politician's battle to be top dog.
:55:45. > :55:49.Dewsbury MP Simon Riegel and his fox terrier Harry won silver at this
:55:49. > :55:57.year's Westminster dog of the accommodation. —— dog of the year
:55:57. > :56:03.competition. Maybe he would have won if it was
:56:03. > :56:08.proportional representation! Kevin Barron, David Cameron 20 Yorkshire
:56:08. > :56:16.and said 110 thousand new public sector jobs had been created in
:56:16. > :56:20.be a good thing is? Private—sector jobs, sorry! Of course it is good
:56:20. > :56:28.but we have still got major problems. Wages and salaries have
:56:28. > :56:31.been reduced by 8.1% in Yorkshire and Humberside overall role in the
:56:31. > :56:36.last few years. There is a crisis here. The first time ever in my
:56:36. > :56:40.working life, that people are working for less than they were the
:56:40. > :56:45.year before. That is a crisis for people at work, never mind those
:56:45. > :56:48.poor devils who can't get work. Labour respond with this cost of
:56:48. > :56:53.living crisis campaign they have got, that will resonate with many of
:56:53. > :56:57.your constituents? Of course we have, we have discovered that the
:56:57. > :57:00.biggest recession since the last world war. Getting back to the
:57:00. > :57:05.package, with David Cameron, the idea that there is some complacency
:57:05. > :57:08.in government is a nonsense. We are nowhere near where we need to be.
:57:08. > :57:14.The economy is recovering and we are turning the corner. In my own patch,
:57:14. > :57:18.in Selby, I am delighted that since the last election, unemployment is
:57:18. > :57:22.down now by almost 30%. We are going in the right direction, we have got
:57:22. > :57:26.more jobs in the economy than there has ever been. The idea that we have
:57:26. > :57:30.become complacent is quite insulting. We know there is a long
:57:30. > :57:35.way to go. Do you accept that the economy is heading in the right
:57:35. > :57:39.direction in this part of the world? Two it is difficult to say that, I
:57:39. > :57:43.was chatting to someone about house prices this morning. We keep saying
:57:43. > :57:52.we are going to get Apple, there is good to be a problem, if you look at
:57:52. > :57:59.the papers, new price new price all the time, that means lower prices.
:57:59. > :58:05.We have got a long way to go in this part of the country. I know we have
:58:05. > :58:09.got to all go off and film your local council planning permissions
:58:09. > :58:11.on your mobile phone! Thank you both for your time
:58:11. > :58:12.on your mobile phone! Thank you both 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. > :58:30.commentators calling it the purge of the Blairites, but one poor lamb who
:58:30. > :58:36.fell victim to this perch was Diane Abbott, not somebody who worshipped
:58:36. > :58:40.at the altar of Tony Blair. Life on the backbenches means she can pursue
:58:40. > :58:47.other interests such as attending the Cheltenham literary Festival,
:58:47. > :58:51.and where she joins us now. Welcome. Why did Ed Miliband fire you? He
:58:51. > :58:58.think the thing that did it for Why did Ed Miliband fire you? He
:58:58. > :59:04.was me coming out on Syria. This was Why did Ed Miliband fire you? He
:59:04. > :59:09.a purge of the Blairites, how did you become collateral damage? I
:59:09. > :59:11.a purge of the Blairites, how did no idea but the fact that I was
:59:11. > :59:14.a purge of the Blairites, how did one member of the front bench to go
:59:14. > :59:22.public about my concerns on Syria party machinery over the edge.
:59:23. > :59:25.public about my concerns on Syria he went your way on Syria, in the
:59:25. > :59:32.end he agreed with your line on Syria so why would that be for
:59:32. > :59:36.dismissal? I agree with you - you're fired. Because I actually spoke
:59:36. > :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. > :00:11.people around them than who are outspoken, who speak their minds? I
:00:11. > :00:14.think he's convinced he needs people who read from the scripts. People
:00:14. > :00:20.increasingly upset that even though who read from the scripts. People
:00:20. > :00:27.I was speaking party policy, I was reading from the script. Since Mr
:00:27. > :00:33.Miliband bid you farewell, you've said he's doing his best. Is his
:00:33. > :00:37.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
:00:43. > :00:49.will remain loyal to him on the backbenches. You're going to be
:00:49. > :00:56.loyal? However, I want to join in loyal? Absolutely. I was loyal
:00:56. > :00:58.loyal? However, I want to join in in public and private when others
:00:58. > :01:04.were bitching about him behind the from the backbenches, I hope to
:01:04. > :01:07.were bitching about him behind the involved in the debate particularly
:01:07. > :01:11.around nick policy. Et's see how loyal you are. You must be happy
:01:11. > :01:19.with all this new tough talk on welfare and free schools? Well,
:01:19. > :01:23.with all this new tough talk on think both Rachel and Tristram are
:01:23. > :01:27.very talented. We're going to have to see how this all plays out. The
:01:27. > :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. > :01:44.local authorities is another. There sure Tristram will be aware of that.
:01:44. > :01:49.As for welfare, I'm sure Rachel knows some of the cuts the Tories
:01:49. > :01:55.have made have been counter prod ublingtive in -- productive in terms
:01:55. > :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. > :02:14.see the detail. It is in the papers. You haven't stopped reading the
:02:14. > :02:20.papers. It was the Observer. When will you announce you're running for
:02:20. > :02:26.Mayor of London? I have no plans to announce that I'm running for Mayor
:02:27. > :02:33.Mayor of London? I have no plans to Michael his I will Tyne used to
:02:33. > :02:37.Mayor of London? I have no plans to same kind of plans you have? I know.
:02:37. > :02:44.No, no. I have no plans. You know going for it. Everybody knows you're
:02:44. > :02:55.going for it. Just fess up to your old mate! ! I have no plans to run.
:02:55. > :03:02.If you did run, who would be, what would be your biggest threat other
:03:02. > :03:13.than yourself? I think there's a lot of very talented candidates, David
:03:13. > :03:17.They are all talented. I would have to weigh up the field. What do you
:03:17. > :03:19.think your chances would be of getting the taxi drivers' vote?
:03:19. > :03:27.Well, you know, Andrew, some of getting the taxi drivers' vote?
:03:27. > :03:32.most loyal viewers of This Week getting the taxi drivers' vote?
:03:32. > :03:37.were taxi drivers and their wives. I'm not frightened of reaching out
:03:37. > :03:42.to middle England. You will find if you walk around London sub usual ya,
:03:42. > :03:46.they all know me and they all love This Week. Love This Week. I thought
:03:46. > :03:53.you were going to say they all love you. One person who loves you, is
:03:53. > :03:56.Michael Portillo. He wasn't a happy chappie on Thursday night. You can't
:03:56. > :04:06.see it but you can hear. This is what he said. I was disappointed for
:04:06. > :04:10.something else in politics. She wanted to do something serious.
:04:11. > :04:13.something else in politics. She had taken what appeared to be a
:04:13. > :04:15.something else in politics. She position but taken it extremely
:04:15. > :04:22.serious and was committed to the issues. I'm quite disappointed for
:04:22. > :04:28.her. Why would Ed Miliband do such a thing. You just mentioned about
:04:28. > :04:36.London mayor, did Diane not ask thing. You just mentioned about
:04:36. > :04:39.Someone who's an eminent person thing. You just mentioned about
:04:39. > :04:43.this programme, I don't know how he could do that. I think Michael's
:04:43. > :04:50.missing you. Are you free this Thursday night? Make him a happy
:04:50. > :04:54.man, come back to the fold. I think I may be free this Thursday night.
:04:54. > :04:59.So, if he'll have me, I'll be there. My people will speak to your people.
:04:59. > :05:03.We'll get it sorted out. Diane, watch that big vase behind you,
:05:03. > :05:10.you're not insured for. That thanks Does she have a chance of being
:05:10. > :05:12.Mayor of London? She's very well known as Michael pointed out. That
:05:12. > :05:19.is important. People who are outside known as Michael pointed out. That
:05:19. > :05:20.the party fold have traditionally done well in the mayoral election.
:05:20. > :05:26.The job of being a London mayor done well in the mayoral election.
:05:26. > :05:30.running an economy the size of a nation. It is a very serious job.
:05:30. > :05:41.There may be problems with her running? That was a transparent
:05:41. > :05:49.There may be problems with her compelling Coll ticks. People have
:05:49. > :05:57.left-winger but she's quite tough and conservative. Michael Gove said
:05:57. > :06:02.he had fallen in love with Diane which That's one vote he has. What
:06:02. > :06:08.do you think? I thing about Diane Abbott is she has a fantastic way of
:06:08. > :06:12.connecting. She has a really good way of connecting wi people. She
:06:12. > :06:20.would be a very strong candidate in candidate. It will probably be a
:06:20. > :06:24.Labour win next time. Depends, if Labour wins the 2015 election it may
:06:25. > :06:30.be more difficult. There's a danger for Labour that Diane is the big
:06:30. > :06:35.personality liked by the party primary but isn't necessarily a
:06:35. > :06:39.personality liked by the party in come the London general election?
:06:39. > :06:45.That's true. London is traditionally a Labour city. But Boris managed to
:06:45. > :06:50.win as an outsider. There are big dangers for Labour with that. I
:06:50. > :06:54.think, as I said before, somebody who seems a bit independent from
:06:54. > :07:03.their own party machinery tend to do We've only had mayors so far that
:07:03. > :07:05.were independent? Indeed. And how well Ken Livingstone did last time.
:07:05. > :07:14.Not that far behind bar Is Johnson. well Ken Livingstone did last time.
:07:14. > :07:19.Not that far behind bar Is Johnson. than Diane Abbott. Diane didn't
:07:19. > :07:22.Not that far behind bar Is Johnson. stray on Syria, it was immigration.
:07:22. > :07:31.Why was Jeremy brown replaced by This is very much to do with Clegg
:07:32. > :07:35.deciding he has to go back to those people who abandoned the Liberal
:07:35. > :07:37.Democrats the day they went into coalition with the Conservatives
:07:37. > :07:42.really, and convince them there coalition with the Conservatives
:07:42. > :07:48.some holy areas of policy, sacred areas which they will defend. That
:07:48. > :07:51.includes civil liberties. In the Home Office, that incident with
:07:51. > :07:54.includes civil liberties. In the immigration vans went down very
:07:54. > :07:59.badly across the whole nation. Went down particularly badly with Liberal
:07:59. > :08:11.Democrats and voters. In the Home somebody there to put a shield on
:08:11. > :08:14.purpose behind it. And Nick Clegg has won the argument against the
:08:14. > :08:19.left, Vince Cable on the economy, away day in July, briefings say
:08:19. > :08:21.DrCable's been put in his box. He's won the argument on economic policy
:08:21. > :08:26.against the left. When it comes won the argument on economic policy
:08:26. > :08:30.the touchstone issue in the Home Office, he wants to shore up that
:08:30. > :08:36.vote on the left. And please The Guardian. This is important for
:08:36. > :08:41.something else going on which is that Nick Clegg has to keep his
:08:41. > :08:54.jobs. A lot of Liberal Democrats involves giving them ministerial
:08:54. > :08:58.jobs. A lot of Liberal Democrats because vacancies have to be created
:08:58. > :09:06.for number people to come in. By Liberal Democrat MPs will have been
:09:06. > :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
:09:14. > :09:19.parliamentary select committee. famous report, appeared before the
:09:19. > :09:30.will run you a clip from Connor politicians got involved in this. We
:09:30. > :09:36.moved away from the press 300 years ago. The centr commitment is Lord
:09:36. > :09:44.Leveson wanted a system the press self-regulation. This is state
:09:44. > :09:50.involvement which I worry about profoundly. He sits on the media
:09:50. > :09:55.interviews and investigations into the media. Chris Huhne said earlier
:09:55. > :10:00.he thought all the newspapers would sign up to the Government-backed
:10:00. > :10:06.Royal Charter. I think he's totally should. But he did say they would. I
:10:06. > :10:11.think he's wrong. They won't sign up. All the mood music when that
:10:11. > :10:13.Royal Charter was agreed on Friday was they would not sign up. It is
:10:13. > :10:24.Maria Miller, is essentially saying was they would not sign up. It is
:10:24. > :10:30.Maria Miller, is essentially saying ahead. I cannot control the Labour
:10:30. > :10:31.Maria Miller, is essentially saying industry is wind the clock back
:10:31. > :10:35.Maria Miller, is essentially saying what they are calling the Puttnam
:10:35. > :10:42.stage. That was earlier this year, Lord Puttnam was tack amendments
:10:42. > :10:51.which would introduce statutory regulation. Maria Miller says you
:10:51. > :10:57.statutory legislation but if you don't sign up to this, it will be a
:10:57. > :11:03.lot worse. Will that work? Playing the good cop, bad cop routine? Will
:11:03. > :11:07.that pressurise everyone to sign up. Lots of people are saying this will
:11:07. > :11:12.be a club with no members. It won't work. As Nick and I broke the story
:11:12. > :11:18.last week that the Government was going to reject the newspaper-backed
:11:18. > :11:24.one, I'm certain that the newspapers now, most of them maybe, not all,
:11:24. > :11:27.but most, will go the legal route and to judicial review on what the
:11:27. > :11:32.Government's proposing and will and to judicial review on what the
:11:32. > :11:40.it to strains Bowring where freedom of the press is enshrined. They
:11:40. > :11:42.it to strains Bowring where freedom fight this? There is enough fury
:11:42. > :11:46.amongst Fleet Street to result in that. The big political question
:11:46. > :11:50.going forward is which of the party leaders does the press blame the
:11:50. > :11:52.most for the emergence of press regulation? The Tories are very
:11:52. > :12:00.the most. They'll target him before regulation? The Tories are very
:12:00. > :12:07.2015. David Cameron gave us Brian Leveson. You appoint a judge who
:12:07. > :12:13.shouldn't be surprised with what you got in the Leveson report? I big
:12:13. > :12:22.chunk of press will look at David Cameron saying, you were the guy who
:12:22. > :12:32.intended what will happen. If he had have appointed Brian Leveson. If
:12:32. > :12:37.they face more punitive fines over Labour ale cases they take that
:12:37. > :12:40.they face more punitive fines over Europe. The Daily Mail and the
:12:40. > :12:45.tallest presumably will have to suspend their campaign of Britain to
:12:45. > :12:53.leave the European Convention of suspend that. We must never come out
:12:53. > :13:00.Churchill was behind it. He was indeed. But it is actually a major
:13:00. > :13:04.constitutional issue whether you regulate the press or not. There was
:13:04. > :13:08.constitutional issue whether you a lot of ill feeling that this Marie
:13:08. > :13:12.ya miller statement was snubbing out on Friday afternoon. Somebody said
:13:12. > :13:18.freedom of the press too important to sneak out on afully afternoon.
:13:18. > :13:23.The whole subject should be treated with respect. We've run out of time.
:13:23. > :13:27.I'll be back next Sunday with the Communities Secretary Eric Pickles
:13:27. > :13:36.at our usual time of 11.00am. If