22/01/2017 The Andrew Marr Show

"From this day forward, it's going to be only America first".

Not a big surprise, perhaps, but where does it leave Britain

after Theresa May made it clear we are leaving the single market?

And, therefore, we need a special deal from the Donald.

Theresa May is off to Washington shortly and the Prime Minister joins

us live later to talk Brexit and Trump.

Who better to come up with some answers than Nick Clegg

for the Liberal Democrats and the Shadow Chancellor

Reviewing the news after an extraordinary

week, one of Donald Trump's cheerleaders in London,

And the Guardian's Anushka Asthana, they'll get on famously I'm sure.

There have been hints that President Trump might cancel

endowments to the Arts in the United States.

One of America's finest singers will be here to talk about that,

and performs a classic from the Great American song book.

But first the news with Roger Johnson.

Theresa May will become the first foreign leader to meet the new US

The announcement was made during Donald Trump's

first day in office, which also saw a series of protests

In the nation's capital, they've rarely seen a rally quite like this.

Not since the Vietnam War have so many people come together

in defence of women's rights and minority rights,

liberties these people believe could be imperilled

The man himself was visiting the headquarters of the CIA whilst

Less concerned about secrets, it appeared, than crowd sizes,

in particular reports of the attendance at his

It looked like a million, a million people.

They showed a field where there was practically

That theme was echoed in an unscheduled news conference

a short while later before confirming that

Britain's Theresa May would be the first foreign leader

The new White House press spokesman railed against reports that Mr Trump

had failed to attract as large a crowd to his inauguration

This was the largest audience to witness

These attempts to lessen the enthusiasm of the inauguration

Size clearly matters greatly to Donald Trump, and regardless

of the inauguration crowds, the crowd at yesterday's protest

was so large that a march on the White House proved impossible

because there were so many people present.

The Ministry of Defence has insisted it has full confidence

in the Trident nuclear defence system, despite reports that a test

According to the Sunday Times, a missile fired from a submarine

in the Atlantic Ocean veered off course and in the direction

Labour is calling for an inquiry into the allegations.

Delays in assessing the needs of patients are causing

a bed-blocking crisis in hospitals, according to the watchdog

Research seen by BBC 5 Live suggests many social care

assessments are failing to happen in the recommended

The Department of Health said it's investing an extra ?900 million

The former president of The Gambia, Yahya Jammeh, has flown into exile,

22 years after taking control of the African state in a coup.

He started a political crisis when he refused to accept

the outcome of the country's election in December.

But he finally agreed to hand over power to the winner, Adama Barrow,

after the leaders of neighbouring countries threatened

The next news on BBC One is at one o'clock.

If Donald Trump is dividing America and Britain he is certainly dividing

the papers. Here we have the Mail on Sunday, very anti-Trump. The

observer not very pro-Trump, the darker side of human nature,

insidious claims of jealousy, envy, greed and hubris, it says. Then

there's the Sunday Telegraph. Trump's new deal for Britain, and by

and large very positive coverage. And the Sunday Times, Trump's

triumph, and the story about misfiring a nuclear missile and the

alleged cover-ups which we were hearing about in the news. An awful

lot to talk about. Piers Morgan, where are we going to start? The man

of the moment, the man of the global attention right now. I was struck by

the Telegraph's front page because whatever any individual in this

country thinks about Donald Trump, his very divisive but he's also an

Anglophile. His mother was born and raised in Scotland until she was 18,

he thinks he is half British and according to the Telegraph he wants

to fully embrace the special relationship, hence Theresa May

being the first person invited to America. So you know him, can you

sort something out for us? On the one hand we are told is the most

protectionist president America has had for a long time and yet we rely

on him now for a free-trade deal after Brexit, how will that work? He

will put America first, he said. All of the Brits moaning about that

phrase, we have just put Britain first so it is not completely

different to what we are doing and it gives us a unique opportunity to

work with the Americans. You have got to play to his ego, he has a

stupendous ego, and according to the Telegraph who wants the full Monty

when he comes to Britain including playing a round of golf at Balmoral

while the Queen watches him play! You have to put aside any personal

distaste for him, I accept the fact is now the most powerful man on

earth, and in opposition leaving the European Union the Americans are our

best and strongest ally again. Let's take advantage of it. And you have a

story about Melania? Yes, lots of celebrities or hate Donald Trump,

made it clear we will not address the first lady, Bob steps Ralph

Lauren and she looked absolutely stunning in the Inauguration Day

dress and the other dresses she's worn. Interestingly his stock price

in his company has gone through the roof so Ralph Lauren may have the

last laugh. There is a little line in the sofa, you are probably

slightly less Trumpy part of the sofa. Piers Morgan, going for the

fashion, and going for the sexiest story. This story on the Daily Mail

suggests could Theresa May when she goes over there actually raise her

feelings about his comments on women. Bush is in a terribly

difficult position because she needs a lot from Donald Trump and at the

same time, as a prominent female leader, she will be expected to

raise these questions. As we've seen, she thinks some of the

comments, particularly about the idea a powerful man can grow a woman

are unacceptable but let's be honest, this will all be about

trying to bolster that special relationship. It will be about

talking about trade but it comes alongside this coverage in the

papers today about some 2 million people marching around the world,

not the Washington elite, not the Westminster elite, just people

across America and the country. Some interesting signs, keep your laws

off my... We won't mention that on television. Piers Morgan has argued

it is anti-democratic, it is the epitome of democracy that people are

able to speak out. Very positive coverage of that but perhaps less

positive coverage by Rod Liddle who really goes for it in the Sunday

Times. I want to declare I am a feminist, I believe completely in

women's rights. I believe in all equality. I don't believe in rebid

feminists, no, and the reason I used that phrase on Twitter was Bob steps

Madonna, and what does she tell the masses to end the hate? She says I

been thinking regularly about bombing the White House, then goes

into a foul-mouthed rant about how disgusting Trump is. Then we had

people making lewd jokes about incest with his daughter. It was a

pretty hateful side yesterday, and the point Rod Liddle is making is

actually, what is it about? If we don't like Donald Trump and we wish

Hillary Clinton had won, sorry, sisters, but Donald Trump won. How

many of these people who marched in America actually voted? Because

Donald Trump got 52% in America of the white female vote, he got 40% of

the total female vote. If everyone who had marched had voted for

Hillary Clinton, he might not be there. So people who lose the

election are not entitled to express their views? That is what democracy

is about. This is a good piece by Helen Lewis who has picked out one

person, -- who talk about people like Piers ever picked out one

person like Madonna, and it is hitting out at this lazy assumption

that somehow Hillary lost because of identity politics. What she argues

is that those who analyse the election show Hillary Clinton spoke

thousands of times about jobs and education, about inequality, and

only a tiny bit about women's rights and racism. She argues that if you

want to talk about identity politics, the wall was identity

politics, being disparaging. About Mexicans of course. We are beginning

to see the first signs of the Trump Administration, and signs of from

Russia's war between the Trump Administration and the mainstream

media, particularly CNN for home use to work. Yes, I personally wouldn't

have voted for Donald Trump, he's not my politics, specifically on

things like climate change and gun control, however he's the president.

The media are involved in this war with a guy that they for months and

months at the start of his campaign fuelled. Make no bones about it,

they put him on prime-time television, they created the

monster, then like Doctor Frankenstein said hang on, he might

win, we better try to kill him. There was a British comedian who

said I dare you, Trump, Ron, and now look what's happened. There is a

headline on the CNN website, White House press secretary attacks media

for accurately reporting inauguration crowds. To be fair,

Donald Trump's spokesman was trying to claim there were more people

there for the inauguration than their workforce Barack Obama, which

is ridiculous, we know there were more therefore Barack Obama. Can

this become a war between the President of the United States and

the press corps? As a journalist I think it is very unhealthy. And he

wants to privatise national public radio. I think he needs to calm down

about the press and the press need to calm down about double Trump. If

the press would afford him a bit of respect, they might get it back. I

don't think we have got the paper here but we can talk a little bit

about the industrial strategy story because that's the other big thing

coming from the Government on this side this week, Theresa May saying

she is putting a lot of money into colleges to train people in schools

like bricklaying, plumbing and so forth. We hear a lot about this for

years but now it's actually happening. I think Downing Street

would argue that this focus on the industrial strategy is meant to be a

continuation of her Brexit beach, so it's about speaking to the Brexit

vote and trying to use this as an opportunity to rebalance the

economy. The focus will be about technical skills, but as you say

it's been talked about a lot and it hasn't happened. It's been talked

about this extent a lot so the proof will be in pudding. Do you think we

are at a moment when our economic policy changes quite radically? On

the one hand we are losing allegedly lots of bankers because of Brexit

and on the other hand is a lot of folks on rebuilding manufacturing

and doing something for the north. All bets are off. We are in

uncharted territory. I voted to remain. I didn't want this, but now

we are where we are, a bit like with Trump, I am very positive, because I

think you have two, being positive is the right attitude, until it all

goes to hell in a handcart. If it does, the ones who voted remain can

say, we told you. Meanwhile, Theresa May has made what appears to be a

clear threat - if I don't get what I want, we will slash tax and take a

different economic route in this country. Dominic Lawson as an

interesting piece in the Sunday Times. He has written, we shouldn't

be threatening EU leaders because we need their votes, ultimately. It is

a good point. Having said that, from a negotiating point of view, we

remember David Cameron trying to negotiate from a position of, I will

stay in, whatever happens, give me a good deal. Anyone who has played

poker knows that is not a smart way to do this. Theresa May beating the

British Chester bit and saying, we can survive without you we have two,

I think it is a good negotiating tactic. -- beating the British chest

is a bit. The other story is the Stoke by-election. There are two big

by-elections for the Labour Party, and they are facing a series of

quite hard tests, particularly since Paul not all, the new Ukip leader

who is writing in the Sunday Telegraph, is standing in Stoke

Central. That's right. He is trying to drive a knife through Labour's

coalition, which has been made more fragile by that Brexit boat. He says

there is a joke doing the rounds that Ukip is the party of Stoke, in

fact, they both are, but Ukip is the party of Stoke and Labour is the

party of Stoke Newington. He is trying to hammer this idea that

Labour represents the liberal, London boys. This will be -- London

voice. This will be an immigration by-election. It will be indicative

of how much impact the referendum had. But remember, the Tories have

done a lot to squeeze Ukip on the issue Brexit. I have seen that the

Tories are planning to go very hard in Stoke. People in the Mirror say

today that Jeremy Corbyn's position could be in peril. He denies being

toast. We have run out of time. Very quickly, my father had a stroke a

few years ago, and we have all talked about what you have been

through, and I think it is remarkable that you have been able

to do this show. You wrote a great piece about the treatment you had in

America, which has really worked. What I would now like to see is the

proper double-blind trial. It could be cheaper if we did it on the NHS

than things that we do at the moment. It is a great piece. On that

moment of consensus, thank you very much indeed.

Absolutely no complaints this week - it's been crystal clear, sunny,

yes a bit cold of course, but fabulously beautiful.

Some of those areas that have had clear skies could see dense fog

patches tomorrow morning. More of that in a moment. Today, the best of

the sunshine is in South East England and East Anglia. There will

be a few wintry flurries in Scotland this afternoon, with plenty of

cloud. Northern Ireland will see sunny spells. A cold day, most of us

3-6dC. A bit milder than it has been in Wales and south-west England.

Tonight, variable cloud, still a few light showers around. A frost but

many of us again. Here comes the fog, especially into England and

Wales. Not everyone will see it, but there could be dense freezing fog

patches around during tomorrow morning's rush hour. Especially for

parts of England and Wales, do check before you head out. A few patches

are possible in Scotland and Northern Ireland. We will keep you

updated. Fog is possible for some on Tuesday morning. It looks like a

cold, settled week for much of England and Wales, but Scotland and

Northern Ireland turning windier and wetter.

No MP I can think of has been quite so outspoken in his urgent hostility

to Theresa May's Brexit plans than the former Deputy Prime

Minister and former leader of the Liberal Democrats,

But it looks like a done deal, so how can the Liberal Democrats

and their own rump of nine MPs really make any difference?

Nick Clegg, the first thing to say is that at least we have clarity. I

suppose it is not surprising that Theresa May says we can't stay

inside the single market, because of the Brexit referendum was happily

about immigration and taking control of freedom of movement, that means

leaving the single market. But at least we have clarity. Yes, but the

wrong kind of clarity. She made a choice, which I disagree with, but

that is the choice she made. I don't agree with your characterisation.

There are plenty of politicians across the EU who are saying there

needs to be changed the freedom of movement, so there is scope for a

Europe-wide approach to this that could satisfy some of the

Government's needs. This is early days, the easy bit where the

Government sets out its stall. There will now be a collision, in my view,

quite a painful one, with reality with negotiating the 27 goverments

and Parliaments. You can't on the one hand the spouse free trade and

then yank yourself out of the world's most successful free trading

area, the single market. There are other free trade deals you can do

with other countries. People are saying, grey, we will have a new

deal with America. No deal with America can replace what we are

going to lose on our own doorstep. If you double the trade with

America, Canada, New Zealand, Australia and India, you still would

not trade as much as you do with our nearest neighbours in the EU. The

reason is, geography still counts. Countries tend to trade most, in

goods, at least, the country is nearest to them. People were told

clearly during the referendum that if we voted to leave the EU, we

would leave the single market, and they said that was a price worth

paying because of the immigration issue. It seems that sometimes the

Lib Dems cannot quite hear that message. My experience is that there

are different reasons why people voted for Brexit. In my constituency

in Sheffield, lots of people said they were voting against Brussels

because they were so fed up with London. One person even told me in

the a few hours before the polls open that he was voting for Brexit

because he wanted to buy a house and wanted to see prices come down. As

you know, there was no single manifesto from the Brexiteers saying

what they wanted. That is the past, and the Government has stated what

it wants to do. One thing I can guarantee is that what will not

happen is that the rest of the EU will say, you can have your cake and

eat it. There will be choices to be made. No one doubts that. My real

question, however, is but might you hate the whole thing, wish it hadn't

happened and would like to reverse it, but how can you have any effect

on this? You have nine MPs. You may do well in council by-elections, but

how can you possibly change anything? Events will drive a lot of

this. Of course, if the Government plans turn out to be agreed

effortlessly by the rest of the EU and something happens which has

never happened before - a highly complex trade agreement is signed,

sealed, done and dusted in 18 months, then of course, we should

have the humility to say that we were wrong. People are saying this

can be done quite quickly. I don't think anyone thinks it can be done

on the ambition that the Prime Minister set up. A fundamental

contradiction is, whether we like it or not, the biggest destination for

our goods and service is that market place with its rules, so we will

still had to abide by those rules. When that becomes clear, the British

public will have some doubts. At that point, what happens? We have a

court case this week which may require the Government to take the

Article 50 triggering issue to the House of Commons. At that point,

presumably, you and the other parties would come together and vote

against it. I wouldn't hold your breath any great drama in Parliament

at that point. People like clearly, will take a position that will say

we should take amendments, and that there should be another referendum

on the deal when that finally transpired. I think most

Conservative MPs will be cajoled into falling into line, and the

Labour Party seems to have suffered this catastrophic loss of nerve on

the European issue. Later in the parliament, do you expect to see a

motion of no confidence after some business or other decides to move to

Europe? It will depend on what happens next. My view is, the

Government is in the honeymoon phase. All the unbridled applause

and praise from the Brexit press, the Conservative backbenchers, who

are quite zealous about this, they are quiescent at the moment. This

will change, because Theresa May has two options. She will either have to

compromise with the EU, which I hope she does in the national interest,

but in doing so she will aggravate and annoy a lot of zealous people in

her own party. Or she will have to stick with what she has, and bicker

heels in, which will be bad for the country. She can't compromise on

immigration, Kenji? I am a supporter of British people being able to

work, travel and study elsewhere in the EU and vice versa. I would

suggest two things. First, why does Theresa May never mention that

immigration from outside the EU is still running at higher levels than

from within? Many of the publicly expressed reservations about

immigration were about pictures of people jumping on and off trucks in

Dover, illegal immigration, nothing to do with the EU. Or those people

travelling across the Mediterranean, nothing to do with freedom of

movement. Why clobber German engineers or Latvian fruit pickers

we happier when the issue of immigration is wider? And why not

reach out to those other European politicians who say they also

believe there should be some qualifications, as the raw ready, to

freedom of movement? Do you have no sympathy for communities up and down

the country that think they have changed too far and too fast. Look

at Boston and Stoke-on-Trent - vast cultural change very quickly. It's

not surprising people are fed up, is it? Of course, I understand. Theresa

May is listening to those people. Just clobbering people who have come

from the EU is not the answer to people crossing to Dover in the dead

of night. More people have come out of -- have come into our country

from outside the EU but the last 40 years. If you're worried about

numbers, which is what we are told, why are we only squeezing that part

of immigration which is actually helpful to our country and ignore

the larger part? You mention that the Labour Party seems confused

about this. And the Lib Dems have been doing very well in local

council by-elections. Some people are saying this will be a big year

Lib Dem revival. What you think is the future for the Labour Party in

the north of England? There is a prospect that the fate that occurred

to the Labour Party north of the border will now, in one form or

another, happened south of the border. It is in danger of being

cannibalised by Ukip at one end and the Lib Dems at the other. The

ambivalence and lack of clarity from Labour about the biggest issue of

our times, delivering helplessly in the middle-of-the-road, is only

going to make their fate worse. It seems laughable to think that a

party with nine MPs could become the main opposition party, what do you

see this as such a moment in our national choice that there is a

moment for the Lib Dems? This dividing line, in favour of

embracing Europe or not, is the dividing line in politics,

particularly in the age of Trump and Putin and the chauvinism of people

like that. And you need to make a choice about where you stand, and

the Labour Party doesn't seem to stand anywhere, while the Lib Dems

have a clear position. That will lead to changes in the years ahead.

Thank you very much, Nick Clegg. Now with news of what's coming up

straight after this programme, Join us live from Bradford at 10am

when after millions of women around the globe protested against

President Trump, we will ask, is the system still stacked against women?

Then, does prison work? And should have -- and should religion have any

role to play in politics? Now, coming up later this morning,

Andrew Neil will be talking about the impact of Donald Trump's

presidency with a Trump insider And he'll be joined by the Shadow

Home Secretary, Diane Abbott. That's the Sunday Politics

at 11 here on BBC 1. Labour supporters are now deeply

split between angry Remainers Desperately trying to look

in both directions at once, the party is in danger of sounding

incoherent, and with two key by-elections

coming up, time is short. John McDonnell, the Shadow

Chancellor, joins me. That is the big problem, isn't it?

You have passionately pro-remain and passionately pro-Brexit people in

the Labour Party, and they both want to hear totally different messages

from you. It makes it hard to have a coherent message. it's a challenge,

and I think Jeremy Corbyn has taken up courageous position in that he

recognises that you've got to bring the country together at some stage.

It will be a traditional British compromise that will come further

down the line, almost inevitably. There is a divide, not just in the

Labour Party but in the country. The Liberals argue they want a second

referendum to overturn the last one, that Brexiteers want to take us out

and ignore the rest of the population. Remember what Aneurin

Bevan said about the middle-of-the-road. There will be a

compromise, and the Labour Party will drive that and bring sides

together. Of course, it's a tough decision to make. It's the right

decision and a leadership position. This week the Prime Minister laid

out her plans for Brexit. It was a speech, it wasn't one. It gave more

clarity but she also said if Britain gets a bad deal, we will leave and

have an alternative economic model which would mean cutting taxes. Some

people have called that a Singapore model, what's your reaction? It is a

kamikaze approach to negotiations because it would cause problems with

trade agreements across the world, it would destroy our industrial

base, and undermine our services as well. I honestly think... Do you

think it is a hollow threat? Yes and also a dangerous threat. You need to

go in with strength but to exaggerate the threat like that

which cannot be realised. It also means cutting our corporation tax to

12.5%, the Irish rate. 120 billion by 2022 given away to corporations,

how then will we fund our NHS? Let me ask you about another internal

matter, we have the Article 50 vote coming up and more than 40 Labour

MPs who publicly discussed their unhappiness because they see it as a

choice between two bad options, we will either get Theresa May's deal

or the thing we have just been talking about so why should we help

to happen? You are an old serial rebel yourself, you will surely not

with these people into voting... What we will do step-by-step, first

of all we have got to recognise the referendum result and parliament

should respect that, we have said that all the way through. But what

we will try and it was well is make sure we amend whatever comes through

Article 50, whether it is a motion or a piece of legislation. We think

there will be a majority across the House of Commons in not just our

party but working with others and Conservatives as well, to amend it

in such a way that we get proper Parliamentary scrutiny. Are you

going to be putting forward an amendment in those terms if it comes

to the House of Commons, saying you want full Parliamentary scrutiny and

looking again at the matter of the single market? We want to make sure

there is full Parliamentary scrutiny throughout the process. Ken Clarke

came up with a good proposal which I thought was interesting, he asked

the Prime Minister will there be regular statements and will we be

able to vote on them? Because that way MPs representing their

constituents will be able to influence negotiations as we go

along, and that way I think we will arrive at Labour's position which is

a real compromise that will work. You have two bid by elections coming

up, Stoke-on-Trent and Copeland. I asked Jeremy Corbyn last week if you

were toast if you lost them and he said no, but in fact it would be a

terrible blow for the Labour Party. If a government party was taking

seats from the opposition party it is unprecedented. Since Brexit you

cannot calculate by-election results on what has gone on in the past so

we have got to fight for every vote and that is what we will do. I'm

angry by the statements by Mr Nuttall today, taking the electorate

for granted. It sounds as if you are preparing to lose this. Not at all,

we are fighting vote by vote. Remember, Paul Nuttall wants to

privatise the NHS and I think people will wake up to those threats. He

said it publicly, is on the record. After Brexit, whoever is in charge

in Westminster will be able to control immigration with the EU,

what would Labour's policy be in those circumstances? The Government

will withdraw from the freedom of movement, we know that so we will

try to ensure the Government is accountable on that matter and

ensure it is a fair system introduced. It's also with regard to

the protection of workers' rights, so we will look to ensure this, but

we will work with European colleagues as well to make sure

there is a fair system right the way across Europe if we can. I've been

speaking to a lot of Labour voting people in the last few weeks and

months, and there's a sense the Labour Party could be on the edge of

a catastrophic collapse of some kind. Is there any part of you that

thinks this could be a very dangerous period for us? I think

you're talking to the wrong people. I was on the streets of Brighton

yesterday... I was talking to some people in Manchester and they said

the atmosphere is pretty toxic. I'm a Scouser, I come from Liverpool and

go there regularly. We realise the serious situation or countries

facing as a result of Brexit and we realised that has to be a sensible

compromise that protects everyone. Particularly jobs, wages, and feel

economy overall. We have got to grow, and you will see that over the

next 12 months. This is a difficult period, it's been 19 months since

the general election, half of that has been engaged in leadership

elections so no wonder people see us as a divided party. Let's make this

absolutely clear, Jeremy Corbyn will lead us into the next general

election and we will win it. You have seen the Trident story in the

Sunday Times this morning, the suggestion is that one of these

missiles misfired badly and there has been a news blackout to cover up

since. People on both sides of the argument on Trident would have

expected that to have been reported to Parliament and the fact Theresa

May didn't is extremely worrying and I think questions have to be asked

about that. John McDonnell, thanks for talking to us.

The American soprano Joyce Di Donato is one of the greatest

A Grammy-award winner, who also won hearts here for her rendition

of Rule Britannia at the Last Night of the Proms, she's

passionate about making opera accessible to all audiences.

And she's even decided to go to prison to make her case.

I'm going to talk to Joyce in a moment, but first

here she is performing something special for us today.

On inauguration weekend, an American classic.

Wow. A very old song. Folk tune that has been handed down from generation

to generation. I grew up in Kansas City right along the river so it's a

very personal song. I mentioned at the beginning of the programme that

it looks like the National endowment for the arts projects will be

withdrawn by the new president. We don't know that for sure but what

would it mean for the arts in America if that was true? It would

mean devastation for a lot of the smaller organisations that rely on

funding to support the programmes, and for the large organisations it

means tougher fundraising. The interesting thing the arts in 2013

contributed almost 750 billion to the economy and it was 4.2% of the

GDP. The proposed budget they are asking for in 2017 is just over 150

million, it is nothing and yet it will mean devastation for a lot of

programmes. You're a very well-known opera singer and you have taken two

people who don't fully here opera, including in prison and elsewhere.

Do they get it? It is working and transforming their lives. One of the

men, Joe Wilson, who I've established a good relationship

with, I went a second time and he said I had no idea this world

existed but now I know I have to write an opera. It's a chance for

them to come in and understand their humanity better. I understand my

humanity better because this music and the poetry shows me my dark and

light and allows me to understand it better. And you have a new album, In

War And Peace, baroque opera, relatively early opera, and they are

intense, they move from darkness to light within a few bars. And for

that reason they sound modern to my ear today. They are talking about

themes that you are talking about on your programme today, as timeless as

ever. For those who think it is abstract, I will play a clip from

you singing Handel. I don't understand how you can sing

like that on your knees sitting on the floor, it must be really hard.

Training! And it all comes from here. Absolutely. And you are only

the second or third non-British person to be asked to sing that

song, it's a very old-fashioned patriotic British song, how did it

feel for an American to be singing it? I was trembling in my boots,

draped in gorgeous Vivienne Westwood in the union Jack. It's an

extraordinary thing to give people that moment in the Albert Hall. Of

course Vivienne Westwood is also the Prime Minister's favourite designer

so you share that at least. Thank you very much. I'm joined now by the

Prime Minister. Welcome, Theresa May. You are going to Washington to

meet Donald Trump on Friday and it's been reported in the papers that he

will come here in the summer, are you hoping that will happen? I would

look forward to welcoming him some time this year if that's possible,

but in terms of state visit that's a matter for Buckingham Palace and

they haven't announced their visits for this year yet. What did you make

of his inauguration speech? It had a very clear message to it, about

putting America first. But if you think about it, any leader, any

government, as we do here in the United Kingdom, when we look at any

issue we make sure we are putting the interests of British people

first. And you are going on Friday to talk to him, is that right? Yes,

I will be talking to him on Friday and bears many issues to talk about

because obviously the special relationship between the UK and the

US has been strong for many years. We have a opportunity to talk about

our possible trading relationship but also some of the worlds

challenges we will face, like defeating terrorism, the conflict in

Syria... Because this is a man who Britain needs but is also incredibly

divisive. Your own policy chief said the speech you have just praise was

deliberately divisive and confrontational and showed the

politics of hate and a lot of people agreed with him. What I think is

important is that when I sit down with Donald Trump, I will talk about

building on that special relationship. He says he wants to

see a very strong relationship between the UK and the US going into

the future. There are issues we will work together on, the importance of

Nato for example, defeating terrorism. These are issues where we

share the challenges, we see the threat and have worked together in

the past and will in the future. You are one of the most prominent female

political leaders in the world, 2 million women marched about what

Donald Trump said about women. You must be torn between someone who

wants a good deal from him and someone who will talk truth to this

particular version of power, which will it be? Will you raise the issue

of his treatment of women? First, I have already said that some

of his comments towards women are unacceptable. He has apologised for

some of them himself. When I sit down, I think the bigger statement

that will be made about the role of women is the fact that I will be

there whereas a female Prime Minister, talking to him directly

about the interests that we share. You won't raise it directly? Andrew,

I have a track record, if you look at what I have done in defending the

rights of women, domestic violence and so forth, I am proud to be only

the second female Prime Minister the United Kingdom has had. Both of us

conservatives. The Conservative Party has put female Prime Ministers

here. I will talk to Donald Trump about the issues we share, about how

we can build on the special relationship. It's the special

relationship that also enables us to say when we do find things

unacceptable. And you will put that? I won't be afraid to put something I

find unacceptable to Donald Trump. He has called Nato obsolete. I have

spoken to him about Nato. Nato is very important and has been at the

forefront of our security in Europe, and we work together in Nato. We

have both made the point before about contributions from countries.

The UK is spending 2% of GDP on defence, and I think that is

important. Do you agree about other Nato countries not paying their way?

There are countries that are paying 2% of GDP and others that are

working towards that. What is important is that we recognise the

value of Nato, which he does, as an organisation that is helping us to

defend Europe and defend the interests of all of those allies who

are in Nato. After Brexit, we need a good free trade deal from Donald

Trump, and yet, this is the most protectionist president America has

had for a very long time. You were lauding free-trade at Davos in

Switzerland. China is talking about free trade. Donald Trump is tearing

up free trade. How is he a man we can make a good deal with? He has

also spoken about the importance of a trade arrangement with the UK, and

that that is something they are looking to talk to us about at an

early stage, and I would expect to be able to talk to him about that

alongside the other issues I will discuss with him in Washington. Free

trade is important around the world. I believe globalisation is important

and brings economic benefits to our countries, but we do need to make

sure, as I said this week, that that prosperity is spread across the

whole of the UK. That is why I am introducing the modern industrial

strategy this week, so that we can ensure we are building on the

strength of our economy across the whole UK. In schools, this is

putting a new layer into the education system for technical

education, which isn't provided for in this country. It is a variety of

things. Yes, we will put an emphasis on technical education, looking at

how we can extend some of the maths schools we have set up across the

country, and crucially, it is about bringing together all parts of

Government that have an impact on the economy and industry across a

whole range of sectors, including services and manufacturing. It is

about saying what our strengths are. We are coming together as a country,

forging our future and shaping a new future for the UK as a global

Britain. How can we do that? Is this a moment where we will see a real

change in our industrial position? We will lose some banking jobs,

let's not argue about how many. Since I have been reporting

politics, we have been saying that we are too reliant on financial

services and don't do enough manufacturing. Is this a moment

where changes? We have seen changes in the economy in the UK, but the

modern industrial strategy will be about asking what the shape of the

economy we want the future is, where the successful sectors are that we

can encourage to grow, but also, what are the sectors we need to look

at the future? There was a lot we can do in science and innovation.

Our chief scientist is looking at a battery Institute. Battery

technology, we leave their way on that already, and there is a lot

more we can. Where are the sectors that we can build on for the future?

Crucially, let's look at the strengths of the whole UK to make

sure this is an economy that works for everyone. This is part of my

overall plan for Britain. You made a very important speech at Lancaster

house this week, talking about your plans for Brexit. You have been

working on for months and months, and I am sure it is thought through,

and in that speech, you said that if Britain had to walk away from a bad

deal inside the EU, and I am quoting, we would have the freedom

to set the competitive tax rates and embrace the policies that would

attract the world's best companies and investors to Britain. Can I ask

what those policies would be? Let me explain why I made that point,

because this is important. I have every expectation that we will be

able to achieve a very good trade deal with the EU. I think that not

just because it is going to be good for the UK, but also it is going to

be good for the European Union too, so I want a trade deal with the EU

which ensures that our companies have the best access to operate

within the single European market in goods and services, but I am very

clear that on behalf of the British people, I don't want to sign up to a

bad deal for the UK, so it is right that we say that we will look at the

alternatives. What is the alternative? Whatever the

circumstances, whatever the deal we sign up to or if we don't get a good

deal, I want to retain the competitiveness of the British

economy, and that is why we will look at those options. Let's come to

those options. It has been suggested we could turn Britain into a tax

haven of some kind - is that on the agenda if we get a bad deal? We will

look at the competitor that the soggy economy. I don't think we will

have to walk away, but I have every confidence because of the interest

of the EU as well that we will be able to get a good deal. You are

asking me to go into details... You raised it. It has been noticed all

across the EU, and people have been talking about little else in

Brussels, Paris and Berlin. You mentioned specifically cutting tax

rates, but beyond that, argues seriously suggesting that if we

don't get a good deal, we would shred workers' writes, allow

ourselves to become some kind of tax haven, because that is what it

sounded like? On the rights of workers, I have said on more than

one occasion that this is a Government that will protect those

rights. More than that, it is a Government that has set up a review

of the modern labour market to ask the question, have the rights of

workers kept pace with the way the labour market is developing? What I

was doing in that speech was setting out a number of things. First,

showing that as a country we are coming together to shape our future.

You are elegantly moving away from what I am trying to ask you about,

which is, what is the alternative? Does it involve cutting corporation

tax, as John McDonnell was suggesting, to 12.5%? We are looking

down the barrel of a gun and if it is a possibility, we need to think

about it. The contradiction is that you are a traditional Conservative

Conservative, concerned about the just about managing people, you want

everyone to pay tax and so forth, and now you are suggesting we could

be some kind of offshore Singapore, with low tax rates, low regulation -

is that really an option? It is very simple, what I am saying. For the

vast majority of the public, this is exactly what they would want their

Prime Minister to be doing. We want to negotiate a good deal with the EU

for our trading relations. It will be for the sake of our economy and

for the sake of theirs too. If you let me finish... I have every

expectation that we will be able to negotiate that good deal, but it is

only right that I, as British Prime Minister, should say that we are not

going to sign up to a bad deal for the UK. Whatever the arrangement is,

whether we have had that good deal, whether we have had to say that it's

a bad deal which we won't sign up to, we will maintain the

competitiveness of the British economy. How we do that will be

something that will be looked at in detail should that be the

eventuality that we come to. Our focus at the moment is on ensuring

that we get that good deal that enables us to have the strategic

partnership with Europe that I want to continue to have. We are leaving

the EU but not Europe. It is possible that we will have to go

down this second group. We don't know that we won't, which is why it

matters. Philip Hammond has talked about the alternative economic

model, and I am working out what that could be. The logical answer

is, if we are outside the free market area, we could try to

deregulate and become, as it were, the low tax, low regulation

alternative. If that is what we're talking about, I think we need to

know that. What I have just said is, obviously, we will, depending on how

the negotiations go, if we get to the point where we feel there is a

bad deal, obviously, we will have looked at that eventuality and what

we can put in place of that. You mention the regulation, but what

people forget is that when we leave the EU, at that point, EU law will

come into UK law and everyone will know where they stand at that point

so we can have a smooth exit, which I think is right. At that point, it

will then be possible for us to look at our regulations. What I am doing

this week is crucial to all of this week, which is setting out a modern

industrial strategy which is about setting the basis for the

competitiveness of the British economy. In that same speech, you

seemed to suggest that if we did not get the right deal, that we would

cease security and surveillance relationships with other European

countries, as if our GCHQ speciality was on the table in those talks.

That is, presumably, aim mistaken -- a mistaken interpretation. There are

lots of issues that come under the remit of the EU in intelligence, and

they are part of maintaining our security and intelligence. They will

be part of the negotiation. They will have to be, because we are

there in those relationships. That is on the table? If you listen

carefully, Andrew, to what I've said, let me give you some examples

- there are certain border systems in Europe that we are members of as

members of the EU. We will have to talk about what our future

relationship is. We are a member of Europol and we will have to talk

about what our future relationship is. There are issues in the justice,

home affairs and Security area where they will be part of the

negotiations precisely because we are there because of our membership

of the EU. What I said in my speech is that I want to continue to have

that good close cooperation. If you look at the threats we face

collectively at the moment, and individual countries, now is not the

time to cooperate less but to cooperate more. You will have seen

the story this morning about a Trident misfire that was kept from

the House of Commons and the public. When you make that first speech in

July in the House of Commons about Trident, did you know that misfire

had occurred? I have absolute faith in our Trident missiles. When I made

the speech, we were talking about whether or not we should renew

Trident, whether or not we should have an independent nuclear

deterrent in the future. Did you know that had happened? I think we

should defend our country and play our part. Jeremy Corbyn things we

shouldn't. This is a serious incident - did you know about it

when you spoke to the House of Commons? The issue in the House of

Commons was serious. It was about looking to the future and whether we

should have a replacement Trident. That is what we were talking about.

That is what the House of Commons voted for. I believe in defending

our country, Jeremy Corbyn voted against it and doesn't want to

defend our country will stop Prime Minister, did you know? There at

test that take place all the time, regularly, for our nuclear

deterrent. What we were talking about... OK, I'm not going to get an

answer to this. Can I ask about one other thing, if I may? Social care

is in crisis in the country. The second most Conservative council in

the country, in Surrey, under David Hodge, has suggested a 15% rise in

council tax so that Surrey has a decent social care system, properly

funded. Do you approve of what he has done? If you were in Surrey,

would you vote for that yourself? We recognise there are pressures on

social care, which is why we have put extra money into social care. We

have allowed local authorities to raise extra money through the social

care preset, but what local authorities do in relation to their

council tax is a matter for them and between them and their electorates.

What we have done is put extra money in. We have enabled them to raise

money through the social care preset, but this isn't just about

the amount of money that is available. We need to ensure that

best practice is spread around the country. But it is quite a lot of

money. There are some councils where there are virtually no delayed

discharges from possible into social care. There are others, 24 councils,

that account for 50% of delayed discharges. Let's look at what is

happening in the system. Then, crucially, this is an issue that has

been ducked by governments for too long, which is why I have setup work

to say that we need to find a solution so we have a long-term

sustainability of our social care provision. It's what people want and

what the Government will do. Prime Minister, good luck in Washington

and thank you for speaking to us. For all the latest

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