Transcripts For CSPAN British House Of Commons 20240622

Once these anytime or search our entire library at cspan. Org. On the next washington journal, Political Correspondent anna palmer on lobbying efforts on the iran nuclear agreement. And the Woodrow Wilson institute for scholars on the recent escape of a mexican drug lord. And dave of the center of Public Integrity on the latest contribution reports. Rethink your calls and you can join the conversation on facebook and twitter. Washington journal, live on cspan. Cspan gives you the best access to congress. Live congress of the u. S. House and congressional hearings and news conferences. Every morning washington journal is live with elected officials and policymakers and journalists and your comments. Cspan, created by americas Cable Companies and brought to you as a Public Service by your cable or satellite provider. Next, british Prime Minister David Cameron takes questions from the house of commons. And then interviews with Lindsey Graham and john kasich. At 11 00, another chance to see q a with artist and journalist molly crabapple. In his final question time session before the summer recess the british Prime Minister answered questions from members on the budget, economic expansion, and the greek debt crisis. Just over 35 minutes. He Prime Minister. Question number one mr. Speaker. Thank you mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker this morning i had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others, and in addition to my duties in this house, i shall have further such meetings later today. The plan was published this week shows prospects for young people have deteriorated since the conservatives came into conflict. In the Prime Minister explain why the reducing opportunity young people further by removing thereby reducing the opportunities . First of all where increasing opportunities for young people by making sure all young people have a job and get a candidate we see another decrease in youth unemployment down 13000 on the quarter, and 92000 on the year. In terms of students weve now got record numbers of young people going to university and because of the action were taking were able to take the cap off the university numbers and see increase in many more people going. In terms of replacing loans and grants with a low scum this is the right approach. Interestingly, interestingly there was a the approach taken in 1997 when the right honorable lady sat in the cabinet. Thank you, mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, its bad enough of the latest figures i have got 363 murders 106 murders in open presence in the last 10 years. These figures are shown for 179 offenders and open presence who were obscure from an open president will Prime Minister give a commitment to ensure nobody was ever absconded from an open prison is ever allowed back into an open presence . I state will examine his proposal. I can tell him we have already overhauled the process for allowing prisoners out of temporary license athletes with 39 drop in the number of those who breached their license conditions. Weve also seen the rate for prisoners who escaped from prison have reached a record low. As i understand it prisoners with a history of escape or absconded are prevented from transfer to open conditions other than in the most exceptional cases. What i will do is look at these exceptional cases and see whether there is a surrogate for the blanket ban patty talked about our right to him over the summer. Harriet harman. [shouting] cannot ask the Prime Minister a question about greece . Its important that a deal on greece mr. Speaker its important for the deal on greece has now been reached. The economic format is unprecedented in europe, this since the end of the federal corporate the agreement should implement in a way that is fair to the people of greece as will be acceptable to the creditors get it seems report this morning that the imf are concerned about whether the deal for greece is, in fact, sustainable. Can the Prime Minister tell us whether the chancellor had discussions with Christine Lagarde about how these concerns can be addressed . I think the right honorable lady is right to raise this entity we all feel for the greek people who have had a very difficult time and with no early signs of relief on the way. Talk to the imf on a very regular basis. The point they are making that there needs to be debt relief for greece might thats the right. The heart of the eurozone is an argument about whether this is a single currency where you have to look after each other said that and you have a physical union and the Banking Union antisocial union. Thats one view or whether you have to do the single currency as strict rules and cant deal with these things. In our interest for the eurozone to resolve these issues we are not involved in the debate directly because we are not in the euro but we do need them and were not going to join the euro. But they need to resolve these issues and the need to resolve them quite fast. Its important that deal is sustainable. Its interesting to the Prime Minister is the about a measure of debt relief has been necessary. Does he agree to with president putin waiting in the wings this is about more than just economics. Its got wider geopolitical significance. What is his view about that . I think the right honorable lady is right. Greece is a member of the European Union as well as a member of the euro. It is a friend and ally of britain, nato member, trading partners. It is not for britain to bailout eurozone countries and we wouldnt do that but as a member of the European Union if greece were to leave the euro and wanted humanitarian assistance im sure that this house and the British Public would take a more generous of you. Sorting out the problems of the eurozone which weve always warned about the dangers of the eurozone is a matter for eurozone countries, but shes right about the dangers of russian involvement. What happens in the eurozone aspect of this country and therefore, its important that we are fully engaged. Turning to the budget, we are all concerned to see todays rise in overall unemployment. But for those in work the chancellor said that he is a changes on pay and tax credit will make working families better off, but they wont. The institute for fiscal studies have now made it absolutely clear that the idea that a higher minimum wage will compensate for the loss of tax credit is a rhythmic adequate impossible. Will they now admit that as a direct result of his county tax credits, millions of working families are low income will be worse off . First albany comment on the unemployment figures. Shes right theres mixed messages. Its disappointing that the claimant count has gone up having fallen for so many months in a row. Is told at the lowest level since 1975 a longterm unemployment is down, youth unemployment is down. The rate of employment for women is set a new record high, and interestingly when you look across the last year you can actually see all of the rise in implement in the last year has been people working fulltime. Interestingly in light of the debates we had in the last parliament, wages are up by 3. 2 in these figures compared with the inflation figures yesterday that 40. In terms of the budget i remember her ask me from the dispatch box making the point that reform and welfare would not work unless the increased minimum wages by a quarter. I can tell if we are not going to. We are increasing them by a third for the National Living wage. [shouting] he is refusing to accept the fact which is being clearly established by the institute for fiscal studies that the minimum wage increase will not compensate for his cut in tax credits and that takes me to another claim the Prime Minister made about the budget. He said that he would protect the most vulnerable. Well, you are obviously vulnerable to get the conditions like parkinsons or youre being treated for cancer. But changes in the budget mean that the support people like that will get will be cut from 100 pounds, the 70 pounds. We agree that the deficit needs to come down. What kind of government is it that thinks the way to do that is to get people who through no fault of their own are suffering from life the debilitating illnesses. Thats what is budget is doing. Let me give her that they could get a family with two children where both parents work full time on the minimum wage, they will be better off by 2020 by a full 5500 pounds. I dont think the Party Opposite has fully grasped the importance of this nation living wage. They bought an election on a path by the next election but its going to be over nine pounds by the next election because of the action of this government. She wants to ask questions about welfare, and i welcome what she said. She said this week we wont oppose the welfare bill we wont oppose the housing benefit cap. She said we wont oppose restricted benefits and tax credits for people with three or more children. I welcome that. What a pity the rest of her party doesnt agree with there. She asked specifically about employment and support allowance and i think this is important we get this right to the are two groups unemployment and support allowed, the support group will continue to get extra money, more than on jobseekers allowance and will continue to get that for as long as they need. In terms of future claimants into work related activity group, existing claimants keep exact existing amount of money but for new payments i think its right they should get the same amount as job seekers out loud and then get all the help that we do the job seekers to help them into work. People asked why. I will tell you. We want to get people into work. We want to give people a chance. We want to give people a life. Thats what this budget was all about. [shouting] he talks about new claimants but it dont think he understands the reality of the situation because a lot of these people, a lot of these people are in and out of work because they want to work but they can only work intermittently. Every time to go back into work when they come out of work they will be treated as a new claim it. Quite frankly mr. Speaker, i dont need to be sorry mr. Speaker, quite frankly i dont need to be about not understanding the minimum wage. We introduced it. And the fact of the matter [shouting] and the fact of the matter is 3 million families will be at least 1000 pounds a week worse off. A year, a year. The minister was on the radio this morning talking about [shouting] the minister was on the radio talking about Party Funding sing government curb on trade unions donations were not an attack on working people and the labour party. But it doesnt look that way. Theres an issue about the money and politics but its got to be done fairly. So will the Prime Minister commit that he will not go ahead with these changes unless its on a cross party basis . Will he include the issue of individual donation cap . Its not acceptable for him to be curbing funds to hardworking people to the labour party while turning a blind eye to donations from hedge funds to the tories. Finally mr. Speaker, we see were all these questions were going. The labour party can go round and round and round but it always comes back to the trade unions. [shouting] let me answer all the questions that she asked. First of all on the National Living wage if the labour party is so keen on a why did he vote against it in the budget last night . Second of all, on employment and support allowance the number of people coming off a jobseekers allowance is more than seven times the number of people have come up in capacity since 20. We want help to get these people back to work. She asked about the issue of trade Union Funding for the labour party. I think thats a very simple principle. If you want to give money to a party, should be an act of free will. Not something that is taken out of your pay packet without you being told about it properly. If this wasnt happening in the trade unions the labour party would be saying this was appalling ms. Seliger to do is time for consumer protection. What is there such a blind spot even with the honorable lady when it comes to the trade union paymasters . There is no simple principle. There is a simple principle which is it must be fair. What hes doing is its one rule for the labour party for something completely different for the tories. To be democratic about this the Prime Minister must not just acting interest of the tory party. Instead of helping working he spent his time breaking the rules of the game. Now he wants to go even further attack the rights of working people to have a say about fair pay and conditions. Thats on top of already having changed the rule to gag charities and trade unions from speaking out. The Prime Minister says he wants to govern for one nation but instead he is just governing in the interest of the tory party. The law for Company Donation was changed years ago. Trait genes have been left untouched but the principle should be the same. Whoever youre giving money to it should be an act of free will. It should be a decision that you have to take. That money shouldnt be sequestered away from you without being asked. Mr. Speaker today weve seen it all. I thought she was the modern one and the leadership contenders are the ones who were heading off to the left. What we heard from them, because everything went of our antistrike laws, oppose everything went over welfare changes, some of them described terrorist groups like hamas as their friends. Mr. Speaker, in a week when were finding out more about Political Risk likely to to colonize the red planet. [shouting] finding out more about pluto thank you very much mr. Speaker. On monday two men were tragically killed in an in dash of explosion in my constituency. The families are devastated and the thoughts everyone is with them and their friends and colleagues of the two workers. Emergency services worked tirelessly and investigations are ongoing. Will the Prime Minister join me in expressing our deepest sympathy and assuring the relevant house government is all they can to support my constituents at this difficult time . This is a very sad case and i will certainly join my friend and send them my condolences and all those in this house to family and friends of the two. It will be a difficult time for the family. No words can do justice to the loss felt by those affected understand the Emergency Service or continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding this incident to get to the bottom of what happened. There will need to be a proper investigation and proper answers for these families. Rape is a horrific time. Crime. The department in the governments budget have been asked to and i quote develop protections for women who have a third child as a result of rape or other exceptional circumstances under the Prime Ministers plans to restrict child benefits, two children commuters. Can the Prime Minister explain how this will work . We are happy to look very closely at issues like this because there is no intention to penalize people who have been treated in this way. But the principle, the principle we are applying is a principle i think set out very clearly by the right honorable lady the leader of the labour party when she said this come anything she puts it extremely well. When i was going around the country talking specifically to women, so often they would say weve got one child, we got one child, we would love to another the witches cant afford it. They are working hard and theyre treated unfairly other people can have families they would love to have. Weve got to listen to the. I think the right honorable lady was absolutely right. Is something all of us here but, of course, in cases like those he raises will have to look carefully to make sure we look after them. Rape is one of the most underreported series of crimes in the uk. It is believed 85 of the victims of rape do not confirm that to anyone for a bright and very, very understandable reasons. Women against rape said the following, asking women to disclose very difficult information and expecting them to be able to prove it in what is frankly a very hostile environment when the dwp is trying to take their money away will have appalling consequences. Can urge the Prime Minister to look again and to think again about what impact his proposals will have on rape victims speak was i ken fischer the right honorable gentleman because he is reading from the budget a book that sets out this issue and the fact that we do need to look very carefully and think about and make sure we get it right. At the same time im sure he would welcome what was in the budget about investing in womens refuges and Rape Crisis Centers to make sure that we look after people who have been suffering such an appalling crime. My right honorable friend has indicated over the weekend that he would like to see greater use made of in the fight against terrorism. But is he aware that for every terrorist taken out by drone between five and 10 innocent civilians, especially women and children, lose their lives . Will be accepted as we seek to win hearts and minds in this conflict against the evils of terrorism we need to bear in mind this affect . Of course we always had to think very carefully before we act but the rules of engagement of both britain and america and follow our to limit Collateral Damage to the absolute minimum. If hes asking me should britain give up the idea of using the drones in extremists to take a people that are threatening our country and terrorism on our street, i would say very firmly know. But i would Say Something to that im sure we both agree with, which is a second general secretarygeneral ban kimoon, and ms. Up until Good Governance that it is good and strong governments that can kill terrorism. [inaudible] all places synonymous with the use of the ira with explosives applied by the Libyan Government to maim and murder thousands of innocent people in the United Kingdom. The American Government has secured compensation from the libyans for the victims of statesponsored terrorism in light of the recent political agreement and libya with the Prime Minister now commit to present the case for uk victims of statesponsored libyan terrorism to be given compensation as well . First of all let me commend the honorable gentleman for raising this issue time and time again that hes right to do so. The fact is it was libbey an syntax that was userfriendly could still be being used by ira groups because it was so much but delivered by colonel gadhafi and his hateful regime. Yes, we have raised with the Libyan Government and the past this issue try to seek compensation and went there is a Libyan Government, does not yet won a place we will certainly raise it again. Last week thousands of my constituents, millions of londoners and business to london were inconvenienced by the [inaudible] they will welcome a government published proposals for changes to trade union rules, but what my right honorable friend go further and actually stick state to the south and the people of this country that strikes an essential services should absolutely the last resort and not a negotiating tactic . Shopvacs. I think the whole country will agree with my honorable friend these should only ever be a last resort when it comes to the services the people people driving the strength of wellpaid, getting a pay rise and the chance of a bonus. I think it is absolutely right we publish this trade union bill today and we take these important steps, that we say there, strikes should not go ahead unless theres a 50 turnout and in essential services there should be an additional threshold of 40 support for the strike. I know the Party Opposite will not like this but the fact is and to talk about threshold, people affected by this the fact is this. People affected by these strikes dont get to vote. That is why its right to have these thresholds and i think the whole country will see a labour party unduly in hock to the trade union and it was a conservative government wanting to solve this out for hardworking families. Could be Prime Minister wont be aware of the we saw in belfast this week where Police Officers were seriously injured and a 16 year old was hospitalized as a result of disgraceful violence related to brady. A car was driven intentionally into the protest grew. Will the Prime Minister join with me in calling for the loyal order to accept particularly those in engage in direct and meaningful dialogue and to reach an honorable solution to the dispute that exist there and hopefully other disputes around parading . First of all i agree with the honorable gentleman that the sorts of things are deeply damaging to northern irelands reputation and to their future. We all want to see the situation sorted out and not occur in the future. Overall this years fourth of july was overwhelmingly peaceful, peaceful celebration in most areas of northern ireland. I agree with him where its possible for people to get together and solve these problems of course that is the best thing that can happen. In the meanwhile, the Parade Commission need to be they are the ones that run the adjudication process. Can i welcome the recent enactment in the budget this government is pledging [inaudible] Medical Center my constituency waiting two years for the green light for the expansion. Can my right honorable friend arrive with an update regarding the progress of their bid . I think my honorable friend is right that the 8 billion effectively 10 billion you think of the 2 billion already put in for this parliament that is a real vote of confidence from this government into the nhs and money that will make a real difference. I know hes been campaigning to expedite the situation of the Medical Center the untold it is a priority development. I hope that can form part of the work would integrate a genuine 70 nhs 70s for people to access the nhs and always get the same level of high quality treatment. Thank you, mr. Speaker. Gp practices across sheffield serving patients with are threatened by the withdrawal of minimum practice and guarantee and a personal medical bring you. Will the Prime Minister as nhs England Review the impact of these decisions to ensure no practice should close and help Health Ministers to meet with me to see what can be done to support Effective Practice of . Im sure the sect for health and his team listen carefully and see they can speak to the honorable gentleman. Whats happening in the city is the number of gps is increasing. This year nhs a Sheffield Group is getting 780 Million Pounds which is an almost 2 increase out of town almost zero inflation. What we need to do is get the negotiations on this contract right. That means making changes over time but the contract has got to deliver the quality of patients deserve. The Prime Minister i know is aware of the tragic death of Corporal James dunphy, Lance Corporal and my constituent on a selection exercise two years ago this week. Yesterday a corner said of the death was a result of a series of gross and and a catalog of very serious mistakes by those involved in planning and running the exercise. Nothing can turn the clock back for the stomach but will he assure the Armed Service inquiry which will now get underway does everything it can to recognize a course so they can train the best armed forces want to bring whatever changes are made to prevent this never happened again and see those responsible are held to account because im sure i speak to the whole house and develop into an isil our hearts go out to the families of the three. Having seen first and 76 were there things our special forces to do and the bravery of people that volunteered to join and the training they do, i know how vital it is but its a tragic case to understand the m. O. D. Is accepted if it is, identified and has apologized for the to understand a number of changes have been made to this particular exercise but we now need to study the conclusions very, very carefully and make sure this cant possibly happen again. I know the army will also hold its own Service Inquiry essence all the civil investigation have been completed its a tragic case and we will learn from it. [inaudible] newport has 400 rossdale has a 780 at the constituencies of the Prime Minister, the chancellor and the home secretary have a grand total of only three. Is this a fair and efficient way to locate asylumseekers . I believe are operating the the dispersal system is in what it was operated from a years under the last Labour Government but i will look very carefully at the points he makes. [inaudible] oldest recording down in britain, also the Fastest Growing unemployment count is down 57 since 2010 but we want to go for the. Does my right honorable friend agree there is much needed investment and local road and rail infrastructure, can we get things moving . Let me welcome my honorable friend to the house and i remember campaigning with him how much he talked about the importance of these infrastructure schemes. Thats why weve asked network rail to look at the options because we want to deliver reduce time. Weve approved a series of major upgrades that are vital and im sure now that he is speaking of we will be able to do more. The secretary of transport has refused to say when he first told of the Prime Minister that they electrification of the lines couldnt go ahead. Theres huge concern about my constituency and across the north. Was the Prime Minister told about this before the general election, yes or no . I was told about after the election. As we said that before but the point is that when you do everything that we can to get to the bottom of the overspending and the engineering difficulties that are. Frankly, weve committed far some someone a 38 Million Pounds program in terms of rail and i think instead of griping and taking these grievances allows should get behind this program and make sure we get on with it. With the threat level at an unprecedented high, with my right honorable friend 2 gdp of the Defense Budget that we will to fund frontline forces as constituents asked me to ask Prime Minister . I think my honorable friend is right. Because we made the pledge in our manifesto that there be no further reductions in Armed Services numbers, and i think thats right. With a visit to present him with the extra commitment we are making throughout this parliament we can now have a strategic defense and security review that looks at options for how to make this country even safer. The way the chancellor of the defense secretary have set it up is to make sure we include in this looking at options for counterterrorism, for intelligence and security as well as defense assets to make sure we do everything we can at this time of heightened security to keep a britain is safe. A combination of changes made to the state pension in 1995 and 2011 will mean that many women born in the 1950s will not have the kind of retirement that they hoped for. Given a senior Civil Servants and the judges and even members of Parliament Within 10 years of the normal retirement pay cut their pensions protected from is the time for the Prime Minister to look again at this group of women to make sure that they have fairness in the system . What i would say to the honorable gentleman, i looked her up at the question you ask it is right to raise the pension age, one of the most important longterm changes that enables us to go on paying very generous pension. It has enabled us to the triple lock because the triple lock means the pension will always go up but earnings are 2. 5 whatever is at the lowest. If you go down the path that he is suggesting of not changing the pension age, pretty soon you find you cant pay proper attention to that is always the labour way. You take the easy way out. You dont the difficult decisions and then you cant pay. Is my right honorable friend aware that 120,000 europeans 140,000 noneuropeans in this country and 2013 . Does he agree that the uk government has to control the number of migrants . Yes, i do and that is why we took so much action in the last parliament to cut net migration from outside the European Union. Augusta inside the European Union there is a the freedom to go and work in another european country. One of the reasons were focusing on the welfare issue is of the people who come from europe to the United Kingdom 60 of them are jobseekers, not people already with a job. To our proposal of saying you wont get benefit for the First Six Months of being here committed another job after six months you have to go and get debate into the system before you get out of the system. Those will make a real difference. Thank you very much, mr. Speaker. My constituent is the home care oncall six days a week or shoe works every single our constants but needs tax credits to help make ends meet with the Prime Minister be honest and admit with even higher minimum wage cut tax credits will make her worse off a . There will be care workers happened in the country who are currently on the minimum wage and getting no more than fat who will benefit not least from the 50 p. Increase in the National Minimum wage of a National Living wage that will happen straight away next year. We are only able to do this because we are cutting taxes for working people cutting taxes for business, making welfare affordable and introducing a National Living wage. Let the whole house focus on this. Last night the labour party voted against the National Living wage. Put that on your leaflets. [shouting] youth unemployment in worcester over the last two years is down twothirds from its peak under labour. With this one nation government investing in a partnerships by half, with the Prime Minister back my longterm plan and have 15,000 apprenticeships a year by 2020 . First of all let me thank my honorable friend probably does to support apprenticesh i think there are 4490 have been created since 2010 but hes right to say the challenge of the fugitive are going to the number of apprentices and the quality of apprenticeships thats what it is right to introduce a levy on larger firms so that they get the money back if they invest in apprenticeships but i have to put up to do. I think i will be one of the key ways we achieve our goal of 3 million apprentices in this parliament. Last but not least sir michael spent if this is such a great economic recovery, why are wage is still 6 below the precrisis level of seven years ago . Why the growth rate and less court and your. 4 . What is productivity been flat for five years of . What is uk investment in a proportion of gdp one of the lowest in the world . [shouting] and what is the balance of payment of trade in goods now in deficit by 100 billion pounds a year . If you want to know why, two words. Ask gordon. [shouting] [laughter] but if he wants to know them if he wants to know whats actually happening in our economy let me tell him. The deficit has been speeded order, mr. Mcdonald, calm yourself, man. Take some sort of soothing medicine. You will find it soothing. The deficit is down by half. Weve seen the fastest growth of any major advance become in 2014. We grew by 3 last year. Economy is 10 bigger than when i became Prime Minister. They are 2. 2 million more people in work and just today you can see inflation at zero, wages growing by over 3 5 cut in gas prices for 7 million customers. I would call that a longterm economic plan that is working. [shouting] added to that, just this week was introduced a national National Living wage come build an welfare system that rewards work cutting taxes for working people. That is a conservative Party Standing up for working people and a living on the one nation agenda. [shouting] order. [shouting] monday night, we will be quick the wall street journals Information Age columnist and why he things washington is a danger zone for innovation or it innovation. I think if you go back to earlier innovations like railroads, those were regulated as common carriers. Regulators set prices and rules. We all know what happened. There was very little innovation. This is until they were all deregulated. It was so clear that innovation was being suppressed and the u. S. Was falling behind. That was the backdrop for the bipartisan concerns of the 1990s that the internet was going to be different. This was during the clinton administration. A clear consensus, democrats and republicans, that unlike those earlier technologies, the internet was going to be largely unregulated. Monday night at 8 00 eastern on the communicators on cspan2. Next, cspan interviews South Carolina senator Lindsey Graham and john kasich. Cspan sat down with 2016 gop candidate and South Carolina senator Lindsey Graham to talk about his life and why he is running for president. The interview is part of a series of conversations with declared and potential 2016 candidates. We spoke with senator graham in the cspan studios and this interview is about 40 minutes. Republican senator Lindsey Graham with more than a dozen candidates seeking the gop nomination. Not enough, apparently. What sets you apart . Sen. Graham nobody has been doing what ive been doing for the last decade. Ive been trying to understand what this war on terror is all about. I have learned from my mistakes, and i think i know how to degrade and destroy radical islam, reset world order. I am ready to go on day one. I understand leading from the front is essential, and American National security, when it comes to radical islam, you can never have peace with these guys, but you can have security. Where i find the will to fight radical islam in the region, i will help provide a capacity. If we dont, they are coming here. How do we earn their respect . By being a very good friend to your friends sen. Graham to have the capacity when you speak. Never draw a red line when you mean it. I would come up with a game plan. I would go to turkey, jordan saudi arabia, egypt, the entire region and say we are going to form an army, go in together to syria, going to pull up the caliphate by its roots. We will push Bashar Alassad out and hold the ground. You will be the bulk of the army, but we will give you capacity that you dont have. Stop funding terrorism. Change your own behavior. Let women drive. What is the biggest threat we face . Sen. Graham radical islam with a weapon of mass destruction. How likely is that the happen . Sen. Graham if we do a bad deal with iran, very likely. The stronger they are over there, the more property they hold, the more territory they hold, the more people they recruit, the more likely they will develop a weapon of mass destruction. The biggest threat of all is the ayatollah with a nuke in iran. We cant let that happen. Dont government leaders military leaders what is their impression of the United States. Sen. Graham the Afghan People understand we are not there is the british or as alexander the great. We dont want anything other than a Good Relationship and a frontline to protect our homeland. The afghans welcome our presence. If we dont leave 10,000 troops behind in 2017 when we withdraw, then we are making mistake like we did in iraq. Iraq was in a good spot in 2011. It has completely come undone. The sunnis do not trust us. They think that we cut and run. The kurds respect us, but they are disappointed we are not giving them arms. Everything going through baghdad gets locked down. The iranians are the biggest influence inside iraq. As president , i would change that. The president said we cant stay there forever. Our military leaders said a residual force of 10,000 will hold this place together. We had one of 40,000 at one time. Instead of listening to sound military advice we had 140,000 at one time. Instead of listening to sound advice iraq would still be together today. Three years ago, we had a nofly zone to protect them. When he used the chemical weapons, i supported a military attack on the regime. The failure to not leave troops in iraq and help syria has led to the rise of isis. Bush made mistakes. Taking the iraqi army down was a mistake. We are about to repeat the same mistake in afghanistan by leaving too soon. What is your path to the nomination . How do you get there . Sen. Graham convince enough people im ready to be commander in chief. Try to find a team that will caucus for me and finish in the top tier in New Hampshire. John mccain won New Hampshire twice. They will be independents. I think i have a good message, too many terrorists, too much debt, not enough jobs. If i do well in New Hampshire, i will kill in South Carolina. You two are best friends. How did that happen . Sen. Graham i earned his respect. We have traveled the world together. We have been more right than wrong. I admire him greatly. I helped him in 2000. The impeachment trial of bill clinton, an odd way to meet. When he says he wants me to be president of the United States its more than friendship. One of the highlights of my life is to have john mccain think of me in those terms. When did you meet him . Sen. Graham i had always known of him as a legendary war hero. It was in the late 1990s. He asked if i would support him. I said i would be glad to. That relationship started in the late 1990s. I was one of his campaign cochairman in South Carolina. Ive been his friend ever since. I love the guy. I admire him a lot. What advice has he given to you . Sen. Graham he has encouraged me above all others to run. He thinks i have the skill set to be a good commanderinchief. I go to iowa and New Hampshire spend a lot of time doing town halls, dont be deterred by early polling, get to it. A lot of his friends and New Hampshire will help me. Stick with it. Just get on the ground. The bottom line is there is a tension in the system. It is between money and retail politics. This desire to use admission criteria based on National Polling is a huge mistake. All these people are making a huge mistake. I think all of us should have a voice early on. If you file or have credibility, give everybody a chance. Over time, the process will weed you out. When you make it based on National Polling, that undercuts the idea of going to iowa, New Hampshire, and South Carolina. It makes you change your strategy. It makes you think of National Poll numbers rather than early primary state participation. If it were not for iowa, New Hampshire, and South Carolina, there would be no john mccains, potentially Lindsey Grahams. It would be about money. There is an effort to undercut the early primary process. I will not accept that without a fight. Why do you think fox news had a criteria, the top 10 sen. Graham its about television. The day you determine eligibility to get in a debate based on National Polling, you changed the process. You destroy the ability of a retail politician, a somewhat wellfunded campaign to take off based on retail politics. The New Hampshire, South Carolina, iowa voter that requires you to come to small gatherings to answer her questions, they are replaced by National Pollster. This is a very bad idea. I dont care about what problem they have with their television. I care about democracy. We are about to lose the something that has stood the test of time, retail politics where you can make it a difference based on who you are and what you believe. You appear on fox news often. Do you think the network has undue influence . Sen. Graham the fact that 75 of voters watch fox makes sense to me. I dont like the idea of excluding people. You change the early primary process. At the end of the day, fox news is the primary source of news for most primary voters. My concern is that if you say you can only be in a debate based on National Poll numbers you are taking away from the early primary process, which is an anecdote to big money. The only thing left in the system that is an anecdote to big money is iowa, New Hampshire, and South Carolina. You announced in central South Carolina. The backdrop was the sanitary cafe. Where did the name come from . Sen. Graham it sounds good. Who wouldnt want to eat there. Good marketing. My dad. What did that feel like for you . Sen. Graham overwhelming. Neither one of my parents finished high school. I am the first to go to college. To have my sister do this it was all i could do to speak. We owned a liquor store, restaurant, and pool room. We lived in the back until we bought a house. We lived in one room, but i was incredibly well loved. When i was 21, my mom was diagnosed with a disease. She died. 15 months later, my dad passed away. We moved in with an aunt and uncle. If it wasnt for Social Security Survivor Benefits to my sister we would have had a hard time paying the bills. My aunt and uncle helped me to raise my sister. When i was thinking about appearing in front of the store, i was speaking about growing up on the streets of that town and my parents. Oh, my god, if there is an example of the american dream, that is it. You prayed for her that you got word that she had passed away. Sen. Graham i was with her. What happened . Sen. Graham she was diagnosed in the late stages of hodgkins disease. She fought really hard, but towards the end her body was running out, not her spirit. I just remember being with her and saying, mom, its ok. Saying that allowed her to let go. The hardest thing i have ever done was to tell my dad that she had just passed. He had been in the hospital. All of us have stories. That is just mine. There are people who have suffered far more than i have. I will remember that for the rest of my life, how hard she fought to see her kids grow up. To parents who dont see their kids grow up, i know its tough. Did she talk to you at all . Sen. Graham she was fairly lucid the last couple of days. She was worried about my sister being young and making sure i would take care of her. My dad was 17 years older. He had had a heart attack. He was in his late 60s. We always thought she would be around. She was 52. We thought dad would go first because he is 17 years older but life is not what you think. It is about what happens. She was worried. I was able to reassure her that we would make it, and she reassured me that she would be fine. It was still tough. In your book, you talk about heaven, that she told you about it. Sen. Graham there was a time when i wasnt there. My aunt had a seizure and they brought her back. She was talking about an experience, Something Like heaven, that she felt more at peace. I remember i was at home with my dad. He had been in the hospital and had just gotten home. I was home with him and my sister. I got a call from another uncle saying that he didnt think she was going to make it. I talked in the book about driving to the hospital. The car was on empty. The empty light was on and it was a 25 mile ride. I was praying, please, let me get there. I made it in time to talk to her. She had a seizure and came back. I just said, mom, its ok. You can let go. She passed. As i was going home, i pulled into the gas station. People who go through this remember it. Your dad was called the dude . Sen. Graham there was a baseball player called dude. I have never heard anyone call my dad anything else. His name was Florence James graham. He owned a bar, Restaurant Liquor store, pool room. He was late 40s when i was born. I cant remember going anywhere without my dad, hunting, car races, every ballgame i ever had. I came along later in life. My parents appreciated it more. It was reported that your parents did not serve africanamericans at the bar . Sen. Graham i grew up in a small town. We had a restaurant, bar, served hamburgers and beer. We serve more beer than hamburgers and hotdogs. Africanamericans would get the beer to go. Thats the way it was. I remember asking my dad as a kid i love my mom and dad. They are not perfect people. He said, that is the way it was. I can remember times when loudmouths would act up and say nasty things. I remember one time we called him uncle jake. He was a giant african american, wonderful man. We went rabbit hunting with them. He was ordering beer and a guy was saying nasty things. I remember it like it was yesterday. My dad took my football helmet and knocked the heck out of the guy. At the end of the day, things change in the south, and in the restaurant and bar. From the time i grew up to now my state has changed a lot. The first time i ever went to school with an africanamerican child was in the sixth or seventh grade, and there was just a handful. I did not think that much about it other than it was a big deal. Everybody made it a big deal. I can only imagine what their parents mustve thought to send their kids for the first time to an integrated School Setting where there are 35 kids in a classroom. South carolina has come a long way. We have a long way to go. I have seen things change in my lifetime for the better. Are you surprised how quickly the debate changed over the Confederate Flag . Sen. Graham to understand the situation, you have to understand how it got to be a confederate war memorial. It was flown in 1961, the 100th anniversary, to commemorate the anniversary of the civil war. Nobody took it down. It became a divisive symbol during the civil rights era. By the late 1990s, a compromise was reached where we would take the flag off the top of the dome and put it back into the war memorial in front of the capital and build an africanamerican Museum Display on statehouse grounds. That stood for 15 years, then there was the shooting. Before the shooting, this was brought up in the governors race. Nobody did anything to change the compromise because the state went through a hard time to get a compromise. The shooter adopted the flag as his symbol. The family members of the victims embraced him, and that made it impossible for South Carolina not to change. We couldve done one of two things, people go to the streets with justification or we could have gone down the road of healing and reconciliation. The family members of the victims, when they embraced the shooter in court and said you have destroyed my family and i am praying for you and love you, that changed everything. It was impossible not to grant the request of the ame church and other people throughout our state to remove the flag. Removing the flag was an active