07/09/2016 Politics Scotland

Hello and welcome to Politics Scotland.

Coming up on the programme this afternoon: The fall-out

The First Minister will update MSPs as she seeks to secure Scotland's

Here at Westminster, the Prime Minister tells the SNP

she won't be giving a "running commentary" on negotiations

Thanks for joining us this afternoon.

This afternoon, Nicola Sturgeon will explain more about her efforts

to keep Scotland in the EU after a summer of shuttle diplomacy.

But her opponents are criticising her for focussing,

For more on this let's go live to Holyrood and to our political

Good afternoon. What will be the burden of the First Minister's song

this afternoon, Brian? Well, she is fulfilling a promise. She promised

to up-to-date Parliament on the developments there have been. To

frank there haven't been many developments. There has been process

going on in the UK Government establishing the mechanism which

which they will try and determine the UK position that they will put

forward to negotiations. In Scotland we have the appointment of Mike

Russell as the minister responsible for handling Scotland's Brexit

negotiations. He is working on options for Scotland. He is also

working on the impact that various elements of Brexit would have upon

Scottish economies, Scottish farming, fishing, universities,

etcetera. So she will try and bring Parliament up-to-date on that. She

will announce the hope for a series of debates in Parliament on

individual aspects of the Brexit decision, the Brexit outcome. It is

likely, very likely indeed, that she will stress the point she made in an

interview with me on Monday, on the BBC's Brexit Day Special, but the

prime consideration remains full membership of the European single

market. So it has been a summer of shuttle diplomacy. Her opponents are

turning on her and criticising her for pushing independence as they see

it? Yeah, they are. Two elements on that. Angus Robertson asked the

Prime Minister about that topic. He asked her to confirm that her

objective was full membership of the European single market. She

side-stepped it not once, but twice. He tried again and she again said

that was the position. That's something I'm sure that will be a

setback to the SNP arguments, but you're right the counter point from

opponents, both the Conservatives and Labour and others here in

Holyrood is to say to the First Minister if Brexit is potentially

confusing and chaotic and it is, they believe, then you only add to

that by suggesting that there could be an independence referendum.

Nicola Sturgeon is adamant that's down the line. She is right now at

this point pursuing the advantages for scanned within the framework of

the UK and within the framework of the UK negotiations. Brian, thank

you very much for that. Now dealing with Brexit means

all sorts of changes At Westminster, the House of Lords

has been examining the future For more on this, let's

cross to London and speak to our Westminster correspondent

David Porter who has Andrew thank you very much. Yes, the

House of Lords has begun its investigation into the impact of

Brexit on the fishing industry and you won't be surprised when I tell

you that's something that's being watched very closely in Scotland,

the north-east Scotland. My guest, it is a man who is the Chief

Executive of the Scottish fishermen's federation, Bertie

Armstrong. You believe that the vote on 23rd June, it is a tre den dus

opportunity for your industry, don't you? We have been characterising it

as a sea of opportunity. Almost uniquely the opportunity for us, the

prize for us, the potential prize for us if this is well handled is

really very big. It is not an adjustment away from maybe to a

slightly better circumstance, it is a sea change, the return of the best

fishing grounds in the world to control of our country. That's

really big if it is handled well. Are you confident that you will get

the fishing grounds that you think you deserve in the negotiations

because at the moment everything is up in the air, we don't really know

what Brexit means? Yes, under international law, it is absolutely

clear that we will have charge of the management and responsibilities

for resource in our exclusive economic zone. This great, big patch

200 miles. The crucial bit for us is how will that be managed? How will

it be dealt with? There will be pressure from the other European

nations who have been entitled to the common grazing in these grounds

that. Will change and it is how that is handled. We are a small industry

and that's why we have come out of the blocks charging to make sure

that everyone who is making these decisions understands the size of

the prize. You have been down here in London as well as appearing the

House of Lords committee, you have been meeting Government ministers.

Do they get what you would say is the opportunity? I hope they do. In

fact, I believe they do, we met the Fisheries Minister yesterday and

this morning, the Minister of State in the department for exit. And they

understand what we're saying. Of course, it is very important we talk

to them early, which we have done, in order that there is no dispute in

their mind that no matter what decision making they take, the size

of the prize is apparent to them. I think they understand that. We've

written a detailed paper and we'll continue to do that. So we're at the

start of the process rather than at the end. It raises a couple of

questions if it is the opportunity you're talking of, A, will the

industry be able to grab that opportunity? And are we in a few

years time talking of the reanywayons, the rebirth of the

Scottish fishing industry? To both of those a positive answer. We are

most assuredly talking about the renaissance of the Scottish fishing

industry. Remote bureaucratic distant management, under the CAP,

not because we don't like laws, but that's unfit for purpose. That will

lead to a rebirth and a renaissance in the Scottish fishing industry and

we're very hopeful that that will be the case. Bertie Armstrong, thank

you very much for joining us this afternoon. Somehow, I think, we will

be discussing this topic a lot in the future and Andrew, it is fair to

say that as with everything with Brexit, there is going to be a lot

of hard talking and hard pounding ahead.

David, thank you. Let s speak to the former

political editor of the Sunday Post Campbell Gunn,

who was until May, a special Good afternoon, Campbell. Let's pick

up on what Bertie Armstrong was saying. There could be a renaissance

of the Scottish fishing industry. It is interesting to hear from that

industry just how they see Brexit as an opportunity? It will be

interesting to see how important fishing ranks in the negotiations. I

don't think in a UK sense that fishing will be very high up the

priorities of Theresa May when she is doing the negotiations. It has to

be said that the renaissance which is underway of the Scottish fishing

industry is really due to EU rules which has put quotas on the amount

that fishermen can catch in the past and that's resulted in a recovery of

the stocks and a renaissance. The farming industry is maybe, not

seeing it in that sense? Indeed, they are well supported by the EU

and unlike the fishing industry, the farming industry are pro EU.

We are going to hear from Nicola Sturgeon updating SNPs on Brexit.

What are you expecting from her this afternoon? She will say nothing has

changed since the day after the Brexit vote and on 24th June she

said it was highly likely there would be legislation put in for

this. She announced it yesterday. She will attack the other parties

for their positions. We had David Davis having one position on the

single market the other day and was slapped down by the First Minister's

official spokesman who said that was not Government policy. So the other

parties are in a bit of disarray over Brexit and she will highlight

that. Campbell thank you very much for that.

Let's cross to Holyrood now where the First Minister

is updating MSPs on what she's calling her efforts to protect

Scotland's relationship with the EU post-Brexit.

She was on her feet there. The Presiding Officer is speaking. Just

before our summer recess Parliament gave the Scottish Government a

mandate to explore all options to protect Scotland's relationship with

the European Union. Over the summer I've updated Parliament on two

occasions in writing. Today, I will provide further information on our

work on our priorities, and how we intend to involve Parliament as we

move forward. Since the referendum, our first priority has been

reassurance. That has included seeking to do everything we can to

reassure non--UK EU citizens living here in Scotland. Let me say at the

outseth I think it is a disgrace that the UK Government has not yet

guaranteed the position of EU citizens and I call again today on

the Prime Minister... APPLAUSE

I call again today on the Prime Minister to do the right thing and

stop using human beings as bargaining chips. We've taken

targeted steps to support and promote economic stability. Last

month I set out a ?100 million economic stimulus plan. Yesterday, I

announced that a ?500 million Scottish growth scheme will form a

central part of our programme for Government. In taking these steps we

are acting on our obligation to mitigate the immediate effects of

the referendum result and we will continue to do, but we have to be

realistic about the long-term consequences of leaving the EU.

Those who are complacently crowing that the sky hasn't fallen in on the

economy would do well to remember that Brexit hasn't happened yet. It

has not even started. The reality as every sensible economic commentator

recognises is that leaving the EU will weaken the economy. The damage

will be even deeper in, as all the signals suggest, the UK's heading

for a hard Brexit outside the single market as well as outside the EU.

Applying the Government's analysis to Scotland suggesting this could

result in our GDP being more than ?10 billion lower than if we remain

in the EU. The impact will be felt in jobs, and living standards. The

G20 summit was a harsh reminder of the Brexit. The US made clear that

there would be prerchal talks and the Japanese Government set out in

detail the implications of leaving the single market. Turmoil in labour

markets and damage to financial services and cuts to research and

development investment. There is no doubt leaving the EU will be an

extraordinary self inflicted blow to the UK's competitiveness and it will

be compounded if the decision is to leave the single market as well.

That is why it is so essential that we work to retain the benefits of

our EU membership. Over the summer I set out the national interests that

are at stake, our democratic and economic interests, our interests in

social protection and solidarity and our interest in influencing the

world we live in. As I said in the morning after the referendum, we are

committed to pursuing all possible options to protect these interests.

Of course, our ability to fully assess the different options will be

constrained until we start to get some clarity about what the UK

Government is seeking to achieve. And that's one of the many reasons

why ten weeks on from the referendum it is so frustrating that the Tories

are no further forward in setting out what Brexit actually means. What

we have in place is a policy is a meaningless soundbite. Indeed the

position of the UK Government became even more farcical this week when

the only scrap of substantive detail that David Davis volunteered in a

statement to the House of Commons was disallowed by the Prime

Minister. A Prime Minister who then earlier today was unable or

unwilling to answer the simple question, does she want to see the

UK stay in the single market yes or no? However, Presiding Officer, as

the position of the UK Government does take shape ahead of Article 50

being triggered as surely it must, it is essential that Scotland's

voice is heard. To that end we have been working hard over the summer in

discussions with UK Government officials, and we continue to press

for urgent clarification of how the UK will deliver on the Prime

Minister's commitment to full involvement for Scotland. I hope to

be able to confirm soon along with the UK and other devolved

governments how this engagement will work in practise. The at the

Parliament's approval of Mike ale Russell ensures we will have a

dedicated minister leading for Scotland in this process and we are

also working closely with the other devolved administrations, the Crown

dependencies and the Government of grid bralter to make common cause

where we can. Let be clear about this and it is a point that I have

made directly to the UK Government. The Scottish Government will not be

window-dressing in a talking shop to allow the UK Government to simply

tick a box. We expect to have along with the other devolved

administrations a role in decision making. We expect our engagement to

be meanful. That was the commitment given by the Prime Minister and one

that I'm sure this Parliament expects to see delivered in full.

The approach we will take will be exactly as I set out on the morning

after the referendum. We will pursue all options to protect Scotland's

interests. Firstly, we will seek to use whatever influence we have to

shape the best or more accurately the least bad outcome, not just for

Scotland, but for the whole UK. In my view that does mean the UK

continuing as a member of the single market. I accept that the Prime

Minister has a mandate in England and Wales to leave the EU, but I do

not accept she has a mandate to take any part of the UK out of the single

market. Many leave campaigners said leaving the EU did not mean leaving

the single market. I hope that all parties will back us as we make that

case and I also hope that we can make common cause with others of

like mind across the UK. Secondly, and regardless of the direction the

UK Government decides it take, we will seek to find ways to protect

Scotland's place in Europe and our vital national interests and embed

them in the UK's negotiating strategy. Our council of experts met

for the second time last week and is working on a spectrum of options to

protect what matters. Most of Scotland and to consider the

additional powers our Parliament would need to make them work. How

can we protect the benefits to our businesses of the single market and

free movement and how can we protect workers rights, the continued

ability of our students to participate in the scheme and the

enhanced security that comes from Europol and the European Arrest

Warrant. As they are developed we will assess the options against the

five key interests I set out in the summer.

We intend to impose a series of parliamentary debates on issues like

Brecht set, the economy, rural affairs and the environment. Giving

all members the opportunity to have their say on the issues the Scottish

Government should be prioritising as their discussions with the UK

Government developed. We issued an open invitation to all party leaders

on the options we should be proposing as part of this process.

Russell and his officials will be happy to meet with them to discuss

any decisions. We are determined to do everything, and examine every

option to protect Scotland's interests. That must be the option

to consider independence if it becomes clear our interests cannot

be protected within the UK. To give up the right to even consider that

option, to consider that we are at the mercy of Westminster decisions,

no matter how damaging they are to our economy, the society and place

in the world. That is not a position anyone with Scotland's best

interests at heart should be able to accept. Presiding officer, our focus

in the months ahead will be to positively focus the UK's

negotiating decision after article 50 is triggered. We will continue to

work for an awareness and understanding of Scotland's position

across the EU and member states. I have had discussions with the

presidents of the EU commission, and the parliament, the president of

Malta, likely to hold the presidency when the article is triggered. The

German Minister for Europe. I attended the extraordinary summit of

the council. These discussions will continue in the weeks and months

ahead. Citing officer, the circumstances we face are not of our

making, and are not of the choosing of most of us in this chamber. The

responsibility for uncertainty relies not with those seeking

solutions, those who have most recklessly taking us to EU exit

against our will. It is for all of us to seek to shape the response.

The Scottish Government will lead the process, and we welcome the

support, contribution and challenge Parliament. As we consider the best

way forward, our reassurances this, our guiding bootable continues to be

the best interests of the people of Scotland. Nicola Sturgeon speaking

in parliament. The First Minister critical of the

UK Government once again. Saying independence is an option to

consider. As Scotland is at the mercy of Westminster's decisions. No

change from the day after the Brecht set vote. Definitely leaving

independence on the table. One of the interesting things, very strong,

I'm sure she would not want to be drawing red lines. Sounded very much

like the membership of the single market may be a red line, if that

did not come about as part of the negotiations, that could be the

signal for a trigger. Does sound like a red line. She had her five

key tests. How Scotland must proceed in future turns in its relationship

with the EU. If we do not join or stay in the single market, that will

be the trigger. I don't know whether that is the case. It sounded a bit

like that. She was highlighting and there was disarray within the

Conservative Party on the single market between David Davis and the

First Minister. We will look at this later, the Prime Minister was asked

by Angus Robertson about the single market. Interesting to see that

develop. The single market seems to be a major issue. It will be a major

debating point, when she tries to negotiate a way out of Europe. Of

course we may not be in the single market, a completely new

relationship in some way. This is the whole point. We just don't know

the outcome of the negotiations. And the timing of the negotiations. The

triggering of article 50. Such a fluid situation. Because it is so

fluid, we don't know about the triggering of the independence

referendum. The First Minister will have to watch, wait and see.

Listening to her, some people supporting the union, they may say

you are talking about losing contact with all these institutions, people

who are Unionists, they would say that would've happened if Scotland

had become independent. Her argument will be that Scotland will be a

member of the EU. If article 50 is triggered, she would have to go for

an independence referendum, so negotiations were in parallel with

the UK coming out. Yesterday, Nicola Sturgeon set

out her programme for government which contained 14 Bills

with a fifteenth in the making. She told MSPs her "defining mission"

was education and she spelled out ways the government would close

the attainment gap. But she also announced plans

to boost Scotland's economy including a new ?500 million

scheme for businesses. Let's hear more about what she had

to say to parliament yesterday. We intend to use the strength of our

balance sheet to establish a new Scottish growth scheme, worth up to

half ?1 billion over the next three years. The scheme will be targeted

at those with significant growth for export potential, that find it hard

to access finance and the necessary scale. Guarantees or where

appropriate loans of up to ?5 million for eligible business. The

guarantees will appear in the balance sheet as contingent

liability, and will not come from public services. It will help us to

remove the uncertainty and risk that these high potential businesses face

when making big investment or export decisions. This policy marks a

departure from Scottish policy. Exceptional response to an

exceptional challenge. I visited a new high school, one of 29 schools

that will open in this academic year, as part of our skills for the

future programme. Presiding Officer, these 29 new schools will take the

total number built or refurbished in this government to more than 630.

Presiding Officer, let me turn to what I have described as the

defining mission of this government. Education. Our work to close the

attainment gap starts in the early years. By the end of this

Parliament, we will have doubled the amount of free care available to

three and four year olds. A truly transformational investment. Not

only benefiting children and families, but providing employment

opportunities for 20,000 early years workers. Over the next year the

detail of the delivery of this policy will take shape. We will

publish a policy blueprint, setting out clear milestones for delivery

right through to 2020. From January we will highlight different models

from this commission. We will work with local authorities to deliver on

our promise that by 2018, every nursery will benefit from an

additional qualified teacher or childcare graduate. I want to ensure

children get the best start in their early years matched by our work to

improve attainment our schools. In the next year, as part of the

Scottish attainment fund, we will invest an additional ?150 million in

our schools, targeted at overcoming the impact of deprivation. ?100

million will come directly from our reforms to council tax. The

regulations giving effect to these changes will be laid in parliament

this week. In additional investment will be matched by reform.

Implementation of the national improvement framework is under way,

standardised assessments, not tests, that will inform teacher judgments

will be piloted by the end of the year. And implemented across

Scotland next year. We will publish the first school by school

information on the number of children meeting the curriculum for

excellence by December. Telling us more accurately what the extent of

the attainment gap is, and let us set clear targets for closing. Our

reforms involve empowering teachers to do what they do best, teach. Last

week John Swinney setup measures to reduce the unnecessary workload

faced by teachers. He will publish the governance review next week,

looking at system changes required to empower schools, and

decentralised management. We will introduce the educational bill in

the second year the session to implement any legislation. In March

we will consult on a new fair and transparent funding formula for

schools, to ensure that how we fund school is supporting our ambition

for excellence and equity. I have said that I want to be judged on our

attempts to narrow and close the education gap. We must not tolerate

a situation where children from deprived areas do less well than

those from affluent areas. Our work to ensure quality in education must

extend well beyond the gates of nurseries, schools and universities.

The new child poverty Bill is arguably the most important piece of

legislation we will introduce this year. This bill will establish

Scotland as the only part of the UK with statutory income targets on

child poverty. Presiding Officer, let me turn briefly to the issue of

the EU. 62% of those who voted in Scotland voted to remain part of the

EU, that is why I'm determined to pursue all options to retain our

place in Europe. I will update Parliament more fully tomorrow. To

ensure all options are open to us, this programme for government makes

clear we will consult on a draft referendum Bill, ready for immediate

introduction if we conclude independence is the best and only

way to protect Scotland's interests. Let's pick up on today's top stories

with a quintet of MSPs at Holyrood. I'm joined by Christina

McKelvie from the SNP, the Conservative Murdo Fraser,

Monica Lennon from Labour, the Scottish Green co-convener

Patrick Harvie and Alex Cole-Hamilton of the

Liberal Democrats. Good afternoon to all of you. Thanks

very much for joining me. Christina, we are hearing from the First

Minister live in the chamber of short while ago, rolling out her

post brings it up today. -- do you think the UK remaining in the

EU would be a red line for Nicola? There are many questions to be

asked, whether we are in the single market or not. The question is

whether the Prime Minister and David Davis want to be in the single

market. We could not get those questions answered in PMQs. We want

to protect people's writes in Scotland, if that is what do. That

is what people are criticising a party for, saying it is a Sherrard,

she has eyes focused on another independence referendum? ?100

million stimulus, the growth fund, and all of the plans put in place,

to negotiate our position, in or out of Europe, very important indeed.

That is where her focus is now. If that negotiation and focus does not

give the best opportunities in outcomes for Scotland, we have to

look at other opportunities. Many people in Scotland may say the SNP

are right to look at other opportunities. You as the guarantors

of the union have caused so much uncertainty in your party by having

the EU referendum vote? I worry that every time I blow my nose Nicola

Sturgeon will trigger another independence referendum. This is not

a the interests of Scottish business, or the Scottish economy.

It is about trying to engineer things so we can try and hold

another independence referendum. Interesting how the First Minister

has shifted on this. In the immediate aftermath of the Brexit

vote, all about how we protect Scotland's place in the EU. Is there

a special deal, reverse Greenland deal? That ground has been

abandoned. Everybody has told her that is pie in the sky. She has

shifted onto the idea of single market membership. I want to see

Scottish businesses having the maximum opportunity to trade in

Europe, exactly what the UK Government is trying to achieve at

the moment. We don't have these negotiations by Nicola Sturgeon

sniping from the sidelines as she is giving doing. You talk about

shifting positions. Your premise that does not even have a position?

Theresa May has made clear, she will not provide a running commentary on

the negotiations with other EU nations. Of course there is not a

commentary anyone professionally involved in negotiations, the last

thing you do is declare your position, telling the world what

cards you hold. That is easy for Nicola Sturgeon to stand on the

sidelines, sniping and maiming. As she's so good at doing. Does not

help get the best deal for British and Scottish businesses and

consumers, what the Conservative government is able to do. Monaco,

from Labour, a situation many in Labour did not want to see, looks

like the Scottish Government are trying to boost the economy. The

announcement of half ?1 billion of loans and guarantees available to

small and medium Scottish businesses if they wanted. Surely you must pray

the Scottish Government in that respect?

First of all, I'm hoping that mower dock won't blow his nose in the next

couple of minutes! Scottish Labour has been very supportive of Nicola

Sturgeon and the Scottish Government's position on this and it

is very important that Nicola does speak to governments across the

world and we support that, but at the same time we are a little

concerned at some of the language has been toned down over recent

weeks. So we would like to know if the Scottish Government does have

any legal advice and whether they will share that with us? We want to

see Scotland retain its position within the EU, but the language has

been watered down somewhat Would you agree about this single market issue

being a red line? Would Labour want to see the UK reduce in the single

market and would you perhaps go for, would your party, no one knows where

your party is standing for at the moment, would your party go for an

independence referendum? We're clear, we want to remain part of the

UK and part of Europe, but we just have to keep this under a watching

brief. In the meantime, we want to do more to retain confidence and

show that Scotland is very much still open for business. That's why

we would go further in terms of bringing forward investment so we

can build 60,000 affordable homes over the next five years, these are

our priorities in the next few weeks. Patrick hervey from the Green

Party, your party was quiet on Friday when Nicola Sturgeon launched

near new conversation on independence. Where are you standing

on this? Of course, you wanted to stay in the European Union, how far

would you welcome another independence referendum? Well, of

course, the SNP launching their own party's plans is not something that

other political parties would participate in. It is a data

gathering exercise. It is about supporting their party machinery,

not the cause of independence. Look, the reality is the majority, much as

I disagreed vote no, but the majority also voted to remain and

even if they hadn't been lied to in 2014 by those in the Better cap

together campaign who said voting no was a way to secure our position in

Europe. The people of Scotland voted no and then they voted remain and I

regret the fact that those who voted for both unions or against both

unions maybe forced to choose which is most important to them.

Ultimately, no one can say that isn't the right of the Scottish

people to make that choice on their own terms. I think it is entirely

appropriate for us to try and achieve the strongest possible

relationship that we can with the European Union and to me, a single

market isn't just about trading in goods from companies, it is also

about all of the social workplace and environmental protections that

come with being truly part of a single market. If you are not free

to decide where you want to sell your labour which is the most

valuable thing that people have to trade in that market then that

doesn't qualify as a single market. So there is a really serious job of

work to be done of advocating for that, the strongest possible

relationship we have. It is unclear what the Tories want and to Murdoch

Frazer, it is not a case of trying to get people to put their cards on

the table. We want the UK Government to tell the people of this country,

what winning the game looks like. They won't tell us what they want to

achieve in the negotiations, not necessarily what the other cards in

their hand are. You hold the balance of power in that Parliament. I

suppose Parliament has to have the position from the UK Government to

hold another referendum, but that Referendum Bill that's been

consulted on at the moment, I mean if you the SNP or the Scottish

Government want that passed, it is down to the Greens to help them do

it, when would you see the right point to have another independence

referendum? I think everybody would regard it as too soon to say when

that legislation might be introduced. It is right that it is

being prepared because we don't want the window of opportunity to close.

If we reach the point where Article 50 had been triggered, a year of

negotiations then failed to deliver what's in Scotland's best interests,

it would be too late at that point to start drafting legislation. So

the groundwork needs to happen and our party conference we will be

making decision where our members are in charge of our position on

preparing the ground for a new independence referendum should that

come. The Scottish Liberal Democrats, are you happy to hear a

new draft Referendum Bill is being prepared? I'm certainly not. It is

at times like these that the general public look to political classes for

certainty and for clarity. We have had a profound absence of that both

from the UK Government as to what Brexit means and to the Scottish

Government. If you remember just two short years ago, we were promised

that the referendum represented a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to

separate from the rest of the UK, but here we are again, and with it

comes all the uncertainty in the markets, in the economy, and for

people who just live here and want to get on and see a Government

delivering on public services which we are frankly not doing right now.

Now, I think it is fair to say that most of the parties represented here

support what Nicola Sturgeon has been saying in terms of clarity for

EU citizens living in this country already. They deserve the support of

the political classes to say their position is absolutely 100%

guaranteed here, but over the summer, we have seen that cross

party consensus eroded by Nicola Sturgeon who has been using Brexit

as something of a Trojan horse for a second independence referendum in as

far as the Lib Dems are concerned, we are absolutely stronger as part

of the UK and as part of Europe and we're going to keep fighting for

both those things. Actually, those who support the SNP would say hang

on, there is a national consensus on the issue of a second independence

referendum because it is a material change, they made it quite clear in

their manifesto and Nicola Sturgeon, it looks like, is merely carrying

out what the voters instructed her to do? Well, the voters didn't

instruct her to do that because she didn't want a majority of the

Scottish people. She is the biggest party? She maybe. We live in a

Parliamentary democracy. It is up to her to form coalitions of like

minded parties to get that through. The Liberal Democrats will oppose

that. We don't believe the Scottish people are best served by another

five years or sooner of uncertainty around the possibility of a second

independence referendum. So we will fight tooth and nail.

Thank you very much. Campbell, of course, lots of

discussions to be had about just when that referendum could possibly

be held and Nicola Sturgeon's strategy I suppose too? Yes, indeed,

it was interesting to hear the Liberal Democrats spokesperson

saying an elected Government should not implement its manifesto. That's

a departure! No, this is single market is growing legs I think.

Obviously it would appear that this is becoming almost a red line for

the, if not for the Government, at least for many politicians and it is

very unlikely as we've discussed that the UK Government will be able

to implement this because I mean, even on their own side, having,

being a member of the single market means free movement of people and

many of the Brexit people, I mean, David Davis and Liam Fox, they were

against the free movement of people, that was the whole point of the

Brexit vote. They can't have it both ways. They can't have a single

market without free movement of people and if that is not been

negotiated by the UK Government, which I can't see how they can

manage it, it makes an Independent referendum much more likely. Looking

at it from prospective, what do you think she has

to do in the Theresa May's case? It must be a 50/50 split within the

Tories at Westminster for and against the Brexit. We don't know

the timing. She said she is not going to give a running commentary.

That's very well, but we have to, she has to set out per ram terse as

to what she is looking for to gain support within her own party. She

has been clear, there will not be a second general election. There will

not be another referendum? Nor will there be a vote in Parliament to

trigger Article 50. She says it a matter for her and her Government. I

suppose looking at it from the Continental side, what do you think

the other European Union states are making of this? There are big

elections coming up in Germany next year and of course, the French will

be looking at this too? Of course, the French one is very interesting,

Marie Le Pen is very much a Brexit year and she has been praising the

UK Government for the UK people for voting to leave. There is a ground

swell of support throughout Europe for various countries, especially in

France for leaving Europe, not a majority in the way there is in

Britain, but it will be interesting throughout Europe. We might be

looking at a very different European Union in the future? Indeed. The EU

could split. We could be losing countries like Greece and Italy,

Portugal, Spain, who knows? Campbell, thank you very much.

The Prime Minster has said the Government will not be giving

a running commentary on Brexit negotiations, stressing that talks

In the first PMQ's since the summer break and more than two months

after the EU referendum, Mrs May faced repeated questions

about the UK's access to the European single market.

Here's more of what happened in the House of Commons today.

Mr Speaker, house building under this Government is 45,000 a year

less than it was under the last Labour Government. The former Prime

Minister promised that there would be a one for one replacement for

every council house that is sold under Right to Buy. Sadly, the

reality is that there is only one for every five that are sold. Will

the Prime Minister give us a commitment on the one for one

replacement and when it will be a reality? I have to say to the Right

Honourable gentleman that actually in relation to the figures on

council houses, he's wrong. We have delivered on the one for one

replacement on the Right to Buy. But I was... I'm very interested because

I did notice that the Right Honourable gentleman had asked all

his Twitter followers what questions he should ask me this week. So I

thought I would look to see what sort of responses he had received. I

have to say that the first one was quite good. In fact, he might want

to make sure he stays sitting down for this. Lewis writes, "Does she

know that in a recent poll on who would make a better Prime Minister,

don't know scored higher than Jeremy Corbyn." Mr Speaker, what we do know

is that whoever wins the Labour Party leadership, we are not going

to let them anywhere near power again. There is very real concern

and worry about the prospects of Brexit especially in Scotland where

the majority of people voted to remain within the European Union.

The UK Government has had all summer to come up with a plan, to come up

with a strategy, so far we have just had waffle, does she want the UK to

remain fully within the European single market? What I want for the

UK is that we put into place, into practise, the vote that was taken by

the UK people of the United Kingdom to leave the European Union. That we

get the right deal for the trade in goods and services with the European

Union in a new relationship that we will be building with them and that

we also introduce control of the movement of people from the European

Union into the United Kingdom and I say to the Right Honourable

gentleman, that we can approach the vote that took place on 23rd June in

two-ways. We could try and row back on it, we can have a second

referendum, we could say, we didn't really believe it. Actually, we are

respecting the views of the British people. But more than that. More

than that. We will be seizing the opportunities that leaving the

European Union now gives us to forge a new role for the United Kingdom in

the world. Mr Speaker, the European single

market is the biggest market in the world and it really matters to our

businesses and it really matters to our economy. I ask the Prime

Minister a very, very simple question - there is either an in or

an out answer. So let me ask it again. Does she want the United

Kingdom to remain fully part of the European single market? Yes or no?

The Right Honourable gentleman doesn't seem to quite understand

what the vote on 23rd June was about. The United Kingdom will leave

the European Union and we will build a new relationship with the European

Union. That new relationship will include control of the moft from the

EU into the UK and it will include the right deal for trade in goods

and services. That is how to approach it and I also say this to

the Right Honourable gentleman, in looking at negotiations, it would

not be right for me or this Government to give a running

commentary on xherksz. Order, just as I said the right

honourable gentleman must be heard, the Prime Minister'sanswer must be

heard. It would not be right to prejudge negotiations. We must seize

opportunities for growth and prosperity across the United Kingdom

including Scotland. What gives growth and prosperity in Scotland is

being a member of the United Kingdom.

Well, what kind of reaction did that get from Westminster's

Our correspondent David Porter is on College Green

Thank you, would not be College Green without a siren going off.

Prime Minister's Questions, perhaps not Prime Minister'sanswers. Let me

introduce you to my two guests, Kevin Schofield, and Kate Derian.

Not surprising that they said she was not going to give a running

commentary on Brexit. She does not know what form the negotiations will

take. Early days, the government are keen to stress they have been doing

a lot of hard work since the referendum. All departments getting

plans in place before the talks begin in earnest next year. Safety

say we are in the very early stages, she does not have all that much to

say right now. We will have to wait and see how it plays out in the

first quarter of next year. She can perhaps in political terms get away

with it, we're looking at everything, I am considering

everything. The pressure will grow as time goes on. She has captured

very interestingly, she is trying to give herself a bit every war room.

She is saying loose lips cost lives. Let's not give away our hand.

Especially to the people we will be negotiating against. I will not give

a running commentary. Code for I am not going to be telling the French

and Germans everything we want to get out of the negotiations. The

problem she has, one facing increasing pressure already. I agree

with what Kevin is saying, early days, but there is growing public

pressure to find out what she's thinking and what the negotiation

may be. Importantly for Theresa May, she is facing pressure from the

people behind her, and they have very different ideas about what

Brexit is. The SNP saying our euphoria against the single market.

In light of the comments made by David Davis, the Brexit secretary,

where he said it is unlikely Britain would remain part of the single

market. Lo and behold, Downing Street slapped him down. It was a

fairly brutal slapping down from Downing Street. Not something you

would expect quite so early in this kind of administration, when Theresa

May is trying to keep an awful lot of different opinions onside. She

clearly felt David Davis has gone too far by suggesting they probably

would not be part of the single market. Something that a lot of Tory

backbenchers want answers on on both sides. Some want to say, someone to

-- some want us to leave. Theresa May is the key figure, the Prime

Minister, she cannot tell us what the strategy is. On the other side

of the Commons, confusion about where labour stands? Jeremy Corbyn's

people were briefing as they always do after Prime Minister's Questions.

They were asked explicitly does Jeremy Corbyn back Britain remaining

part of the single market, massive part of the discussions. The source,

as we must call him, repeatedly asked, and he would not say whether

they support the single market. As far as Labour MPs are concerned,

passionately pro-European Union, very controversial. One said that

the mask has slipped. There is a very strong suspicion and not

stronger than that, that Jeremy Corbyn is not exactly heartbroken

week left the European Union from his heart was not in it. This is him

showing his true Eurosceptic colours. He is in the middle of a

leadership campaign. A challenge from Owen Smith. How do you assess

the way that is going? Is it a foregone conclusion come the 24th of

September that Jeremy Corbyn will still lead the Labour Party? It is

as close to a foregone conclusion as you can say. The Owen Smith camp are

still putting a reasonably brave face on it, saying it is closer than

the polls suggest. A poll in the Times, putting Jeremy Corbyn 24

points in front. Even if they are little doubt, they are never 24

points out. Jeremy Corbyn will still be Labour leader on the 25th of

September. Again the Labour MPs will have to ask themselves, how do they

play it? Three quarters of them do not like the man, do not wanting to

be a leader, believe he will lead them to disaster at the next general

election. Interesting how they chase that rabbit in the future. We could

have a situation, come the 25th of September and the Jeremy Corbyn may

be returned with an even bigger majority. That could happen. What do

Labour MPs do? Three quarters have said they do not want him as leader?

That could happen, part of what we're seeing is a scorched earth

policy. We have seen Owen Smith, and the GMB union throw everything they

have against Jeremy Corbyn. Accusations he will leave a

generation without a home. Making fun of his energy policies, leaving

people without heating and power. There is a real strategy to try to

appeal to swing voters, union members. To vote against Jeremy, to

try, as you say, make sure he does not have a higher mandate than this

time last year. Maybe within that they can be pressure put on him that

he will have to try and change his ways. Whether that will happen or

not, remains to be seen. If that happens, Kevin, as Kate is alluding

to, in Labour Party turns, not going to be pretty? Not going to be

pretty. Many MPs saying if we do not getting this time, we will try next

year. This could be an annual occurrence. They underestimated

Jeremy Corbyn. They thought the wave of resignations would force him to

quit. That is not happen, he was boosted by John McDonnell, he seems

to be enjoying it. This is his dream. In charge of the party,

reshaping the party on a hard left agenda, they will not give it up

without a fight. Thank you for joining me this afternoon. I will

leave you with that thought it could become an annual occurrence,

leaderships for the Labour party? Campbell Gunn has some final

thoughts this afternoon. Picking up on what Kevin was talking

about, Jeremy Corbyn from one source saying his mask slipped when it came

to his love of the single market, not particularly keen European. I

don't think he is. That has been proved over the past few weeks. As a

former adviser, I wonder who is advising Jeremy Corbyn. The first

Prime Minister's Question Time, one issue all summer, Brexit, and he

went on rented accommodation. Angus Robertson asked the question that

Jeremy Corbyn should've asked. You could see the backbenchers behind

Jeremy Corbyn more or less agree with that. They been aghast when he

gave his question. Only one question to ask, and that was Brexit. Housing

is an important issue to many people, does not get media traction.

You saw on the interviews, the one question David was asking the

journalists from Westminster was about Brexit, the questions the SNP

asked, that Labour should have asked. As David was pointing out, we

could see an annual Labour leadership challenge. Looks like

that Jeremy Corbyn will actually win this leadership election. As Kevin

Schofield said, as near an odds-on certainty as you can find investing.

The backbenchers would be happy about it, they will try again next

year. What happens in the meantime. If he does win, the morning of the

25th of September, how do the Labour MPs play the game. You have the

party out there, you have voted against Jeremy Corbyn. I don't think

a split will happen. He may have trouble forming a front bench. With

opposition spokespeople. So few people he can choose from. People

pointing out, so few people, people start to look at the capability of

the people he has available. He only has one Scottish MP, not a fan of Mr

Corbyn. He will have to have a shadow Scottish Secretary. From an

English constituency. Absolute nightmare. Music to the ears of

Theresa May. She could've been a lot more trouble over Brexit, whether it

not for the fact that Labour were in such disarray. Election in 2020. I

think she would coast it. Join us for First Minister's

Questions tomorrow on BBC We'll be back at the same

time next Wednesday.