0:00:18 > 0:00:21Hello and welcome to The Week In Parliament.
0:00:21 > 0:00:25Allegations of sexual harassment swirl round Westminster
0:00:25 > 0:00:32as all the parties agree to work together to deal with the problem.
0:00:32 > 0:00:37We have a duty to ensure that everyone coming here to contribute
0:00:37 > 0:00:39to public life is treated with respect.
0:00:39 > 0:00:42Labour forces the Government to hand over their assessments
0:00:42 > 0:00:44of the impact of Brexit to a committee of MPs.
0:00:44 > 0:00:48One Conservative issues a warning.
0:00:48 > 0:00:55You are in charge of this, now you had to face up to the responsibility
0:00:55 > 0:00:59of delivering a Brexit that works for everybody in this country.
0:00:59 > 0:01:01And, will it be all change in the Lords?
0:01:01 > 0:01:06The architect of the latest plans for reform shares his vision.
0:01:06 > 0:01:10There will be some rebalancing according to election results. It
0:01:10 > 0:01:17would operate within a cap on the size of the House.
0:01:17 > 0:01:19But first, in quite the most dramatic Wednesday evening
0:01:19 > 0:01:21in Westminster for some time, the Defence Secretary
0:01:21 > 0:01:23suddenly resigned - saying his behaviour hadn't been
0:01:23 > 0:01:24up to standard.
0:01:24 > 0:01:26The news came amid a whirlwind of rumours about harassment by MPs
0:01:27 > 0:01:28which had been brewing for days.
0:01:28 > 0:01:34The Speaker set the tone for the week.
0:01:34 > 0:01:38Let me make it clear that there must be zero tolerance of sexual
0:01:38 > 0:01:46harassment or bullying, here at Westminster, or elsewhere.
0:01:46 > 0:01:48It is absolutely right that the House must
0:01:48 > 0:01:50address the urgent issue of alleged mistreatment
0:01:50 > 0:01:51of staff by members of
0:01:51 > 0:01:56Parliament.
0:01:56 > 0:01:59These allegations make clear that there is a vital need to
0:01:59 > 0:02:04provide better support and protection for the thousands of
0:02:04 > 0:02:06staff members working in Westminster and in constituency offices across
0:02:06 > 0:02:08the country.
0:02:08 > 0:02:13No woman, or man for that matter, coming to work in this
0:02:13 > 0:02:16House should be subject to unwanted sexual advances from those who are
0:02:16 > 0:02:19in a position of power.
0:02:19 > 0:02:22No one should have to work in toxic atmosphere of sleazy, sexist or
0:02:22 > 0:02:25homophobic banter.
0:02:25 > 0:02:27No MP, let alone a minister, should think it is
0:02:27 > 0:02:30something to make jokes about.
0:02:30 > 0:02:32This is not hysteria, this is something
0:02:32 > 0:02:35which is long overdue for all the parties in this
0:02:35 > 0:02:37House to deal with.
0:02:37 > 0:02:40When someone holds your entire future in their hand it is very
0:02:40 > 0:02:43difficult to refuse or to speak out.
0:02:43 > 0:02:46While it is sexual abuse and sexual harassment
0:02:46 > 0:02:48that has brought this to
0:02:48 > 0:02:51the attention today it is also misogyny, dismissal and gender
0:02:51 > 0:02:55discrimination.
0:02:55 > 0:03:00I really hope that the news reports of the last few
0:03:00 > 0:03:10days act as a watershed moment and help to catalyse the change that we
0:03:17 > 0:03:19so clearly need, not least on the outdated
0:03:19 > 0:03:20attitudes that exist still
0:03:20 > 0:03:21in some quarters.
0:03:21 > 0:03:24As I walked in here today to come to this statement
0:03:24 > 0:03:26I overheard two male colleagues coming through the halls wittering
0:03:26 > 0:03:28about a witch hunt that was going on in Parliament.
0:03:28 > 0:03:32So I think what we need to do in this building is not
0:03:32 > 0:03:34think about this as being a party political thing.
0:03:34 > 0:03:35It has to absolutely happen.
0:03:35 > 0:03:38We have talked about this being a modern workplace, that is
0:03:38 > 0:03:39the rub, it is not a modern workplace,
0:03:39 > 0:03:41it is a strange workplace,
0:03:41 > 0:03:43for members, for families, but most of all strange for those
0:03:43 > 0:03:44members of staff.
0:03:44 > 0:03:47It requires all of us to take very strong political
0:03:47 > 0:03:49leadership and I say this to the political
0:03:49 > 0:03:50leaders on both sides, on
0:03:50 > 0:03:51all sides of the House.
0:03:51 > 0:03:53That means taking decisions against colleagues
0:03:53 > 0:03:58and others even when that is inconvenient, even when that is
0:03:58 > 0:04:05against their own allies or their own supporters on their own side.
0:04:05 > 0:04:07Mr Speaker, members on both sides of the House have been deeply
0:04:07 > 0:04:14concerned about allegations of harassment and
0:04:14 > 0:04:17mistreatment here in Westminster.
0:04:17 > 0:04:20This demands a response and the Leader of the House has been
0:04:20 > 0:04:25meeting with her counterparts and we're hopeful
0:04:25 > 0:04:27that all sides can work together to quickly resolve this.
0:04:27 > 0:04:29I have written to all party leaders inviting them
0:04:29 > 0:04:31to a meeting early next week so we can discuss
0:04:31 > 0:04:33the common transparent, independent grievance procedure for
0:04:33 > 0:04:37all those working in Parliament.
0:04:37 > 0:04:40We have a duty to ensure that everyone
0:04:40 > 0:04:42coming here, to contribute to public life, is treated with respect.
0:04:42 > 0:04:45Just to put on the record I am happy to
0:04:45 > 0:04:47meet the Prime Minister and all party leaders to discuss this.
0:04:47 > 0:04:49We need better protections for all in
0:04:49 > 0:04:50this House.
0:04:50 > 0:04:52We must involve the trade unions in that.
0:04:52 > 0:04:54It is also incumbent on all parties to
0:04:54 > 0:04:58have robust procedures in place to protect and support victims of
0:04:58 > 0:05:02sexual abuse and harassment.
0:05:02 > 0:05:07Can I associate myself with the remarks by
0:05:07 > 0:05:11the Prime Minister when she talks about zero tolerance for bad sexual
0:05:11 > 0:05:14practices and behaviour.
0:05:14 > 0:05:18I commit my members to work with the Government
0:05:18 > 0:05:22to make sure that we can have a system that we can be proud of to
0:05:22 > 0:05:24protect all members of the Houses of Parliament.
0:05:24 > 0:05:26This has been a difficult week for Parliament but
0:05:26 > 0:05:28it has been even harder for those who have come
0:05:28 > 0:05:30forward to report their
0:05:30 > 0:05:32experiences of inappropriate behaviour, harassment or abuse.
0:05:32 > 0:05:36Their experiences are why we need to change.
0:05:36 > 0:05:40As I said on Monday it is a right, not a privilege, to work in a
0:05:40 > 0:05:44safe and respectful environment.
0:05:44 > 0:05:48The Prime Minister has written to all
0:05:48 > 0:05:52party leaders, and I am pleased to say they have all agreed to meet
0:05:52 > 0:05:53to discuss a common, transparent and
0:05:53 > 0:05:57independent grievance procedure.
0:05:57 > 0:06:00Now, plans to cut membership of the House of Lords by a quarter
0:06:00 > 0:06:02were unveiled this week.
0:06:02 > 0:06:04The Lord Speaker commissioned the report amid concern over
0:06:04 > 0:06:10the increasing size of the Upper Chamber.
0:06:10 > 0:06:13There are currently 799 eligible members of the House -
0:06:13 > 0:06:16making the Lords chamber second only in size to China's.
0:06:16 > 0:06:19The report suggests capping the number of seats to 600.
0:06:19 > 0:06:23It recommends a two-out, one-in system - so only half
0:06:23 > 0:06:25the peers leaving over the next decade or so would be replaced.
0:06:25 > 0:06:30New peers would serve only 15-year terms -
0:06:30 > 0:06:34and existing peers might be asked to leave to keep numbers down.
0:06:34 > 0:06:36The Electoral Reform Society says the measures don't go
0:06:36 > 0:06:40far enough.
0:06:40 > 0:06:42Going from 800 to 600 is not some radical change,
0:06:42 > 0:06:44we're still going to have hereditary peers, bishops
0:06:44 > 0:06:49from one church, one country of the UK.
0:06:49 > 0:06:51All these things that people look at, scratch their heads, say
0:06:51 > 0:06:53how can this be going on in 2017?
0:06:53 > 0:06:55Still essentially they remain.
0:06:55 > 0:06:57That lack of accountability remains one
0:06:57 > 0:07:01of the biggest challenges in the House of Lords.
0:07:01 > 0:07:03The independent or crossbench peer Lord Burns led the committee
0:07:03 > 0:07:05which produced the report.
0:07:05 > 0:07:11I put it to him that this was perhaps a cosmetic exercise.
0:07:11 > 0:07:13It is much more than that.
0:07:13 > 0:07:15This would reduce the size of the Lord's
0:07:15 > 0:07:16to 600.
0:07:16 > 0:07:19It is a 25% reduction on where we are at the moment.
0:07:19 > 0:07:22But possibly even more importantly it
0:07:22 > 0:07:25would introduce mechanisms which would mean that there would be a cap
0:07:25 > 0:07:31on the size of the House of Lords.
0:07:31 > 0:07:41It would not simply go back to being the level of that is now.
0:07:43 > 0:07:45We are also suggesting that new appointments
0:07:45 > 0:07:48should be for 15 year terms, and people would
0:07:48 > 0:07:49retire after 15 years.
0:07:49 > 0:07:52And the new appointments would be made in relation to the performance
0:07:52 > 0:07:54of the parties in the previous general election.
0:07:54 > 0:07:56So there would be some rebalancing according to
0:07:56 > 0:07:58election results, there would be terms for members, there
0:07:58 > 0:08:01would be a system of a cap on the size of the House.
0:08:01 > 0:08:05Effectively you are asking the Prime Minister to give up a lot of
0:08:06 > 0:08:12power over the upper House.
0:08:12 > 0:08:15Yes, it is a big ask but the reason the
0:08:15 > 0:08:18prime ministers have wanted to appoint large numbers of people
0:08:18 > 0:08:21from their own party is that because they
0:08:21 > 0:08:23haven't been sufficient vacancies that have
0:08:23 > 0:08:28emerged in the House, because
0:08:28 > 0:08:32if you are in the House you are there for life, the only way that
0:08:32 > 0:08:40they can be able to rebalance the House is by increasing its size.
0:08:40 > 0:08:43What we are trying to suggest as a mechanism whereby you have that
0:08:43 > 0:08:45rebalancing but without increasing the size of the House.
0:08:45 > 0:08:46This would take decades to achieve.
0:08:46 > 0:08:48You are talking about 2042.
0:08:48 > 0:08:50That is the time when Nasa is hoping to have someone on
0:08:51 > 0:08:52Mars.
0:08:52 > 0:08:53No.
0:08:53 > 0:08:57The House would be down to 600 by 11 years or so.
0:08:57 > 0:09:00The 2042 date which we are indicating is
0:09:00 > 0:09:03when those in the House
0:09:03 > 0:09:04at the moment who came on the
0:09:04 > 0:09:07basis of being there for life, have departed.
0:09:07 > 0:09:142042 is not a terribly important date.
0:09:14 > 0:09:18The most important date is 11 years' time, you'll have a
0:09:18 > 0:09:28House of 600 and the level of 600 would be locked in.
0:09:32 > 0:09:41There would be
0:09:41 > 0:09:45a ceiling.
0:09:45 > 0:09:47You are talking about cuts but you're not
0:09:47 > 0:09:49proposing to cut the number of bishops or the 90-odd hereditary
0:09:50 > 0:09:51peers still there.
0:09:51 > 0:09:52Because this whole package has been designed to
0:09:52 > 0:09:54be able to go through without legislation.
0:09:54 > 0:09:57There is no opportunity of getting legislation for reform of
0:09:57 > 0:09:58the House of Lords at this point.
0:09:58 > 0:10:01There is too many other competing issues, not least Brexit.
0:10:01 > 0:10:03We have tried to design this to be
0:10:03 > 0:10:04done without legislation.
0:10:04 > 0:10:06The problem of hereditary by elections and
0:10:06 > 0:10:10the bishops is that they are both in statute and they can only be changed
0:10:10 > 0:10:11by legislation.
0:10:11 > 0:10:13There is nothing to stop them subsequently when the
0:10:13 > 0:10:14opportunity arises legislation for changes there.
0:10:14 > 0:10:17But we are not proposing that at the outset.
0:10:17 > 0:10:18Otherwise it would hold up the proposals.
0:10:18 > 0:10:20Is this going to happen?
0:10:20 > 0:10:23Apart from the fact you're asking the Prime Minister to reduce the
0:10:23 > 0:10:33amount of power that they have you are also
0:10:40 > 0:10:42asking the agreement of the
0:10:42 > 0:10:44Lords.
0:10:44 > 0:10:51While the Lords realise that that is a problem,
0:10:51 > 0:10:52turkeys don't vote
0:10:52 > 0:10:53for Christmas.
0:10:53 > 0:10:55Sometimes they do.
0:10:55 > 0:10:58Our first step on this journey now is to take
0:10:58 > 0:10:59the view of the House of
0:10:59 > 0:11:00Lords to this report.
0:11:00 > 0:11:02I am hoping that we will get substantial amount
0:11:02 > 0:11:04of support from existing members in the Lords.
0:11:04 > 0:11:07If that is the case we can say to the Prime Minister
0:11:07 > 0:11:08the House of Lords is
0:11:08 > 0:11:11ready to undertake this reform but we need you to agree
0:11:11 > 0:11:14to the aspects of the proposal which affect the way in
0:11:14 > 0:11:15which you make appointments.
0:11:15 > 0:11:16And we'll have to then see.
0:11:16 > 0:11:18I cannot anticipate or predict what the
0:11:18 > 0:11:20result of that would be but this is the order
0:11:20 > 0:11:22in which we now see this.
0:11:22 > 0:11:23We had the report.
0:11:23 > 0:11:25The next step is to see whether that command support in
0:11:25 > 0:11:28the House of Lords, if it does command support,
0:11:28 > 0:11:29we can see if we can
0:11:29 > 0:11:30persuade the Government this is worthwhile,
0:11:30 > 0:11:33in their interests, as
0:11:33 > 0:11:36well as the interests of the House of Lords itself.
0:11:36 > 0:11:37Good luck.
0:11:37 > 0:11:43Thank you.
0:11:43 > 0:11:51One of the words of the week was arcane -
0:11:51 > 0:11:54that was the type of procedure Labour used to try to prise a series
0:11:54 > 0:11:56of Brexit assessments out of the hands of ministers.
0:11:56 > 0:11:57And it worked.
0:11:57 > 0:12:00The papers were studies of how the UK's departure
0:12:00 > 0:12:04from the EU might affect 58 different economic sectors.
0:12:04 > 0:12:06Looking at the list I have here, two things are obvious.
0:12:06 > 0:12:09The first is that in many ways, it is unremarkable.
0:12:09 > 0:12:11It could have and should have been published months ago.
0:12:11 > 0:12:14The second is that the wide range of sectors analysed demonstrate why
0:12:14 > 0:12:17it is so important for members of this House to see
0:12:17 > 0:12:18the impact assessment.
0:12:18 > 0:12:20But one Conservative MP suggested the debate was little
0:12:20 > 0:12:21more than gameplaying.
0:12:21 > 0:12:24This is a foolish and irresponsible debate to have been called.
0:12:24 > 0:12:32He knows that there is a blanket ban on disclosing advice to ministers.
0:12:32 > 0:12:36That intervention, I'm afraid, is typical of what has been
0:12:36 > 0:12:39going on for 16 or 17 months, which is that every time somebody
0:12:39 > 0:12:45raises a legitimate question, it is suggested that somehow
0:12:45 > 0:12:49they are frustrating or undermining it.
0:12:49 > 0:12:52The Brexit minister said many thousands of documents
0:12:52 > 0:12:56were being prepared with regard to the UK's exit from EU.
0:12:56 > 0:12:59Some of these would not undermine our negotiating position
0:12:59 > 0:13:01but others may have more of an impact.
0:13:01 > 0:13:03The House will appreciate that the more information
0:13:03 > 0:13:06that is shared more widely, the less secure our negotiating
0:13:06 > 0:13:10position becomes to secure the right deal for the British people.
0:13:10 > 0:13:13We can discuss here all sorts of processes or whether it
0:13:13 > 0:13:18will undermine negotiations but will he not agree that
0:13:18 > 0:13:21withholding this information is now becoming very counter-productive
0:13:21 > 0:13:24and it looks like it is hiding bad news.
0:13:24 > 0:13:28It seems to me that the only scenario in which releasing any
0:13:28 > 0:13:33information can possibly undermine the UK's position is if that
0:13:33 > 0:13:36information shows the cost of Brexit is worse than any previous
0:13:36 > 0:13:38analysis has indicated.
0:13:38 > 0:13:40This is grown-up, serious stuff.
0:13:40 > 0:13:43The days of shouting from the sidelines, I say
0:13:43 > 0:13:46to honourable members on this side, have gone.
0:13:46 > 0:13:51You've won, you are in charge of this, now you have to face up
0:13:51 > 0:13:56to the responsibility of delivering a Brexit that works
0:13:56 > 0:14:00for everybody in this country and for generations to come.
0:14:00 > 0:14:02After the debate, there was no formal vote because the government
0:14:02 > 0:14:05chose not to oppose the motion.
0:14:05 > 0:14:06But the government decided to act.
0:14:06 > 0:14:09So the question for Thursday was: when would the papers be released
0:14:09 > 0:14:11to the Brexit Committee?
0:14:11 > 0:14:15When will the papers be handed over?
0:14:15 > 0:14:21The right honourable gentleman was present for the whole
0:14:21 > 0:14:22of yesterday's debate.
0:14:22 > 0:14:25As he notes, I said that I would respond
0:14:25 > 0:14:28appropriately and we will do.
0:14:28 > 0:14:29The Secretary of State himself issued a health
0:14:30 > 0:14:31warning about the papers.
0:14:31 > 0:14:34I will reiterate the point made by my honourable friend,
0:14:34 > 0:14:37and that is these documents are not some sort of grand plan.
0:14:37 > 0:14:41They are data about the regulations, the markets, and individual sectors
0:14:41 > 0:14:43which will form a negotiation.
0:14:43 > 0:14:46Of course, we will be as open as we can be
0:14:46 > 0:14:48with the select committee.
0:14:48 > 0:14:50I fully intend to.
0:14:50 > 0:14:53But shadow ministers wanted a definitive date.
0:14:53 > 0:14:56He said in the cool light of tomorrow, we will revisit exactly
0:14:56 > 0:14:58what was said in Hansard.
0:14:58 > 0:15:02In the cool light of today, the minister got up this morning
0:15:02 > 0:15:03and said, in due course.
0:15:03 > 0:15:07It is the case that it is difficult to balance the conflicting
0:15:07 > 0:15:12obligation to detect the public interest through not disclosing
0:15:12 > 0:15:17information that could harm the national interest and the public
0:15:17 > 0:15:26into, whilst at the same time ensuring that the resolution
0:15:26 > 0:15:28of the House passed yesterday is as feared to.
0:15:28 > 0:15:29Andrea Leadsom.
0:15:29 > 0:15:31And now for a look at some of the other stories
0:15:31 > 0:15:33from Westminster this week.
0:15:33 > 0:15:35There was a call for tyres which are more then ten
0:15:35 > 0:15:37years old to be banned from buses and coaches.
0:15:37 > 0:15:40Three people were killed when a tyre burst on the coach
0:15:40 > 0:15:41they were travelling in.
0:15:41 > 0:15:43One of the victims, Michael Molloy, was just 18.
0:15:43 > 0:15:45The tyre on the coach was older than he was.
0:15:46 > 0:15:48His mother Frances is heartbroken.
0:15:48 > 0:15:53She thought coach travel was a safe form
0:15:53 > 0:15:54of public transport.
0:15:54 > 0:15:57Yet the coach to which she entrusted her son
0:15:57 > 0:16:01turned out to be a death trap because of 19 and a half year old
0:16:01 > 0:16:04tyre that no one could see was going to burst
0:16:04 > 0:16:09because of the deterioration caused by its age.
0:16:09 > 0:16:13The maximum stake for a fixed-odds betting terminal could drop
0:16:13 > 0:16:16to as little as £2 under a government review.
0:16:16 > 0:16:19Currently, people can bet up to £100 every 20
0:16:19 > 0:16:22seconds on fobty machines, as they're known.
0:16:22 > 0:16:25But Labour's spokesman said the government's announcement
0:16:25 > 0:16:27was a victory for the gambling industry, as he set out
0:16:27 > 0:16:29the scale of the problems.
0:16:29 > 0:16:35430,000 people addicted to gambling. Up a third in three years.
0:16:35 > 0:16:41A further 2 million problem gamblers at risk of developing an addiction.
0:16:41 > 0:16:47£1.8 billion lost on fobtys this year, an increase of 79% over
0:16:47 > 0:16:50the last eight years.
0:16:50 > 0:16:54A gambling industry whose yield the amount they win in bets has
0:16:54 > 0:17:00increased to £13.8 billion, up from £8.3 billion in 2009.
0:17:00 > 0:17:05And, yet, they only pay £10 million for education and treatment services
0:17:05 > 0:17:08on a voluntary levy this year.
0:17:08 > 0:17:11A report into the experiences of the families of football fans
0:17:11 > 0:17:14who died at Hillsborough has called for a change in culture to stop
0:17:14 > 0:17:18the burning injustice in the way bereaved relatives are treated.
0:17:18 > 0:17:2296 Liverpool supporters were unlawfully killed in the disaster.
0:17:22 > 0:17:30I worry that the pain and suffering of the Hillsborough families
0:17:30 > 0:17:31is already being repeated.
0:17:31 > 0:17:36So can the Prime Minister commit had government to supporting both
0:17:36 > 0:17:40the duty of candour for all public officials, and as this report
0:17:40 > 0:17:50requires, and end to public bodies spending limitless sums,
0:17:53 > 0:17:54spending limitless sums,
0:17:54 > 0:17:55providing themselves with representation which surpasses
0:17:55 > 0:17:56that available to families.
0:17:56 > 0:17:59The government must urgently review how prepared it is for a flu
0:17:59 > 0:18:00outbreak this winter.
0:18:00 > 0:18:03That was the demand from opposition peers debating the take-up
0:18:03 > 0:18:04level of flu vaccinations in England and Wales.
0:18:04 > 0:18:08The problem with viral infections is, like pandemics,
0:18:08 > 0:18:11they are completely unpredictable and often hit in a way
0:18:11 > 0:18:12that we never expect beforehand.
0:18:12 > 0:18:15They remain one of the single biggest threats to humanity,
0:18:15 > 0:18:18and I hope you understand that this unpredictability is a very real
0:18:18 > 0:18:20issue with all these infections, including influenza,
0:18:20 > 0:18:23as history has shown us.
0:18:23 > 0:18:26In the Commons, a Labour MP has introduced legislation to change
0:18:26 > 0:18:29the way force is used in mental health units in England.
0:18:29 > 0:18:33Steve Reed dedicated his bill to 23-year-old Shaney Lewis,
0:18:33 > 0:18:37who was taken to hospital by his parents after suffering his
0:18:37 > 0:18:40first ever mental health episode.
0:18:40 > 0:18:43The MP described how hospital staff called the police when Shaney Lewis
0:18:43 > 0:18:46became very agitated.
0:18:46 > 0:18:5011 police officers took Shaney into seclusion room, and using pain
0:18:50 > 0:18:53compliance techniques, the kind that are used
0:18:53 > 0:18:55against violent criminals,
0:18:55 > 0:19:02they took it in turns to hold him facedown on the floor for 30
0:19:02 > 0:19:04minutes in total.
0:19:04 > 0:19:11His hands were cuffed behind his back and his legs
0:19:11 > 0:19:12were in restraints.
0:19:12 > 0:19:15They held him like that until he could no longer breathe,
0:19:15 > 0:19:16and he suffered a heart attack.
0:19:16 > 0:19:19He went into a coma, and four days later, Shaney was dead.
0:19:19 > 0:19:22So, the question is let the bill be read a second time.
0:19:22 > 0:19:24As many of the opinion say, "Aye." ALL: Aye!
0:19:24 > 0:19:25On the contrary, no. SILENCE.
0:19:25 > 0:19:26The ayes have it.
0:19:26 > 0:19:31The bill was voted through to the next stage.
0:19:31 > 0:19:34A bill to allow people to vote at the age of 16 has been
0:19:34 > 0:19:35debated in the Commons.
0:19:35 > 0:19:38A large contingent of Labour MPs turned up to try to get the measure
0:19:38 > 0:19:40through to the next stage.
0:19:40 > 0:19:43People were demanding that we take control.
0:19:43 > 0:19:50And I think the very fact that the way today has gone means
0:19:50 > 0:19:53we might not even get to vote today.
0:19:53 > 0:19:58I think the government benches are to be very concerned because 16
0:19:58 > 0:20:01and 17-year-olds today might be denied the right to vote,
0:20:01 > 0:20:10but in two years' time, they will...
0:20:12 > 0:20:14They will remember...
0:20:14 > 0:20:16A democratic right.
0:20:16 > 0:20:18You have caused me to change my speech.
0:20:18 > 0:20:28I was going to talk to the House about Roman democracy
0:20:30 > 0:20:32and indeed the influence on the Napoleonic code.
0:20:32 > 0:20:35Instead, I am disappointed that the he spent 13 minutes
0:20:35 > 0:20:40speaking nonsense and partisan speechifying rather than dealing
0:20:40 > 0:20:41with the substance of the argument.
0:20:41 > 0:20:45Any voting age is somewhat arbitrary.
0:20:45 > 0:20:47However, there is some argument in favour of retaining the status
0:20:47 > 0:20:55quo, and the arguments in favour of lowering the voting
0:20:55 > 0:20:59age or at best somewhat muddled and inconsistent.
0:20:59 > 0:21:02A line must be clearly drawn somewhere and the present age of 18
0:21:02 > 0:21:04is widely accepted across society, and indeed widely accepted
0:21:04 > 0:21:07across the vast majority of countries in the world,
0:21:07 > 0:21:10only a tiny fraction of which have a lower voting age
0:21:10 > 0:21:11than the United Kingdom.
0:21:11 > 0:21:14The measure ran out of time for debate.
0:21:14 > 0:21:16Paintings of Parliament by Claude Monet take centre stage
0:21:16 > 0:21:18in a new exhibition at Tate Britain.
0:21:18 > 0:21:21"Impressionists in London" features the work of French artists who fled
0:21:21 > 0:21:23the Franco-Prussian War.
0:21:23 > 0:21:25Claire Gould reports.
0:21:37 > 0:21:41Iconic images of Westminster.
0:21:41 > 0:21:45On show at Tate Britain.
0:21:45 > 0:21:48Six paintings from Claude Monet's Houses of Parliament series,
0:21:48 > 0:21:54the largest number on show together in Europe since 1973.
0:21:56 > 0:22:00Monet first came to London to escape conscription in France.
0:22:00 > 0:22:03Decades later, he spent three winters by the
0:22:03 > 0:22:05Thames, working on dozens of canvases.
0:22:11 > 0:22:16The Palace of Westminster was seen as being gigantic.
0:22:16 > 0:22:19It was commented on the fact that the Victoria
0:22:19 > 0:22:22Tower was that tallest in Europe and is the one that Monet
0:22:22 > 0:22:28represented in this picture.
0:22:28 > 0:22:30He didn't paint Big Ben at all.
0:22:30 > 0:22:32And there was a fascination for the Houses of
0:22:32 > 0:22:34Parliament as a symbol of the British Empire,
0:22:34 > 0:22:37and as a symbol of wealth at a time when France really in
0:22:37 > 0:22:40difficulty.
0:22:40 > 0:22:46And what to him to Westminster was the weather.
0:22:52 > 0:22:55He would come to the Houses of Parliament in winter and make sure
0:22:55 > 0:22:57there was fog because he was not in London otherwise.
0:22:57 > 0:23:00And he always walked from the Savoy where he
0:23:00 > 0:23:05stayed, at about 4pm, so that he could catch the sunset,
0:23:05 > 0:23:08and have this backlit effect on the Houses of Parliament.
0:23:08 > 0:23:11And through that effect, the sun refracting through the fog,
0:23:11 > 0:23:15he managed to achieve these extraordinary pictures.
0:23:24 > 0:23:26And Impressionists in London is at Tate Britain until April.
0:23:26 > 0:23:29Now let's take a look at what's been happening in the wider world
0:23:29 > 0:23:31of politics this week.
0:23:31 > 0:23:33Here's Alex Partridge with our countdown.
0:23:38 > 0:23:42Congratulations to Labour's Angela Rayner.
0:23:42 > 0:23:45Accepting the Rising Star award at the Spectator's annual award
0:23:45 > 0:23:48bash, she told the audience she was only there for the free food.
0:23:50 > 0:23:53Collins Dictionary named their word of the year and it is that favourite
0:23:53 > 0:23:54of Donald Trump, fake news.
0:23:54 > 0:23:57It has certainly been on the mind of MPs
0:23:57 > 0:24:01and peers to with 86 mentions in Parliament this year.
0:24:01 > 0:24:03Spin, phoney, fake.
0:24:05 > 0:24:08Conservative MP Douglas Ross caused a furore when he ran a line to play
0:24:08 > 0:24:15the Champions League game in Barcelona.
0:24:15 > 0:24:18But this week, he announced he will no longer referee
0:24:18 > 0:24:19games whilst parliament is sitting,
0:24:19 > 0:24:22ending his hopes of going to next summer's World Cup.
0:24:22 > 0:24:23European Commission president Jean-Claude
0:24:23 > 0:24:25Juncker has received an honorary degree in Portugal this week and
0:24:25 > 0:24:33also got a unique academic dress.
0:24:33 > 0:24:35And move over George Osborne, fake could be another former politician
0:24:35 > 0:24:36in journalism.
0:24:36 > 0:24:39Alex Salmond is part of a group that wants to take
0:24:39 > 0:24:40control of the Scotsman newspaper.
0:24:40 > 0:24:43He says he wants it to be more pro-Scotland.
0:24:45 > 0:24:47Alex Partridge.
0:24:47 > 0:24:51And finally, ministers like to show they're being straight with MPs.
0:24:51 > 0:24:54And so it was when Boris Johnson appeared before
0:24:54 > 0:24:55the Foreign Affairs Committee.
0:24:55 > 0:24:58I don't want to be...
0:24:58 > 0:25:01You're doing a very good job of it.
0:25:01 > 0:25:03On the contrary, I don't think the committee could possibly be
0:25:03 > 0:25:06misled by anything I have said since I
0:25:06 > 0:25:07haven't said anything...
0:25:07 > 0:25:11Exactly.
0:25:11 > 0:25:14A rare example of a politician not only failing
0:25:14 > 0:25:17to answer a question but making a feature of it.
0:25:17 > 0:25:18And that's it.
0:25:18 > 0:25:21But do join Keith Macdougall on BBC Parliament on Monday night at 11pm
0:25:21 > 0:25:24for a full round up of the day here at Westminster.
0:25:24 > 0:25:28But for now, from me, Mandy Baker, goodbye.