:00:15. > :00:22.On behalf of the commission, a few words on world press Freedom Day,
:00:23. > :00:27.which we celebrate today. Democracy can only work with free and
:00:28. > :00:34.independent media, freedom of expression is a fundamental value of
:00:35. > :00:35.threats of violence against threats of violence against
:00:36. > :00:41.journalists and media professionals. This is why we have the EU human
:00:42. > :00:45.rights guidelines for freedom of expulsion online and off-line.
:00:46. > :00:51.That's why we support the continued into mentation as a high
:00:52. > :00:56.representation in the statement published yesterday. Wherever
:00:57. > :01:02.necessary, we must act to defend media freedom, this is a challenge
:01:03. > :01:06.for everybody, media professionals, European and national authorities,
:01:07. > :01:11.media companies and citizens. We will continue to do whatever we can
:01:12. > :01:18.to help. And the final housekeeping point, as
:01:19. > :01:24.you know, we had yesterday the Commissioner on Visa represents
:01:25. > :01:36.. We will have tomorrow the derivatives files, so I think we
:01:37. > :01:42.have covered the whole of the commission agenda, so there will be
:01:43. > :01:49.no proper read-out session today. Our spokes officers will help you
:01:50. > :01:54.with enquiries in the course of the day. At 2:30, we will have a
:01:55. > :01:58.president together with the Prime Minister of Estonia for press
:01:59. > :02:04.points. Without further ado. I give the floor to Michel Barnier.
:02:05. > :02:15.Thank you and good morning to all of you. I am very pleased to be with
:02:16. > :02:20.you today. As you know, I have asked for a technical briefing just after
:02:21. > :02:28.my press conference with my deputies, my principal adviser, the
:02:29. > :02:40.Cabinet of the president, to go into detail on the directive.
:02:41. > :02:53.Since my first statement in this press room five months ago, we have
:02:54. > :02:56.worked a lot with Jean-Claude Juncker and his team, and the
:02:57. > :03:04.members of the commission, with President Donald Tusk and his team,
:03:05. > :03:09.with member states, the European Parliament, and national
:03:10. > :03:15.parliaments. I and my team have met with representatives of the business
:03:16. > :03:25.community, in each member state, trade unions and civil society, and
:03:26. > :03:32.we will continue. Our hard work paid off. The result of our collective
:03:33. > :03:38.work is what happened last Saturday, the 27 leaders and president of the
:03:39. > :03:46.three institutions showing their unity by agreeing on clear
:03:47. > :03:50.guidelines for the negotiation. Today, the commission proposes a
:03:51. > :03:57.recommendation that translates the guidelines into negotiating
:03:58. > :04:03.directives. In line with the two phase approach, these directives are
:04:04. > :04:10.for the first phase of negotiations only. Our recommendation shows where
:04:11. > :04:18.we want to land when we conclude the first phase of negotiations. This
:04:19. > :04:24.will be on citizens rights, the financial settlement and the new,
:04:25. > :04:28.external borders. I will pay great attention to the situation in
:04:29. > :04:39.Ireland, and I will go into Ireland next week. The UK must put great
:04:40. > :04:45.energy and thought into these three issues over the next weeks and
:04:46. > :04:52.months. This will increase the chances of reaching a deal. Some
:04:53. > :04:59.have created the illusion that Brexit will have no material impact
:05:00. > :05:08.on our lives. Or that negotiations can be concluded quickly, and
:05:09. > :05:14.painlessly. This is not the case. We need sound solutions, we need
:05:15. > :05:23.legal precision, and this will take time.
:05:24. > :08:52.Once again, there is no punishment. There is no Brexit Bill. The
:08:53. > :09:00.financial settlement is only about settling the accounts.
:09:01. > :10:02.Ladies and gentlemen, these negotiations will be extraordinary.
:10:03. > :10:09.They are the source of concern for many, many citizens and many
:10:10. > :10:15.organisations. We need to respond by being transparent. This is why we
:10:16. > :10:18.are publishing today our recommendation for the councils. We
:10:19. > :10:27.will be transparent throughout the process. Transparency can help
:10:28. > :10:31.sustain a constructive, public debate and in the negotiations,
:10:32. > :10:40.which will be, in any case difficult, I think that you should
:10:41. > :10:44.always remain cool-headed and solution orientated. We should put
:10:45. > :10:50.all our efforts towards reaching a deal. This is the spirit in which I,
:10:51. > :10:55.with the trust of the institutions and all member states, will continue
:10:56. > :11:02.working. The EU 27 is on track to make sure
:11:03. > :11:09.that the UK's withdrawal happens in an orderly fashion. The UK's
:11:10. > :11:14.decision to leave the European Union union has now caused ten months of
:11:15. > :11:21.uncertainty. We need to remove that uncertainty. It is high time to
:11:22. > :11:25.start negotiating, as soon as the UK is ready to come to the table we
:11:26. > :11:34.shall start negotiating. The clock is ticking. And I am ready now to
:11:35. > :11:44.answer your questions. Before we start, there will...
:11:45. > :11:50.Please keep technical comments for colleagues who are here, and let's
:11:51. > :11:57.try different questions, not repeat ourselves. Let's start. They will be
:11:58. > :12:06.able to answer the technical questions.
:12:07. > :13:55.TRANSLATION: Guarantees which we have provided together with the
:13:56. > :13:59.European investment bank and macro economic assistance to countries
:14:00. > :14:03.such as Ukraine. This all has to be tarted up. We have entered into
:14:04. > :14:09.rigorous and objective work, that should be incontestable and will
:14:10. > :14:19.have to take account of the commitment of the past. I cannot
:14:20. > :14:23.understand why I hear mention of punishment about the Brexit Bill,
:14:24. > :14:27.that is not the case. Commitments have been made and those commitments
:14:28. > :14:31.have to be honoured. Those responsibilities have to be
:14:32. > :14:34.honoured. Some moments ago I made an important point. Imagine for one
:14:35. > :14:41.moment what would happen were this not to happen. I want to reach an
:14:42. > :14:45.agreement on behalf of the 27, and I said in front of the committee of
:14:46. > :14:49.the region is what I see as the conditions for that agreement. We're
:14:50. > :14:56.not trying to create problems, we wish to resolve problems. The way to
:14:57. > :15:01.resolve a problem is to be objective and rigorous in our approach, not to
:15:02. > :15:05.be overdramatic. We have to be rigorous in our approach to clearing
:15:06. > :15:10.these accounts, otherwise the situation might be explosive, if we
:15:11. > :15:17.have to stop programmes can you imagine the political problems which
:15:18. > :15:22.might arise? On the question relating to the Court of Justice,
:15:23. > :15:29.Article 50 and the agreement which we are going to construct makes
:15:30. > :15:33.reference to the right of the union to protect the rights of our
:15:34. > :15:40.citizens. To name one example, if we brace ourselves on these rights
:15:41. > :15:48.being protected under union law, it will quite clearly be the Court of
:15:49. > :15:53.Justice, which is and competent to interpret these rights for the
:15:54. > :15:56.duration of the validity of such rights which means this will
:15:57. > :15:58.continue to be the case well after the date of the withdrawal of the
:15:59. > :16:14.UK. TRANSLATION: Thank you for giving me
:16:15. > :16:26.the floor. There were some leaks in a German newspaper this week about
:16:27. > :16:30.the so-called, the dinner of discord between Juncker and May, what you
:16:31. > :16:40.think of that? Do you think letting this rather poisonous atmosphere
:16:41. > :16:47.enter means it will derail quickly? I have a mission. I am the union's
:16:48. > :16:53.negotiator. And that's been clear since Saturday. Total unity and a
:16:54. > :17:03.very clear line of the European very clear line of the European
:17:04. > :17:10.Council, that's what's clear to me. We know what we're going to be
:17:11. > :17:17.putting on the table during these negotiations, and that's the table
:17:18. > :17:21.I'll be sitting round. We will wait, we will listen very carefully to
:17:22. > :17:30.what the British, when they're ready, will be putting on the table,
:17:31. > :17:38.and we'll see where we can find some common ground. That's the table
:17:39. > :17:43.where I, as a negotiator, will be focusing, and I'll be focusing on
:17:44. > :17:50.facts, figures, laws and solutions, and I won't be guided by emotions
:17:51. > :17:56.and hostility. That's what I can say. The European Council is very
:17:57. > :18:04.clear: we must make as much progress as possible, as quickly as possible,
:18:05. > :18:09.no windowdressing, sufficient progress in the negotiation, so that
:18:10. > :18:15.we can get to the second phase, the scoping of the relationship, as and
:18:16. > :18:20.when that's possible. That's my job, for the commission, for the Council,
:18:21. > :18:23.with the with the European Council Parliament over the next few months.
:18:24. > :18:28.As soon as the United Kingdom is ready to come to that table, we will
:18:29. > :18:34.start. That's what I can say, and I can say it very clearly.
:18:35. > :18:47.I am with the Wall Street Journal. From this mandate it is clear that
:18:48. > :18:56.you are not going to touch on any transitional arrangements for the
:18:57. > :18:59.future relationship, and based on what Mrs May said over the weekend,
:19:00. > :19:03.she wants a deal that encompasses all of that before the financial
:19:04. > :19:09.settlement. What will you tell the UK side, if they bring up these
:19:10. > :19:13.issues, that you are not mandated to talk about them, or will you engage
:19:14. > :19:27.in any probing discussions on that? TRANSLATION: Firstly, we have
:19:28. > :19:32.already done a great deal of work with the European Council, the
:19:33. > :19:37.council, the teams of President Tusk and our own departments on the
:19:38. > :19:45.substance of these negotiating directives, which we now have on the
:19:46. > :19:49.table. I'm not altogether surprised therefore by the content and the
:19:50. > :19:55.limits of this mandate. And let me tell you why. Because I think that
:19:56. > :19:59.one of the conditions are having an orderly withdrawal is to be just
:20:00. > :20:07.that, orderly. Time is short, it is very short. Time is ticking and the
:20:08. > :20:10.days are going by, and if we wish to make a success of this we have do
:20:11. > :20:17.succeed in an orderly fashion. We have to resolve and deal calmly with
:20:18. > :20:22.difficult questions without being overly theatrical or dramatic. Were
:20:23. > :20:26.we not to do that, this could compromise the outcome of the
:20:27. > :20:34.negotiations on Article 50. Now, of course, I hope that in October 2018,
:20:35. > :20:38.as far as the divorce, we will have an agreement on the orderly
:20:39. > :20:42.withdrawal, the various questions we see as priorities, then we will have
:20:43. > :20:47.the definition of transitional periods. As I said in my first
:20:48. > :20:53.statement to you, the nature of any transitional period will, of course,
:20:54. > :20:58.depend very much and will govern our future relationship. There is a
:20:59. > :21:01.question of the free trade agreement, but this is not to be
:21:02. > :21:09.discussed immediately. We have to firstly proceed to establish a solid
:21:10. > :21:15.basis, establishing a climate of confidence between the UK and EU 27
:21:16. > :21:16.before we can proceeds come as the heads of government and state asked
:21:17. > :21:38.us to. TRANSLATION: Good day to you, Mr
:21:39. > :21:43.Barnier. The 27 heads of state of government have put often referred
:21:44. > :21:46.to you when it comes to point X in time, where you will judge if
:21:47. > :21:49.progress has been enough on the three first issues to move to the
:21:50. > :21:56.second stage. Everyone is referring to you, Mr Barnier. So give us more
:21:57. > :22:05.information, how will you judge when things have moved enough, and the
:22:06. > :22:08.results have been obtained so you can propose to the European Council
:22:09. > :22:15.that they move on to that second stage? TRANSLATION: Those who
:22:16. > :22:19.referred you to me probably did so because it would be my
:22:20. > :22:25.responsibility. When we've moved forward enough, it may be a bit
:22:26. > :22:29.ambitious but I hope it will be in the autumn, I don't know, October,
:22:30. > :22:34.November first I hope that I will be able to say clearly and objectively
:22:35. > :22:38.that there is sufficient progress. I said earlier on, it's not going to
:22:39. > :22:44.be windowdressing. These are going to be clear commitments on which
:22:45. > :22:48.we've reached agreement on some basic principles, on the principles
:22:49. > :22:54.of the three sectors where the decision of the United Kingdom to
:22:55. > :22:57.leave the European Union has created ten months of complete uncertainty
:22:58. > :23:05.for four million-plus citizens on either side of the Channel. And not
:23:06. > :23:12.forgetting Ireland. Beneficiaries of European funds, etc, and the
:23:13. > :23:18.question of borders. So no windowdressing. A clear agreement on
:23:19. > :23:24.principles. The methodology for that financial settlement, clear
:23:25. > :23:33.intervals, non-discrimination and continuity of rights for citizens.
:23:34. > :23:36.So, I can't tell you at what point, the negotiations haven't started, I
:23:37. > :23:40.can't tell you at what point we will know when we have reached that stage
:23:41. > :23:46.when I can talk of sufficient progress. But on citizens rights,
:23:47. > :23:51.for example, I can explain that sufficient agreement would mean that
:23:52. > :23:57.you'd agreed on the cut-off date, I think we're calling which is the
:23:58. > :24:04.date where the UK officially withdraws. The rights are covered,
:24:05. > :24:08.the individuals, the individuals who are covered, the duration during
:24:09. > :24:11.which rights are guaranteed. And I said, for the whole of their life.
:24:12. > :24:17.The way those rights are guaranteed... For budget questions,
:24:18. > :24:23.it will be in agreement on a specific methodology. As many member
:24:24. > :24:27.states want, that will have to be clear and firm. It won't be one that
:24:28. > :24:31.can be reopened, in terms of the principles. The idea being, of
:24:32. > :24:37.course, that you are guaranteeing that you've done the groundwork. I
:24:38. > :24:40.say this calmly, that you're in good conditions to start the second
:24:41. > :24:45.phase. We shouldn't start the second phase, the scoping, the transitional
:24:46. > :24:56.arrangements and a climate of mistrust and uncertainty.
:24:57. > :25:12.Good morning. The difficulties, the differences over dinner the other
:25:13. > :25:17.day, the settlement of the commitments, are you considering,
:25:18. > :25:22.have you discussed or are you preparing a plan B in case
:25:23. > :25:28.negotiations fail? Also, if you can give us an estimate of how much will
:25:29. > :25:30.be included in this Bill. A figure was given, 60 billion, it could be
:25:31. > :25:49.80 billion, it could be 100 billion. In order to be objective, my team
:25:50. > :25:53.and myself, with the assistants of all the commission services, I would
:25:54. > :25:58.like to thank President Juncker for having allowed me to work together
:25:59. > :26:02.with the commission services and all commissioners from the outset. With
:26:03. > :26:06.these honoured colleagues, we are working on all options. But the
:26:07. > :26:10.option I wish to work on is agreement, that is the objective
:26:11. > :26:14.towards which we are working, the objective of an agreement between
:26:15. > :26:21.the UK and the EU. An agreement on Brexit, and orderly withdrawal on
:26:22. > :26:28.the nature and the limited duration of transitional periods, and what I
:26:29. > :26:37.called a new partnership built on a number of elements, free and fair
:26:38. > :26:39.trade relationship, and of course, bilateral cooperation between the
:26:40. > :26:45.United Kingdom and ourselves on questions of a security and defence,
:26:46. > :26:49.to ensure the stability of the European continent, which requires
:26:50. > :26:54.joint work together with the British. I don't wish to give any
:26:55. > :26:58.figures today. I can't, because I don't know what the figures are.
:26:59. > :27:04.Various estimates have been circulating. We have to clear the
:27:05. > :27:08.accounts of the past. The obligations of the past, that is
:27:09. > :27:12.clear. Since you are all confident and well informed journalists, I am
:27:13. > :27:19.sure you can undertake your own calculations whilst looking at past
:27:20. > :27:24.agreements. We will be precise methodology, but we cannot give any
:27:25. > :27:28.definitive figures, because I would like to point out that life will be
:27:29. > :27:34.continuing in the union between October and the withdrawal of the
:27:35. > :27:43.UK. Commitments will continue to be entered into, and we have two ensure
:27:44. > :27:47.the guarantees to be given within the budget. There is a further
:27:48. > :27:52.element which is important to the UK and ourselves, that is the way in
:27:53. > :28:02.which these payments will be disbursed over time. The sexual link
:28:03. > :28:07.of -- scheduling of the payments. On this question as others, there are
:28:08. > :28:14.differing positions are emerging during the dinner to which you
:28:15. > :28:23.refer, which I participated in. Good morning Mr Barnier. You just said,
:28:24. > :28:28.stressing the fact we should have no illusions about a painless Brexit.
:28:29. > :28:32.You stress the fact that the clock is ticking and it is high time to
:28:33. > :28:36.start negotiations. You stress this so much, is it because you don't see
:28:37. > :28:46.this awareness in London at the moment?
:28:47. > :28:51.No, it's because it is my responsibility as a negotiator to
:28:52. > :28:56.say that. Six months ago or so, I was given this job by President
:28:57. > :29:02.Juncker. I came back to Brussels, I got to look at the detail, because
:29:03. > :29:07.that's what I do. I looked at all of the policies that the British have
:29:08. > :29:14.chosen, because it is their choice to leave completely, partly. And I'm
:29:15. > :29:21.impressed by the complexity of the whole thing, legally, technically
:29:22. > :29:25.and in terms of the consequences, it is very, very complicated. I said
:29:26. > :29:32.here, one of the first things I said when I got the job, there will be
:29:33. > :29:37.consequences. Those who pretend, or who did pretend, that you can leave
:29:38. > :29:40.the European Union and there are no consequences simply aren't telling
:29:41. > :29:42.the truth. Their argument consequences. There are social
:29:43. > :29:48.consequences. There are economic consequences, technical
:29:49. > :29:54.consequences, financial, legal consequences, you are on winding 43
:29:55. > :29:59.years or so of a relationship -- unwinding. That's why you can't do
:30:00. > :30:06.everything in 15-16 months before October. That's why things have to
:30:07. > :30:14.be done in a given order. At some stage, you build an idea of a future
:30:15. > :30:20.relationship. Honestly, I get the feeling that, on the London side,
:30:21. > :30:24.the people I have met are aware of the difficulties.
:30:25. > :30:42.You have a microphone next to you. UK journalist for ITV News, thank
:30:43. > :30:48.you for letting me ask this question. In terms of the
:30:49. > :30:54.negotiations ahead, if Theresa May wins the general election in Britain
:30:55. > :30:55.in the way that polls suggest, will it weaken your hand in negotiations,
:30:56. > :31:14.Mr Barnier? Of course, I am not going to make
:31:15. > :31:22.any comment on UK domestic politics. To be objective, the only thing I
:31:23. > :31:31.can say is that a new government following the elections, which
:31:32. > :31:36.Theresa May called early. This new government as of the 8th of June
:31:37. > :31:40.will have a certain longevity and stability for five years, which is
:31:41. > :31:46.not the case for the current government. That is an important
:31:47. > :31:53.point, and if you ask me for my evaluation, irrespective of the
:31:54. > :31:59.government and office that we are going to be entering negotiations
:32:00. > :32:02.which will take 16 months, I hope to gain an agreement on Brexit. And
:32:03. > :32:06.afterwards, we will continue to enter into treaties on our future
:32:07. > :32:10.relations. You have to be given the floor and
:32:11. > :32:19.there are no follow up questions on a day like this. Thank you so much.
:32:20. > :32:22.Yes, from the centre. Sorry. We cannot hear you because you are not
:32:23. > :32:44.being translated. All I can say is that I don't wish
:32:45. > :32:47.to make any comments on the new British Government after the
:32:48. > :32:51.elections, and the spirit in which they will work. But these elections
:32:52. > :32:58.will not change anything with regard to the position and determination of
:32:59. > :33:02.the repealing union is confirmed today, taking the shape of my
:33:03. > :33:08.negotiating directives without any aggressiveness or naivete, we shall
:33:09. > :33:16.defend the interests of the 27 member states of the union and the
:33:17. > :33:22.single market. That is my role. I have a question on citizen rights.
:33:23. > :33:29.As you said yourself, and also President Juncker and president
:33:30. > :33:35.task, this is a serious issue for the families, hundreds of thousands
:33:36. > :33:41.of people. I understand with the people that live in the UK, they can
:33:42. > :33:45.do nothing. They already lived there, Bay had to wait for the
:33:46. > :33:48.going to the UK and working there, going to the UK and working there,
:33:49. > :33:54.can you tell them with full confidence that they can go there,
:33:55. > :34:06.begin their lives and you will guarantee their lives after that?
:34:07. > :34:16.Thank you. Including for people already there, first of all, we have
:34:17. > :34:21.to have that agreement, represents City -- reciprocity, up to the day
:34:22. > :34:27.of Brexit and for their lives. I have a mandate and agreement, and I
:34:28. > :34:37.will respect it. It is to cover people who arrive tomorrow morning
:34:38. > :34:42.and up to the day of Brexit. So that those people acquire the five years
:34:43. > :34:46.necessary to be a permanent resident, but I can't tell you today
:34:47. > :34:51.the results of the negotiations on that point or any other point, but I
:34:52. > :34:57.am quite determined. I am determined to ask their rights to be covered as
:34:58. > :35:02.per my negotiating mandate, including for the category of people
:35:03. > :35:15.that you mentioned who are not there yet, but who arrived before Brexit
:35:16. > :35:21.happens. One more question. Mark Stone from Sky News, a general
:35:22. > :35:26.question and a specific question, the general one, do you say you
:35:27. > :35:30.don't want a deal with emotion, but how would you characterise the mood
:35:31. > :35:34.right now between London and Brussels? It appears to have
:35:35. > :35:39.deteriorated. How will that affect negotiations? At a specific crushing
:35:40. > :35:43.on financial commitments, there are ballpark figures, some talk of 100
:35:44. > :35:47.billion euros, some talk of 50 billion euros, can you give us a
:35:48. > :35:59.ballpark figure of what it might be? If not, do you expect the UK to
:36:00. > :36:06.agree to signing a blank cheque? I cannot accept that term, blank
:36:07. > :36:12.cheque. There was never any question of asking the UK to give us a blank
:36:13. > :36:16.cheque. That would not be serious. All we ask in for is for the
:36:17. > :36:20.accounts to be cleared for the honouring of commitments which the
:36:21. > :36:23.UK has entered into. It is not a blank cheque. We know exactly what
:36:24. > :36:30.we are speaking about and what we will discuss, but you cannot get me
:36:31. > :36:34.to give any figures. Let me say, as far as I am concerned, leaving the
:36:35. > :36:40.union does not have a price which has to be paid. We have an orderly
:36:41. > :36:43.withdrawal with accounts to be cleared, and we need to take into
:36:44. > :36:48.account various questions that I have mentioned previously. You have
:36:49. > :36:55.also asked me about the mood. The mood prevailing, the mood which I
:36:56. > :37:00.observed during the course of this dinner at the other day. Now, of
:37:01. > :37:04.course, the positions between us are different. Sometimes very different.
:37:05. > :37:08.That is no surprise to anyone. That is why we need negotiations, and why
:37:09. > :37:15.we have to start these negotiations as soon as possible. As you have
:37:16. > :37:18.been mentioning, this meeting, let me add a personal note in
:37:19. > :37:21.conclusion. When I accompanied peasant Juncker, it was the first
:37:22. > :37:31.time I had the honour of meeting Theresa May. -- President Juncker. I
:37:32. > :37:41.have to say it was a cordial meeting. I don't wish to be too
:37:42. > :37:48.Franco British in my approach, but I hope we can build a rapport. I am
:37:49. > :37:53.not sure yet, but that is my objective, to build a cordial
:37:54. > :38:00.relationship that will last well beyond Brexit. Secondly, also on a
:38:01. > :38:03.personal basis, I had the opportunity to discuss a shared
:38:04. > :38:14.passion, which I have with Theresa May, which is rambling and hiking in
:38:15. > :38:19.the mountains, and as you may know, I have the privilege of being the
:38:20. > :38:24.mountainous regions. If you like mountainous regions. If you like
:38:25. > :38:28.walking in the mountains, you had to learn a certain number of rules. You
:38:29. > :38:34.have to learn to put one foot in front of the other. Sometimes you
:38:35. > :38:40.are on a steep and rocky path. You also have to look at what accidents
:38:41. > :38:47.might befall you, falling rocks, you have to be careful to keep your
:38:48. > :38:50.breath, you have to have stamina, because it could be a lengthy path,
:38:51. > :38:58.and you have to keep looking at the summit, the outcome. That is what I
:38:59. > :39:00.learned mountain walking. Thank you. Just two minutes to put up the third
:39:01. > :39:16.lectin. See you tomorrow. The 2017 general election is upon
:39:17. > :39:22.us. Every day BBC Parliament will have the key speeches from the main
:39:23. > :39:25.players in full and cuts, as well as all the big campaign events. Don't
:39:26. > :39:31.miss a single minute on BBC Parliament and BBC iPlayer. Pure
:39:32. > :39:34.politics, from the UK's only dedicated politics channel.