Ive looked carefully at mobile, that outcome would be a failure for which we would all be responsible. If there is no deal, it will cause severe destruction of the british and irish people alike, not so much oii and irish people alike, not so much on the continent. And whatever happens, we will have to get back to the negotiating table quite quickly. And, todays other main story, British Airways pilots begin a two day strike over pay and conditions, affecting 1700 flights. Its five oclock. Were live at westminster, where the latest twist in the Political Drama happened a short while ago, when the speaker, john bercow, announced he would stand down at the end of this parliament or the end of october, whicever is earlier. Later tonight, parliament will be suspended, or prorogued to use the formal term, for five weeks. In the next few hours mps are expected, once again, to turn down borisjohnsons call for a general election. If they do, a poll would not then be possible, until late november at the earliest. A new law blocking a no deal brexit has been signed by the queen today, but ministers say they will test to the limit, what it requires of them. Also today, two applications were made to hold emergency debates, the first by laboursjeremy corbyn, concerns the governments duty to obey the rule of law. Thats to do with the bill i mentioned earlier. The second, by Dominic Grieve, the former conservative mp who wants full disclosure of documents relating to operation yellowhammer, thats the governments contingency plan, for a no deal brexit. Lets start with the speakers statement on his own future. Both applications havent been expecting it, because the speaker has been with him to them appreciating other attributes being paid to him after his announcement. Lets start with the speakers statement on his own future. Throughout my time as a speaker, i have sought to increase the relative authority of this legislature, for which i will make absolutely no apology to anyone, anywhere, at any time. To deploy, a perhaps dangerous place, i have also sought to be phrase, i have also sought to be the backbenchers backstop. I could not do so without the support of a small, but superb team in speakers house. The wider house staff, my buckingham constituents, and above all, my wife sally, and our three children, oliver, freddy, and jemima. You might be a comma here here, here from the bottom of my heart, i think them all profusely. I could also not have served without the repeated support of this house, and its members, past and present. This is a wonderful place, filled overwhelmingly by people who are motivated by their notion of the national interest, by their perception of the public good, and by their duty, not as delegates. Hear, hear but as representatives to do what they believe is right for our country. We degrade this parliament at our peril. I have served as a member of parliament for 22 years, and for the last ten as speaker, this has been, let me put it explicitly, the greatest privilege and honour of my professional life, for which i will be eternally grateful. I wish my successor in the chair the very best for, and standing up fortune, in standing up for the rights of honourable and right honourable members individually, and for parliament, institutionally as the speaker institutionally, as the speaker of the house of commons. Thank you. That was missing in the house of commons earlier this afternoon. Mr speaker and nothing but who will be standing down certainly by the end of october. A few people to buy supplies. A very powerful statement, we got a real sense of that era. Emotional at times. They painted potent political attempt to limit in several references to the current crisis, and making complaining that he has seen his wall, and you can fill ceremonially put up of of the state opening of parliament, that about who has visible as being central to the democratic process, and being the backbenchers backstop. And that is certainly a point of reference to the Brexit Process, if the perspective of interesting as well to see that all the opposition enters more or well to see that all the opposition enters more oi less on well to see that all the opposition enters more or less on both feet from applauding. Just a few of the food on the conservative side, because there have been no love lost between lots of conservatives in this perspective, because they regard him at that statement as having acted in a controversial way. So lets discuss that. Lets cross now to central lobby, inside the palace of westminster and speak to Gillian Keegan the conservative mp for chichester. And good friend of the speaker, thank you very much forjoining us, we re thank you very much forjoining us, were you expecting with ozilla not at all. I have no idea. I was in another meeting, so i had to and copy and copy in the statement. What did you make of it to . It was a very powerful statement. I guess the timing is interesting. He you know, before our next election, or the sist before our next election, or the 31st of october, so he has always said, because originally he had said he would only do the job for nine yea rs, he would only do the job for nine years, but then about nine years landed in the middle of brexit, and he felt that he needed an experienced speaker to navigate your way through brexit, which i think he is right, constitutionally, we have been stretched to the limit. So i think it has been his experience has been necessary there. What do you agree with what hes going or not, he has certainly had to use it to the degree. So i guess now, he has basically five, who is here until the 31st of october, so maybe he is confident he will be of the other side of brexit by then. Well who knows im a little rusty about that. And there are of course different views about his performance in the end he is undertaking below, as we have kind of alluded to bear. Some people who think that he has been provocative, and that he has been really pushing the limits, if not crossing the limits of the duties of the speaker, others seeing him as a radical figure. The speaker, others seeing him as a radicalfigure. Someone who has thought outside the box, and been prepared to think like that, in exceptional circumstances. When you said . Out we have never done brea kfast said . Out we have never done breakfast before, so anybody trying to compare it to anything, you have nothing to compare it to. So i think hes probably, he was trying to get it right, between what he is thinking the government is trying. That has certainly been true in some cases, and to try and make sure that things are scrutinised, and you know, in that role, if you say you wa nt to know, in that role, if you say you want to scrutinise, and Parliament Needs to scrutinise, the difficulty with brexit as he it is the direct democracy, be of the referendum, and how it fits with the Representative Parliament is back to the issue, trying to get that scrutiny at the same time is trying to get legislation through is incredibly difficult. Despite what he has done in the chamber, who have done so much to revolutionise there is an Education Centre who has bowed, lots of schoolchildren coming here, lots of tourists come to know if i happen to people who the speaker, who has really opened up the pace. And made permanent and more accessible to people, and you know, but you below who has navigated his way through brexit, i have people who used to work with a broad, good to be 50 parliament, watching it because of him, orand also parliament, watching it because of him, or and also how criminal, this topic of brexit. So has certainly up in the man man who has certainly put, you know, made it more interesting i guess the people. And he has also done a lot in the background from introduced speakers internship, which takes people who are deprived, who perhaps werent able to afford to take an internship to come inward and parliament, to give them the opportunity, and i have now had, ive had one and another one coming from and it is very life changing for these young people. So hes been a very good speaker in terms of overall broadening the house, and making it, and demystifying the general public. Good to talk to you, thank you very much forjoining us. Thank you. But make a friend of the speaker. Lets go straight into the house. Lets cross to the house of commons now, where mps are having an emergency debate requested by the conservative mp but this has passed into law. The right honourable member for the debate on the specific and important matter which has an urgent consideration, all parliamentary stages of the European Union withdrawal number six bill, sometimes collectively known, probably in the pubs and clubs in the United Kingdom as the been like bill, and as consider the member matter of. Ministers obligation to uphold the rule of law. I have listens carefully to the application of the right honourable member, adherence to the law. Goodness. Yes. Lam adherence to the law. Goodness. Yes. I am satisfied that the matter raised on the last day for the of both parliament is proper to be discussed under Standing Order number24, has the right discussed under Standing Order number 24, has the right honourable member, believe of the house. Thank you colleagues on both sides of the house. The right honourable member has obtained a leave of the house, the debate i advised of the leader of the opposition of his colleagues andindeed of the opposition of his colleagues and indeed the house will be held today as the second item of public business, immediately after the first debate in the name of the right honourable member of the practise field, so that my equipment that we have become the confirmation, to emergency debates granted by the speaker today. One of them will be led byjeremy corbyn, im to the extent to which the government is or should be adhering to the law. And mr speaker making his view clear on that, and the second from dominic greve, the former attorney general, and that is to do with other aspects of the mobile brexit preparations, and what the governments up to. How much should they disclose . For the young is monitoring parts inside the palace of westminster, what we make of those two decisions . Well i guess its not a huge describe two surprise. He is a controversial figure, in part because there are some who feel he has been the wealth to help mps when it comes to brexit, to help mps when it comes to brexit, to make the governments life difficult, but some people he has gone too far with all of that. Nobody sets of 24 as they are called, emergency debates, needs to be incredibly rare, but they have become more common under the speaker. He would say he is trying to let mps have a say, and hold government to account her tumultuous time in british politics. Lets discuss all of this with richard binion, conservative mp, who recently has been a sort of booted out of the party for your views on brexit. You have decided not to stand at the next election, what have you made of whats going on here in the last couple of weeks, particularly in relation to yourself and other tory mps . Both my reasons for not standing again are in part connected with that. But there are wider issues as well. It has been an extraordinary moment in our history. A student here today who is studying politics and saying, you know, this is bringing our constitutional life, when i did politics for a level, it was a dry subject, and for people now seem best clash between the executive and the legislature of the judiciary potentially getting involved, and the Supreme Court possibly deciding oii the Supreme Court possibly deciding on brexit later. Who might break the law when it comes to. The other party is about the block, its about adherence to the institution to this country, and i mean, there are laws that are coming you can work around them and thats been done by governments bound the ages, and ultimately know, maybe theyre looking for loopholes and things like that, i dont know. But as far as things like that, i dont know. But as faras im things like that, i dont know. But as far as im concerned, this is pretty well ta ke as far as im concerned, this is pretty well take them into a dump to work through it. And what about a boy other colleagues have been treated over the decision to vote with the government . You know what our strength is the butter, with the government of the product coming go to the product coming though took power away from a conservative government, and handed it to the opposition. Who have a principled belief that a mobile brexit will be very bad for this country come and though back to our constituents, particularly both on the lowest income that we made a judgement call. In i knew what i was doing, i wasnt surprised when i had the lip taken away after us because i was going about it i did look at the the front bench, the people who voted against theresa may, david cameron, on numerous occasions, im very important issues, and they didnt get up whip taken away, we did, im not bitter, but itjust seems a little bit odd. But megan has always been a potent new membership, but did both for theresa mays deal. What do you think now would be the best outcome, do you think that the possibility of a deal is still there, both doc and says hes trying to win, do you believe them . there, both doc and says hes trying to win, do you believe them . I did but remained in the referendum, but i now want us to be. I voted three times for theresa mays deal, and i will vote for almost any deal that can be brought forward. Prime minister tried to be memphis on tuesday going to find out for a bom boutique a bit in the taoiseach today who knows . The clouds dont even go so they dont. I cut him a bit more slack, but i think, i was unimpressed by the belief that it might have been done on the 30 day window about the chancellor offered the government. I was sitting in number ten, 11 days into those 30 days, without the belief that anything really tangible have been brought forward. Since then, the government because my chief negotiator has been doing a lot of work in brussels, info so maybe something is happening. But we are not to be there for five weeks now, and its going to be hard to keep a handle on this. But we can, i think there are still parliamentary mechanisms that we can use to try and help deliver a sensible, orderly brexit that was what it was in the ma nifesto brexit that was what it was in the manifesto that i was elected on in 2017. And the party, your party, or the party that you were a part of, still a member of, can it survive this . Or do you think of the way it is going out is going to post a party apart look requested can survive, and i suspect, i note that in the ma nifesto suspect, i note that in the manifesto thats been brought together for a future election will be full of principles, one nation policies on the climate and on social justice and policies on the climate and on socialjustice and other issues that really are dear to the hearts of people like me. And the will to get back to what you always were and a lwa ys back to what you always were and always should be, which is a Centre Ground party, and one that reflects the broad views of british public, where they live in the north of scotland, and without ireland. New west end out next election, what we do next . I have no idea. I have a low boredom threshold, so i will have to keep busy. Thank you very much indeed from the commons moving on tonight to vote for an early general election, which we dont expect to get past them and the other news today of course that this picojohn burqa other news today of course that this pico john burqa will other news today of course that this picojohn burqa will be standing down by the 31st of october john burkle. Thank you very much and thanks to your desk as well, we have moved on and house of commons to the first of these two emergency debates, the special debates that are taking place on the public often motor 24, there is no meeting this debate, the former conservative attorney general, Dominic Grieve, no longer a conservative who has checked out last week of the party for voting against the government. He is asking questions about operation Yellow Hammer, and that is the document that talks about all the document that talks about all the planning for no deal, and some of them was looped over the summer months. Once all got published right away. I fear what hes saying. Does not appear that they are giving a consistent account of its reasons. And as the act of provoking has led to litigation, it is also been followed that some, but not all of the motives for the prorogation have begun to emerge. We have seen documents which show that although on the 23rd of august of this year, number ten downing st and the Prime Minister denied considering the idea of probing at all, in fact, internal government documents reveal about this matter was under consideration, some ten days before. Indeed, there isa some ten days before. Indeed, there is a rather remarkable memorandum from the Prime Minister himself in which he expresses total contentment with both, because he finds the september sitting to be an unnecessary, and rather contemptible activity. Its perhaps rather typical of my right honourable friend, the Prime Minister, that he gets one that alone. He suggests that it gets one that alone. He suggests thatitis gets one that alone. He suggests that it is as we now know, the product of the work of one of his predecessors, mr david cameron, which of course it was mr tony blair who introduced the september sitting. Its also grabber note worthy, that when we found what was under the reduction, it turned out he condemned mr David Camerons the in having a september sitting as being a girly slot. Which i suppose was meant to be contrasted, mr spigner, with his family prevent memory idleness. Manly idleness. Which seems to be his established practise when it comes to confronting the crisis which threatens to engulf us on the 3ist which threatens to engulf us on the 31st of october. If he cannot get the deal, which he promises he is going to achieve, which now appears from the resignation statement of the last secretary of state for work and pensions, that he has done absolutely no work to even commence negotiating. I give way, of course. So that if the debate starting, and Dominic Grieve bear, the former attorney general getting back under way, but its also that we are trying to force the government to publish all of its documents, which go into real detail about the planning for a no deal, so he willjoin that debate once again a little later on, please do so byjoining me here on the green outside westminster is alexander phillips, Brexit Party Member of the European Parliament for the southeast of england constituency, good to see you, thank you forjoining us. So how do you need todays events given that we have now got the spell, which tries to block a no deal, a lot no deal in effect. Our minister has already said of course, that he does not want to be in that area at all. What is the brexit party saying . The Prime Minister is now in a difficult position, isnt he . And its whether he can legally decide not to send a letter asking for an extension, i dont know what he can come up my fear now is, with that particular bill, it enables you to determine how long an extension should be. Eu Commission President has already said in her maiden speech, that she would want to see an extension of up to a year, and i think they will try to make it a tight extension as well and say that youve got to have a second referendum, to unlock the log jam in parliament, and my fear now is that the remainders have sent out every stop possible to discredit brexit, the same may be discredited by referendum from the very beginning everything now they feel theyve got the lead paint, especially with a minority government. This is all part, they say, palm note that some great strategy at downing street, the spinning of the woods on downing street as its all going to pan out eventually, can you see a path through this . No, actually account. At some could show me the mechanism from which we are now going that would be fantastic, because i think its imperative that we leave on the 3ist its imperative that we leave on the 31st of october, we have had two extensions already, the majority of the british people want to see this done, they do want to see in the public to mental well being around us. But im afraid it with this bill getting very authentic thats really tight for strength ands pants, and all the latest seating and efforts to get Yellow Hammer published, to create a mood of in this country of fear and terror, and depending a negative slant on brexit, this is not helping the state of our democracy, effect of these people are making our country look ludicrous on the world stage. When you look at the possibilities still, there is still a possibility of some kind of deal being done, Prime Minister insists that the government is trying to work towards that, do you buy that, do you think that they are trying to do a deal . No, listen, and the time we have before the 31st of october, there is no way but the Prime Minister can do anything other than dust off the withdrawal agreement, and back truth, thats failed to get the Parliament Three times, and now with this mobile bill, with royal assent, why would i remain and ill vote for the deal, and they think they can be used for the future, so i think, if this is a cunning plan, would be interested to see how it all resolves, and actually the lithograph out of the specs now would be a general election, and a general election with a lube alliance between the brexit party and the conservative party. | brexit party and the conservative party. I what i wanted to ask neff. What shape about have . Standing down some constituencies, so that you are bringing the resources together because mike is that what are proposing . Yes. I think with a reciprocal arrangement as well. Its clear that the brexit Party Commands a certain section of the electorate but the conservative party cannot access. Lets say its about 50 , pulling from various database from various database, pulling from various database from various data base, if pulling from various database from various database, if those people back to boris, they would back him already. The conservative party cannot access ex libris x later voters who voted move in the Hartman Family north of england and the cold belt, but we can, and actually it makes sense to me byjoining forces that we would actually create a big majority believe in the parliament, and thats going to be the only way now to undo this logjam, and actually get brexit done. Alexander, thanks forjoining us. The brexit mp4 southeast of england from our thanks to her forjoining mp4 southeast of england from our thanks to herforjoining us. Lets go to brussels and talk to damien, i will correspond in there, but damien here in westminster today, of course we have the Prime Minister meeting of the taoiseach earlier in dublin. Some other pointed remarks made on both sides there, did that shed any more more light on where we are with the state of the backstop and the talks between the eu and the uk . Well, there were some very clear statement of position fair. A particularly coming from the taoiseach, the irish Prime Minister, his very blunt message was that no backstop, which is what Boris Johnson ideally would like, means no deal, it is not a possibility for ireland, Doris Johnson came no deal, it is not a possibility for ireland, dorisjohnson came out and said he thought that he was striving for ideal, and what he wanted, was to use technology and other sorts of schemes to try which he believed makes it unnecessary, the problem with all about those that is stuff about those baptist out that the irish and the eu have heard before, and so what mr barack obama said was he had heard no new workable proposals, and thats very much the case here as well. The uk negotiators have been sort of talking around issues, but the problem i think about is bad for that for the eu side, what they see doesnt inspire them with a lot of confidence to come forward and make difficult compromises, or more compromises over Something Like the backstop. They the uk trying to unpick things that were already agreed with theresa may, and blowback on commitments to do with future trade deals that make it from the eus point, harder to achieve a deal. So if anything, moving backwards, forwards, forwards, meanwhile, i think that you and mr barranco, very conscious about what they see is out the minute, political process in the uk, which is very uncertain, driving towards an election, and bap, ithink, means the space for negotiations then, its very hard to reach some sort of conclusion. But you and ireland would very much like to get a deal through. So that would be their ultimate preferred outcome, and as soon as possible, i think the idea that taking no deal off the table, sort of traps the uk, that might go inside would want to deal, their problems they see are what realistically would get to parliament, and what are they prepared to offer . And both of my questions are unclear at the moment. When acting thanks very much. Therefore us in brussels. Im doing here by helen, chair of the conservative party, how and thank you forjoining us. First of all, the speaker today, lots of tributes. I think its fair to say the opposition ventures were rather more enthusiastic and paid tribute to the conservative ventures. What do you think of his record as speaker . What has he achieved, or indeed what do you think maybe he hasnt quite a momentous thing the speaker announcing today that he is going to resign and finish his time. For my own experience was first elected in 2015i own experience was first elected in 20151 really appreciated the way that the speaker was very keen to have backbenchers heard. And i appreciate that. Then as time has gone by and since the referendum i thought it very difficult where it does seem that the things that have happened that have not been used by previous speakers that do seem to have thwarted the government attem pts have thwarted the government attempts on the referendum results and question the impartiality. If feels like maybe hes making a wise decision so that somebody can step forward so the whole house will have confidence in again to get on and ta ke confidence in again to get on and take your parliament forwards. He is making sure the successor is chosen by this parliament. And he is doing so because he thinks that the kind of people in this house with their views on how the speaker should be would possibly elect someone more in his image or at least in his tradition, what would your response to that be . I dont think i want to speculate in further detail about exactly why he has chosen the timing he has, im sure he has his reasons. This evening we have a vote in parliament or whether we were going to have a general election. Theres still time forjeremy corbyn to decide that actually he is going to back that general election, he has had so many times he wants one and he had another chance to actually vote for it, and then we can elect a new problem is that would be able to get on and deliver brexit as the Prime Minister wants and so much of the country wants us to do. Are we any closer to a deal with the eu that we were a couple of weeks ago . Those talks have been going on between the Prime Minister and his representatives in the European Union. Would you have the challenge the parliament has been trying to ta ke the parliament has been trying to take no deal off the table and force the Prime Minister to ask for an extension. Clearly that makes the negotiation harder and in a better position to have a negotiation if the other side knows that you will walk away and that the eu will not wa nt walk away and that the eu will not want no deal. Im quite frustrated because i want the Prime Minister to because i want the Prime Minister to be in the best position to negotiate the best deal for us for the country and for my constituents. I think lots of people might take the view that there would be less concerned and anxiety around the prospect of no deal of people knew exactly what the government was doing to plan for it and to prepare for it which is exactly why dominic greve is in the house right now asking for the full document on a Yellow Hammer, as we call it, as government because which the preparation document. call it, as government because which the preparation document. If all of that can be published in his case it should be published that people know exactly what the government has got prepared and up their sleeve. What is the resistance to publishing it . First its really important for us to be prepared for it no deal, i know as a kent mpl important that is to me because we will be at the front line of what happens at the border and so we are ready at the border. Im very uncomfortable that with what has been proposed by him in the debate going on right now in parliament which is to force the publication of documents and to force confidential advice that officials give to ministers to be put in the public domain, because how can an official give full and frank advice and sometimes say things that might not be best to be out in public if they know that everything that they ever write down is going to go in public. What we will find is the consequence is that briefings will be done in person and things will be written down. And out dont think thats good for our democracy. Thank you. The deputy chair of the conservative party joining us here and there are to her. Carry on more from westminster ina her. Carry on more from westminster in a short while. For now we will ta ke in a short while. For now we will take a break and catch up with the sport. And during ali today. Scotland are at home to the Group Leaders and number one side in the world belgium. Their match comes just three days after they lost to have and one to russia. Their third defeat in five qualifying matches. They are lying six points off of second, top to qualify for the euros. Will be a challenge for the belgians tonight. Dont they lie there the best team in the world and to get that big result would be massive for us, but u nfortu nately result would be massive for us, but unfortunately in this campaign will be only three points and opened it up be only three points and opened it up again, but we still need a couple of big results. So we have five games left and we need to try and get a result because if we dont then i think it will leave us too much to do. Norther ireland have won all four of their group games so far but they had it easy because the fence qualifying with four matches against germany and netherlands. Avoid defeat to germany at windsor park and they would stay top but beat the germans and that would rank as their greatest ever victory according to the manager i think if anything we could qualify that we deserve to be back. Thats what we will be in for. These are two tea ms what we will be in for. These are two teams that expect to qualify for every major tournament. England have named an unchanged 13 man squad for their final ashes test at the ova but ben stokes is an injury worry. Hell be assessed over his fitness to bowl after struggling with a shoulder problem which he picked up during the fourth test. Jason roy has also been named in the squad, despite struggling for runs during the series so far. Great britains women, the reigning olympic hockey champions, will have to overcome chile in a two legged tie to qualify for the tokyo games. They won gold in rio three years ago but the play offs will be the final chance for gb to qualify for tokyo. Meanwhile great britains men have been drawn against malaysia. Irelands men and women have both been drawn against canada. Five time Paralympic ChampionEllie Simmonds has made a good start to the para swimming World Championships in london. She finished third in her heat of the 400 metres freestyle that sees her qualify for tonights final. Ukraines yely zaveta mereshko won the heat. Well have more for you in sportsday at half past six. All being well if politics does not overta ke all being well if politics does not overtake us at westminster here. Thank you very much. Welcome back to westminster where a five week suspension of parliament will begin later, after mps are expected to again reject government calls for a snap election. In another of this afternoons developments, john bercow says he will stand down as Commons Speaker and mp at the next election or on 31 october, whichever comes first. Immediately after his announcement, mps across the house paid tribute to the speaker we can hear some of them now. This parliament is stronger for your being speaker, our democracy is strongerfor being speaker, our democracy is stronger for your being speaker, our democracy is strongerfor your being being speaker, our democracy is stronger for your being the speaker. And whatever you do, when you finally stepped down from parliament, you do so with the thanks of a very large number of people. It is one that has made the role of speaker of the house more powerful, not less powerful, and i welcome that. I would like to cover perhaps for the first time associate my time wholeheartedly with the comments of the opposition. Since you entered the house of commons has been clear to everyone but you work as an mp and effective backbencher and tenacious front bench or in your time that you love this house of commons and our democracy and your commitment to your principles and constituency is unwavering and his example to others. It is the case that this evening i shall vote front of the general election, i hope you wont take that personally. Of the general election, i hope you wont take that personallylj of the general election, i hope you wont take that personally. I hope when we forget the brexit period you are remembered for completely transforming this place and allowing backbenchers to do theirjob and for new members that come here and opportunity to fulfil a career as a backbencher are not necessary to be a minister. I think in your time a speaker probably the most difficult events of that period was the murder of our friend jo cox. I think the way in which you gave leadership to this whole place, and to our collective grief, to the grief of her community and her family visiting her constituency the day after her terrible murder i know her family would want me to think you for the bottom of their heart for your leadership in that very difficult time from this house. You have been absolutely unstinting guardian for parliamentary democracy ata time guardian for parliamentary democracy at a time when people feel the need to ta ke at a time when people feel the need to take to the streets when they argue to defend our democracy, i think back to my first term of this place between 2005 and 2010. Im not convinced if you asked for the time for me to pinpoint the most important vote i cast in that five yea rs important vote i cast in that five years that i wouldve chosen that vote in 2009 but in choosing you to be speaker of this house arguably that was the most important vote cast for the future of our country and democracy and im very glad that iand and democracy and im very glad that i and others in this house made that choice. Just a sense of the tributes being paid today. Lets speak to lord george young of cookham, who was lords spokesperson for the Cabinet Office until last month. Good to see you and thank you very much. So youre the first person to say, im moving out of a job because of the business here with the circumstances around it. What was your principal opposition to that . Did not like the idea of both houses of parliament being provoked for five weeks in a key time. Normally we do that for five or six days. As a former mp i thought this was a step too far. A bit of practise, and was not able to defend it in the house of lords so i stood down ten days ago. Giving all the explanations and case being made by the Prime Minister or others in the days since then we changed her mind at all . Up and looking again at the letter explaining what we were going to do that and it did not mention brexit at all. And we now know the main reason is to stop parliament from prejudicing those negotiations so that was not the reason given at all but it was every assigned to the house of commons was not going to do that but it normally does but this yeari that but it normally does but this year i dont think there were going to end the government took the decision out of their hands. The house of lords sits quite often during the conference recess and no we cant do that, the select committee cannot set and i just took the view of this was a step too far soi the view of this was a step too far so i resigned from my veryjunior post in the of lords. Did you have a discussion with the government about it . I was appointed with the leader and had a chat. Can i ask you about the situation. We know house of commons has passed a bill which seeks to prevent a no deal which we have a Prime Minister who has u nsuccessfully have a Prime Minister who has unsuccessfully called for have a Prime Minister who has u nsuccessfully called for a n election try again today. Do you think he has that . I think we will end up with a deal, i think it will be very similar to the deal theresa may negotiated with a tweak. The Prime Minister will argue this is a very substantial change which enables him to commit it to the house of commons and i think that wont satisfy the erg group but i suspect enough Opposition Mps will ta ke suspect enough Opposition Mps will take the view that this is the best deal we are going to get in their constituencies voted to leave for the public wont think them for dragging out the saga a moment longer but i believe the bill will then go through and i think the Prime Minister at the same time has to reunite my party and has to restore the width to those who he has suspended it and stop the re selection thats now going on in those constituencies and i hope bring back into the government some of the people who were sacked, the people, deeming hines, people like that. And perhaps some of the people that. And perhaps some of the people that went more recently and rebuild the party. The qv he does that hes got a better chance of being seen as a great Prime Minister than if either he tries to find another loophole to get us out and some technicality or takes us out in some way without a deal either in october or later date. That would be the advice i would give him were he to ask me. Im sure they will be listening, im just ask me. Im sure they will be listening, imjust wondering ask me. Im sure they will be listening, im just wondering given what you know of the Prime Minister what you know of the Prime Minister what is the likelihood that that is the course of action hes likely to adopt. I think some of the other solutions have been blocked off in the sense that he said hes not going to ask for an extension parliament has blocked off leaving without a deal which really drives you back to getting a deal. And i think that the europeans were actually quite like us to stay, its bad news for them as well as us and they will find that just bad news for them as well as us and they will find thatjust enough to enable the Prime Minister to move on and say this is a different deal but that prejudicing some of the very strong views of integrity of the European Union. What i think needs to happen is we need to step up the pace of the negotiations that they are waiting for some proposals for us and we need to get on with that. Get the preparations well on the way before october the 17th. One more thing given that weve had a very important answer from the speaker, you yourself almost became speaker to me you tried on two occasions to become speaker of the comments it so you know something about the role certainly and some of the set on the front bench there. Do you think he has done a good job. On balance yes. Hes been a much more proactive speaker, he is the sixth speaker i have served under starting. Hes done good things like more urgent questions and try to make parliament more relevant. Most referees stand out of the match and an occasional blow the whistle, i think he has felt tempted from time to time to come on and so he has interpreted the role of the speaker in a much more proactive way, i think theres going to be time to stand back and look at his role as mr speaker. Today i would like to focus on the good things that he has done and wish her well in his retirement. His affair to say the process will be a very different one under another speaker . I think if the speaker had followed the advice from the clerks there would be less here in the bill that i just there would be less here in the bill that ijust gone through my none of gone through so he has been proactive and stretch the constitution almost to breaking point. Always interesting to talk to you. Thank you very much. Lord younger there. Good for him to join us on the green to share his experience with us. With us. Lets cross to the house of commons now, where mps are having an emergency debate requested by the conservative mp Dominic Grieve about operation yellowhammer the no deal planning documents that were leaked over the summer. Lets listen to what he has to say. Thats the truth for all of us. And in which everybody is happy to go into greenhouses and chuck brooks around all over the place. And expect the structure to provide some shelter afterwards. Yes i do give way. I i have been listening to my friends and part of this troubles me, what legal rights of the government have to require its employees to give up private e mail accounts and personal things. If there is no legal right number which iimagine he there is no legal right number which i imagine he would contend there isnt, our government should enforce that if a desire to do so . These are government employees. And in the course of their work its their duty to observe the Civil Service code and to comply with it requirements including, i would respectfully suggest, might right honourable friend, the attorney general, not using private means of communication to carry out official business. And beyond that, if i may say. I will give way to my. I will give way to my right honourable friend, and in addition to that its a question of what this house requests. Of course im perfectly aware that sometimes i may say that the government may be acting abusively, so im the first to understand that there is a capacity for this house to act abusively. Dominic theyre carrying on making his case in this emergency debate in the house of commons. Lets go back out to the greens also parliament. Ruth fox is the director and head of research at the hansard society, which specialises in independent research and advice on parliament and parliamentary affairs. Shejoins me now. Thank you very much. Ok, so, just for those viewers wondering what this word means, because we are saying suspending parliament as well. What is it formally entailing . To suspend parliament for a period of time to enable one session to come to an end and come for another session in the queens speech programme. Thats what we will see tonight, president will be putting suspense for a period of nearly five weeks to enable the government to prepare this programme and the queens speech to take place. A lot of criticism about this one because people feel it is unnecessarily long for the purpose of government to sort it. Help us with that duration, how unusual will it be to have five weeks . Very unusual, normally something between three and seven or eight or nine days maximum. The argument is that three of the weeks would have been for at recess for when people go to Party Conferences in the house is not sitting, it is adjourned. However, mps did not vote for that its pretty clear a lot of them did not want to and they intended to stay right through late september and early october. And its in effect you denied them that opportunity. It means that not only can the chamber not set house of commons select committees cannot sit either. Which could have happened during Party Conference recess if mps had wanted for example to question ministers about no deal preparations or the negotiations going on with the eu. Its quite a complex timetable. Talking about five weeks here, a queens speech and a potential election. We are looking of course at the Brexit Process itself and whether we are out of the deal on the 31st of october. Has there ever been a combination of circumstances quite like this . Not that i can recall. The complexity of all the moving parts and how to interact with each other procedurally and legally and internationally as well as domestic, certainly my time is is unprecedented. The process of organising parliament for the queens speech and getting a Government Programme ready, how long does that take . This is been fully focused really on attention drawn by the Brexit Process, and the really be lots of time spent on a new queens speech and lots of new potential legislation . What is that process and how lengthy can it be . In previous sessions we just had three days of breaking session but thats a government that had a majority thats been able to focus on the legislative programme and not these large attractions. Boris johnson is only been in office a few weeks, but clearly Civil Servants will be working on drafting the bills but they dont all have to be ready at the same time, the queens speech itself will take a bit of time to draft and prepare, and eight cabinet ministers to agree the content cabinet ministers to agree the co nte nt of cabinet ministers to agree the content of that programme, but that can all be done fairly quickly and obviously the conservative party ma nifesto obviously the conservative Party Manifesto and a number of the policies though it may see emergency and the ledge that a programme could be debated. There may already be things in the stocks ready to go, does not need everything ready for the 14th of october which is why many people feel that this is an abuse of process. A practical point, really. Whats going on in there . We the chambers arent in session and whats actually going on in there . Apart from the refurb for four or five weeks, could people be in offices . The staff will still be there and youll see all the clerks and advisers and library staff, the ability to take a bit of a break because that an arduous few months but the work will still go on and they will have to do a lot of work to prepare for the new session and they will obviously be officials preparing for the state opening which takes a bit of time so that will be happening. Parliamentary staff will still be at work, mps will still be there and go back to their constituencies. There will not be spending much time in westminster itself, but the Parliament Staff will still be here and working. Thank you very much forjoining us and shedding light on what is going on. In a moment to will be catching up on. In a moment to will be catching up with the weather come been quite lucky just a few specks of up with the weather come been quite luckyjust a few specks of rain but nothing much, but the weeds will have the weather for us to just a minute. What will be doing now i will leave you site and sounds, announcing earlier that he will stand down at the end of the parliament or end of october whichever is earlier. So i will leave you by taking a look back at some of his more memorable moments asa some of his more memorable moments as a speaker and lets go back to his election as a speaker into thousand nine. He is secured with a 50 of the ballots cast. The question is that mrjohn perko take the chair of this house as speaker. As many of you of that opinion say aye. The order, mr gover. Need to write out a thousand times, i will behave myself at Prime Ministers questions. I dont want any comment or signalling from the honourable gentlemen, the honourable judge will rule us into the ruling or like it or not. I hope he does feel some sense of embarrassment and contrition of what has been a total mishandling by his department for which the right honourable gentlemen is solely responsible. This has been, let me put exclusively. The greatest privilege and honour of my professional life. For which i will be eternally grateful. Hello there, the weather today has been on a sombre note, hasnt it . Cloud around and also some rain. But conditions have brightened up the last couple of hours in fact if we ta ke last couple of hours in fact if we take a look at the satellite picture you can see the favourite spots are in slowly into southwest parts of england as well. A pleasant and to the day but it has been pretty grey and wet in some places. And that rain still has to clear away. This is the rate from earlier run as you can see fairly widespread but starting to begin now if you shop or shower still clinging onto south wales and parts of southern england as well. Some of these could contain the odd rumble of thunder so we keep the odd rumble of thunder so we keep the risk of showers over the next few hours but that weather part will start to weaken and easy way through the night with moisture in the air, we will see patchy mist and fog forming. Quite an autumnal starts tomorrow. Well be on the chilly side, eight to 10 degrees for many and perhaps even lower. We start a murky note that fog will lift from the cloud should thin and break you will see sunshine coming through. The exception by the end of the afternoon with wind strength and rain pushing it in norther ireland and western scotland. The head of it with more sunshine warmer today and highest values of 19 degrees. This area of low pressure bringing that through tonight is the remnants of Hurricane Dorian its a weakening affairand it Hurricane Dorian its a weakening affair and it really is going to wea ken affair and it really is going to weaken up substantially. It could be quite windy in places but we will see a band of light patchy rain singing its way south and east and bright and breezy behind it of showers and a degree or so warmer again. Highest values of 19 to 21 degrees in the south. As you move out of wednesday into thursday is next weather front will being wetter and rather windy conditions to the northwest but it will also bring with it some warm moist air from the tropics, that meet such overtures are going to peek into the mid 20s potentially across england and wales and that the same time we see rain it in norther ireland to southern scotla nd it in norther ireland to southern scotland at 15 or 16 degrees the high here, the highest values at 23 or 24, cannot be brought down. Into the southeast corner. The rest of this week what and when the weather but then it will turn warmer and drier later on. Take care. Shut down temporarily parliament will be suspended for five weeks from tonight. First, mps will be asked to vote for a second time on government calls for a snap general election but thats expected to be rejected again. In dublin today, the Prime Minister held talks with his irish counterpart and insisted he wanted to avoid a no deal brexit. Be in no doubt, that outcome would be a failure of statecraft for which we would all be responsible. If there is no deal, it will cause severe disruption for british and irish people alike. And an emotional farewell from the speaker of the house of commons, john bercow, as he announces hell step down