21/01/2017 Politics Europe


21/01/2017

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Hello, and welcome to Politics Europe. On today's programme.

:00:00.:00:49.

Theresa May spells out her Brexit plant, confirming the UK will leave

:00:50.:00:54.

the single market, warning EU leaders that no deal is better than

:00:55.:00:59.

a bad deal. We will look at reaction across Europe and examine the likely

:01:00.:01:03.

negotiating strategy of the of the EU. We report from Strasbourg where

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MEPs have voted for this man, Antonio, as the new president of the

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European Parliament. And as Donald Trump enters the White House, how

:01:16.:01:20.

are the residents of Melania Trump's hometown in Slovenia celebrating the

:01:21.:01:27.

success of their most famous ex-resident. I put white chocolate

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because of the White House, she is always dressed in white. So I put

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white chocolate. So, all that to come and more in the next half-hour.

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First, though, here is our guide to the latest from Europe in just 60

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seconds. After much anticipation, on Tuesday, Prime Minister Theresa May

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delivered her speech on Brexit. She said the UK would lay the single

:02:02.:02:05.

market, and had a strong message to European neighbours. No deal is

:02:06.:02:10.

better than a bad deal. There were mixed reactions from European

:02:11.:02:14.

leaders, some accusing her of cherry picking from the EU. Others were

:02:15.:02:20.

more kind. We want a fair deal with Britain and for Britain. Also on

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Tuesday, the European Parliament elected its new president, Antonio,

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from the centre-right EPP. On Thursday, MEPs called for emergency

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aid for refugees again, specifically to help them with freezing

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temperatures and snow across Europe. And also this week, a report from

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top officials calls for the EU to raise its own taxes. Standby for a

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European VAT, a bank levy, or corporate tax. Actually, don't hold

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your breath. With me for the next few minutes is the right and left

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MEPs. And also we are joined from Brussels by our political chief

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correspondent, David. Let me come to you first. When will we get the

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combined or collective European negotiating position Theresa May has

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outlined with her speech this week what Britain wants. Will we get

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something similar from the European Union side? Certainly not before the

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formal triggering of Article 50. The EU has been very clear about this.

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It is not their job to help the EU a long. So you know the steps we need

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to take. We are still waiting for a court decision for Parliament to

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act. Once that happens in the formal notification is received from

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Brussels, we will see Michel Barnier kicked into action with a more

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cohesive message coming out of Russells at that point. -- Brussels.

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In London, how much hostility is there to Britain building up to

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these negotiations? There is resignation and disappointment with

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the way we are going. I would also say there is almost a feeling of

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abdication of political leadership in terms of we keep talking about

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immigration and only immigration and not discussing important issues like

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the economy and jobs. And what that means... And the speech hasn't

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really, other than clarifying we will not be in the single market,

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which I am personally really devastated by, because I do think it

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is important for our economy and jobs, and for our income, to

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safeguard NHS, education, and services, but I think the main

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concern is that we seem to have thrown in the towel before we have

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actually started negotiations. What do you say to that? I disagree. I

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happen to be in the more detailed discussions that are happening

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between the Parliament's it is. What I have noticed is a change of tone

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over the Christmas period. -- committees. As the committees looked

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after the more detailed negotiations. We had a long

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interview with Michel Barnier. One of the people heading up the

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negotiations. He is a detailed person, talking about the need for a

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new partnership and relationship, one that recognises the close

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economic ties between Europe... I... What I have noticed. Sorry. As they

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look at the details, the more practical and pragmatic approach,

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not wanting to damage the economy on either side of the Channel, I am

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just beginning to feel that, in that negotiation... I would say that in

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response to Theresa May's speech this week, it has undone some of

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that work. I have said this... No, my colleagues are also involved in

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those negotiations with Michel Barnier. And there is a plan to move

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these things forward, he said. But the speech, the way things have gone

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down now, people are saying, well, you are not really interested in

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closing a deal. You have stated you want out. Let me go back to...

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David, let me ask you this again, because, on this side of the

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Channel, we are still a little unclear. Assume Article 50 is

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triggered by the vote in Parliament and that is the way it has gone.

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What then? How does Europe come to its collective view? Does that have

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to be determined by the Council of Ministers by 27? Do they give it a

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bunny abroad negotiating mandate? -- Michel Barnier a broad. We get the

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idea that it is already taking shape, that mandate. Let me go back

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to the previous question. There is a lot of lip service being paid to the

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continued importance and relevance of British officials in Brussels and

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the EU. But what we are seeing is that it is quickly apparent they are

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being marginalised. Even in the Parliament they are saying everyone

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is a full member until Brexit happens. It is quite clear that

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relevance is disappearing very fast to be that is very important for the

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UK, which will be part of the EU for many years. In terms of the mandate

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that Michel Barnier has, there has been reaction to the Prime

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Minister's speech. Looking back to the very first bite simple things

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that Angela Merkel was seen after the referendum. -- Politics Europe

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the four fundamental freedoms of the EU are not up for negotiation. And

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in Paris and Berlin, the does not seem to be significant recognition

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of that in London. They have not got the message. These things are not

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negotiable. And... It is not like an American Express ad. Mentorship has

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its responsibilities. The Prime Minister recognised the importance

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of the four freedoms to the rest of the EU. She went back to talking

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about a close economic partnership. From the side of the EU we want to

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keep open as much of trade as possible. And put it back to the

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practical co-operation we have on economic issues like trade in goods,

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she mentioned cars and financial services as well. Practical

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cooperation. They want to keep... Can I ask you... And I ask you a

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question. No, we have not got time. If the government is now ruling out

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membership of the single market, why are the four freedoms relevant? They

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do not need to be up for negotiation. Because if we are not

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going to be a member of the single market then the four freedoms do not

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apply. They are not for us. I agree. No, I am asking here in London. I

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assume it is one of the reasons she has decided... That is my

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understanding as well. It clears these issues. I think it is wrong

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that we put immigration above jobs and the economy. And that is what I

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am hearing from manufacturers in the West Midlands. They need access to

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the single market... When you look at the referendum... Hang on, do you

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accept? Let me finish. You are talking about the referendum and I

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do not want to do that. Do you accept that if we are not part of

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the single market then the four freedoms that are part of the single

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market do not need to be part of the negotiations? We have had some

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statements from the Prime Minister saying we will have customs

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arrangements. We do not know the details of that? We do not know what

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that means. Let me go back to David. David, if we are going... If it is

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the government's position to go for a Free Trade Agreement, why are the

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four freedoms of the single market relevant? What I think is that to

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understand if there has been compromising on that side, if the UK

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is not willing to live up to those standards, then, in fact, there will

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be a cost to leaving membership of the EU. That any trade deal will not

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be as preferential, will not have as good an arrangement as the current

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arrangement. If they understand that it will not happen for some time. In

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any Free Trade Agreement, there is always a clause about movement or

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free access with no visa. The Canadian free-trade deal which is

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the most recent one does not involve free movement. Let us be very

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clear... Can I come back in? What I have heard the chief negotiator for

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the European Commission say is not a special deal for the UK, but a deal

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that is very this effect, that recognises our economic links, that

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wants to form a new partnership, and that is what the Prime Minister has

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set out. She has set out her willingness to not put up new

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barriers to free trade and manage the economies on both sides to be we

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need to start working on the detail of that. That is the tone I have had

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out of Brussels. We need to work on that. Let me go back to David. How

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much concern is there from Brussels, or do they not think it is a

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concern, that the kind of antiestablishment insurgency we have

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seen with Brexit and then Donald Trump's election, could well

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dominate the important elections in Holland, in France, in Austria,

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perhaps in Italy, and almost certainly, elections are taking

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place in Germany this year. And that could be the backdrop with worrying

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about what is happening on the ground in Europe. There is no

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question these political forces, this anti- establishment forces, are

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concerned. But interestingly, Donald Trump may be a force that serves to

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unify the EU. That if the EU saw some reason to stay unified because

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of the upcoming Brexit negotiations, then Donald Trump seems to be giving

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even greater urgency or the EU 27 to stick together. I think people are

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feeling fairly confident. And so, in fact, I think there is confidence

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growing in Brussels that they will make it through these elections OK.

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And in a funny way, Donald Trump is creating a unifying force. All

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rights. Confidence in the Republican establishment was there that he

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would win the primary races as well. We will see whether the Brussels

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bureaucrats are better at predicting band the politicians on the other

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side of the Atlantic. Thank you for being without. We need to move on.

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There has an election in Europe. It was in Strasbourg this week. MEPs

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vote for the next president of the European Parliament, an important

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position, because he is the Parliament's top dog, which brings

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considerable influence behind the scenes. Here is our report. The

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moment when Antonio Tajani from the centre-right European people's party

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became the new man in charge. Congratulating him, his predecessor,

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Martin Schulz, the German Socialists, who is leaving after

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five years at the helm, even though his party's candidate, Gianni, was

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defeated, in what was a bruising contest. As Martin Schulz exited

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stage left, the changing of the guard at European Parliament is

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completed. This election was really a battle between two Italians, but

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it started off as a contest divided up between six candidates. After

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three rounds of voting, it was down to Gianni Patella on the left and

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Antonio Tajani on the right. In the end, Mr Antonio Tajani came out on

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top. This is a clean sweep for the centre-right on the EU. The

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commission is headed up by Juncker and Tusk, all in the EEP. We were

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not able to win. But we fought strongly in case the knobbly... And

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we will fight again and again and again. -- monopoly. Is Antonio

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Tajani? He is a familiar face. But he cut his teeth as a spokesman for

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the former Prime Minister of Italy, Silvio Berlusconi. He is a coalition

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builder. He is a very honest person. He keeps his word. You can feel it,

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all the different groupings in the European Parliament, if you ask

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them, in particular, members of Parliament, what they would say

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about him, it is that he is a man that keeps his word.

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It is this approach that won in the support of other conservative

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groups. I think it would be a better chairman for us in the Parliament.

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He has promised to be more of a speaker than a Prime Minister. We

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need a neutral conductor of business. And the other thing is

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that it is better to have someone from the centre-right in the chair

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than a leftist. For those reasons, we came to support Antonio Tajani's

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campaign. His in tray is full. Countering the rise of

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euroscepticism ahead of elections, coping with new waves of migrants

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and wrecks that, although he will not be the man leading the

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negotiations on behalf of Parliament. That will be done by a

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Liberal MP. How do you think Antonio Tajani will respond in terms of

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Brexit? He will say that they are opposed to Brexit and they will

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oppose it. They will punish us and expect to see us perform badly. That

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is what he will say. Actually, he is far more measured and pragmatic. So

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Antonio Tajani will be the man in post you in Parliament in just over

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two years time when the sun sets on the UK's negotiations with the EU

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over its exit. And Novo Mestos from the remaining states will have a

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vote to ratify any deal that has been agreed. So the president of the

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commission and another conservative president, Donald task, now a

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centre-right Italian MEP, president of the Parliament. Is the right to

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taking over the institutions of the EU? I am disappointed that our

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candidate, who put up a good fight and was not successful... I think it

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is wrong because it EU governments... And who were you

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supporting? Patella. It is of concern that all three institutions

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are on the centre-right. I do not think it bodes well but more

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importantly what concerns me, and I get along quite well with Antonio

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Tajani, but I think he is not really a strong candidate in terms of the

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challenges that the EU faces this year. Martin Shields has really

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increased Parliament role and visibility. Is there not an irony

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that a conservative government is taking us out of the EU institutions

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just as Conservatives are dominating European Union institutions? In

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response, the reason we have a centre-right politician now is

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because the centre-right have more votes because the centre-right got

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more votes from the public... You mean in Parliament? Yes. They won

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more votes in the European elections. That is why he won. I am

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pleased to see someone who has said they will be more of a speaker and

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list of a Prime Minister. We found Martin Shields very dictatorial. He

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overruled many decisions of the committees so the back benches...

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Will the new Minister be helpful or unhelpful on Brexit? I voted for him

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in the last round because he promised to listen to all of the

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Parliament, especially to the conservative performance group and

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he promised to play a neutral tone on Brexit, to allow the

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negotiation... Part of the deal is that riposte that stays as a chief

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negotiator and he has been strengthened. And what Capello was

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offering... He was saying that he would take a hostile offer

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negotiation. In terms of British interest it would have been better,

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given the cost to's position on the UK... That is the Belgian

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federalist? He is the leader of one of the groups. He has an agreement

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now with the centre-right grouping to change the direction of the EU.

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They want a European coastguard. A European defence force... Hold on.

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Hold on. And also a European intelligence and investigation

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capacity. So if that is the way that these two big groups in the European

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Parliament are going, even labour could not support most of that. No.

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We were not supporting these candidates. But is that the

:20:18.:20:27.

direction of Europe now? The eye could not have supported the

:20:28.:20:30.

Socialist candidate. You have a choice of two, both of whom are

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fundamentally federalist. Patella was not federalist. The offer from

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Antonio Tajani was to be more of a neutral speaker to allow the

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parliament to move on with its post. Just on the role of Gaya, he is not

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in the negotiation. He is the chief negotiator and... The two of you are

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confusing me here. You say he is not an negotiation and you say he is the

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chief negotiator. You can't both be right. Negotiations are conducted in

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the European Council and it was the Bonnie is that team. They were

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negotiation Parliament. Parliament as a whole has a vote. I am still

:21:24.:21:31.

not clear but I have run out of time to clarify. We have the latest now

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in the series of ROMs profiling EU member states. We have travelled to

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fellow of any hour. Where people in -- are getting used to the idea that

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their most famous export is now the first Lady of the world. I was born

:22:04.:22:08.

in Slovenia, a small then Communist country in central Europe. And here

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it is. This town had a population of 4.5 thousand. And here you find the

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biggest manufacturer of pants in Slovenia. She left and found fame

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fortune and a husband in the United States in the mid-19 90s. Since then

:22:28.:22:31.

her home country has joined Nato, the EU and the euro. I am armed with

:22:32.:22:41.

a magazine with Melania on the front cover. What do you think about

:22:42.:22:49.

Melania? A great woman. For me it is not interesting. Nothing was Mike

:22:50.:22:58.

yeah. Can you imagine that Donald Trump industry visiting that house?

:22:59.:23:05.

Here they are offering a first Lady tour where you can see her old

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school, have famous local salami for lunch. 32 euros per person. At the

:23:10.:23:14.

bakery they are selling a Trump themed cake. We put white chocolate

:23:15.:23:20.

colours of the White House. She always wears white so we put white

:23:21.:23:25.

chocolate and we put gold on the top because it is luxury. Also other

:23:26.:23:35.

speciality ingredients. It is not exactly Melania mania. Possibly

:23:36.:23:42.

because her Slovenian lawyers have issued a reminder that her name is a

:23:43.:23:49.

trademark. The biggest thing that Mrs Trump has done for us is to get

:23:50.:23:54.

us recognised. So we are respectful about using her name, partly because

:23:55.:24:00.

her family still live here. And that will continue to be the case in the

:24:01.:24:06.

future. But surely it is great material for Slovenian comedians? Do

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you have a good joke? That she is a Slovenian designed robot who

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infiltrates the White House and now we are in charge. We are such a

:24:16.:24:20.

small country and this was our secret plan because the president of

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UEFA is also Slovenian so we are putting people into positions and

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waiting to see what happens. Thank you for giving us the heads up.

:24:29.:24:35.

Celebrations of the inauguration are low-key. The main event is the

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annual pruning of the vineyards. And eating Melania cake. Adam Fleming

:24:41.:24:47.

who is not a robot that you should see his air miles from these

:24:48.:24:52.

reports. That was from Slovenia. Thank you to our guests for being

:24:53.:24:57.

with us today and that is it for us now. Thank you for watching and

:24:58.:24:58.

goodbye to you. Well, the temperatures

:24:59.:25:08.

through the night have been It has been down to minus seven

:25:09.:25:11.

degrees, at least in one or two areas, and I think scenes like this

:25:12.:25:15.

for some of us on Sunday morning.

:25:16.:25:20.

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