0:00:46 > 0:00:50The controversial sport of fox hunting is the origin for a word
0:00:50 > 0:00:56that has become very much associated with the portal politics. A whip her
0:00:56 > 0:01:04in is an assistant huntsman he uses to which to keep the hounds in check
0:01:04 > 0:01:09and drive them into the main body of the pack. By the late 18th century,
0:01:09 > 0:01:15Parliament had adopted the term. Officials whose job it was to make
0:01:15 > 0:01:21their MPs behaved and make them vote according to the party line were
0:01:21 > 0:01:26jokingly referred to as the present. And by the 1840s, people called them
0:01:26 > 0:01:31whips. It became very common to use the word whip in this way, for
0:01:31 > 0:01:37example, in the mess, collection for more wine which everyone was excited
0:01:37 > 0:01:41to contribute to, was called a whip. So eventually, any collection from
0:01:41 > 0:01:44money among members of the group became our modern phrase, whip
0:01:44 > 0:01:54round.
0:02:03 > 0:02:08Hello, welcome to our round-up of the day at Westminster.
0:02:08 > 0:02:10On this programme, Jeremy Corbyn warns thousands of families
0:02:10 > 0:02:12will spend Christmas fearing eviction due to the introduction
0:02:12 > 0:02:18of Universal Credit.
0:02:18 > 0:02:22But Theresa May defends the long term impact of the new benefit.
0:02:22 > 0:02:24Citizens' rights come under the spotlight on the second
0:02:24 > 0:02:26day of detailed debate on the EU withdrawal bill.
0:02:26 > 0:02:29And the Foreign Secretary urges all sides in Zimbabwe
0:02:29 > 0:02:38to refrain from violence.
0:02:38 > 0:02:42We, and I think in everybody this House, would want the people of
0:02:42 > 0:02:45Zimbabwe to have the choice about their future in free and fair
0:02:45 > 0:02:48elections.
0:02:48 > 0:02:50But first to Prime Minister's Questions where Jeremy Corbyn
0:02:50 > 0:02:53renewed his call for the Government to pause the roll out of the new
0:02:53 > 0:02:54welfare payment, Universal Credit.
0:02:54 > 0:02:57It replaces six working age benefits, but many MPs have
0:02:57 > 0:03:00expressed concern that claimants can have to wait up to six weeks
0:03:00 > 0:03:04before getting any money, leading to debt and rent arrears.
0:03:04 > 0:03:10Jeremy Corbyn kept up the pressure on the Government to make a change.
0:03:10 > 0:03:13I was passed a letter, Mr Speaker, from a lettings agency in
0:03:13 > 0:03:15Lincolnshire where Universal Credit is
0:03:15 > 0:03:18about to be rolled out.
0:03:18 > 0:03:23The agency, and I have the letter here...
0:03:23 > 0:03:27The agency is issuing all of its tenants
0:03:27 > 0:03:30with a pre-emptive notice of eviction because Universal Credit
0:03:30 > 0:03:36has driven up arrears where it's been rolled
0:03:36 > 0:03:42out, and the letter, and I quote, says...
0:03:42 > 0:03:46The letter says, and I quote, "GAP property cannot
0:03:46 > 0:03:47sustain arrears at the potential levels Universal Credit
0:03:47 > 0:03:51could create."
0:03:51 > 0:03:56Will the Prime Minister pause Universal Credit so it can be fixed?
0:03:56 > 0:04:00Or does she think it is right to put thousands of families through
0:04:00 > 0:04:06Christmas in the trauma of knowing they're about to be evicted because
0:04:06 > 0:04:14they're in rent arrears because of Universal Credit?
0:04:14 > 0:04:16Prime Minister.
0:04:16 > 0:04:18Can I say to the Right Honourable gentleman that
0:04:18 > 0:04:21there have been concerns raised in this House previously
0:04:21 > 0:04:24over the issue of people managing their budgets to
0:04:24 > 0:04:28pay rent, but what we actually see, what we see, is that...
0:04:28 > 0:04:32We see that over four months and number of
0:04:32 > 0:04:36people on Universal Credit in arrears has fallen by a third.
0:04:36 > 0:04:38Now, it's important that we do look at
0:04:38 > 0:04:43the issues on this particular case.
0:04:43 > 0:04:48The right honourable gentleman might like to send the letter through.
0:04:48 > 0:04:50I know in an earlier Prime Minister's Questions,
0:04:50 > 0:04:52he raised a specific constituent, a specific case of an
0:04:52 > 0:04:55individual who had written to him about her experience on Universal
0:04:55 > 0:04:59Credit, I think it was Georgina, as far as I'm aware he's so far not
0:04:59 > 0:05:07sent that letter to me despite the fact I asked for it.
0:05:07 > 0:05:09In truth this is a Government that protects the super-rich
0:05:09 > 0:05:12while the rest of us pick up the bill through cuts, austerity,
0:05:12 > 0:05:14poverty, homelessness, low wages and slashing of local
0:05:14 > 0:05:16services all over the country.
0:05:16 > 0:05:20That is the reality of a Tory government.
0:05:20 > 0:05:23Labour have backtracked on Brexit, they've gone
0:05:23 > 0:05:26back on their promise on student debt and they would cause and lose
0:05:26 > 0:05:31control of public finances.
0:05:31 > 0:05:34I say to the right honourable gentleman, he
0:05:34 > 0:05:37may have given momentum to his party but he brings stagnation
0:05:37 > 0:05:39to the country.
0:05:39 > 0:05:41Earlier in the year the Prime Minister told the country that
0:05:41 > 0:05:44she was the only person that could offer strong and stable
0:05:44 > 0:05:47leadership in the national interest.
0:05:47 > 0:05:50With her Cabinet crumbling before our eyes,
0:05:50 > 0:05:56can she tell us how it's going?
0:05:56 > 0:06:00LAUGHTER
0:06:00 > 0:06:02Let me say to the right honourable lady
0:06:02 > 0:06:12what we see this government dithering post I have spoken about
0:06:13 > 0:06:14--delivering, I have spoken about
0:06:14 > 0:06:15some the things earlier.
0:06:15 > 0:06:17Deficits down, unemployment down, we have
0:06:17 > 0:06:19seen more record sums going to our health
0:06:19 > 0:06:21service and our schools and a
0:06:21 > 0:06:24Government determined with a clear plan, as set out in my Florence
0:06:24 > 0:06:26speech, a clear plan to deliver the best Brexit
0:06:26 > 0:06:27deal for this country.
0:06:27 > 0:06:31She is a member of a party that can't even decide what it wants from
0:06:31 > 0:06:34Brexit, let alone set a plan for it.
0:06:34 > 0:06:37The Brexit Secretary gave a pledge in the City that freedom of movement
0:06:37 > 0:06:39would be preserved for bankers and other members of the financial
0:06:40 > 0:06:41services industry.
0:06:41 > 0:06:43Why can't the same pledge be given to other key
0:06:43 > 0:06:47economic sectors like manufacturing and agriculture?
0:06:47 > 0:06:52As we look towards the immigration rules about will be introduced
0:06:52 > 0:06:55once we leave the European Union, we are clear about
0:06:55 > 0:06:58the need to ensure we take into account the needs of our economy,
0:06:58 > 0:07:00that's precisely why my right honourable friend the Home Secretary
0:07:00 > 0:07:03has asked the independent migration advisory committee to make
0:07:03 > 0:07:04recommendations to the government.
0:07:04 > 0:07:07We are leaving the European Union and as the EU Withdrawal Bill goes
0:07:07 > 0:07:10through the House of Commons, does the Prime Minister agree with me
0:07:10 > 0:07:15that it's part of our job as members of Parliament, some might
0:07:15 > 0:07:17even say it's our duty as members of Parliament, to
0:07:17 > 0:07:22scrutinise that legislation.
0:07:22 > 0:07:24To debate considered amendments, which seek to improve
0:07:24 > 0:07:27the bill and which are constructive and which seek to ensure a smooth
0:07:27 > 0:07:33transition of our laws from the EU to the UK and importantly that we
0:07:33 > 0:07:35come together and deliver Brexit for our country and
0:07:35 > 0:07:41for the British people.
0:07:41 > 0:07:45What we are doing as a Government is listening to the contributions that
0:07:45 > 0:07:47are being made, listening carefully to those who wish to improve the
0:07:47 > 0:07:50bill, they help we can all come together to deliver on the decision
0:07:50 > 0:07:55that the country took that we should leave the European Union.
0:07:55 > 0:07:58Now the second day of detailed debate on the EU Withdrawal Bill saw
0:07:58 > 0:08:00concerns that rights currently enjoyed by British citizens
0:08:00 > 0:08:02would not be protected after Brexit.
0:08:02 > 0:08:04Labour's spokesman said that after exit day, employment,
0:08:04 > 0:08:06equality and other important rights would be at risk.
0:08:06 > 0:08:07The Bill seeks to transfer European law
0:08:07 > 0:08:08into British law.
0:08:08 > 0:08:11It's true that the government has promised to ensure that workers'
0:08:11 > 0:08:13rights are fully protected and maintained after the UK's
0:08:13 > 0:08:16departure from the EU, but in the absence of stronger legal
0:08:16 > 0:08:18safeguards, there are good reasons to be sceptical
0:08:18 > 0:08:22about that commitment.
0:08:22 > 0:08:24Happy to give way.
0:08:24 > 0:08:27Thank you.
0:08:27 > 0:08:30Would my friends agree with me that given the political
0:08:30 > 0:08:33events of this year, who the government might be
0:08:33 > 0:08:37in the future has become ever more uncertain and that therefore
0:08:37 > 0:08:40all of us have a job to protect the process and institutions
0:08:40 > 0:08:44of our democracy because we never know what might
0:08:44 > 0:08:48happen in the future?
0:08:48 > 0:08:52I agree with that and I agree with her, which is her point
0:08:52 > 0:08:56that the public would expect these rights to continue to have the level
0:08:56 > 0:09:00of protection they have enjoyed while being underpinned by EU law.
0:09:00 > 0:09:10They should not have a reduced level of protection going forward.
0:09:12 > 0:09:15The bill seeks to transfer European law into British law.
0:09:15 > 0:09:18But the Conservative former Attorney General, Dominic Grieve,
0:09:18 > 0:09:20warned that could mean laws were "brought to the lowest
0:09:20 > 0:09:22possible status".
0:09:22 > 0:09:25The question is how do we make sure bringing this law into our own law
0:09:25 > 0:09:27we preserve its essence because that's what the government
0:09:27 > 0:09:31says it wants to do until such time as we as a domestic parliament
0:09:31 > 0:09:37decide that we want to do something about it?
0:09:37 > 0:09:42And the problem which has arisen is that as presently drafted
0:09:42 > 0:09:45the importation of EU law means that legal protection and standards
0:09:45 > 0:09:50in areas such as equality and the environment will no longer
0:09:50 > 0:09:54enjoy the protection that EU membership gives them.
0:09:54 > 0:09:57Indeed, they will then for the most part be repeatable
0:09:57 > 0:10:07by statutory instrument.
0:10:09 > 0:10:11--Repealable by statutory instrument.
0:10:11 > 0:10:14Something which on the whole in this House we would not think
0:10:14 > 0:10:16an appropriate thing to do with our own primary legislation
0:10:16 > 0:10:18and this legislation undoubtedly has the importance of primary status.
0:10:18 > 0:10:21Does he envisage a time in the future where tariffs
0:10:21 > 0:10:24are imposed, economic circumstances are imposed, businesses
0:10:24 > 0:10:29demand reductions in cost and they would turn to the holiday
0:10:29 > 0:10:33pay, to the 48 hours directive, to anything that cuts their cost
0:10:33 > 0:10:43and that government will be tempted, then, to abolish these rights.
0:10:45 > 0:10:48At I don't think I'm quite as apocalyptic as the honourable
0:10:48 > 0:10:54gentleman. I happen to think, as my right honourable friend said
0:10:54 > 0:10:58yesterday in his speech, that's the idea that the UK suddenly wishes to
0:10:58 > 0:11:01translate itself into a country of no regulation, no protection at all,
0:11:01 > 0:11:04is fanciful.
0:11:04 > 0:11:08But he said he wanted the Government to look at these matters.
0:11:09 > 0:11:15I don't wish to force the Government's can, even though that
0:11:15 > 0:11:17might appear superficially attractive. I don't even intend to
0:11:17 > 0:11:21put this amendment to the vote, it has problems of its own. But I put
0:11:21 > 0:11:24the Government on notice that we are going to have to draw together the
0:11:24 > 0:11:30issues that we are debating today and indeed I'm convinced there will
0:11:30 > 0:11:34be similar issues next week, all of which derive from the same problem
0:11:34 > 0:11:38as to the way the Government has approached this and drafted this
0:11:38 > 0:11:43legislation of the moment, and it must be remedied.The Brexit process
0:11:43 > 0:11:51will in no way whatsoever be used to undermine or curtail the rights of
0:11:51 > 0:11:57workers that happening find both in domestic law and by virtue of the
0:11:57 > 0:12:02European Union. I hope that today can in my remarks and indeed by
0:12:02 > 0:12:06demonstration reassure the right honourable members that the
0:12:06 > 0:12:12Government's policy here is clear, is deliberated and this is not some
0:12:12 > 0:12:16out-of-control grab power to use this bill, which is a framework
0:12:16 > 0:12:20though, it is very much a process bill, to somehow then use this as
0:12:20 > 0:12:26the basis to change policy. That is not the intention of this Bill.
0:12:26 > 0:12:27MPs heard from the recently-resigned
0:12:27 > 0:12:31International Development Secretary:
0:12:31 > 0:12:35I am speaking today in this debate following an intensive course, over
0:12:35 > 0:12:39the past week, I think it's fair to say, on how to stage an exit.
0:12:39 > 0:12:44LAUGHTER Which was the focus of a degree of
0:12:44 > 0:12:48international attention. So for anyone who is still tracking my
0:12:48 > 0:12:52movements, it is fair to say that I can confirm that as I walked into
0:12:52 > 0:12:57the chamber this afternoon, a past studies and portraits commemorating
0:12:57 > 0:12:59some of our greatest statesman including Margaret Thatcher and
0:12:59 > 0:13:04Winston Churchill, statesmen who stood up and defended democracy,
0:13:04 > 0:13:13freedom and sovereignty of our great nation. So, this Bill paves way for
0:13:13 > 0:13:17a smoother withdrawal from the European Union and it complements
0:13:17 > 0:13:20many of the discussions that have happened around Article 50 and
0:13:20 > 0:13:25delivers on the will of the British people as exposed in the referendum.
0:13:25 > 0:13:29Priti Patel, and MPs have six more days of detailed debate on the EU
0:13:29 > 0:13:31Withdrawal Bill still to come.
0:13:31 > 0:13:33You're watching Wednesday in Parliament with me,
0:13:33 > 0:13:38Alicia McCarthy.
0:13:38 > 0:13:40Armoured vehicles have been patrolling the Zimbabwean capital,
0:13:40 > 0:13:42Harare, where President Mugabe has been placed under house arrest
0:13:42 > 0:13:45after the military declared it had taken temporary control
0:13:45 > 0:13:48of the country.
0:13:48 > 0:13:51Mr Mugabe, who is 93, has dominated the impoverished country's
0:13:51 > 0:13:54politics since independence from the UK in 1980.
0:13:54 > 0:13:58Responding to an urgent question, the Foreign Secretary urged
0:13:58 > 0:14:01all sides to refrain from violence.
0:14:01 > 0:14:04The events of the last 24 hours are the latest escalation of months
0:14:04 > 0:14:09of brutal infighting within the ruling Zanu?PF party.
0:14:09 > 0:14:13Including the sacking of a vice president,
0:14:13 > 0:14:18the purging of his followers and the apparent positioning
0:14:18 > 0:14:24of Grace Mugabe as a contender to replace her 93 rolled husband.
0:14:24 > 0:14:27of Grace Mugabe as a contender to replace her 93 year old husband.
0:14:27 > 0:14:30I will say frankly to the House that we cannot tell how developments
0:14:30 > 0:14:36in Zimbabwe will play out in the days ahead and we do not know
0:14:36 > 0:14:40whether this marks the downfall of Mugabe or not and we call
0:14:40 > 0:14:44for calm and restraint.
0:14:44 > 0:14:48While it is not a coup in a sense of the military wanting to run
0:14:48 > 0:14:50the country it is a coup to ensure the former vice
0:14:50 > 0:14:54president takes over.
0:14:54 > 0:15:04Does the Minister agree that changing from one ruthless leader
0:15:06 > 0:15:08to another ruthless leader does not help to create the kind
0:15:08 > 0:15:11of conditions that could lead to a free and fair election
0:15:11 > 0:15:14in the coming year in Zimbabwe, nor will it solve the dire economic
0:15:14 > 0:15:17situation where thousands of people are destitute and food is scarce.
0:15:17 > 0:15:20We, and I think everybody in this House, would want the people
0:15:20 > 0:15:24of Zimbabwe to have the choice about their future in a free
0:15:24 > 0:15:27and fair elections and that is the consensus that we are building
0:15:27 > 0:15:30up with our friends and partners and I will be having a discussion
0:15:30 > 0:15:34with the vice president of South Africa later today.
0:15:34 > 0:15:35The situation seems highly volatile.
0:15:35 > 0:15:41Could I ask the Foreign Secretary for his assurances that the 20,000
0:15:41 > 0:15:43British nationals in Zimbabwe will be given all the assistance
0:15:43 > 0:15:47they need during this dangerous period and in the past in times
0:15:47 > 0:15:51of great tension, I understand there have been Cobra plans
0:15:51 > 0:15:54for the evacuation of British nationals if necessary.
0:15:54 > 0:16:03I wonder if there will be such thought processes once more.
0:16:03 > 0:16:05There are about 20,000, the crisis centre has been working
0:16:05 > 0:16:08overnight to ensure their welfare and to the best of our knowledge
0:16:08 > 0:16:13at present we have no reports of any injuries or suffering involving them
0:16:13 > 0:16:19and as I talked earlier on to our head of mission in Harare
0:16:19 > 0:16:23and he said as far as he understood it UK nationals were very much
0:16:23 > 0:16:27staying where they were and avoiding trouble and I think that is exactly
0:16:27 > 0:16:30the right thing to do.
0:16:30 > 0:16:33If this does indeed presage a move to easier times,
0:16:33 > 0:16:37and I accept the caution of the honourable lady of course,
0:16:37 > 0:16:41will he acknowledge with me that the British government does
0:16:41 > 0:16:46have unfinished business with Zimbabwe and will he assure me
0:16:46 > 0:16:49that the government will offer further assistance if we can to help
0:16:49 > 0:16:52that wonderful country and its remarkable people,
0:16:52 > 0:16:54both black and white, to hopefully transition
0:16:54 > 0:17:00to a better government and a more prosperous state.
0:17:00 > 0:17:03He knows that Zimbabwe has fantastic potential,
0:17:03 > 0:17:05this is a country with a very well-educated population,
0:17:05 > 0:17:13it has a great future if they can get the right to political system.
0:17:13 > 0:17:17There is reports that Grace Mugabe is out of the country possibly
0:17:17 > 0:17:26in Namibia so building on, as he says, the important role
0:17:26 > 0:17:28the regional organisations have to play and the role of Difid
0:17:28 > 0:17:31and the Foreign Office, what steps can he make to make sure
0:17:31 > 0:17:34instability that might be in place in Zimbabwe does not spread
0:17:34 > 0:17:35into the wider region?
0:17:35 > 0:17:38I think it's a very acute question and I think the answer lies,
0:17:38 > 0:17:46as so often in matters of Zimbabwean politics, the answer lies very
0:17:46 > 0:17:49much with our friends in South Africa and it is to them
0:17:49 > 0:17:50we will be telling first.
0:17:50 > 0:17:52Now, the Chief Minister of Gibraltar knows all
0:17:52 > 0:17:53about handling tricky borders.
0:17:53 > 0:17:56So MPs on the Northern Ireland Committee were keen to hear from him
0:17:56 > 0:17:59as part of their work looking at what happens to the Irish
0:17:59 > 0:18:00border after Brexit.
0:18:00 > 0:18:02Fabien Picardo offered some hi-tech suggestions about how
0:18:02 > 0:18:06to achieve frictionless trade across an EU border.
0:18:06 > 0:18:09Gibraltar Customs has led in terms of technological solutions.
0:18:09 > 0:18:14With the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development Customs,
0:18:14 > 0:18:19they've set up a centre of excellence at Gibraltar
0:18:19 > 0:18:21University, it's their only centre of excellence in Europe.
0:18:21 > 0:18:24And what they have created is something called Asycuda,
0:18:24 > 0:18:28which is a system that allows trusted traders to pre-declare
0:18:28 > 0:18:32what they are importing into Gibraltar and
0:18:32 > 0:18:34to have an account with the Government
0:18:34 > 0:18:36through which they pay their duty in a frictionless way,
0:18:36 > 0:18:38in an entirely frictionless way.
0:18:38 > 0:18:41And that development of Asycuda has been something where Gibraltar
0:18:41 > 0:18:45technology is now being shared, technology developed
0:18:45 > 0:18:50in Gibraltar is now being shared in 100 other countries.
0:18:50 > 0:18:53He issued a warning to those on both sides of the Irish border.
0:18:53 > 0:19:03I put it to you that I think citizens expect us to do everything
0:19:09 > 0:19:17It comes at a cost, but people will expect us to invest in that
0:19:17 > 0:19:20I mean, yes, we must use border crossings for controls which relate
0:19:20 > 0:19:22to criminality not being allowed to run freely across continents,
0:19:22 > 0:19:25but we must not allow anyone to use a border crossing
0:19:25 > 0:19:26as a political choke point.
0:19:26 > 0:19:28Look, nobody is going to accept something that looks like,
0:19:28 > 0:19:30feels like or smells like Checkpoint Charlie
0:19:30 > 0:19:31in Europe in the future.
0:19:31 > 0:19:33And if the Spanish authorities have not realised that,
0:19:33 > 0:19:35I think their citizens would wish that they did.
0:19:35 > 0:19:38The Middle East is entering what many analysts see
0:19:38 > 0:19:39as a dangerous new phase.
0:19:39 > 0:19:41Experts fear that, with the Islamic State group
0:19:41 > 0:19:43on the brink of defeat, there's a danger of the long-held
0:19:43 > 0:19:46rivalry between Saudi Arabia and Iran boiling over as they engage
0:19:46 > 0:19:47in proxy battles in the region.
0:19:47 > 0:19:50In Yemen, the two countries are backing opposing sides,
0:19:50 > 0:19:52while the Saudis are thought to be behind the recent resignation
0:19:52 > 0:19:55of the Lebanese Prime Minister in an attempt to weaken Iran's
0:19:55 > 0:19:56influence in the region.
0:19:56 > 0:19:59Does the noble Lord, the Minister, accept that we have to adopt a much
0:19:59 > 0:20:02more even handed stance between Tehran and Riyadh in order
0:20:02 > 0:20:04to resolve the toxic instability afflicting the entire
0:20:04 > 0:20:08Gulf Middle East region?
0:20:08 > 0:20:11And we are seen to be allies of Saudi Arabia,
0:20:11 > 0:20:15I don't dispute the need for that, but we are seen to take
0:20:15 > 0:20:20the side of Saudi Arabia and the Sunni Muslim faith,
0:20:20 > 0:20:22against Iran and the Shia Muslim faith.
0:20:22 > 0:20:25And we need to be equally handed between the two,
0:20:25 > 0:20:27in order to end the proxy wars in Yemen, Lebanon increasingly,
0:20:27 > 0:20:37Syria and also Iraq.
0:20:40 > 0:20:42Even allowing for the fact of jihadist terrorism,
0:20:42 > 0:20:45is not the greatest threat to peace, from the Middle East now
0:20:45 > 0:20:48the imminent danger of a conflict between the Sunnis and the Shias
0:20:48 > 0:20:51led by Saudi Arabia and Tehran, in which the West are backing
0:20:51 > 0:20:55one side and Russia is backing the other?
0:20:55 > 0:20:59In the light of this, is it not foolish for
0:20:59 > 0:21:02the United Kingdom Government to be supporting tacitly and with arms
0:21:02 > 0:21:05Saudi Arabia while they are committing such clearly illegal acts
0:21:05 > 0:21:11in the Yemen?
0:21:11 > 0:21:15First of all, as the noble Lord knows, the UK is not
0:21:15 > 0:21:19directly involved with the Saudi led coalition.
0:21:19 > 0:21:24He talks about alliances and of course, our alliance
0:21:24 > 0:21:26between the United Kingdom and Saudi Arabia, as an ally,
0:21:26 > 0:21:29is an important one.
0:21:29 > 0:21:32But at the same time, as I have made the point clear already,
0:21:32 > 0:21:36we believe very strongly that for peace and stability
0:21:36 > 0:21:39in the region, it requires both Iran and Saudi Arabia
0:21:39 > 0:21:41to resolve their differences and move forward in a positive vein,
0:21:41 > 0:21:45and the agenda is not about taking sort of one side over the other.
0:21:45 > 0:21:48We make sure that any representation we make,
0:21:48 > 0:21:51including those to the Saudis, on concerns we have particularly
0:21:51 > 0:21:53in the conflict in Yemen, are made clear and made
0:21:53 > 0:21:55at the highest level.
0:21:55 > 0:21:57Lord Ahmad.
0:21:57 > 0:22:01There have been many lurid newspaper headlines of late with allegations
0:22:01 > 0:22:03of inappropriate behaviour, harassment and even assault
0:22:03 > 0:22:06going on at Westminster.
0:22:06 > 0:22:09The Women and Equalities Committee is holding an inquiry into women
0:22:09 > 0:22:10in the House of Commons.
0:22:10 > 0:22:13Its chair Maria Miller asked representatives of the four
0:22:13 > 0:22:17biggest Westminster parties what was being done to make sure
0:22:17 > 0:22:20anyone with a complaint was more likely to come forward now
0:22:20 > 0:22:24than they had been in the past.
0:22:24 > 0:22:27I think there have been abuses of power, and I think this
0:22:27 > 0:22:29is something which goes right across the political parties.
0:22:29 > 0:22:31I'm appalled that we haven't shown due leadership
0:22:31 > 0:22:32on this, historically.
0:22:32 > 0:22:35And I think the fact that it has been public pressure and the media
0:22:35 > 0:22:38that has brought this to the fore, we actually should be ashamed
0:22:38 > 0:22:41of ourselves that we haven't given proper leadership on it.
0:22:41 > 0:22:44We now know the scale of the problem and we must all work together
0:22:44 > 0:22:45to make sure that we get...
0:22:45 > 0:22:48But what's changed which would make somebody now come forward?
0:22:48 > 0:22:50I think the traditional complaints processes operated under
0:22:50 > 0:22:53a criminal standard of proof, which was very difficult
0:22:53 > 0:22:55to establish and inhibited people coming forward.
0:22:55 > 0:22:59It's now done on the balance of probabilities, which means that
0:22:59 > 0:23:03cases are much more likely to be determined for the complainer.
0:23:03 > 0:23:06A Labour committee member asked about the abuse directed
0:23:06 > 0:23:08at candidates during elections.
0:23:08 > 0:23:11What evidence does your party have about the effect of fear and abuse
0:23:11 > 0:23:14and harassment on the willingness of people to come
0:23:14 > 0:23:18forward as candidates to remain in public life
0:23:18 > 0:23:23once elected, and what do any of your political parties do
0:23:23 > 0:23:27to offer support to people, to candidates responding
0:23:27 > 0:23:28to such abuse?
0:23:28 > 0:23:31Because we all have seen, quite widely, that it exists.
0:23:31 > 0:23:34If we're just about the kind of aggressive language
0:23:34 > 0:23:39that we encounter in politics, I mean, to some extent, we have
0:23:39 > 0:23:42to put up with it, men or women.
0:23:42 > 0:23:44Do you think that it's worse for women?
0:23:44 > 0:23:47I think it probably is, sort of what you could call casual
0:23:47 > 0:23:49misogyny and the results of that...
0:23:49 > 0:23:50It...
0:23:50 > 0:23:53As somebody who suffers from it, it doesn't feel very casual.
0:23:53 > 0:23:55And what about abuse directed at other people?
0:23:55 > 0:24:00If a candidate in an election from an opposing political party
0:24:00 > 0:24:03suffered from an abuse from somebody within your
0:24:03 > 0:24:06political party, if, say, that abuse was
0:24:06 > 0:24:07misogynistic, would...
0:24:07 > 0:24:10You would say that there be robust processes in the Liberal Democrats
0:24:10 > 0:24:14to stop a person in a candidate again or being an activist, being
0:24:14 > 0:24:16a member of the Liberal Democrats?
0:24:16 > 0:24:18I think that would be a reasonable request.
0:24:18 > 0:24:19I shall test that.
0:24:19 > 0:24:20Anybody else want to...?
0:24:20 > 0:24:24I would put the same question to everybody on the panel.
0:24:24 > 0:24:27This is a massive issue, let's be absolutely crystal clear about it.
0:24:27 > 0:24:30There is clear evidence that women candidates and women
0:24:30 > 0:24:33parliamentarians have suffered from far greater abuse
0:24:33 > 0:24:35than anyone else has.
0:24:35 > 0:24:37So what would you do about it?
0:24:37 > 0:24:38Well...
0:24:38 > 0:24:40There's things we can do about it in terms
0:24:40 > 0:24:41of providing support to people.
0:24:41 > 0:24:44I think if anyone has crossed the line, that is a member
0:24:44 > 0:24:47of the political party, then they have got to be
0:24:47 > 0:24:48held account for that.
0:24:48 > 0:24:49And held to account means...?
0:24:49 > 0:24:51Well, suspension, expulsion, if that's what it takes.
0:24:51 > 0:24:53We do that as well...
0:24:53 > 0:24:55How many people have you expelled?
0:24:55 > 0:24:57I don't know that number, I don't have that...
0:24:57 > 0:25:00But you could tell us?
0:25:00 > 0:25:03There was a Labour MP for Harlington and Hayes who asked,
0:25:03 > 0:25:04who was talking about lynching
0:25:04 > 0:25:06a Conservative MP during an election campaign,
0:25:06 > 0:25:11repeating it, endorsing it, going around and talking about it.
0:25:11 > 0:25:12What did the Labour Party do?
0:25:12 > 0:25:13They made him the Shadow Chancellor.
0:25:13 > 0:25:15They promoted him to the Shadow Chancellor.
0:25:15 > 0:25:18So, if you're saying that, yes, we expel people
0:25:18 > 0:25:20for the kind of behaviour, what are you going to do
0:25:20 > 0:25:22about the Shadow Chancellor?
0:25:22 > 0:25:25Or do you endorse that behaviour?
0:25:25 > 0:25:28I think you're misrepresenting the situation.
0:25:28 > 0:25:31I think going into individual cases can be difficult to...
0:25:31 > 0:25:32No, I don't think it is.
0:25:32 > 0:25:35There is a real-life case, we know exactly what he said,
0:25:35 > 0:25:37it was on the record, there is a recording
0:25:37 > 0:25:38of what he said.
0:25:38 > 0:25:41And so I want to know, why did the Labour Party promotes
0:25:41 > 0:25:45somebody in that situation rather than do what you say you do?
0:25:45 > 0:25:47Should we ask Dawn write to us on that?
0:25:47 > 0:25:48I'm just conscious of...
0:25:48 > 0:25:49You're misrepresenting the situation.
0:25:49 > 0:25:53But I will happily write to the committee.
0:25:53 > 0:25:55Finally, to Westminster Hall, where MPs debated
0:25:55 > 0:25:57the subject of loneliness.
0:25:57 > 0:26:00The session was opened by Labour's Rachel Reeves,
0:26:00 > 0:26:03a close friend of the murdered MP Jo Cox, who'd campaigned
0:26:03 > 0:26:07on the subject.
0:26:07 > 0:26:10Loneliness, as we all know, is bad for our mental health
0:26:10 > 0:26:12but it's bad for our physical health as well.
0:26:12 > 0:26:15Research suggests that loneliness is worse for us in terms
0:26:15 > 0:26:17of mortality than obesity is, and being lonely, being acutely
0:26:17 > 0:26:20loneliness is bad for your health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day.
0:26:20 > 0:26:25A Conservative MP worked with Jo Cox to set up
0:26:25 > 0:26:27a commission on loneliness.
0:26:27 > 0:26:30I would like to put on the record that, although this is a burden
0:26:30 > 0:26:35I would never have wanted to carry, it's been the honour
0:26:35 > 0:26:39of my professional life to carry on work in Jo Cox's name.
0:26:39 > 0:26:42The MP who took over from Jo Cox told how she'd been lonely
0:26:42 > 0:26:44as a young actor living in Brighton.
0:26:44 > 0:26:47There were more nights that I cried myself to sleep off
0:26:47 > 0:26:48loneliness than not.
0:26:48 > 0:26:51Now, I am a gregarious, can-do person, so I'd force
0:26:51 > 0:26:54myself to go to gigs, events, libraries, coffee bars,
0:26:54 > 0:26:57just on the off chance that I might meet someone I'd vaguely know.
0:26:57 > 0:26:59But it was excruciating.
0:26:59 > 0:27:02As a Government, we welcome the Jo Cox Commission's work and it
0:27:02 > 0:27:04has kick-started a national conversation on loneliness
0:27:04 > 0:27:06here in the UK.
0:27:06 > 0:27:09And that's why we look forward to receiving the recommendations
0:27:09 > 0:27:11when they are published next month.
0:27:11 > 0:27:12Jake Berry.
0:27:12 > 0:27:16And that's it from me for now, but do join me at the same time
0:27:16 > 0:27:18tomorrow for another round up of the day here at Westminster.
0:27:18 > 0:27:23But for now from me, goodbye.