Transcripts For BBCNEWS The Week In Parliament 20240713

At the day in parliament. Hello and welcome to the week in parliament. Fanfare. A week billed as the biggest crunch week since, well, the last one, as Boris Johnson does a deal on brexit. But can he deliver . My governments priority has always been to secure the United Kingdoms departure from the European Union on the 31st of october. And what happens when mps let the public put the questions . Governor, you will be no doubt pleased to hear we wont be asking you immediately whether you will be appearing on strictly come dancing. But first. Borisjohnson has a brexit deal. All he has to do now is persuade mps to vote for it. The agreement was clinched on thursdayjust before european leaders met in brussels. It looks quite a lot like the deal theresa may negotiated a year ago similar price tag, too but with some important differences. The biggest change sees the irish backstop, designed to avoid a hard border, replaced by what is effectively a Customs Border in the irish sea. There would also be a bigger say for the Northern Ireland assembly. Borisjohnson still faces a battle to persuade mps to back it in a rare commons sitting on saturday. But ministers, especially those who initially opposed the may deal, cant hide their excitement. It is a really good exciting deal that takes out the undemocratic backstop, delivers on what the Prime Minister promised he would do. In 85 days, he has achieved something that could not be achieved in three years. Every Single Member who stood on a manifesto saying that they would respect the will of the people in the referendum can support this with confidence. All our socialist friends can support it with confidence because it delivers on the referendum result. It is a really exciting day today in british politics. All eurosceptics, old friends who sit where i used to sit can rally around this great deal, and i hope. I hope. I hope my friends in the dup will also find that what it does for the whole of the United Kingdom is something over which they can have comfort and support. The dup have said their 10 mps wont vote for the deal. But even that failed to ruin Jacob Rees Moggs appetite. The honourable gentleman asked me if i would at any point have to eat my words. Well, i must say this deal is the tornados rossini of a deal. It is a deal that one can eat with joy and pleasure. And it is the finest culinary delight for me to have. The leader of the house in another role somewhere over there earlier described the kind of deal that it appears has been done by the now Prime Minister as, and im quoting him, mr speaker, cretinous. Did he tell me what on earth has happened in the last few months which changes his view of the deal from cretinous to one of the best things that has ever happened . Is it actually his sudden appearance at the dispatch box that has changed his mind . Mr speaker, the honourable lady is unduly cynical. This. This is a fundamentally different deal because the undemocratic backstop has gone. Why is that so important . Well, the backstop meant that the whole of the United Kingdom could be kept in perpetuity and the Customs Union and the Single Market and could only leave with the permission of the European Union. It was harder to leave the backstop than to leave the European Union. He boasts that of course the backstop, as he says, has gone. Of course, there is no need now for the backstop, given the uk government has capitulated on the Customs Union and the Single Market. And will they do the same for scotland . Keep us in the Customs Union and the Single Market . If it is good enough for Northern Ireland, it is good enough in scotland. I am absolutely astonished that the honourable gentleman who i thought was a feisty highlander in fact cause for capitulation. Neither her majestys. Youre even higher . All right. Her majestys government has not capitulated in the same way as the honourable gentleman would be the last person to capitulate. It has in fact succeeded. We will be out of the Customs Union and out of the Single Market and Northern Ireland will be in a single Customs Union area with the United Kingdom as a whole. This is fantastically exciting and a very important development. The only Northern Ireland mp to speak wondered how the deal could get Northern Irish consent when theres currently no assembly sitting. Would the leader of the house take a few moments just to explain in some considerable detail how the new proposals in this document which has now been made available to us, thank goodness. It is entitled democratic consent in Northern Ireland. How exactly is that going to operate . Thank you, mr speaker. I dont want to go too much into details. Hold on. Patience, patience. There was some good news for the government. A former minister who lost the conservative whip over brexit thought the deal looked admirable. And i shall be supporting it and voting for the implementation of it in legislation all the way to completion. This is, i have to admit, not a very great concession on my part, as i have set for 18 months that i would vote for any deal. But as a matter of fact, i think this is also rather a good deal. But he wanted to make sure that mps had more time to debate things and table amendments that could yet delay brexit. In a vote on how to run things on saturday, sir Oliver Letwin not for the first time defeated the government. The ayes to the right, 287. The noes to the left, 275. A i2 vote government defeat. And a reminderfor ministers, as if they needed one, about the challenge they face. So super saturday, as its inevitably become known, is nearly with us. Lets find out what we can expect, withjoe marshall from the institute for government. Joe, the government is asking mps to support its deal. What happens if they dont . Its a very good question what happens if they dont . On saturday, the government is going to put forward the first step in trying to get parliamentary approval for its deal. So if the government passes it, it will remove the requirement to ask for an extension, the benn act, and it will pave the way for the government to introduce the Withdrawal Agreement bill to legislate for the deal. If it doesnt pass, then the benn act requirements still stands, and unless mps pass an alternative motion approving leaving without a deal, then the government is required under the benn act to send a letter requesting an extension to the 31st of january. But we dont know yet how the eu will respond, and, obviously, the uk cant get an extension on its own. Now, if the government wins, i mean that really kicks off things, doesnt it . Because it means if the uk is going to leave by the end of this month, the end of, well, by halloween, then, mps are going to be very busy legislating. If they get through this step, it is only the first step, the government then has to introduce the Withdrawal Agreement bill, a piece of legislation to really put the deal into domestic law. That is going to be a huge difficulty. There is very little time. Weve got about ten sitting days. The eu withdrawal act, which was another piece of big legislation, took 273 hours to get through parliament. And we had other other legislation that passed on the eu, the lisbon treaty, 88 amendments, if you have to deal with that, it is going to take a lot of time, there is a risk that getting those amendments through is going to be problematic. And you have to remember, the government cant ratify the deal with the eu until it has passed that act so until it essentially gets through. Joe, for the moment, thank you. Now in any normal week, the state opening of parliament with a queens speech setting out the governments legislative plans would take centre stage. But westminster hasnt had a normal week for years. So on monday we had the pomp but in very strange circumstances. A speech setting out bills that with no government majority are highly unlikely to become law. Some things, thought, havent changed the door is still shut in black rods face to symbolise the independence of the commons. Sarah clarke had to knock. And with that mps filed towards the lords, borisjohnson and Jeremy Corbyn leading the way. Sometimes, this is a moment for small talk between political opponents. Sometimes, but not this year. The queen was presented with the speech, which was written by ministers, by the lord chancellor robert buckland. No prizes for guessing the top priority. My governments my priority has always been to secure the United Kingdoms departure from the European Union on the 31st of october. My government intends to work towards a new partnership with the European Union based on free trade and friendly cooperation. 22 new bills were announced notjust on brexit but also crime, the environment, the nhs and housing. When mps gathered to debate the speech, there was plenty to talk about. We aim to create a new age of opportunity for the whole country. And as we prepare to get brexit done by october the 31st, we are setting out now our vision of an open, global, free trading United Kingdom, a high wage low tax economy with the highest environmental standards, new protections for animal welfare, the best place to invest, the best place to start a business, the best place to start a family and send your kids to school, and without being chauvinistic or disrespectful to anywhere else in the world, in important respects, this country is the greatest place to live and to be. The greatest place on earth. There has never been such a farce as a government with a majority of minus 45. And a 100 record of defeat in the house of commons setting out a legislative agenda they know cannot be delivered in this parliament. I am deeply saddened. In truth, i am, like many across these countries, i am frightened. Frightened of the future that this Prime Minister and this government are planning for citizens across scotland and across the United Kingdom. The terms crisis, chaos, catastrophe are now everyday terminology in the United Kingdom. Mr speaker, this is alarming. I fear that the past few years have numbed many of us to a looming disaster, to a no deal brexit. Whether it is a hard or soft brexit, whether it comes with a red rosette or a blue rosette, whether it is proposed by the former Prime Minister, the current Prime Minister, or the leader of the opposition, there is no form of brexit that would be good for our country. And the liberal democrats will continue to fight to stop brexit, to secure a peoples vote with the option to remain in the European Union, to give the public the final say on the brexit deal. A flavour of the queens speech debate, which continues on monday. Joe marshalls still with me. Now, mps will still have a vote on the queens speech as a whole. What happens if the government loses that one . Well, its something that is very uncertain at the moment. Historically, when the governments lost on a queens speech, it was seen as a proxy vote of confidence against the government. And when it last happened in 192a, the government resigned and the opposition formed an alternative administration. However, that was before the fixed term parliaments act, which now sets out a vote of confidence that needs to happen to go into this period where you might form an alternative government and then into general election. Im not entirely sure what would happen, but its very clear that a loss on the queens speech would indicate, you know, mps dont have confidence in the government and the governments agenda. Its then really up to the politics to decide what happens next. Its possible the opposition could bring a formal fixed term parliaments act vote of no confidence and attempt to form a new administration or go into an election. Or the government could try a two thirds majority vote to go straight into election, saying, we want to proceed and we want to govern but parliament is not letting us and so we need to break the deadlock. Normally, it would be a confidence matter but in these fractured political times, and following the fixed term parliaments act, it still remains quite unclear what would happen. And there will be opposition parties and groupings of opposition parties trying to put forward their own amendments to the queens speech for example, to ensure that there is another brexit referendum. If an amendment like that were passed, would that change things . Well, amendments arent binding in the queens speech, so these amendments dont force the governments hand. But they are normally very politically embarrassing, and the government would normally try and avoid them. But there are big important political consequences and practical consequences. Its hard to make progress in any case in this parliament. No majority, this queens speech, its a good shop window for an election but not necessarily going to be a practical benefit. And also, its very difficult to introduce a budget if you dont pass a queens speech under the current parliamentary rules, so that does raise problems for a government which wants to have a budget on the 6th of november. Joe marshall, thank you. Time now for a look at what else has been going on around westminster. Theresa may has warned borisjohnson that his plans for a new immigration policy confirmed in the queens speech might not be the solution hes looking for. The governments hoping to introduce a system that awards points for skills, but the former Prime Minister said it may not work. I note that there have been many references recently to a points based system of immigration. In 2010, when i became home secretary, one of the challenges i faced was dealing with the abuse that had arisen in the immigration system, largely enabled by the labour partys points based immigration system. So, its possible the home office has come up with, you know. Best brains have come up with a very good scheme. But i would simply urge the home secretary and the home office to look very carefully at the lessons that have been learned in the past in relation to points based systems, which in themselves are not an answer to controlling immigration and can allow abuse to take place. There was universal condemnation of the racist abuse targeted at englands black footballers during mondays euro 2020 match in bulgaria and widespread praise for the way the team responded to that abuse. This is a deeply serious issue, but i think it would be fair to say that it has been some while. I have never wanted England Football Team to win, and to win so well, until last night. And im delighted that they did their talking on the pitch. But, of course, they should have the right to walk off the pitch in these circumstances if they so choose. But it would be wrong to portray these disgusting scenes last night as isolated incidences. The truth is that they arent. Racist chants and abuse form part of a growing and consistent pattern throughout parts of the game across europe. This must mark a seminal moment, as the minister himself said. As the football authorities crack down and eradicate racism of all kinds in our sport. The protests by environmental activists from Extinction Rebellion and the Police Response to them prompted sharp exchanges in the house of lords, where a Home Office Minister accused the protesters of making it impossible to get around the centre of london. I saw the protesters being described last week as glastonbury meets waitrose. Some of those people, i think, do not know what it is like to have to use a tube because you simple cannot use the bus, and it does affect people in their pockets, particularly the hard working people of london. These are difficult judgements. Of course, on the last occasion that Extinction Rebellion carried out their protest, the police were criticised for failing to take action. And here we see them criticised perhaps for taking too much. Its a difficult position to land fairly. But surely when we have got the threat of airports being closed, and we have the tube system being shut down, then this is a serious matter for london as it is for the country generally. And perhaps the use of this power on this occasion is a reasonable response. I declare an interest as the major litigants in the case thats come to court today challenging the mets application of section 14 powers over the whole of london, and imjust. I would just like to ask the noble lady, the minister. Surely it would the cheaper for the government to start to deal with Climate Change then try to suppress protest. I think were talking about two entirely different things, because nobody, nobody disputes the right to protest. Everyone is well educated on some of the climactic changes that are taking place here. This is about bringing a capital city to a standstill. The sister of the murdered mpjo cox told mps that violence and abuse has got worse in the three years since her death. The labour mp for batley and spen was killed in 2016 by a right wing extremist a week before the european referendum. Last month, Boris Johnson was criticised for saying the best way to honourjo cox was to get brexit done. His comments came in a bad tempered debate in which labour mps had called on the Prime Minister to moderate his language. Jo coxs sister, kim leadbeater, is spearheading efforts to draw up a joint code of conduct for political parties. She told the Home Affairs Committee why she was getting involved. One of the things that drives me, and that drives my parents and many of my friends and family, to keep going is we dont want any other family to experience, gosh, what weve had to experience and indeed continue to experience every single day because behind every politician and behind every public figure there is a family and there are staff and there are friends and there are people who are affected by the abuse that they face every single day. She said abuse was becoming a normal part of being an mp. Were losing good people from public life. Ive had lots of conversations with politicians across the political spectrum sincejo was killed, across the Brexit Debate and divide, who are scared. Theyre really scared. And their reality is that they are getting horrendous messages, whether thats in their inbox, whether thats on social media, whether thats going to the supermarket to do their shopping. That is their reality, and i dont want to be accused of scaremongering but im not. These conversations are real. Kim leadbeater was asked why there seemed to be a rise in vitriol and hatred. People feel that they dont have a say in things. They feel frustrated and angry, and the easiest thing to do when you feel that way is to blame the other, is to blame somebody who is not like you for your own frustrations whether thats around the economy, whether thats around whats going on in your town, in your city, or your village and i think that breeds into dislike and animosity towards people who are not like you. And i think thats what we have to change. We have disconnected communities, where people dont have the sense of belonging and the sense of identity that i think, if you go back 50 years and beyond, people used to have. So i think theres something around the infrastructure of communities that needs addressing, but i think theres also this top level stuff around the nature of our discourse, in public life, in parliament and elsewhere, that needs to change. The chair of the committee, yvette cooper, ended by thanking kim leadbeater. We started this, first looking at this, afterjo was killed. Shes in our thoughts every day. Thank you. Now, whats been happening in the wider world of politics this week . Heres selina seth with our countdown. At 5, former Green Party Leader Natalie Bennett has been sworn into the lords. She is the second australian born woman to become a peer. At 4, Deputy Speaker Eleanor Laing gives snp mp Angus Macneil language lessons in the commons. It isnt you, its they. Thats so much better. At 3, the Prime Minister wins his first vote against the opposition in the house of commons. Cheering i realise this is a unique moment. Laughter at 2, shadow equalities minister Carolyn Harris has stars in her eyes. Today, mr speaker, im going to be bonnie tyler. And at 1, the president of the european commission, jean claude juncker, wants to say his peace. Hey jean claudes the boss here selina seth. Now, have you everfancied putting a question to the governor of the bank of england . The Commons Treasury Committee invited members of the public to do just that this week. Questions submitted via email and social media were among those asked by mps when they quizzed mark carney. We caught up with the interim chair of the committee, labours catherine mckinnell. So, we received about 150 questions submitted by the public. They came in via twitter, they came in via e mail. And, i mean, some of them were a bit quirky. Governor, youll be no doubt pleased to hear that we wont be asking you immediately whether youll be appearing on strictly come dancing. Thank you. Or if you believe that everton should go back for zouma injanuary, but you are welcome to answer those questions yourself directly on twitter. But actually, there were a lot of very serious, very thoughtful questions put by the public, and we weaved them in. We didnt just ask, this member of the public has asked this question. We tried to weave them into the questions that we ourselves have, but tried to reflect the issues that the public are concerned about as well as part of that session. The question is from lee from dartford. Will committees such as the npc and npcdra change their remit so they actively support the transition to a Green Economy and reduce inequality . Lees question is very on point. The remits are given to committees, obviously, by the government, ultimately under the auspices of parliament. And then we work to fulfil those remits. Hopefully in wrexham, jasmine is watching because she wants to know whether you think that Monetary Policy still has the available tools to deal with another financial crash, or sharp downturn, when it occurs. Short answer forjasmine around bank rate. Interest rates, we can lower them. There is some room and we can make sure that that is passed on to households such as hers. I hope it inspired the public to take a bit more of an interest, but it also inspired the governor, i think, to respond in a way that he perhaps wouldnt normally to actually notjust respond to the Committee Members putting those questions but to be very aware that the public are watching, the public are interested and to convey and explain things in a way that perhaps we dont always explain properly on the committee. Catherine mckinnell. She never did get an answer to that strictly question. And thats the week in parliament but not quite. With mps sitting on a saturday for the first time in almost a0 years, not only will there be live coverage of the debates on Bbc Parliament throughout the day, but therell also be a special saturday in Parliament Programme at 11pm on Bbc Parliament. I do hope you canjoin Alicia Mccarthy for that. Thank you for watching, but from me, david cornock, bye for now. Desperate for this constant chari theme to depart . I might have some good news for you. However, saturday again plenty of heavy showers around that there will be some sunshine as well. We are still under the influence of lobe and we have this with and enhancing the showers into the finals of the country. Plenty of showers out of the west first thing in the morning and some of these as we go through the day will drift further inland hopefully across england and wales, few and far between in comparison to link to the showers across eastern scotland will drift down through the borders as we go through the day and a northerly wind the takeover behind. In the sunshine, temperatures will peak at ten, 15 is a high. Into sunday, the showers will fade away and that northerly wind will start to push further south and that will allow those temperatures to fall away with clear skies for a couple of us and we could see low single figures in sheltered rural parts. Actually start to sunday but that bodes well. Inks were quietened down in the second half of week and looks better in terms of drier weather with fewer showers. Lets have a look at monday, sunday, in a little more detail. That northerly breeze will dry in showers along the east coast. Elsewhere, more in the way of sunshine coming through and it will bea sunshine coming through and it will be a pleasant day did in fact, temperatures the chilly start are likely peak at nine, 11; degrees but it could stay cloudy and drizzly to the far east for much of the day. High pressure will build from the west and things done nicely. The only problem we might see whether front bring rain close to the kent coast. We need to keep an eye on that, there is a level of uncertainty first thing on monday morning generally speaking, Early Morning generally speaking, Early Morning fog and frost lift away to a dry day with a little bit of their whether cloud but lighter wind and certainly largely shower tree with top breaches of 9 11; celsius. This trend is likely to continue as well, tuesday and wednesday where we see a good deal of dry weather in the forecast and maybe a little warmer as the winston swing back round to more of a southerly direction. Wind starts to swing back around. 00 29 28,087 4294966103 13 29,430 thats it. Enjoy your weekend