0:00:21 > 0:00:25Hello - and welcome to the programme on the day Theresa May makes
0:00:25 > 0:00:30a U-turn and announces she wants a General Election on June the 8th.
0:00:30 > 0:00:34Labour MPs condemn the change of heart.
0:00:34 > 0:00:36What I cannot understand from what the Leader of the House
0:00:36 > 0:00:42has said today is how any of this makes things clearer.
0:00:42 > 0:00:46But ministers argue an election is necessary.
0:00:46 > 0:00:51To provide the clarity and the stability that the entire
0:00:51 > 0:00:53United Kingdom needs.
0:00:53 > 0:00:55Also on this programme.
0:00:55 > 0:00:58The foreign secretary tells MPs the US military response
0:00:58 > 0:01:02to the chemical attacks in Syria was necessary and appropriate.
0:01:02 > 0:01:04And...
0:01:04 > 0:01:09What will Brexit mean for the UK's creative industries?
0:01:09 > 0:01:13But first, it's rare for political secrets not to spill out somewhere -
0:01:13 > 0:01:16but there was genuine surprise around Westminster when journalists
0:01:16 > 0:01:19were called to Downing Street and Theresa May announced she wanted
0:01:19 > 0:01:22to hold a general election on June the 8th.
0:01:22 > 0:01:25The hastily assembled reporters could be forgiven for not
0:01:25 > 0:01:29expecting the PM's big news, given that Mrs May has
0:01:29 > 0:01:34repeatedly rejected the idea of going to the country before 2020.
0:01:34 > 0:01:37In her statement she explained why she'd changed her mind -
0:01:37 > 0:01:42and said MPs would vote on Wednesday on her proposal.
0:01:42 > 0:01:45Under the Fixed Term Parliaments Act two-thirds of MPs must
0:01:45 > 0:01:49back her for Parliament to be dissolved.
0:01:49 > 0:01:53Mrs May set out why she now felt an election was needed.
0:01:53 > 0:01:57At this moment of enormous national significance,
0:01:57 > 0:02:00there should be unity here in Westminster.
0:02:00 > 0:02:03But instead there is division.
0:02:03 > 0:02:09The country is coming together, but Westminster is not.
0:02:09 > 0:02:13In recent weeks Labour have threatened to vote
0:02:13 > 0:02:16against the final agreement we reach with the European Union.
0:02:16 > 0:02:20The Liberal Democrats have said they want to grind the business
0:02:20 > 0:02:22of government to a standstill.
0:02:22 > 0:02:26The Scottish National Party said they will vote
0:02:26 > 0:02:28against the legislation that formally repeals Britain's
0:02:28 > 0:02:30membership of the European Union.
0:02:30 > 0:02:34And unelected members of the House of Lords have vowed to fight us
0:02:34 > 0:02:37every step of the way.
0:02:37 > 0:02:40She said that jeopardised the work to prepare for Brexit and weakened
0:02:40 > 0:02:44the government's negotiating position in Europe.
0:02:44 > 0:02:47Division in Westminster will risk our ability to make
0:02:47 > 0:02:49a success of Brexit.
0:02:49 > 0:02:51And it will cause damaging uncertainty
0:02:51 > 0:02:55and instability to the country.
0:02:55 > 0:02:58So we need a general election and we need one now.
0:02:58 > 0:03:03Because we have at this moment a one-off chance to get this done.
0:03:03 > 0:03:06While the European Union agrees its negotiating position
0:03:06 > 0:03:11and before the detailed talks begin.
0:03:11 > 0:03:14I have only recently, and reluctantly, come
0:03:14 > 0:03:17to this conclusion.
0:03:17 > 0:03:20Since I became Prime Minister I have said that there should be no
0:03:20 > 0:03:22election until 2020.
0:03:22 > 0:03:25But now I have concluded that the only way to guarantee
0:03:25 > 0:03:29certainty and stability for the years ahead is to hold this
0:03:29 > 0:03:36election and secure support for the decisions I must take.
0:03:36 > 0:03:38Theresa May - making her big surprise announcement
0:03:38 > 0:03:40in Downing Street.
0:03:40 > 0:03:43Well a couple of hours later the leader of the Commons,
0:03:43 > 0:03:46David Lidington, explained to MPs what would happen now.
0:03:46 > 0:03:49He confirmed there'd be a 90 minute debate,
0:03:49 > 0:03:52followed by a vote on a motion proposing an election
0:03:52 > 0:03:58on June the 8th.
0:03:58 > 0:04:00The Shadow Leader of the House argued the Prime Minister's
0:04:00 > 0:04:02announcement had broken a previous promise.
0:04:02 > 0:04:04This is a massive U-turn because at least seven times,
0:04:04 > 0:04:07most recently on March the 20th, the Prime Minister has ruled out
0:04:07 > 0:04:09an early general election.
0:04:09 > 0:04:12The Prime Minister said, I'm not going to be calling a snap election,
0:04:12 > 0:04:15I have been very clear that I think we need that period of time,
0:04:15 > 0:04:18that stability, to be able to deal with the issues that the country
0:04:18 > 0:04:22is facing and have that election in 2020.
0:04:22 > 0:04:25Clearly this government cannot be trusted.
0:04:25 > 0:04:28I have to say I don't recollect any previous Labour Prime Minister
0:04:28 > 0:04:31announcing a general election on the floor of
0:04:31 > 0:04:36the House of Commons.
0:04:36 > 0:04:38My right honourable friend this morning went about things
0:04:38 > 0:04:41in the time-honoured fashion.
0:04:41 > 0:04:47What she is putting to the country is the case for this government
0:04:47 > 0:04:51to go forward on the basis of a clear mandate to provide
0:04:51 > 0:04:59the clarity and the stability that the entire United Kingdom needs.
0:04:59 > 0:05:02It is not actually in the gift of the Prime Minister's side
0:05:02 > 0:05:05whether there is a general election or not, it will be this House.
0:05:05 > 0:05:07And if Her Majesty's opposition don't want a general election,
0:05:07 > 0:05:10can't face it, are worried about annihilation, they will not
0:05:10 > 0:05:16vote for it tomorrow.
0:05:16 > 0:05:17I agree completely with my honourable friend.
0:05:17 > 0:05:20I thank the leader of the House for his short
0:05:20 > 0:05:23but incendiary statement.
0:05:23 > 0:05:26We on these benches are hearing that this was not the time
0:05:26 > 0:05:29for these type of big decisions and the sole focus of this
0:05:29 > 0:05:31government should really be on their hard Brexit.
0:05:31 > 0:05:33This Mr Speaker is one of the most extraordinary U-turns
0:05:33 > 0:05:37in political history.
0:05:37 > 0:05:40And the Fixed-term Parliaments Act as we know is the biggest waste
0:05:40 > 0:05:43of this House's time possible.
0:05:43 > 0:05:46The calling of the general election now returns to a Prime Minister
0:05:46 > 0:05:49and the interests of party now come before the interests of country.
0:05:49 > 0:05:52The Prime Minister wasn't for calling a snap general election,
0:05:52 > 0:05:56but now she is, perhaps sensing a political opportunity.
0:05:56 > 0:06:00The choice to go for an election now is hers and hers alone
0:06:00 > 0:06:03as it was the choice of a hard Brexit.
0:06:03 > 0:06:07Will the Leader of the House make time available before the general
0:06:07 > 0:06:11election campaign starts for this House to be able to discuss
0:06:11 > 0:06:18the party of government's failure on the NHS, tackling violent crime,
0:06:18 > 0:06:22and dealing with people with disabilities and their benefits?
0:06:22 > 0:06:25I am astonished, Mr Speaker, that the right honourable gentleman
0:06:25 > 0:06:28on behalf of the Liberal Democrats was able to talk about political
0:06:28 > 0:06:38opportunism with a straight face.
0:06:39 > 0:06:43It was a decision that the Prime Minister alone has to take to put
0:06:43 > 0:06:46forward the motion tomorrow, but it will be a decision for every
0:06:46 > 0:06:49member of the House of Commons tomorrow when we meet to decide
0:06:49 > 0:06:53whether or not that is approved.
0:06:53 > 0:06:58Can we find time in what is left of this Parliament to have a debate
0:06:58 > 0:07:04about why she decided to trigger Article 50 and then throw the entire
0:07:04 > 0:07:10planning into doubt by then calling a general election which will waste
0:07:10 > 0:07:12at least three months of the precious, small amount
0:07:12 > 0:07:20of time we have left to get the best deal for Britain?
0:07:20 > 0:07:25Mr Speaker, far from throwing things into doubt,
0:07:25 > 0:07:30what the Prime Minister's decision has done is to provide,
0:07:30 > 0:07:35assuming that the people return the government,
0:07:35 > 0:07:37and it will be a choice for the people to take,
0:07:37 > 0:07:40that there will be the clarity of having a mandate behind
0:07:40 > 0:07:44the Prime Minister and her government to deliver a successful
0:07:44 > 0:07:46negotiation over the course of, and implemented over the course
0:07:46 > 0:07:54of a five-year term.
0:07:54 > 0:07:58Will the leader confirm that should the legislation pass tomorrow,
0:07:58 > 0:08:03what we're doing is voting for a new Prime Minister for just
0:08:03 > 0:08:05two years over Brexit, but for a new Prime Minister
0:08:05 > 0:08:12for the duration of a Parliament of five years.
0:08:12 > 0:08:15Many of us are expecting therefore that either the current
0:08:15 > 0:08:19Prime Minister or the leader of the Labour Party will walk
0:08:19 > 0:08:22through the door of Number Ten post June the eighth.
0:08:22 > 0:08:24Could he encourage my right honourable friend the Prime Minister
0:08:24 > 0:08:27to go head-to-head in as many TV debates with the Leader
0:08:27 > 0:08:31of the Opposition as possible before June the eighth?
0:08:31 > 0:08:33In calling a snap election is it seriously the view
0:08:33 > 0:08:36of the British Government that a UK election will really change the EU
0:08:37 > 0:08:4127 negotiating position?
0:08:41 > 0:08:46If so, Mr Speaker, is it not guilty of living in a land of fantasy?
0:08:46 > 0:08:52I think that what will be important is that newly elected leaders
0:08:52 > 0:09:00in France and in Germany will meet a newly re-elected Prime Minister
0:09:00 > 0:09:04of the United Kingdom, all of them with the confidence
0:09:04 > 0:09:09that they have mandates from their voters as they approach
0:09:09 > 0:09:13those negotiations in a constructive spirit.
0:09:13 > 0:09:16What I cannot understand from what the Leader of the House
0:09:16 > 0:09:19has said today is how any of this makes things clearer,
0:09:19 > 0:09:23makes us feel more stable.
0:09:23 > 0:09:27More secure.
0:09:27 > 0:09:31This, all I ask is how does this look to people outside.
0:09:31 > 0:09:33And as somebody who came from outside, it looks
0:09:33 > 0:09:38like political opportunism.
0:09:38 > 0:09:41David Lidington said he hoped people would believe the Prime Minister
0:09:41 > 0:09:43was seeking a mandate for a government to carry
0:09:43 > 0:09:49through challenging and ambitious European negotiations.
0:09:49 > 0:09:51Well just ahead of those exchanges the Shadow Chancellor
0:09:51 > 0:09:53John McDonnell accused Theresa May of breaking her promises
0:09:53 > 0:09:57by calling an early election.
0:09:57 > 0:10:00His attack came at Treasury questions - where MPs
0:10:00 > 0:10:04had their first chance to react to the news in the chamber.
0:10:04 > 0:10:08The Chancellor, Philip Hammond defended the decision to ask
0:10:08 > 0:10:11the Commons to back the date - and he attacked Labour,
0:10:11 > 0:10:15saying the party remained "as fiscally incontinent as ever".
0:10:15 > 0:10:18Mr Speaker, as you know this morning the Prime Minister has called
0:10:18 > 0:10:21the general election.
0:10:21 > 0:10:24She is breaking her commitment to not holding an early election
0:10:24 > 0:10:29made only weeks ago.
0:10:29 > 0:10:33She has blamed Brexit, she has blamed our European neighbours,
0:10:33 > 0:10:35she has blamed the parties on these benches.
0:10:35 > 0:10:37But the real truth is that after seven wasted years
0:10:37 > 0:10:41of failure under the Tories, they have failed to close
0:10:41 > 0:10:44the deficit, they have added 700 billion to the national debt,
0:10:44 > 0:10:47pay is falling behind prices, 4 million children
0:10:47 > 0:10:49are growing up in poverty.
0:10:49 > 0:10:52Our schools are in crisis, more people than ever
0:10:52 > 0:10:55on NHS waiting lists, more families homeless,
0:10:55 > 0:10:58more elderly people not getting the care they need.
0:10:58 > 0:11:02Will the Chancellor use this last opportunity before the election
0:11:02 > 0:11:05to apologise to the British people for the utter failure of this
0:11:05 > 0:11:08government's economic policies and for the pain he has inflicted
0:11:08 > 0:11:13on this country?
0:11:13 > 0:11:15Well, Mr Speaker, the honourable gentleman has got some brass neck
0:11:15 > 0:11:19to stand there and accuse us of having failed to eliminate
0:11:19 > 0:11:22the deficit, when his policy is to add another ?500 billion to
0:11:22 > 0:11:26it overnight.
0:11:26 > 0:11:29The British people understand very well what is going on here.
0:11:29 > 0:11:32A Conservative government which is maintaining growth,
0:11:32 > 0:11:35which has got unemployment down, record levels of employment.
0:11:35 > 0:11:38And a steadily closing deficit.
0:11:38 > 0:11:42And a Labour Party which remains as fiscally incontinent as ever
0:11:42 > 0:11:49and if given a chance, would wreck this economy once again.
0:11:49 > 0:11:52There we have it, Mr Speaker, not one word of apology.
0:11:52 > 0:11:55No contrition whatsoever from a Chancellor who has
0:11:55 > 0:11:59broken his promises to the British people and still failing to deliver
0:11:59 > 0:12:09on a manifesto elected only 23 months ago.
0:12:11 > 0:12:13They're entering this election having scheduled ?70
0:12:13 > 0:12:14billion of tax giveaways.
0:12:14 > 0:12:15For whom?
0:12:15 > 0:12:16For the super-rich and for the corporations
0:12:16 > 0:12:18of the next five years.
0:12:18 > 0:12:21They're entering an election with a 2 billion unfunded
0:12:21 > 0:12:22black hole in the budget.
0:12:22 > 0:12:26That the Chancellor delivered only a few weeks ago.
0:12:26 > 0:12:29So will the Chancellor now use this opportunity before the general
0:12:29 > 0:12:34election to put on record his party will rule out raising VAT,
0:12:34 > 0:12:39rule out raising income tax, and will he commit unequivocally
0:12:39 > 0:12:43to support legislation to protect the triple lock?
0:12:43 > 0:12:45If the Tories cannot be straight with the British people,
0:12:45 > 0:12:51Mr Speaker, Labour will be.
0:12:51 > 0:12:54Mr Speaker, the truth is promises made from that side of the House
0:12:54 > 0:12:58are not worth the paper they're written on and the voters of this
0:12:58 > 0:13:01country, the pensioners of this country, the workers of this
0:13:01 > 0:13:05country, understand that very well and they will give their verdict
0:13:05 > 0:13:09on Labour's promises on June the eighth.
0:13:09 > 0:13:12Can the Chancellor tell us which will be first to go
0:13:12 > 0:13:14in the upcoming Tory manifesto?
0:13:14 > 0:13:18The pledge on international aid spending, the triple lock,
0:13:18 > 0:13:21or promise not to raise any new taxes?
0:13:21 > 0:13:23Mr Speaker, I'm afraid the honourable gentleman will just
0:13:23 > 0:13:26have to contain himself and ready his money and he will be
0:13:26 > 0:13:28able to buy a copy in due course.
0:13:28 > 0:13:29Philip Hammond.
0:13:29 > 0:13:33The US military action in Syria was a "necessary,
0:13:33 > 0:13:36appropriate and justified response to an awful crime",
0:13:36 > 0:13:41the Foreign Secretary has told the House of Commons.
0:13:41 > 0:13:44Boris Johnson was giving details to MPs on the evidence linking
0:13:44 > 0:13:49the Assad regime with a chemical attack on the Idlib province.
0:13:49 > 0:13:54Mr Johnson said the US Secretary of State had contacted the British
0:13:54 > 0:13:56government asking for political support - but said it would be
0:13:56 > 0:13:59difficult for Britain to say no to a request for practical support
0:13:59 > 0:14:02in the future.
0:14:02 > 0:14:05Mr Johnson also updated MPs on the political
0:14:05 > 0:14:10situation in North Korea following a failed missile test.
0:14:10 > 0:14:13The Foreign Secretary called on China to use
0:14:13 > 0:14:16its influence with the country.
0:14:16 > 0:14:19He began his statement paying tribute to Britons who had died
0:14:19 > 0:14:22in tragic circumstances in Stockholm and Jerusalem.
0:14:22 > 0:14:25Chris Bennington was among four people who died in Sweden
0:14:25 > 0:14:28when a truck was driven into pedestrians
0:14:28 > 0:14:30on the 7th of April.
0:14:30 > 0:14:34Hannah Bladen was stabbed to death in Jerusalem on Good Friday
0:14:34 > 0:14:37in a senseless attack.
0:14:37 > 0:14:40Our thoughts and prayers are with their families.
0:14:40 > 0:14:44He laid out what was known about the Syria chemical weapons attack.
0:14:44 > 0:14:50We know beyond doubt that to Sukhoi 22 aircraft took off from Shara
0:14:50 > 0:14:59airfield where we know chemical weapons are stored.
0:14:59 > 0:15:02We know that they were overhead at 6:39 when according
0:15:02 > 0:15:09to eyewitness accounts, the attack took place.
0:15:09 > 0:15:14We know from shell fragments in the crater that not only had
0:15:14 > 0:15:18sarin gas been used, but sarin gas carrying the specific
0:15:18 > 0:15:23chemical signature of sarin gas used by the Assad regime.
0:15:23 > 0:15:29We were given advance notice of the operation but at no stage did
0:15:29 > 0:15:31the US administration ask for UK military help, only
0:15:31 > 0:15:33for political support.
0:15:33 > 0:15:37Advance warning was given to Russian military personnel
0:15:37 > 0:15:41who were co-located with the Syrian air force at the same place
0:15:41 > 0:15:45to minimise the risk of casualties.
0:15:45 > 0:15:50The government believes that the US action was a necessary, appropriate,
0:15:50 > 0:15:54and justified response to an awful crime.
0:15:54 > 0:15:57He moved on to North Korea.
0:15:57 > 0:16:01The regime is now developing intercontinental ballistic missile
0:16:01 > 0:16:03is which would be capable of delivering a nuclear strike
0:16:03 > 0:16:07on the mainland United States.
0:16:07 > 0:16:09These weapons have not yet been fully tested,
0:16:09 > 0:16:11but no one can be complacent about the potential
0:16:11 > 0:16:14threat they pose.
0:16:14 > 0:16:19Yesterday I spoke to my Chinese counterpart Wang Yi and I urged him
0:16:19 > 0:16:24to use Beijing's unique influence to restrain North Korea
0:16:24 > 0:16:29and to allow a peaceful resolution of this crisis.
0:16:29 > 0:16:31He ended last week disowned by Downing Street, ignored by Russia
0:16:31 > 0:16:34and humiliated by the G7.
0:16:34 > 0:16:37The only straw he can cling onto, we presume, is this.
0:16:37 > 0:16:39That the United States State Department is still telling
0:16:39 > 0:16:42him what to say and do and which countries
0:16:42 > 0:16:45he is allowed to visit.
0:16:45 > 0:16:48The Foreign Secretary rightly condemns the ongoing nuclear
0:16:48 > 0:16:52and missile programmes being pursued by Kim Jong-un's regime.
0:16:52 > 0:16:55I hope he will agree that, like Syria, this is a crisis
0:16:55 > 0:16:56which can only be resolved through coordinated
0:16:56 > 0:16:58international action, through the de-escalation tensions
0:16:58 > 0:17:04and ultimately through negotiations.
0:17:04 > 0:17:08So can he assure us that Britain will argue against any unilateral
0:17:08 > 0:17:12military action taken by the United States and instead
0:17:12 > 0:17:13urgently back China's call for the resumption
0:17:13 > 0:17:16of the six party talks?
0:17:16 > 0:17:19When it comes to North Korea the world needs statesmanship,
0:17:19 > 0:17:24not brinkmanship.
0:17:24 > 0:17:27The US air strikes on the Shayrat airfield and the demonstration
0:17:27 > 0:17:29of the unpredictability of the Trump administration, which many fear
0:17:29 > 0:17:32will only cause further escalation of the conflict,
0:17:32 > 0:17:35in their rush to congratulate the administration on the recent air
0:17:35 > 0:17:39strikes, did the UK Government consider the repercussions?
0:17:39 > 0:17:42Until now, coalition aircraft have operated with relative freedom
0:17:42 > 0:17:45against Daesh in eastern Syria.
0:17:45 > 0:17:50Now Russia has suspended its US Russia air operations accord
0:17:50 > 0:17:53and the Assad regime will likely activate its extensive air defences.
0:17:53 > 0:17:56The skies above Syria will therefore be much more dangerous for UK pilots
0:17:56 > 0:18:02while Syrian civilians on the ground will suffer even more.
0:18:02 > 0:18:06Could I invite him to put pressure on the United States to try and dial
0:18:06 > 0:18:07down the public rhetoric?
0:18:07 > 0:18:11There is an element in which North Korea is something
0:18:11 > 0:18:14like an attention seeking child.
0:18:14 > 0:18:19It happens to belong to somebody else, in this case China.
0:18:19 > 0:18:21And whilst the United States has proper responsibilities
0:18:21 > 0:18:23to the other nations in the area about their security,
0:18:23 > 0:18:25ratcheting up the rhetoric with North Korea is probably
0:18:25 > 0:18:29the wrong way in publicly dealing with them.
0:18:29 > 0:18:33The chair of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee, Crispin Blunt.
0:18:33 > 0:18:35You're watching Tuesday in Parliament, with me,
0:18:35 > 0:18:42Alicia McCarthy.
0:18:42 > 0:18:46Fashion industry leaders have told MPs that the UK's departure
0:18:46 > 0:18:48from the EU could put their haute couture designs at
0:18:48 > 0:18:51risk of being copied.
0:18:51 > 0:18:54Representatives of British clothes designers, giving evidence
0:18:54 > 0:18:55to the Culture Committee, explained the current
0:18:55 > 0:19:01system of rights.
0:19:01 > 0:19:03That allows at the moment within the EU for you to
0:19:03 > 0:19:07disclose your design, which of course is quite
0:19:07 > 0:19:10often done at trade fairs or at London Fashion Week itself.
0:19:10 > 0:19:13And the EU registration around that covers not only
0:19:13 > 0:19:17specifics around design, but surface pattern as well,
0:19:17 > 0:19:18which is very important, particularly in terms
0:19:18 > 0:19:22of the designer sector.
0:19:22 > 0:19:26Now, it is because this has to be disclosed first within the EU
0:19:26 > 0:19:33that our deep concern is that post-exiting the EU those rights
0:19:35 > 0:19:37wouldn't be recognised.
0:19:37 > 0:19:39If you were to disclose your collection at London Fashion Week,
0:19:39 > 0:19:41for instance, that those rights won't be protected.
0:19:41 > 0:19:46And all those copyright issues that tend to arise,
0:19:46 > 0:19:48particularly through the high-end designer sector won't
0:19:48 > 0:19:50necessarily be protected.
0:19:50 > 0:19:53That means it is a real challenge for London Fashion Week
0:19:53 > 0:19:56because everyone is going to want to be able to protect their designs
0:19:56 > 0:20:01as best as possible.
0:20:01 > 0:20:03I have got my trademarks registered under EU trademarking.
0:20:03 > 0:20:08It gets renewed every so many years.
0:20:08 > 0:20:11I don't know what that means now when we are out of it.
0:20:11 > 0:20:12And I protected?
0:20:12 > 0:20:14So you have to have a lot of economies registered,
0:20:14 > 0:20:16trademarks on this EU trade, intellectual property
0:20:16 > 0:20:22right, which are going to have to be unravelled.
0:20:22 > 0:20:25So it is a mess.
0:20:25 > 0:20:29You know, but with every situation like this there are opportunities
0:20:29 > 0:20:31and so it really requires fresh thinking, but innovation
0:20:31 > 0:20:33from the Government and really thinking about how you compete
0:20:33 > 0:20:40and it requires investment.
0:20:40 > 0:20:4294% of everything on the High Street is imported.
0:20:42 > 0:20:4570% of everything on the High Street is imported from non-EU sources.
0:20:45 > 0:20:48So if you take a country like Bangladesh, for instance,
0:20:48 > 0:20:50when we bring in just over ?2 billion worth of garments
0:20:50 > 0:20:53wholesale, if we move from the current GSP free access
0:20:53 > 0:20:56to those markets, the tariff rates on goods coming in from Bangladesh
0:20:56 > 0:20:59are going to go up by 25%, because that is the WTO
0:20:59 > 0:21:05most-favoured-nation tariff rate.
0:21:05 > 0:21:08So that is our second largest supplier of all clothing in the UK.
0:21:08 > 0:21:12And on top of that the exchange rate, we could be talking 45% more
0:21:12 > 0:21:15expensive in terms of stuff coming into the UK.
0:21:15 > 0:21:18So it is less the time delays, it is more the cost implications.
0:21:18 > 0:21:21And those sort of figures apply whether you are talking
0:21:21 > 0:21:25about Bangladesh, Turkey, where we will go from 0% to 12%.
0:21:25 > 0:21:28You asked one of the questions about whether Brexit would see
0:21:28 > 0:21:30a resurgence in UK manufacturing and that is absolutely
0:21:30 > 0:21:32an opportunity for us, but if you take for instance
0:21:32 > 0:21:35the manufacturing community within London, there is about 13,500
0:21:35 > 0:21:41manufacturing employees making high-end fashion products in London.
0:21:41 > 0:21:44Over 70% of the people on the machines in those businesses
0:21:44 > 0:21:45are from EU countries.
0:21:45 > 0:21:48So there is a real concern that we are going to lose that level
0:21:48 > 0:21:51of talent down there, so we need to do something,
0:21:51 > 0:21:53we need the Government to do something around changing the way
0:21:53 > 0:21:56we can bring in those talented seamstresses and cutters
0:21:56 > 0:22:00and all that sort of stuff, so they are not seen as low value,
0:22:00 > 0:22:05a lot of these people won't be earning ?35,000 Home Office
0:22:05 > 0:22:06threshold for permanent residency for instance.
0:22:06 > 0:22:09But without them, the fantastic creations that get sent down
0:22:09 > 0:22:11the catwalk at London Fashion Week wouldn't happen.
0:22:11 > 0:22:14And one MP just couldn't pass up the chance of some
0:22:14 > 0:22:16free fashion advice.
0:22:16 > 0:22:19Final question, you have got four MPs in front of you,
0:22:19 > 0:22:22there is 650 MPs in the House of Commons, how do you
0:22:22 > 0:22:29rate our fashion sense?
0:22:29 > 0:22:30LAUGHTER You don't have to answer that!
0:22:30 > 0:22:32There is only one wearing a pinstripe!
0:22:32 > 0:22:36That's why I'm here, to judge you guys in the suits.
0:22:36 > 0:22:38I have to say, I am very intrigued...
0:22:38 > 0:22:41The collar on my shirt, yes.
0:22:41 > 0:22:44That is a very distinct collar but I am known for.
0:22:44 > 0:22:45Maybe we need to...
0:22:45 > 0:22:47Maybe we should get you one, yes.
0:22:47 > 0:22:49For me, at least, I have scanned, I have measured
0:22:49 > 0:22:51everyone as I have come in.
0:22:51 > 0:22:54It is a weird nuance, you know?
0:22:54 > 0:22:55Oh, dear, well...
0:22:55 > 0:22:57We will move on from that very quickly!
0:22:57 > 0:23:00You probably don't want me to answer that.
0:23:00 > 0:23:02Although I am wearing a...
0:23:02 > 0:23:09No, I looked at the tie immediately.
0:23:09 > 0:23:12Finally, there are a handful of bills that will fall
0:23:12 > 0:23:15by the wayside if Theresa May gets her way and a general election
0:23:15 > 0:23:17is held on June 8th.
0:23:17 > 0:23:20There are a handful more which are likely to have their most
0:23:20 > 0:23:23controversial parts filleted out of them in order to get them
0:23:23 > 0:23:27through in some form before this Parliament comes to an end.
0:23:27 > 0:23:30Among them is the Finance Bill, which was being debated
0:23:30 > 0:23:35in the Commons for the first time.
0:23:35 > 0:23:38It deals with such things as personal tax rates,
0:23:38 > 0:23:40tax evasion and controversially includes a proposed
0:23:40 > 0:23:41rise in probate fees.
0:23:41 > 0:23:46The minister set out the Bill's ambitions.
0:23:46 > 0:23:48We are very clear that our taxes and the system underpinning
0:23:48 > 0:23:50them need to be fair, competitive and critically
0:23:50 > 0:23:52they must be paid.
0:23:52 > 0:23:55This finance Bill will take the next steps in helping to deliver a fairer
0:23:55 > 0:23:58and more sustainable tax system, one that can support our critical
0:23:58 > 0:24:02public services and get the country back to living within its means.
0:24:02 > 0:24:05The government had proposed raising some national insurance rates
0:24:05 > 0:24:12for the self employed, but later withdrew the proposal.
0:24:12 > 0:24:13So an SNP MP wanted to know.
0:24:13 > 0:24:21Where are the ?2 billion per annum to replace the non-raising
0:24:21 > 0:24:23of the National Insurance contributions is going to come
0:24:23 > 0:24:25from if she is so wedded to balancing the books?
0:24:25 > 0:24:28Well, the Chancellor was clear at the time that in the statements
0:24:28 > 0:24:33we have made about the budget and subsequent decisions
0:24:33 > 0:24:37that we are looking to balance the budgets across the period.
0:24:37 > 0:24:39Clearly we are going into a General Election campaign
0:24:39 > 0:24:42that we will have more to say about that in the manifesto
0:24:42 > 0:24:44and we will lay that out there.
0:24:44 > 0:24:46This isn't the place for that.
0:24:46 > 0:24:48A Labour frontbencher looked at the government's record.
0:24:48 > 0:24:50When coming to power, the Conservatives committed
0:24:50 > 0:24:52to balancing the books by 2015.
0:24:52 > 0:24:54A Conservative broken promise.
0:24:57 > 0:24:59They said it would be pushed back to 2019-20.
0:24:59 > 0:25:05Another Conservative broken promise.
0:25:05 > 0:25:09Instead by 2020 they planned to be borrowing an eye
0:25:09 > 0:25:12watering ?21.4 billion.
0:25:12 > 0:25:19And since 2010, ten of the 14, ten of the 14 government Budgets
0:25:19 > 0:25:22and Autumn Statements have seen an increase in forecast borrowing.
0:25:22 > 0:25:23This government's record of borrowing is seen missed
0:25:23 > 0:25:27target after missed target with constant upward revisions.
0:25:27 > 0:25:28Labour's Peter Dowd.
0:25:28 > 0:25:32And that's it from me for now, but do join me at the same time
0:25:32 > 0:25:35tomorrow for the highlights of prime minister's questions and of course
0:25:35 > 0:25:37that all important debate and vote on Theresa May's proposal
0:25:37 > 0:25:39for a general election on June the 8th.
0:25:39 > 0:25:49But for now from me, Alicia McCarthy, goodbye.