Transcripts For BBCNEWS BBC News At Five 20240713

Is facing suspension from parliament for six months, after he was found to have expressed willingness to buy cocaine. a lorry driver, maurice robinson, appears in court charged with the manslaughter of 39 people found dead in a refrigerated trailer in essex. And instagram is to ban all images showing people how to hurt or kill themselves after 14 year old Molly Russell took her own life. Its five oclock. Good evening from westminster, where in the next few minutes mps are expected to begin debating the Prime Ministers plans for a general election on december the 12th. After about an hour and a half or so of debate, well then get the vote. Now, for it to pass, 434 votes are needed, two thirds of mps. If that fails, then the snp and the lib dems say theyll push for a poll on december the 9th. Downing street very interestingly has indicated that the government could support that. Meanwhile, today the eu extended the deadline for brexit, meaning the uk will not now leave this thursday, october the 31st, as had been promised repeatedly by borisjohnson. Eu leaders have offered a so called flextension, making the new deadline the end of january 2020, but allowing for brexit to happen before then, if Parliament Approves a deal. Lets get more on all todays developments from our political correspondent, chris mason. Walking towards us right now, another delay to brexit. We had a short, efficient and constructive meeting, and i am happy that the decision has been taken. Is this extension to long . Will it drag on and drag on . The eu has given an extension to the end ofjanuary, despite the Prime Minister saying this sort of stuff. I would rather be dead in a ditch. Out on october the 31st, no ifs, no buts. We are coming out on october the 31st, come what may. But here he is, his central promise broken. Not my fault, he says, blame parliament, so he wants a new Parliament Via an election in december. The last time there was a general election just before christmas was nearly a century ago. Incidentally, the conservatives won like most seats back then, but guess what . It was a hung parliament. That has not put off todays tories, but it looks like they will lose the vote later calling for an election. The element are the numbers there . It is a challenging bout. Is that code for no chance . No, not at all. I reckon there is a good chance he can get this through, but it will be challenging. All the parties will tell you they want a general election, but whisper it, they want it on their terms. The conservatives wa nt it on their terms. The conservatives wantan it on their terms. The conservatives want an election but they want a crack at getting their brexit deal sorted first. Labour want one, but they want a no deal brexit ruled out first. And the snp and lib dems want an election but they want the governments brexit deal shelved first. Let me welcome the fact that we have the extension to the 31st of january, but i think we all have a responsibility to use that time to get out of the brexit mess we are in. We want to stop brexit. The snp wa nt in. We want to stop brexit. The snp want to do that as well, but our primary goal is stopping brexit, and the only way to do that is through a democratic mandate of the people. Critics of the lib dems and snp say they have given up on another referendum. I hope they get back round the table with those of us who do wanta round the table with those of us who do want a peoples vote. A Million People did not vote for an election but for a new site. How long until we see pictures like these again . Can you come back to me on that . Chris mason, bbc news. In a moment we will speak to our europe editor katya adler in brussels. But first, to our chief political correspondent, vicki young, whos in the central lobby at parliament. Given that the Prime Minister needs 434 votes to get this proposal through the commons, and given the fa ct through the commons, and given the fact that the bulk of labour wont vote for it, its not going to happen, is it . On this occasion it is pretty impossible for Boris Johnson to get the election he wa nts, johnson to get the election he wants, because of the terms. Two thirds of mps have to vote for it and labourare going thirds of mps have to vote for it and labour are going to abstain, which means there is no chance of it going through tonight. As ever, the question is, what will the government do next . One suggestion is that they might get behind this and send p and lib dems proposal snp and lib dems proposal. It has to go through both houses of parliament, but you only need a simple majority to get it through. In those senses, you dont need labour votes at all, and labour havent yet said what they would do in that scenario. There are other suggestions going around, one that the government might be looking at trying again to get their Withdrawal Agreement bill through. It got through its first stage then Boris Johnson said, because you wont agree to my timetable, i wont pursue it further. Could they try again to do that . That is one suggestion. There are conservatives who are unhappy and say, you should first try to get the deal through. There are problems for all parties. There are problems for all parties. The snp have some mps who arent happy to go along with a general election, fearing that borisjohnson would win it and they would effectively be putting him into power potentially for five years. Labour also have their own issues. Not many of their mps want a general election, some because they want to pursue another referendum, and also because they are looking at the opinion polls and some of them are fea rful opinion polls and some of them are fearful that they might not survive as mps at the end of the process. Thank you for that. Katya, the eu have given what is called a flextension. The end date is now january the 31st. The eu is hoping its newly negotiated brexit deal can be ratified by parliament and then by the European Parliament as soon as possible. This attempt to try and focus the minds of mps has held up the eu from announcing its extension because france in particular was saying, listen, extension because france in particularwas saying, listen, if extension because france in particular was saying, listen, if we grant the three months which takes us grant the three months which takes us up to the 31st of january, as requested in the uks letter asking for a new brexit extension, this will just give for a new brexit extension, this willjust give mps permission to, in the eyes of france, keep prevaricating. Dont forget, this is on the back of more than three years of brexit process. The eu has negotiated two brexit deals, has spoken with three uk Prime Ministers, and if brexit is going to happen, the eu wants to get on with it. Informally, it has announced this extension today, but there are a couple of steps still necessary. First and foremost, the Prime Minister needs to agree to it, which is necessary under eu law, and very uncomfortable for the Prime Minister who said he would rather die in a ditch than sign that he might agree to it. Three months doesnt necessarily mean another three month delay when it comes to brexit. The uk can leave a soon as the new brexit deal has been ratified. Again, it will be uncomfortable for the Prime Minister, because there is a new European Commission coming into town here. The eu is now saying to borisjohnson, into town here. The eu is now saying to Boris Johnson, you into town here. The eu is now saying to borisjohnson, you need to elect a new uk commissioner, even if you are only staying for another couple of weeks or couple of months. Uncomfortable questions for Boris Johnson, and the eu still awaits his a nswer johnson, and the eu still awaits his answer this evening. Katya, thank you. We understand that Boris Johnson has entered the commons, so we are expecting in the next few minutes him to begin debating, putting forward that government motion under the fixed term parliaments act to call an election for the 12th of december. This is the scene live in the commons. Lets go back to central lobby and speak to vicky young. Vicki. Iamjoined by i am joined by Kirsty Blackman of the snp. You want a general election on the 9th of december what is your thinking . Your thinking is that the thinking is that we know that borisjohnson the thinking is that we know that Boris Johnson wants. We want to have the election earlier than Boris Johnson is asking for it so that the brexit bill cant be pushed through parliament between now and dissolution. What about a second referendum, something you have been campaigning referendum, something you have been cam referendum, something you have been campaigning for . You are pulling the iug campaigning for . You are pulling the rug from under that campaign, you and the liberal democrats. It is the opposite. We dont have a majority in the house just now for a second eu referendum. This is a way to make sure that is still on the table. If we have a situation where the general election is pushed back, we may have brexit happen and then that ta kes may have brexit happen and then that takes away any chance of us trying to get out of this horrendous situation we have been put in. Actually, this is about ensuring we stay in the eu rather than risking that we leave on borisjohnsons terms. There are some in your party who say they wont vote for a general election. I interviewed one who said he is looking at the opinion polls and thinks Boris Johnson will win, come back with a majority, then you will get a very ha rd majority, then you will get a very hard brexit. And you, the snp and lib dems, will have facilitated that. Opinion polls are not certain. We have seen great changes happen in the periods running up to elections. For us, the most important thing is ensuring that we represent the will of the scottish people, that we have as few conservatives elected as possible in scotland, as few people willing to support a hard brexit, and the other parties need to step up and the other parties need to step up to the plate and make sure that happens in the rest of these islands as well. What about the argument that you could end up putting Boris Johnson in there and that you will never be forgiven for that . Some people have said, that is what happened in 1979. People looked at it and happened in 1979. People looked at itand said, happened in 1979. People looked at it and said, you voted for that election in 1979 and Margaret Thatcher was in power for over a decade. This is not a mess of our making. Scottish people are looking at borisjohnson making. Scottish people are looking at Boris Johnson in making. Scottish people are looking at borisjohnson in horror, as are other people across these islands, thinking, he is trying to do everything he possibly can to get a brexit deal through that is worse than theresa mays. We will try to do everything we can to stop that happening. This is the point in time at which we are ready to call for a general election, because we need that to happen to try and get him out of downing street and get this brexit stop. Can you explain, because there has been a lot of confusion, about why you are not accepting a 12th of december election but not a 9th of december but you are willing to go for a 9th of december election . It doesnt make any difference, does it, three days . It is crucial because it means that the brexit bill cannot go through parliament. It means we are safe, we cannot possibly be dragged out of the eu against our will. By pulling it forward, it means the bill cannot make progress through the commons and the lords to get through. I am the commons and the lords to get through. Iam hugely the commons and the lords to get through. I am hugely concerned that with the support of some labour party mps, that bill could get through. We wanted to ensure that the general election happens in time, that we cant have brexit inflicted on us, because as we know it will cost jobs and inflicted on us, because as we know it will costjobs and people will be significantly worse off if this goes through, so we are trying to do everything we can to stop it. Some of your opponents are saying you and the lib dems, because it looks likely you might gain seats in a general election, it is completely not about the National Interest but about your narrow Party Political interests. To be fair, we are in the lib dems have been consistent throughout this. We dont want brexit to happen. We campaigned on a cat might remain platform and have been clear all the way through that scotla nd been clear all the way through that scotland a remain platform and have been clear that scotland should not be dragged out of the eu against our will. We have taken every action to ensure that no deal doesnt happen and that brexit doesnt happen and that brexit doesnt happen either by accident or by design, led by borisjohnson or theresa may. When that debate does start, there will be 90 minutes to talk about a general election and then a vote. Vicki, thank you for that. Boris johnson then a vote. Vicki, thank you for that. Borisjohnson is in the building, apparently. Here he is. With your permission, i beg to move the motion standing in my name under the motion standing in my name under the fixed term parliaments act. I think it is fair to say that nobody in this house relishes the idea of a general election, because nobody wa nts to general election, because nobody wants to put the public to this inconvenience, particularly, as the gentleman says, at this season, but across the country there is a widespread view that this parliament has run its course. And that is because i simply do not believe that this house is capable of delivering on the priorities of the people, whether that means brexit or anything else. Of course, i would rather get brexit done, mr speaker. I would rather get brexit done. I share the blazing urgency of many collea g u es share the blazing urgency of many colleagues across the house. Indeed, last tuesday, we briefly allowed hope to bloom in our hearts, mr speaker. When, for the first time in three and a half years, parliament voted for a deal to take this country out of the eu, and i repeat my admiration for the way mps came together across the house to do that. In many ways, it was an astonishing moment. They said we would never reopen the Withdrawal Agreement, they said we would never be able to get rid of the backstop, they said we would never do a new deal with the eu. We do it all of them, mr speaker. They said we would never get parliament to agree. I give way to my right honourable friend. I thank my right honourable friend. I thank my right honourable friend and all he is doing to get brexit done. Could i ask him, in his preparations for a no deal brexit, can he make sure there is plenty of corn feed for the election chickens on the opposite benches . Elegantly put, mr speaker. Our thanks on the opposite benches . Elegantly put, mr speaker. Ourthanks to on the opposite benches . Elegantly put, mr speaker. Our thanks to the work of the chancellor of the duchy of lancaster, our preparations for a no deal brexit are very thorough indeed. But alas, we have not been able, asi indeed. But alas, we have not been able, as i say, to get parliament to agree. There was a tantalising moment when i thought that parliament was going to do the sensible thing, mr speaker, and then this house throughout the Programme Motion through the Programme Motion through the Programme Motion out, making it inevitable that the people of this country would be retained in the eu against their will for at least another three months, at the cost of another £1 billion a month. I hear cries opposite to bring the bill back, mr speaker, and i have offered that. I continue to offer it. I wanted and still want so badly to accommodate this house, but we on these benches have compromised, and last week i wrote to the right honourable gentleman, offering him more time for debate, days more in committee, days more in the lords, the ability to sit round the clock if necessary, all last weekend, with only one condition that he would agree to do what all leaders of the opposition are meant to yearn and crave and campaign for, are meant to yearn and crave and campaignfor, and are meant to yearn and crave and campaign for, and that is, have a general election on the 12th of december. And i offered him that chance, and i offer it again today, mr speaker. He turned us down on thursday and friday. I offer it again today. To use all the hours god gives to scrutinise this bill, provided that scrutiny concludes in time foran provided that scrutiny concludes in time for an election on december the 12th. That is enough time, mr speaker, to scrutinise this bill. It was a remarkable feature of the debate last week on the new deal that not only were there no new ideas in that debate, but the opposition actually ran out of speakers in the debate. They want more time, they ran out of speakers. The people of this country can see the reality. They arent interested in scrutinising brexit, they arent interested in debating brexit, they just want to delay brexit and to cancel brexit. If this house is to convince the country that it is really serious about getting brexit done, there must be a fixed term to this debate, a parliamentary terminus, a hard stop, mr speaker, that everybody can believe in. I give way. I thank the Prime Minister for giving way. To make this matter easy for those of us on this bench, could the Prime Minister confront of the house that if he is successful and achieves a general election, will he be seeking a mandate on the basis of the Withdrawal Agreement that this house voted for last week, or will he be seeking to change that Withdrawal Agreement . or will he be seeking to change that Withdrawal Agreement . I can tell the house that we have an excellent deal, a great dealfor the house that we have an excellent deal, a great deal for the whole of the uk, and we will be campaigning on the basis of that deal. If the honourable gentleman once more time to debate that deal and to scrutinise it, as i take it by his question that he does, then as i say, he can, but we must have the 12th of december as a hard stop, a parliamentary terminus that everybody can believe in. And an election fulfils exactly that purpose. To allow a new parliament and a new government to be in place by christmas. Mr speaker, without that hard stop of an election, without that moment of truth, the electorate will, im afraid, have a sense that we are all like charlie brown, endlessly running up to kick the ball, only to have parliament to ta ke the ball, only to have parliament to take it away, whisk that ball away yet again, only to find that parliament is willing to go on delaying and delaying till the end of january, till february delaying and delaying till the end ofjanuary, till february and beyond. And the frustration will go on, mr speaker. The anxiety will go on. And the ang stand uncertainty thatis on. And the ang stand uncertainty that is felt by millions of people and businesses across the country gangster and uncertainty. That is the reality of the opposition course. If im wrong, then the remedy is very simple, mr speaker. The opposition, the right honourable gentleman and all his cohort on the front bench, they can vote for this motion tonight, bring it back, lets get brexit done, and then lets make our cases, lets go our separate ways and make our cases to the country to reboot our politics in the way that our people want. If the leader of the opposition does not wish to take that opportunity, if he wa nts wish to take that opportunity, if he wants simply to delay brexit, if he wa nts to wants simply to delay brexit, if he wants to frustrate yet a grain the democratic yet again the democratic yet again the democratic will of 17. 4 Million People and frustrate democracy in this country, then im afraid we must have an election. We must have an election now. We cannot continue with this endless delay. I dont know about you, mr speaker, but i think the leader of the opposition has now run out of excuses. First, he said of the benn act, and i quote let this bill pass and gain royal assent, and then we will back an election. The bill passed and gain royal assent, but he still shrank from an encounter with the voters. Then he said we would wait until the act had been complied with. The letter was sent over a week ago, not mine but parliaments, and he still coming up with ever more ludicrous excuses for hiding from the british people. Now he says weve got to take no deal off the table at the end of the transition period in december 2020. Let me repeat that. He wants to take no deal off the table at the end of the transition period in december 2020. Of course, i think his so called anxieties are absurd, because i am confident we will negotiate a fantastic new trade deal. If you will vote for this motion, we will bring it back, mr speaker. Iam confident we will go see it a fantastic new trade deal that will bring thousands of newjobs to businesses and communities across this country. But even if he disagrees, this country. But even if he disagrees, would it not make sense, according even to his own logic for him to agree to an election now so that he can have the opportunity to ta ke that he can have the opportunity to take no deal off the table himself . Isnt that the logic of his position . Mr speaker, he can run but he cannot hide forever. Across parliament, his supposed allies are deserting him. The snp, i now read, are in favour of an election, and the lib dems are in favour of an election. What an incredible state of affairs, mr speaker of that there is one Party Tonight that is actually against a general election. There is one party that does not trust the people of this country, mr speaker, and that is the Principal Party of opposition. Mr speaker, i hope he accepts tonight that he is a new cut and that this sherrard has gone on for long enough, and an and that this charade has gone on long enough, and that he will agree for us to be able to make our cases to the people, and when that election comes, the people of this country will have to make a choice between a government that delivers, that not only got a great brexit deal when they said it was impossible but which is also putting 20,000 more police on the streets, delivering the biggest Hospital Building programme in a generation, investing £14 billion more in our schools and levelling up Education Funding across the country, a great, one nation conservative government, which is what we represent, and a labour opposition, mr speaker, that would turn the year 2020 into a toxic, tedious torture of two more referendums, one on the eu and one on scotland. That is the choice, mr speaker, and it is frankly time for the leader of the opposition to move from the yellow box junction where he is blocking progress. It is time for us to get brexit done by the 12th of december and then go to the people, because it is now overwhelmingly clear that the only way to get brexit done is to go to the people of this country. And i believe that it is time that we all, each and every one of us in this house, had the courage finally to face our ultimate bosses, the people of this country. And i commend this motion to the house. Order, order the question is that there shall be an early parliamentary general election. I call the leader of the opposition, mr jeremy corbyn. Election. I call the leader of the opposition, mrjeremy corbyn. Mr speaker, this is a Prime Minister who cannot be trusted. Having. Having illegally. Having illegally prorogued parliament for five weeks for his queens speech, he now abandons that queens speech. He got his deal through a second reading then abandoned it. He promised us a budget on the 6th of november and then he abandoned that, too. He said that he would never ask for an extension, and he said he would rather die in a ditch. Another broken promise. Mr speaker, every promise this Prime Minister makes, he abandons. He said he would take us he abandons. He said he would take us out of the European Union by the sist. Us out of the European Union by the 31st. Order. Lets have some measure of decorum in the debate. The leader of the opposition. Mr speaker, he said he would take us out of the European Union by the 3ist out of the European Union by the 31st of october, do or die. No. He spent £100 million, mr speaker, £100 million, on an Advertising Campaign to leave on the 31st of october but failed to deliver. And this is serious, mr speaker. The National Audit office says it failed to resonate. I ask the Prime Minister, i ask this house, with that £100 million, how many nurses could have been hired . How many parcels could have been funded at food banks . How many social care packages could have been funded for our elderly . He has failed because he has chosen to fail, and he now seeks to blame parliament. £100 million of misspent public money. At the weekend, mr speaker, we learned from the former chancellor that his deal was offered to the former Prime Minister 18 months ago and she rejected it as not good enough for the United Kingdom. So, we have a rejected and recycle deal. There has it has been misrepresented by ministers in this house, no doubt inadvertently. The Prime Minister said in terms, there would be no checks on goods between Great Britain and northern ireland. The brexit secretary himself has confirmed that there will be. The Prime Minister made promises to labour members about workers rights. I remember him with all the concentration he could muster saying that workers rights would be protected by him. The leak to the Financial Times on saturday shows these promises simply cannot be trusted. He says. He says the nhs. Mr speaker, he says the nhs is off the table for any trade deal. Yet a majority of the British Public dont trust him. And why should they . Why should they, mr speaker . Thanks to a channel 4 Dispatches Programme. This is actually quite an important point to the Prime Minister might care to listen to. I will go through it again. The speaker order, order. The right honourable gentleman is entirely at liberty to do so. If there are people trying to shout the leader of the opposition down, stop it. It is deeply low grade. The leader of the opposition. Mr speaker, asi deeply low grade. The leader of the opposition. Mr speaker, as i was saying, thanks to a channel 4 Dispatches Programme, we learned that secret meetings have taken place between. The member opposite may find this funny, but actually it is quite serious for our National Health service. We learned, mr speaker, that secret. The speaker point of order, michael fabricant. I understand that the annunciator is may not have been working in the offices of labour mps, because most of them have not chosen to turn up today. Can that be investigated . It doesnt need to be investigated . It doesnt need to be investigated at all. Unfortunately, it is not even a very good try, as the smile on the face of the honourable gentleman readily testifies. It has a very substandard attempt at a bogus point of order. The leader of the opposition, jeremy corbyn. Thank you, mr speaker. Because i think this section is very important, i will go through it again. The channel 4 Dispatches Programme has told us that we learned secret meetings have taken place between government officials of the uk government and representatives of us pharmaceutical firms where the price of National Health Service Drugs has been discussed. Mr speaker, we have a Prime Minister who will say anything, do anything, to get his way. He will avoid his responsibilities. He will avoid his responsibilities, break his promises, to dodge scrutiny. And today he wants an election and his bill. Well, not with our endorsement. He says he wants an election on the 12th of december, although how can we trust him that he will stick to that date . When we do not yet have legal confirmation of the extension. The Prime Minister has not formally accepted and the other 27 have not confirmed following that acceptance. The reason im so cautious is quite simplyi reason im so cautious is quite simply i do not trust the Prime Minister. Shoutng. The speaker i dont know whether the Prime Minister was seeking to intervene. Mr speaker, im afraid the leader of the opposition is mistaken. As i have always said, this government obeys the law. We comply with the law, and that has taken its comply with the law, and that has ta ken its course. Comply with the law, and that has taken its course. Parliament asked for this delay, and now it is up to him to go to the country in a general election. That is what he should do. The speaker for the avoidance of doubt, such matters are not matters for the chair, but the Prime Minister has made his own point apparently to his own satisfaction. The leader of the opposition. Apparently to his own satisfaction. The leader of the oppositionlj the leader of the opposition. simply say this to the Prime Minister. If youre always obeys the law, why was he found guilty by the Supreme Court . The speaker order. I dont care how long it takes. Im not having the honourable gentleman shouted down and prevented from being heard. That will not work. End of subject. Mr stephen doughty. On the issue of trust, which my right honourable friend is quite rightly pointing out, is he aware of the interesting rumours that have reached my ear that the Prime Minister might not be planning to even stand in his own constituency at an upcoming general election, and instead apparently it has lined up sevenoaks or east yorkshire . I wonder if he has heard that rumour . Shoutng. Iam that rumour . Shoutng. I am grateful to my friend for his intervention. I would i am grateful to my friend for his intervention. Iwould put i am grateful to my friend for his intervention. I would put nothing past the Prime Minister. All i do know is we have an excellent labour candidate in uxbridge. know is we have an excellent labour candidate in uxbridge. I thank my right honourable friend for giving way. I dont trust the Prime Minister either, but there is a deeper issue about whether we can trust the Prime Minister with our safety. Let me just read this to you very briefly. Analysis from the Financial Times today. The Prime Minister can shake his head, but perhaps he would care to listen. Whenjohnson responded, perhaps he would care to listen. When johnson responded, i perhaps he would care to listen. Whenjohnson responded, i have never heard such humbug. The speaker order. I invite the honourable lady to resume her seat. The honourable lady has a right to be heard, not to be shouted down. Order by frontbenchers or back, and she wont be. Thank you. When johnson responded, i have never heard such humbug in all my life, labourmpfor heard such humbug in all my life, labour mp for the sheriff began to receive toxic tweets at a rate of more than 100 and hour. One red, thatis more than 100 and hour. One red, that is tough, mrs shrek, and another one said, do what the people told you to effing do, or you will be strung up. The Prime Minister has never apologised for saying that, so how can we trust him that we can be safe . How can we trust him that we can be safe . Mr speaker, ithank how can we trust him that we can be safe . Mr speaker, i thank my friend for her intervention, and for the stoic way in which she has dealt with a most appalling abuse that hes been thrown at her. The threats that she has received, the threat that she has received, the threat that other colleagues have received, the damage that has been done to mps the damage that has been done to mps offices and the abusive language that has happened in so many parts of this country, and i will be happy to give way to the Prime Minister now if he wants to get up and apologise to my friend for what he said about her during that debate. Mr speaker, the Prime Ministers had an opportunity to apologise for the language he used, and he seems unable to do so. The treatment she received was disgusting by any standards. And i would also point out that numbers. I will happy apologise if the shadow chancellor would for instance apologise for inviting the population to lynch the secretary of state for work and pensions. Sorry seems to be the ha rd est word, pensions. Sorry seems to be the hardest word, doesnt it . I thank my right honourable friend for giving way. Does he agree with me that we have a Prime Minister who isa me that we have a Prime Minister who is a tortuous and difficult relationship with veracity, and therefore he is absolutely right not to believe a single word that comes out of that mans mouth . To believe a single word that comes out of that mans mouth . to believe a single word that comes out of that mans mouth . I thank my friend for that intervention, and she is right. That is why many of us are very cautious at believing anything the Prime Minister said. We wa nt anything the Prime Minister said. We want it tied down before we agree to anything. The 12th of december election is less than a fortnight before christmas. Nine days before the shortest day of the year. I will come to you in one second. The house must consider that in parts of this country it will be dark before for pm. Many students will have just finished their term and gone home for christmas. Well, actually, people having the right to vote is what an election is all about and they risk being disenfranchised. thank him for giving way. For workers rights, he correctly says the Prime Minister will erode workers rights, so when they secured workers rights concessions from the Prime Minister, why did 19 of his own members back that Withdrawal Agreement, and if the Prime Minister is so incompetent, surely nothing will keep him in power . Mr speaker, the Prime Minister claimed he would defend workers rights. All the information in the Financial Times at the weekend suggests that he will not do that at all. As i was saying, mr speaker, about students and their opportunity to vote on the date in question. The latter point may not be the case on the 9th of december, and we will consider carefully any legislation proposed that locks in the date. The theme of this is we dont trust the Prime Minister. We wa nt dont trust the Prime Minister. We want something that definitely and definitively takes no deal off the table and ensures the Voting Rights of all of our citizens are protected. Im very grateful to the leader of the opposition. If we take him at his word, that this is the most u ntrustworthy his word, that this is the most untrustworthy government and Prime Minister, wedded to doing the most evil and disastrous things to this country, can he explain to me his reticence for a general election, where he has the chance to sweep us out of office . We have said all along we want no deal off the table, and since there is so little trust in this Prime Minister, we will agree to nothing until it is clear and concrete exactly what is being proposed. And so, mr speaker, we agree that an early election is necessary , agree that an early election is necessary, but also seek good reason, since no general election has been held in december since 1923. Mr speaker, the Prime Minister has a bill to deliver. He has a budget to present. He has a queens speech which he himself told us was vital. He showed, for once in his life, stick to his word and deliver. He says in his misogynistic way that people should man up. A bit rich from a Prime Minister who at every turn refuses to face up to his responsibilities and serially breaks his promises. I thank my right honourable friend the giving way. Would he also agree with me that the timing of this proposed general election, not whether we have a general election, is yet another example of the art of voter suppression, ensuring students are less likely to have a vote, older people less likely to go out and vote, people with disabilities are less likely to go out and vote. If the Prime Minister truly believed in democracy, wouldnt he hold the election when people were able to go and cast their vote . Mr speaker, when no deal is off the table, when the date for an election can be fixed in law, and when we can ensure stu d e nts fixed in law, and when we can ensure students are not being disenfranchised, we will back an election so this country can get the government it needs. One that will end the underfunding of our public services. One that will end the privatisation of our services. One that will tackle the grotesque poverty and inequality in our country, created by this government and the government before it. And recognises the seriousness of the climate emergency. And one that will rebuild an economy that doesntjust work for the privileged few which is all the tory party knows about, but all the tory party knows about, but a Better Society that ends inequality and injustice had really does give the next generation real hope and real opportunities of the kind of country and kind of world that they can live in. Shoutng. The speaker mrjohn redwood. Mr speaker, this parliament is once again misjudging the mood of the public. We were elected here to do serious things on behalf of our public, conservative and labour mps alike were elected to see brexit through. Three years, four months later there is no sign of that, but instead we have the discordant argumentative parliament that will do nothing. It will not throw a government out of office, and it will not allow a government to govern. We owe it to the british people either to allow our government to govern or to let the british people decide on a better group of mps who can form a government and can do positive things for our country. I give way. Every constituency in my region at the 2016 referendum voted by a huge margin to leave the European Union, and at that time, lots of constituents are said to me in some of the most deprived communities of this country that they didnt trust this country that they didnt trust this parliament to deliver it. They said we wont get it, they will never let us leave. But isnt the truth of it that that the five conservative mps out of ten in my region might have voted to deliver brexit, but it is really clear that the labour mps by one or two exa m ples across the labour mps by one or two examples across my region are never going to vote to leave the European Union, proving sadly write to my constituents, who said, they will never let us leave . Mr speaker, my honourable friend is right but it is now about more than brexit. It is about confidence in our parliamentary system to deliver orderly government that can do things for the people, or to allow the public to decide who should be a better government because the house has no confidence in the government. This Parliament Needs to put through a budget quite soon. Our economy needs a boost. And we need to know whether we can have the tax cuts as well as the spending increases. But i suspect the government fears to bring a budget to this house because it thinks there will be no cooperation because it does not have a majority, and this parliament will not allow a majority. This government has recently brought a queens speech to the house. It shows a number of good measures, which i do not think were ideological or conservative provocations to socialist and those ofa provocations to socialist and those of a more left wing nature. They we re of a more left wing nature. They were chosen to build some consensus and address the issues that worry people. But i think again, the government rightly fears that any one of those issues if introduced would probably meet with resistance and a lack of cooperation in exactly the way we have been experiencing for all these other measures. But above all, mr speaker, this house needs to think what message it is sending to all our partners, friends, allies, countries around the world, the businesses our businesses do business with, all those contacts we have around the globe, and they see this as a great beacon of democracy, a country of great experience in the art of democratic government, a country which has often led the world in putting forward those freedoms and showing how they can be for the better lives of those who are governed by them. And instead, we are sending out a message that we dont know what we are doing. We can never agree about anything, that all we can do is have endless rows in this place for the entertainment perhaps of people here, but for the denigration of our country, the undermining of its position. How can a government conduct International Negotiations when everything it proposes is undermined or voted against by the opposition because we do not have a majority . And above all, mr speaker, how can we get to the point where this house decides its good legislation to stay that the Prime Minister has to break his promises and they have turned that demand, that he breaks his promises, into something that this house called an act of parliament. No wonder we look ridiculous. No longer we cannot resolve brexit. No wonder we cannot resolve brexit. No wonder we cannot resolve brexit. No wonder we cannot have a budget to promote our economy. No wonder we cannot govern with aplomb in the interest of the british people. If this house cannot do better, than i think the Prime Minister is right, that it must dissolve and ask the people to choose a Better Parliament. Either we need to be a Better Parliament, or they need to choose a Better Parliament as soon as possible. The speaker mr ian blackford. Thank you, mr speaker. I begin by thanking the European Union for granting the extension this parliament asked for under the benn act. We are not leaving on the 31st of october, as the Prime Minister told the United Kingdom we will be doing. The conservative party and the Prime Minister, defeated, and speaker, once again. A general election on the terms offered by the Prime Minister will not ever be acceptable to the Scottish National party. But, mr speaker, doing nothing is not an option. The impasse cannot remain forever. We on these benches do want an election, but not with the hand that the Prime Ministers delivering, because lets be clear. What the Prime Minister promises, he proposes to bring back his bad withdrawal deal. He knows that some labour mps will help him pass that bill, and then he would have us leave the European Union at the end of november before a general election. For scotland, that would mean we had been taken out of the European Union against our will. We will never vote for such a proposition. It would give the Prime Minister a post brexit election, and that is simply something that we will not sign up to. Mr speaker, at the weekend, myself and the leader of the liberal democrats wrote to donald tusk seeking a meaningful extension to article 50 that would remove the risk of no deal and give us time. The continuation of the flextension where the uk could leave at any time at once is not the security and safety we once, but demonstrates precisely why if we enable this motion to pass, we will be out before the Prime Ministers election. We cannot allow the Prime Minister to railroad through this disastrous so called deal, a deal that opens the door to a hard brexit with us outside the Single Market and outside the customs union. A deal that would end freedom of movement, seeing scotlands working population decline, that is what the conservatives offered to the people of scotland. The people of scotland have made it very clear, because we voted 62 to remain in the European Union. Where is the respect to the people of scotland and to our parliament . A deal after all that leaves scotland at a disadvantage to northern ireland. A deal that will not have the consent of the scottish parliament, and let me tell the Prime Minister that that consent is required, despite what he said at Prime Ministers questions last week. And he must respect, there must be respect towards the scottish parliament. A deal that would cost each person in scotland the equivalent of £1600 compared with eu membership, but even more if no trade agreement can be reached. So today, snp mps will not be supporting the Prime Minister and his motion. We will not be bullied by this Prime Minister. We will not play his games. And we know what he doesnt want. He doesnt want to face the electorate having missed his october the 31st deadline. He has not delivered brexit, and the people know that the Prime Minister has failed. In his own words, mr speaker, it is time for the Prime Minister to look for the nearest ditch. So, we will support the liberal democrat proposal for an election before brexit can happen with no reintroduction of the Withdrawal Agreement bill, because, given the way that some labour mps voted, we cannot trust labour to block the bill in future. It is not an issue of three days between election dates. It is an issue of whether we are in the European Union or out of it. That is fundamental. We are ready for an election, but it must be on those terms, not not ever on the Prime Ministers terms. And, mr speaker, in that election, we wa nt to mr speaker, in that election, we want to see votes for 16 and 17 year olds, and for. Shoutng. And when the election comes, we will fight the tories on brexit, on austerity, on the harm they have done to peoples livelihoods, and yes, we will fight them on the right of scotland to choose our own future rather than be dragged through this westminster mess dragged through this westminster m ess ever dragged through this westminster mess ever again. Im very grateful to the leader of the snp forgiving way. Does that mean that if the Prime Minister were to introduce a bill tomorrow for example, a one line bill in order to engineer a general election, that he would not be supporting that proposition . What i would say to the labour party, that the liberal democrats and ourselves have put forward a bill that leaves us in control of the process , that leaves us in control of the process, that allows us to set the date for the election, and i appeal to labour mps to come with us, because this is about leadership, mr speaker. It is about the opposition parties coming together and taking the keys of number 10 downing street away from the Prime Minister that we cant trust. So my message to the labour party is, lets face an election, lets do it on our terms. Lets make sure that we take the Prime Minister and his toxic tory government out of office. We can do it. We can do it if the opposition unite together, and we can stop the deal that the Prime Minister wants to drive through. It is in the hands of the labour party to join us and the liberal democrats, to have courage to stand up against the Prime Minister, but what are we going to find . We find that the Labour Party Want to sit on their hands. Sit on their hands, mr speaker, and wait for this government to deliver brexit. I say to the labour party, dont be the handmaidens of the Prime Ministers brexit. Lets put this back to the people now by coming together. It used to be said, it was said by oliver brown a well known Scottish Nationalist, that a shiver ran along the labour front bench looking for a spine to crawl up. Well, mr speaker, the shiver is still looking for that spine. Mr speaker, the Scottish Nationalist party are Still Standing up nationalist party are Still Standing upfor nationalist party are Still Standing up for scotland, standing up against brexit and this tory government. The Scottish National party has fought tirelessly alongside others in this house to prevent brexit, to secure the right to revoke article 50, to stop no deal and limit the damage. We have delivered votes day in and day out, but we have to be realistic, and we have to be honest with the public. We have repeatedly voted for a referendum with remain on the ballot paper, but reg retta bly, on the ballot paper, but regrettably, there is no evidence that the majority exist in this house for a peoples vote. And the leader of the opposition and the shadow chancellor are acutely aware that if the bill comes back, that some of the mps will back it, that the bill will become law and brexit will happen. So the question for the labour party is, can they get their act together . Do they actually want to stop this Prime Minister . Do they wa nt to to stop this Prime Minister . Do they want to stop brexit . Or do they agree that it should be imposed on scotla nd agree that it should be imposed on scotland against our will . Doing nothing means that this Prime Minister stays in power. It means he gets brexit done on his terms in his partys interests, not on all the National Interest. I will give way. Iam National Interest. I will give way. I am supremely grateful to the right honourable gentleman. I just i am supremely grateful to the right honourable gentleman. Ijust want i am supremely grateful to the right honourable gentleman. I just want to go back to clarify something he said earlier. He talked about his link up with the liberal democrats, about wanting to have an election at a different date in december, and then he went on to say that would be conditional on 16 year olds being on the ballot paper and European Union citizens. Can i ask in this simple question. If there is no time to put them on, does he still backed the idea of an election in early december . I would simply say, mr speaker, it is the right thing to do. That our young people have a right to have a say on their future, as it is for eu nationals. That is the principal position that we have long taken, and im proud of my collea g u es long taken, and im proud of my colleagues in government in scotland who have made sure that when it comes down scottish election, our young people and eu citizens are given their rights. We want to see this happen here, but i understand the circumstances that were in. We need to make sure that an election happens on our terms. That is the priority. It is the priority that we make sure that we let legislated future that our young people that are eu nationals are given due respect. But the priority we face in the short term is to make sure that we come together and that we can stop this damaging brexit that the Prime Minister wants to put through. I will give way one last time. thank the right honourable gentleman forgiving way, i do listen carefully to what he said about 16 and 17 year olds. I certainly would bring an amendment to any bill like that, and im interested because that, and im interested because thatis that, and im interested because that is what we now have the pleasure of having in wales, and we also mention eu voters. Would he also mention eu voters. Would he also agree there is an issue with overseas vote rs , also agree there is an issue with overseas voters, many also agree there is an issue with overseas voters, many of whom are excluded in previous elections, and also of course crucial issues around spending on advertising on social media that would need to be addressed before we can be clear that any election could go forward ina that any election could go forward in a safe and democratic way . The honourable gentleman is raising issues which have been aired in this house which he knows that we support him on. But the fact of the matter is that we are in a constitutional crisis, and i ask this house to reflect on one thing. We have been granted an extension by the European Union until the end ofjanuary. It is emboldened on all of us that we have got to end this crisis. Time is of the essence, and if we act now, in all our National Interest, without playing the game is that the conservatives want to, we can have that election. We can put it back to the people. And i certainly want the people in scotland to have their say on that, and crucially, mr speaker, to recognise that if we want to protect our interest in scotland, that it does mean that we should not and cannot be ripped out of the European Union against our will, and mr speaker, that means that scotland has to complete thatjourney that mr speaker, that means that scotland has to complete that journey that we began with devolution 20 years ago, and become an independent member. In conclusion, the snp. There we are, that is the message