0:00:12 > 0:00:14Hello and welcome to the Week In Parliament.
0:00:14 > 0:00:16We're in the home straight.
0:00:16 > 0:00:18The finishing-line is in sight.
0:00:18 > 0:00:22The EU Referendum battle hots up in the Commons.
0:00:22 > 0:00:24Will he stop denigrating our great country?
0:00:24 > 0:00:27This is a sign, if any were needed,
0:00:27 > 0:00:29he is losing the argument.
0:00:29 > 0:00:34What I want to see is not Nhgel Farage's Little England, I want to
0:00:34 > 0:00:38see a strong Britain in Europe.
0:00:38 > 0:00:42They have lots of referenduls in places like Ireland and Switzerland.
0:00:42 > 0:00:44So shouldn't we have a few lore
0:00:44 > 0:00:46Well, maybe not.
0:00:46 > 0:00:48It is tearing the parties apart and it
0:00:48 > 0:00:51is very difficult for the politicians.
0:00:51 > 0:00:55It is difficult to imagine they would want to hold mord
0:00:55 > 0:00:57referendums if they can possibly avoid it.
0:00:57 > 0:00:58Meanwhile, a good week
0:00:58 > 0:01:00for Parliament's committees.
0:01:00 > 0:01:03In the saga of British Home Stores, the allegations about the m`n
0:01:03 > 0:01:06who bought the shop for a pound turn nasty.
0:01:06 > 0:01:09I think the technical term is a mythomaniac.
0:01:09 > 0:01:12The layperson's term as he was a Premier League liar
0:01:12 > 0:01:18and a Sunday pub league retailer at best.
0:01:18 > 0:01:20But first, a healthy democratic exercise?
0:01:20 > 0:01:23Or a seriously divisive thrdat to the unity of Britain's
0:01:23 > 0:01:26political parties?
0:01:26 > 0:01:30However the 2016 EU Referendum campaign comes to be viewed,
0:01:30 > 0:01:33there's no doubt about the intensity of the arguments,
0:01:33 > 0:01:37with the two sides certain to keep fighting up to the wire.
0:01:37 > 0:01:41The week was marked by two ex-Prime Ministers side by side
0:01:41 > 0:01:43in Northern Ireland, campaigning for the UK
0:01:43 > 0:01:46to remain in the EU,
0:01:46 > 0:01:50a high-profile defection from the Leave camp to the Remain
0:01:50 > 0:01:53side, the sharpest of exchanges between the two camps
0:01:53 > 0:01:57in a live TV debate, and the inevitable brightly
0:01:57 > 0:02:00coloured battlebus, completd with a striking message,
0:02:00 > 0:02:03touring round the country.
0:02:03 > 0:02:06Back at Westminster, the air didn't turn blue
0:02:06 > 0:02:08inside the House of Commons, but the exchanges were
0:02:08 > 0:02:15certainly blue on blue at Prime Minister's Questions.
0:02:15 > 0:02:18The Prime Minister has repe`tedly stated that he secured changes to
0:02:18 > 0:02:21reform the EU.
0:02:21 > 0:02:24Will he now confirm that on the 23rd June the voters are
0:02:24 > 0:02:27not guaranteed any treaty change in EU law as no treaty change was
0:02:27 > 0:02:31achieved, despite a promise to deliver one, and an international
0:02:31 > 0:02:37agreement cannot change EU law?
0:02:37 > 0:02:39Finally, will he stop denigrating our great
0:02:39 > 0:02:42country because it is a saying,
0:02:42 > 0:02:45if any were needed, he is losing argument.
0:02:45 > 0:02:49I don't accept for one minute that in any way supporting Britahn being
0:02:49 > 0:02:54a member of the reformed European Union is doing a country down.
0:02:54 > 0:02:57I think if you love your country you want to be
0:02:57 > 0:02:58strong in the world.
0:02:58 > 0:03:00If you love your country yot want opportunities for your young people.
0:03:00 > 0:03:04If you love your country yot don't want to act in a way that could lead
0:03:04 > 0:03:08to its break-up and that is why I want to see not Nigel Far`ge's
0:03:08 > 0:03:13Little England, I want to sde a strong Britain in Europe.
0:03:13 > 0:03:15Does my right honourable frhend accept that the referendum hs not a
0:03:15 > 0:03:19consultation but an instruction to Parliament
0:03:19 > 0:03:22from the British people?
0:03:22 > 0:03:25Is it not therefore incumbent on all of us to accept in advance
0:03:25 > 0:03:28that remain would mean remahn and leave would mean leave `nd any
0:03:28 > 0:03:32attempt to short-change or distort the verdict of the British people
0:03:32 > 0:03:37would be a democratic outrage?
0:03:37 > 0:03:39I think he is absolutely right.
0:03:39 > 0:03:42Every vote counts the same.
0:03:42 > 0:03:44The Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn highlighted the splits in the ranks
0:03:44 > 0:03:46of Tory ministers.
0:03:46 > 0:03:50He will be aware, Mr Speaker, that the Labour position is that we want
0:03:50 > 0:03:54to stay in the European Union to improve workers' rights,
0:03:54 > 0:03:59tackle exploitation, drive down tax evasion and tax avoidance.
0:03:59 > 0:04:03But we are concerned that these issues are not
0:04:03 > 0:04:09the priorities of members of his government in his party such
0:04:09 > 0:04:14as the member for Uxbridge,
0:04:14 > 0:04:16the member for Surrey Heath and the member for Whitham.
0:04:16 > 0:04:19They are trying to destroy `ny of the social advances
0:04:19 > 0:04:22made within the European Unhon.
0:04:22 > 0:04:24Does he talk to a them about this at any time
0:04:24 > 0:04:26and do they speak for themselves or him
0:04:26 > 0:04:28and his government?
0:04:28 > 0:04:31And if they speak for themsdlves, how are they ministers
0:04:31 > 0:04:33at the same time?
0:04:33 > 0:04:35And here I am trying to be so consensual.
0:04:35 > 0:04:37I am doing my best.
0:04:37 > 0:04:38I could of course mention that the honourable
0:04:38 > 0:04:40member for Edgbaston was out yesterday
0:04:40 > 0:04:43spinning for Nigel Farage.
0:04:43 > 0:04:45But I don't want to play th`t game.
0:04:45 > 0:04:48I want to stress the unity of purpose there is.
0:04:48 > 0:04:51Will the Prime Minister address an issue that the Remain
0:04:51 > 0:04:53campaign has so far fudged in that our present
0:04:53 > 0:04:56immigration policy, in all truthfulness,
0:04:56 > 0:04:59cannot control numbers coming in from the EU for the benefit
0:04:59 > 0:05:04of our public services but also actually discrimin`tes
0:05:04 > 0:05:09against the rest of the world outside the EU?
0:05:09 > 0:05:17Having spent my evening yesterday with Mr Farage, I'm confused about
0:05:17 > 0:05:22what it is that the Leave c`mpaign actually want when it comes
0:05:22 > 0:05:23to immigration.
0:05:23 > 0:05:25I thought they wanted less immigration but seem to want
0:05:25 > 0:05:31more immigration from outside the EU into our country.
0:05:31 > 0:05:34So, Prime Minister's Question Time displaying the deep divisions
0:05:34 > 0:05:37within the Conservative Party at Westminster.
0:05:37 > 0:05:39But are referendums good thhngs
0:05:39 > 0:05:42The public gets to decide a major national issue.
0:05:42 > 0:05:44Some countries have lots of them.
0:05:44 > 0:05:48In Switzerland there've been no fewer than 600 national refdrendums
0:05:48 > 0:05:50in the last century and a h`lf.
0:05:50 > 0:05:54One recent referendum was on the issue of whether to
0:05:54 > 0:05:55have fewer referendums.
0:05:55 > 0:05:59In a moment we'll talk to an expert on public participation in politics.
0:05:59 > 0:06:03The Republic of Ireland also regularly seeks the views
0:06:03 > 0:06:06of its people on a variety of political and social isstes.
0:06:06 > 0:06:08Irish TV journalist Fiona Mitchell has covered lany
0:06:08 > 0:06:10a referendum campaign.
0:06:10 > 0:06:16I asked her for her impresshons of the current campaign in the UK.
0:06:16 > 0:06:19It has been an interesting campaign because we have known it was going
0:06:19 > 0:06:23to happen or thought it was quick to happen
0:06:23 > 0:06:26since 2013 and then known it was going
0:06:26 > 0:06:28to happen when the election was won outright
0:06:28 > 0:06:29by the Conservatives.
0:06:29 > 0:06:33It has been quite a long campaign for journalists and
0:06:33 > 0:06:38politicians and people watching these kind of things.
0:06:38 > 0:06:48But I think it is interesting that I really feel
0:06:49 > 0:06:52the public have only begun to become engaged on it in the last
0:06:52 > 0:06:53couple of weeks.
0:06:53 > 0:06:55It is something you generally see.
0:06:55 > 0:06:58It waits until closer to thd date before it feels as if
0:06:58 > 0:07:00the general public is as engaged in the debate as everyone else.
0:07:00 > 0:07:03And I think it is quite good that the public
0:07:03 > 0:07:04are becoming engaged in the debate
0:07:04 > 0:07:11because of course there is always the worry
0:07:11 > 0:07:14in something like this that they won't be engaged `t all.
0:07:14 > 0:07:16There are referendums on other issues, for example same-sex
0:07:16 > 0:07:17marriage.
0:07:17 > 0:07:19Does the public in the Republic of Ireland get involved in
0:07:20 > 0:07:20these issues?
0:07:20 > 0:07:23Certainly the same-sex marrhage referendum was one that eng`ged
0:07:23 > 0:07:26people at a huge level and H think surprisingly people didn't dxpect
0:07:26 > 0:07:28at the outset that there would be such engagement
0:07:28 > 0:07:33from the general public
0:07:33 > 0:07:43and the there would be such openness and debate and discussion about it.
0:07:46 > 0:07:49There was a huge positivity in that campaign and that is the sort
0:07:49 > 0:07:51of thing we did talk about the difference between a social
0:07:51 > 0:07:53referendum and a political referendum.
0:07:53 > 0:07:56I think that was an easy thhng for people to engage with at a
0:07:56 > 0:07:59social and personal level and there was a lot of positivity arotnd that.
0:07:59 > 0:08:01I think most politicians, if they could garner that
0:08:01 > 0:08:03positivity, would be very happy to do so.
0:08:03 > 0:08:06But it is harder to do that when you are
0:08:06 > 0:08:07talking about EU policy.
0:08:07 > 0:08:09Do you believe that the UK could learn anything from the Irish
0:08:09 > 0:08:10experience of referendums?
0:08:10 > 0:08:13As you say, much more plentiful in an Ireland.
0:08:13 > 0:08:15We have had 9 since Ireland joined the then EEC in 1972
0:08:15 > 0:08:17along with Britain and Denm`rk.
0:08:17 > 0:08:18We joined up at the same tile.
0:08:18 > 0:08:209 since that including two that had to be
0:08:20 > 0:08:21essentially rerun.
0:08:21 > 0:08:24And both Nice and Lisbon were initially rejected by
0:08:24 > 0:08:27the Irish electorate but they were then
0:08:27 > 0:08:31rerun and accepted by the electorate.
0:08:31 > 0:08:34I think it would be wrong to try and compare those
0:08:34 > 0:08:40referenda with what is going on now because those referendums wdre
0:08:40 > 0:08:43different insofar as they wdre not as straightforward as an in/out
0:08:43 > 0:08:44question.
0:08:44 > 0:08:46You're really not looking to compare like with like.
0:08:46 > 0:08:49You are looking at a differdnt referendum
0:08:49 > 0:08:52that talks about specific issues within the EU but it is not talking
0:08:52 > 0:08:58about leaving the EU and I think that is a much, much bigger issue.
0:08:58 > 0:09:03That was Fiona Mitchell, London correspondent for RTD.
0:09:03 > 0:09:08I'm joined in the studio now by Alan Rennick, who
0:09:08 > 0:09:10is the deputy director of the Constitution Unit at UCL
0:09:10 > 0:09:12University College London.
0:09:12 > 0:09:17What is your take on events?
0:09:17 > 0:09:26Has it been a good referendum campaign?
0:09:26 > 0:09:29I think a good referendum c`mpaign is partly one that is livelx.
0:09:29 > 0:09:31People need to find that thdre is a referendum taking placd.
0:09:31 > 0:09:32It has certainly been that.
0:09:32 > 0:09:35But I think a good campaign also needs to inform
0:09:35 > 0:09:38the public about the issues and allow the people to make a decision
0:09:38 > 0:09:41that is really based on a solid understanding of the issues.
0:09:41 > 0:09:42And has there been enough information?
0:09:42 > 0:09:45There has been a lot of information but a lot of it has been
0:09:45 > 0:09:47incorrect and there has been misleading statements
0:09:47 > 0:09:48coming from both sides.
0:09:48 > 0:09:50What could have been done bdtter?
0:09:50 > 0:09:55Some countries have thought carefully about this and have tried
0:09:55 > 0:09:57to create systems which redtce the chances that campaigns will
0:09:57 > 0:09:59engage in misleading inform`tion.
0:09:59 > 0:10:01In New Zealand, for example, the electoral
0:10:01 > 0:10:05commission not only runs the referendum, as happens here but
0:10:05 > 0:10:09also gets a lot of informathon on the options that are avahlable.
0:10:09 > 0:10:11It sets out what the options are.
0:10:11 > 0:10:15It indicates to people how they may choose
0:10:15 > 0:10:17between those options, what sort of criteria
0:10:17 > 0:10:20they might use to judge the options.
0:10:20 > 0:10:22It kind of gives the evidence on, well, how do the
0:10:22 > 0:10:30options measure up against these criteria?
0:10:30 > 0:10:31It gives quite a lot of official information.
0:10:31 > 0:10:34And then also if a lot of the campaigns do see
0:10:34 > 0:10:37things in the course of the campaign that
0:10:37 > 0:10:44it comes out and says that hs wrong.
0:10:44 > 0:10:48The trouble is, if we had an actual official arbiter with a caphtal A,
0:10:48 > 0:10:51wouldn't he or she just be seen as part of the establishment and
0:10:51 > 0:10:53wouldn't really get the full trust of the voters?
0:10:53 > 0:10:57I think that is a danger.
0:10:57 > 0:10:59We've seen it work in New Zdaland.
0:10:59 > 0:11:02Have seen it work in Ireland as well.
0:11:02 > 0:11:03In those places, at least so far,
0:11:03 > 0:11:05this antiestablishment rhetoric hasn't really got going any
0:11:05 > 0:11:08referendum campaign and it has been possible for both sides to respect
0:11:08 > 0:11:11the decision made by one of these organisations and for the mddia to
0:11:11 > 0:11:12respect that as well.
0:11:12 > 0:11:14In this referendum in particular we have
0:11:14 > 0:11:19seen a really strong antiestablishment tone.
0:11:19 > 0:11:25It is difficult to see how we could overcome that.
0:11:25 > 0:11:27It is the danger that that kind of organisation gets
0:11:27 > 0:11:29criticised as being part of the establishment
0:11:29 > 0:11:32and if so there is not a lot we can do.
0:11:32 > 0:11:35It is amazing, other countrhes have referenda on a much more nulerous
0:11:35 > 0:11:37and frequent basis.
0:11:37 > 0:11:41This is incredibly only the third nationwide
0:11:41 > 0:11:47referendum, although there have been plenty of local and regional ones.
0:11:47 > 0:11:48Are we likely to see more?
0:11:48 > 0:11:53Has it been a good advertisement have more?
0:11:53 > 0:12:02I think the trend in the UK has been towards having more referendums
0:12:02 > 0:12:04We had referendums for devolved issues, local issues.
0:12:04 > 0:12:06And moving in the direction of having more
0:12:06 > 0:12:10national referendums.
0:12:10 > 0:12:16But frankly the experience of this referendum is
0:12:16 > 0:12:19going to make a lot of politicians really stop and question thd degree
0:12:19 > 0:12:23of conflict, particularly with the Conservative
0:12:23 > 0:12:26with the Labour Party.
0:12:26 > 0:12:28It is tearing the parties apart and it is difficult
0:12:28 > 0:12:29for the politicians.
0:12:29 > 0:12:32It is difficult to imagine it would want to hold
0:12:32 > 0:12:34more referendums of the could possibly avoid it and this
0:12:34 > 0:12:36referendum, as the referendtm in 1975 on European community
0:12:36 > 0:12:39membership at that time, thdy have both been called in order to hold
0:12:39 > 0:12:41the governing party to together and neither has
0:12:41 > 0:12:42succeeded in doing that.
0:12:42 > 0:12:43It makes it very difficult.
0:12:43 > 0:12:47Another factor, and this might be a contrast
0:12:47 > 0:12:52with 1975 when there was a clear-cut result,
0:12:52 > 0:12:5566%-33%, more or less, this one looks as if it is good
0:12:55 > 0:12:56to finish much closer.
0:12:56 > 0:12:59You think of we got a 52-48 type of result, that is not
0:12:59 > 0:13:01going to solve any problems at all?
0:13:01 > 0:13:02I think that is right.
0:13:02 > 0:13:07We saw the Scottish independence referendum in
0:13:07 > 0:13:082014 a 55-45 result.
0:13:08 > 0:13:11That didn't resolve it.
0:13:11 > 0:13:20There has been some talk from some people that 60-40 would
0:13:20 > 0:13:22resolve it but anything closer than that would not.
0:13:22 > 0:13:24It is looking pretty unlikely at the moment.
0:13:24 > 0:13:26I think the debate will continue.
0:13:26 > 0:13:31On the plus side, the good thing about referendums is that pdople
0:13:31 > 0:13:35talk about political issues.
0:13:35 > 0:13:40In restaurants, cafes, publhc transport, people are talking about
0:13:40 > 0:13:42a big issue in a way that they wouldn't be doing
0:13:42 > 0:13:45if they didn't have the votd on 23rd June.
0:13:45 > 0:13:48I think that is great but wd need two things to have a vibrant and
0:13:48 > 0:13:49effective democracy.
0:13:49 > 0:13:52One is that we need people to be engaged an active
0:13:52 > 0:13:53and the referendum is helping with that.
0:13:53 > 0:13:57The other is that we need pdople to be engaged any thoughtful
0:13:57 > 0:14:01way and not just going with gut instincts in either direction and
0:14:01 > 0:14:06the danger with this referendum is that we are getting too luch but
0:14:06 > 0:14:09instincts, too much making tp opinions on the basis of
0:14:09 > 0:14:11misinformation, misunderstandings, and that is a real
0:14:11 > 0:14:16problem for democracy.
0:14:16 > 0:14:18Some thoughts on referendums, or are they referenda?
0:14:18 > 0:14:21For several weeks, if not months, the businessman
0:14:21 > 0:14:24Mike Ashley didn't want to come to Westminster
0:14:24 > 0:14:26to face MPs' questions.
0:14:26 > 0:14:29When the owner of Sports Direct and chairman of Newcastle United
0:14:29 > 0:14:34finally did come, no-one can say it wasn't a plain-speaking performance.
0:14:34 > 0:14:37The sporting retailer Sports Direct, whose headqu`rters
0:14:37 > 0:14:40are at Shirebrook in Derbyshire had been accused of forcing
0:14:40 > 0:14:44its employees to accept low rates of pay and to work
0:14:44 > 0:14:46in a tough disciplinary envhronment.
0:14:46 > 0:14:56Mr Ashley admitted the firm may have outgrown his ability to man`ge it.
0:14:56 > 0:14:59You have to accept the internet growth was a phenomenon that none
0:14:59 > 0:15:01of us could allow for.
0:15:01 > 0:15:05You have to accept, I have to accept, not you,
0:15:05 > 0:15:07sorry, that Sports Direct m`de some mistakes as well.
0:15:07 > 0:15:09You have to accept that as well
0:15:09 > 0:15:11So we have to look to the ftture.
0:15:11 > 0:15:15I have offered you guys to come any time you want to now.
0:15:15 > 0:15:19I have even offered to come back in a
0:15:19 > 0:15:21year if you really want me to.
0:15:21 > 0:15:23And I won't have them all rhght
0:15:23 > 0:15:24Impossible.
0:15:24 > 0:15:26Impossible I can get everything right.
0:15:26 > 0:15:27I'm one human being.
0:15:27 > 0:15:29So stop it, Paul, please.
0:15:29 > 0:15:32Let's keep this positive and let's keep rolling forward.
0:15:32 > 0:15:33We are just asking some straightforward
0:15:34 > 0:15:36questions.
0:15:36 > 0:15:40We heard from a woman who s`id, and I quote, this was said
0:15:40 > 0:15:43to her, and I quote, if you want to get a contract
0:15:43 > 0:15:47we will talk about it over dinner.
0:15:47 > 0:15:50She also said, not just one manager but several.
0:15:50 > 0:15:54And she said so and then broke down in
0:15:54 > 0:15:56tears.
0:15:56 > 0:15:57That's not kind, is it?
0:15:57 > 0:15:59That is the total opposite of kind.
0:15:59 > 0:16:01That is some sexual predators that need
0:16:01 > 0:16:04to be dealt with.
0:16:04 > 0:16:08Do you accept that this is happening in your business,
0:16:08 > 0:16:11the business you created in your image, this is happdning in
0:16:11 > 0:16:12your business?
0:16:12 > 0:16:14Well it shouldn't.
0:16:14 > 0:16:19If it does it 100% should not be going on.
0:16:19 > 0:16:22I don't know what I'm going to be able to put in place to
0:16:22 > 0:16:24stop it but at least I'm going to try.
0:16:24 > 0:16:27You sit there and say those things to me.
0:16:27 > 0:16:28Honestly they are disgusting.
0:16:28 > 0:16:30What do you want me to say?
0:16:30 > 0:16:33Would you like it if you were me?
0:16:33 > 0:16:34That is not happening in Sainsbury's.
0:16:34 > 0:16:36How do you know?
0:16:36 > 0:16:41It is happening in Sports Dhrect.
0:16:41 > 0:16:42Are you certain it is not happening in
0:16:42 > 0:16:43Sainsbury's?
0:16:43 > 0:16:45Are you absolutely sure?
0:16:45 > 0:16:48You can sit here and say thdre is no what you would call sexual
0:16:48 > 0:16:50within the office, harassment happening in Sainsbury's?
0:16:50 > 0:16:53I think there probably is.
0:16:53 > 0:16:55Do you think your company h`s outgrown your ability
0:16:55 > 0:16:56to manage it?
0:16:56 > 0:16:58Probably a long time ago.
0:16:58 > 0:17:04And I realise even though I set up a tiny company in the past which
0:17:04 > 0:17:08has remained tiny, and I am an MP that no one has ever heard of
0:17:08 > 0:17:11talking to a titan of the btsiness sector, but is it not time that your
0:17:11 > 0:17:15own analogy is you woke up one day and your little business was an oil
0:17:15 > 0:17:18tanker, you have gone from a dinghy to an oil tanker,
0:17:18 > 0:17:20shouldn't you get someone who knows how to sail and
0:17:20 > 0:17:21drive an oil tanker?
0:17:21 > 0:17:23Possibly, possibly.
0:17:23 > 0:17:26I can accept the criticism of some of the things you have said
0:17:26 > 0:17:36to me that would actually ldad me to believe that is definitely
0:17:36 > 0:17:39outgrown me.
0:17:39 > 0:17:40Mike Ashley.
0:17:40 > 0:17:41Another day.
0:17:41 > 0:17:42Another retail story.
0:17:42 > 0:17:44This time the accusations were stronger.
0:17:44 > 0:17:46The final owner of British Home Stores, the racing
0:17:46 > 0:17:48driver Dominic Chappell, was accused by top BHS
0:17:48 > 0:17:51managers of being a liar who had his fingers in the till
0:17:51 > 0:17:53Last month came news that the famous retail chain
0:17:53 > 0:17:55would be closing all its stores administrators failed
0:17:55 > 0:17:58to find a new buyer for it.
0:17:58 > 0:18:00BHS had debts of ?1.25 billhon.
0:18:00 > 0:18:03At Westminster, the chief executive of BHS, Darren Topp,
0:18:03 > 0:18:05said Dominic Chappell had threatened to kill him
0:18:05 > 0:18:09in a row over company money.
0:18:09 > 0:18:12When asked about the sale of BHS to Mr Chappell,
0:18:12 > 0:18:15Mr Topp said Mr Chappell had claimed he was an expert in
0:18:15 > 0:18:18turning around businesses.
0:18:18 > 0:18:21We needed somebody who could raise finances and we did need solebody
0:18:21 > 0:18:28who could deal with our property portfolio.
0:18:28 > 0:18:35Unfortunately as time progrdssed that unravelled in terms
0:18:35 > 0:18:41of that promise and it becale clear towards the end that rather than
0:18:41 > 0:18:46putting money in he had litdrally got his fingers in the till.
0:18:46 > 0:18:48What was your sense when you arrived in
0:18:48 > 0:18:50June as to the cash position of the company
0:18:50 > 0:18:51and ability to finance...
0:18:51 > 0:18:52In July.
0:18:52 > 0:18:54Sorry, July.
0:18:54 > 0:18:58..And to finance expansion?
0:18:58 > 0:19:04This was my first interaction with Dominic Chappell
0:19:04 > 0:19:10and like many others in this process I think I was duped.
0:19:10 > 0:19:15The technical term is mytholania.
0:19:15 > 0:19:17The layperson's term is he was a Premier League liar
0:19:17 > 0:19:20and a Sunday pub league retailer at best.
0:19:20 > 0:19:22Well, when he gave evidence, Dominic Chappell flatly
0:19:22 > 0:19:24denied those allegations.
0:19:24 > 0:19:26He blamed the store's previous owner, Sir Philip Green,
0:19:26 > 0:19:29for the thousands of job losses
0:19:29 > 0:19:32Mr Chappell said he and his team had worked flat out to try
0:19:32 > 0:19:34to save the business.
0:19:34 > 0:19:36Knowing what you know now what would you do
0:19:36 > 0:19:46differently next time?
0:19:46 > 0:19:47The pension.
0:19:47 > 0:19:54It boils down to the pension.
0:19:54 > 0:19:56It's the pension side.
0:19:56 > 0:20:06We should have spent more time dealing
0:20:13 > 0:20:19with the pension prior to acquisition.
0:20:19 > 0:20:21We should have ensured that Philip was contractually bound
0:20:21 > 0:20:23to produce trade credit insurance for the company.
0:20:23 > 0:20:25And knowing what you now know is there anybody you
0:20:25 > 0:20:26would like to apologise to?
0:20:26 > 0:20:27I am very...
0:20:27 > 0:20:30I have said that there are 01,0 0 people directly, and a
0:20:30 > 0:20:31number of thousand people indirectly,
0:20:31 > 0:20:32who have lost their jobs.
0:20:32 > 0:20:34It is a travesty that that has happened.
0:20:34 > 0:20:37I am very upset that it has happened and it was avoidable.
0:20:37 > 0:20:39And for the record, is that an apology?
0:20:39 > 0:20:40That is an apology.
0:20:40 > 0:20:41Thank you.
0:20:41 > 0:20:43It is your fault that BHS f`iled?
0:20:43 > 0:20:47I must stand as the majoritx shareholder in BHS, I must stand
0:20:47 > 0:20:50here and say we were part of the downfall of BHS.
0:20:50 > 0:20:53The saga of BHS.
0:20:53 > 0:20:56Time to take a look at what's been happening in the wider world
0:20:56 > 0:20:58of politics over the last fdw days.
0:20:58 > 0:21:08With our countdown, here's Billy Hill.
0:21:09 > 0:21:16Celebrations in Cardiff as the Queen opened
0:21:16 > 0:21:18the fifth session of the
0:21:18 > 0:21:20Welsh Assembly, praising it as a strong and accessible institution.
0:21:20 > 0:21:23Triumph for the Commons as LPs managed to defeat the Lords at
0:21:23 > 0:21:24Westminster's annual tug of war contest.
0:21:24 > 0:21:28To OBE or not OBE?
0:21:28 > 0:21:30Some peers have called for Government websites to hnclude
0:21:30 > 0:21:36honours and titles when completing online forms.
0:21:36 > 0:21:39A waiting game for the thred candidates vying to be the
0:21:39 > 0:21:40next Lord Speaker.
0:21:40 > 0:21:42Peers voted on Wednesday but the winner isn't announced
0:21:42 > 0:21:45until June 13.
0:21:45 > 0:21:49And good news for would-be voters in the EU referendum
0:21:49 > 0:21:53whose attempts to register online were thwarted by a website crash.
0:21:53 > 0:21:56The deadline was extended by a further 48 hours to midnight on
0:21:56 > 0:22:03Thursday.
0:22:03 > 0:22:07Billy Hill reporting.
0:22:07 > 0:22:11Exactly 150 years ago the philosopher and MP
0:22:11 > 0:22:14John Stuart Mill presented the first mass petition to Parliament calling
0:22:14 > 0:22:17for votes for women.
0:22:17 > 0:22:21Decades of campaigning by the suffragists and years
0:22:21 > 0:22:23of direct action by the suffragettes followed - before some women
0:22:23 > 0:22:29gained the vote, in 1918.
0:22:29 > 0:22:31On the anniversary of the pdtition Parliament's unveiled the lhght
0:22:31 > 0:22:35sculpture New Dawn.
0:22:35 > 0:22:44Gabrielle O'Neill has compiled this report.
0:22:44 > 0:22:47When I was doing my research I kept on coming across the emblem which is
0:22:47 > 0:22:50New Dawn and that was on all the suffrage
0:22:50 > 0:22:53banners and postcards and
0:22:53 > 0:22:56insignia and I wanted to include that in the work.
0:22:56 > 0:23:00But also if anyone has been to Westminster they will
0:23:00 > 0:23:05know it is a very dark, cold building, so as a light installation
0:23:05 > 0:23:09artist I wanted to somehow hnfuse the building with a really strong,
0:23:09 > 0:23:13warm, sunlight energy.
0:23:13 > 0:23:15Lights operate on a cycle linked to the tides of
0:23:15 > 0:23:17the Thames.
0:23:17 > 0:23:20The shapes are inspired by the scrolls in the Parli`mentary
0:23:20 > 0:23:23archives and the many petithons on women's suffrage sent to
0:23:23 > 0:23:25Westminster.
0:23:25 > 0:23:30When I was doing that research I found there was 16,500
0:23:30 > 0:23:33petitions, over three million signatures, over 70 years, so I just
0:23:33 > 0:23:37felt as though I needed to honour all those
0:23:37 > 0:23:41people that have made the
0:23:41 > 0:23:46effort to come here and protest or petition.
0:23:46 > 0:23:49New Dawn is above the entrance to St Stephen's Hall,
0:23:49 > 0:23:56scene of many suffragette protests.
0:23:56 > 0:23:58This was a mass movement ovdr many years involving many differdnt
0:23:58 > 0:24:00organisations and millions of people who signed petitions.
0:24:00 > 0:24:03And what we wanted was something that captured
0:24:03 > 0:24:06the mass nature of the camp`ign and at the same time was solething
0:24:06 > 0:24:08that was relevant in the 21st-century and indeed hopdfully
0:24:08 > 0:24:11centuries going forward.
0:24:11 > 0:24:14The issue of women and the vote was raised in
0:24:14 > 0:24:16a Commons debate on Wednesd`y.
0:24:16 > 0:24:20On representation we may have parity of
0:24:20 > 0:24:24votes but surely its clear we don't have parity of voice.
0:24:24 > 0:24:26A public debate which too often excludes
0:24:26 > 0:24:27women or shouts them down.
0:24:27 > 0:24:30So this is the point.
0:24:30 > 0:24:33There may have been huge progress in the last few decades on
0:24:33 > 0:24:37the number of women MPs, on women in the Cabinet, and all sorts of
0:24:37 > 0:24:40measures, but there is still so much to do because not everyone hs able
0:24:40 > 0:24:50to realise their true value.
0:24:50 > 0:24:54We refer to the number of women
0:24:54 > 0:24:56who are in Parliament at the moment but there
0:24:56 > 0:24:58are still more men in
0:24:58 > 0:25:01Parliament than have ever bden women in Parliament and we need to point
0:25:01 > 0:25:02that out on the record.
0:25:02 > 0:25:03She is absolutely right.
0:25:03 > 0:25:04We need to keep up that fight.
0:25:04 > 0:25:07We need to talk about the issues that matter to us.
0:25:07 > 0:25:09We nned to encourage the wolen around us to
0:25:09 > 0:25:11get politically engaged, and above all we must
0:25:11 > 0:25:13encourage them to go out and
0:25:13 > 0:25:16vote, and that is the right that those early suffragettes fotght for
0:25:16 > 0:25:21and we must all use it.
0:25:21 > 0:25:26Parliament has always been very heavily
0:25:26 > 0:25:29dominated by men and this work of art is our way of celebr`ting
0:25:29 > 0:25:31the suffrage movement, and I like to think moving
0:25:31 > 0:25:33towards a new chapter of more
0:25:33 > 0:25:35equal representation in Parliament.
0:25:35 > 0:25:36Caroline Nokes.
0:25:36 > 0:25:37And that's it for now.
0:25:37 > 0:25:40Another fascinating committde session in prospect
0:25:40 > 0:25:43in the next few days - the billionaire retailer
0:25:43 > 0:25:46Sir Philip Green gives his side of the story in the collapsd
0:25:46 > 0:25:47of British Home Stores.
0:25:47 > 0:25:49Should be worth watching.
0:25:49 > 0:25:52Do join me for the next Week in Parliament.
0:25:52 > 0:25:58Until then, from me, Keith Macdougall, goodbye.